Chapter 32: I Provide the Supply, You Give Me 30% Equity

Jiang Cheng was somewhat curious. As the eldest daughter of the Tiansheng Group, what kind of fine material could Murong Xue possibly lack? Why was she here gambling on stones?

He asked, "Hey! You’re the daughter of Murong Shan, after all. What kind of high-quality material can’t you get your hands on? Why do you seem even more strapped for cash than I am? Wouldn't it be safer for someone like you to buy stones that have already been windowed or simply purchase pieces that others have already cut?"

Murong Xue sighed. "What do you know? I want to build my own jewelry brand. If I keep relying on Tiansheng Group’s resources, what kind of accomplishment is that? Besides, Tiansheng Group isn’t run solely by my father."

Jiang Cheng was a bit confused, but found it amusing. "You say you don't want to use Tiansheng's resources, then who provided the money for you to buy these raw stones?"

Murong Xue rolled her eyes at him. "Can't I borrow 200 million from my mother?"

Jiang Cheng’s mouth twitched. He had often scrolled through short videos where he’d hear about some rich kid who, upon graduation, was casually handed 500 million by their family to start a business. He had always assumed it was just a rumor, but it turned out Murong Xue was a living example. If his family were that wealthy, he wouldn't even bother starting a business—wouldn't living off his parents be better? He really couldn't understand the mindset of these rich people.

However, Jiang Cheng wasn't envious. Two "small targets" (200 million) didn't seem like an impossible fantasy for him anymore.

Jiang Cheng’s eyes darted around. He looked at Murong Xue and put on a flattering smile. "Hehehe! Miss Murong, you just said you're planning to start your own jewelry brand?"

Murong Xue looked at the unusually behaving Jiang Cheng with a strange expression; his smile looked incredibly awkward. She nodded and said, "Yes! My first jewelry store opens in a month! Everything is ready, except for a few 'treasured centerpieces.' I plan to hunt for some top-tier materials and personally design the most perfect pieces."

"Weren’t those two stones I had before good enough?" Jiang Cheng asked curiously. Those two stones of his were definitely top-tier, world-class jadeite!

Murong Xue’s face darkened at the mention of them. "Don't even mention it. Those stones of yours were fine, but they were way too small. Forget making elaborate art pieces; even carving a single bangle would be a struggle. Not to mention, I’ve already prepared several pieces of red jadeite myself!"

Jiang Cheng felt a bit embarrassed hearing this. In his estimation, his cockscomb-red jadeite could easily produce two bangles, and if sold on the market, it would likely fetch tens of millions. But it seemed that products in the tens-of-millions range couldn't catch Murong Xue’s eye.

He couldn't help but ask, "What level of material are you looking for, then?"

Murong Xue bit her red lip and said coolly, "At the very least, it has to start at 100 million! But such materials usually only appear at auctions, and the starting bids are never low. I’m still in the startup phase, so I thought I’d look around and see if I could pick up a bargain."

Jiang Cheng nearly choked on his own breath hearing her talk about a 100-million-yuan starting price so nonchalantly. He couldn't help but marvel at how massive Murong Xue’s ambition truly was.

After inquiring with Hu Hai, they learned there was indeed a jadeite raw stone auction that afternoon. The group bid farewell to Hu Hai and headed straight for the auction. It was being held at a large local hotel, with the organizers having booked an entire floor. After registering, Jiang Cheng and the others went to the restaurant for lunch. As they ate, Jiang Cheng watched Murong Xue enjoying her steak, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Murong Xue lifted her eyes, caught the look of deep thought on Jiang Cheng’s face, and curled the corner of her lips.

"Speak up, what is it?"

Jiang Cheng immediately grinned. "Miss Murong, I know you want to build your own jade jewelry brand and make a name for yourself quickly. What you lack is top-tier material. I want to collaborate with you!"

"Collaborate?" Murong Xue was taken aback, her interest piqued. "How?"

Jiang Cheng put down his chopsticks and licked his lips. "I’ll handle the sourcing of the jadeite raw stones for your new brand, but I want 30% of the company's shares!"

"What?" Murong Xue’s face darkened instantly. How could this Jiang Cheng be so bold? She looked at him as if he were a clown. "You provide the source? Never mind the quality, do you even know how much a single raw stone costs at an auction? Do you have the capital to bid? You can't even afford a single stone, so how are you going to provide the source for me?"

Jiang Cheng wasn't annoyed. He said calmly, "I don't have the money, but you could lend it to me, right?"

