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Chapter 96: She Actually Believed They Were Fishermen!
Chapter 96: She Actually Believed They Were Fishermen!
The saleswoman, seeing that the two didn't look like fishermen, guessed they were probably the children of a fallen landlord or a family that had fallen on hard times, desperately in need of money, selling pearls passed down from their ancestors.
She had seen such cases too many times in recent years.
Since they were in dire need of money, she was sure they would sell.
Worried that Jiang Xia might think the price was too low, she pointed to the pearl jewelry in the display case: "Take a look at our pearl necklaces here. The expensive ones cost several dozen yuan each, with the most expensive ones going for over a hundred yuan each. The others mostly cost twenty to thirty yuan each. Look, I’m not lying, right? Six yuan per pearl is actually quite a good price, isn’t it?"
Jiang Xia took back the pearl from her hand and pulled Zhou Chenglei away, saying, "We’re not selling. Six yuan per pearl? I’ll take it home, grind it into powder, and use it for skincare!"
Could the pearls in the display case even compare to the one in her hand?
Those were farmed pearls.
Was she blind?
The saleswoman: "..."
Jiang Xia knew that pearl prices varied widely, depending on their luster, shape, flaws, size, and rarity.
In short, the more perfect a natural pearl, the more invaluable it became. Top-quality pearls were extremely rare and sold at fixed prices.
The pearl she had was a prime example, even though golden was not an uncommon color.
As the saying goes, "Seven points for a pearl, eight points for a treasure." This was a natural sea pearl, perfectly round, with excellent luster, no significant flaws, and nearly flawless, making it a top-quality pearl.
Six yuan?
Was she trying to take advantage of her lack of experience in this era?
No matter how valuable money was in this era, it couldn’t be worth just six yuan.
If the pearl was really only worth six yuan, she would keep it and sell it when the economy improved and people had more money.
Seeing that Jiang Xia was really leaving and not selling, the saleswoman quickly said, "Six and a half yuan, I can’t go any higher."
"Let’s go!" Jiang Xia pulled Zhou Chenglei’s hand and walked away.
The saleswoman tried again, "How many pearls do you have? If you have more than one, the price can be a bit higher. Let’s talk about it, don’t go yet."
Jiang Xia ignored her and pulled Zhou Chenglei away without looking back.
The saleswoman didn’t want to miss such a good pearl, as top-quality pearls with so few flaws were truly rare. She rushed out to stop them, "Wait! Let me take a closer look. The price can be negotiated. If there are no significant flaws, I can offer seven yuan."
At that moment, a neatly dressed man walked out. Seeing the saleswoman blocking the customers, he frowned and asked, "What’s going on?"
Hearing his voice, Jiang Xia turned around.
Zhou Chenglei also turned and greeted him, "Second Brother."
The jewelry store manager, seeing Zhou Chenglei, looked surprised, "Colonel Zhou? What are you doing here?"
Colonel?
The saleswoman looked at Zhou Chenglei with surprise. Such a young colonel?
They had just claimed they were fishermen!
If he hadn’t said they were fishermen, would she have offered such a low price?
Zhou Chenglei: "We’re here to sell pearls."
Zhou Chenglei then introduced Jiang Xia, "This is my wife, Jiang Xia."
Jiang Xia couldn’t help but glance at him. His voice was pleasant, and saying "my wife" sounded quite nice.
Zhang Rong glanced at Jiang Xia, his eyes filled with admiration, though it was purely out of respect.
It was his first time meeting Jiang Xia, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know who she was.
He knew whose daughter Zhou Chenglei had married.
He smiled, "Hello, Sister-in-law. Please give my regards to Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang."
The saleswoman felt even more uneasy.
Her attitude toward Jiang Xia earlier had not been good.
She knew a bit about the manager’s background. Could someone without a strong background be the manager of a jewelry store?
She had heard that the manager’s hometown was in the capital, and his grandfather, father, and both his older and younger brothers were in the military. He also had a sister studying at Jing University, and it was rumored that his grandfather and father held high positions.
But if even he had to show respect, it was clear that the other person’s background was equally impressive.
She had a feeling from the start that this couple was no ordinary pair.
She actually believed they were fishermen! The salesperson was uneasy.
