C17 Black Stone Pile

Clutching the carving knife, Buhui paused briefly before commencing a swift carving session. Throughout the entire process, onlookers watched as his arm never ceased its motion. With each incision, tiny chips of stone scattered to the floor. Spectators gazed intently, yet despite their scrutiny, they couldn't discern any semblance of a Qilin in the work; it seemed to bear no resemblance to the mythical creature.

Time flew, and before they knew it, over an hour had elapsed. It was then that the crowd was astonished to see the transformation of the jade in Buhui's hands. The jade had morphed into a Qilin less than ten centimeters in length, its four legs poised mid-gallop, with cascading clouds beneath it, creating an image of ethereal beauty and understated grace.

Buhui's carving prowess was indeed remarkable. He had meticulously refined the impurities within the jade. Notably, two prominent black impurities were situated where the Qilin's eyes would be, and Buhui cleverly left them in place to serve that very purpose.

On the Qilin's body were grayish-white impurities, which Buhui strategically positioned atop the creature's scales, making them appear as intentional artistic details. The Jewelry Store Boss was particularly astounded; upon initially inspecting the jade, she had deemed it worthless.

A piece of jade containing two types of material would be too diminutive if split, rendering it of little value in the form of bracelets or earrings. Level Two Jade's true potential was best realized in items like handles or as elements in bonsai displays.

Yet, in Buhui's hands, that very same piece of jade was transformed in an instant into a unique work of art. Considering that Hetian Jade of this quality would typically not fetch more than three thousand yuan as a handle, the notion that two different materials could coexist in such harmony was beyond expectation.

However, consider this scenario: a piece of Grade Two Jade in the hands of Yun Buhui. After his masterful carving, the jade wouldn't just be worth three thousand yuan; someone might offer eight thousand yuan for it, yet the Jewelry Store Boss wouldn't part with it easily. The value of the handle had soared, now comparable to, or even surpassing, that of Level One Jade.

Upon completing his carving, Yun Buhui examined his work and sighed, "It's a bit of a shame. With more time to smooth out the carving marks, the result would be even more flawless."

"Brother, you're truly gifted! How about coming to work with me? I wouldn't bother you with the mundane pieces, just the precious jades. Would you carve them for me? And don't worry about the price; you can name it!"

Yun Buhui responded to the Jewelry Store Boss with a nonchalant smile, "I have other commitments, so I can't work for you. However, I might consider carving a piece or two for you in my spare time. Now, let's revisit the topic of my Qilin. Do you now believe in its authenticity?"

"Brother, I was wrong earlier. I underestimated your talent. I'll take the Qilin off your hands. You won't be shortchanged—I'll give you ten thousand for it." Without further ado, the Jewelry Store Boss gestured grandly and accepted the 'Qilin with a Laughing Mouth' from Buhui.

"Good sir, perhaps you'd consider selling me the Qilin? I'm willing to offer twenty thousand."

Yun Buhui glanced at the young girl who had stumbled earlier.

"In business, trust is paramount. Having already made a commitment to the store owner, I won't go back on my word. Moreover, your intent to purchase the Qilin isn't purely out of admiration but rather to convey your thanks to me. Therefore, I must decline your offer. My apologies."

With that, Yun Buhui turned back to the Jewelry Store Boss, "This Qilin is crafted from Yellow Jade, which isn't exceedingly costly. It would be a different story for top-tier Yellow Jade, but this is merely first-grade. I presume if you were to sell this Qilin in your store, the highest price you'd fetch would be around ten thousand yuan."

"I can't take your ten thousand yuan. If you really want to, just give me eight thousand," Yun Buhui stated, which initially left the Jewelry Store Boss in stunned surprise, but he soon burst into laughter.

"Well, if that's how you want it, I won't haggle with you. Let's settle on eight thousand. However, you did carve this Cloud Stepping Qilin for me, so I should pay you something for your craftsmanship."

"I wasn't carving for you; I was proving the innocence of my Qilin. So, I won't be taking any fee for the work this time. Of course, if there's a next time and you'd like me to do some carving, I won't be waiving the fee," Buhui clarified.

Upon hearing Buhui's words, the onlookers took another good look at the young man before them. It was clear he wasn't wealthy, yet his ability to stand firm against the lure of money significantly raised everyone's esteem for him. This was particularly true for the injured girl's brother-in-law, whose eyes shone with deep admiration upon reevaluating Buhui.

