When Vera saw the owner looking at her as if she were a sucker, she was a bit speechless. "I'm just browsing," she said.
The owner smiled. "I just got in a new batch of Longevity Stone roughs. Want to pick one out and have it cut? Let me tell you, this batch is really good."
Vera glanced at the pile of completely unappealing stones, speechless. She figured the owner must be bored and was just messing with her.
She casually pointed to a shoddy-looking stone smaller than her palm and said, "Mm, the quality on this one looks great!"
The owner glanced at the dusty gray stone, feeling a bit sheepish. He chuckled and said, "With stones, you can't judge them by their cover. It's what's inside that counts."
Vera thought the owner was unbelievably thick-skinned. Her eyes inadvertently lingered on the stone for a moment longer, and the vibrant red that met her gaze made her pause.
