Chapter Forty-Four: Master and Mentor

Although Lin Wanting was still uneasy at heart, seeing the resolute look in Qin Feng’s eyes, she nodded.
“All right. But you must be careful, don’t let yourself fall into danger.”
Qin Feng gently patted the back of Lin Wanting’s hand to comfort her.
“Don’t worry, I will. But you, lately you’ve been so busy at work—remember to rest, don’t wear yourself out.”
They exchanged smiles, the air filled with warmth and tacit understanding.
Later that afternoon, Qin Feng picked out a stone from the several he had purchased separately.
He didn’t cut it open himself, but took it to Master Yan’s place instead.
After all, for someone with the ability to see through things, it was easy to tell at a glance whether there was jade inside.
“It’s just as well to let Master enjoy the process.”
In about half an hour, Qin Feng arrived at Master Yan’s.
Master Yan came out and looked at the stone on Qin Feng’s pickup truck, nodding repeatedly.
“Not bad! There’s a high chance this piece will yield something valuable!” Master Yan said with satisfaction.
Qin Feng nodded and said, “Master, why don’t you cut it? I’ll just watch.”
Master Yan nodded in agreement, then skillfully picked up the stone and examined it closely.
He soon began to cut the stone. It was about the size of a football, elongated and oval, its surface rough and dull.
Master Yan ran his fingers over its surface, detecting traces of jade within, and his eyes lit up as he rubbed his hands together excitedly.
He then picked up his knife and started cutting.
Piece by piece, he sliced away the stone, revealing the gray-white rough layer beneath.
“Ah, it’s glutinous jade!” Master Yan exclaimed.
Glutinous jade might not be as rare or precious as ice or glass jade, but it was quite popular in the market.
Especially glutinous jade with pure color and plenty of translucence—it held considerable value.
Qin Feng was delighted.
“Master, this glutinous jade looks quite promising.”
Qin Feng scrutinized the gradually emerging jade; its color was gentle and lustrous, translucent with a subtle, elegant glow.
Master Yan nodded with a smile, his hands moving with extra care.
“Yes, this glutinous jade is not only rich in water but its color is even, with few flaws. It’s of upper-middle quality.
Xiao Feng, your eye for jade is getting sharper and sharper.”
As Master Yan continued, the entire piece of glutinous jade slowly revealed itself to them.

Its size was moderate, its shape regular; whether made into pendants, bracelets, or ornaments, it would bring out its greatest value.
“Master, you should try your hand at carving it.”
For Master Yan, the best gift was nothing less than this: jade discovered on-site, then carved by his own hands.
“Haha, you rascal, all right! Let me show you a bit of my skill today!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Master Yan took out a set of carving knives he had prepared, his hands dancing swiftly.
By evening, a translucent green jade pendant had taken shape on the stone.
It depicted a scene of a dragon and phoenix in harmony: the dragon soaring through the heavens, the phoenix spreading its wings in flight.
“Wonderful! Master, you’re truly amazing!”
Qin Feng praised sincerely.
Master Yan shook his head with a wry smile, “I can’t deny age—I’ve only been sitting for two hours and my back is starting to ache.”
“Master, you’re only in your sixties or seventies, hardly old! You’re just well preserved.”
“Don’t flatter me.” Master Yan scolded with a smile, “Now hurry on home, remember to come pick it up tomorrow, and don’t mess up my courtyard again.”
“Heh…” Qin Feng scratched his head and dashed away.
“That rascal…” Master Yan shook his head in amusement. “Right, remember to come early tomorrow!”
...
The next day, at dawn, Qin Feng drove to Master Yan’s place.
As soon as he entered, he was greeted by a faint scent of pine mingled with the fresh aroma of stone, invigorating his spirit.
He tiptoed into the courtyard, afraid to disturb Master Yan’s sleep, only to find him already seated at the stone table.
“Master, you’re up this early?” Qin Feng asked in surprise.
Master Yan looked up, saw Qin Feng, and smiled.
“When you get older, you sleep less. I thought you’d at least arrive after eight.”
Qin Feng grinned, “I’m not used to sleeping in. By the way, Master, where’s your masterpiece? Let your apprentice take a look.”
Master Yan stood up and pointed to a nearby box. “There, in that box.”
Qin Feng glanced over and saw two palm-sized jade plaques inside.
The plaques were crystal-clear, emitting a gentle fluorescent glow, as if a misty vapor swirled within—truly enchanting.
“Master, these plaques are really beautiful!” Qin Feng praised.
“Oh? That’s beautiful to you?”
Master Yan cast him a sidelong glance, sipping his tea leisurely. “This is just the basics; to become a true master, you have a long way to go!”

Qin Feng was momentarily stunned, then retorted, “But isn’t it quite pretty?”
Master Yan snorted, “Then compare these to the others—see which you think is better.”
Qin Feng studied them carefully and found that aside from the glutinous jade, the remaining plaques varied in color but all possessed a deep, antique charm.
“Well? These are much better than the ones you picked, aren’t they?” Master Yan said with a smile.
Qin Feng pondered for a moment, then said, “Mm… these are indeed superior.”
“Take them to Jade Pavilion later; you can use them as highlights when you hold your auction.”
Master Yan finished speaking and sipped his tea.
Qin Feng hesitated slightly, “But Master…”
Master Yan raised an eyebrow and looked at him, “What? Is it so strange for a teacher to help his apprentice?”
Qin Feng hurried to explain, “You’ve misunderstood, Master. I just, just…”
“All right, I know what you’re getting at. Take them as I said—I am your Master!”
Master Yan put on a stern face.
“Yes, I understand. Thank you, Master!”
Seeing Master Yan’s displeasure, Qin Feng quickly agreed.
He was deeply moved; with Master Yan’s reputation, these plaques could easily fetch several considerable sums.
“That’s the spirit.” Master Yan nodded with satisfaction. “By the way, do you want to go with me tomorrow? It’ll help bolster your presence!”
Qin Feng hesitated, “Master, these are already enough. I’ll handle the rest myself.”
“Oh? So you have a plan?” Master Yan’s interest was piqued.
Qin Feng nodded, “Yes, I’ve got an idea.”
He then shared yesterday’s thoughts with Master Yan.
“I see…” Master Yan nodded, understanding dawning in his eyes.
Qin Feng added, “As for these jades, I hope you can help keep them safe for now.”
Master Yan nodded, “That’s nothing to worry about. Go ahead with your plan, and if you need help, just ask me.”
“Thank you, Master.”