Lady Lin's First-ever Journey to Immortality
chapter-45

Liu Zheng doesn’t rush her and waits quietly.

He has asked Baojia about Lin Luoran. He knows that she is only an ordinary girl before. She starts to gamble on stone for the first time at Mr. Zhang’s stone-cutting plant after breaking up with her ex-boyfriend.

Liu Zheng remembers that on that day, she spent 2,000 yuan on four pieces of raw stone. Three of them were cut open right away and contained jade… People may think it was a coincidence, but they could never imagine that the only piece Lin Luoran took away with her was the Purple-green Mix.

If he didn’t happen to visit a friend on the Antique Row, he would not have witnessed the process that Lin Luoran refined the piece of tourmaline and carried it to Fatty Cui’s house.

Liu Zheng looks at Lin Luoran’s side face and feels that his original intention is somehow quite despicable.

What makes him change it?

Is it Lin Luoran’s secret quiver when she encounters her ex-boyfriend and Elly? Or is it the dim lamplight on the night they walked out of Commander Qin’s house? He remembers that the atmosphere was so perfect, and his mind was perturbed…

Besides, when Mu Tiannan said “this is between me and her, and you are just an outsider”, Liu Zheng was annoyed by the word “outsider”. Does it mean that he already liked her back then?

Lin Luoran is thinking with her head lowered. Her skin is so smooth and light. Looking from the side, her nose is high, her eyelashes are thick and her cheek is full… She has such a perfect side face.

Lin Luoran is pondering the pros and cons and she doesn’t notice Liu Zheng’s deep eyesight. Warm sunlight in Ruili shines on them through green banana leaves, Liu Zheng’s gentleness and Lin Luoran’s beauty make them seem like a perfect couple.

Standing beside Elly, Li Anping looks at Lin Luoran and Liu Zheng who are standing shoulder by shoulder. He can’t tell whether he feels jealous or resentful, but his expression exposes his malignity.

Wang Miao’e strolls to them and laughs, “Why are you hiding here instead of going to see the huge stone? Lots of people want to buy it, but I figure few of them can pay the price.”

With unconstrained laugh on her face, Wang Miao’e walks closer and says in a low voice, “Are you trying to bid on stone No. 163? I just overheard Elly talking with her people and she offered 590,000 yuan. She also mentioned your name. I feel that something is wrong.”

Lin Luoran and Liu Zheng look at each other with surprise. How can it be so coincidental?

Elly’s offer exceeds Liu Zheng’s by a little bit… This can’t be a coincidence since stone No. 163 is not popular at all!

Lin Luoran tries her best to hold back her anger, “We have been staying in the corner, which is so far away from her. How can she know we want No. 163?

Liu Zheng looks around and notices a man who keeps following them in a distance and pretends to check on the stones.

Wang Miao’e follows his eyes and nods, “That man is one of Elly’s companions. No wonder I have noticed before that two of her men are missing. Turns out she wants to eavesdrop!”

Lin Luoran sneers, “We have all mistaken Miss. Elly here. She brings so many men with her not to bluff but to eavesdrop on us.”

Buying the raw stone others like with the lowest price is so crafty, though all businessmen are cunning.

Hearing Lin Luoran’s words, Wang Miao’e looks around the yard. As expected, Elly’s purchasing agents are everywhere. They muddle among other jade traders and pretend to check on raw stones. Sometimes, they will go to Elly and make an offer, which seems normal. However, their distracted expressions have given them away.

“Doesn’t matter. Elly hasn’t realized that we see through her tricks. Luoran, just make another offer in 590001 yuan. She will be disgusted. I’ll go and warn other traders. If she wants to play, we can just go along with it.”

Liu Zheng, who is usually not interested in this kind of trick, nods. Wang Miao’e smiles, “Manager Liu, this is the chance for your Treasure House… Elly always acts so arrogantly. The reason why she plays a trick like this may be that the capital chain of Fortune House is in danger.

Liu Zheng claps, “Fortune House has dominated the jewelry industry of S Province for years. It will not go out of business overnight. Granted that it is having problems, the chance is for everyone. Treasure House doesn’t intend to be the next Fortune House.”

Wang Miao’e sighs, “It’s a pity that Mr. Ai has born so much effort to make Fortune House prosperous. He sticks to the old rules and insists to pass the company to his son, and his granddaughter is too arrogant…”

Liu Zheng takes out his handkerchief and wipes his glasses, “I heard that Mr. Ai is just waiting to die in the hospital. My grandfather really appreciates Mr. Ai, so we may wait a while.”

Wang Miao’e nods and goes to warn the other traders with a smile.

Hearing that Liu Zheng and Sister Wang can estimate the current condition of Fortune House with a few words, Lin Luoran realizes that there is a huge gap between herself and these businessmen. Besides, they say that they will wait for some days before starting to act. Lin Luoran doesn’t believe that it is out of their respect to Mr. Ai, but of fear!

“I didn’t hear anything you just said. I am a narrow-minded girl, and Elly has gone too far. I will make her suffer today.”

Lin Luoran tilts her head and looks at Liu Zheng with a smiley face. Liu Zheng loses his tongue of saying anything against her so he smiles bitterly, touching his nose—In fact, Lin Luoran is good-tempered. If it were Baojia, she might have stabbed Elly with a knife.

Thinking of his “childhood sweetheart” and their family engagement, Liu Zheng suddenly feels agitated.

Lin Luoran can’t read other people’s mind and she certainly doesn’t know what Liu Zheng is thinking of. Instead, she goes to walk around the raw stones excitedly.

This one is not bad and the base price is only 800,000 yuan. There is jade in it, but the Reiki doesn’t surge very much. Lin Luoran assumes that the quality of the jade may not be so good, and the profit will not be generous after taking the cost of carving and selling into account—Lin Luoran is able to estimate the quality of jade based on the density of Reiki. However, she can’t see the color of jade, which is the final determinant of the price. Thus, she is not sure whether a stone will be profitable or not, especially the ambiguous ones.

She looks to Elly’s men who are trying to eavesdrop and a plan comes into her mind. Lin Luoran raises her voice and calls out “general manager Liu”. As expected, she successfully draws the attention of Elly’s men.

“Manager Liu, stone No. 96 here definitely contains jade, and it can make ten times of profit… Let’s offer a high price on it to improve our chance of winning it. What do you think?”

Liu Zheng answers cooperatively, “Purchasing consultant, are you sure? You have to be responsible of your words and live up to the high salary I pay you.”

Lin Luoran feels that they are putting on a play and nods seriously while holding back her laugh.

Liu Zheng wants to make their play more real. He pretends to think for a while and says, “Since you are confident, I shall take your advice. We can offer 2,499,999 yuan. I think no one will offer a higher price.”

Looking at the man who pretends to make up his mind on the stone going back to Elly, Lin Luoran and Liu Zheng smile at each other.