Chapter 167 - Two Stubborn Old Men
“No!”
“Four hundred million!”
“No!”
“Five hundred million, that's got to be enough, right?” Shangguan Wenqiang persisted.
“Impossible, goodbye!”
Old Fong abruptly ended the call.
Shangguan Wenqiang exploded with curses.
The butler watched, dumbfounded.
The old man had actually sworn.
Shangguan Wenqiang clutched the phone, still in shock.
Five hundred million!
If Old Fong agreed to sell him a diamond for that price, he'd stand to make a clean three hundred million profit.
Such a lucrative deal, and yet Old Fong refused.
With the number of diamonds Old Fong had, the market price was bound to drop.
There was no logical reason for Old Fong to deny the sale.
Old Fong's flat refusal left no room for discussion.
It was no surprise that Shangguan Wenqiang was furious enough to swear.
But Shangguan Wenqiang was not one to give up easily.
“Tell the young master to buy a plane ticket immediately. I can't wait any longer!”
“Right away!”
The butler left promptly, without another word.
The old man was usually the picture of composure, speaking and acting with deliberate consideration. This was the first time the butler had seen him so agitated.
Shangguan Wenqiang paced the room, hands clasped behind his back, not even needing his cane.
He had amassed a wealth of antiques, calligraphy, sandalwood, and precious stones and jewels.
He aimed to collect any rare artifact he could find.
Cars, cosmetics, handbags, and watches held no appeal for him.
He had once acquired a diamond during an overseas trip, a chance find.
That beachside discovery had been snapped up by him for a handsome sum.
The seller had been ecstatic, and the old man quite pleased.
But that diamond paled in comparison to the one in the photograph!
Before long, Shangguan Tianyu had secured their plane tickets, and they disembarked.
Upon reaching their destination, they made a beeline for Old Fong's residence.
“Old Fong, we go way back. You have a hundred diamonds; can't you part with just one for me?”
“No!”
Old Fong shook his head, rejecting them through the iron gate.
“Old Fong, why not sell the diamond to me? I'll pay you cash. Isn't that a good deal?”
“It's not that I don't want to do you this favor; I just haven't decided what to do with it yet. I'm still enjoying it. Once I'm done, it's yours.”
“Fifty years ago, you got your hands on an original Wang Xizhi. You said you'd give it to me after you'd had your fill of looking at it. Fifty years have passed, and I'm still waiting!”
“Had you not brought it up, it would've slipped my mind. Do you want it now?”
“Absolutely, if you're willing to part with it, I'm eager to have it!”
“Sorry, I'm still not done admiring it!”
The two elderly men started hurling insults at each other across the metal gate.
The butler and Shangguan Tianyu were at a loss for words.
All they could do was try to calm the old gentleman down.
“Grandpa, there's no need to rush. I've done some digging; the seller's name is Su Ming. You can pay him a visit directly.”
“Really?”
The old man's eyes sparkled. “Let's hurry over!”
Su Ming was busy watering his fishpond, with little else to occupy his time.
President Chen was out in the field, pulling weeds.
All of a sudden, they heard the sound of footsteps at the entrance.
Su Ming and President Chen exchanged glances.
Today was shaping up to be quite eventful!
Boss Fong entered, followed by an older gentleman, with two others trailing behind.
Who was this elder?
Seeing Boss Fong, Su Ming felt a chill run down his spine.
Back at the shop, Boss Fong had a seizure, and luckily, there were plenty of witnesses to vouch for Su Ming. Now, if Boss Fong were to collapse in front of Su Ming's house, it would be hard to explain.
Unaware of Su Ming's concerns, Boss Fong grinned and said, “Mr. Su, allow me to introduce Shangguan Wenqiang, the honorary president of our national jewelry industry. He's a senior of mine who came specifically after hearing you sold my father a hundred diamonds. Perhaps you could…”
Su Ming, taken aback, blurted out, “You're interested in buying diamonds?”
“Yes!” Old Master Shangguan eagerly nodded and exclaimed, “Mr. Su, I had no idea you were such a young and accomplished individual.”
“You're too late, Old Master Shangguan,” Su Ming said with a smile. “All my diamonds have been sold.”
Su Ming recalled Old Master Fong's words about the value of scarcity. Flooding the market with too many diamonds at once would devastate their prices. So, he had no intention of selling off all the diamonds immediately. Besides, Old Master Shangguan was a man of high standing. By turning him down, Su Ming was effectively signaling to everyone that he was out of diamonds.
“You've run out of diamonds?” Shangguan Wenqiang was taken aback.
Suddenly, he began to tremble and his eyes shut tight, looking as though he might pass out. “Are you okay?” Su Ming asked with concern.
“I'm fine!” Shangguan Tianyu deftly retrieved a pill from his pocket and placed it into his grandfather's mouth. Su Ming watched, silently incredulous. Clearly, Old Master Shangguan had a history of fainting, given how practiced Shangguan Tianyu's response was.
A few minutes passed, and Shangguan Wenqiang exhaled deeply, slowly opening his eyes. Reflecting on Su Ming's words, he was filled with regret for his late arrival. Old Man Fong had snapped up all the diamonds. It was time for Old Master Shangguan to make a move.
“Mr. Su, I won't impose any further. It's unfortunate I was late,” Shangguan Wenqiang said, his voice tinged with disappointment. “Here's my card. Should you come across any more fine items, please give me a call.”
“Sure,” Su Ming replied, accepting the card with a nod. In the future, he knew he could reach out to Old Master Shangguan directly for purchases, which would save him considerable hassle.
With that, Shangguan Wenqiang departed. He drove straight to Fong's Residence and parked right at the entrance.
“Old Fong, if you don't sell me those diamonds, I'm not leaving,” he declared.
“You're welcome to stay at the gate. All this land is mine, and I won't be charging you any rent,” came the reply.
One person was adamant about purchasing diamonds, while the other was steadfast in their refusal to sell.
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