NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1: Chapter 1: A Gamble of Life
Do you all know what gambling stones are?
The so-called gambling on jade stones refers to betting with raw jade. When a piece of jade rough is cut open, if it contains high-quality jade, the bet is won; if not, then it is lost!
Gambling on raw stones is a path to sudden wealth, but the risks are immense. The original stones of jadeite are sold at high prices, often reaching hundreds of thousands, and in heavier cases, several hundred million. Many people stake everything they have to gamble on this, and if they win, their
"One cut makes you poor, one cut makes you rich, one cut reveals the burlap," this saying refers to gambling on stones!
This is no joke; it's something I've experienced firsthand. My dad is a prime example—a bloody lesson.
My dad's name is Zhao Zhong, and he drives for a boss. His boss, who used to be wealthy, enjoys gambling on stones and is a really nice person. Once, he planned a trip to Ruili and took our whole family along, saying it was a business trip. This made our
Originally, we were just here to travel, but Boss Zeng said that if we didn't gamble on stones in Ruili, it would be like we never came. So, he took us to the street in Jie'gao to gamble on stones.
My dad also likes to gamble on stones, but only for research; he doesn't dare to really bet because he doesn't have any money!
Sister mentioned that there are several kilometers of streets lined with stone gambling shops, filled with a dazzling array of options that can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Boss Zeng went into a familiar shop, owned by someone called Old Niu. He asked Old Niu to pick a stone for him, and Old N
My dad was looking at that stone nearby and even analyzed it for me. He said this stone has a high potential for gambling; if it's planted well, the python's strength is impressive, and the color is very likely to be absorbed. If it goes in, then it's a profit.
When it comes to gambling on jadeite, you first bet on the type, and then on the mining site. The mining site refers to the various areas in Myanmar where jadeite rough stones are extracted. Each area produces different qualities of jadeite; some are good, while others are not. Therefore, you
Boss Zeng bought this stone for twenty thousand yuan, and the old cow immediately helped him cut it. The result was completely green, something no one expected. It was a huge hit right then and there.
Full green means that the stone is entirely green, and its value has skyrocketed. Right on the spot, someone offered two million to buy it.
Watching next to my dad was truly heart-wrenching; that stone worth twenty thousand skyrocketed to two million. Besides feeling jealous, I couldn't help but wish that stone was ours.
After a series of price hikes and negotiations, it was finally settled at three million. Boss Zeng was over the moon; he never expected that making money could be this easy.
This is not only something Boss Zeng didn't expect, but also something my dad and I never anticipated. We both watched as twenty thousand turned into three million, and that kind of thrill nearly drove us both crazy.
After returning home, my dad went crazy; he insisted on selling the house and then going to Ruili to take a gamble. My mom was firmly against it, but I felt very tempted because for someone like Boss Zeng, who knows nothing about gambling stones, just cutting a piece could earn him three
So, against the opposition of the whole family, we sold and mortgaged our house to go to Ruili. My dad and I went with complete confidence. Upon arriving in Ruili, we still went to the shop that Boss Zeng took us to.
That old cow recognized us; he knew we were friends of the former boss and wanted to recommend a piece of raw stone to us.
My dad agreed right away because this old man had recommended a piece of stone to Boss Zeng last time, and it sold for three million in one go, so my dad trusts him.
This old cow took a stone out of the safe and placed it on the table. My dad and I both looked at it; it was dark and shiny.I can tell at a glance that it's black wool.
Black Usha gambling stones are the most abundant, most risky, and most variable rough materials from the jadeite mines in Myanmar, often referred to as "nine out of ten bets fail."
However, this stone has a "window," which is a cut made with a grinder that reveals the flesh inside.
My dad has his eye on this window; he said the color inside the window is purple, and it's very likely a type of violet. If the material weighs around ten kilograms and is solid, it could be worth over ten million.
My dad immediately wanted to buy this raw stone, but Old Niu was asking for 650,000. We didn't have that much money, so my dad found Boss Zeng to guarantee it, and right then and there, he secured the deal for the stone.
After the transaction ended, the old man said he had to go to Myanmar to get materials, so he couldn't cut the stone for us. My dad and I then left the shop and went to the public bank, which is a place that specifically helps gamblers cut stones, and we found a master stone cutter to
My dad showed the stone to someone, but the master who cuts stones immediately said, "I can't cut this piece because it has a ghost."
After my dad and I listened to it, we immediately felt a dark cloud hanging over us. However, my dad was still not convinced and insisted on cutting it open to take a look. He said, "The material is black and sandy, and it has already opened up. How could it possibly be wrong"I've been studying for so many years, I shouldn't be wrong."
