Students Deserve More Pity!
The voice was exceptionally feminine and bursting to the brim with youth. When Xi Chen turned around towards the source of the outburst, he discovered a young girl in her late teenage years pointing towards the stone now clenched tightly in the foreman's hand. As he noticed her moving closer towards the interior of the shop, Xi Chen couldn't help but narrow his eyebrows, for an elderly gentleman dressed in a traditional scholar's robe followed after the footsteps of the young girl.
"Er… Esteemed Customer…"
The foreman seemed to be at a loss as to what to do with the stone in his hand. Xi Chen motioned with his hand for the stone to be placed into the curated briefcase available for every customer of Tianguang Plaza, only for the young girl to raise her voice for the second time.
"Did you not hear my earlier statement?" she firmly protested with a frown on her countenance.
"It should be proper ethics to grant every customer equal business opportunity when regarding the sale and distribution of jade stones."
The foreman blinked at the abstruse slew of words hurtled towards his direction, and quickly held the stone at arms' length to prevent his cold sweat from dripping onto their surface. At the same time, the man craned his neck back towards the depths of the shop, and swiftly called for the storeowner to resolve the conflict.
He was only a foreman responsible for the physical grunt work; this was far too beyond his paygrade!
"Coming! Please wait just a few seconds!"
The boisterous voice of the storekeeper resounded through the shop, followed by numerous rushed yet careful footsteps. With a pair of obtuse-shaped, unassuming stones clenched in both hands, the middle-aged storeowner emerged from behind a shelf filled with stones.
"Greetings, Esteemed Customers, what may I do for you?" he gestured towards the young lady and the elderly man standing behind her, then turned towards Xi Chen.
"Sir, all of the requested stones have been prepared for you. However, on stone ninety-three, we found a centimeter-long scratch on the base resting against the platform… will you still proceed with your order?"
"A scratch on the base of the stone?"
Xi Chen frowned, then scanned the stone with his eyes for another pass. When the result before his gaze remained consistent with that within his memories, he merely nodded in assent, quickly motioning for the storekeeper to pack the stones into the briefcase.
"Ah! Those stones, they're –"
The young girl exclaimed in surprise after a few brief moments of intense scrutiny, and began raising her finger towards the stone labeled ninety-three that was now being carefully packaged in shock-resistant foam. However, before she could release her customary yell, the elderly man placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Alright, alright Yu-er," he consoled with a gentle smile.
"Don't be like this – let Grandfather handle this matter for you, alright?"
"…en."
The young girl pouted as she stepped back and remained silent, allowing the elderly man to conduct his business as he pleased. Nodding in approval and patting the former on her head, the elderly man slowly walked towards Xi Chen and the storekeeper.
"Pleased to make your greeting," the elderly man clasped his hands before him in a fist salute.
"I am Mu Yun, a mere avid jade collector. Young man, may we talk about one of the stones that you have just ordered?"
Had he realized something?
Xi Chen minutely raised an eyebrow in confusion at the elderly man's question, uncertain regarding the latter's motives. However, before he could voice his concerns, one of the foremen of the store muttered to himself for a while in thought.
"Mu Yun… Mu Yun… I've heard this name before – hey! Mu Yun, as in the Chairman of the Tianming Corporation!?"
His unexpected shout drew forth the attention of the nearby customers and foremen, and upon comparing his image with those posted on Tianming Corporation's Board of Directors webpage, they couldn't help but scream in shock, delight, and awe. Immersing themselves into the undeserved attention as much as possible, droves of people rushed towards where the old man and the young girl stood, their countenances alight with amazement.
"That's the chairman of the Tianming Corporation, the conglomerate of the jade trading industry in Suzhou! Why… why is he here?"
"If that is the chairman Mu Yun, then is that young girl his granddaughter, the rumored 'Eternal Beauty of Youth' of the south!?"
"I'm in the same store as Chairman Mu Yun! I'm in the same store as Chairman Mu Yun! Heavens, this has to go on Weibo immediately!"
Crazed shouts and fervent screams filled the air as the awestruck customers and foremen attempted to wrestle photos with the elderly man by hook or crook, causing the previously silent atmosphere to bubble with life. Ensuring that his granddaughter was unaffected by the chaos, Mu Yun nodded towards Xi Chen and gestured towards the outside of the building.
Xi Chen nodded as he received the receipt and briefcase from the storekeeper, and departed from the rambunctious storehouse with smooth strides. After having reached a distance that prevented their ears from being swamped by external noise, Mu Yun raised his fist to his mouth and coughed.
"Young man, let us now discuss regarding those stones in your briefcase."
The young girl peeped at Xi Chen from behind the elderly man's back, her wide eyes staring with expectation. Xi Chen released an internal sigh, and nodded towards the amused expression on Mu Yun's wrinkled countenance.
"If Chairman Mu is to offer me a quote in exchange for the stones in my possession, I am afraid that such a deal is not possible."
"Why is that? To reject me without listening to the actual amount I offer, you must have great confidence in the quality of the stones you possess. How did you arrive to such decision?"
Mu Yun rubbed at his beard with two fingers as he carefully observed Xi Chen's appearance from head to toe. Having discovered nothing out of the ordinary from the youth's overall demeanor and figure, the elderly man couldn't suppress the wrinkle of his brow.
Too young to experience anything, nor did his hands reveal any experience working with stones or jades in particular… was it just luck?
"I am afraid to disappoint you, but I merely selected these stones out of pure chance. If they win, then they bring me a profit. If they fail to return, then I've lost my investment."
Xi Chen shrugged his shoulders, keeping a nonchalant tone as he responded to the elderly man. Mu Yun nodded in acknowledgement and praise, before leaning his body to the side to present his granddaughter.
"Being frank regarding your experiences, and keeping an enlivened and unaffected mood will certainly drive away unnecessary troubles," he coughed.
"However, since you didn't employ any special analysis or inspection onto the stones and merely chose out of luck, would you be of the higher moral quality and sell them to us? This is the first stone my granddaughter had taken fancy to on her first venture into the jade market – oh, and of course, we won't offer you any disadvantaged deals."
Xi Chen could faintly discern that the elderly figure was nearing the end of his patience, and had to suppress a cough of bemusement. He truly didn't wish to have to waste more time and effort searching for stones containing jade, especially when he had a lot on his plate over the next few days…
Since they played the pity card, he might as well join in!
"Even if I were to demand full price for the stones I bought, that's less than five thousand RMB in total," Xi Chen revealed a despondent expression.
"That's hardly enough to handle my tuition, not to mention my little sibling's cram school fees, and there's my family to consider…"
That's certainly more pitiable than your granddaughter of a rich family exploring gambling with stones for the first time, and you know that as well…
"Alright, alright, but you really won't give up the stones?" the young girl butted in, her beautiful countenance glaring towards Xi Chen with narrowed eyes.
"Surely you know my grandfather, no? When he offers you a deal, it'll always be more than what you think. Stupid fellow, unable to appreciate favors…"
"Yu-er, don't be rude," the elderly figure gently silenced the young girl.
"Well, young man – will you consider it?"
Xi Chen took a breath to deliver a cutthroat response to Mu Yun's repeated exhortation, but paused midway. Recalling that he was now no more than a poor university student and no longer the billionaire business tycoon of Jiangbei, he released a sigh in defeat, but threw a final compromise.
"How about I open the stones, and then you purchase them at the listed market price?"
"Oh? Such intricate risk valuation – how interesting!" Mu Yun chuckled in delight, and his eyes brimmed with satisfaction.
"Very well! We shall do this your way – but be careful, young man. Should your luck not be able to sustain your confidence, then don't blame this old man for his actions!"