Chapter 128 - 125 How about a bet?
Chapter 128: Chapter 125 How about a bet?
Because their suppliers were no longer providing inventory, Zhou’s Jewelry faced the embarrassing predicament of depleted warehouses. To make matters worse, Father Zhou was overwhelmed with company affairs and couldn’t spare any attention for other issues. He could only send a trusted master craftsman to Pingzhou to purchase jadeite raw stone.
Zhou Zhen didn’t know much about the company’s affairs, but he was well aware of the major upheaval his family had undergone recently. His grandfather had fallen ill, and the atmosphere at home was very tense.
However, he didn’t think any of this was his fault; instead, he placed all the blame on Su Qingqing.
It was all because Su Qingqing was a vicious and selfish woman who couldn’t stand to see him and Ye Zixin in a good relationship. That’s why, after their engagement was broken off, she sought revenge and had Donghua terminate their partnership with his family.
If not for her, how could his family’s business collapse, and why would his grandfather fall ill?
Zhou Zhen was extremely resentful towards Su Qingqing, but he didn’t have the face to go to her and beg her to withdraw Donghua’s decision. With his family strictly prohibiting him from seeing Ye Zixin during this time, Zhou Zhen was in an even worse mood and grew more and more rebellious.
So, taking the opportunity to select raw materials with the master craftsman, he brought Ye Zixin to Pingzhou for what was ostensibly a vacation.
As for the presence of Wu Linger, that was entirely due to Ye Zixin’s “loose lips,” when she showed off her love with Wu Linger and boasted about going to Pingzhou with Zhou Zhen to gamble on stone.
Ye Zixin’s intention was merely to make Wu Linger envious, but Wu Linger had no tact and immediately said she wanted to come along.
Ye Zixin felt she couldn’t refuse, so she had to swallow her pride and, bearing the discomfort in her heart, bring Wu Linger along as an annoying third wheel.
Once at the Stone Cutting Factory, Su Jinyuan found an available stone cutting machine and started cutting, while Huo Sining’s group each held a stone, waiting their turn.
Zhou Zhen and his group, for reasons unknown, followed them as well. Su Qingqing kept a cold face as if she didn’t see them and silently clutched her piece of rough stone.
Although Zhou Zhen was a scoundrel, he did have some talent for stone gambling. After personally picking several pieces of rough that increased in value, he became arrogant. He glanced disdainfully at the rough stone in Su Qingqing’s hands and couldn’t help but snicker:
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“Su Jinyuan, as a company president, how can you let your sister be so pitiful, treating a piece of brick-like stone as a treasure! Thinking such poor-quality rough could increase in value, has your head been caught in a door?”
Su Jinyuan’s hand, which was marking the stone, paused as his face turned as dark as water.
Upon hearing this, Su Qingqing glared with fiery eyes fixed on Zhou Zhen and angrily said, “What did you say?!”
Zhou Zhen sneered, “I’m saying you amateurs, who know nothing, holding onto pieces of brick-like stone and coming here to gamble on stone, are wasting others’ time by occupying the stone cutting machine. Gambling on stone needs someone who can see and touch; women with long hair and short insights like you just don’t cut it!”
Zhou Zhen’s words were clearly dismissive of Su Qingqing, and his eyes revealed nothing but scorn as he spoke.
Su Qingqing was naturally impatient, and what she hated most was scumbags like Zhou Zhen who thought they knew everything and looked down on women. Hearing Zhou Zhen’s words, she immediately bristled with anger.
“Who says women can’t do it, who decided that only men can gamble on stones? What’s the use of knowing how to feel and see, you can still cut it down. If I’m lucky, I could cut out high green from this brick material too, while some people with bad luck, even if they see green after windowing, might end up cutting out just surface green!”
“Lucky, with that brick material of yours? That’s just hilarious!” Zhou Zhen laughed uncontrollably, his disdainful gaze on Su Qingqing growing even more scornful; he thought to himself that breaking up with Su Qingqing was indeed the right decision. This woman is just a fool.
That look from Zhou Zhen was like a knife stabbing into Su Qingqing’s heart, and the scene of him coldly discarding the engagement ring at The Bund suddenly flashed in her mind. Her eyes reddened involuntarily, and she said, annoyed:
“I, Su Qingqing, may lack in many things, but I’m naturally lucky. When scumbags and cheap women are in vogue, even the heavens can’t stand it and help me drive these people away. With such good luck, I’m definitely going to cut out green today! Don’t believe me? How about we make a bet?”
Make a bet?! Huo Sining was suddenly at a loss for words upon hearing Su Qingqing’s bold declaration. Big sister, are you joking? Stone gambling is not about luck, is it?!
“Su Qingqing, are you insisting on making trouble for me? If you keep on with this nonsense, I’ll send you back to S City today!”
Upon hearing this, Su Jinyuan felt like he would burst with anger. Su Qingqing was impulsive and knew nothing about stone gambling; if she really gambled with Zhou Zhen, she was bound to lose terribly. Zhou Zhen was so obviously setting a trap for Su Qingqing, how could he just stand by and watch his own sister jump into it?
“Young Master Su, you’re wrong to say that. How can you call it nonsense? Maybe Qingqing really does have the luck to gamble and find a piece of superior jadeite. Isn’t there a saying ‘even a god finds it hard to cut down an inch of jade’? Before the raw material is cut, nobody knows if there’s jadeite inside.”
Ye Zixin saw that Su Jinyuan wanted to stop Su Qingqing from betting with Zhou Zhen, and her eyes twinkled. She couldn’t help but step forward and interject with a voice that was crisp and pleasant to hear.
Ye Zixin’s eyes held a smile, but it was one that seemed as if she was waiting to take pleasure in Su Qingqing’s misfortune. Su Jinyuan could clearly discern the malice in Ye Zixin’s words, but with things having reached this point, and with Su Qingqing refusing to back down, stubbornly looking at Su Jinyuan, she stood her ground, as if ready to make a last stand in a desperate situation.
Su Jinyuan’s eyes were nearly spitting fire with rage, but seeing his sister’s expression, he was unexpectedly unable to utter words of reprimand. With a resigned sigh, he looked up and glared at Zhou Zhen, his eyes flashing a trace of fierce animosity: “Zhou Zhen, I, Su Jinyuan, will remember this move of yours!”
Zhou Zhen felt a shiver down his spine from that gaze from Su Jinyuan, but as soon as he saw Su Qingqing, he couldn’t help but recall all the frustrations he had endured during this time. He couldn’t resist the urge to humiliate her in front of Su Jinyuan, preferably to make the Su family suffer a great loss. Just thinking about it filled him with a dark elation, heedless of any other considerations.
“A bet? Okay, what do you want to bet on?” Seeing that Su Qingqing really fell for it, Zhou Zhen was overjoyed.
He had deliberately provoked Su Qingqing, looking for an opportunity to get back at her. Little did he expect that before he could make a proposal, she would dig her own grave.
This was you walking right into it, don’t blame me for it! Zhou Zhen sneered inwardly, but on his face was a smile that was not quite a smile.
“I bet whether the raw material in my hand can produce jadeite or not. If it doesn’t cut out jadeite, I’ll give you for free whichever raw material you have your eye on!” Su Qingqing declared with a sworn assurance.
“That’s fine then, I’ll just wait for Miss Su’s good news!” Zhou Zhen nodded as if taking her seriously but glanced sideways at Ye Zixin with a sly smile.