Chapter 10
“Beep—beep—”
The bell rang twice. Lin Sheng walked slowly towards the sound and found a secret compartment under the oil painting hanging in the middle of the hall. Inside was an old landline phone.
There was a caller ID showing that the other party had called twice.
Lin Sheng felt a little defensive and reached out to answer the phone. Before he could utter a word, he heard the other party say directly,
"Meet me at the usual place tomorrow morning at ten o'clock. We've got a new batch of goods, guaranteed to be of top quality. I've already picked them out for you."
It sounded like the other party was looking for the original owner, but the original owner had already moved out.
Lin Sheng was curious about the "old place" he mentioned, and deliberately changed the tone of his voice.
"I haven't been there for a long time. What's the name of that place?"
The other party did not hesitate at all, but instead made a joke.
"The last two times I asked you out, you didn't answer the phone. I thought you'd run away with the money. You've always had a bad memory. The fifth store on the third street of the Stone Wholesale Market is called 'Shifangpu'. You must come tomorrow. I'll help you make a killing."
"good."
Lin Sheng simply agreed, not daring to say a word, for fear of being exposed. Just as he was about to hang up the phone, he heard a question suddenly rang out from the other side.
"Why does your voice sound a little off today?"
"I have a cold."
Hearing this, the other party seemed to dispel his doubts and gave two instructions.
"Okay then. I won't disturb your rest. Remember to come tomorrow and I will entertain you personally."
Lin Sheng responded briefly and hung up the phone, feeling a little suspicious.
The next day, Lin Sheng found a store called "Shifangpu" in the stone market according to the other party's instructions.
Lin Sheng stood at the door and heard shouts coming from inside the store, which was very lively.
When I entered the room, I saw a group of people gathered around the big table in the main hall, talking confidently.
"I bet this is definitely good material. Do you dare to open it?"
"Who wouldn't dare to open it? Then I'll bet on this. If I lose, I'll lose half a million. Are you sure you want to bet with me?"
The rest of the crowd watched the excitement and did not mind making trouble, fanning the flames and shouting in unison.
"Bet him! It's only half a million, Boss Chen. Do you need that little bit of money?"
The scene before him made Lin Sheng feel uncomfortable. He frowned slightly and looked at Boss Chen. He caught a glimpse of the sweat on his forehead and shook his head.
Seeing Lin Sheng's attitude, the people around her were immediately displeased. Several strong men surrounded her. The one in the lead had a snake tattoo on his body. He stood in front of Lin Sheng, blocking her view. His ferocious appearance was scary.
"Get out, this is not a place for women."
After saying that, he reached out to push Lin Sheng.
"Isn't it just a bet on a few broken stones? What's there to be proud of? One day I'll ask my dad to buy all your land. What's there to be so proud of?"
Lin Sheng deliberately made some excuses, her expression and tone were tinged with the temperament of a spoiled young lady, and she was about to walk out the door.
"Wait, this lady is so arrogant. We are just worried that you won't be able to play, so we are compensating you so easily to avoid you crying."
A voice was heard from the crowd. Lin Sheng turned around and saw a group of men making way for him.
I saw a man sitting at a big table, with an aura that was different from that of an ordinary person.
Seeing him, Lin Sheng's mind moved, and he answered capriciously like a little temper,
"Are you the shop owner? You have plenty of money, but I'm afraid your small shop can't swallow it all."
The shop owner paused as he looked at Lin Sheng with a sharp and vicious look, as if he saw prey.
"Miss, since you're here to give me money, how can I refuse? You dare to give, I dare to take. How about a bet?"
The tense atmosphere between the two of them instantly made people forget the farce just now. Boss Chen quietly approached Lin Sheng and whispered a reminder,
"They're going to cheat. You're a newbie, and you can't handle them. You'd better leave."
When the others saw this, they pushed Chen Ming away and said in a bad tone,
"What's your business? Get out of here and find a way to pay the money back, or I'll come to your house tomorrow."
Lin Sheng raised his hand, stood in front of Chen Ming, patted his shoulder, raised the corner of his lips, and comforted him.
"Talk nicely and don't fight. Don't worry, it hasn't started yet, so don't lose your composure."
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone made way for her. Lin Sheng walked to the gambling table and noticed the worry on Chen Ming's face. She immediately changed her mind and spoke directly.
"However, I didn't bring that much money with me today, so I probably can't afford to gamble big."
As soon as he finished speaking, the shop owner's face changed, and a hint of wariness flashed in his eyes.
"Are you here to mess things up? Are you trying to trick me?"
Lin Sheng remained calm, ignoring the threats in the words. He was immediately surrounded by several bodyguards. Lin Sheng exchanged glances with the shop owner for a moment, then sneered.
"Do I look like someone who needs money? I just didn't bring enough today. I'm new here and don't know the rules. I'm afraid I won't be able to borrow money here. At worst, I can come back tomorrow."
After saying that, Lin Sheng turned around and was about to leave.
The shop owner suddenly called her over, laughing heartily, and the tense atmosphere dissipated at that moment.
"They don't dare to lend it to you, but I do. It depends on whether you dare to accept it."
Lin Sheng's lips curled up into a smile, his eyes unclear, he turned around quickly, walked to the table, and agreed immediately.
