Zhuang Rui parked the car on the side of the national highway, turned on the hazard lights, and explained his idea to Zhao Guodong over the phone. He said that it was just an idea, but Zhao Guodong would have to carry it out.
After Zhuang Rui finished speaking, there was a moment of silence on the phone. After a long while, Zhao Guodong finally spoke up, saying, "The locations of Zhang Yufeng's two auto repair shops are indeed better than ours. Moving there isn't a problem, but opening a 4S car dealership isn't as easy as you think, Xiao Rui. Not only is the investment huge, but you also have to negotiate the agency agreement with the car manufacturers and pay a deposit..."
"Stop, stop, brother-in-law, don't talk to me about this. Just tell me roughly how much money it will cost, and that's it."
"That depends on the brand you're representing; it'll probably cost around 20 to 30 million."
Zhao Guodong has been frequently traveling to Nanjing to purchase auto parts over the past six months and has become quite familiar with some dealers. Seeing the current boom in car sales, he was once tempted to enter the market, but after inquiring about the entry requirements, he backed down.
"Twenty or thirty million?"
Zhuang Rui was stunned for a moment. He originally thought that it would only cost five or six million, but he couldn't come up with twenty or thirty million now. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Then let's talk to Zhang Yufeng about the auto repair shop first. Let's convert our original site into car interior decoration. I'll think of a way to deal with the 4S store."
Zhuang Rui still has over 12 million yuan left. Although the Xinjiang jade mine has produced some jade, it hasn't been sold yet. According to Grandpa Adil, there should be a dividend before the end of the year. However, this is a long-term solution and Zhuang Rui still needs to keep some money on hand to deal with some unexpected events, such as the need for additional investment in the construction of the courtyard house.
“Okay, if we work for another two or three years, we might be able to open a 4S car dealership. After I get discharged from the hospital, I’ll go talk to Zhang Yufeng and resolve the factory merger issue…”
Zhao Guodong was also quite excited. After the auto repair shop moved its location, business would definitely take another step forward. Car interior decoration was also gradually becoming popular this year, and it would likely become a very important profit growth point in the future.
Leaving aside how Zhao Guodong would tell Zhuang Min about being discharged from the hospital, Zhuang Rui had just started the car, preparing to return to the city, when his phone rang again. He picked it up and saw that it was an unfamiliar number.
"Zhuang Rui?"
He pressed the answer button, and a female voice came through. It sounded familiar, but Zhuang Rui couldn't remember who it was for a moment.
"It's me. And who are you?"
"I am Wu Jia, from Shitouzhai..."
The image of that round-faced girl with a sweet smile appeared in Zhuang Rui's mind.
"Oh, it's Miss Wu. How is your grandfather's health?"
Zhuang Rui respected that old man Wu very much and wanted to secretly treat him, but he didn't have the opportunity to get close to him when he was resting, which was something he couldn't do.
"Grandpa is much better now. Thank you, Zhuang Rui. That piece of imperial green jade made Grandpa happy for a long time."
Wu Jia is a pitiful person. Both her parents died, and she could only rely on her grandfather for survival. As her grandfather slowly emerged from the grief of losing his son, Wu Jia's feelings for Zhuang Rui were beyond words.
Zhuang Rui smiled and said, "No need to thank me, I've made money off you too. I'll go see the old man when I have time. By the way, Miss Wu, could you call me? Is there anything else?"
Wu Jia, on the other end of the phone, stuck out her tongue. She had been so engrossed in chatting with Zhuang Rui that she had forgotten what her grandfather had told her. She quickly said, "Grandpa told me to tell you that one of his apprentices is coming to Pengcheng tomorrow. He made an appointment with you and asked me to ask if you are in Pengcheng now."
"Hey, how could I forget about that..."
Zhuang Rui slapped his forehead with the hand that wasn't holding the phone. He calculated the time; it had indeed been two weeks, but he still hadn't unraveled the rough stone. The person was coming tomorrow, and what was he going to use to carve it?
"Zhuang Rui, are you still there?"
When Wu Jia heard that there was no sound from the phone, she asked another question.
"Yes, yes, I'm in Pengcheng. Tell your grandfather I'll be going to Shitouzhai tomorrow morning. Let's talk when we meet tomorrow..."
Zhuang Rui was startled awake by Wu Jia's voice. After arranging a time with Wu Jia, he hung up the phone.
