“One million eight hundred and fifty thousand!”
“One million nine million!”
…
This large piece of green jadeite could probably fetch around 35 million if turned into a finished product for sale. Everyone had their own assessment, and the bidding remained heated.
Leo also coveted this green jadeite because of its abundant spiritual energy. However, it was beyond the scope of gambling, so he couldn’t let Coral bid for it.
“Miss Wilde, are you interested in this green jadeite?” Leo couldn’t help but ask.
Coral thought for a moment and replied, “Let’s see. If the bidding price exceeds 30 million, I won’t participate.”
Mr. Tyler overheard their conversation and turned to them, “This large piece of raw jadeite is rare in the market. If it’s carved by a master artist based on its contours and made into a large decorative piece, it could easily be worth 50 million. It would be an excellent centerpiece for any collection.”
The most famous and expensive large decorative piece was the jadeite cabbage from Empress Dowager Cixi, known as the most expensive cabbage in the world.
The price continued to climb and soon surpassed 30 million.
“Thirty-one million and ten thousand!”
“Thirty-one million and twenty thousand!”
The number of bidders began to decrease.
“Thirty-one million and thirty thousand!” Madame K bid with determination.
Keith didn’t contest her this time because he knew that going any higher wouldn’t leave them with much profit even if they won.
Madame K was well aware of this fact. However, with her shop expanding and limited inventory, obtaining such a large piece of jade would be enough to support her business for a while.
After all, without quality goods in her shop, it would be difficult to retain customers.
After Madame K made her offer, there was a moment of silence, indicating that her bidding price million had already reached their bottom line.
Antony, as the General Manager of Starry Gem Jewelry, wasn’t a fool either. He had the same mindset as Coral and originally would not to bid anymore.
However, because this piece of raw jadeite was exceptionally large and rare, a new idea crossed Antony’s mind. His grandfather’s 80th birthday was approaching. If he bought this raw jadeite and had Langstel’s most famous jade carving master turn it into a jade crane as a gift for his grandfather’s birthday, he would surely win his favor. That would significantly elevate his status within the family.
Just thinking about it got him excited.
“Thirty-two million!”
Imagining himself making a grand impression at his grandfather’s birthday, Antony raised his paddle once again.
Madame K looked at Antony with a displeased expression. This brat dared to snatch it from her again!
Helpless due to her less impressive financial resources, she couldn’t compete.
“Madame K, forget it. The kid is stubborn; don’t bother with him,” Keith consoled her.
Madame K knew it too. Furthermore, bidding over 32 million would likely result in no profit after accounting for all the costs of maximizing the jadeite’s potential.
However… it was still frustrating.
“Thirty-two million one hundred thousand!” Madame K reluctantly called out a price.
Antony turned to look at her and cursed inwardly, “A daring woman, dare to snatch from me? Get lost!”
“Thirty-three million!” Antony declared, his bid decisive.
Madame K didn’t even bother looking at him this time and simply threw her paddle, giving up.
The auctioneer knew that no one else would compete with Antony, so he didn’t ask for further bids. “Thirty-three million once! Thirty-three million twice! Sold!”
The auctioneer struck the gavel for the final time.
Seeing Madame K’s expression, Keith consoled her, “Madame K, forget it. Starry Gem Jewelry has deep pockets; there’s no need to fight with them. Outside, there’s a joint gem gambling event organized by various stone gambling merchants. If we’re lucky, we might still find some treasures.”
Keith and Madame K were both jewelry merchants on Antique Street. Although they were competitors on the surface, they had a good relationship in private.
Madame K smiled, “Keith, you don’t need to comfort me. I can handle it. Later, we’ll go gem gambling. If someone finds something good, I’ll pay them for it.”
“Enjoy a healthy life with Starry Cloud Beverage. Dear esteemed guests, the auction is now officially over. It’s lunchtime. The organizers have prepared delicious lunch for you all. After lunch, feel free to participate in the gem gambling event outside. Good luck!” The auctioneer inserted a commercial and then bowed to the audience.
After the auctioneer left the stage, a side door opened, and beautiful hostesses wheeled in carts filled with mouthwatering dishes.
The aroma of the food wafted through the air even before the carts arrived.
The organizers spared no expense; they provided dishes of eastern and western styles for the guests to choose from , and they could even have both.
Leo ordered a Chinese meal while Coral opted for a Italian one.
By now, everyone was quite hungry, so they quickly started eating.
While everyone in the hall was enjoying their meal, the outside square was almost fully set up. Numerous booths had been erected, displaying various pieces of raw gemstone for gambling.
There were also specialized tools like cutting and polishing machines for jadeite gambling.
In gem gambling, whoever arrived first got the best chance to pick the finest stones. As a result, everyone ate quickly.
About ten minutes later, only Leo and Coral remained in the hall.
Coral had a small appetite and didn’t eat much. She was mainly waiting for Leo.
This guy, Leo, ate like he hadn’t had a meal in days. He polished off his free lunch as if it were a rare delicacy.
After seeing that Leo was almost finished, Coral said, “Done eating? Let’s go outside.”
“Alright, let’s go.” Leo wiped his mouth with a napkin, stood up from his chair, and looked at the plate next to him, where it seemed like only a few bites were taken. He couldn’t help but shake his head in amazement, “What a waste.”
The two of them went outside, turned right, and passed through a short alleyway, entering the large square where the gem gambling event was held.
The design of the square was such that all the gambling booths were set up around the perimeter. Guests could walk in a circle from the entrance and not miss any of the booths.
It was quite a thoughtful layout.
As for the center of the circular square, there were numerous machines for processing jadeite gambling, which were available for use by those who bought raw gemstones.
Generally, those who gambled on gemstones preferred to cut them right away, and not many people left them overnight.
Now, the entire square was bustling with people, and manyhad already started selecting their preferred tones, although nobody had begun cutting them yet.