Chen Ke made his appearance, leaving without a trace of emotion, while Chen Zhuo, who remained behind, was completely bewildered, racking his brains but still unable to figure out what Chen Ke's purpose was.

After getting off work in the evening, I returned to my home in the alley. Thanks to the 500 silver dollars Zhou Shanhuai had taken earlier, the food at home had been much better lately.

Chen Zhuo was eating the white rice in his bowl with his head down, hesitating whether to tell Zhou Shanhuai and Song Xiaowen about seeing Chen Ke today, when Song Xiaowen put a piece of pork rib in his bowl.

"Eat more meat! I learned how to make sweet and sour pork ribs from Aunt Liu. Try it and see if it's good."

"Thank you, Mom." Chen Zhuo took a big bite. "Mmm, delicious!"

Seeing that the atmosphere was quite good, Zhou Shanhuai exchanged a glance with Song Xiaowen and then carefully asked, "Chen Zhuo, isn't school starting in two days? Shouldn't you quit your job at the Western restaurant?"

Chen Zhuo stopped picking up food with his chopsticks, looked at Zhou Shanhuai and then at Song Xiaowen, both of whom were looking at him expectantly.

But Chen Zhuo still said, "I won't go back to school. I know enough characters anyway. The salary at the Western restaurant is good, so I'll continue working there for now and change jobs when a better one comes along."

Zhou Shanhuai also put down his chopsticks and said earnestly, "Chen Zhuo, Xiaowen and I have always felt that you are a child with your own opinions. We don't want to interfere too much with you, but would you like to hear our opinions on this matter?"

Chen Zhuo nodded. "Of course I'm willing."

"Before we get to that, we'd like to ask you if you want to give up your studies because your family suddenly went bankrupt, and you feel that studying would create a financial burden for us?"

Chen Zhuo spoke frankly, "...part of it is."

This surprised Zhou Shanhuai and Song Xiaowen. "What's another reason?"

Chen Zhuo fell silent, and there was another reason...

Of course, he felt that no matter how many books he read, he couldn't make Chen Ke receive the punishment he deserved. He wanted to join the army, make merits and climb the ranks. The moment he truly had soldiers and power would be the time for him to take revenge on Chen Ke!

However, Chen Ke's puzzling actions this afternoon plunged Chen Zhuo into a state of doubt and hesitation.

However, Chen Zhuo suspected that this was a trick by Chen Ke. He was no longer the Chen Zhuo he used to be, who could be moved and warmed by a little kindness and could put aside his grudges and trust him without reservation. This time, he would never trust Chen Ke again!

Seeing Chen Zhuo's sudden silence, Zhou Shanhuai and Song Xiaowen both felt somewhat helpless.

Chen Zhuo appears kind and friendly on the surface, but he is actually very secretive and doesn't easily speak his mind.

"Alright, there's another part you don't want to talk about, so you don't have to. We don't necessarily need to know, but your parents' advice is still to continue your studies. You're only sixteen, and we can still afford your tuition. Besides, your brother... Chen Ke still has 500 silver dollars left from the money he transferred last time. That's more than enough for your tuition for three years. You don't need to worry about that at all."

Chen Zhuo kept his head down and didn't say anything.

Zhou Shanhuai was about to continue speaking when Song Xiaowen grabbed his arm and shook his head at him.

Then she turned to Chen Zhuo with a smile and said, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. There are still two days left, let's talk about it when the time comes. Come on, let's eat."

"Yes, yes, let's not talk about that anymore. Let's eat. It's rare for your mother to cook such delicious food."

"I saw Chen Ke today," Chen Zhuo suddenly said.

——

The table fell silent instantly.

Zhou Shanhuai and Song Xiaowen looked at each other, their eyes filled with nothing but surprise.

"...Did he come here specifically to see you?" Zhou Shanhuai asked cautiously.

However, Chen Zhuo seemed very calm. He shook his head and said, "I don't know."

"What did he say to you?" Song Xiaowen asked anxiously. Every time they mentioned Chen Ke, Chen Zhuo would easily lose control of his emotions. Today, they suddenly met him in person. She wondered if Chen Zhuo had overreacted or gotten hurt.

Chen Zhuo casually shoveled some rice into his mouth, "and didn't say anything."

Now Zhou Shanhuai and Song Xiaowen were even more confused.

Not only was Chen Ke puzzled about why he suddenly came back to find Chen Zhuo, but Chen Zhuo's attitude seemed to have changed abruptly.

I don't know if this change is good or bad.

In fact, Zhou Shanhuai had consulted a doctor who had returned from studying abroad about Chen Zhuo's situation. The doctor told him that it was very likely a mental illness, and that there were experts abroad who were researching this. He suggested that if there was an opportunity, the child could be taken abroad for treatment.

Before the bankruptcy, Zhou Shanhuai would certainly have been able to take Chen Zhuo out for treatment, but at that time the family had already gone bankrupt and even had difficulty eating, so Zhou Shanhuai and Song Xiaowen were powerless to help.

In the end, we could only follow the doctor's advice and try to avoid letting him come into contact with people or things that would trigger his overreaction.

Clearly, Chen Ke was the one who would provoke Chen Zhuo, so they never mentioned Chen Ke in front of Chen Zhuo.

A delicious and sumptuous dinner was lost on all three of them because of these two topics, and they were all preoccupied with their own thoughts.

That night, Zhou Shanhuai and Song Xiaowen tossed and turned, sometimes discussing Chen Ke's purpose for returning, and sometimes worrying about Chen Zhuo's "illness".

On the small bed outside, Chen Zhuo also half-closed his phoenix eyes, his dark pupils as thick as ink, repeatedly studying Chen Ke's every move today, determined to discern which of his words were true and which were deliberately said to him.

Meanwhile, Chen Ke, who caused this situation, was comfortably soaking in a retro-style luxury bathtub.

The system was also flattering him, "Master, you're really amazing. With that move, Chen Zhuo probably won't be able to sleep right now."

Chen Ke recalled Chen Zhuo's sigh. Chen Zhuo probably didn't even know how much he cared about the original owner's brother. It was precisely because he cared so much that he expressed his hatred after being hurt repeatedly.

Well, curing the little brat won't be a matter of a day or two, but his antique shop is an urgent matter.

Thanks to Lauterbach's friendly sponsorship, and the gold nugget given by a respectable person from the Song Dynasty.

Three days later, an antique shop with the name "Thirteen Factories" on its door hung up a sign on Nanjing Road, one of Shanghai's most bustling streets.

The bustling crowds on Nanjing Road, the rickshaws and trams running on the streets, the numerous department stores, and the vibrant atmosphere made it impossible to tell that the country was suffering from war, hunger, and poverty.

The shop's location wasn't ideal, but Chen Ke was very satisfied; it was a quiet oasis amidst the hustle and bustle, exactly the kind of ambiance he was looking for.

The interior design of the Thirteen Factories is classical and artistic, with antique-style decorations and exquisite furniture.

The walls are adorned with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, and every corner is filled with exquisite treasures. There are also various bonsai plants that are meticulously trimmed to create a sense of artistic beauty. It gives the impression that you wouldn't dare to enter without a certain level of status and wealth.