Chapter 103: A Moment of Impulsiveness
That evening, Yang Ming spoke to his parents about the idea of going to Yunnan with Zhang Bing. Both Father and Mother Yang agreed to it but had a concern. "Big Ming, you shouldn't be living on others' expenses. Tomorrow, I will go and get you some money. We still have a lot of cash from our lottery prize!"
"Dad, I still have a bit of cash. I haven't even finished spending the cash from the Good Samaritan reward!" Yang Ming's bank account still had about twenty thousand yuan which he could invest in projects.
"Oh yeah, speaking of the Good Samaritan reward. I would like to remind you to better think twice the next time before doing these kinds of things. When you are out there, you have to be extra careful and don't get yourself up into any trouble. If there are any challenges, you should ask the adults to help you. Don't you and Zhang Bing make the decision on your own!" Yang Dahai reminded him.
"Yes, dad, I know. No worries. I definitely will not actively get myself into trouble!" Yang Ming nodded his head while assuring his dad. Even if his parents didn't mention it, Yang Ming would also be careful! Yunnan is at the border connecting Myanmar and the Golden Triangle. Therefore, there were a lot of drug dealers there. All of them were international criminals who Yang Ming cannot offend. They were different from Yu Xiangde and those types of gangsters.
"En, then I won't say much. Don't bring too much cash with you. Store it into your debit card and only take some out when you want to use it! Oh yeah, the son of your mom's colleague, Big Mother Wang, is from XX bank. Ask him to apply for a gold card for you so that your offsite withdrawal fees are halved!" Yang Dahai said after thinking for a while.
"Sure, that would be great!" Even though half of the ATM fee wasn't a lot, but whatever he could save should be saved. Moreover, applying for a gold card wasn't something that troublesome.
The results of National Higher Education Entrance Examination was scheduled for release around the 25th of June, therefore, going for a vacation would not affect anything. At 5 a.m. on the 11th of June, Zhang Jiefang's Chrysler appeared punctually downstairs at Yang Ming's home.
The person driving today was Zhang Jiefang's driver. Zhang Jiefang was sitting in the front seat while Zhang Bing was seated in the back. When Zhang Bing saw Yang Ming coming down, he quickly went to open the car door and carried Yang Ming's luggage. "Why did you bring so many things? Didn't I tell you that you don't need to bring much other than yourself? Whatever we don't have, we can buy!"
"I only brought a few attires to change and nothing much other than that!" In fact, Yang Ming's bag contained many daily necessities that Mother Yang stuffed in - whatever soap, towel, toothbrush were all there. Yang Ming felt a bit irritated, but he didn't want to reject his mother as well. Yang Ming knew that all these items would be complementary in a high-class hotel, and a boss like Zhang Jiefang would not stay in any motel by the street!
"You didn't even need to bring your shirt. Take a look at me; I've brought nothing! Just buy a few local shirts there once we have arrived!" Zhang Bing complained as he moved Yang Ming's luggage into the car trunk.
Maybe because the time was early and there wasn't a lot of traffic on the road, it only took about half an hour to arrive at the airport. Zhang Jiefang's driver only left after he had sent the three of them through customs safely.
"Sir, please open your luggage!" A staff member asked Yang Ming...
"Why?" Yang Ming asked puzzled. He didn't think he brought any dangerous items.
"There's a vegetable knife inside your bag. No sharp tools are allowed on the plane!" The staff member said.
"No sharp tools?" Yang Ming was surprised. Of course, he wouldn't know because he had never boarded a plane before. This vegetable knife was what Mother Yang put in his bag. She was concerned that Yang Ming wouldn't have a tool to peel fruit when he needed it.
Yang Ming felt a bit strange. Is there such a thing? I'm so glad that I took another lane for the security check and didn't go on the same lane with Zhang Jiefang and Zhang Bing or else it would have been very embarrassing!
Without an option, Yang Ming took out the vegetable knife and handed it over to security. Yang Ming's lane didn't have many people, so he settled things quite quickly. However, Zhang Jiefang and Zhang Bing were still waiting in their queue.
Out of boredom, Yang Ming simply took a look at the luggage of other business travelers who passed by him. His curiosity made him want to see what others brought.
