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墨書 Inktalez
"Well, you can also misjudge sometimes..." Bird Uncle said, "That's why I don't gamble on stones myself." I could only nod vigorously in agreement.
"Of course, for us jade carvers, even if we get a poor quality material, we can still recover our losses through carving, can't we?" Bird Uncle's words seemed to encourage me to try my hand at gambling on stones.
I recalled the color and shape of Mr. Xu's stone with great effort. Indeed, it could be made into a clever color carving ornament. I could carve a branch of orchids along the green lines, while the black and gray parts could be shaped into rocks. Although this would be labor-intensive and time-consuming, it would certainly be an elegant and noble piece for a scholar's desk. In Beijing's auction market, if I encountered the right buyer, it could sell for two to three hundred thousand.
"But if Mr. Xu had agreed to sell the stone back to your shop at that time, wouldn't that just be stockpiling? Is it really that easy to sell stones? What if no one wants those two pieces he cut?"
"Yes, in that case, the money would be tied up in the stone," Bird Uncle replied. "Many bosses are like that; they talk about having assets worth billions, but it's all tied up in stones, leaving very little cash on hand."
"But I'm not someone who puts everything into stones," he continued, pouring another cup of tea with a mysterious smile on his face. "I never felt that I needed to spend that 340,000."
What exactly was going on with this person? I felt increasingly confused after hearing this.
"I also have an element of gambling," Bird Uncle paused for a moment, looking a bit pleased with himself. "I'm betting on Mr. Xu's character."
At this point, the eldest son, who had been silent beside us, suddenly chuckled.
Uncle continued, "I'm betting that he will definitely make another cut. If he does cut it again, there's a good chance it will collapse. In that case, I won't need to spend any money; all I need is for my son to place a bid. Mr. Xu will also remember that I helped him pick out a 340,000 stone. I've done him this favor."
I nodded vigorously, thinking that Bird Uncle was indeed a cunning old fox; no wonder he was able to make money.
"If Mr. Xu's cuts keep increasing, although the probability is low, it's entirely possible. That would be even better. He would be more willing to come to me for stones. But from what I know of him, I feel like he won't be able to stop; it's hard for people to halt in those moments."
After saying this, Bird Uncle fell silent and brewed another pot of tea. The outer side of his sleeve still had some dust from the freshly cut jade, though I couldn't tell if it was from the knife that had made a 250,000 increase or the one that had dropped back to its original price.
"Why don't we place a bet as well?" Bird Uncle suddenly turned to me.
"No, no, Uncle Yun. With my little fortune, I can't afford to gamble on stones."
"Not on stones; let's bet on something else."
"What are we betting on?"
"Mr. Xu. Next month. Bet on whether you will run into him again."
But I didn't even know Mr. Xu; where would I run into him? Just as I was puzzled, a thought struck me!
I asked Bird Uncle, "The Moon Festival is in September, are you suggesting...?"
Bird Uncle chuckled, "Clever! Mr. Xu isn't just visiting Ruili for fun this time. Besides me, he will meet many people in the industry, which shows he is serious and truly wants to invest in jade. So in September, he definitely won't miss the Myanmar Public Auction!"
"Right, the Myanmar Public Auction!" I replied eagerly.
"Exactly! This year you should come with us!"
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