Ye Fei selected a total of three rough stones and then stopped.
"These three it is!"
Ye Fei murmured.
As for Yu Xiao and her classmates, they looked at Ye Fei with unspeakable expressions. The chance of these rough stones yielding jade was minuscule.
However, to avoid dampening Ye Fei's enthusiasm, both of them tacitly chose to remain silent.
Ye Fei was fully aware of the surrounding gazes.
After smoothly paying, and under the shop owner's immensely disdainful stare, Ye Fei decided to cut the stones on the spot, aiming to verify his talent in selecting rough stones.
"Ye Fei, shouldn't we head back first?"
"The hotel has stone-cutting tools anyway."
Yu Xiao, with good intentions, did not want Ye Fei to embarrass himself in front of so many people.
Ye Fei understood the kindness, but still shook his head and refused.
"Don't worry, I, Ye Fei, never do anything I'm not confident about."
"You two just watch carefully, I guarantee the result will astonish you!"
Ye Fei patted the three rough stones he had meticulously chosen.
"Brother, this is the first time I've heard such boastful words. You've truly opened my eyes!"
"With these few ugly rough stones, he actually expects to find jade?"
"He really doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth!"
A sharp female laugh reached Ye Fei and his companions' ears.
"It's you!"
"So unlucky!"
The woman, dressed in a pink Chanel-style suit, curled her lips upon seeing Yu Xiao and the others.
"We were here first. If you can't stand it, then leave!"
"Remember, this isn't your Ding family's territory either!"
Yu Xiao showed no pleasantries towards these people who had consistently opposed her and even sent assassins after her.
"Very well, Yu Xiao. I thought after the last assassination attempt you would have learned your lesson, but I didn't expect you to dare to shout at us!"
"It seems it's time for me to accelerate the siege of your Yu family!"
The speaker was none other than the eldest young master of the Ding family. He fanned himself with a folding fan, his eyes sharp.
"Hmph, it's too early to say who will win!"
"Your Ding family has support, and so does our Yu family!"
"Let's wait and see!"
Yu Xiao was not one to be intimidated and retorted directly.
"Good, very good!"
"I'll be waiting for the day you come begging me!"
Young Master Ding said with a sinister expression.
"Brother, look quickly, they actually want to cut these few rough stones on the spot!"
"Aren't they afraid of being laughed to death!"
Miss Ding burst into laughter as she saw Ye Fei directing the stone cutters with a semblance of expertise.
"Miss Yu, how about we make a bet?"
"Today, let's each choose two rough stones, and then determine the winner. The loser has to pay the winner's stone-cutting fee, and also publicly admit they were wrong, how about it?"
Miss Ding confidently proposed to Yu Xiao.
"Okay, as you say!"
Ye Fei immediately agreed.
"Good, since you are her friend, I will assume you both agree!"
Miss Ding clapped her hands.
Yu Xiao had wanted to refuse, but Ye Fei had agreed too quickly. Now, she could only brace herself.
The shop owner immediately spotted the conspicuously dressed Ding siblings and approached them with a calculating smile.
Following the owner's introduction, the siblings spent a total of five million dollars on two very heavy rough stones.
"Brother, believe me, this time we're sure to win!"
Miss Ding's expertise in stone betting far surpassed her elder brother's.
Furthermore, recently, the Ding family's jewelry company had launched several rare jade ornaments based on her stone-betting skills.
This had also made their Ding family's jewelry company immensely popular.
"Brother naturally believes you."
Young Master Ding fanned himself, a smile plastered on his face, completely disregarding Yu Xiao and her companions.
Meanwhile, Yu Xiao and her companion also began to choose their stones seriously.
Although the stakes were not high, both parties were unwilling to admit defeat.
"Mingming, how about this one?"
Yu Xiao pointed to a rough stone weighing around a hundred jin and asked.
"Not bad, let's go with this one."
Yu Xiao's classmate, Mingming, replied directly.
After half an hour of selection, both sides had finally chosen two rough stones.
Then, they proceeded to the stone-cutting phase.
Ye Fei glanced at these two rough stones and found them to be clearly not as suitable.
Ye Fei stepped forward and replaced one of the rough stones.
"Use this one of mine. If we lose, it's on me!"
Ye Fei stated resolutely.
"Ye Fei, what are you doing?"
"How can you casually switch my rough stone!"
Yu Xiao was quite displeased seeing Ye Fei replace her rough stone without consultation.
She stepped forward, attempting to swap her rough stone back.
However, this action was directly refused by the siblings.
"No, no changes can be made!"
Miss Ding directly blocked the stone cutter's path.
"You!"
Yu Xiao pointed at Miss Ding, then ultimately conceded.
She snorted at Ye Fei and gave up.
At worst, there was only one outcome: losing.
She could afford to lose.
The stone cutting began.
Due to the heated exchange between the parties, many people were drawn over.
As for the one conspicuously out-of-place rough stone, everyone cast more glances at Ye Fei and then shook their heads, clearly not optimistic.
With the commencement of the first round of stone cutting, both sides became tense.
The only one calm was Ye Fei.
Even the onlookers standing by, watching, grew anxious.
As time passed, a hint of green was clearly revealed on the opponent's rough stone.
"Oh my god, it's green, it's really green!"
The surrounding crowd exclaimed loudly and continued to watch tensely.
Miss Ding herself was extremely nervous.
As time went by, a piece of jade the size of a volleyball was revealed!
"Ice variety, it's actually ice variety!"
"This is a massive profit!"
The onlookers spoke with undisguised envy.
The stone cutter wasted no time and proceeded to cut the rough stone selected by Yu Xiao.
This time, the crowd remained fully engaged, their eyes glued to the rough stone in the stone cutter's hands.
"It's green!"
As expected, this rough stone also yielded green!
But an even more tense moment arrived.
As time ticked by, the final result was presented to everyone.
"Alas, it's not ice variety!"
"What a pity, it's glutinous variety!"
The onlookers expressed their regret.
Thus, after the first round, the Ding siblings undoubtedly secured victory in the first match.