Yang Ming simply took a look inside one young woman's suitcase. There were some makeup inside as well as some spicy undergarments. En, what's that? Damn, it is truly a fake d***? Dil**???
It wasn't noticeable. She looked like a decent person, yet her luggage actually contained such items! Yang Ming shook his head and started looking for his next target. Yang Ming suddenly felt that it was really fun looking into others' luggage!
Wait... What's that? A big knife! D***. Yang Ming felt a bit angry. You wouldn't let me bring my little vegetable knife, but you let the guy in the front with the black glasses go in with this big knife?
Yang Ming asked the security staff beside him, feeling dissatisfied. "Hey! You took away my vegetable knife, but that person at the front had a way longer knife than mine. Why don't you take his?"
"En?" The security guard was shocked. Then he asked Yang Ming as he maintained his composure, "How do you know that the person's bag contained a knife?"
'Don't you mind how I know about it. Why? Guilty? You and he are part of the same gang, aren't you?" Yang Ming just realized that the security staff could be partnering with the guy with black glasses. Was that why he let the guy in?
It wasn't that Yang Ming wanted to be a busybody, but he was just a bit bored while waiting for Zhang Bing and his dad. When he saw how his item got confiscated, but the person at the front safely went through it, he felt a bit of injustice!
"Are you sure that there's a knife inside his bag?" The security staff asked, "You have to know that lying at the airport is chargeable under the laws of the state!"
"I am sure." Yang Ming nodded his head.
The security staff gave an eye signal to the person beside him. The person immediately walked up to the guy with black glasses and said, "Sorry, sir, please cooperate with us and let us do another spot check with you!"
"Another time? Why? Haven't you all checked it just now? What does this mean?" protested the guy with black glasses dissatisfied.
"Taking care of the safety of passengers is our responsibility and obligation. Please comply with us, sir!" The staff said.
"F***! Is there a mistake here?" The guy with black glasses unwillingly followed the staff back to the security check table.
Because Yang Ming reported it, the security staff checked the luggage of the guy with black glasses more carefully. Indeed, at the bottommost layer there was a lead-made umbrella, and a knife inside the umbrella.
Yang Ming shook his head. So this is how it happened! X-rays can't go past any lead objects and the umbrella was at the bottom of the luggage. That's how it got missed during the check.
However, at this point, Yang Ming regretted his decision! Even though he did a great deed from a certain perspective, this guy who was taking a knife up to the airplane was thinking about doing something. If anyone with interest became aware of him and asked how he knew that this person had a knife in his bag, what would he do? Yang Ming didn't want to expose his special power yet...
As he thought about this, Yang Ming took advantage of the current chaos and quickly walked in the direction of the waiting hall.
"Yang Ming, why are you walking so fast?" Zhang Bing had just finished his security check. He shouted at him when he saw how Yang Ming was walking quickly ahead.
Noticing how Zhang Bing had chased up to him, Yang Ming answered after hesitating for a while, "Just now at my security spot check site, they found a knife. I was scared that there could be some accident, so I left quicker!"
"Ah? I see!" Zhang Bing shook his head. "There are too many crazy people in this world!"
Luckily, no one came to search for Yang Ming before the airplane took off. It was probably because the two security staff realized that the case was a bit more significant and didn't bother about the person who reported it. The case was also what Yang Ming had expected it to be. These two staff members had almost lost their jobs because of a slight carelessness. How would they be thinking about Yang Ming?
"There!" Zhang Bing took out two gaming devices from his bag and passed one to Yang Ming.
"En? NDSL? Did you buy two? Yang Ming looked at the silver colored device in his hand and looked at the white colored device in Zhang Bing's hand. "Did you purposely buy another one just for me?" asked Yang Ming.
"Yeah, that device in your hand is a limited edition - domestically licensed platinum version - that I just bought yesterday!" Zhang Bing continued, "I realized we could play Mario Kart with two devices. Therefore, I bought you one so we can play against one another! However, I'm still pretty used to the older device, so I will give you the new one!"
Didn't one of these things cost over a thousand yuan? Yang Ming was speechless. How rich! Yang Ming now learned what being rich meant. Moreover, someone like Zhang Bing wasn't even considered the truly rich!