Actually, there's still a day until tomorrow, and Zhuang Rui could easily cut out the red jadeite. However, with Young Master Ouyang by his side, he's bound to discover the cutting. Although Ouyang Jun doesn't understand jadeite, Zhuang Rui doesn't want to cut out the red jadeite in front of others, which is giving him a headache.
"Why don't we go and untie it now? Liu Chuan is with him anyway."
The thought popped into Zhuang Rui's mind, and he immediately prepared to start the car and head back to the villa. But today, the phone rang again, as if it were a death knell; his hand had just touched the car keys when his phone started ringing once more.
"Wu'er, have you finished your business? I've already come out of the Tibetan Mastiff kennel. Hey, this place is really big. It looks like my club will be turned into a Tibetan Mastiff club next year. Xiao Chuan said we're going to eat mutton. Hurry up and come over."
Zhuang Rui shook his head with a wry smile, but he couldn't just abandon Ouyang Jun, so he asked for the address, started the car, and went there.
"Come on, kid, you'd better drink three cups as punishment. I heard that's the rule in Pengcheng."
When Zhuang Rui arrived at the restaurant, Ouyang Jun and Liu Chuan were already drinking and making a ruckus. When they saw Zhuang Rui come over, they poured three large glasses of beer and placed them in front of him.
Three glasses of wine is only one bottle. Although he was going to drive later, this amount of beer wouldn't exceed the limit. Zhuang Rui was thirsty, so he drank it all in one go.
"By the way, Wood, why did you go looking for that old scoundrel Zhang Yufeng?"
Liu Chuan asked from the side.
“It’s okay. Didn’t he want to form a partnership? I’ve already discussed it with him. I’ll give him 10%, and then we’ll move my brother-in-law’s factory there. We’ll open a 4S car dealership there in the future.”
Since everyone present was on his side, Zhuang Rui shared his thoughts. Of course, this was just a concept; he simply couldn't afford to invest in a 4S dealership right now.
"4S stores, those things are very expensive to set up initially..."
Ouyang Jun did know something about this.
"I know, I don't have any money right now, I'll put it off for now."
Zhuang Rui wasn't necessarily going to do it, he just had the idea.
“Come back to Beijing with me in a few days. I’ll introduce you to the CEO of Audi China. You can postpone the deposit and initial payment for the car. As long as your shop is renovated to their standards, you can start operating right away. With seven or eight million, you should be able to get started.”
After thinking for a moment, Ouyang Jun pointed out a way for Zhuang Rui: the investment in this 4S store mainly consists of store decoration, working capital for purchasing cars, and deposits paid to the manufacturer. If the latter two can be omitted, it won't actually cost much money. Moreover, Audi is a very well-known brand in China, so sales can be guaranteed.
"Let's talk about it next time. I won't be able to go back to Beijing for a while. I'll have to trouble you again then, Fourth Brother..."
"Shh, I'll tell you later..."
Ouyang Jun's phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the number, quickly waved to signal the people in the room to be quiet, and then took his phone to the door.
Two or three minutes later, Ouyang Jun returned with a strange expression.
"Fourth Brother, what's wrong? Was it Uncle calling?"
The only people who could make Ouyang Jun answer the phone so carefully were his family members.
"Okay, take me to the train station. We'll talk on the train. Xiao Chuan, don't forget to save the best puppy for me."
Before Ouyang Jun could even sit down, he pulled Zhuang Rui up. However, he didn't mention the contents of the phone call, presumably because it wasn't convenient with Liu Chuan nearby.
"What's going on? Why are you in such a hurry to go back?"
Zhuang Rui glanced at Ouyang Jun as he drove, but he was secretly pleased that no one would bother him to cut stones that night.
“My aunt told the old man about that. I just called her, and she said the old man agreed, but I’m sure I’ll get a scolding when I go back.”
When Ouyang Jun spoke, there was a look of joy on his face. The problem that had bothered him for several years had been solved, so what was there to be afraid of in being scolded?
"Hehe, Fourth Brother, congratulations! Let me know when you've set the date, I'll definitely be there for your wedding."
"Sigh, the old man said he wants Xu Qing to appear on screen less often, this will cause a lot of trouble in the future."
Ouyang Jun was happy for a moment, but then his face fell again. The older generation was more conservative in their thinking. If Ouyang Zhenwu continued to be all lovey-dovey with other people on the big screen, he would lose face.
There were many buses heading towards Beijing, and Zhuang Rui found a five-hour express bus to take Ouyang Jun to the train station. Then he turned around and drove towards the villa. Thinking about the exquisite red jade that was about to be unveiled, Zhuang Rui's heart couldn't help but feel excited.
