23 May Not Be Able to Afford It

Wang Chuanjie hurriedly waved his hand and said, “I wouldn’t dare impose. To have the fortune of tasting Lion Peak Imperial Tea today has already fulfilled my wish. Such precious tea leaves surely aren’t plentiful in your possession, Mr. Xiao. If I often came to freeload food and drink, I’d truly become a troublesome guest.”

Xiao Yao did not respond to this topic, instead gesturing with his hand, “It’s ready to drink now. Please, Mr. Wang.”

“I’ve been impatiently waiting,” Wang Chuanjie said, lifting his teacup. He removed the lid, inhaled the fragrance deeply, and then took a small sip. Letting the tea roll across his tongue a few times, he finally swallowed.

After savoring the taste for a while, Wang Chuanjie spoke, “Indeed, this is worthy of its name as Imperial Tea. Its aroma lingers, rich and mellow, leaving a lasting scent between teeth and cheeks. After drinking your Imperial Tea today, I doubt I’ll be able to enjoy the premium Lion Peak Dragon Well tea I keep in my office anymore.”

Xiao Yao laughed heartily. “A ‘troublesome guest’ like you is welcome to visit a few more times. Feel free to come by and enjoy a meal and some tea whenever you like.”

Following Xiao Yao’s lead, Wang Chuanjie exchanged a few playful remarks, enlivening the mood. Only then did he get to the main point. “I must first apologize for my abrupt visit today, Mr. Xiao. I know someone of your stature would not easily part with your collection, but my wife and I are asking on behalf of a friend, so I hope you’ll forgive us for being so forward. I wonder if you might have any intention of selling the top-grade jadeite in your collection? Miss Cheng is willing to pay a high price, with genuine sincerity and no shortage of funds.”

“I do have some top-grade jadeite pieces,” Xiao Yao replied. “Aside from a few that I’m particularly fond of, I don’t place much importance on the rest. Since you’ve come in person, it would be rude for me to refuse outright. If your friend’s sincerity is high enough, I can consider it.”

In expressing his attitude, Xiao Yao gave Wang Chuanjie great respect.

“Mr. Xiao, it’s an honor that you’re willing to consider it. Miss Cheng is selecting a birthday gift for her grandmother, so her sincerity is assured. You can rest easy about that,” Wang Chuanjie said, delighted that Xiao Yao had agreed so readily and graciously.

Now that the conversation had turned to specifics, it was time for Li Jingyi to step forward.

Li Jingyi had been listening attentively to her husband and Xiao Yao’s conversation, all the while discreetly observing the jadeite bracelet on Xiao Yao’s wrist.

Today, Xiao Yao wore nothing around his neck, but on his left wrist was a jadeite bead bracelet.

At first, Li Jingyi felt a pang of regret for not seeing the Sea-Treading Guanyin jade pendant her husband always spoke of. But as soon as she noticed the jadeite bracelet, her entire attention was drawn to it, and with each glance, her astonishment grew.

They were sitting face-to-face, very close, with ample light. Though she could not examine it by hand, Li Jingyi’s professional expertise allowed her to judge its quality with considerable accuracy.

On Xiao Yao’s left wrist was a Nine Dragons Playing with the Pearl jadeite bracelet, each bead glistening with a delicate, oily luster—surely glass-type jadeite.

Ten beads of glass-type jadeite would already be rare, but the color of these ten beads was even more extraordinary!

Nine were the purest egg-yolk yellow, and the remaining bead was a vibrant rooster-comb red. Both colors are as prestigious as imperial green, and even more rare.

The highest quality jadeite, with the most exceptional coloring, and exquisitely lifelike carving—this bracelet’s value was simply incalculable!

Her husband had long yearned for the Sea-Treading Guanyin jade pendant, though she had never seen it herself. But she believed this bracelet of jadeite beads was worth far more—much more!

Xiao Banxia had once told her husband that her brother often changed jade pendants, rarely repeating them. Her husband scoffed at the idea, thinking it a joke, but now it appeared that her words might be true, without exaggeration.

Having roughly assessed the value of the jadeite bracelet, Li Jingyi became even more respectful toward Xiao Yao. If she could leave a favorable impression, not only would today’s deal go smoothly, but there might be more opportunities for collaboration in the future.

“Mr. Xiao, Miss Cheng understands her request may be excessive, so she hasn’t specified the type—so long as it’s suitable for a seventy-year-old lady, it should be fine. I wonder if you have any jadeite jewelry worth over a hundred million that would suit someone of that age?” Li Jingyi asked sincerely.

“I do have a few such pieces,” Xiao Yao replied straightforwardly.

“May I have the privilege of appreciating them?” She added, “As you know, I’m a gem appraiser, and I truly have no resistance to top-grade jewels.”

“Of course, no problem. Please enjoy your tea with Mr. Wang, I’ll go fetch them for you.”

With that, Xiao Yao rose and soon returned carrying a box made of purple sandalwood.

He placed the box on the tea table, opened the lid, and said to Li Jingyi, “I estimate that Miss Cheng may not be able to afford the most expensive jadeite pieces, so the ones here are all priced below one billion. Please see if any satisfy you—if not, I’ll bring out others for you to view.”

Though the Cheng family was not listed among the wealthy, they were truly hidden magnates, with family assets easily exceeding ten billion. Yet Xiao Yao worried they might not be able to afford his collection. Li Jingyi and her husband exchanged a glance, wanting to say something, but in the end kept silent.

“Mr. Xiao’s collection is surely full of rare treasures. It seems I’ll truly feast my eyes today,” Li Jingyi said, focusing her attention on the sandalwood box.

Inside were three jadeite pieces: a bracelet, a Maitreya Buddha pendant, and the Sea-Treading Guanyin jade pendant her husband had long coveted.

Each piece gleamed with a moist, transparent luster, the vibrant, pure green dazzling to the eye.

With just a glance, Li Jingyi judged that each piece was worth at least one hundred million!

She took a deep breath, pulled a pair of white gloves, a magnifying glass, and a high-powered flashlight from her handbag. Slipping on the gloves, she first picked up the Maitreya Buddha jadeite pendant and began a meticulous appraisal.

For a professional gem appraiser like her, jadeite authentication was relatively straightforward, and she quickly completed the examination.

Carefully returning the Maitreya Buddha pendant to the box, she moved on to appraise the jadeite bracelet, leaving the Sea-Treading Guanyin jade pendant for last.