Chapter 5 Tidy Sum
"Is the necklace made of gold?"
Liu Yong's heart rate increased slightly, and he felt an intangible excitement.
Liu Yong is with excitement as he dreams of obtaining something valuable, despite having limited funds in his pockets. He hopes that by acquiring this item, he will be able to solve his financial difficulties and make a small fortune.
A penny can't beat the hero!
As a man, he must have financial stability.
The little snapping turtle approached quickly, with its relatively fast speed. As it got closer, Liu Yong could see it more clearly and confirmed that it was indeed a gold necklace.
Liu Yong bent down, picked up the chain, and carefully examined it in his hand. The weight of the necklace caused a surge of excitement within him.
The gold necklace was of a substantial thickness, a
chain commonly worn by wealthy individuals and those who flaunt their success. It was the kind of jewelry favored by local tyrants and upstarts.
"Master, what is the value of this item?"
Liu Yong held the necklace, feeling satisfied with its weight. He put it in his pocket and replied,
"Yes, this is very valuable. It should be a gold necklace."
Seizing the opportunity, Liu Yong took a moment to educate the little snapping turtle about precious metals, explaining the differences between gold and silver and what constitutes gold jewelry, among other things.
"Master, so I have made a significant contribution,"
The little snapping turtle said with pride.
"Yes, you did well this time,"
Liu Yong praised the little snapping turtle.
Upon receiving praise, the little snapping turtle was visibly overjoyed and happily rolled around in the water, creating large splashes. Fortunately, the area was relatively isolated, and the nearest individuals were a few fishermen about 100 meters away.
"Master, I'm going to look in the lake again and find one for you!".
Liu Yong replied,
"Yes, I look forward to hearing good news from you!"
As for the possibility of finding another similar discovery, Liu Yong did not have high expectations and felt fortunate to have stumbled upon this one.
It was likely that the necklace was accidentally dropped into the lake by someone and discovered by the little snapping turtle.
The little snapping turtle left, content and eager to continue helping Liu Yong in his search for valuable items.
Upon returning home, Liu Yong was still feeling excited and stirred up.
Liu Yong closed the door, took the chain out of his pocket, and couldn't help but keep examining it. The happiness in his heart was evident on his face.
Fantastic!
Finally, Liu Yong could let out a sigh of relief. Even if he could not find a suitable job immediately, it wouldn't be a problem now.
Liu Yong need not have to work hard to find a job.
He had a little snapping turtle, which would grow larger and larger, making earning money without much effort possible.
Lost in these optimistic thoughts, Liu Yong almost burst out laughing.
While he was happy, Liu Yong did not forget to confirm whether it was a gold necklace and even found a magnet to try it out.
It felt to be genuine. The weight of the necklace felt substantial in hand, and the magnet showed no attraction.
After he was sure it was a gold necklace, Liu Yong looked at the time and almost didn't want to wait momentarily. It would be best if he could sell it immediately and turn it into cash.
It was still early in the day, so Liu Yong went out. Being familiar with the area, he quickly visited a private gold shop.
The entrance of this private gold store states that it accepts gold at a high price and processes gold jewelry, sells various gold and silver jewelry, and so on.
"BOSS!"
As soon as Liu Yong stepped into the store, he shouted.
A person in his thirties promptly approached Liu Yong, displaying great enthusiasm.
"What type of style are you interested in, my friend? Let me show you some options,"
Liu Yong got straight to the point,
"I'm not here to make a purchase. I have a chain that I would like to sell."
"Oh, that's a great idea!"
Upon hearing that potential business was at hand, the man's face lit up with interest.
For a store like this, the most profitable endeavor is not the sale of gold, but the purchase of gold itself, as it yields the highest profits.
"Brother, can you show me something first?"
Liu Yong nodded in agreement and reached into his pocket to retrieve the chain. He then handed it over to the man.
