The next morning, I heard car horns downstairs. I quickly grabbed my luggage, said goodbye to Xiao Hong, who was still asleep, and hurried downstairs.
We were taking an early flight and had a luncheon to attend upon arriving in Yangon.
Lan Ya’s car was waiting. She was alone in the back seat, and I sat beside her with my backpack. Lan Ya was wearing a dress and a bow in her hair, looking very casual.
Lan Ya smiled at me, and I returned the smile as a greeting. Lan Ya told the driver to start the car.
The airport was some distance from Ruili city, and the car sped along the tree-lined avenue leading to it.
At the airport, I saw Brother Leopard dressed in a white suit.
Ever since I first met him, his style had been the same: always a dark or light-colored suit, with his hair perfectly neat.
We went through immigration together. Lan Ya hadn’t brought her bodyguard, and Brother Leopard had his assistant with him, so it was just the four of us.
I looked at Brother Leopard’s assistant beside me. I’d heard Lan Ya call him Da Kui, and I guessed he must be quite skilled. He was half a head taller than me, broad-shouldered and stout, like an iron tower.
Next to him, I felt like a bean sprout.
I was the first to go through customs. Lan Ya had been giving me prompts, and thankfully, they had already sorted out all the paperwork for me. I passed through quickly and boarded the plane.
As I stepped off the plane, a wave of heat hit me. Although Yangon wasn’t far from Ruili, it felt like a different world.
Brother Leopard’s friend had sent a car to pick us up. As soon as we exited the airport, we saw a black limousine parked squarely in front of the exit.
Two rows of people wearing sunglasses and dark gray suits stood at the entrance. Seeing us approach, they bowed deeply and greeted Brother Leopard in unison.
I was deeply impressed by such a grand reception. This setup was comparable to the treatment of the President of Myanmar.
At that moment, the side sliding door of the car opened slowly, and a robust middle-aged man emerged. He was wearing a plain yellow longyi and a simple-colored headscarf. After getting out of the car, he bowed and then embraced Brother Leopard.
He politely invited Brother Leopard into his car, while Lan Ya and I were arranged in the following car.
Several more cars followed, and we drove out of the airport in a grand procession.
Lan Ya told me that this man was Brother Leopard’s friend, the one he called Big Brother, named A Qing. His ancestral home was also from our region, but he was only half Han Chinese, as his father had married a Burmese woman. Brother Leopard had developed his business in Myanmar under Qing Ge’s tutelage and had always respected him.
I nodded and said, “It seems Qing Ge also thinks highly of Brother Leopard to arrange such a grand reception for us.”
Lan Ya gave a wry smile and said nothing.
I was puzzled. Wasn’t such a grand display a good thing? Why the wry smile? Had I misunderstood something?
The car traveled along the road towards the city. The road was in poor condition, full of potholes, and we passed by low-rise houses, creating a bleak scene.
This was nothing like a city; it was more backward than our rural areas.
After driving for quite some time, we finally saw the city. However, the buildings were all low, though we did see many glittering pagodas.
The car stopped in front of a hotel. As we got out, Qing Ge and Brother Leopard walked ahead, followed by a large group of people.
We entered the first-floor restaurant together. Qing Ge’s men quickly formed two lines, and Qing Ge led us into a private room.
An elegant lady was seated in the private room. She was so beautiful that one couldn’t help but want to keep looking at her.
She was wearing traditional Burmese attire, her form-fitting dress accentuating her perfect curves. Combined with her sculpted and handsome face, it was enough to make one’s blood race!
Lan Ya coughed softly, and I quickly averted my gaze, lowering my head in embarrassment.
Qing Ge looked at me and smiled, saying, "Young man, isn't my wife very beautiful? But she’s like poison; looking too much will bring you bad luck."
I was so mortified that I didn’t know where to put myself. Brother Leopard said, "The country boy doesn't understand things. It's just that Sister-in-law is too radiant, and he was startled."
I quickly bowed to Qing Ge, feeling that I had made a mistake.
Qing Ge waved his hand and said, "Please, sit down. It is a joy to have friends from afar. Today is such an important day; why would I hold a grudge against a child? All right, inform the restaurant to serve the food quickly."
The waiter standing nearby shouted, "Yes," and hurried out.
This hotel was likely run by Chinese, as even the waiters spoke Chinese.
Qing Ge sat at the head of the table. Brother Leopard and Qing Ge’s wife sat on the river side, Lan Ya sat next to her, and I sat next to Lan Ya.
The round table was very large, and we occupied only a small portion of it.
Qing Ge said, "Let's eat first. After eating, you can rest upstairs. We will go to the public auction tomorrow morning."
The waiters poured red wine for each of us. Qing Ge raised his glass and said, "Brother Leopard was a fierce general under me back then, but my temple was too small, and Brother Leopard missed his hometown too much. I could only part with him reluctantly. But it’s good this way; he’s thriving now, much better than he would be in Myanmar."
He then looked at his wife and said, "Ah Xiang also couldn't bear to see you leave, especially since you saved her life."
Brother Leopard’s lips twitched slightly, but he quickly regained his composure, his expression unchanged.
Ah Xiang, however, seemed a little uncomfortable. She gently tapped Qing Ge’s shoulder and said, "Brother Leopard almost lost his life saving me. I will remember this kindness forever. But kindness shouldn't be spoken of; we shouldn't always be mentioning it. Qing Ge, the guests are hungry, let's eat."
Qing Ge said, "My wife is right. What's past is past, and it should be kept in our hearts. Come, let's drink!"
Today’s meal was also seafood, but not the kind that Jing Lei and I had. This time, whole large lobsters, king crabs, sea cucumbers, abalone, and prawns were served, along with various colorful shellfish that were a feast for the eyes and almost too beautiful to eat.
Brother Leopard remained expressionless, and Qing Ge didn't look at him, focusing only on inviting everyone to drink and eat.
Ah Xiang painstakingly broke off the long legs of the king crab and distributed them to us, encouraging us to eat our fill.
Southern Myanmar is coastal and has an abundant supply of high-quality seafood, unlike in Ruili, where it's difficult to get such seafood.
We ate for over an hour. As we were about to finish, Qing Ge said, "Pay attention to tomorrow's matter. You know I don't understand stones, but I heard from others that this piece of old Pha Gung stone is very rare. I want us brothers to have some fun with it. The small public auction doesn't have many major buyers, and there aren't many people who can afford this stone. Let's try to acquire it."
Brother Leopard asked, "Big Brother, have you heard the reserve price?"
Qing Ge replied, "I heard the reserve price is only 100,000 US dollars, but it's unlikely to be secured at that price. Conservatively, it will cost at least 1 million, plus taxes, around 1.5 million."
Under this voluntary public auction, the government charges a 40% tax; otherwise, the transaction is illegal and the goods cannot be exported.
At the exchange rate at that time, 1.5 million US dollars was over ten million Renminbi.
I gasped. This was truly a gamble. Over ten million was being gambled on a giant stone. If it turned out to be limestone, it would be a complete waste.
But the gamble lay in the fact that even if there were a few hundred kilograms of jadeite with water or color, it would be a sure profit. Even if the jadeite was of average quality, it could be made into large decorative pieces, ensuring the principal was safe.
Brother Leopard said, "Big Brother, I understand. I will do my best."
The four of us said our goodbyes and returned to our rooms.
Brother Leopard's assistant had already booked our rooms. Three rooms were adjacent: Brother Leopard had a suite, Lan Ya was in the middle, and I was in a room further inside.
Brother Leopard and his assistant stayed together, while Lan Ya and I had separate rooms.