Chapter 95: The Crazy Stone (Part 1)

  After arriving at the inn, due to the fatigue of the journey, everyone didn't have the mood to go out and play, they just had a simple dinner and went back to their rooms to rest, while Chu Chen also reminded the two girls to be vigilant.

  Nothing happened that night, probably because of his good physical quality, plus the excitement, Chu Chen didn't sleep much all night, and he kept thinking about going to gamble on stones soon. So, for most of the night, he was tossing and turning.

  Since he couldn't sleep, Chu Chen got up early and washed up. After washing up, he practiced a few rounds of fist method to calm his mind. With great difficulty, he calmed down and couldn't help but sigh, still too young, can't settle down.

  It was too early to get up, and there was nothing else to do, so Chu Chen turned on the TV and casually flipped through a few channels. However, although his eyes were fixed on the screen, his mind was actually organizing information about gambling rocks. This couldn't be helped - after all, who made it so that one's special ability could only be used five times a day?

  When people have something to do, time often passes quickly. Just as Chu Chen felt that he had sorted out a few key points, he found that the sky was already bright. Hearing Liu Zhiqing's footsteps, Chu Chen also followed him out of the door.

  Liu Zhiqing was eating breakfast while asking Chu Chen, "Xiao Chu, didn't you sleep well yesterday?"

  Seeing Chu Chen's embarrassment, he smiled and said: "What's wrong with that? When I first came here last year, I didn't sleep all night, and I went to gamble with panda eyes. The result was a loss! So I want to remind you, when you're too excited, be careful when you make a move."

  Chu Chen, thanks to his good physical condition, was already full of energy despite having slept a little less, but for ordinary people, Liu Yuqing's reminder was undoubtedly a valuable advice, so he listened and thanked him repeatedly.

  When everyone had gathered, they looked around and found that, apart from Hou Yuanming, the other three newcomers all had an eager expression, clenching their fists and rubbing their palms, but all three of them had panda eyes.

  After everyone finished breakfast, Hou Yuanming waved his hand: "Let's go, let's take a look at Yushizhai Street."

  Upon receiving this order, everyone immediately scrambled to get on a van and headed straight for Yushizhai Street.

  When it comes to China's jade industry, one has to mention Tengchong. The large-scale jade industry in Tengchong originated in the mid-Ming Dynasty and prospered during the Qing Dynasty. Before the 1950s, Tengchong was always the largest distribution center, trading center and processing base for Burmese jade, known as the "Jade City", and also the only import channel in the country.

  However, due to well-known reasons, until the 1970s, the state introduced policies for developing foreign trade, and Tengchong's jade wool business began to flourish again. In the following two or three decades, Tengchong once again played an important role as a hub for jade trading.

  However, by the end of the 1990s, after the Burmese government announced that it would no longer allow private trade in jade rough stones, it undoubtedly blocked most of the smuggling channels of Burmese businessmen at the border. Tengchong's jade trading began to return to local Burma gradually, and Tengchong's jade market also entered a cold winter period.

  It's not far from the inn to Jade Street. Before long, a street that looked quite old appeared before everyone's eyes.

  Although it's called a street, the two sides of the road aren't lined with shops, but rather places covered with plastic awnings, just like an ordinary vegetable market. Underneath the awnings are piles of large and small wool products, and the way they're traded is similar to that of a vegetable market. The whole scene makes Chuyan feel like she's at a rural fair.

  Although a few people came quite early, there were already many people on the street, and several stone-breaking machines had started working, looking very lively.

  As he walked along Jade Stone Street, Hou Yuanming sighed and said: "In the early 1990s when I first came here, it was truly bustling with people, and wool fabrics were being cut everywhere. In recent years, it has been declining, and the scene is no longer as it was in those days. Perhaps in a few more years, it will be even more deserted."

  Although Hou Yuanming said so, for the four newcomers Chu Chen, the scene in front of them has already opened their eyes and made them sigh in amazement. If it was really as lively as Hou Yuanming said before, they really couldn't imagine such a scene.

  However, seeing so many fur materials also made Chu Chen a bit silly. These jadeite furs, just from the quality point of view, are not inferior to those in Beijing's Ju Yuan Ge. In other words, many of these furs may contain jadeite, but his special ability can only be used five times a day, which makes him somewhat at a loss.

  The reason why the quality of wool here is good is simple. In Myanmar, all the good-quality wool is first taken away and hidden by the government or jade merchants, either to be stored for price increase or sold on the competitive market in Myanmar.

  The slightly inferior wool is then selected by a larger jewelry merchant, and so on, until the wool that finally reaches the buyer's hands can be said to be "left over" after being selected. The closer the wool is to the source of goods, the fewer times it will be selected.

