Everyone who had mocked Lu Ming now stood there like clowns, mouths agape, too stunned to utter a word.
How could this be possible?
A piece of scrap stone worth a mere 100 yuan had yielded an imperial emerald, a chance less likely than winning the lottery!
Such extraordinary luck was unheard of.
Jiang Mengxin gulped repeatedly, her shock immeasurable.
Just moments ago, she had repeatedly called Lu Ming an "outsider" and looked down on him, but the result had slapped her face hard. This "outsider" Lu Ming had used 100 yuan to acquire an emerald worth at least 20 million!
There was no room for defiance.
No one dared to call Lu Ming a cheat anymore. Everyone envied Chen Xian, the young girl who had made the most important decision of her life.
As everyone remained in awe, the owner of the raw stone shop suddenly shouted, "That's my emerald!"
The crowd turned back to look at the owner.
He roared with an imposing presence, "That's my emerald rough stone, give it back!"
Ugh...
Everyone cast disdainful glances his way.
On Yuan Street, once a raw stone was sold, it was sold. Whether the outcome was good or bad, it was the customer's responsibility.
If it was a loss, the customer bore it; if it was a profit, the customer's luck had struck gold.
The raw stone shop had no further involvement.
To attempt to reclaim a stone that had yielded a treasure, after it had been sold, was utterly demeaning and contemptible.
Lu Ming chuckled, "I bought this raw stone for 100 yuan."
The owner shouted furiously, "Can 100 yuan buy an imperial emerald? Even a pig's brain would know that's impossible! It was a mistake by me, I misplaced it. It was a top-quality rough stone that I intended to sell for 20 million. You took advantage of my oversight!"
People had seen shamelessness, but never such blatant disregard for decency.
His lies flowed like water.
Lu Ming snorted coldly and said, "This raw stone was placed in the pile for discarded stones. You even tried to give it to me for free just now, which shows you had no idea of its value. Now that it's yielded an emerald, are you feeling envious? Selling a stone and then trying to take it back, is this how you do business?"
Others chimed in.
"Hey, there are no people like you! Our raw stone shops don't have such shameless owners."
"Once sold, the raw stone, good or bad, is the customer's problem. It has nothing to do with you."
"To be envious and try to take it back, that's the height of shamelessness."
Lu Ming continued, "Furthermore, we completed a hands-off transaction, exchanging money for goods. Legally speaking, this raw stone no longer belongs to you. You have no right to reclaim it."
Only now did the crowd truly understand Lu Ming's "considerate foresight."
If Lu Ming had accepted the owner's offer of giving it away for free without paying, then the owner could have easily denied having gifted it and demanded it back.
But once the money was paid, the situation changed.
It was a legitimate transaction.
After the transaction, there was no reason for the owner to demand it back.
The crowd marveled at Lu Ming's wisdom. Earlier, they had criticized Lu Ming for being ungrateful, but now they realized he had acted preemptively.
It was a near miss; this emerald could have been returned.
The shop owner, flushed with embarrassment and anger, grabbed a stool and roared, "Are you not going to give it back? If you don't, I'll fight you!"
"Fight me?" Lu Ming chuckled and kicked out, sending the shop owner and the stool flying.
When it came to fighting, Lu Ming feared no one.
The crowd erupted in applause.
Lu Ming bent down and handed the emerald rough stone to Chen Xian, instructing, "This raw stone is worth at least 20 million. You must keep it safe. With it, you and your father can escape the clutches of poverty."
Chen Xian clutched the stone tightly, her joy evident.
At this moment.
Xiao Zhan, standing nearby, let out a cold snort, feeling deeply displeased.
He had intended to show off his "black technology" and make a grand impression, but all the glory had been snatched by Lu Ming.
The thought alone was vexing.
"It's just an emerald, what's the big deal?" Xiao Zhan waved his hand, displaying all 10 of his purchased raw stones. "I have raw stones here too. Without exaggeration, at least five of them are emeralds."
Five emeralds?
Was he joking?
Everyone's attention was drawn to the stones. All 10 were of the highest quality, with excellent appearance.
But even so, it didn't guarantee they would yield emeralds.
Xiao Zhan, however, was brimming with confidence.
Because he had his "black technology"!
According to the readings from his tester, seven of them were five-star raw stones. Five stars offered a very high probability of yielding emeralds.
Xiao Zhan's 10 raw stones were not only of good quality but also substantial in size, with the smallest weighing at least two catties. If they yielded emeralds, their value would be unimaginable.
The bragging rights that Lu Ming had claimed, Xiao Zhan intended to reclaim them for himself.
He picked the stone with the best appearance and largest size and handed it to the cutting shop owner, saying, "Come, boss, cut one for me too. If it yields an emerald, I'll reward you with 100,000 yuan as a bonus."
The owner happily took the raw stone, placed it on the machine, and said, "Alright, let's witness it together. Hopefully, we can uncover another emerald."
Whirring sounds...
The owner operated the machine, beginning the cut.
As the cutting progressed, Lu Ming subtly shook his head and unhurriedly placed a small chair behind Xiao Zhan.
Xiao Zhan blinked in surprise, "What do you mean by that?"
Lu Ming replied, "I'm afraid that if the result of the cut is poor, you might not be able to handle the shock and might fall. So, I've prepared a chair for you in advance. If you feel dizzy or unwell, you can sit down."
"Piss off!" Xiao Zhan cursed, "Lu Ming, you're just jealous of me. Do you think you're the only one who can find an emerald? Let me tell you, I can too!"
As he finished speaking, with a click, the raw stone was split in two, completely cut open.
Everyone's eyes were drawn to it.
But to their embarrassment... the stone that Xiao Zhan had placed so much hope in, the one with the excellent appearance, after being cut, yielded not a trace of emerald, nor any gemstone component within!
It was just a worthless piece of rock!
Such a stone wouldn't be picked up even if discarded by the roadside; it was worth less than fifty cents, yet Xiao Zhan had spent 160,000 yuan to buy it!
"This... how is this possible?"
Xiao Zhan's eyes went wide, feeling as though he had swallowed a fly.
His palms were sweating profusely; he couldn't accept this reality.
Jiang Mengxin, Xu Qin, and Xiao Yao also frowned, unable to comprehend it.
This raw stone had an excellent appearance, and the "black technology" had detected it as a five-star raw stone. With double assurance, there was no reason for it to turn out to be such an utter piece of junk.
Where had the process gone wrong?
Everyone was bewildered.
Instantly, Xiao Zhan felt dizzy and faint, his legs growing weak and unable to stand steadily. He stumbled and fell.
Fortunately, Lu Ming had placed a chair there earlier, and Xiao Zhan landed securely on it.
Lu Ming chuckled and said, "Young Master Xiao, is the chair comfortable?"