Chapter 18: A Smile That Erases All Grudges Is Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces

Chapter 18: A Smile Erases All Grudges, Worth a Thousand Gold

Beside the bearded man’s stall.

Lan Xiaohe’s breath was quickened, her cheeks flushed, and her hair bun dampened by sweat, giving her an excited appearance.

Her eyes were fixed intently on the raw jade being cut by the stone expert. As the cut surface was rinsed with water, a gleaming patch of vivid green appeared.

“Damn! Another piece of full green ice jade!”

The crowd around them grew thicker. Upon seeing the jade’s green hue, they all exclaimed in surprise.

“Miss, I offer a thousand taels of silver. Would you sell me this stone?”

A newcomer among the onlookers, eager to bid, was immediately mocked by those nearby.

“Haha, Old Wang, with so many eyes watching, do you think you can still find a bargain? If this young lady is willing to sell, I’ll offer three thousand taels.”

The speaker teased while looking at Lan Xiaohe expectantly.

“Sorry, I’m not the one to decide. Master, continue cutting it open, all of it.”

Lan Xiaohe didn’t even look back.

At this moment, she suddenly understood the madness of these jade gamblers.

Clearly, none of these stones belonged to her. She was merely fulfilling the task assigned by that nobleman.

Yet, as she watched the stones being cut piece by piece, witnessing how these seemingly ordinary and even somewhat ugly stones instantly soared in value, and hearing the bids climb higher with each offer, her heart could not help but surge with excitement.

“All right then.”

The two stone experts, whose arms had grown sore, perked up at the sight of that full green jade. Without hesitation, they resumed sawing, the sound of the blade grinding against stone filling the air as piles of stone dust accumulated on the ground.

As professional stone cutters, when their employer presents good jade, they also receive a handsome bonus.

Moreover, this line of work was somewhat superstitious; having produced so many fine jades under their hands, others would naturally invite them to cut stones in hopes of good fortune.

It was foreseeable that their income would rise sharply over the coming days. Their only worry was whether their arms could endure such intense labor.

The bearded stall owner’s expression shifted from scorn to shock, then to a look of disgust and discomfort, as if he had just swallowed a fly.

He never expected that the seemingly reckless young lord, casually picking stones like slicing watermelons, would have every single piece’s value soar.

Indeed, those stones had already been sold; whether they made a profit or loss was no longer his concern.

But that bastard insisted on cutting the stones right in front of him.

He began to regret it.

All these treasures had been sold through him. If he had opened them himself, wouldn’t he be the one making a fortune now?

There were seven raw jade pieces in total; five had been opened. Even the lowest valued one was worth over a thousand taels, which immediately recouped all the costs and left pure profit.

The thought of others making a fortune while he suffered losses was unbearable!

“Hey, Bearded Man, stop staring so longingly. No matter how much you look, it’s not yours.”

Yu Xian appeared beside the bearded man without anyone noticing, wearing an exasperatingly smug attitude.

Yulan followed behind, covering her mouth to stifle her laughter, thinking how childish her master truly was.

The bearded man glanced at Yu Xian, scowling, but after a moment’s hesitation, he sighed and said, “You’re impressive. I failed to recognize a real expert. My words earlier were rude; I apologize.”

Yu Xian chuckled lightly. “Bearded Man, you don’t take a hit well, huh? I wasn’t even trying hard yet, and you’re already down.”

The bearded man snorted coldly. “I always say what I mean. If you’re better, then I admit defeat. But if you intend to humiliate me further, then draw your line—I’m not someone who can’t handle losing.”

“Ha, Bearded Man, I didn’t expect you to be quite adorable.”

“Well, since we can say we’ve met through a fight, I’m Yu Xian. Haven’t we exchanged names yet?”

Yu Xian was not one to hold grudges over trivial matters. Now that the bearded man had admitted defeat, his mood was eased, and he had no intention of quibbling further. Instead, he planned to make a friend.

“Lu Yuan.”

Reluctantly, the bearded man took Yu Xian’s outstretched hand, a hint of pride in his gesture.

Yu Xian laughed heartily, slinging his arm over Lu Yuan’s shoulder like old brothers.

“Brother Lu, don’t say your elder brother doesn’t look out for you. These jades were all cut from your stones. If you want them, I’ll package and sell them to you.”

Though Lu Yuan appeared as a grizzled bearded man, Yu Xian could tell he was actually quite young, deliberately growing a beard to seem more mature.

Lu Yuan brushed Yu Xian’s hand away, disgruntled. “You look barely over twenty, and I’m already twenty-five. Why should I call you brother?”

Yu Xian touched his face, feigning sorrow. “Do I have to say I’m over thirty every time I meet someone?”

If he were still young, he wouldn’t be thinking of retiring to the mortal realm but would continue striving in the cultivation world for a chance at immortality.

Of course, in that case, he probably wouldn’t have discovered his golden advantage—rumored to be aided by his pure childlike body in cultivation.

“Ah?” Lu Yuan was stunned. “I’ve always heard of people with youthful faces who never age. I never thought I’d see it today. Were you lying to me?”

“If it weren’t true, who’d want to age ten or more years and have those youthful girls call them ‘uncle’?”

Yu Xian sighed, suddenly recalling his nearly thirty years of bachelorhood in a past life, passing by schools only to be called “uncle” by female classmates.

Damn it, never having dated, yet already in the uncle generation.

Lu Yuan found the reasoning convincing, though he completely overlooked how he had inexplicably become the younger brother.

“The jade that’s been cut is all of excellent quality. If you’re willing to sell to me, I won’t cheat you—I’ll pay full market price.”

No one disliked having good jade, and he could make a small profit by reselling. With the market so hot, he had no worry about inventory.

“Brother Lu is straightforward. In that case, I’ll give you a discount on that whole jade piece.”

Yu Xian suddenly showed his true intentions—a knife thrust into Lu Yuan's vital artery.

Lu Yuan’s face immediately stiffened.

Careless!

At this moment, if he refused, lacking Yu Xian’s thick skin, he could only swallow his pride and mumble out a voice that seemed squeezed out.

“All right, I’ll give you a 2% discount.”

“That’s too small, too narrow-minded. Brother Lu, this isn’t just a business deal. Think about how unfamiliar you are to this land. When you come to Changning City, how could your brother not look after you?

That discount you give me isn’t just a simple discount; it’s your future pass, your protective talisman.”

“I have bodyguards…”

“Bodyguards, what use are they? Can street fighters contend with officials? I have connections above; I can even meet with princes at will.”

“My father knows someone in the prefecture office.”

“Your father’s connections are not yours. If you want to grow strong and independent, you can’t always rely on your father.

Knowing me is proof you’re taking your first strong step on your own.”

Lu Yuan’s beard twitched as if seeing himself returning home in glory, his father admiring how grown-up he had become.

Fortunately, he still kept some sense.

“How much do you want?”

“Just give me an 80% discount.”

“No way!”

Lu Yuan snapped back to reality. If he dared give an 80% discount, his own father would break his legs.

“Then how much?”

Yu Xian acted helpless.

Lu Yuan felt a little ashamed, realizing his stinginess.

“Ninety-five… ninety percent! At most ninety percent!”

He almost cried.

“No problem! I’ll pay you shortly.”

Yu Xian clapped his hands, sealing the deal on the spot.

(End of Chapter)