Big Data Cultivation

Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Li Dafu’s Boldness (Second Release)

The store manager’s eyes flickered, “Actually, even if you didn’t mention it, I already knew who would dare to make this deal with you. There’ s only a few, Henglong, Jubaozhai… Am I right?”

“Hehe,” Feng Jun chuckled, which wasn’t an indication of aloofness but rather a sign that he had nothing to disclose.

The store manager looked at him indifferently, “But do you know that when it comes to the cost of gold, none in the whole of Zhengyang can beat Li Dafu’s prices?”

“Oh?” Feng Jun raised an eyebrow, “I really didn’t know that… Why is that?”

“Hehe,” the store manager smiled enigmatically, not answering directly, “You can ask around at other places.”

“Alright, then, twelve kilograms of gold,” Feng Jun stood up, “If that’s possible, let’s make a deal, if not, then I’ll have to leave.”

The leaders at Li Dafu exchanged glances, and ultimately, it was the female deputy general manager who spoke.

This time, she displayed the level expected of a deputy general manager, “Even if we want to buy, for such a large amount of gold, we can’t just make that decision in an instant. Can you give us three days?”

“Three days…” Feng Jun stretched his mouth, feeling the timeframe was a bit long. However, after looking at Ye Qingyi by his side, in the end, he nodded, “Okay, three days it is, but not any more than that.”

What he was thinking was that using this opportunity, he could get closer to Ye Qingyi.

However, he still hesitated a bit internally. Xiao Yezi was somewhat naive, and if he got her into trouble, he’d probably need to give an explanation.

Even more probable was that he’d “speculate in stocks to become a shareholder, and date a girl to end up as a husband.”

However, he didn’t need to worry about this for long, because during lunch, Ye Qingyi straightforwardly stated that due to the upcoming negotiations between both parties, it would be inappropriate for her to have contact with Feng Jun during this period to avoid unnecessary complications.

Feng Jun was quite speechless at that, thinking to himself that had he known this would happen, he might as well not have considered her feelings.

But, it wasn’t all bad news. At least Xiao Yezi eventually accepted his mobile phone, with the rationale that she’d made a reasonable suggestion, “This piece of Green Jade, if you can hold onto it for half a year to a year, the price could go up by twenty to thirty percent.”

Feng Jun also knew that the prices of jade would rise. Even if they occasionally dipped, a long-term increase was inevitable. The difference between him and Xiao Yezi was that she dared to estimate a growth value of twenty to thirty percent, which was quite rare.

However, for Feng Jun, even knowing that the price would rise, what difference did it make?

The suggestion was basically useless to him. He had to sell a batch of jade to solve his immediate cash flow issues.

After dinner, Feng Jun found another hotel, secured a room to store the Green Jade, then returned to Penglai Grand Hotel to collect the Mutton Fat Jade Pillow before heading back to Li Dafu.

This time, it was a big deal. The chairman of Li Dafu, Li Yongrui, was alarmed by the Mutton Fat White Jade. His saliva nearly flowed out as he immediately made an offer, “Thirty million, I will take it… The price is not an issue.”

Price not being an issue meant there was room for an increase, depending on what the competitors would offer.

Thirty million… Feng Jun was already quite satisfied with this price. In Xiao Yezi’s words, the normal price wouldn’t exceed twenty million. Thirty million already had a substantial premium.

Of course, if this weren’t an anonymous jade pillow but one with a significant historical story, its price could escalate tenfold without question. Not even mentioning the He’s Jade Bi, even if it were the Empress Dowager’s Jadeite Cabbage, it would be considered a priceless treasure.

But Feng Jun wouldn’t agree to it outright. He asked with a smile, “Will you pay entirely in gold?”

“That’s impossible,” Li Yongrui shook his head, clearly stating, “I could give you the hundred kilograms of gold, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t dare to take it.”

This meant that if you want a hundred kilograms of gold, it must be through an official transaction. Are you afraid of the scrutiny?

Feng Jun understood the implication and sighed inwardly, realizing that regulation on gold was indeed strict. Even Li Dafu, the leading jeweler in Zhengyang, wouldn’t dare to act recklessly.

So he compromised, “Then half in gold, and the other half in cash.”

“I’ll give you twenty percent in gold,” Li Yongrui asserted swiftly. “We have our own channels for gold, but that’s the limit. It’s not only you who has a hobby of collecting gold.”

His words were quite blunt. Li Dafu’s own channels surely involved some shady dealings, but it was normal for a leading enterprise to have such conveniences.

Feng Jun, out of curiosity, asked, “If you can provide gold through your own channel, why can’t you give me a bit more?”

Li Yongrui patiently explained, “With our self-operated channel, most of it is still through official procedures. Most people who purchase gold simply do not want to attract attention. If they are collecting, they are actually not afraid of inspection.”

His implication was nearly the same as pointing to Feng Jun’s nose and saying — “I know you guys dealing in gold aren’t into collecting.”

Hearing this, Feng Jun gave a dry laugh, “Alright then, twenty percent it is, but

I still need to check with other shops for their price.”

