Although Mr. Wang's business was quite large, his experience was rather limited. Ouyang Jun, who was present, was a genuine third-generation red, whose background, whether in terms of his father or elders or his personal wealth, was far beyond what this short-haired man could compare to. Mr. Wang had been trying desperately to squeeze into a certain circle in Beijing, but he had let Ouyang Jun, this true god, slip by.
"Mr. Wang, you're too kind. I heard your jade gambling business has some novel ideas, so I came to take a look..."
While talking to Boss Wang, the man with the crew cut looked around the room. When he saw Ouyang Jun, his eyes lit up and he quickly walked towards Ouyang Jun.
"Mr. Qi, what's going on?"
Mr. Wang was a little confused. He knew how influential Mr. Qi was in Beijing, and he was the person who was closest to Mr. Qi among the people here. Could it be that Mr. Qi had some acquaintances among them?
"It's alright, Mr. Wang, please go ahead with your work. I just ran into a friend..."
President Qi waved his hand, signaling President Wang not to follow him, and quickly walked up to Ouyang Jun, stopping in front of him. With a slight hint of flattery on his face, he said, "Fourth Brother, you're here too?"
"Hehe, Qi Zi, this club is doing a great job. Cockfighting, dogfighting, and jade gambling—it's diversified now..."
Ouyang Jun smiled, his demeanor different from his usual playful interactions with Zhuang Rui. He appeared very composed, which added a touch of authority to his expression.
"Hey, Fourth Brother, are you insulting me? What I'm doing is just small-time stuff, how can it compare to yours? Your real estate company is about to go public, right?"
When Qi Zi heard Ouyang Jun's words, he smiled broadly, but he was also modest. Ouyang Jun was a true old-generation playboy from Beijing. When he started his club, Qi Zi was still in school. Moreover, even though they were both clubs, they were worlds apart.
"Fourth Brother, who is this?"
After exchanging a few words with Ouyang Jun, Qi Zi looked at Zhuang Rui. He was a man who had long been involved in the social scene in the capital, but Zhuang Rui was a stranger to him.
"My cousin has some connections in the jade gambling business; he's here today to take a look..."
Ouyang Jun's words made Qi Zi's eyes light up. Although he had never met Zhuang Rui, he knew very well about the news of Ouyang's daughter returning home a few years ago. In particular, Zhuang Rui's Dingguang Museum had caused quite a stir in recent years and had also attracted the attention of many sources in the capital.
In Beijing, it doesn't matter if you're poor and powerless, or if you're arrogant. But you have to be careful and know who you can offend and who you can't. Ever since Zhuang Rui taught those young masters of Beijing a lesson at his jewelry store, he's been remembered by those who have a point of view and has been added to the list of people you can't easily offend.
Even Zhuang Rui himself was unaware that he had quite a reputation in Beijing's social circles, especially among wealthy businessmen or sons of officials who were pretentious and often used Zhuang Rui's name as a shield: "This item of mine was appraised by Teacher Zhuang."
Qi Zi was curious about Zhuang Rui, a man with a great reputation but a very low profile, and wanted to get along with him. So she warmly extended her hands and said, "Mr. Zhuang, is this your first time here? Have fun today. I'll make arrangements for tonight, so you don't have to go back..."
"Alright, if Fourth Brother likes this style, then I'll pass..."
Zhuang Rui smiled and shook his head. Why is it that all socializing outside is about drinking or finding women? Can't we have something more elegant? Like, a striptease or something, it would be good to toughen up one's will.
Qi Zi didn't know who was older between him and Zhuang Rui, so he insisted, "That won't do. Brother Zhuang has come to my turf, so he should at least give me a chance to entertain you two, right?"
Qi Zi used to be a member of Ouyang Jun's club. He knew that in Beijing, he and Ouyang Jun were not on the same level. Now that he had the opportunity to get to know each other better, would he let this opportunity pass by? In the parlance of the system, Qi Zi was also ambitious.
Ouyang Jun waved his hand and said, "Alright, Qi Zi, you go ahead and do your work. We two brothers just came to join in the fun today..."
Ouyang Jun was a little annoyed. He had already made it clear to Qi Zi on the phone that he wanted him to place a big bet, not to try to build a relationship with the kid. If Qi Zi made such a scene and then won the bet, wouldn't people suspect Zhuang Rui?
"Oh dear, Fourth Brother, this..."
When Qi Zi saw that Ouyang Jun's expression was somewhat displeased, his heart skipped a beat. He immediately remembered what Ouyang Jun had told him. These two brothers had come here to keep a low profile, but after his greeting, they probably wouldn't be able to keep a low profile even if they wanted to.
