Chapter 293 - 176: Selling the Dragon Pearl, Touring West Island

Chapter 293: Chapter 176: Selling the Dragon Pearl, Touring West Island

"Why the sudden call? I thought you said you were going to be busy for the next few days."

The caller was none other than Ye Feng, who was busy making a splash in his new role.

"I saw your post! Did you really get that from a coconut snail?" Ye Feng asked, his voice tinged with excitement.

"Yup. I went foraging on the beach with my dad and the others last night, remember? I just happened to dig it out of the sand!" A proud smirk played on Su Chen’s lips as he spoke.

"’Happened to?’" On the other end of the line, Ye Feng felt a strong urge to give Su Chen a good smack. ’What a show-off.’

’Is that something you can just ’happen to’ find?’

’Could someone without insane luck just casually pick up a coconut snail and find a top-quality Melo pearl?’

’If it were that easy, Melo pearls wouldn’t be so prized by jewelers and collectors.’

Currently, there are only just over two hundred known Melo pearls in the world. Of course, that only counts the ones of jewelry-grade quality. Small, irregularly shaped ones aren’t included in that tally.

Furthermore, unlike oyster pearls, they can’t be artificially cultivated. This, combined with the Melo pearl’s unique flame-like pattern, has made it a hot commodity among the wealthy. Many even call it the Dragon Pearl, a treasure that money can’t always buy.

From the photo on Su Chen’s social media, Ye Feng estimated the pearl was at least two centimeters in diameter. That would make it a true treasure, even for a gemstone.

The largest Melo pearl in the world is only 397.52 carats, which is less than eighty grams. It originally belonged to the last emperor of Nanyue, but his treasures were eventually sold off, ending up in the private collections of European aristocrats.

Back in ’03, at a Baohan auction in Xiangjiang, a 100-carat Melo pearl—just under 20 grams—sold for a staggering 2.7 million USD. That means the price per gram was 130,000 US dollars, which set a record for the price of a single pearl at the time.

Suppressing the urge to beat Su Chen senseless, he finally asked, "Have you had the pearl measured? What’s its diameter? How many grams is it?"

"Uh, not yet. But it should be over twenty grams, and the diameter is probably more than two centimeters. I’ll get the exact specs when I have time to take it to a jeweler."

As he spoke, Su Chen picked up the Melo pearl and held it up to the morning sun. The light shone through it, making the flame pattern dance as if a real fire was burning within.

"Whoa, this Melo pearl is gorgeous in the sunlight!" Su Chen couldn’t help but marvel.

On the other end of the line, Ye Feng had been wondering if he should arrange for a professional to go to Xidao to measure the pearl for him. But hearing Su Chen’s exclamation made him anxious.

For Ye Feng, this Melo pearl was a godsend.

One of the Ye Group’s key strategic partners, a Grand Duke in Europe, was about to celebrate his seventieth birthday. Naturally, the important task of attending the banquet and presenting a gift fell to Ye Feng.

He’d been wracking his brain for days trying to come up with the perfect gift. Gifting a major national antique was out of the question—he was afraid his family’s elders would skin him alive. Meanwhile, something like jade or other jewelry felt too cliché; after all, European aristocrats already had plenty of treasures.

Finding a gift that would reflect the Ye Group’s sincerity and also satisfy the Grand Duke was no easy task.

The appearance of this Melo pearl solved Ye Feng’s urgent problem. Melo pearls are highly sought after abroad, especially in Europe—that’s how it earned its famous nickname, the "Dragon Pearl."

"Chen, could you sell that Melo pearl to me? I’m in desperate need of a rare treasure like that!" Ye Feng didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly.

"Huh?" Su Chen was taken aback. ’With the Ye Clan’s resources, why would they need something like this?’

"Brother Feng, is this Melo pearl really so rare that even you want it?" Su Chen voiced his confusion.

Ye Feng didn’t hide anything and explained the whole situation. Su Chen understood immediately.

"Brother Feng, to be honest, I was planning on having this made into a necklace for my mom. But since you’re in a bind, just send someone to Xidao to pick it up." Su Chen was no fool; he knew when to make a sacrifice.

’As for the necklace he’d promised his mom, he’d have to figure something else out. If all else failed, he could just take her on a gold jewelry shopping spree at Chow Luk Fook or a similar place.’

Ye Feng was touched when he heard that Su Chen had been planning to have a necklace custom-made for his mother. If their roles were reversed, he wasn’t sure he could have been as generous.

"Thank you so much, really. I’ll give you twenty million for the pearl. Don’t you dare refuse—consider it compensation for your mom!"

"Twenty million? Isn’t that too much?" Su Chen was stunned by Ye Feng’s generosity. Based on what Du Furong had told him, his pearl was only worth a little over a million.

"Twenty million isn’t too much. Remember, one sold at auction in Xiangjiang for 2.7 million US dollars over a decade ago. Your pearl is top quality in every respect. It’s worth that price!" Ye Feng’s voice now sounded much more relaxed.

Su Chen didn’t argue and accepted the offer.

Ye Feng immediately arranged to have someone come to Xidao to pick up the pearl. After exchanging a few more words, the two hung up.