Chapter 190: Stone Cutting on Site!
The rough stone Catherine picked didn't look special at all.
It was just a piece she casually picked up from the ground—one Logan had rejected earlier. It looked quite ordinary.
Logan breathed a sigh of relief and sneered.
"I thought you picked something good. By your own logic, this rough stone isn't anything special either."
They were all pieces he hadn't chosen.
Catherine gently wiped the rough stone in her hand and weighed it lightly.
"You can't get anything good because you're trash. If I get something good, it's because I'm lucky."
Logan still wanted to use the Jade Oracle name to deceive people. Seeing Catherine looking like such an amateur, an idea suddenly came to him.
He had studied all the rough stones before coming on stage and was certain there was nothing good in this stone.
"If you can't get anything out of it, you have to apologize to me!"
Catherine looked up at Logan with disdain. "You call yourself the Jade Oracle but can't get anything good, and you want me to apologize to you?"
Sophia chimed in: "That's ridiculous. The Jade Oracle can't get anything good, but Ms. Windsor has to apologize to him? How old are you? If you can't handle it, go home to your mommy."
Logan was getting frustrated, but he was convinced the rough stone in Catherine's hand was worthless.
"If what Ms. Windsor has is actually good, I'll never gamble on stones again!"
Catherine shook her head gently. "No, you have to admit you're a fraud. According to the rules of the Northern Myanterra quarry, you have to leave behind one hand."
In the past, people who impersonated the Jade Oracle got off easy with just losing a hand.
Logan met Anthony's hostile gaze and shuddered.
"Fine! I agree!"
After all, the rough stone in Catherine's hand definitely wasn't anything good.
Maurice smiled. "Ms. Windsor, do you need help?"
Catherine didn't even look at him. Instead, she handed the rough stone to Alexander.
"Help me out. I'll tell you how to cut it."
"Happy to help."
Catherine was wearing a somewhat fitted strapless dress, which wasn't convenient for bending over to cut stones. After handing the stone to Alexander, Catherine didn't miss the joy shining like stars in his eyes.
Just asking him for a small favor made him this happy?
His happiness came too easily.
Perhaps sensing Alexander's delight, Catherine's lips curved slightly too.
Sophia in the audience shivered. "I'm still not used to seeing Catherine smile."
Oscar quietly leaned over. "Catherine and this guy actually look pretty good together. What does he do? Looks like a businessman, but no airs about him. Not bad, not bad."
Alexander took the rough stone Catherine had chosen and placed it on the cutting machine.
"Just cut anywhere, follow this line."
Alexander secured the rough stone, then unbuttoned and removed his suit jacket to drape over Catherine, saying thoughtfully, "There'll be dust. Wait behind me."
Her dress today was beautiful—it would be a shame if it got covered in stone-cutting dust.
Catherine's face flushed slightly as she stepped back as he suggested.
Emilia and Sophia both shivered together.
"I didn't expect Mr. Howard to be so good to Catherine, but it makes sense. If I had such a beautiful fiancée, I'd spoil her too."
Sophia was momentarily stunned.
"What? You want a fiancée too?"
Emilia was speechless.
Logan craned his neck to watch the rough stone under Alexander's hands.
The sound of the cutting machine echoed through the hall. Alexander's movements were steady, showing no sign this was his first time cutting jade rough stone.
The grinding wheel stopped spinning, and everyone in the audience held their breath.
Maurice looked at the cut surface in disbelief. "This is glass-type jade!"
Logan was the most shocked. How could there be glass-type jade in this batch of stones!
He had carefully checked each one. All the rough stones most likely to yield good jade had been cut open. How could the stone Catherine randomly picked produce glass-type jade!
The cut surface showed a brilliant green, clear and bright without a single flaw.
Catherine sprinkled some water on it and said casually, "Not bad. Glass-type, though not the finest quality."
This was already the best piece in this batch of rough stones. The Hughes family would have been lucky to get glass-type jade of this quality.
But now it was Catherine who got lucky!
She looked at the dumbfounded Maurice and raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Hughes, this is mine. As for this Jade Oracle, remember our bet!"
Logan collapsed to the ground, unable to say a word.
Glass-type jade—this woman who knew nothing had actually produced glass-type jade, while he got nothing.
The Hughes family would never let him off!
Maurice knew he couldn't rely on Logan to salvage today's situation. He waved for someone to take Logan away, then smiled at the audience.
"Ms. Windsor, I'm truly sorry. The Hughes family was also deceived by Logan. You're really lucky, and I admire that."
Someone in the audience raised a paddle. "Ms. Windsor, are you selling this jade? I really like this quality! Name your price!"
Catherine wasn't short on jade, and this piece wasn't particularly precious to her.
She turned to look at Alexander, meeting his eyes. He wore an elegant black shirt, now covered with quite a bit of stone-cutting dust.
"Do you like it?"
"I like anything you choose."
For Alexander, the value of this jade didn't matter. What mattered was that she chose it, and it was the first time she actively asked him for help.
Didn't this mean Catherine was at least trying to accept him in her own way?
"Then it's yours. After it's cut, it would make nice cufflinks."
"Great!"
Catherine turned to the audience and said coolly, "Sorry, I'm giving this stone to someone."
The paddles in the audience were lowered.
Who would dare compete with Alexander for a piece of jade?
Never mind that money was no object to Alexander—who would dare try to outspend him?
Just looking at Alexander's attitude, even if Catherine had cut open a worthless rock, he would treasure it!
Anthony smiled at Oscar. "Since Oscar is here, why not show us your skills too?"
Oscar snorted.
"Show off at your venue? Why should I? Tomorrow I'll show off at the Windsor family. Come if you want! Catherine, give me a venue!"
"Of course. If you're willing to come, the Windsor family will definitely support you."
If Charles knew Oscar was going to cut stones at the Windsor family, he'd be thrilled.
Everyone knew Oscar never produced anything cheap!
Oscar cutting stones at Windsor Villa? This meant he was backing the Windsor family!
Everyone had their own calculations.
It seemed the Hughes family's stone gambling event today was just a joke!
Anthony's face darkened. Watching Oscar's retreating figure, his heart was bleeding.
"Get someone to kill him. We can't let him show off at the Windsor family tomorrow and humiliate the Hughes family!"
He glanced at several Hughes family heirs before him.
"Whoever secures a good marriage first gets the Hughes family inheritance. Whether it's the Howard family or the Windsor family, it's up to you."
Michael and Maurice's hearts jumped—they both understood Anthony's hint. Whether the Howard family or the Windsor family, there was only one daughter!
Leaving the venue, Maurice's secretary approached him.
"Mr. Hughes, Catherine may be out of reach, but doesn't the Windsor family have an adopted daughter?"