Seeing that Qi Zi's expression was somewhat unpleasant, Zhuang Rui said with a smile, "Hehe, President Qi, it's nothing. Fourth Brother was just joking with you earlier..."
Zhuang Rui also came to terms with it. Since these lucky guys had already started accepting bets, it was only natural for him to win. Even if word got out, he wasn't afraid of anything. There was no need to find Qi Zi to act as a shill. Besides, they couldn't even afford to offend Qi Zi, so how could they possibly afford to offend him and Ouyang Jun?
"Alright, alright, Fourth Brother, Brother Zhuang, please have a seat. Excuse me for a moment. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask..."
Qi Zichong smiled gratefully at Zhuang Rui, secretly regretting that he hadn't been able to control his mouth. What a great opportunity to get closer to Ouyang Jun, and he had wasted it. However, seeing that Ouyang Jun had given him the order to leave, even though he was the owner of the club, he didn't dare to linger in front of Ouyang Jun anymore.
After apologizing to Zhuang Rui and Ouyang Jun, Qi Zi turned to look at President Wang, her smile immediately fading. She said, "President Wang, Mr. Ouyang and Mr. Zhuang are my guests. You must be respectful..."
Last year, Mr. Wang's project funding was stuck, and he asked Qi Zi to help him get it sorted out. As a result, Qi Zi didn't speak to him very politely. Although businessmen have a higher status in modern society, the saying "the common people can't fight with officials" is still applicable in any era.
"Of course, of course. Teacher Zhuang is our special guest. He just pointed out a rough stone..."
Upon hearing Qi Zi's words, Mr. Wang broke out in a cold sweat. He secretly rejoiced that he had left some room for maneuver and hadn't completely offended Zhuang Rui. Otherwise, putting aside Zhuang Rui and Ouyang Jun's backgrounds, Qi Zi's meddling alone would have been enough to make him suffer.
"Okay, that's good. I'll come back later. You guys go ahead..."
Qi Zi nodded, greeted Zhuang Rui and the other person, and walked straight out of the hall.
However, after this incident, those bosses who had previously felt superior in front of Zhuang Rui were now feeling a bit cramped in their legs. In their eyes, President Qi was already a figure of immense influence, so what kind of person must Zhuang Rui be to have President Qi so eager to curry favor with him?
Those who had spoken rudely to Zhuang Rui earlier were now wishing they could slap themselves in the face, while those who hadn't offended Zhuang Rui were thinking about how to get closer to him. With everyone preoccupied with their own thoughts, the once noisy hall suddenly became quiet.
"Teacher Zhuang, do you think we should reconsider these ten rough stones?"
After a dozen seconds, Mr. Wang broke the silence in the hall with his words. His address of "Teacher Zhuang" was full of emotion and was completely different from the perfunctory "Teacher Zhuang" he had just used.
"Hehe, no need, I've already chosen one. You guys continue. I wonder if Mr. Wang will accept my bets later?"
Zhuang Rui smiled and waved his hand. In the antique circle, people respected Zhuang Rui for his knowledge, which made him feel very comfortable. But here, people were in awe of his background, which made Zhuang Rui feel very uncomfortable.
"Of course, of course we'll accept it. Mr. Zhuang and Mr. Ouyang can use the betting slips, and we'll settle the accounts together later..."
After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, President Wang nodded repeatedly. These two people in front of him were people that even money couldn't buy. He hoped that Zhuang Rui would gamble big, so that if the other party lost money, Zhuang Rui would be exempt from the debt, and the favor would be more substantial.
To be honest, after seeing President Qi's attitude towards Zhuang Rui and his companion, President Wang felt somewhat relieved. It turned out that the other party was indeed the "Jade King"!
Zhuang Rui's reputation is due to his family background, which explains why he made such a name for himself in the jade industry at such a young age.
It wasn't just Mr. Wang who thought this way; probably everyone in the room shared the same idea. In their minds, experts in jade and antiques were like old Chinese medicine doctors—the older they were and the whiter their beards, the more reliable they were. They had never seen such a young expert.
"Hehe, no need for that. I'll use a check later. By the way, Mr. Wang, may we go and examine these rough stones now?"
Zhuang Rui smiled at President Wang. He thought to himself, "You're talking so generously now, but I hope you don't lose your temper later. Being a bookmaker isn't easy."
"Of course, Professor Zhuang, please..."
Mr. Wang shifted his body slightly and consciously stood behind Zhuang Rui. The crowd that had been standing to the side also gathered around, calling him "Teacher Zhuang" repeatedly. Although these people did not do it intentionally, they left Old Tang out in the cold.