Chapter 333 The Allure of Jade
Zhuang Rui parked the car outside the garage. He opened the car door and let the white lion out. The white lion, which had been cooped up all day, immediately started wandering around the yard, like a king inspecting his territory.
Zhuang Rui held a newly purchased 100-watt light bulb and replaced the energy-saving light in the garage. The garage, which was originally somewhat dark, suddenly became as bright as day, and the brand-new machines wrapped in plastic were clearly displayed in front of Zhuang Rui.
However, Zhuang Rui realized he had made a big mistake. When he left Pengcheng last time, he asked Zhao Guodong to help him move the red jadeite rough back to the basement of the villa. Now, he couldn't move the 58-kilogram rough back to the garage by himself.
Zhuang Rui ran into the villa and tried to lift it, but it still didn't work. He could lift the rectangular piece of raw material, but only horizontally from the middle, which wouldn't allow him to get through the basement stairs. After thinking for a moment, Zhuang Rui pressed the intercom in the security room and called a security guard over.
It was much easier for two people to carry it after they moved the raw materials to the garage. Zhuang Rui tossed a pack of cigarettes to the security guard who had helped him, dismissed him, and then his expression became serious.
This piece of red jadeite from the Dakan Wood Factory in Myanmar, apart from the outer layer of stone that is three or four centimeters thick, is entirely made of jadeite. Although only the very center piece is of the highest quality, the rest of the red jadeite is of icy quality. The entire piece of rough jadeite is worth at least 200 million RMB, which Zhuang Rui cannot afford to treat with utmost care.
Zhuang Rui circled the stone several times, carefully examining the junction between the glass and ice types with his spiritual energy. Just as he was observing it intently, a white body suddenly appeared between his line of sight and the stone.
"White Lion, stop fooling around, go play first."
Zhuang Rui chuckled wryly as he pushed the white lion away from the rock. The white lion was extremely sensitive to spiritual energy, and whenever Zhuang Rui released spiritual energy into external objects, this big guy would always come over to join in the fun. At this moment, the white lion looked at Zhuang Rui with a rather innocent gaze, as if blaming Zhuang Rui for being biased, releasing spiritual energy onto this stone egg without giving it a chance to groom itself.
After finally managing to coax the white lion out, Zhuang Rui took out the remote control and closed the garage door. If the white lion disturbed them while they were cutting the stone, and they accidentally cut into the jade, the loss would be huge.
After carefully drawing lines on the rough stone with chalk, Zhuang Rui laboriously lifted it onto the stone-cutting machine. He planned to cut the rough stone into two pieces: one piece of glass-type red jadeite, weighing about fifteen or sixteen pounds, and the other two pieces, one half top-grade red jadeite and the other half icy red jadeite, which were the raw materials Zhuang Rui intended to use to make bracelets.
After plugging in the stone cutter, Zhuang Rui pressed the button on the handle. Instantly, the alloy gears began to turn with a "clattering" sound, and the light reflected off them, making them slightly dazzling.
"Cough, cough..."
Aligning with the drawn white line, Zhuang Rui forcefully spun the gear towards the stone. With a "crackling" sound, stone chips flew everywhere, and a choking dust filled the garage. Zhuang Rui accidentally inhaled a mouthful of dust and coughed repeatedly, but his hands still steadily cut down from the drawn white line.
Seeing that the gear piece had been cut down to about twenty centimeters, Zhuang Rui immediately stopped and rinsed it with water. Looking into the cut, he saw a faint red light emanating from the narrow gap. At the gear part of the alloy gear piece, there were some small fragments of jade, which made Zhuang Rui's heart ache.
Logically speaking, the best way to cut such a top-quality jadeite is with laser cutting to minimize losses. However, Zhuang Rui didn't have the necessary equipment, so he had to force it. The connection between the glass-type jadeite and the ice-type jadeite was fine, with a patch of dark red, misty crystals there. But to separate this entire piece of glass-type jadeite, Zhuang Rui estimated that his losses would be at least five million.
The gears on the stone cutting machine are about 40 centimeters in diameter. If they are too thin, they will easily get stuck in the stone and break. So the gears are much thicker than those on the grinding machine. There's nothing we can do about it. The jade carving master is coming tomorrow. Where can Zhuang Rui find a laser cutting machine now?