"There's nothing I dare not do, but I'm a novice. I'll borrow a million to practice. If I lose, my dad won't beat me to death when I get home."
"Okay! Give her the things."
The tattooed man brought a wooden tray with a paper IOU and one million in cash on it.
The paper IOU clearly stated, "Borrow one million, payable within three days. If you exceed the deadline by one day, an additional one hundred thousand will be added."
After seeing the contents of the IOU, Lin Sheng instantly understood the ins and outs of it, and could not help but mention it.
"Boss, your profit is a bit too high, isn't it?"
Everyone's faces darkened. It was the first time someone dared to point it out directly. As expected, they knew nothing and were like newborn calves that were not afraid of tigers.
The atmosphere froze for a moment, and the shop owner met Lin Sheng's innocent gaze and patiently explained,
"The fingerprint has already been pressed. It's too late for you to regret it now."
Lin Sheng did not get angry, and sat down opposite the shop owner with a natural look.
"I didn't say I'd regret it. I can still afford this little bit of money. Let's get started."
Hearing Lin Sheng's words, the shop owner couldn't help but smile slightly, his expression relaxed, as if he was sure of winning.
"Be careful not to lose and cry."
Lin Sheng ignored it and looked at the pile of gambling stones on the table. The referee briefly introduced the rules of the game.
"Each party selects a piece of gambling stone from the table. After selecting, the stone cannot be changed. Specialized personnel will cut and inspect the material. The party with the better quality wins, and the gambling stone belongs to the winner."
Lin Sheng was selecting carefully on the table, while the shop owner was sitting calmly, not panicking at all. Seeing Lin Sheng's careful selection, the shop owner picked up an inconspicuous stone in front of him and suddenly said,
"I've made my choice, little girl. You're a little too slow and wasting everyone's time."
Lin Sheng was not moved at all, his expression remained calm, and he was not affected by him. He glanced at the shop owner out of the corner of his eye, and saw the shop owner's hand reaching under the table while no one was paying attention.
Suddenly feeling something was wrong, Lin Sheng quietly opened the treasure bag and secretly let Wangcai out.
Wangcai hid under the table and no one noticed him. He walked silently towards the shop owner, opened his mouth and bit him. The force was not strong, but it was enough to make him let go.
The shop owner felt a burst of heat and then a tingling sensation. He accidentally loosened his hand and the gambling stone fell to the ground with a dull sound. He quickly bent down to check.
Wangcai took the opportunity to exchange the gambling stones and hid in the treasure bag first.
The shop owner didn't even see the shadow, and immediately picked up the gambling stone on the ground. Seeing the tooth marks on his hand, he couldn't help but frowned.
"Who brought the dog in? Don't they know dogs aren't allowed?"
Everyone was confused when they heard his scolding.
Lin Sheng took advantage of the chaos and threw a talisman from under the table.
"Dog! There really is a dog! Under the table!"
As soon as the words came out, everyone started to rush forward, ready to drive the dog out, but the dog dodged the crowd and pounced on the shop owner, snatching the gambling stone from his hand.
The tattooed man nearby saw this and his face changed drastically. He immediately stepped forward to drive the dog away, leaving a bloody mark on the dog's claws. The shop owner, seeing this, quickly rushed forward to pick up the fallen gambling stone.
A group of people armed with long sticks drove the dog out.
The shop owner came back to his senses and sat back in his seat. He saw that Lin Sheng had already made his choice and did not mention the farce just now.
"Now that we've chosen, let's start. You go first?"
The people around also noticed the gambling stone that Lin Sheng had chosen, and immediately frowned, shook their heads, and sighed.
"It's over now. It's obvious that she's just a little girl who doesn't know the ropes. The stone in her hand looks ordinary, and the surface is full of pits. The surface is completely ruined, and the inside is definitely ruined. Even if it's a good piece, it's worth nothing."
Facing the shop owner's confident eyes, Lin Sheng raised the corners of his mouth slightly, his expression was natural, and his tone was childish and flattering.
"Boss, please go first. Let me broaden my horizons and gain some experience so I can know my own worth."
After hearing this, the shop owner was naturally happy and agreed directly, handing the gambling stone to the referee.
Everyone's attention was suddenly focused, and they stared intently at the shop owner's gambling stones.
Chen Ming's heart was in turmoil. He walked to Lin Sheng anxiously, and his words trembled.
"You...how dare you compete with him? This is his territory. You can't escape now."
Lin Sheng stood aside without saying a word, carefully observing the movements of the man cutting the gambling stone, taking in every subtle expression of his.
When the crowd saw the cut gambling stone, they spoke without hesitation.
"It's emerald green throughout, without a trace of impurities. The color is excellent, and the stone is thick and as big as an adult's fist. It's rich in material and a valuable piece. It looks like Black Dog has won again this time."
"That girl is an amateur, she doesn't understand the ins and outs of this, and she foolishly jumped into the black dog's trap. No one is to blame."
Hearing what the people around him said, Lin Sheng weighed the gambling stone in his hand and said half-jokingly,
"It seems the shop owner's stones are of good quality. However, during a match, it's taboo to open champagne at halftime. Black Dog, what do you think?"
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