Chapter 1073 Arrogant at First, Obedient Later
Zhuang Rui wasn't used to being fawned over, so he frowned, stopped, and turned to President Wang, saying, "President Wang, please don't be so polite. You're busy, my fourth brother and I will just take a look around..."
Although Zhuang Rui is not very old, he has developed a good mindset after years of working in the antique and jade industry. Compared with his peers, Zhuang Rui is so calm and composed that he doesn't seem like a thirty-year-old at all. Although Ouyang Jun is more than 10 years older than Zhuang Rui, in private, Ouyang Jun is more like the younger brother.
A person's status changes with their position. Just now, Zhuang Rui was just like an ordinary boy next door, and no one paid any attention to him. But after President Qi's conversation with Zhuang Rui, everyone's mindset changed unconsciously. Zhuang Rui's originally ordinary face now seemed to be full of authority.
"Okay, Mr. Zhuang, please feel free to look around. If you want to place a bet, just fill out the form..."
The so-called aura is actually just a matter of human nature. President Wang didn't know why he felt awe towards this young man who was twenty years younger than him, but this awe was very real, which made him always use respectful language when speaking to Zhuang Rui.
Everyone present felt that Mr. Wang's change in attitude towards Zhuang Rui was quite normal, and some even envied Mr. Wang for being able to talk to Zhuang Rui. At this moment, no matter how young Zhuang Rui looked, even if Zhuang Rui was a ten-year-old child, he would still be respected by everyone. Of course, this respect was in reference to Zhuang Rui's background.
"Thank you, Mr. Wang. If you're going to be so polite, I can't stay here any longer..."
Zhuang Rui nodded slightly, walked straight to Old Tang, and said, "Old man, are you going to place a bet today?"
Zhuang Rui would never do something like neglecting Old Tang. He always respected capable people, both Old Master Gu and Old Tang.
"Xiao Zhuang, this material... you don't really want to play around with it, do you?"
Upon hearing this, Old Tang smiled wryly. With his discerning eye, how could he not see that many of the rough stones here were fake or counterfeit? Out of consideration for his "customer gods," Old Tang did not expose them, but he also wouldn't gamble on these materials whose true nature was completely unrecognizable.
It's important to understand that faking raw jadeite doesn't mean just picking any stone off the street and faking it. Instead, it involves using low-grade jadeite rough and processing it with special techniques to make it look like high-grade material. However, even if Mr. Tang has a keen eye, he will no longer be able to distinguish the quality of the rough stone.
"Hehe, just playing around. With so many counterfeit goods around, doesn't it require a better eye?"
Zhuang Rui lowered his voice as he spoke. If he won the bet on the stones later, it would be a matter of good judgment and luck, and others wouldn't say anything even if they lost. But if he said that most of these rough stones were fake, it would be a blatant slap in the face. Even if everyone didn't say it, they would resent him in their hearts.
"I... I think I'll pass..."
After thinking for a moment, Old Tang shook his head. Firstly, he was too old to resist the urge to do so, and secondly, the materials these laymen brought were so varied that even this old hand in the trade couldn't understand them.
"Hehe, Mr. Tang, then I'll have to excuse myself. Let's get together tonight. Now that you're in Beijing, I must do my best to be a good host..."
Zhuang Rui smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to Old Tang, then led Ouyang Jun to the center of the clubhouse, where the ten pieces of jade used for gambling had been placed.
Upon closer inspection, Zhuang Rui discovered that next to each piece of raw material was a list with three betting options. The first option was to bet on whether jadeite could be extracted from each piece of raw stone. Because these raw stones were carefully selected by experts, the odds were relatively low, at 0.3 to 1. In other words, if you bet one million, you would only earn three hundred thousand.
The second method is to gamble on the quality of the rough stone, limited to icy type. The odds are 1 to 3 for stones above icy type and 1 to 0.5 for stones below icy type. This is a high-risk gamble because many rough stones have good water content shown by their cut surfaces and windows. Some stones with good techniques can even reach the level of "high icy type", so they are naturally selected.
The third method is to bet on each rough stone and see which one will ultimately win. The odds for this method are based on the performance of each rough stone. The odds for a well-performing rough stone are lower, while the odds for those rough stones that are "generally considered" unlikely to contain valuable material are naturally higher, ranging from 1 to 1 to 1 to 5.
"Hey bro, which one should we bet on?"