  So even the wool on ordinary stalls on Jade Street is not worse than that of Ju Yuan Ge, it's just a matter of principle. As for Zhang Guosheng's Cuiyuanzhai wool, it's all picked up edge material, which is generally considered garbage here and is worthless.

  "Come on, we're there, let's go take a look." Liu Zhiquan patted Chu Chen's shoulder and said.

  The happiest person to get this number is Wen Yuting. She's a typical crazy buyer, and with the previous thrill of bidding, she saw these wool fabrics and her eyes lit up. Without thinking twice, she picked a stall and started picking out fabrics.

  The boss here, who isn't a slick talker, took one look at Wen Yuting's movements and knew she was a new hand who couldn't be any newer. He immediately stirred up his three-inch-long tongue that never gets tired and said with a smile:

  "Miss, let me tell you, the wool here is all directly from the mine, it's all old pit material, cheap and easy to produce high-quality goods. Don't believe me? Ask others, just the other day someone won a glass bead here, pick a few to try your luck, I guarantee you won't lose."

  "Really?" Wen Yuting's eyes turned glassy and emitted a blue glow, causing the boss to shiver.

  Just as Wen Yuting believed it was true and was about to select the wool, she was pulled up by Li Guodong, who had been instructed by Chu Chen.

  "What are you doing? I've already picked out a few pieces of fabric." Wen Yuting slapped Li Guodong's hand, saying somewhat indignantly.

  "Xiao Wen, don't blame Li Ge, it was me who asked him to bring you here."

  "What? Did that boss lie? About the glass being broken, he shouldn't be able to talk nonsense, can't you just ask around and know?" Wen Yuting asked with some curiosity.

  "Haha, don't be so anxious, but in your current state, you're not suitable for selecting wool either. You should know that gambling on stones is a business where nine out of ten times you'll lose. He said earlier that he had already taken out the glass kind, does it mean that there must be many glass kinds left among the remaining stones? If so, then what's the value of glass kinds?" Chu Chen said with a serious tone.

  After being reminded by Chu Chen, Wen Yuting also reacted and said with a clever tone: "Chu Ge, isn't this because of you? As long as you help me take care of the rest, then there won't be any problem!"

  Chu Chen hadn't said anything, but Chu Yulan smiled and said: "Yuting, your attitude is not right, do you want to let Brother Chu always help you? Think about it, does Brother Chu have so much time and obligation to help you with these things?"

  After hearing this, Wen Yuting also reacted and realized that Chu Chen was not her anything, and she didn't have so much time and obligation to help her out. Her previous thoughts were indeed too demanding of others.

  Take a look at Li Guodong next to her, he was studying the gambling stone for himself, but in order to help himself, he missed the opportunity to gamble on the stone in Xijing last time. Thinking of this, she suddenly reflected on her own behavior, was her previous self too selfish?

  Chu Chen saw this situation and hastily said: "Xiao Wen, I heard that you previously studied some knowledge of guessing stones. Then, according to what you've learned, take a look at it carefully. In the end, I'll also help you with the final check."

  "Thanks, Chu Ge."

  After thanking Chu Chen, Wen Yuting said to Li Guodong: "Guodong, let's compare with each other later and see who is more powerful."

  "Go ahead, no problem, don't cry later when you lose."

  "Heh heh, I'd like to see you try, dare you make me, a lady, cry."

  Wen Yuting's words made Li Guodong suddenly become as silent as a cicada in winter.

  Chu Chen saw this situation and was speechless. If Li Ge really got together with Wen Yuting, his tracheitis would be set off for sure.

  Next, Chu Chen thought that Liu Zhiqing and Hou Yuanming wouldn't find it easy to come to Tengchong again, if they let the two follow them, the four of them would undoubtedly be somewhat inconvenient in their actions. Moreover, with him following Chu Yulan, there was no need to worry about safety either. Besides, now that everyone had mobile phones, contact was also more convenient. So he suggested:

  "Liu Ge, Hou Ge, you two take care of things from now on. I'll take these three people for a walk first, and we'll be in touch by phone later."

  Liu Zhiqing originally had things to do on Jade Street, and although Hou Yuanming's decision was temporary this time, he also had business matters to attend to. So the two of them readily agreed to Chu Chen's proposal and reminded them to pay attention to safety before leaving.

  In the following time, Chu Chen took Li Guodong and three others to stroll around various stalls, listening to some old players comment on wool products. They also gained a lot of knowledge, while Wen Yuting often compared what she had learned with her previous studies, and the learning effect was much better than reading books by herself.