Reborn with Consumption System-Chapter 685 - 295: The Big Fuss Over the Security Deposit

"Name your price."

In Yu Yun's terrified eyes, Han Lie pointed at the Star of Romance and spoke.

HISS.

Naiyun inhaled sharply, as if contributing significantly to global warming.

The little assistant was much calmer. She was recalling the accounts she had handled, silently calculating her leader's private funds. There were actually only two sizable known incomes: one was Gu Yong's intermediary fee, and the other was the consulting fee for the Jinguang project, totaling over 70 million. That should be enough, Liang Wu thought.

"Mr. Han, your taste is as outstanding as your temperament!"

Lu Yisi didn't directly name a price but started buttering him up vigorously.

"Now, please allow me to formally introduce the Star of Romance to you. It's a rare top-quality gemstone we acquired from Mogok, Myanmar, seven years ago.

"There are some hard standards for assessing the quality of a ruby, such as weight. Twenty carats is an extremely rare threshold; rubies over 20 carats, regardless of variety, are exceedingly scarce in nature.

"Next is clarity. A ruby of the highest purity level is very expensive, even for a small one. The probability of a large gemstone like the Star of Romance being flawless inside is unimaginably low.

"Lastly, the color—'pigeon's blood red' is enough said; no further explanation needed.

"Therefore, it is an ultra top-grade precious gemstone, and its price will definitely be over a million US dollars per carat..."

Yu Yun's expression immediately relaxed.

Oh, just a million US dollars... not much more expensive than my clothes, just dozens of times or... eh?! Wait a minute! Was there a unit before the million US dollars? Hahahaha... It couldn't be per carat, right?

Unlike her slow reaction, the little assistant realized the price immediately.

Holy cow! The raw gemstone would cost at least 22.8 million US dollars?!

Lu Yisi had been carefully observing the expressions of the people opposite him, guessing for whom the gemstone was being purchased. As expected, both Mr. Han's companion and assistant were startled by the price. However, Han Lie's expression didn't waver in the slightest; not even the minutest flicker disturbed his eyes.

Okay, a rich second-generation kid from a powerful family. Looks like he's serious about this, Lu Yisi thought.

Feeling that there was a good chance of a sale, Lu Yisi grew even more excited.

"Respected Mr. Han, if you truly have a special fondness for the Star of Romance, then I have a small suggestion for you. Its raw form is already precious and beautiful enough; it doesn't need anything extra. So, there's no need to find a designer to shape it further. Just buy it and give it to the lucky lady; that alone will make her ecstatic.

"A top-tier pigeon's blood ruby like this really doesn't need to be fashioned into jewelry. Its own collectible value is already very high, even enough to become a family heirloom. And if that lady suddenly wishes to wear it, then she can just come to me. I can guarantee I will find her the best designer on this planet to create a timeless treasure exactly according to her wishes."

Barons: "..."

F*ck my life! Am I not the designer here? He's just going to bypass me like that?! 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Little Baron was furious, but he had no grounds for argument because Lu Yisi's suggestion was correct—even if it wasn't friendly towards him and carried a subtle jab.

Large, top-quality gemstones really don't need to be made into jewelry. Collecting the raw stones is the best way to reflect their value. Making jewelry would most likely require recutting and then fixing on one concept. As the number of raw stones circulating outside becomes fewer, the appreciation rate of large raw stones will certainly be faster than that of jewelry, unless crafted by a top master into an especially classic and meaningful design.

So most knowledgeable collectors prefer to collect pigeon egg-sized pigeon's blood red rubies, plain imperial green jadeite plaques, 'Tian Huang' stones with their skin on, and so forth.

Han Lie, in his previous life, was of too low a status to actually know this. But as soon as Lu Yisi explained it, he understood. One is for use, the other for collection. Use involves alteration, while collection emphasizes strong liquidity, so it's best to maintain the original state.

Han Lie carefully recalled the situation in his past life. The diamond market had basically collapsed, but the broader gem market—including top jade, rubies, sapphires, and items like Tian Huang stones or bloodstones—seemed to be quite healthy.

In other words, top-grade rubies indeed have their value and are worth buying, he thought.

Facing a sale price of over a hundred million US dollars, Han Lie was a bit unsettled too. His face didn't show it, but his thought process clearly indicated he was concerned.

Actually, whether the item had specific value, whether it could maintain its value, or how long it could do so, were all irrelevant. As long as Pan Ge herself and Panzi Nini approved, then the gift wouldn't have been bought in vain. Plus, there was the double reward from this expenditure... One shouldn't even hesitate when spending this kind of money.

Of course, Han Lie's concern was quite normal. In two lifetimes, this was his biggest single expenditure, an amount he had never even dared to dream of before. Who wouldn't be a little shaky in such a situation? Han Lie managing to keep his external demeanor under control, only quietly getting excited inside, was quite impressive.

If you don't believe it, just look at Yu Yun and the little assistant...

Damn it! Stop digging, Naiyun, your nails are piercing my flesh! Han Lie winced, the corner of his eye twitching from the pain. He reflexively reached back and forcefully grabbed the fleshy part of her hip just below her waist.

"Ah..."

Yu Yun suddenly snapped out of it, her face and ears flushed red as she apologized to Han Lie, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I was too excited. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Felt pretty good...