Chapter Eighteen: How Much Is This Stone Worth?

The interior of the club was lavishly decorated, the lighting dim, with a faint aroma of tobacco and alcohol lingering in the air. I followed Sister Hong and the bodyguard down a long corridor until we finally arrived at the door of an opulent private room.

As the door opened, I saw Gao Qide seated on the sofa.

He appeared to be around fifty, broad-shouldered, with a face marked by a hint of coldness and authority. His gaze was sharp, as if he could see straight through a person’s soul.

Sister Hong exchanged a few casual words with Gao Qide, clearly old acquaintances. Her demeanor was respectful yet composed, as if she, too, was a person of significance in this lavish setting.

After the brief pleasantries, Sister Hong gently pushed me forward, gesturing toward me, “He’s the one who wants to see you!”

Gao Qide let his eyes roam over me, scrutinizing me from head to toe, a faint sneer playing on his lips. “Do you know who I am? You’re so eager to meet me?”

I took a deep breath, trying to make my voice sound steady. “I know you’re Brother De.”

His eyes flashed momentarily, then curved into an amused smile. “Oh? That’s right. My favorite thing is rescuing people from dire straits. Go on, what do you want?”

My palms began to sweat as I felt Sister Hong’s burning gaze on my back, but I forced myself to press on. “Brother De, I have a friend named Hu San.”

At the mention of the name, Gao Qide’s expression darkened at once.

The moment he heard “Hu San,” his face grew sullen. He slowly picked up his cigarette, took a deep drag, then slammed the butt into the ashtray, scattering ashes everywhere.

“No wonder you risked your life to see me,” he sneered, his eyes mocking. “Looks like you’re here to buy your friend’s freedom. Yes, I know this Hu San. He owes me quite a bit of money.”

My heart pounded faster, sweat gathering in my palms, but I still strove to remain calm.

“Brother De, Hu San is my friend. He’s in some trouble. I’m willing to pay back what he owes you, if only you’d let him go.”

Gao Qide’s gaze grew even sharper, the corners of his mouth lifting in a playful smirk.

“Do you know how much he owes me? You—just a boy—think you can pay it back?”

I drew a deep breath and looked at him. “However much it is, there must be an exact amount. Just tell me.”

Gao Qide sneered and held up a hand. “At least this much.”

When I saw the number he indicated, my brow furrowed slightly. I remembered Hu San saying it was just over four hundred thousand—how had it become five hundred thousand?

Before I could reply, Gao Qide went on, “You know the day after tomorrow is the deadline for him to pay up. If you want to stand up for your friend, that’s fine, but the time can't be changed. Don’t think you can trade your time for his. You’ve never borrowed from me—your time is worthless.”

“If he doesn’t pay up the day after tomorrow, it doesn’t matter who comes to see me.”

He then glanced at Sister Hong with a grin. “Isn’t that right, Honghong? Rules are rules, and face is face.”

Sister Hong neither agreed nor disagreed, remaining silent. She’d told me not to speak rashly yesterday, and clearly, she herself didn’t want to get too entangled with Gao Qide.

Facing his aggressive posture, I suddenly reached into my chest pocket.

The movement made Gao Qide’s face change instantly.

Behind me, Sister Hong also reached for her bag.

The two henchmen behind Gao Qide, sensing trouble, leapt over the sofa and charged at me, pinning me to the floor in an instant and snatching the object from my hand.

Pressed to the ground, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re all far too cautious,” I mocked. “With Brother De right here, even if I were stupid, I wouldn’t pull a gun and sign my own death warrant.”

Gao Qide waved his hand, signalling his men to let me go.

He took the object from his man, examining it closely before carefully unwrapping the silk cloth around it.

His gaze darkened as he spoke coldly, “This thing you brought is a rough jade stone.”

I stood up, dusting myself off, trying to appear composed. “That’s right, Brother De. This is a fine piece of raw jadeite. I know you have an eye for such things, so I brought it specially for you to see.”

A flicker of interest flashed in Gao Qide’s eyes, though he maintained his stern expression. “You think a piece of rough stone can cover Hu San’s five hundred thousand?”

“This palm-sized thing, even if you cut into it, the jade marrow inside would be no bigger than your palm. You want to use this worthless thing to clear a five hundred thousand debt? Are you mad?”

I nodded. “Brother De, I know the value of this stone might not be enough, but someone of your discernment should be able to judge its worth.”

Gao Qide hesitated, but kept his cold demeanor. He looked to Sister Hong. “Honghong, you’re not telling me you shared my old jade mining stories from Myanmar with this kid, did you? How else would he know about my fondness for jade and try to cater to it?”

Sister Hong paused, then shook her head. “I really have no idea—”

She then shot me a fierce glare.

At this point, I knew leaving this room wouldn’t be easy.

But I didn’t care. I continued, “Brother De, your early fortune mining in Myanmar isn’t exactly a secret in our circles. Those years, most who came from there were doing the same thing.”

“I brought you this stone today because I wanted to see if your skills are still as sharp as back then. I’d like you to help me appraise how much it’s worth.”

Gao Qide snorted. “No matter what, it’s not worth five hundred thousand. Tell Hu San I’ll be coming for his life the day after tomorrow.”

I pressed him for a price. Gao Qide chuckled, a mocking glint in his eye. “You’re a stubborn one.”

“All right, for the sake of the lovely Honghong, I’ll give you a chance!”

He turned towards a small rosewood cabinet, opened it, and took out a black handgun, setting it aside carelessly.

Then he pulled out a jeweler’s loupe, put it on, and grabbed a high-powered flashlight, smiling at me. “You’re an interesting kid. It’s been years since anyone’s dared test me. Lately the only one to talk to me like that is my own son, and now you want to test me!”

Though his words were laced with challenge, Gao Qide picked up his tools and began the appraisal.

He examined the rough stone intently, muttering to himself, sometimes frowning, sometimes nodding.

For a while, the only sounds in the room were the beam of his flashlight and his low murmurs.