After admiring his work for a long time, a question suddenly occurred to Zhao Yuan.
This Moonlit Stars Necklace was beautiful, and he had made it using the Master Carver techniques left behind by Wu Peng, but would a girl actually like it?
After all, he had designed the necklace based on his own ideas, and he was completely clueless about what girls liked.
After some consideration, Zhao Yuan mulled it over. 'I should find someone to ask. It would be too embarrassing if I present the gift and Lin Xue doesn't like it.'
He picked up the Moonlit Stars Necklace, turned and pushed open the door of the Jade Workshop, and strode into the main hall of Shufang Studio out front.
Cheng Yunlong was already back in the shop. Hearing footsteps behind him, he hurried over, his face wreathed in smiles. "Master Zhao, you're here! Why didn't you give me a heads-up? I would have waited in the shop to personally welcome you... Huh? Huuuuh?!"
The first part of his greeting was normal, but his voice suddenly shot up at the end, turning into a series of sharp gasps. It sounded as if someone had grabbed him by the throat. At the same time, his eyes bulged in an expression of utter shock.
Zhao Yuan was taken aback by his expression. "What's gotten into you? You look like you want to eat somebody."
"Master Zhao, this necklace in your hand... where did you get it?" Cheng Yunlong's voice trembled, yet it boomed like a clap of thunder, startling every employee and customer in Shufang Studio. All eyes involuntarily turned toward him and Zhao Yuan.
The moment they looked, their eyes were glued to it. Their breathing quickened, and a few people even swallowed involuntarily.
Zhao Yuan found their reactions baffling and couldn't help but wonder, 'What is wrong with these people? They're all acting like lunatics. So bizarre.' At the same time, he answered casually, "You mean this Moonlit Stars Necklace? I made it myself."
Cheng Yunlong didn't quite hear that last part. He murmured, "Stars Surrounding the Moon? A fitting name! A truly fitting name! I've been in the antiques and jade artifact business for so many years, and this is the first time I've ever seen a jade necklace this beautiful! It's as if the moon and stars themselves have fallen to earth. It's simply breathtaking!"
The staff and customers who heard him nodded in agreement, feeling that he had perfectly expressed their own thoughts.
Hearing Cheng Yunlong's words, Zhao Yuan felt a great sense of relief. But he still had a nagging worry: was Cheng Yunlong just saying nice things to flatter him?
So he put on a stern expression and said, "Boss Cheng, be honest with me. What do you really think of this Moonlit Stars Necklace? Tell me its flaws, any areas that need improvement. Don't just say nice things against your conscience! I want the truth."
Cheng Yunlong practically swore an oath. "I am telling the truth! This Moonlit Stars Necklace is the best, most beautiful, most stunning jade necklace I have ever seen in my life! I honestly can't think of a single flaw. In my eyes, it's absolutely perfect, a priceless treasure unlike any other! Master Zhao, is this necklace for sale?"
Zhao Yuan asked curiously, "You want to buy it? How much would you be willing to pay?"
Cheng Yunlong's expression turned serious. "This necklace... any price would be worth it! Right now, I have over six million in the bank, two properties here in Rongcheng City, plus Shufang Studio itself and all the antiques and jade artifacts in the shop. If I put it all together, it's worth around twenty million!"
"Twenty million?"
Zhao Yuan's jaw dropped in shock.
'Even though I think this Moonlit Stars Necklace is beautiful,' he thought, 'it was made from leftover scraps from the Jade Ring. The raw materials cost me practically nothing; all I used was some Wish Power. And it can sell for twenty million? Isn't that a bit outrageous?'
Cheng Yunlong misunderstood Zhao Yuan's reaction, thinking he was dissatisfied with the price. He quickly added, "I know, twenty million is a little low. If you're not in a hurry to sell, just give me a little more time. I can borrow some money from friends and probably scrape together another five or six million."
Zhao Yuan was speechless. "You'd really spend that much money to buy this necklace? Is it worth it?"
"Worth it!" Cheng Yunlong nodded emphatically. "This necklace is an absolute one-of-a-kind treasure! To be honest, even twenty or thirty million is a lowball price. If it were taken to auction, with the right marketing, publicity, and hype... the final price would be unimaginable!"
Zhao Yuan was stunned. He had never imagined the necklace could be so valuable.
But on second thought, it made sense.
First, while the Jade Material was just leftover scraps from the Jade Ring, it was still top-grade, Qi-Containing suet white jade—far beyond what ordinary jade could compare to. Add to that Wu Peng's Divine Level Carving Technique, and the resulting necklace was elevated from a simple accessory to the realm of a masterpiece that could shake the world.
'How could such a treasure not be valuable? How could it not be a priceless gem? What was I thinking?'
However, Zhao Yuan had no intention of selling it.
For now, he wasn't short on money. With the pharmaceutical company, a steady stream of cash was flowing into his bank account. Besides, while carving the Moonlit Stars Necklace, he had also incorporated a few small Arrays into it. Of course, these weren't Arrays he knew himself; they were skills he had temporarily borrowed from Wu Peng, included as part of the Carving Technique.
He had carefully prepared these small Arrays for Lin Xue. They would ensure the wearer's health and everlasting youth.
So no matter how much the necklace was worth, he would never sell it. It was his birthday gift to Lin Xue.
Meeting Cheng Yunlong's expectant gaze, Zhao Yuan said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Boss Cheng, but I don't plan on selling this necklace."
An expression of deep disappointment immediately clouded Cheng Yunlong's face. He sighed and said, "I understand. A priceless treasure like this... if it were mine, I wouldn't sell it either."
Zhao Yuan then asked, "Do you think a girl would like this necklace?"
Cheng Yunlong was taken aback for a second, then he chuckled. "Master Zhao, you must be joking. This necklace of yours is the ultimate weapon when it comes to women. How could any woman possibly not like it? Just look at the young ladies here in my shop—aren't their eyes about to pop out of their heads?"
At his words, Zhao Yuan glanced over at the staff. He now noticed that it wasn't just the female employees, but the female customers as well, who all wore expressions of utter fascination. Some even had trails of drool trickling from the corners of their mouths.
'Is this much exaggeration necessary?'
Zhao Yuan was startled by the women's expressions.
It was only at this moment that he truly understood the powerful allure beautiful jewelry held for women.
'Lin Xue will probably like this necklace.'
Zhao Yuan was finally at ease.
Cheng Yunlong suddenly realized something and asked cautiously, "Master Zhao, this necklace... you're not planning on giving it away as a gift, are you?"
"That's right," Zhao Yuan nodded.
"To a woman?" Cheng Yunlong pressed, revealing an unexpectedly gossipy side.
"Yes, as a birthday gift," Zhao Yuan answered truthfully.
Cheng Yunlong was so shocked by his answer that he was utterly petrified.
'A priceless treasure of such exquisite beauty, and you're just giving it to some girl as a birthday present? Holy shit, do you have to be so extravagant? Who is this lucky girl? Did she save humanity in her past life, or the entire galaxy?'
P.S. I'm at the company's annual conference in Shanghai. The next update will probably be tonight. Please vote and donate!