The stone-cutting master quickly grabbed a bowl of water and splashed it onto the cut surface.

Sure enough, a streak of scallion-green appeared before everyone’s eyes.

"Well, I’ll be. It’s actually green."

"Whoa, the little lady’s got good luck! Green on the first stone. That’s pretty impressive."

"That’s it, I’m cutting one next. Got to ride the little lady’s lucky streak."

After a series of duds, the fact that Su Qing’s raw stone produced green instantly lifted everyone’s spirits.

Seeing the green, the stone-cutting master’s eyes lit up, and he proceeded with much greater care.

Su Qing’s raw stone wasn’t very large, so it was quickly cut open, revealing an irregularly shaped, oval piece of scallion-green jadeite.

The big bosses from Xiangcheng were delighted. Although the piece of jadeite was too small for a bangle, it was certainly large enough for several pendants and ring faces.

"Little lady, are you looking to sell this piece of jadeite? Don’t you worry, if you sell, I’ll definitely give you a good price," a middle-aged man in a plaid suit with greased-back hair said with a grin.

"It’s not for sale. I plan to keep it and have jewelry made from it later." Su Qing shook her head. She wasn’t short on money right now, so she naturally wouldn’t sell the jadeite she held. The piece was solid green; whether she kept it to appreciate in value or had it made into jewelry for herself, it was a great find.

Seeing that Su Qing had no intention of selling, the big bosses from Xiangcheng were quite disappointed; they had taken a liking to that piece of jadeite.

Two more people had stones cut after that, and both were duds without exception. Su Qing wasn’t in a hurry. She waited until those few people had finished before handing her remaining three raw stones to the cutting master.

Just as she expected, the stones from which she had felt no vibrations were duds—just plain white rock with not a hint of green inside. But the one from which she had felt a stronger vibration actually yielded a piece of high ice type emerald green jadeite! Though not large, only about half the size of her palm, it was enough to drive everyone present into a frenzy.

"Whoa, little lady, your luck is just too good!"

"Emerald green! That’s worth a fortune!"

...

The bosses from Xiangcheng were also very excited, and they all crowded around, asking if Su Qing was willing to sell.

Su Qing, of course, refused. ’Are you kidding? It’s emerald green jadeite,’ she thought. ’This kind of thing is a once-in-a-lifetime find. Who knows if I’ll ever come across another one.’

The bosses from Xiangcheng were deeply regretful, staring at the emerald green jadeite in Su Qing’s hand with unconcealed longing.

But there was nothing they could do. The owner wasn’t selling!

"Little lady, would you be interested in trying your luck elsewhere?" The speaker was the same boss from Xiangcheng in the plaid suit and greased-back hair. He felt Su Qing’s luck was truly exceptional. People like her often had good fortune, and if she bought more raw stones, she might strike it rich again. He, on the other hand, was a jinx; not a single raw stone he bought ever turned a profit. Even when he bought semi-exposed stones, he’d end up with nothing but a sliver of skin-deep green.

"Elsewhere?" Su Qing asked curiously. "There are other places?"

"Of course," the man in the plaid suit said with a chuckle. "There’s a gathering in Laxian a week from now. There will be plenty of raw stones on site. If you’re interested, I can give you the address."

’A week from now, huh.’

Su Qing thought about it. It seemed feasible. Still, she was a bit surprised. "Are these sorts of things allowed now?"

"Haha, how could they be?" the man in the plaid suit said cheerfully. "But, you know what they say: the higher-ups have their policies, and the people below have their countermeasures. Besides, the people behind that event are powerful; ordinary matters don’t affect them. So, it’s actually a semi-public affair there. They hold one or two gatherings in Laxian almost every month, and the quality and quantity of the goods are even better. People like us from Xiangcheng go to check it out at least once a month."

Hearing this, Su Qing’s interest grew even stronger. She smiled and said, "If it’s convenient, could you give me the address? I’d like to go take a look then."

"Haha, of course!" The man quickly took out a notebook, jotted down an address, and handed it to Su Qing. Then he added with a smile, "I have a small request. If you cut another piece of jadeite and decide to sell it, could you please consider me first? I’ll be there that day, too."

Su Qing smiled and nodded. "Of course, no problem."

"Hahaha, that’s great! Don’t worry, I’ll definitely give you a fair price." The man in the plaid suit was overjoyed. He took out his business card and said with a smile, "My surname is Shi, and my name is Shi Youda. Now we’re acquainted. May I ask your name?"

"My surname is Su. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Boss Shi," Su Qing said with a smile.

"The pleasure is all mine," Shi Youda said cheerfully. He had a sharp eye for people and his intuition told him Su Qing was no ordinary girl. After all, what kind of teenage girl would dare to waltz into an underground stone-gambling den like this?

Moreover, he could tell that Su Qing was someone who didn’t care what others thought. An ordinary girl with a scar like that on her left cheek would probably be too self-conscious to even leave the house. But Su Qing acted as if it was nothing, carrying on as usual without a trace of insecurity.

Shi Youda also felt it was a bit of a shame. He could see that without the scar on her left cheek, Su Qing would be a pretty girl. Then again, he thought, the scar added a layer of safety for a young girl like her. In a way, it served as a form of protection.

Having acquired two pieces of jadeite, Su Qing felt quite satisfied and decided to head back. Just then, Brother Qiu returned with his clients. Hearing that Su Qing was leaving, he smiled and said, "Perfect timing. I’m heading to the Chuncheng City District anyway, so I can give you a ride." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Okay, thank you." Su Qing didn’t refuse. She said goodbye to Shi Youda and left with Brother Qiu.

After Su Qing left, the other bosses from Xiangcheng said to Shi Youda with a laugh, "Old Shi, do you really believe a little girl can keep having such good luck?"

Shi Youda just smiled. "Who knows? What if she can, right?"

The others thought about it for a moment and nodded. ’Right, what if?’

Su Qing hitched a ride back to the Chuncheng City District, thanked Brother Qiu, and went on her way. It was already between six and seven in the evening, but the sky hadn’t darkened yet. Su Qing first found a hotel to settle into, then prepared to have a good meal at a local state-run restaurant.

One order of "crossing-the-bridge" noodles, one order of stir-fried minced pork with pickled greens, and one order of cold-sliced beef. The meal whetted Su Qing’s appetite so much that she couldn’t resist getting another order of "crossing-the-bridge" noodles to-go, planning to eat it as a late-night snack.

But unexpectedly, not long after she walked out of the state-run restaurant, a girl suddenly grabbed her arm. "Little sister, I finally found you! Mom’s been worried sick!"

Su Qing raised an eyebrow. ’Am I being targeted by human traffickers on the streets of Chuncheng?’

Before Su Qing could say anything, she heard the girl whisper, "Please, play along and help me. Save me."