Ouyang Jun was completely clueless about jade gambling, and his skill level was not much higher than those in the room. However, he absolutely trusted Zhuang Rui's judgment and was now sharpening his knives, ready to make these nouveau riche bleed a little and feel the pain.
Zhuang Rui shook his head and said softly, "No rush, let me take a look first..."
As the saying goes, even immortals can't judge the quality of jade. There are countless miracles that happen in the world of jade gambling. Some people who know nothing about jade gambling can even find imperial green jade from the scraps left over from other people's cut pieces. Therefore, Zhuang Rui didn't dare to be careless. He wanted to examine all ten pieces of jade before making a decision.
As Zhuang Rui examined the pieces of jade, he was truly at a loss for words. He didn't know how to evaluate these "players." Apart from the piece of completely gambled black jade that Boss Wu had brought out, the other nine pieces were all semi-gambled stones. What was even more outrageous was that five of these nine pieces were "Made in China."
The remaining four stones were also mediocre. Although they showed green, their quality was only at best bean green. Two of them only had green on the cut surface, while the rest was rotten. Zhuang Rui now understood why Old Tang was unwilling to make a move. It turned out that apart from Boss Wu's stone, none of the ten stones were reliable.
In the end, Zhuang Rui stood in front of the black sandstone. Of all the rough stones in the area, only this one was passable.
Although Zhuang Rui had forbidden others from following, Mr. Wang, who had been following behind him, couldn't help but ask when Zhuang Rui stopped, "Mr. Zhuang, are you still going to choose this one?"
Even now, Mr. Wang only considers Zhuang Rui to be from a wealthy and powerful family, and doesn't associate Zhuang Rui with the "Jade King" at all!
Given his illustrious reputation, he wasn't optimistic about this piece of black jadeite. Besides, he had just asked Old Tang, who said that jadeite cut from this kind of black jadeite is generally of poor quality, and the chance of finding a top-quality piece is quite small.
Therefore, after discussing with the other two bookmakers, Mr. Wang set the odds for the last betting method on this piece of black sand at 1 to 5. In other words, apart from the first betting method, Zhuang Rui could get three times and five times the profit if he bet on the second and third betting methods, respectively, as long as he won.
Zhuang Rui pretended to examine the black jadeite in his hand for a while, then put it back on the shelf and said, "I like to do things based on first impressions. This piece looks good at first glance, so let's choose it..."
"You're so modest, Mr. Zhuang. Not only are you modest in your personal life, but you also know how to select raw stones. We should all learn from you..."
"That's right. With such a great reputation in the jade industry and such a humble person, we must toast Mr. Zhuang sometime..."
"Yes, yes, after this jade gambling is over, Teacher Zhuang must do us the honor of exchanging our jade gambling experiences together..."
As soon as Zhuang Rui finished speaking, the people surrounding the rough stones began to chime in. However, despite their words, few people reached out to take the betting slips next to the black jadeite. After all, currying favor with Zhuang Rui was one thing, but betting on rough stones was another. They couldn't let their money go to waste because of Zhuang Rui, could they?
"Exchange experiences?"
Upon hearing these four words, Zhuang Rui was so frustrated that he almost vomited blood. If he were to exchange experiences with these people, he estimated that he would be so angry that he would lose several years of his life. They were not only amateurs, but they were also all acting like they knew everything...pretending to be knowledgeable. The things they said were enough to be laughed at in the jade industry.
"Ahem, well... let's talk about it tonight..."
Zhuang Rui grabbed a few betting slips and fled with Ouyang Jun. He was determined to make these people lose their appetites and make them green with envy.
If Mr. Wang knew that his words had sparked this idea in Zhuang Rui, he'd probably be tempted to smash his head against a rough stone, because today's jade gambling session had shrunk his net worth by more than a third.
"Hey bro, how much to bet?"
After being pulled by Zhuang Rui to a sofa area in the corner of the hall, Ouyang Jun pulled out his checkbook with a wicked grin. He had already found out from Qi Zi that this Mr. Wang made his fortune in Sino-Russian trade in the 1990s and is now involved in the real estate development boom. He has a net worth of over a billion yuan and is considered a relatively well-known tycoon in Northeast China.
As for the other two bookmakers, they are both big bosses with assets of over 500 million. There's no need to worry that they won't be able to pay out. If they don't have cash, they can use assets as collateral. The real estate market is booming all over the country right now, and Brother Ouyang doesn't mind buying property in other cities.
Seeing Ouyang Jun's expression, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but laugh and said, "Fourth Brother, it would be too conspicuous for us to place bets separately. How about this, I'll tell you what to choose, and if we win, we'll split the winnings fifty-fifty. What do you say?"