Ai, he was glad that Chen Mengyan wasn't a gold digger or else he would have lost to Wang Zhitao without any competition!
Chapter 104: Imperial Jade
At 2 p.m., the three of them reached Yunnan. Zhang Jiefang's business partner came to escort them. When they got off the plane, he welcomed them with enthusiasm.
"Boss Zhang, how have you been since I saw you last?" The person shook Zhang Jiefang's hand graciously.
"Boss Wu, your car has changed to a Hummer already. Looks like you have earned quite a lot this year!" Zhang Jiefang said with a laugh.
"Not at all. Isn't it true that you guys are looking after me like a fortune god?" Wu Facai said.
Wu Facai's name was interesting. His family was poor when he was young. His parents hoped that he could make a fortune, so they named him, Wu Facai. But his surname was Wu, so it sounded like not getting rich! However, Wu Facai struggled a lot these few years - starting from earning several ten thousand yuan and now he was a billionaire. [1]
"How are the items? You know that I'm not an expert. I am rarely involved in such business except when the items are good in quality!" Zhan Jiefang explained.
"Boss Zhang, don't you worry. The stones that came from Myanmar this time are the best. If it weren't because we got along drinking, I wouldn't have asked you to join!" Wu Facai said.
"How's the price?" Zhang Jiefang was mostly worried about this problem.
"A items, the price is about the same as B items, one piece for five hundred yuan!" Wu Facai said.
"Five hundred yuan, so expensive? Last time, it was just two hundred yuan?" Zhang Jiefang asked in an exaggerated manner.
"My boss Zhang, you're in this business, but you don't know the price? Last time, they were B items, and the stone wasn't bigger than this either!" Wu Facai said, "You'll know when you see the items!"
Wu Facai had arranged a place to stay; it was a three-star hotel. The environment wasn't bad. Zhang Jiefang didn't nitpick because it was arranged by the other. Besides, it was comfortable here.
After he settled his luggage, Wu Facai arranged a dinner to welcome Zhang Jiefang. When Zhang Jiefang saw Wu Facai's manner, it was clear to him. Even if tomorrow's items aren't ideal, I still have to take several ten thousand yuan out of respect.
The most important thing in business was face. Although profit should come first, face must be considered in a situation that didn't damage each other's profit.
When he returned to the hotel at night, Zhang Jiefang gave Zhang Bing ten thousand yuan and said, "Tomorrow, you two go and enjoy yourselves. If you don't have enough money, call me again!"
"No problem!" Zhang Bing immediately accepted the money. When Zhang Jiefang usually gave Zhang Bing pocket-money, it was only a few hundred. This was the first time he was so generous.
"Oh yeah, Uncle Zhang, What did you discuss with that Uncle Wu today?" Yang Ming was curious, just now, he got lost on the topic during the dinner. One piece of cheap jadeite can sell for about five hundred yuan? There still exists such a huge profit? Yang Ming really couldn't understand that Wu Facai became a billionaire by just selling stones for three years!
What speed was this? If I could find a similar business, then, I will be richer than Wang Zhitao sooner or later!
"Oh, you're talking about the gemstones!" Zhang Jiefang was quite drunk, so he wanted to show off in front of a junior! Zhang Jiefang usually could maintain the dignity as a senior, but now, he was like their brother, sitting on the hotel bed and talking big. "Yang Ming, you know Uncle Zhang has a jewelry business. Besides gold and platinum. Jade is one of my key businesses too!
"Real jade has two types, soft and hard. Common jade usually refers to soft jade; hard jade has another popular name - imperial jade. We and your Uncle Wu were talking about the unpolished stone, so we don't know whether the stone is jade or not. Since there are different grades for jade, the best is what we call jade, and the latter is an inferior quality product. Jade looks like a stone, so we in the field usually call them gemstones.
"Original gemstone trading is the most mysterious business in the market of jewelry. It was mysterious because of gambling, so the buyer has the statements of gambling jade, gambling stone. Gemstones usually have a layer of stone crust; the crust turned brownish-red, brown-black or other mixed colors because of oxidation. Therefore, it was hard to inspect its real value by just observing the appearance. Even today with scientific advances there isn't an instrument to distinguish through the outer crust whether it was a real jade or a ruined stone.
