Li Guaizi didn't think too much about it. After showing off, he wanted to see what the five-stringed pipa they had gone through so much trouble looked like, so he quickly asked Chen Ke to open it up and take a look.
After examining it, he couldn't see any difference between it and the fake one made by Chen Ke. He was shocked to see a small scratch on the back of the pipa that he had specifically memorized. He had thought that Chen Ke had accidentally made it when he was making the fake, but it turned out that the real pipa already had such a mark.
So, Chen Ke even noticed such a small detail?
Li Guaizi looked up at Chen Ke in disbelief and gave him a thumbs up. "I have to say, your forgery is too realistic! No wonder you're so confident that no one can tell the difference!"
Chen Ke smiled calmly upon hearing this, after all, it was a product of the system.
But to the three men, that smile appeared as the calm, confident grin of a master...
Chen Ke instantly became mysterious in their minds.
"Boss, this..." Li Guai Zi started rubbing his hands together like a fly, "I wonder who your master is? Does this master still take on apprentices?"
Chen Ke hadn't expected Li Guaizi to come up with such an idea. He was indeed someone who didn't want to take any detours. He shook his head and said, "I'm afraid it's impossible. My master has already passed away."
Li Guaizi sighed with regret, "Ah, what a pity." Then, his eyes darted around, "Could I become your apprentice?"
Chen Ke: ······
"No, I swore a solemn oath that this art of deception must end with me."
Li Guaizi's face stiffened, and he said with strong disapproval, "How can this be a deceptive skill! This, this is clearly... sigh!" After talking for a long time, Li Guaizi could only sigh heavily in the end.
Seeing this, Chen Zhuo sneered: "It's a good thing I can't pass it on to you, otherwise who knows how many people would be cheated and deceived by you in the future."
Li Guaizi was displeased upon hearing this. "What do you mean? How come it's considered cheating and swindling when it comes to me? But your brother isn't?"
Chen Zhuo curled his lips and was about to retort sarcastically, but Chen Ke quickly stopped him, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Matsumoto is coming back tomorrow, and we need to be prepared for him to become suspicious and investigate, but there's no need to worry too much. If the patrol from last night comes to question us, just answer according to what we said before."
"Yes, I understand, sir."
"Li Gang, you need to repeat the dialogue with me. I'm afraid I'll be too nervous to remember it."
"If you can't remember, don't sleep tonight. Try your best to remember, otherwise not only will your reply ruin everything, but we might also end up in jail."
Li Guaizi knew that Chen Zhuo wasn't exaggerating. If they slipped up, they'd be in deep trouble. So he nodded and said, "I know, I know. I won't sleep tonight. Li Gang, don't go back later either. Let's go over the conversation a couple more times."
"OK!"
Chen Zhuo immediately looked at Chen Ke: "Brother, let's go back and rest. Your arm is already injured and you need to rest properly."
Upon hearing this, Li Guaizi and Li Gang looked at Chen Zhuo with some surprise. When did their cold and proud young master start to care about people?
Moreover, they had almost never heard Chen Zhuo call Chen Ke "Brother Chen" before, but now they hear it frequently.
Ignoring their surprised expressions, Chen Zhuo stood up and said, "Let's go. Your arm is injured, I'll drive."
Chen Kegang, who had just straightened up, paused. "You're driving?" He could barely start the car that day, and now he's driving him home?
Chen Zhuo took the car keys from Li Gang, turned around and saw Chen Ke's complicated and suspicious expression, realizing that he had overdone it that day. He looked embarrassed and said, "I'll try it first. If it doesn't work, you can do it."
Finally, after some trial and error, Chen Zhuo, extremely unskilled, drove the car safely to Chen Ke's house.
Chen Ke got out of the car and had only uttered half a sentence: "It's very late—"
Chen Zhuo replied reluctantly, "Alright then."
Chen Ke: ? ? ?
"Didn't you say it was late and you'd let me sleep here for the night?"
Chen Ke silently swallowed the rest of the sentence, "Be careful on your way back."
"Then, let's get off the bus."
······
The next day, after returning from Tianjin, Matsumoto became suspicious upon hearing the steward's report. He immediately went to the study to check, but after a thorough inspection, he found nothing unusual. Nevertheless, he still ordered the patrolling police to question Chen Ke and the others and take their statements.
Fortunately, Chen Ke had reminded them last night, and both Li Guaizi and Li Gang answered very fluently and naturally, with the same tone.
Although Matsumoto still had doubts after reading the transcript, the riot that happened yesterday was too big for him to investigate further, and the matter was thus dropped.
Chen Ke and the others only learned today that yesterday's riot was originally just a student demonstration, but it was instigated by some people and turned into a riot. Later, some vagrants and bandits joined in and took the opportunity to smash and loot, causing the situation to get out of control and become a tragedy with many dead and injured.
Chen Zhuo's school was also suspended because two students in his class lost their lives after being incited to participate in the protests, and everyone was deeply saddened.
"There are still quite a few students locked up in jail. Without some influence in their families, it's probably difficult for them to get out," Chen Zhuo said quietly, sitting at his usual desk where he did his homework, looking out at the still bustling streets.
Chen Kezai carefully wiped away non-existent dust from a double-eared porcelain vase, and after finishing one, he picked up another.
“I didn’t get along with the two people who died. Last week they even mocked me for being a coward who didn’t even dare to go to the march… But out of so many students in the class, why were only the two of them the ones who went in the end?”
Chen Zhuo's gaze out the window was unfocused, as if he were asking Chen Ke a question, or as if he were talking to himself.
Chen Ke sighed, but didn't know what to say.
The students' starting point was good; they were sincere, passionate, and patriotic, willing to sacrifice their lives for the cause of protecting their homeland. However, this is also the aspect that makes them most vulnerable to being exploited.
They considered themselves pioneers and fighters charging forward for the revolution, but in reality, they were cannon fodder for some unknown force.
However, behind every student's impulsive and passionate behavior, there are always parents who see through it all.
After this bloodshed, Chen Zhuo remained silent for a long time, and even Chen Ke didn't know what he was thinking.
However, the two got along more and more like real brothers. Chen Zhuo's concern for Chen Ke became more normal and natural. He was no longer like an awkward child and behaved very openly.
After this incident, Shanghai became increasingly turbulent. Chen Ke entered and exited the concessions more and more frequently, accelerating his cooperation with Alfred. After the first batch of merchant ships to Europe set sail, Chen Ke went to Shaanxi, ostensibly on a business trip, but in reality, he went to various ancient tombs to purchase "goods".
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