Chapter 685 - 681: Can I Touch It?

A member of the staff carefully placed the tray on the table, instantly drawing a crowd.

Across from him sat another middle-aged man with an imposing presence.

"What a find! A ’pigeon’s egg’ of this size and color..."

"Sky-blue is a rare color, too. It must be expensive."

A buzz of discussion arose from the crowd, and it was clear that everyone was familiar with the two men on the sofa.

"Mr. Cole, a treasure like this would only be brought out in your presence," someone said, looking at the man across the table. The words weren’t mere flattery, as every expert in the room knew Mr. Cole’s standing.

The man in the suit who had presented the "pigeon’s egg" was also a big name—at least, everyone in the jade world knew him. He was called Lord Quincy.

Lord Quincy smiled at Mr. Cole and gestured invitingly. "Mr. Cole, please, have a look!"

The curious onlookers all gathered around the sofa. Cecilia Sterling, having sat down early, had the advantage of a prime spot. From her seat right next to them, she only had to lean forward to get a closer and clearer view than anyone else.

Mr. Cole put on a pair of gloves and picked up a magnifying glass to begin his inspection.

Its translucency was flawless, with no impurities. It was a piece of the highest possible quality.

A smile spread across Mr. Cole’s face as he looked. "Lord Quincy, you certainly have no shortage of fine goods. I just saw two Imperial Green wordless jadeite pieces over in that display case, both from an old mine, glassy-type, and about the size of my palm. Are those yours as well?"

"Heh." Lord Quincy leaned back with a laugh, waving his hand dismissively. "Just some common goods. How could they possibly compare to the rarity of this ’pigeon’s egg’ before you?"

Cecilia Sterling observed their expressions from the side. ’This is pretty interesting,’ she thought. ’Watching it up close is like a scene from a TV show.’

’She was also curious about just how much a top-tier piece, in the eyes of these experts, could actually sell for.’

After a long moment, Mr. Cole put down the magnifying glass, clearly satisfied with the "pigeon’s egg." He looked at Lord Quincy and got straight to the point. "This isn’t our first deal. Name your price."

His words instantly stunned the onlookers.

"Is Mr. Cole actually going to buy it?" someone couldn’t help but blurt out.

Mr. Cole glanced at the person and smiled faintly. "Whether or not I buy it is for later. There’s no rule against asking for a price."

The person gave an embarrassed laugh and nodded.

"You’re a straightforward man, Mr. Cole, so I won’t beat around the bush." Lord Quincy sat up straighter and raised his hands—one with five fingers spread wide, the other with a single finger extended.

Cecilia Sterling blinked. ’Fifteen hundred?’

’That can’t be right!’

’Fifteen thousand?’

Cecilia herself was startled when the number popped into her head.

’Because after the conversion, does that mean the ’pigeon’s egg’ is worth 150 million?’

’They always said jade was a money pit, and today she was finally seeing why.’

The others, however, clearly understood the market—or at least, they knew more than Cecilia. When they saw Lord Quincy’s gesture, they reacted only with subtly raised eyebrows and widened eyes.

Jade has no fixed price. Its worth depends entirely on how one defines its value.

Besides, for Lord Quincy to be willing to part with such a top-tier piece, he obviously expected to make a good profit. The quote of "fifteen thousand" was certainly designed to be lucrative.

Sure enough, Mr. Cole immediately shook his head with a chuckle. "That’s too high."

"I don’t deny it’s a fine piece, but I can’t accept that price."

Mr. Cole’s rejection was blunt, but Lord Quincy didn’t seem the least bit displeased. He remained cheerful. "Fine things are a matter of fate. It’s no problem whether you take it or not, Mr. Cole. A piece like this will never lack for someone who truly loves it. I’ll just consider this an opportunity to let everyone see something novel."

"Then we’re really in luck."

"I’ve never seen a ’pigeon’s egg’ this big, and sky-blue at that."

"It’s a real treasure. I actually think it’s worth the price."

"Then why don’t you buy it?"

"You’re joking. I could never afford it."

The crowd chatted and laughed, and Lord Quincy listened with amusement. Just as he was about to have the tray taken away, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He turned to meet Cecilia Sterling’s innocent yet earnest gaze.

Mimicking how the others addressed him, she asked, "Lord Quincy, may I have a look at that ’pigeon’s egg’?"

At her words, Lord Quincy’s gaze traveled slowly down from Cecilia Sterling’s beautiful face, finally settling on the small dog in her arms.

Yoda was nestled obediently in Cecilia’s arms, his little head resting on her arm, his small, black-bean-like eyes also fixed on the man.

’This...’

Lord Quincy was a bit stunned. The young woman before him seemed to have materialized out of thin air.

"Young lady, a treasure like this isn’t something just anyone can look at."

"That’s right. You see us? We only dare to look from a distance. If you accidentally damage the piece, you’d have to wager your entire family fortune to pay for it."

The comment sent the crowd into a roar of laughter, but the speaker wasn’t just trying to scare the young woman.

"I know, but I quite like it, and I’m curious." Cecilia kept her eyes fixed on Lord Quincy, speaking again with absolute seriousness. "May I touch it with my bare hands to get a feel for it?"

Lord Quincy was dumbfounded.

’Touch it? With her bare hands? Even Mr. Cole wore gloves, and this young woman wanted to touch it bare-handed? To "get a feel for it"?’

Coming to his senses, Lord Quincy smiled. "Young lady, this isn’t something you can just casually touch."

But Cecilia countered, "Wouldn’t it be a real shame for such a fine piece to only ever be looked at?"

Lord Quincy replied, "Fine things are meant to be admired."

Cecilia said, "Isn’t touch part of admiration? It allows one to appreciate it more immersively, with both body and soul."

Lord Quincy started, "But if you accidentally damage it..."

Cecilia cut in, "Then I’ll buy it!"

Lord Quincy: "..."

The crowd: "..."

Everyone was stunned by Cecilia’s declaration, yet she had said it so nonchalantly, as if she were buying a few pounds of pork at a wet market.

Cecilia blinked at Lord Quincy and asked, "Or are you saying this treasure is only for sale to Mr. Cole?"

Mr. Cole chuckled, happy to stir the pot. "Lord Quincy," he said, "it seems the young lady is serious. Why not let her have a touch? Who knows, if she likes it, she might just buy it."

His tone was laced with jest; clearly, he didn’t believe Cecilia would actually buy it, nor that she could afford to.

"Young lady, stop playing around," Lord Quincy said good-naturedly. "Do you have any idea how much this treasure costs?"

"I do. I was watching from the side the whole time," Cecilia blurted out. "Fifteen thousand, wasn’t it? If you let me touch it and I like it, I won’t even bargain."

Cecilia spoke with deliberate, earnest precision, leaving no room to believe she was joking.

Her last sentence made Lord Quincy’s expression turn serious. His initial, absolute disbelief was clearly starting to waver.

"Fine, you can touch it while it’s on the tray. You can’t pick it up."

Finally, Lord Quincy had relented. But clearly still worried about any mishaps, he reminded Cecilia that she was not to pick it up.

Cecilia understood completely, and her face broke into a wide smile. "Thank you."