Zhang Rong smiled again, "I haven't congratulated you both on your wedding yet. Wishing you a happy marriage. Come, let's go to my office to talk. Aren't you selling pearls? Please, come in, Sister-in-law."
Zhang Rong made a polite gesture, inviting them in.
Zhang Rong's younger brother, Zhang Rui, served under Zhou Chenglei and held him in high regard.
Zhou Chenglei had been a soldier since his teens, and on his first mission, he shot down two enemy planes with a single cannon shot, earning him a significant commendation. Over the years, he had accumulated numerous military honors.
He was universally regarded as the most promising soldier! It was a pity that he had been injured on a mission and lost his hearing, forcing him to return and become a fisherman.
What a waste!
Zhou Chenglei and Jiang Xia were unaware of each other's thoughts as they followed him into the office.
Zhang Rong personally prepared tea.
"I bought some pre-Qingming Longjing tea this time, it's quite good. Please, Colonel Zhou and Sister-in-law, try it."
Zhou Chenglei said, "I've already retired. Just call me Chenglei, Brother Rong."
Zhang Rong sincerely replied, "Even retired, you'll always be the greatest colonel in our hearts. Zhang Rui almost cried when he talked about you on the phone."
Zhou Chenglei said, "It's not good if others hear and misunderstand."
Zhang Rong understood Zhou Chenglei and knew what kind of person he was. Thinking about the salesperson's reaction, he nodded, "Alright, I understand."
He turned to Jiang Xia, "Sister-in-law, you said you have pearls? Let me see them."
Jiang Xia took out a small bag of pearls wrapped in a handkerchief from her crossbody bag.
The crossbody bag was borrowed from Zhou Zhou.
Zhang Rong raised an eyebrow at the bag of pearls. So many?
Seeing his confusion, Zhou Chenglei explained, "We fished for a long time underwater."
"These aren't easy to catch. You're truly remarkable."
The pressure underwater is intense, and most people can't hold their breath for long. No wonder he was considered the most versatile and promising soldier in history, having served in the sea, land, and air!
Zhou Chenglei knew Zhang Rong had misunderstood but had heard such flattery many times before and said nothing.
Zhang Rong poured the pearls onto a velvet-lined tray. As they spilled out, he couldn't help but praise, "They all look excellent, with very few flaws."
Jiang Xia then took out a pair of twin pearls. "These came from the same pearl."
Zhang Rong put on gloves and examined them closely, picking out the five best pearls and the twin pair. He then pointed to the remaining pile, "I'll give you 300 yuan for this pile."
Jiang Xia was a bit surprised. This pile was worth 300 yuan?
Zhou Chenglei frowned, "Brother Rong, you don't have to buy them at a loss."
Zhang Rong had priced the pearls based on how much he could earn by making them into jewelry, not making any profit.
Of course, he wouldn't make a profit just from the pearls. Making jewelry would require additional materials like gold and silver, and the craftsmanship would also bring in some profit, just less.
"Rest assured, I won't lose money. I can't take your money; what kind of person would that make me? If my father, elder brother, and Zhang Rui found out, I wouldn't even be able to step into the family home. Besides, these pearls are all of good quality, and I can use them as favors. In the end, I'll still come out ahead."
Zhang Rong pointed to the pearls he had selected, "These are top-quality pearls. I'll take them to Hong City and sell them for at least 100 yuan each. I'll give you 100 yuan per pearl now, and once they're sold, I'll give you the remaining balance. How does that sound?"
This was clearly helping them sell the pearls without making a profit.
Zhou Chenglei trusted him, "Thank you for your trouble."
No one knew better than Zhang Rong how to sell a good pearl for the highest price.
Zhang Rong waved his hand, "No need to thank me! In the future, if you have more good pearls, bring them to me. I'll help you sell them, and I won't let you down."
Perfect, flawless natural sea pearls are rare and don't have a fixed price. It depends on whether you can find the right buyer to get the best price.
Jiang Xia then took out the shells of the sea anemone and the trumpet shell from her basket, placing the other two pearls in front of their respective shells.
She hadn't brought the ovoid pearl king today, thinking that in this era, there weren't many wealthy people who could appreciate its value.
"Brother Zhang, take a look at these two."
(End of Chapter)
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