Free Web NovelChapter 286: Chapter 288: Such Great Ancestral Teachings
An Ning earnestly spun a yarn about a family maxim. Across from her, Xiao Zi’s face went stiff. She was clutching an emerald in her palm—a genuine one, a veteran prop in their long history of scams.
"Your family has some great maxims!"
An Ning agreed wholeheartedly. "Of course. My family has several more. Let me tell you about them."
"No, no, no, that’s not necessary."
The scammer, Xiao Zi, quickly stopped An Ning, her eyes turning to the ink-black jadeite that was now more than halfway revealed.
’It’s been cut this far already. There shouldn’t be any risk now.’
Based on its market value, a piece of ink-black jadeite like this could be traded for three emeralds like the one in her palm.
The surrounding crowd watched Xiao Zi with predatory eyes, hoping she would give up on the trade.
Xiao Zi quickly exchanged glances with her two companions and received their approval.
"Alright, let’s trade."
Xiao Zi handed the emerald stone from her palm to An Ning.
When An Ning took it, the stone was still warm from her body heat.
She turned to Boss Zhao, who was standing nearby, and asked, "Boss Zhao, could I trouble you to take a look for me? I don’t know how to tell if this stone is real or fake."
Boss Zhao was a magnanimous man and happy to help.
He gave it a quick glance before taking it in his hand for a closer look.
"It’s real."
’It’s just that this stone is nowhere near as valuable as that ink-black jadeite.’
This was what everyone present was thinking. If they were in An Ning’s shoes, they never would have made that trade.
Hearing Boss Zhao’s confirmation, An Ning asked tentatively, "Would you like to buy it? This thing is useless to me."
Boss Zhao hadn’t expected An Ning to want to sell it. He felt the smooth, fine texture of the stone in his hand.
"If you’re selling, I’ll buy it. We can step aside to discuss the price."
"Alright, please wait a moment."
An Ning turned to the trio of scammers and said, "I won’t be going with you. My family’s maxim says not to be greedy. I’m happy just making a little profit."
"I’m leaving now."
An Ning started to leave.
Seeing this, the three of them wanted to stop her.
They hadn’t managed to squeeze a single cent out of An Ning. On the contrary, one of their accomplices had been sent to jail, they had paid for her meal, and they had covered her entrance fee.
As the three of them thought it over, a strange feeling crept in. ’Were we just led by the nose?’
"Are we still cutting the stone or not?"
The stonecutter’s question interrupted their train of thought. When they saw the piece of ink-black jadeite, they calmed down.
’The big score is right here.’
"Cut!"
As the jadeite’s new owner, Xiao Zi’s command to "Cut!" was firm and resonant.
The BUZZ of the machine started up again, while An Ning left with Boss Zhao.
Their departure didn’t attract much attention, as the final part of the jadeite was about to be revealed.
An Ning caught up with Boss Zhao and led him out of the stone gambling courtyard to talk business outside.
"Young lady, I can’t go any further with you."
Boss Zhao’s heart began to pound. ’A dark alley... I’m all alone... What if she has accomplices waiting here? I’d be completely helpless.’
An Ning understood Boss Zhao’s concern, but she didn’t know how long the jadeite back in the yard would keep everyone fooled.
"You’re right to be concerned, Boss Zhao. It’s always good to be cautious."
The tone and articulation of An Ning’s voice suddenly changed.
The change startled Boss Zhao so much that he immediately backed against a wall, crossing his arms in front of his chest in a defensive posture.
"Don’t get the wrong idea. I don’t have any accomplices. To be honest, I don’t need any. I could easily..."
An Ning chuckled slyly. "But I’m getting off topic. I’m really not a bad person, and the emerald is genuine. However, there is something I need to tell you."
"Whether you decide to buy it after that is up to you."
An Ning briefly summarized the situation with the trio of scammers. Boss Zhao listened as if it were a story. ’A scheme within a scheme, a con within a con!’
"I’ll believe your story for now. But why would you give up that piece of ink-black jadeite?"
An Ning didn’t answer. She just smiled mysteriously, clasped her hands behind her back, and gazed up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle.
"A quick divination told me my fortune doesn’t lie there."
She perfectly embodied the image of an otherworldly master.
Boss Zhao lowered his defensive stance and cupped his fists at An Ning. "So you are an initiate of a school. Forgive my lack of respect."
An Ning waved her hand dismissively. "So, does Boss Zhao still wish to purchase this stone? There might be trouble later on."
Boss Zhao stroked the emerald in his hand and smiled confidently.
"Don’t worry. They wouldn’t dare."
"It seems my judgment was poor," An Ning said apologetically.
The two of them walked out of the alley, found a bank, and processed the wire transfer.
For a stone worth nearly a million, An Ning only accepted eight hundred thousand, as a gesture of friendship toward Boss Zhao.
The two emerged from the bank, having had a pleasant conversation, and parted ways at the entrance.
An Ning left without a care in the world. ’Today’s money-making plan is a perfect success.’
Curious about the outcome, Boss Zhao returned to the stone gambling courtyard.
The moment he stepped inside, he saw the trio of scammers frantically searching for Little Sister An.
Little Sister An was the name An Ning had given them.
"Little Sister An! Little Sister An!"
"Where is she? Where did she go?"
"Where is she!"
The female scammer, Xiao Zi, spotted Boss Zhao and charged toward him like a madwoman.
Boss Zhao was prepared. With a single gesture, the bodyguards who had followed him stepped in front of him.
"Miss, if you have something to say, please say it from where you are."
"Where’s Little Sister An? And my emerald?"
"Your emerald?" Boss Zhao looked as if he had heard some kind of joke, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
"The emerald was traded for the ink-black jadeite. I then purchased that emerald from Little Sister An. What does any of this have to do with you, miss?"
"Everyone in this courtyard can testify on my behalf. You aren’t trying to go back on your word, are you?"
The scammer Xiao Zi had lost most of her composure.
"Then what about Little Sister An? Where is she?"
Boss Zhao spread his hands innocently. "I don’t know. She must have left."
The scammer Xiao Zi was now on the verge of completely losing it.
"Where did she go? Which way did she leave?"
Boss Zhao casually pointed toward the entrance. "She left through the gate. As for where she went from there, I really couldn’t say."
Xiao Zi and her two companions stared at Boss Zhao for a few seconds before all three of them rushed out the gate to find Little Sister An.
Boss Zhao watched their retreating figures with curiosity, then asked around to find out what had happened.
"So—it was cut open?"
"Only the outer layer was jadeite. It was less than five millimeters thick. The inside was all just worthless rock."
"You really couldn’t tell. What a massive loss."
Boss Zhao felt the emerald in his pocket. ’She really is a master.’
Having learned the outcome and satisfied his curiosity, Boss Zhao walked over to the owner of the stone gambling yard.
Ten minutes later, the stonecutter who had helped Xiao Zi in the back and the young guide who had led them in were both taken away by the owner’s men.
In all likelihood, the trio would never get the chance to run a scam in this stone gambling establishment again.
Not only that, but they had also been added to the owner’s blacklist. Their lives as con artists were about to become much more difficult.