At this, even Wang Hao, who had been sitting quietly on the side, was dumbfounded. Use the boss's money to buy stones, and then sell them back to the boss? Isn't this just a "white wolf with empty gloves" (a scam)?

Murong Xue laughed until she was shaking. "Jiang Cheng, are you out of your mind? I lend you money to buy stones, and then I pay to buy them back? Can't I just buy them myself? You want to pull a scam like that and still get 30% of my new brand? Do you think I’m crazy?"

Jiang Cheng met her contemptuous gaze and just smiled faintly. He shook his head. "No, no, Miss Murong. I’m talking about providing you with *valuable* sources—the 'top-tier' material you mentioned. As for the money, I only need it because I’m currently broke. Once I have my own capital, I won't need to borrow from you!"

"Heh! Top-tier material? If there’s top-tier material out there, why wouldn't I just buy it from someone else instead of giving away 30% of my shares to you?" she scoffed.

"Miss Murong, do you really think that if there’s top-tier material, others would be willing to sell it to you? Just because your father is Murong Shan?" Jiang Cheng asked with a smile.

"I..." Murong Xue wanted to argue, but she couldn't find a response. It was true—even if top-tier material existed, why would others sell it to her? Because of her father’s name? If that were the case, what kind of business was she even building? She might as well go home and live off her parents.

After a moment of reflection, Murong Xue rolled her eyes. "Then what guarantee can you give me that the material you provide will be valuable? And..." She paused, suddenly stunned, as if she had realized something. She looked at Jiang Cheng with shock.

"Could it be that you..." She looked into his eyes, lost in thought, and then a sharp glint appeared in her eyes. "What are the odds?"

She remembered Jiang Cheng’s earlier sleight-of-hand at Wanfu and his record of five wins out of five stones. She became increasingly convinced that he possessed the ability to "see through" the stones, and she became more certain of the "Qi-Vision" theory. He was simply too confident.

Jiang Cheng didn't answer directly. He smiled lightly, "How about this, Miss Murong: I guarantee that the materials I provide will be windowed or already cut, how about that?"

Murong Xue knew exactly what he meant. Windowed or pre-cut stones made the quality obvious, which significantly reduced the risk—or even eliminated it entirely. But the price of such stones was far higher than raw, uncut stones. She found herself in a dilemma.

Jiang Cheng naturally understood her hesitation. "Miss Murong, if you want to build your own jewelry brand, you must have your own jadeite channels. I provide the high-quality material, and you give me 30% of the shares. We are talking about mutual benefit! Moreover, by taking on the sourcing, I am effectively absorbing the risk of buying the raw stones for you. If I buy a dud, you don't have to worry. You know better than I do the risks involved if you go out to buy or bid on these stones yourself."

Murong Xue fell silent. Jiang Cheng was right. If she wanted to make her brand big and strong, high-quality jadeite was the most crucial link. Jadeite products weren't like antiques; they didn't rely on historical value or craftsmanship—the quality of the raw material was paramount.

If Jiang Cheng could guarantee high-quality supply, it would indeed eliminate the risks of her purchasing raw stones. Thinking about it, 30% of the shares didn't seem like a bad deal. However, she had one more concern.

"Jiang Cheng, I agree, but there's one thing—the price you sell them to me at?" She looked at him with a complex expression.

Jiang Cheng knew what she meant. He couldn't just sell them to her at cost; that would make him her employee. The shares were a long-term investment, but he needed cash *now*. He couldn't concede too much on the price.

He pondered for a moment and proposed, "How about this: you can hire specialists to analyze the value of the goods I provide. I’ll sell them to you at a 10% discount from what I would sell them to others. How does that sound?"

Murong Xue’s eyes lit up. This was a great solution. Basing it on actual value with a 10% discount meant neither side would lose out. This was perfect.

Without hesitation, Murong Xue nodded, raised her red wine glass, and smiled, "Deal!"

Jiang Cheng also raised his glass and clinked it with hers. "Deal!"

"Jiang Cheng, I'm curious—why do you specifically want 30% of my new brand? Do you have that much confidence in me? Aren't you afraid my business will fail?"

"If you fail, I’ve already sold the stones; if you succeed, I have a 30% share as a long-term investment. Would you say I’m confident? You need my supply, and I need your stable sales channel. I think we’re just getting what we need. Neither of us is losing out."

Murong Xue looked blankly at the handsome man in front of her, and four words came to her mind: *Cunning as a fox.*