Li Yongrui was aware that with such a large piece of jade, one could not expect an immediate agreement. A transaction worth millions certainly required shopping around, so he nodded slightly, “Go ahead and inquire about the prices. All I ask is that you give us a chance to make a higher offer.”

The store manager chimed in, “Let’s send a store clerk with you. Having someone from Jin Dafu present might help you get a better price.”

What was clearly a spying move was presented by her as if it were a generous consideration on behalf of the other party.

Feng Jun originally wanted to keep a low profile, but she convinced him with her reasoning, so he nodded, “Then let Xiao Yezi follow me.”

“She’s not suitable,” the female store manager shook her head, “Hardly anyone knows her; it’s better for me to go with you.”

After all was said and done, it was Ye Qingyi who knew Feng Jun well, and Li Dafu here was a bit uneasy.

So, Feng Jun took the manager and went to Henglong Jewelry Store.

Liang Haiqing and others were waiting, and upon seeing the jade, Boss Liang could hardly suppress his excitement, “This piece of Mutton-Fat Jade must be ours, even if Li Dafu competes, we have to outbid them.”

Li Dafu’s store manager, however, was not scared of him; she smiled, “But do you have enough gold? Snatching business from Li Dafu, surely you can’t be asking us to loan you gold again, right?”

However, Boss Liang didn’t care about her warning, dismissing it, “Acquisitions are acquisitions, loans are loans; they’re different departments’ interests. Please make this clear.”

Then he glanced at Feng Jun again, subtly hinting, “Perhaps I could purchase it with RMB.”

Feng Jun was about to emphasize again, but seeing his gesture, he did not speak anymore.

The manager also slightly smiled without refuting the other party—We also want to buy with money, is it possible?

In the end, Liang Haiqing made the decision—35 million in cash, he must keep this Mutton Fat Jade Pillow at Henglong.

All in cash, that was definitely not going to work! Feng Jun had plans in mind, but seeing Boss Liang continually signaling, he was in no hurry to speak up.

The store manager looked suspiciously at the two and grabbed her mobile phone to go out and make a call for instructions.

Taking this opportunity, Liang Haiqing disdainfully said, “Does Li Dafu really think they’re the only ones with a self-operating gold channel? In this business, who doesn’t have some connections?”

The connections he talked about were not about recycling scrap metal, but purchasing gold from private mines.

Li Dafu dared to collect from private mines semi-openly, while other companies didn’t dare to do so, but this didn’t mean they lacked similar connections.

Previously, everyone was making a fortune silently, letting Li Dafu carry the empty title, who would care?

Now that they were competing for rare jade sources, they could no longer give way, and it was Liang Haiqing who now revealed his trump card, “35 million, I’ll give you 50 kilograms of gold and an additional 20 million in cash… deal?”

Feng Jun was a bit annoyed, “So that piece of Green Jade couldn’t even coax your gold out?”

“That piece of Green Jade was very good already, but this Mutton Fat Jade can become the treasure of our company,” Liang Haiqing admitted openly, “If I miss out on this piece of Mutton Fat Jade, I’ll never forgive myself for the rest of my life.”

Regardless, compared with Li Dafu, Henglong is still a junior.

Henglong is developing impressively, but the locals in Funiu still recognize Li Dafu; once a premium brand is established, as long as the company doesn’t self-destruct, it’s truly a long and arduous task for peers to catch up.

Take this piece of Mutton Fat Jade for example; if Li Dafu bought it, they would ultimately sell it, but Henglong would likely list it as a non-sale item—The more non-sale items, the deeper the company’s foundation.

Li Dafu doesn’t need to show its foundation to others; the recognition from the people of Funiu is their greatest foundation.

But for Henglong as a newcomer, they need to accumulate heritage!

After some discussion, the two settled it roughly, 50 kilograms of gold plus 20 million in cash, to buy this piece of Mutton Fat Jade.

The previous Green Jade was priced at ten kilograms of gold, that is to say, a total of 60 kilograms of gold plus 20 million in cash.

Feng Jun couldn’t be bothered to consider how Young Master Yuan, the second- generation authority, would settle with Henglong; he was only concerned with collecting the money.

Actually, money was the easy part; the key question was how to handle this 60 kilograms of gold.

Liang Haiqing’s idea was that he wouldn’t get involved; he would introduce someone to Feng Jun.

His general plan was that Henglong would pay 38 million in cash to buy the two pieces of jade, and then Feng Jun, with 18 million, would go to this person to purchase 60 kilograms of gold.

To impose some control over Henglong, Feng Jun could, upon receiving the money, only hand over the Mutton Fat Jade Pillow, and the Green Jade would be given to Henglong after he acquired the gold.

This plan imposed restrictions on both parties, especially on Henglong, for if Feng Jun absconded after buying the gold, Henglong would lose a piece of Green Jade.

But honestly speaking, Henglong really wasn’t afraid of that; it was just 3 million, they could afford the loss.

Moreover, as a jewelry store, Henglong’s goods aren’t easy to misappropriate, are they?

Seriously though, Liang Haiqing was a bit worried whether Feng Jun had the guts to complete the transaction for this 60 kilograms of gold alone?

This was a black market deal worth more than 10 million, enough to hire dozens of ruthless assassins.