Urban Super Medical Saint

"What you're talking about is jade gambling, and I'd advise you to drop the idea. At most, spend a little money to experience what jade gambling is, but you absolutely can't put a large sum of money into it. If they say that gambling in casinos results in losses nine out of ten times, then jade gambling is basically all losses, no wins. An expert once told me that the chances of winning are slightly higher when gambling near jade mines, but if you gamble far from the mines, the tricks involved are very deep, and the probability of winning is only one in ten thousand. Don't think that, just because I specialize in jewelry and have seen a lot of raw materials, I would dare to gamble on stone. This thing really depends largely on luck, and skill is only a small part. As for getting Glass Type Jadeite, you'd have to be extremely lucky," Tang Yahui said seriously when she heard that Ge Dongxu wanted to obtain Glass Type Jadeite through jade gambling.

She knew Ge Dongxu was wealthy, but if he truly harbored such a gambling mentality, no amount of money could withstand such wear and tear.

"Thank you for the warning, I'm aware of the risks, and I won't engage in anything I'm not sure about," Ge Dongxu said, nodding as his smile faded.

"That's good to hear," Tang Yahui sighed in relief, thinking that Ge Dongxu had given up on jade gambling.

"However, the market over there is still very complex. For those who are knowledgeable, because the material comes directly from Myanmar, there are fewer middlemen, and the prices are definitely cheaper than buying here in markets like ours. But for those who are inexperienced, the prices may not necessarily be cheaper than in stores, and there's even a high chance of being swindled. Since you are looking to buy high-quality jadeite and are unfamiliar with the area, it's really best to have someone who understands the local market go with you," Tang Yahui added.

"They might not fool me, but since I'm unfamiliar with the place, and I'm buying high-quality goods, I would indeed be at a loss if I went there unprepared," Ge Dongxu said, nodding.

"I do have a friend in my circle who frequently sources goods from there, who is also a local. You should know him; he's Zhang Yaku, the boss who you first met when you came to my place and I didn't have enough stock and took you to him to make up for it. Do you remember?" Tang Yahui said.

"Yes, I remember," Ge Dongxu nodded.

"I'm not sure if he's planning to go to the Yunnan border market soon, but if he is, you could possibly join him," Tang Yahui said.

"Ask him, having someone familiar with the area would definitely make it much more convenient. If not, have him introduce a local friend who could guide us," Ge Dongxu nodded and suggested.

Tang Yahui nodded, then picked up the phone and called Zhang Yaku.

It was indeed a coincidence that Zhang Yaku was planning to visit Yunnan's Ruili the day after tomorrow; he had already purchased his plane ticket.

When Tang Yahui mentioned Ge Dongxu's situation to Zhang Yaku, he clearly remembered Ge Dongxu, the young man proficient in selecting jade. Upon hearing his name, he thought of him and, out of respect for Tang Yahui, he agreed almost immediately.

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"It looks like it really is a coincidence," Ge Dongxu said with a smile after Tang Yahui hung up the phone.

"Yes, having someone familiar makes things much easier," Tang Yahui replied.

...

Zhang Yaku was a very talkative person. The journey from Linzhou to Ruili required a stopover in Kunming, then a switch to Mangshi, and from there, either taking a bus or driving oneself to Ruili.

From the moment he boarded the plane, Zhang Yaku hardly stopped speaking.

As a jade merchant, he primarily talked about jade and jadeite, with most of his conversation revolving around jade gambling.

He talked about how "even an Immortal can't predict a tiny piece of jade," and phrases like "one cut can lead to poverty or to wealth," even sharing several widely known stories from the border area about people who got rich or went broke overnight from jade gambling.

Aside from jade gambling, Zhang Yaku talked extensively about the annual Jade Raw Material Public Sale held in Myanmar's capital, Yangon.

This was a measure enforced by the Myanmar government to prevent tax revenue loss, mandating that all mined jadeite must be transacted through the annual Public Sale before it could be exported, classifying all other transactions as smuggling.

Needless to say, Zhang Yaku also discussed other matters related to the Myanmar border, such as casinos, Myanmar women, and the internal conflict within Myanmar.

As a jade merchant sometimes dealing in tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, Zhang Yaku was indeed wealthy, so after arriving in Mangshi, he chose to rent a car, suggesting it was more convenient and freeing than taking a bus.

Ge Dongxu naturally had no objections, so they rented a car.

At that time, the car rental market had gradually started to develop in big cities, while it was just beginning in smaller second and third-tier cities, where it was definitely not possible to rent any good cars.

The two of them had rented a Santana.

Initially, Ge Dongxu was worried that Zhang Yakun would be too tired from the travel and wanted to drive himself, but it turned out that Zhang Yakun had just obtained his driving license six months ago and was still excited about driving. He insisted on driving as he was familiar with the roads in this area.

Seeing that Zhang Yakun wanted to drive, Ge Dongxu naturally let him do so.

Along the way, the road conditions were mediocre, but the scenery was quite beautiful, with continuous mountains and a crystal-clear blue sky, and the air was filled with a hint of freshness.

As Ge Dongxu was enjoying the scenery along the way, the car suddenly began to bump.@@novelbin@@

Zhang Yakun quickly pulled over. Upon inspecting the vehicle, they discovered that the front right tire had burst.

"Damn, no spare tire, now we're really in trouble," Zhang Yakun cursed as he opened the trunk and found it void of a spare tire.

Ge Dongxu also frowned upon seeing this since it had already started to get dark. Back in '99, calling for a tow truck and such wasn't nearly as convenient as it is now.

"No worries, we can just flag down a passing car later and buy a spare tire directly from the driver," Ge Dongxu said with a slight sigh of frustration but tried to console Zhang Yakun, who was still cursing the car rental company.

"That's the only option we have," Zhang Yakun said, feeling a bit embarrassed to be comforted by the younger man, Ge Dongxu, and muttered awkwardly.

Cars were sporadic, and it was a struggle to see any pass by.

One car saw two men by the roadside in a place neither near a village nor near a shop, and as the sky was darkening, the driver didn't dare to stop, instead speeding past without a second thought.

"Damn, I'm not a highway robber!" Zhang Yakun pointed at the fleeing car and cursed in frustration.

After a few more cars passed by, one finally stopped, but, unfortunately, it did not have a spare tire.

"I remember there's a repair shop about ten miles from here. If worst comes to worst, I'll hitch a ride there and bring back some help. You'll be okay staying here alone, right?" Zhang Yakun said with a concerned frown as the sky was nearly completely dark.

Ge Dongxu had no problem with that; in fact, with his connections, he could have just made a phone call, and the local security bureau would have immediately sent a vehicle, but Ge Dongxu preferred not to use his influence for personal matters.

Ge Dongxu was just about to respond that it was no problem when three cars approached from a distance.

The first and last were Audis, while the one in the middle was a big Mercedes.

Seeing this, Ge Dongxu quickly waved his arms to signal.

The first Audi completely ignored him and sped past.

"Axiong, stop for a moment. Let's see if he needs any help?" A man in his sixties with a composed and dignified demeanor, who was sitting in the back seat of the second car, the big Mercedes, said lightly upon seeing Ge Dongxu waving by the roadside next to the stopped car.

Beside him, sat a younger woman exuding unmatched elegance and beauty.

The lady held a three or four-year-old boy in her arms. The boy looked thin, his eyes closed, and his face bore a hint of paleness.

ps: Because I updated late last night, it disrupted the schedule, and I still haven't managed to finish the next two chapters, so the next two chapters will also be slightly delayed today. I'll strive to get back on a normal schedule by tomorrow.