Chen Ke: "...Miss Xu is indeed a person who cares about the country and its people."

Xu Manling chuckled and waved her fan. "Wrong, I'm one of those who enjoy life."

Chen Ke slowly curled the corners of his mouth. "Ms. Xu, why do we have to beat around the bush and keep us in suspense? Let's just be frank. I won't ask what you do. Chinese people don't lie to Chinese people. Can your identity convince me to cooperate with you?"

"Cooperation? Cooperate on what?"

Chen Ke: "Of course, it's about contributing my own strength to the work of cultural relic protection."

Xu Manling: "Let's be direct."

Chen Ke: "If you're cheating foreigners, I'll take eight and you'll take two."

Xu Manling: "You get six, I get four."

"Miss Xu is asking for far too much."

“Mr. Chen, I’ve helped you a lot today. Do you remember when you came in and mentioned Matsumoto to Hebrew? Hebrew hates Matsumoto the most in the Shanghai Concession. You kept telling him how good your relationship with Matsumoto was. Do you think he’ll give you a good look? Do you think you’ll still have a chance to talk to him about Voltaire?”

Chen Ke looked at Xu Manling.

Xu Manling's beautiful eyes darted around, and she lazily drew out her voice, "Boss Chen, what I'm contributing are the connections and information you need most in doing business. Isn't that worth 40%?"

This is indeed what Chen Ke needs most right now, and even though it hurts a little, he still agreed.

"Boss Chen is a shrewd businessman. Are you sure he won't be caught red-handed trying to make something out of nothing?" Xu Manling asked, looking somewhat worried and scared.

Won't it be discovered on the spot? Does that mean it's okay even if it's discovered later?

"I can guarantee this with my integrity; absolutely no one could have detected it on the spot." After all, as long as the expiration date hasn't passed, it's genuine.

"Oh... Mr. Chen, if you're so confident, the antique master behind you who makes fakes must be incredibly skilled, right?"

Chen Ke smiled and said, "Miss Xu, I haven't even inquired about your background. It's pointless for you to try to test me like this."

Xu Manling withdrew her gaze, sat up straight, and looked ahead, seemingly muttering a sarcastic remark to herself, "Boss Chen is indeed a cautious person."

Before Chen Ke could react, he said to Li Gang, "Master, park at the Lido Ballroom up ahead, I'll stop here."

Chen Ke remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he thought that Shanghai's dance halls were not as popular as they would be a few years later, and the people going there were probably mostly foreigners. No wonder Xu Manling knew so many foreigners.

Li Gang stopped the car, and Xu Manling got out with unparalleled elegance, carrying her handbag. Before leaving, she leaned forward and said to Chen Ke, "Boss Chen, welcome to visit!" before closing the car door.

"Tsk, this Miss Xu is truly extraordinary." Li Gang couldn't help but exclaim as he saw the waiters from the ballroom respectfully greet Xu Manling as soon as she got out of the car.

Chen Ke was surprised that Li Gang, who had just met Xu Manling, would also have such a feeling. He had to admit that Xu Manling was a real character, like a thousand-faced fox spirit!

He took 40% of the profits as soon as he opened his mouth; it's heartbreaking to think about!

However, this heartache turned into strength. That very night, Chen Ke went back and wrote a full page about the most influential foreigners and organizations in China. The next morning, he went to the Lido Ballroom to find Xu Manling, determined to make full use of her connections.

Still half asleep, Xu Manling stared at the entire page filled with dense text, feeling numb. She turned to look for her bed, saying, "Sorry, I got up early. I actually saw the list of all the foreigners in the concession."

Chen Ke grabbed her arm. "Miss Xu, I brought you the pen. Mark the names of the people you know."

Xu Manling: "..." Is she the King of Hell? She's already calling people's names first thing in the morning.

Half an hour later, Chen Ke successfully left the dance hall with the checked list.

Very good, we've finally made back some of that 40% of the money. Xu Manling's network of connections is truly impressive; everyone connected together forms a spider web that can almost cover the entire Shanghai International Settlement.

Chen Ke now only needs to lock onto his target and wait for Xu Manling to pull the strings... well, that doesn't sound quite right, it should be "to act as a go-between."

Seeing Chen Ke's expression of getting his money back, the system couldn't help but speak up for Xu Manling, "Master, she hasn't received a single penny yet."

Chen Ke, who already felt he had lost a lot of money all night:

"Yes, thank you for reminding me. I'm even happier now."

Chen Ke was happy and prepared to go to the antique shop to keep an eye on business and be a qualified boss. However, when he was halfway there, he glanced into the crowd and his gaze suddenly stopped.

"Stop the car! Stop the car! Li Gang, pull over!"

"What's wrong, sir?" Chen Ke had already jumped out of the car as soon as Li parked it.

Chen Ke quickly made his way through the bustling street and finally arrived at a steamed bun shop. He patted the person who was facing away from him, head down, eating a steamed bun, with some uncertainty. "Li Guaizi?"

The person being photographed first flinched when they felt a tap on their shoulder, and then, just as they were about to turn around, they were startled when they heard the voice behind them.

"Li Guaizi?" Chen Ke called out again, and then saw the person in front of him turn around in a flash.

"You, how did you change like this?" Chen Ke exclaimed in surprise the moment he saw Li Guaizi's face clearly.

The man in front of him, Li Guaizi, was wearing the clothes Chen Ke had worn when they parted, only now they were dirty and tattered. He still had the canteen hanging around his neck, but it was so dirty that its original color was almost unrecognizable. He was wearing straw sandals, looking no different from any other beggar on the streets of Shanghai.

But that wasn't what surprised Chen Ke even more. What surprised him was the wound on Li Guaizi's face that hadn't completely scabbed over, extending from behind his ear all the way to the corner of his mouth, almost running across his entire cheek.

"You, what, how did you do this?"

Chen Ke recognized Li Guai Zi, but Li Guai Zi was shocked and hesitated, completely unable to recognize him.

Is the person in front of him really the one who went down into the cave with him before? Or is it just someone who looks similar?

But, but they look so alike!

"What are you thinking about? I'm asking you a question!" Chen Ke slapped Li Guaizi hard again.

Only then did Li Guaizi seem to come to his senses, "Chen, Chen Ke?"

"You're not stupid, are you? Why didn't you respond when I called you for so long? Alright, don't just stand here, come with me." No matter how anxious he was, he couldn't just stand on the street asking questions, so Chen Ke patted Li Guaizi on the shoulder and walked towards the car.

"You, you really are Chen Ke?"

"I'm not Chen Ke, how could I possibly know you?"

The two talked as they crossed the street. Li Gang had already gotten out of the car and opened the door for Chen Ke. "Sir."

Chen Ke let Li Guaizi get in the car first.

Li Guai Zi froze in front of the car, "This, this is your car?" His astonished expression was no less than when he encountered a zombie while descending into a cave.

"Yes, go up quickly, I'll take you to my shop to talk."

"W-what? You opened a shop? In Shanghai?"

Chen Ke: ······