Summer-born and Old-born

Xia Yusheng had come with his father today to pick out a birthday gift for a major client.

He couldn't stand the finely crafted jade pieces in the display cabinets downstairs, finding them stuffy and boring, just old men's trinkets.

Instead, the mystical stone gambling he'd read about in novels had his heart itching with curiosity, like a cat was scratching at it.

So, he found an excuse and slipped away alone to the stone gambling area upstairs.

Xia Yusheng weaved through the crowd, everything seeming novel and fascinating. Before long, his gaze was firmly locked onto three figures not far away.

Lin Mo.

What was he doing here?

Xia Yusheng frowned. He had half-expected to see Jiang Yunlu, but she wasn't there. Instead, Lin Mo was flanked by two other girls of stunning beauty.

One was tall and aloof with long, straight legs; the other was petite, cute, and curvaceous. They stood on either side of Lin Mo, smiling charmingly.

How could this be?

A wave of inexplicable anger surged from the depths of Xia Yusheng's heart, tightening the skin on his face.

Just what was so special about this guy named Lin Mo that so many beautiful girls flocked to him one after another!

Right then, he saw Lin Mo walk into a raw stone shop. With the two girls, he pointed at a melon-sized stone, then picked it up to take to the counter.

Interestingly, the shop owner seemed hesitant, reluctant to sell, yet Lin Mo wore an expression of absolute determination.

Xia Yusheng found an outlet for his anger; a plan instantly formed in his mind.

He strode forward quickly, deliberately walking up behind the trio.

"Boss, I want this stone."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a tone of arrogance, sounding particularly jarring in the small shop.

Lin Mo turned his head to look at Xia Yusheng. "Oh, it's you, Xia Yusheng."

The words were flat and matter-of-fact, simply stating a truth.

"You!"

But he quickly suppressed his anger, then flashed a provocative sneer. He directly ignored Lin Mo, turning to the boss instead. "I want this raw stone."

He didn't even look at what the stone actually looked like, just gestured towards it with his chin, his eyes glancing at the price tag that read eighteen thousand.

"Twenty thousand."

Xia Yusheng spat out the two words. His voice was quiet, yet brimming with the confidence money brings.

Hearing this, Boss Li raised an eyebrow.

Lin Mo, however, remained unhurried and unflustered. He also looked at the boss, his tone still steady. "Boss, doing business here means following the rules of this place, right? We saw the item first."

Every trade has its own rules, spoken or unspoken, all to maintain order in the market.

The stone gambling business especially emphasizes first come, first served. Whoever handles the stone first has the right of first refusal. Unless the customer explicitly states they don't want it, the shopkeeper cannot sell it to someone else.

If you break the rules for a bit of extra money, word gets out, and who would dare come to your shop in the future?

After all, a reputation for always going to the highest bidder is practically a death sentence for a shop's credibility.

Seeing Lin Mo's insistence, Boss Li didn't mention not selling to him anymore, just gave a slight nod.

Only then did Lin Mo shift his gaze back to Xia Yusheng, a trace of undisguised mockery now in his eyes.

"Xia Yusheng, didn't anyone teach you not to undercut or outbid someone while they're inspecting an item? If you don't know anything, then get lost."

Lin Mo's words were like fine needles, sharp and precise, pricking right at Xia Yusheng's pride.

Xie Yuling and Chu Miaomiao behind him shared his indignation.

Although they didn't understand the rules either, that didn't stop them from agreeing with what Lin Mo said.

Chu Miaomiao couldn't help it and let out a "pfft" of laughter. Though she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes, curved into crescents, were undoubtedly an even greater mockery.

Xie Yuling simply crossed her arms and looked coldly at Xia Yusheng, her gaze as if watching a ridiculous, attention-seeking clown.

Under the focused stares of the three, Xia Yusheng's face flushed a deep purplish-red. A lump of frustration stuck in his chest, neither rising nor falling.

He stared daggers at Lin Mo, his teeth grinding audibly.

"Since you want this raw stone, I'll write up the ticket then."

Seeing Lin Mo so determined, Boss Li directly started writing the receipt.

Lin Mo also took out the bank card Chu Miaomiao had given him.

Boss Li pulled a card reader from under the counter, swiped it casually, and deducted eighteen thousand from the three-million-yuan account.

Boss Li asked offhandedly, "Want it cut open? With this receipt, you can get the first cut free at the cutting station next door."

As he spoke, he handed the receipt to Lin Mo.

Lin Mo, holding the raw stone in one hand, shook his head. "No need. I have specialized tools at home. I'll cut it there."

Hearing this, Boss Li raised an eyebrow. It seemed he had misjudged.

He couldn't help but say, "Young man, let's exchange WeChat. If you cut into a high-grade piece, give me a heads-up."

'High-grade piece' referred to top-quality jadeite, starting at a minimum of several hundred thousand.

Lin Mo thought for a moment and said, "What if it's a very, very high-grade piece? Boss, I'm afraid you might not be able to handle it."

Hearing this, Boss Li's eyes widened. "No... that's impossible, right?"

Lin Mo smiled and shook his head. "Once it's sold, consider it profit. Anyway, this is a full-gamble stone for me."

'Full-gamble stone' meant it wasn't windowed or cut open at all; it was a complete gamble, implying very high risk.

At that moment, Xia Yusheng spoke up again.

"You're not cutting it open because you don't dare, are you? Afraid people will find out you bought a dud."

Hearing this, the one who reacted most strongly was actually Boss Li.

After all, he was running a legitimate business. While the stone gambling trade has its good and bad, for a raw stone priced at eighteen thousand, there must be something inside worth that.

At the very least, he, Boss Li, would absolutely never try to pass off a stone that was completely gray and worthless inside.

Before Boss Li could speak, Lin Mo sneered, "A fool is a fool. Knowing nothing, yet yapping here. I still suggest you go play in the sand somewhere else."

Xia Yusheng was seething. He finally couldn't maintain his composure any longer and was just about to start cursing when a voice rang out.

"Yusheng! What are you doing?"

The voice was quite authoritative, making Xia Yusheng shudder.

It was clear Xia Yusheng's father was a very stern man.

Xia Shunlin walked over with a serious expression.

"I knew you'd come up here."

After saying that, he looked up and assessed the trio holding the stone.

He frowned and asked, "Yusheng, are these your friends?"

Xia Yusheng hurriedly shook his head. "N-no... they're not."

It was obvious Xia Yusheng was truly afraid of his father.

Xia Shunlin looked at Xia Yusheng, then at the stone in Lin Mo's hands, his frown deepening.

He pointed at Lin Mo and the two girls without any courtesy.

"I told you before we came up here, don't touch stone gambling. How can you succeed hanging around with these unsavory characters? You are my son, Xia Shunlin, destined for great achievements. I forbid you from mixing with these stray cats and dogs in the future."

This speech left Lin Mo utterly bewildered.

"Hold on, 'stray cats and dogs'... are you referring to me? It seems Xia Yusheng's father is an old fool too."

Lin Mo's words made Xia Shunlin look over at him with displeasure.

"Old man, what are you looking at? I'm talking to you, you old bastard."

Lin Mo pointed at Xia Shunlin without hesitation.

That's just the kind of person Lin Mo was—you show me respect, and I'll show you respect.

But if you disrespect me, then I become Brother Crow!