Chapter 43
Bai Xia immediately had someone fetch water and a chair for Bai Xuan. She gently sprinkled water on her sister's face, and Bai Xuan slowly came to, her cheeks flushed red. She couldn't believe she had actually fainted in such a public place; the excitement had overwhelmed her.
"Xia'er… am I dreaming?" Bai Xuan mumbled, still dazed.
Bai Xia looked at her with a small smile, relieved she was okay. "No, you're not. Get up, and don't embarrass our Bai family."
With that, Bai Xia returned to the front of the crowd. She pulled out ten jade pieces she had carefully chosen earlier—one of them the prized Emperor Green—and set them neatly on a table. She pointed to the first one. "This jade will start at 500,000 yen."
Her voice barely rose above calm, but it carried through the bustling market, and soon the crowd surged with excitement. Hands shot up, prices climbed, and the bidding soared: 24 million yen, 30 million yen, 50 million yen… 10 million, 60 million, 5 million, 20 million, 13 million, 25 million.
Finally, it was time to sell the King of Jades. Businessmen raised their hands, each bid higher than the last. The tension was palpable—until the final hammer price was announced: 70 million yen.
Those who hadn't managed to bid gazed at the remaining jades in Bai Xia's cart. The stones she had yet to cut glimmered, and her calm, composed gaze seemed to radiate authority beyond her age. "Tomorrow, I will hold an auction for the remaining jades," she announced.
She signaled Stella with her eyes. Stella stepped forward and handed out cards, representing Bai Sung's company and Bai Yang's hotel—the locations of the next bidding event. "These 20 cards will grant special discounts tomorrow. If you didn't get one today, you'll have to compete for tomorrow. But this will be managed fairly."
Everyone understood the implication: a connection with Bai Sung's company meant privileges and priority. Those without cards were already scheming to get them, some even starting to bid openly just for the opportunity. After all, authentic jade was rare, and if they returned to the market, they might lose money instead of gaining.
Bai Xia packed up her remaining stones and left the gambling street. The uncut stones were loaded into the car's boot, while the already-cut pieces were carefully placed into wooden boxes. Bai Xuan remained silent the entire time, staring at the checks piling up in her sister's bag. She couldn't comprehend it: 307 million yen in just a day and with half a cart of jade stones.
They drove straight to the bank. Bai Xia didn't want to risk carrying such a fortune. The bank manager greeted her personally, awed by the amount, and she opened a separate account for Bai Xuan as well. "I'll give you 50 million since you didn't do much more than push the carts," Bai Xia said with a small smile.
Bai Xuan's eyes widened—50 million yen for simply helping. Ecstatic, she applied for her own credit card while Bai Xia had the bank print all account balances as formal documentation, just in case their father wanted proof later.
By the time they returned home, it was 7:30 p.m. Bai Sung and Bai Yan had already returned from work. The family was gathered in the living room, discussing plans when Bai Xin noticed them.
"Jie jie! How was your business?" she asked, curious.
Bai Xia and Bai Xuan stepped forward, standing before the family. Bai Sung's stern gaze immediately made Bai Xuan nervous, while Bai Xia remained calm despite a flutter of nerves. The roles were reversed—today, the father was checking on the daughters' progress, something Bai Xia wasn't accustomed to.
Clearing her throat, Bai Xia reported, "Today, Bai Xuan and I made a total of 307 million yen. I've given Bai Xuan 50 million as payment for her help."
Bai Yan burst out laughing. How could his sister say something like that with a completely straight face? Bai Sung, however, looked grave. He had never taught his children to lie. Did they fail and now try to cover it up? Disappointment flashed across his face, though he said nothing.
"Tomorrow, both of you should go to the company and learn a bit from your brother," he instructed sternly. Even Chu Sun felt the weight of his anger; the room tensed.
Bai Xia knew her father wouldn't simply believe her. Calmly, she handed him the printed documents, showing the cashed checks and the account statements for both her and Bai Xuan. Bai Sung's eyes widened as he skimmed the papers—he had set up these accounts himself and knew they were legitimate.
Before he could even ask how they had earned such a sum, Stella entered, carrying a box the size of a coffee table with ease. "Dad, this is Stella, my assistant. Stella, please bring the box in here."
The box was set on the floor before everyone. Bai Xuan opened it, revealing a dazzling display of jade, sparkling under the light. Bai Sung's eyes widened once more. Chu Sun, grabbing the documents from her husband, scanned the total: 307 million yen. She could barely comprehend it… and then fainted.