Zhuang Rui flipped the rough stone over and cut it in the other direction. The rough stone was about 40 centimeters thick. With this cut, the rough stone was split in two.
After rinsing the cut surface clean with water, the vibrant red jadeite emitted a mesmerizing color under the light. Zhuang Rui placed his hands on it and saw that his hands had turned bright red. Touching the smooth, cool jadeite, the tension and fatigue from before vanished instantly, replaced by excitement.
No matter the color, as long as it is pure to the extreme, it is beautiful. This piece of red jade is just like that. The bright and beautiful red color, coupled with the transparent texture like a mountain stream, deeply attracted Zhuang Rui's eyes, and he was reluctant to look away for a long time.
For a good seven or eight minutes, Zhuang Rui remained in a half-squatting position until his legs became numb and weak. Only then did he realize what was happening and stumble. If he hadn't been holding onto the stone-cutting machine, he would have definitely fallen to the ground.
"Damn it, not for sale, not a single piece of glass-type jadeite..."
The red jadeite on the cut surface is delicate, cool and smooth to the touch, and its natural shimmering fluorescence is enough to captivate any woman in the world, including Zhuang Rui, a man.
Looking at the captivating jade, Zhuang Rui gritted his teeth and thought to himself, "It's not just women who are interested in sparkling jewelry; men, too, can become mesmerized by such intoxicating colors."
After calming himself down for a while, Zhuang Rui began to polish off the outer skin of the top-quality red jade that he had planned to keep. As the sound of the polishing machine rang out, the unpleasant grinding sound of gears and stone echoed in the garage once again.
Zhuang Rui carefully polished away the stone layer bit by bit, leaving a thick layer of broken stone chips under his feet. It took him about two hours to finally unearth the top-quality jadeite, which was about half the size of a football.
Zhuang Rui placed the jade in the basin of water on the ground. Instantly, the water turned red, and under the light, the entire garage turned into a warm color. When he looked at his body, he found that his clothes had also turned pink. Zhuang Rui was so surprised that his mouth dropped open and he couldn't close it for a long time.
If there were a woman in the garage at this moment, she would definitely be overwhelmed by the stunning beauty rendered by these colors. This is one of the reasons why women love jewelry. A good piece of jewelry, under specific space and lighting, will absolutely enhance the owner's noble temperament.
After admiring it again, Zhuang Rui took the top-grade red jadeite out of the plate and put it aside. Then he began to work on cutting the other half of the top-grade red jadeite and the icy red jadeite. These two pieces were the ones he needed to take out tomorrow. As for the piece he had just cut out, Zhuang Rui had already decided to put it in his collection room.
Red jadeite can be used not only to make bracelets, but also to make ornaments. If a jade carving master can design an ornament based on the shape of that half piece of red jadeite, its value will not be lower than that of the jadeite cabbage that Empress Dowager Cixi once played with. It is worth noting that experts once appraised that jadeite cabbage, and if it were put up for auction, its estimated transaction price should be more than 200 million RMB.
Many people only know the name "jadeite," but they don't realize that it actually comes from the name of a bird called the kingfisher. The kingfisher's feathers are very vibrant; the male has red feathers and is called the "Fei" bird, while the female has green feathers and is called the "Cui" bird. Together, they are called "jadeite." The Chinese people have always had a special fondness for jadeite.
Red jadeite, a type of jadeite that perfectly combines Chinese red with jadeite color, boasts a vibrant and luscious hue, making it increasingly popular among women. In terms of price, top-quality red jadeite is already comparable to, if not more expensive than, imperial green glass-type jadeite jewelry. However, both are extremely rare; even when one or two pieces do appear, they are snapped up within a short period. ...
The remaining piece of jade was a bit more complicated to cut. Zhuang Rui first used a stone cutter to cut through the misty crystal between the glass-type and ice-type jade. After separating the two different types of jade, he then wiped away the outer skin of each piece.
After unraveling both pieces of jade, Zhuang Rui checked the time. It was already past midnight. He had been working for over six hours without even a sip of water. As soon as he stopped, he felt sore all over. He licked his lips and tasted a faint salty flavor. It was because when he opened his mouth earlier, his lips, which had been stuck together, had suddenly separated, and a piece of his lip had been torn off.
After using his spiritual energy to cleanse his body and feeling refreshed, Zhuang Rui opened the garage door, mustered his strength, and pulled the water hose outside the garage to wash away all the stone chips and dust from the garage floor. Only then did he take the few pieces of red jade back to the villa and carefully place them in the basement.