Chapter Two: I Want to Make Money!

Just like that, my mother and I were driven out of our home by Su Li.

The night we left the Su family, snow was falling from the sky. My mother and I had nowhere to go, so we spent the night on a park bench. That night was the coldest I have ever experienced in my life.

The next day, my mother fell seriously ill. I took her to the hospital, and the doctor told me she needed to be admitted for treatment. But I had no money at all. I wanted to borrow from my uncle, but before I even reached his house, Su Li brought people to beat me up. Su Li warned me that if I dared to return to the Su family, she would kill me.

I had no choice but to sell everything I owned to pay for my mother's treatment. But her illness was too severe; ordinary medicine was useless. She lay in the hospital bed, holding my hand.

"Xiao Hu, don't waste money. I know my body. My days are numbered. I only hope you can live well and make something of yourself in the future."

"Mom, please don't say that. You won't die," I cried.

"Xiao Hu, if I'm gone, you must take care of yourself and live well."

"Mom, no, I just want to be with you."

"Silly child, people are always destined to part..."

After saying these words, my mother closed her eyes.

"Mom..."

I screamed in agony.

After my mother died, I didn't even have enough money for her cremation. In the end, I could only bury her on the small hill behind our house. Standing before her grave, I cried for a long time.

From my pocket, I took out a notebook—the only thing my father left me. It contained all the knowledge he had acquired about jade gambling throughout his life.

When my mother was alive, I had promised her I would never touch it. But now she was gone. I knew that if I wanted to turn my life around, this was my only chance!

From then on, I spent my days studying the notes my father left behind, and at night I worked as a waiter at a KTV. I needed to make money! I wanted to rise above! I would never forget the way my uncle's family looked at me! I would never forget the sight of my sick mother forced to sleep under a bridge, so pitiful! All of this was because I had no money!

Three years passed. I had mastered every word of the notebook, and finally, an opportunity arose.

The owner of our KTV was Sister Hong, a strikingly beautiful woman who had treated me well these three years. One day, her driver fell ill, and since I happened to be nearby, she asked me to drive her instead.

I drove her to the largest jade factory in the city. Only then did I realize Sister Hong was involved in jade gambling. But thinking about it, that was normal. In Rui Jing, any wealthy boss would dabble in jade, especially someone like Sister Hong, who ran a gray business like a KTV.

After she got out of the car, she glanced at me. "Xiao Huzi, do you know anything about jade gambling?"

I nodded. "I know a little. One cut and you're poor, one cut and you're rich, one cut and you wear mourning clothes."

"Alright, come with me and keep me company," she said, taking my hand and leading me into the factory.

As soon as we entered, I saw a stone displayed at the entrance. It looked like a black lump, the surface marred by a few abrasions, but to my eyes, it was a textbook specimen from the Mosisha mine.

Mosisha is famous for its skin jade, renowned for producing high-color materials. The sand grains are usually moderate, the skin smooth and thin, and the yield is high. But this piece had several cracks on the surface, making it difficult for most people to judge what was inside.

Just as I picked up the stone, a voice sounded behind me.

"Where did this kid come from? Don't touch my jade!"

I turned and saw a man in traditional attire, holding prayer beads, approaching. Judging by his demeanor, he must have been the factory owner.

Sister Hong stepped forward, linking her arm with mine, and said to him, "Boss Liu, this is my younger brother. It's his first time here; please be patient with him."

Boss Liu's expression shifted, then he laughed. "So he's Sister Hong's brother? That makes him one of us. Look as much as you like, if you fancy something, I'll give you a discount! But this piece is already reserved."

"Thank you, Boss Liu," Sister Hong said, winking at me before letting go of my arm.

I knew she wanted to test my skills, to see if I really knew how to judge jade.

Taking a deep breath, I told myself, "Wang Hu, this is your only chance. You must seize it!"

I focused all my attention and followed Boss Liu into the workshop. The sight inside amazed me—hundreds of uncut stones lined the shelves, their secrets completely hidden from view.

I touched each stone, feeling their texture. Some were rough, some smooth and cool, some warm and delicate. As I moved along, my fingers suddenly brushed a particularly coarse stone, and my heart leaped.

"Boss Liu, how much is this piece?"

He glanced at it. "You have a good eye. That's an old Mosisha stone, about the size of a fist. It'll cost at least two hundred thousand!"

Two hundred thousand!

My heart sank. This was my first time gambling on jade, and I only had twelve thousand—my entire life's savings.

I examined the stone, but didn't bother to shine a light on it. My father's experience had taught me: jade gambling is risky, and you must keep the risk within what you can bear.

With that in mind, I moved on to other stones. At that moment, Liu Liang looked at me with disdain, as if to say, "You can't even afford this."

Most of the stones in this factory were full-gamble pieces, meaning they had not been cut at all. I knew I couldn't afford the big ones, so I went to look among the smaller stones.

With so little capital, I couldn't afford those with windows cut, so I had to risk it all on blind stones—ones that had never been sliced, relying only on experience.

The first piece, I could tell at a glance, wasn't good. The skin had water but no cracks, yet I was sure there would be no color inside.

The second piece had mediocre skin, the color was dull, like covered in dust.

The third piece had excellent skin, but too many cracks; the flesh inside was likely ruined.

Liu Liang saw me reject three stones and grew impatient, mocking, "Kid, do you really know how to judge jade? These are all good stones. If you don't, just forget it!"

I glanced at him, irritated.

Most stones in this factory were junk.

Jade gambling is a game where nine out of ten lose. The best stones had long since been picked by the owner. What would be left for me to choose from?