Chen Ke turned around as if startled.

"...Are you Chen Ke?" Old Mrs. Chen's eyes were filled with tears, and her voice trembled with excitement.

If Chen Ke hadn't known that the old lady was the one who made the decision, he probably would have been fooled by the superb performance.

"My name is indeed Chen Ke, and you are...?" Chen Ke looked completely bewildered, wanting to be seen as someone who didn't recognize his own family.

“I am your grandma! Oh my, my child, I’ve finally found you. Come here and let grandma take a good look at you. The last time I saw you was in a photo. You were only twelve years old then.”

"No, impossible. My parents are dead. How could my grandmother still be alive? She must have died a long time ago, otherwise she would never have come to see me." Chen Ke said firmly, very certain that his family had been destroyed and he was an orphan.

"Heh heh—" Old Mrs. Chen was so angry that she almost couldn't breathe.

"Mother, Mother!"

"Phew... I'm alright, I'm alright..." Old Mrs. Chen took two deep breaths and finally recovered. Although it was a little difficult, she still put on a kind smile and looked at Chen Ke. "Child, you've suffered. Now that you're back, come inside and we'll talk slowly inside."

A flicker of hesitation crossed Chen Ke's eyes, but he still shook his head. "Let's forget it. I think this woman has the appearance of someone who brings death to others. What if I really am a member of your family and then she brings me to my death?"

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

Seeing that Chen Ke was still holding onto her, Pan Weiyin gritted her teeth in resentment. She knew it, she knew that this little brat was born to bring misfortune to their eldest son's family.

He knows nothing yet, but he keeps cursing her. He's truly a born wicked person!

"Chen Ke!" Chen Zhengxin shouted, "Do you even know what respect and hierarchy are! I won't hold you accountable for your previous carefree behavior at the Taoist temple, but you must not spout nonsense again when you return to the Chen family!"

Chen Ke's gaze fell on Chen Zhengxin's face. He really wanted to dig open this person's brain to see if it was filled with mud and water, otherwise how could such bizarre ideas come to mind?

They want him to go back, which is tantamount to wanting him dead, yet they can still so confidently demand that he obey?

Staring into Chen Ke's dark eyes, Chen Zhengxin suddenly had the illusion that he could see right through him. The embarrassment hidden in his heart made him furious. "You unfilial son! What are you standing there for! Apologize to your aunt right now!"

"You guys aren't human traffickers, are you? You keep trying to claim kinship with me, then take me back and rip out my kidneys, heart, liver, spleen, and lungs, and then give them to..." Chen Ke dragged out his words, looking around before finally fixing his gaze on Chen Daozhi.

Chen Daozhi has been in a daze ever since he came out, unable to believe that the wild Taoist priest who made him lose face was actually his second uncle's son and his cousin.

Pan Weiyin's dizziness vanished, and she strode forward to block Chen Daozhi's path, saying, "What are you looking at? Stay away from Daozhi!"

"Wei Yin, speak more gently, what if you scare the child?" Chen Zhenghong, who had been observing, finally spoke up.

He looked at Chen Ke with a gentle expression and kind eyes, and spoke with the care and concern of an elder for a younger person, "Child, don't be afraid. We are not trying to establish a relationship without reason, and we have no intention of harming you. However, you are still young, so it is right for you to be cautious and wary of others."

After finishing speaking, Chen Zhenghong instructed Chen Daozhi, "Daozhi, go and get the photo that your grandmother often looks at."

A hint of confusion flashed in Chen Daozhi's eyes, but his mind reacted quickly, and he nodded and left.

Chen Daozhi rummaged through the drawers and cabinets in Old Mrs. Chen's room and finally found a few photos in a dusty wooden box. There were two photos of an infant and one of a toddler. When he saw the last one, Chen Daozhi had to believe that the person outside was really his cousin. Although he had changed a lot, his eyebrows and eyes were exactly the same.

Chen Daozhi walked out quickly and handed the photo to Chen Zhenghong, his expression complicated.

Chen Zhenghong didn't pay any attention, took the photo and showed it to Chen Ke, "Kid, do you remember this photo?"

Chen Ke's eyes reddened the moment he saw the photo, and he looked overwhelmed with emotion: "How did you get this photo?"

“This was left to us by your mother, child. Now you can believe what we’re saying, right?”

"Where did my mom go?"

"Son, this is a long story. Let's go inside and talk," Chen Zhenghong beckoned to Chen Ke.

Chen Ke seemed to be immersed in the pain of missing his mother, and followed Chen Zhenghong with his head down.

Everyone followed and entered the hall to take their seats.

After sitting down, Chen Zhengxin didn't even glance at Chen Ke, but kept asking Chen Daozhi if he was feeling better.

Pan Weiyin wore a smug expression. Once this little brat entered the Chen family, he would be completely at her mercy. She had countless ways to make him regret what he had just said.

Chen Ke was deliberately pulled by Chen Zhenghong to sit in the seat below him. Old Madam Chen coughed lightly, indicating that she was about to speak, and Chen Zhengxin and Chen Daozhi immediately fell silent and sat down.

Grandma Chen was very satisfied with her family rules. "Today—"

"Excuse me, it's time for my afternoon homework. I hope you all don't mind if I play the wooden fish while listening to the story?"

·······

Everyone was stunned, clearly not understanding what Chen Ke meant by this action.

Chen Daozhi suddenly felt a chill on the soles of his feet, a particularly uncomfortable sensation.

Chen Zhengxin was the first to react, and immediately scolded, "Nonsense, you think you're—"

“Hey, second brother, you should be happy that the child is diligent and ambitious.” Chen Zhenghong interrupted Chen Zhengxin and turned to Chen Ke, saying, “Go ahead and do your practice. The Taoist Heart Sutra is good for purifying the mind and cultivating the body. You’ve been in poor health since you were little, so it’s good for you to do more practice.”

Clearly, Chen Zhenghong thought that Chen Ke had only been chanting sutras and striking wooden fish at the Taoist temple for more than ten years and had not learned any skills.

Now that Chen Zhenghong had spoken, Chen Ke openly and legitimately produced the wooden fish...

Before they even started knocking, Chen Daozhi suddenly said, "Mom, come sit here. I've always been alone since I was little, and I'm really happy to suddenly have a younger brother. I want to get to know him better."

Before Pan Weiyin could react, Chen Daozhi pulled her up and made her sit next to Chen Ke.

Chen Ke: ·······

Chen Ke silently turned the wooden fish around and started tapping it, "tap, tap, tap~~~".

Haha, you think you can't knock on him just because you're not sitting across from him? How naive!

"Giggle giggle..."

Grandma Chen, who was sitting at the top, suddenly laughed.

Chen Ke's hand trembled, almost thinking that some old hen was about to lay an egg.

"Our Daozhi is so sensible. He knows how to respect his teachers and friends, and cherish his siblings. He has lived up to your father's careful teachings," said Old Mrs. Chen after laughing.

The sarcasm was practically unspoken, but Chen Ke acted as if he hadn't heard it. He turned to Chen Zhenghong while tapping his wooden fish and said, "Please begin your story, oh, begin your narration."

It doesn't matter if the story is long, as long as the merits haven't been fully collected, he will listen attentively.