“Hey, don’t look at me like that. I was really just making a guess,” Leo said with an innocent look.
Nicola pouted, “Guessing? You dare bet 42 million!?”
“They say beginners usually win when they first start gambling. I’m a newcomer to stone gambling, so I thought I should win too,” Leo explained with naive reasoning, making Coral unable to hold back a chuckle.
Antony, standing at the cutting machine, looked at the four stones in front of him. He took a deep breath, trying to make his expression look better, and then turned to Leo.
“Leo, I really can’t beat your luck. I lost this high-stakes bet,” Antony said with a calm expression, not showing any sign of losing 42 million.
Seeing Antony recover so quickly, Leo knew this guy wasn’t simple.
“Jim, bring the jade I just bought,” Antony ordered.
“Yes.” Jim replied, shooting Leo a fierce glance, a deadly intent shining in his eyes.
While Jim went to retrieve the jade, Antony took out a check and issued a 9 million one to Leo.
Leo accepted the check with a smile. “Mr. William is indeed a man of your word. I was worried you might back out.”
Antony’s mouth twitched. He did consider backing out, but if he did so in front of so many people, he wouldn’t be able to stay in the jewelry and jade industry anymore.
With Antony’s 9 million and Keith’s 9 million, Leo now had a total of 18 million in checks.
In addition to the glass type jade he cut and the high-quality jade he won from Antony, Leo felt rich in an instant.
Soon, Jim brought over the high-quality jade worth 33 million, using a small cart. He handed it to Leo with an intense murderous aura. Leo had no doubt that if Antony gave the order, Jim would attack him right there.
But Leo wasn’t afraid. He was no longer the person he was four years ago.
“Alright, our bet is over. I hope we can meet again in the future. Goodbye,” Antony said casually before leaving.
Nicola had already sensed the underlying meaning in Antony’s words and warned, “Leo, you better be careful. Although I don’t know much about Antony, I do know he holds grudges. Watch out for any dirty tricks he might pull on you in the future.”
Coral nodded in agreement. “Even though the William family is wealthy, 42 million is not a small sum. Antony is cunning and vengeful. After today, you’d better stay home for a while.”
Leo nodded. He was no longer the pushover he used to be. If Antony tried to retaliate against him, he wouldn’t mind teaching him the meaning of regret.
Leaving the crowd behind, Jim couldn’t help but ask, “Young Master, is this matter settled like this?”
“How could it be settled so easily, Jim? You know what to do next, right?” Antony replied with a sinister smile.
Jim nodded, “I understand.”
Back at the cutting machine, the atmosphere became lively after Antony’s departure. Many women wanted to add Leo on Facebook, and many men wanted Leo to pick stones for them, offering to split the profits 50/50. Some even went as far as saying they wanted to touch Leo for good luck…
Leo had a tough time extricating himself from the crowd. These people were absolutely crazy.
With the three jade stones safely stored, the next step was to continue selecting stones.
Leo planned to choose twenty stones to prove his gambling rate to Coral.
Now, he had 18 million in cash checks, enough to buy most of the top-grade jadeite here.
“Leo, I have something to discuss with you,” Coral suddenly said as Leo was about to start selecting stones.
Leo paused, “Miss Wilde, what is it?”
“Are you planning to pick stones and prove your gambling rate as you said?” Coral asked.
“Yes.”
“Okay, here’s the deal. You pick the stones, and the company will purchase them in its name. When they arrive at the company, if they’re cut well, you get a 20% commission. If not, the company takes the loss. How does that sound?”
Leo looked at her and sensed that she was no ordinary woman.
“Are you sure you want to gamble twice?” Leo asked, looking into her eyes.
Coral met his gaze and nodded firmly, “Yes.”
“Aren’t you afraid of losing?”
“If your good luck ends with me, I’ll accept the loss. If you prove your gambling rate, you become Wilde Jewelry Company’s chief gambling advisor, with all the privileges that Nicola has, and a 20% commission on all stones you select that turn out well,” Coral said confidently.
Leo raised an eyebrow, “Oh, what privileges are you talking about?”
“An annual salary of one million, no need to sit in the office, flexible working hours, and a year-end bonus at the vice president level. As long as you pick a stone with top-grade jadeite every month for Wilde Jewelry Company, the company will cover the selection costs. If your gambling rate falls below 30% for three consecutive years, you’ll be automatically dismissed,” Coral laid out the conditions.
The condition sounded simple, but in reality, it was extremely demanding. Generally, only someone with Nicola’s level of skill could meet it.
If Leo didn’t possess spiritual power, achieving what Coral proposed would be wishful thinking.
You see, there have been statistics done in the stone gambling industry. Even veteran gamblers who have immersed themselves in stone gambling for decades only achieve an average gambling rate of around 25%.
“OK, I’ll bet with you!”
Leo agreed not only because the offer was appealing, but also because it would provide him with a platform like Wilde Jewelry Company to access more jade and absorb more spiritual energy.
With the deal settled, Leo began to browse around. Nicola called two service staff members to assist him in carrying the selected stones.
After a full tour of the gambling area, Leo had chosen a total of twenty stones. Twelve of them contained top-grade jadeite, and the remaining eight were just for show. He didn’t want to draw too much attention by picking twenty stones and having them all turn out well. It was better to be low-key.
The twenty jadeite stones cost him around 10 million, but if he could cut them all successfully, their combined value wouldn’t be less than 100 million.