Medical and Martial God

Chapter 339: Chapter 339: You’re Ugly, You Speak First

”So, how do you plan to get back at him?” Jin Lian asked curiously.

”That depends on his next move,” Ye Xiu replied with a smile.

Jin Lian chuckled. Fei Xiang has already left. How could he possibly make a move?

Just then, Fei Xiang caught up with them. ”Jin Lian, I’ll stick with you after all. Stone gambling is very risky. Without my help, you’ll just waste your money on a pile of worthless rocks.”

Jin Lian ignored Fei Xiang and glanced at Ye Xiu in shock. He actually predicted Fei Xiang would follow us. That kind of insight into human nature is extraordinary.

Seeing that Jin Lian hadn’t refused his company, Fei Xiang smiled and said, ”Today happens to be the Qingfeng Road Jadeite Gambling Culture Festival, and enthusiasts from all over the country are here.

”For this festival, the organizers transported dozens of tons of jadeite raw stones from Zihe, with values ranging from a few hundred to tens of millions.

”It’s impossible to find a treasure among so many raw stones without professional guidance, unless you’re incredibly lucky.”

The implication was clear: with a professional like him around, Jin Lian certainly wouldn’t waste her money.

”Wang Dazhuang, have you ever tried stone gambling before?” Fei Xiang asked.

”I don’t talk to ugly people,” Ye Xiu stated.

Fei Xiang: ”...”

The anger he had just managed to suppress flared up again at Ye Xiu’s provocation.

Fei Xiang took a deep breath, silently chanting a spell in his mind. Don’t get angry, don’t get angry, don’t get angry. Getting angry is just punishing yourself for someone else’s mistake...

The scale of this stone gambling festival was immense. Dozens of tons of jadeite raw stones, all in various sizes, were neatly arranged and numbered. Countless gamblers milled about. This was a grand feast for the world of stone gambling.

”There are so many stones. How can you tell which one is the real deal?” Jin Lian asked, feeling dazzled, as she knew nothing about stone gambling.

”Don’t rush, take your time...”

”Jin Lian, just follow me...”

Ye Xiu and Fei Xiang answered Jin Lian at almost the exact same time. The moment the words left their mouths, they both snapped them shut.

”You’re ugly. You go first,” Ye Xiu said.

Fei Xiang: ”...”

Seeing Fei Xiang stay silent, Ye Xiu pointed to the largest raw stone in the distance and said, ”Let’s go take a look at that one.”

”The moment you open your mouth, I can tell you know nothing about jadeite,” Fei Xiang said contemptuously. ”That raw stone must weigh at least ten tons. It’s most likely just an ordinary rock. Even if there’s any jadeite inside, it won’t be much, and the quality will definitely be low. Look, Jin Lian, no one is even paying attention to it.”

He felt extremely pleased with himself. Finally, a chance to take a jab at Wang Dazhuang!

He stared at Ye Xiu’s profile, eagerly awaiting an angry retort.

But Ye Xiu just gave him a slight smile. ”I think that raw stone is as ugly as you are. It might just turn out to be a huge find.”

With that, he put his arm around Jin Lian and strode swiftly toward the largest raw stone.

Fei Xiang’s face cycled from dark to green, then from green to purple with rage. The anger from the last jab hadn’t even subsided before a new wave washed over him. He felt completely overwhelmed.

They arrived in front of the giant raw stone marked Number 1.

Jin Lian said, ”Fei Xiang is annoying, but he really does know a lot about stone gambling. Besides, there’s no one here at Number 1. It’s obvious that no one at the festival thinks much of this stone. You can’t just blindly waste your money.”

Ye Xiu didn’t answer, choosing instead to carefully examine the Number 1 raw stone.

At that moment, Fei Xiang walked over and sneered, ”Tch, look at you, acting all serious like you actually know something. Let’s not even talk about whether this is good material. Even if it is, it’s priced at 15,000,000. Can you afford it?”

”Ugly people sure love to make a scene,” Ye Xiu retorted.

Fei Xiang: ”...”

Jin Lian nearly died laughing. Fei Xiang was the very picture of perseverance despite repeated setbacks. He knew full well he was going to get shot down by Ye Xiu, yet he still charged forward like a moth to a flame. A truly brave soul.

Ye Xiu then turned to Jin Lian and explained, ”Stone gambling enthusiasts aren’t really gambling on the stone itself, but on the chance to strike it rich overnight. That’s why there’s a saying in the stone gambling world: ’One cut to riches, one cut to rags.’ It means if you bet right, you’re wealthy overnight; bet wrong, and you lose everything.

”True veterans of the stone gambling world usually command huge amounts of capital. They go directly to the mines to gamble because the chances of winning are much higher with freshly-mined raw stones.

”The stones at events like this cultural festival are mostly second-hand goods. After the raw stones are mined, the mine owners keep the best ones for themselves or auction them off on the spot.

”The stones that make it to the cultural festival have already been picked through several times. It’s very difficult to find a real treasure here.”

Jin Lian nodded, only half-understanding, but she was surprised that Ye Xiu was so knowledgeable about stone gambling.

”Well, well. For a country bumpkin, you actually know a little about stone gambling,” Fei Xiang mocked. ”But knowing is not the same as understanding. Stone gambling requires extensive practical experience. Rote memorization is useless.”

Ye Xiu asked, ”Is boasting a common trait among ugly people?”

”You...” Fei Xiang’s face turned ashen with rage. His fists were clenched so tightly his body trembled, and the veins on his forehead looked ready to pop. This Wang Dazhuang had gone too far!

”Are the three of you interested in Number 1?”

Just then, a well-dressed, middle-aged man approached them, introducing himself with a smile. ”Allow me to introduce myself. I am the organizer of the Qingfeng Road Jadeite Gambling Culture Festival. You can call me Old Wang.”

Jin Lian and Fei Xiang politely exchanged pleasantries with Old Wang, giving only their surnames.

Ye Xiu remained silent. He could tell at a glance that Old Wang was a ’master of time management’ with severely depleted vitality. Moreover, he knew perfectly well that Old Wang’s friendly approach was not genuine.

”It’s not the three of us who are interested, but this country boy, Wang Dazhuang, who has taken a liking to Number 1,” Fei Xiang said, his tone dripping with contempt.

Old Wang sneered inwardly. I came here specifically for Wang Dazhuang.

He smiled and said, ”Mr. Wang, what do you think of Number 1?”

”Not bad,” Ye Xiu nodded, then asked, ”How is Number 1 being sold?”

PFFT!

Old Wang nearly burst out laughing but maintained his composure. ”The price is listed below: 15,000,000. Of course, that’s just the base price. Moreover, the rules for this Jadeite Gambling Culture Festival are different from usual. The raw stones don’t need to go to a public auction...”

”Oh?” Ye Xiu was taken aback. This was a complete break from the established rules of the stone gambling world. He asked, ”Are all the raw stones here being sold at their listed prices?”

”No, the fundamental rules of stone gambling can’t be changed. The stones at the festival are still decided by silent bids,” Old Wang explained, then asked probingly, ”Do you know what silent bidding is?”

This was a clear test. If Ye Xiu knew, it meant he had some experience in the field and wouldn’t be easy to fool. If he didn’t know, then he was ripe for the swindling.