The stone-cutting master, seeing that my father was still not giving up, pointed him in a clear direction. He said, "If the stone is genuine, then what you say is certainly correct. However, this is a counterfeit, made from a material imitating violet, and the open part is just
My dad listened and felt something was off. The master who cuts the stones got angry and took the stone, pulling it apart a few times. My dad and I were stunned to see that the stone was actually split into three parts. These three layers, when glued together, were truly perfect. The first layer
My dad looked at the material and just sat down on the ground. We sold our house to gamble on this. He was silent for a long time, then said to me, "I didn't make a mistake in my research; it's not that I don't understand, but the material is fake."
I looked at my dad's sad and desperate expression, so I took him back to the hotel, comforting him as we walked, saying that his research was correct and that we were just deceived, urging him not to dwell on it too much, reminding him that we still had a chance.
After my dad said that, he didn't speak again. We spent a night at the hotel, and when it was almost dawn, my dad called me up and said he was hungry, asking me to go out and buy him something to eat. I was still half-asleep, but I got up to buy
I looked into his very sincere eyes and smiled at him, calling him petty, but I really didn't expect that this smile would be the last connection between us.
After I came back with the food and opened the door, I saw a person hanging from the ceiling fan. My heart sank into despair.
It's my dad.
He was just hanging up there all alone...
"One cut makes you poor, another makes you rich, and one cut pierces through burlap" is truly accurate. When Boss Zeng made his cut, it was three million; when my dad and I made our cut, we lost everything. My dad even lost his life.
My father's funeral cost tens of thousands, all funded by borrowed money. My father's death didn't earn any sympathy from relatives; they all said he deserved it, and we've accepted that.
However, there is one thing that makes me particularly uncomfortable: our house is mortgaged to the bank, and as long as we are not past the repayment deadline, my mom and I can still live here.
However, before, my father had borrowed three hundred thousand with Mr. Zeng as a guarantor. After my father passed away, Mr. Zeng came knocking on our door, insisting that we repay the money. I asked Mr. Zeng for a few extra days, but he refused, saying that
He insisted that we sell the house and give him the money, and he even brought along a lawyer and a bank representative. My father had barely been gone for seven days when he came knocking on our door to demand repayment. Although we owed him, this felt a bit too much, like adding insult to injury
I used to think that Boss Zeng was a pretty good person, but as time goes by, you really get to know someone's true character. I've finally seen through this person.
However, I still want to have a place to stay with my mom. I hope Mr. Zeng won't kick us out just yet. If he refuses to listen, I'll go talk to his daughter. Mr. Zeng's daughter is named Zeng Hong, and she's in the same department as me.
I found Zeng Hong in her department. Zeng Hong is a very beautiful girl, with a slim figure and tall stature. Her skin is a bit dark, which is a characteristic of local girls from Ruili, but this in no way detracts from her beauty.
I met Zeng Hong, and she was very polite. She expressed sympathy for my father's death. I said to her, if you truly sympathize with me, then ask your dad to let us stay a little longer at home. Once I earn some money, I will definitely pay him back. Zeng
I feel particularly happy and grateful for Zeng Hong; I think Zeng Hong is different from her father.
Once this matter is settled, I plan to look for a part-time job. Ruili is a tourist city with many restaurants, and I found a job as a food runner at the largest folk restaurant, Mengmao Banquet.
At noon, there was a table full of dishes that I brought out. Coincidentally, I ran into Zeng Hong, who was having a meal there. After I served the dishes, I said, "Zeng Hong, later on, say I'm your friend, and you can get a 20
Zeng Hong smiled for a moment without saying anything. I noticed she had friends around, so it might have been awkward, and I decided to leave. But just as I stepped out the door, I heard a woman ask, "Zeng Hong, who is that?"Do you know him/her?"I didn't expect you to have such a wide circle of friends; even the food runners know you..."
This statement made me very uncomfortable; even a fool could understand what it meant. However, what Zeng Hong said made me feel even worse inside.
"He's not a friend; he's the son of my dad's driver. In the past, his dad used the company car for personal matters, and he had to pick me up, so you can imagine how awkward it was to sit in the same car and not talk. Now that his dad has passed away
Zeng Hong's words felt like a knife to my heart. I thought we were friends, but I never expected her to think of me this way. I held back my tears as I walked away, but I don't feel ashamed inside. It doesn't matter if you look down on me; I value myself.