"In your uncle's level, I can only play around occasionally. There's too much of an element of luck in play, and they will not let you bring an instrument in for jade gambling!"
It was the first time Yang Ming was hearing of such a business in the world. Isn't this the same as buying lottery? Lottery...
Yang Ming had an idea. "Uncle Zhang, can we go to the place for stone gambling to have a look?"
"Yeah, you can. Why not? If you're interested, uncle will give you a few pieces, and then you can play along with Zhang Bing!" Zhang Jiefang said.
"Yang Ming, let's not go there. What fun is there? Why don't we go around and play!" Zhang Bing wasn't interested in it.
"Zhang Bing, I've never seen it before, so I'm curious. It won't waste much time. Let's go have a look!" Yang Ming suggested.
"Yeah, that's right. Zhang Bing, what's wrong with you? Yang Ming is a guest and you're the host. The host is obligated to accompany his guest! Fine, I won't give you pocket-money anymore if you're not willing!" Zhang Jiefang, of course, wanted Zhang Bing to get in touch with this business because it was such a big family business. Zhang Bing will inherit it. A bigger connection will be helpful for Zhang Bing in the future!
"Ah? Alright then! I'll go!" Zhang Bing became listless as soon as he heard about not getting pocket-money.
Yang Ming laughed. How could he not understand what Zhang Jiefang meant? However, he didn't expose it as long as he could achieve his aim!
That night when they returned to their room, Zhang Bing wasn't content. He asked with a bitter face, "Yang Ming, why are you interested in such a thing! So boring!"
"Hehe, I'm just curious only!" Yang Ming explained.
"Brother, why can't you find something else to be curious about? I'm still hoping to get a girl!" Zhang Bing complained.
"Get a girl? Don't do it in Yunnan. Didn't you read about Wisely's novel [2]? It is about a man having a one night stand. It turned out that the partner was a virgin. She kept forcing him to marry her. Of course, the guy disagreed and ran away! As a result, the lady was so furious that she cursed him with voodoo. In the end, the guy almost died by exploding!" Yang Ming said.
"F***, Brother, don't you try to scare me! Why does it sound like a pseudoscience?" Zhang Bing couldn't help but have a chill.
Science? Hehe, Yang Ming laughed. There are too many phenomena which can't be explained by science such as my special abilities. So is it considered pseudoscience or science?
You're saying that it's science? It's impossible to explain based on current technology. If you're saying that it's pseudoscience, then how can you explain the phenomenon on Yang Ming?
So, not everything can be considered as science or pseudoscience!
"I'm telling the truth. You can try if you don't believe me!" Yang Ming was having fun with him.
"Ah? F***. I wouldn't be here if I knew earlier. Oh my gosh, I'm having such bad luck!" Zhang Bing lay on the bed crestfallen.
"Hehe, I'm just trying to scare you. Truly, voodoo is quite rare now. In Yunnan, only Miao people [3] know how to do it. Of course, not all of them know how to do it! Only a small number of people know, and these people usually stay in a village that is isolated from the world!" Yang Ming looked at Zhang Bing's expression, and he couldn't help but find it amusing. "Besides, there are rules in this tribe, so they aren't allowed to simply curse anyone!"
"F***, I still feel that it's quite confusing. No way, I have decided!" Zhang Bing shouted all of a sudden.
"You decided? What did you decide?" Yang Ming thought he decided not to get a girlfriend anymore.
"I decided that I will check her identification card before making her a girlfriend and just look for the minority race!" Zhang Bing said.
"..." Yang Ming was speechless. Why is this so exaggerated? I'm only learning and applying immediately. I was just saying.
This night, Yang Ming slept so comfortably. Although the environment had changed, Yang Ming felt safe because he finally found a way to explore his abilities! Although he wasn't sure about it, he could at least give it a try.
On the next morning, Zhang Jiefang called Wu Facai after breakfast. Then he brought along Zhang Bing and Yang Ming to Tengchong [4] in Yunnan. Tengchong is one of the major distribution centers in the country.
However, this was just a small business. Some jewelers didn't import from Tengchong anymore; instead, they directly imported from Yangon [5]. Like Wu Facai, he imported from Yangon. Then he resold it when he was back in the country to earn the price difference.