The man carefully examined the chain and quickly assessed its value. He was experienced in the industry and had a keen eye for gold. He could tell that the chain was made of pure gold and estimated it to weigh at least 40 grams.
Being prudent, the man carefully confirmed his assessment by weighing the chain on an electronic scale. The results showed that the chain weighed 42.61 grams.
The man asked,
"Excuse me, do you have a receipt for this chain?"
Liu Yong smiled,
"I've had this chain for a few years, but I have lost the receipt somewhere along the way. I wouldn't sell it if I didn't need the money recently."
"I understand," the man said, "Without a receipt, I can only offer 300 yuan for the chain. I could offer an additional 20 yuan if there is a receipt."
Asking for high prices and only paying low amounts is a common and accepted practice in the industry.
"Sir, the current market price for pure gold is nearly 500 yuan, and your offer of 300 yuan is much too low,"
The man responded, "The purchase price I'm offering is only 300 yuan."
Liu Yong countered,
"The minimum I can accept is 380 yuan. If that can't be the price, I will have to hold onto it for now."
The man was interested in acquiring the chain and wanted to take advantage of an opportunity for a sale. After some negotiation, they finally reached a mutually agreed price of 330 yuan per gram.
Given the agreed price, Liu Yong was quite satisfied with the outcome.
**Beep** **Beep**....
Walking out of this gold shop, Liu Yong took out his mobile phone and looked again, and 14,000 yuan was credited, which is comfortable!
All of a sudden, I became a millionaire! Liu Yong said to himself.
With the money in hand, Liu Yong was no longer in a difficult financial situation and could breathe easily.
Little snapping turtle, you have made an outstanding contribution this time!
Thinking about this, Liu Yong took the initiative to contact the little snapping turtle.
"Snapping turtle, the gold necklace was real, and I have already sold it. I am now a wealthy man, thanks to my good fortune."
"Really!"
The little snapping turtle was pleasantly surprised and appeared to have emotions like humans.
"Master, I did an amazing job! I found a gold necklace for you," it said excitedly.
Liu Yong praised the snapping turtle, "Good job! I'll add a chicken leg to your meal as a reward."
The meaning of "chicken leg" is unclear in this context. Liu Yong may be using it as a metaphor for a treat. Regardless, the snapping turtle likely feels it would be a delicious addition to its daily diet of fish and shrimp in ink lake.
"No, I want two chicken legs, one is too little."
Liu Yong was straightforward and said,
"No problem, I will bring you two chicken legs tomorrow as a reward."
Liu Yong made a small fortune by selling a gold chain, and in return, he promised the snapping turtle just two chicken legs as a reward.
What a deal!
What a bargain!
Liu Yong felt great. After speaking with the little snapping turtle, he decided that if he earned 140,000 yuan, he would treat himself to a delicious meal evening. He also plans to call Hu Shijun and share the good news.
As Liu Yong walked into the alley, an individual following him from a distance grew increasingly excited at the prospect of their plan coming to fruition. They quickened their pace, eager to catch up with Liu Yong.
Liu Yong took a shortcut where he could get to the rental house through this small alley of two or three hundred meters within a short time. He would have to go so long should he has been through the main road.
Cai Houping is a street slicker in this area that remains idle all day.
His luck seemed to be good, he happened to see the scene where Liu Yong was selling gold chains in that gold shop, and he immediately paid attention.
Liu Yong was all alone, so he couldn't help but be eager to make a move. When he saw Liu Yong wander into a secluded alley, he was filled with joy in his heart and hastened after him.
Liu Yong entered the alley, his footsteps echoing off the walls as he walked. He stopped after a hundred meters, sensing something was amiss. He stood still and looked back, his eyes scanning the shadows cautiously.
The sun was setting, illuminating the sinister atmosphere and casting a dim orange light upon the alley.
He could feel a chill run up his spine. He was sure he hadn't seen anyone following him, but he still felt someone was watching.
He hesitated for a few seconds, debating whether to investigate further or to continue on his way.