But Ye Fan had no experience with jade, so he naturally couldn't discern its characteristics. Everyone has their specialty, and when it comes to playing with jade, he was doomed!
Ye Fan glanced at him indifferently, "It doesn't matter."
With his X-ray vision, selecting superior jade was not a difficult task.
Hu Xiaofei immediately burst into laughter, "Ye Fan, do you really think you're omnipotent? Today, I'll grant your wish and let you die by this jade."
"Are you that confident?" Ye Fan frowned. He couldn't understand where Hu Xiaofei's confidence came from.
Beside him, Jiang Zhitao quickly whispered in his ear, "The Hu family made their fortune in the jade business, and Hu Xiaofei is exceptionally talented in jade appraisal, known as the future of Jiangcheng's jade industry. His eyesight is very good."
Ye Fan showed a look of sudden realization, "So that's how it is. I wondered where your confidence came from. It turns out you're from an established family. However, this is not the capital for your arrogance. Remember, there's always someone better."
Ye Fan spoke with earnestness, as if lecturing a junior.
This remark only fueled Hu Xiaofei's anger further. He pointed at Ye Fan and said furiously, "Ye Fan, I will definitely repay the humiliation you caused me at the appraisal fair today. You like to gamble, don't you? Today, I'll gamble with you again. Do you dare or not?"
"Gamble?"
This proposal actually made Ye Fan pause. It seemed he still hadn't learned his lesson from the previous encounter!
"I'm afraid you don't have a stake that would satisfy me."
Thinking Ye Fan was intimidated and backing down, Hu Xiaofei became even more arrogant.
"As long as you dare, I'll accompany you to the end."
Inwardly, he was exceptionally excited. The revenge for his severed finger and the humiliation he suffered would be repaid tenfold today.
A strange smile curved his lips. Ye Fan's gaze finally turned serious.
"Gamble with lives. Do you dare?"
Upon hearing this, the surrounding crowd was stunned.
Gamble with lives? Was this kid crazy?
Ye Fan was quite well-known in antique circles, but he was unheard of in the jade world.
"Who is this kid? How can he be so reckless?"
"Showing off in front of Young Master Hu, I think he's looking for death."
"Didn't you see the person Young Master Jiang brought? His reputation must be considerable, but his brain seems to be malfunctioning."
...
Ye Fan ignored the incessant chatter of these people, his serious gaze fixed on Hu Xiaofei, awaiting his answer.
Hearing Ye Fan's stake, Hu Xiaofei froze, his heart skipping a beat. Gamble with lives? Was it necessary for a single bet to involve life and death?
Then, seeing Ye Fan's heavy gaze, Hu Xiaofei knew he wasn't joking anymore.
He couldn't help but frown.
Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he had been studying jade appraisal since childhood. Constantly praised, how could he not cherish his life?
But seeing Ye Fan's frosty face, the suppressed ferocity in his heart surged once more.
He refused to believe that he could lose to Ye Fan in selecting jade.
Gritting his teeth and hardening his heart, Hu Xiaofei said through clenched teeth, "Alright, I'll gamble with you."
"Whoosh~"
The entire warehouse erupted into chaos. Gambling with lives, an unprecedented stake. What deep-seated hatred did these two possess?!
"No empty words, sign and press your fingerprints as proof."
With eyes filled with intense hatred, Hu Xiaofei had clearly pushed himself to a dead end.
"Brother Ye, this kid is good at appraising jade. You..."
Jiang Zhitao quickly whispered in Ye Fan's ear. Although he knew Ye Fan wouldn't take unnecessary risks, this was jade, after all, a test of experience. How could he not be worried?
"If you don't dare, just kneel down and kowtow to me. I am magnanimous and won't bother with you."
Seeing Jiang Zhitao constantly whispering to Ye Fan, Hu Xiaofei sneered repeatedly.
At this moment, he was certain that Ye Fan knew nothing about jade appraisal, and he had already become timid.
To his surprise, Ye Fan snorted, "As you wish, I'm fine with anything."
"Crazy, this kid must be crazy..."
The surrounding people pointed at Ye Fan, their gazes growing more fervent. Such a thrilling spectacle had never been witnessed before.
Soon, an attendant brought over the gambling agreement. Ye Fan and Hu Xiaofei signed their names respectively, and the agreement became effective.
Jiang Zhitao sighed helplessly, but still stepped forward and said sternly, "Each party will select a piece of jade, and it will be opened on the spot. The one with the better quality wins. One round to decide life and death."
Thrilling, dangerous, and exhilarating!
Life and death in an instant, the atmosphere instantly became extremely tense!
However, Ye Fan remained as calm and composed as ever, as if this were not a life-or-death gamble, but rather a leisurely stroll.
He leisurely walked past the rough stones, occasionally pausing to glance at them, but never touching them.
Unbeknownst to them, the interiors of every rough stone had already entered his vision.
Although many of these rough stones looked good, very few had anything substantial inside.
He shook his head helplessly. No wonder Doctor Hao had made a mistake here. Fooling people into buying these duds, almost anyone would fall for it.
In contrast, Hu Xiaofei was clearly much more meticulous than Ye Fan. Whenever he saw a rough stone that seemed suspicious, he would squat down and examine it carefully. Only after confirming there were no hidden clues would he move on to the next one.
...
Half an hour later, all the rough stones here had been examined. Hu Xiaofei then, with great satisfaction, had someone move a rough stone about the size of a pot lid.
"Among these rough stones, the jadeite contained in this stone is the most valuable. There is no doubt about it."
Hu Xiaofei was full of confidence, his face beaming with undisguised joy.
He then looked towards Ye Fan, only to see Ye Fan slowly walking towards a palm-sized stone in the corner.
"He wouldn't be thinking of choosing that scrap piece of stone, would he?"
That small, broken stone was scattered from the rough stone selected by Doctor Hao after it was cut, and it had rolled into the corner. Hu Xiaofei hadn't bothered to clear it.
"Young Master Hu, that kid's brain is clearly a problem. You've won this one too easily."
Someone had already come to curry favor and flatter him.
As one person fawned, more people chimed in.
Even Jiang Zhitao was frowning deeply now, full of worry. What should he do if Ye Fan actually lost?
A moment later, he beckoned a subordinate and whispered a few words in his ear. The subordinate quickly left.
He couldn't let anything happen to Ye Fan, absolutely not!
Even if it meant leaving Jiangcheng forever, he had to protect this life.
This was the first person he truly recognized and approved of. If something happened to him right before his eyes, he would live his entire life with guilt.
...
He picked up the palm-sized rough stone. As he held it, he felt a chill.
That kind of bone-chilling coldness was far beyond what ordinary jade could emit.
He nodded with satisfaction, then turned and walked over.