All the rough jadeite from Lot Number One had been fully processed, and although the rare top-grade purple jadeite was not auctioned off in the end, everyone had witnessed the birth of a legend. It was the most valuable piece of rough jadeite since the inception of the Zhonghai City Gambling Stone Festival.
Not only that, but the rough stone also produced "Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity" triple-colored jadeite and glass-type royal purple jadeite, all of which would spread throughout the entire Jade Industry in a short time. It wasn’t the king of bids but a genuine uncrowned king!
As for the "king of bids" Lot Number Two jadeite, it wasn’t even worth splitting stones. With a price tag of five hundred and eighty million, the final jadeite turned out to be worth less than fifty million, a loss that was astoundingly deep. The Bai Family, "king of bids," went from the center of attention before the cut to an object of ridicule after.
Seeing no more excitement, the crowd gradually dispersed. The three members of the Bai Family didn’t utter a word, picked up the small piece of jadeite they had cut, and slinked away. Lin Tian watched them leave, the corners of his mouth revealing a cold smirk, savor it slowly, the disaster of the Bai Family had just begun!
"Miss Xiao, transporting your priceless jadeite might be a bit troublesome. Have you considered hiring a private security consulting firm to help with the escort?" After those unrelated had left, Ou Qinglan asked Xiao Manxue.
"Security consulting firm?" Lin Tian approached and asked curiously, "What’s that? Is it some kind of organization like the ancient courier stations?"
Miss Xiao looked somewhat exasperated—it was the modern age, after all, where would you find ancient courier stations? She explained simply, "A security consulting firm is like a bodyguard company. Overseas, they’re called bodyguards or private military contractors, but domestically they are often known as special protection or security consultants, specializing in personal security services."
She gave Lin Tian a rather peculiar look, as if to say, you’re a bodyguard yourself and don’t even know your profession. If you spoke up, it would make people laugh their heads off.
"Don’t look at me; I’m an amateur bodyguard who’s been winging it without a license. Besides, bodyguard is bodyguard, why fuss with the term ’security consultant’? The former term is so much more down-to-earth, instantly understandable," Lin Tian said, spreading his hands, aware of what she was thinking.
"It’s just a title, with basically the same meaning. I know a few reputable security consulting firms. Their members are mostly ex-military, though some have worked as mercenaries abroad. If you need bodyguards for transport, I can recommend them to you," Ou Qinglan said, not hung up on the terminology.
It’s quite normal for bodyguards to be ex-military, and many even come from special forces. They’ve received formal training, have superior combat skills, physical conditioning, and psychological resilience compared to ordinary people, making them immediately ready for assignments and therefore popular.
But with her father there, did they even need to hire bodyguards? Lin Tian and Miss Xiao exchanged knowing smiles. If they couldn’t handle a situation themselves, what use would additional bodyguards be?
"Miss Ou, thank you for your kind offer, but I think we don’t need to hire bodyguards for now. If I can’t handle it, calling them in would only put them in danger," Lin Tian said confidently, speaking the honest truth.
Ou Qinglan heard this as somewhat arrogant, even ignorant to the extreme. She retorted, not entirely convinced, "We live in an age of firearms, and sometimes being skilled in martial arts is no match for a gun. Even for an Ancient Martial Artist, how many guns could you face at once?"
Many people harbor this belief, but it just didn’t apply to Lin Tian, who simply laughed it off, "I appreciate the reminder from Miss Ou, and I will seek your help in the future if I ever need to hire bodyguards."
By saying this, he was politely declining Ou Qinglan’s offer. Seeing Lin Tian determined to do things his own way, Ou Qinglan said no more and after a few pleasantries, she took her leave.
The remaining issue was the transport of the jadeite. Wan Gaoyuan’s Rolls Royce simply wouldn’t do. However, as a local mogul, such trifles were no challenge for him.
"Brother Lin, you guys wait a moment, I’ll call for a truck," Wan Gaoyuan said, taking out his phone and stepping aside to make the call.
"Miss, we can get it back to the hotel, but how do we get it to Xikou City? Are you planning to drive there?" Lin Tian wasn’t averse to the drive, but the trip from Zhonghai City to Xikou City was over a thousand kilometers; driving would take forever.
"No need, I anticipated this yesterday. Even if Lot Number One turned out to be unremarkable, transport would be tricky, so I’ve already contacted my mom. She’ll come to pick us up in the family plane, we’ll just head to the airport tomorrow morning," Xiao Manxue explained calmly, having already arranged everything meticulously.
Yet, it seemed as if something had been overlooked. Lin Tian thought hard and then remembered that tomorrow was Monday, which meant missing a day of school. With all that had transpired these past few days, he had almost forgotten his status as a student.
Before he could voice his concern, Xiao Manxuan brought it up first, "Sister, does that mean we can’t attend class tomorrow?"
"We’ll have to skip it just for one day. Anyway, we’re in the review phase now, so you’ll need to catch up diligently afterwards," Xiao Manxue instructed. However, the sudden recall that Lin Tian was still a student struck her as odd; could an ordinary student really achieve what he had?
"Brother Lin, private jet, huh? You must include us two on the trip back, don’t leave me behind," Zhou Botong grabbbed Lin Tian, pleading shamelessly.
"It’s not mine; ask Miss Xiao," Lin Tian, unable to stand his exaggerated expression, quickly deflected the request. It wasn’t until Xiao Manxue nodded in agreement that Zhou Botong composed himself again.
The truck that Wan Gaoyuan had called for arrived swiftly, and Lin Tian asked Master Liu to assist with loading the jadeite. Meanwhile, Miss Xiao handed out red envelopes to the helpful staff, a custom of the Gambling Stone Festival for those who encountered a significant increase in the value of their stones. The four armed police officers, however, refused to accept anything and crisply saluted before marching off.
The vehicle that had come was a medium-sized container truck with wooden crates inside the container, and thick blankets lining the crates as a cushion against shocks. Wan Gaoyuan had truly thought of everything.
The colossal, triple-colored, and top-grade purple jadeite were packed into crates, which were then sealed with steel nails. Additionally, a special lock was placed on the container, the key to which was entrusted to Lin Tian.
"This type of container and lock are made of special metals designed for transporting valuables. Only this key in your hand can open them," Wan Gaoyuan explained, as his experience in the jewelry business made him well-versed in matters of transportation and storage.
"Thanks, Brother Wan. How about this? You and Sister Song come back to the hotel with us. That way, I can do the acupuncture and therapy for her. Whatever you use for packaging, I’m indifferent, but still, I should appreciate your kindness; besides, it would be more convenient for everyone if you come with us, as we’re heading back to Xikou City early tomorrow anyway," Lin Tian suggested, expressing his gratitude and concurrently extending an invitation since it would be inconvenient to travel back and forth for acupuncture treatments.
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