Clutching the eight thousand yuan, Buhui joyfully made his way back to the hospital. He had initially planned to sell the Qilin for five thousand yuan, which he thought was quite fair. Selling it for three thousand more was an unexpected windfall. Once back at the hospital, he promptly paid five thousand yuan towards his mother's hospital deposit.

Buhui owed the hospital a total of ten thousand yuan, but he had previously arranged to pay in installments since coming up with the entire amount at once was too burdensome for him. With Director He vouching for him, there were no issues. He had now paid half, and he planned to find a way to cover the remaining five thousand later.

Upon returning to the ward, he found his parents had already eaten. His father had cleaned the thermos lunch box, which was now neatly placed aside.

"Dad, Mom, I've just paid five thousand towards the hospital deposit and will pay the other five thousand in a couple of days. I still have three thousand left. Dad, take this, and don't skimp on food while you're here. Both of you aren't in the best of health, and skimping on meals will only slow down your recovery."

Yun Jie was quite taken aback upon hearing his son's revelation. "Buhui, where on earth did you come across eight thousand yuan? You haven't done anything illegal, have you? Your mother and I would rather forgo treatment than have you involved in such things. And don't try to tell me you sold our pigs; they're not worth nearly that much."

"Dad, you're worrying about nothing. I just got lucky and found a piece of good-quality Yellow Jade on the mountain behind our house. I carved it into a smiling Qilin and took it to the Jewelry Store. The Jewelry Store Boss liked it immediately and paid me eight thousand yuan for it. He even said that if I find more jade of that quality, I can sell it to them anytime."

Yun Jie eyed Yun Buhui with a scrutinizing gaze for a long moment before speaking. "Our family's mountain does have jade, but most of it is Grade Three, and even Grade Two jade is exceedingly rare. How did you manage to find Grade One jade?"

"It was right there on our mountain. This morning, I decided to make some chicken stew with mushrooms, so I went up the mountain to gather mushrooms. Near the black rock pile, I stumbled upon this Yellow Jade, which was buried under other rocks. If I hadn't accidentally kicked it, I would have never found it."

Yun Buhui truly did not want to deceive his parents, but he understood the importance of clarifying the situation to put their minds at ease. He was well aware that, in years past, the black rock pile on the mountain was known for its high yield and superior quality jade.

However, the Jade Mine Lode had been exhausted several years ago, making it exceedingly difficult to find even Grade Two jade there now. After considering his son's explanation, Yun Jie nodded in agreement.

"It's possible to find a few pieces of decent-quality jade at the black rock pile, but they're only Yellow Jade, which isn't very valuable. Taste Word Mountain, on the other hand, is a different story. If you're interested in jade, you should check it out when you have the chance. You might find some fine hsiuyen jade there."

Upon hearing the news, Yun Buhui was momentarily taken aback. Hsiuyen jade was renowned not only domestically but also internationally. Naturally, the market offered hsiuyen jade of varying quality and authenticity. Yet, top-notch, first-grade hsiuyen jade could certainly hold its own against Hetian Jade in terms of value.

Hsiuyen jade could be considered royalty among the varieties of soft jade. Its rise began during the Qing Dynasty, and it has been celebrated worldwide for several hundred years since. Yun Buhui was thrilled to discover that hsiuyen jade was present at Taste Word Mountain, a place he never expected to find it.

Despite this, Yun Buhui suspected that the quantity of hsiuyen jade there wouldn't be substantial. And as for its quality, it likely wouldn't be the highest. But with his talent for nurturing jade, did the inherent quality of the jade even matter to him?

"Buhui, we hardly touched the two thousand yuan you left last time. You don't need to leave this three thousand yuan here. I know you've harbored a dream for many years. But given your mother's and my poor health, along with the numerous challenges at home, you've been held back from pursuing that dream. Take this three thousand yuan with you. It may not be a lot, but it should aid in your future endeavors."

"Dad, please keep the three thousand yuan. Rest assured, I have my methods. Nothing makes me happier than knowing you and Mom are healthy. Don't fret over the household; I've already made plans."

This was no mere deflection; Yun Buhui genuinely had a plan. Although he had spent recent years caring for his parents, he had not allowed the hardships of a life in poverty to erode his determination and resolve.

Chapter One: 8:30 AM

Chapter Two: 2:30 PM

Chapter Three: 7:30 PM