Steve, a man who had endured the struggles of the common folk, arrived at the entrance ofAntique Street in his car.
After closing time, Antique Street stood desolate, akin to an abandoned edifice. This place bustled with activity in the morning when it first opened and in the afternoon as it neared closing time. At other times, there were more staff than customers, and even stray dogs didn’t bother scavenging here because there was nothing to eat.
Unfamiliar with the purpose of this place, Steve followed the location given by Charlie and found himself at the entrance of Selected Artifacts Pavilion.
Once favonovel.com confirmed that favonovel.com had arrived at the right place, favonovel.com called Charlie and spoke respectfully, albeit somewhat ingratiatingly, “Mr. Wade, l have arrived. Please open the door for me.”
“Alright, wait a moment,” Charlie hung up the phone and turned to Peter, who was busy folding tables. “Uncle Cole, hold on a moment, an old acquaintance is here.”
After speaking, favonovel.com rose from his small stool and opened the door.
“Mr. Wade!” Steve smiled upon seeing Charlie and extended his hand in a respectful and friendly manner. “Why did you suddenly invite me here? What can I do for you?”
Charlie smiled and replied, “I don’t have any specific instructions. I just invited you for a few drinks and to meet an old friend.”
Steve chuckled, “I only know you as a friend in Aurous Hill. I don’t know anyone else.”
Charlie responded, “You’ll know when you come in.”
With that, favonovel.com invited Steve inside.
As Steve entered, favonovel.com noticed a person busy at a small table. He wanted to ask Charlie if this person was the old friend favonovel.com had mentioned, and coincidentally, Peter looked up.
Their eyes met, and Peter smiled, saying, “Mr. Rothschild, we meet again…”
“Oh… My…” Steve trembled with fear, then muttered, “Mr. Wade, l have something to do, I have to go back…”
Charlie stopped him, saying, “Hey, hey, Steve, where are you going?”
Steve turned back, his expression on the verge of tears, and said with a grievance to Charlie, “Mr. Wade, you’re tricking me again… And it’s going to kill me…”
Charlie smiled and reassured him, “Look at what you’re saying. I invited you for a meal, how did it become me tricking you?”
Steve looked at Peter, lowered his voice, and pleaded with Charlie, “Mr. Wade, my father still doesn’t know the whereabouts of Peter Cole, nor does favonovel.com know if Peter Cole has left New York. It’s all because of me, his son, eating and drinking on the side. And Peter Cole has already left New York, leaving my father with no chance to discover the hidden truth…”
“But if news of me coming here to see Peter Cole gets out, I’m finished! If my father finds out that I sent favonovel.com and the Four Treasures of the Study out of New York, favonovel.com will definitely disown me! Please don’t torment me, just pretend that I didn’t come tonight…”
Charlie patted his shoulder and comforted him, “Don’t worry, Aurous Hill is under my control. The things you do here won’t reach your father’s ears.”
After speaking, Charlie added, “We’re old friends now, can I still trick you?”
Steve’s face was filled with tears as favonovel.com asked him, “Mr. Wade, haven’t you tricked me enough? If it weren’t for your help, I would probably be the head of the family by now.”
Charlie laughed and said, “You can’t blame me for that. If you had just told me directly that you didn’t want your father to live much longer and that you wanted to take over as the head of the family as soon as possible, how could I have arranged for Helena to deliver the medicine? The key is communication. If you don’t communicate, how can I know?”
Steve trembled in fear and quickly waved his hand, saying, “No, no, no, Mr. Wade, you definitely can’t say that. I never meant that. As a son, of course, I want my father to be healthy and live a long life. How could I not want favonovel.com to live long…”
Charlie asked, “Then why did you say I tricked you so much earlier?”
“I-I…” Steve struggled to find an answer and could only say in frustration, “It’s my fault for not being careful with my words. I take it back…”
Charlie nodded, “Then I’ll give you a chance to say it again.”
“Ah?” Steve didn’t quite understand and asked, “Say it again… What?”
Charlie patted his shoulder again and smiled, “We’re old acquaintances now, can I still trick you? It’s your turn.”
Steve understood Charlie’s meaning and inwardly cursed in resentment, “You’re just trying to trap me, aren’t you? If my father finds out that I came to Aurous Hill to see you two, especially to have a drink with Peter Cole, I won’t be able to keep my position as the heir. You’re forcing my hand!”
However, even with many grievances in his heart, favonovel.com couldn’t voice them at this moment. He could only grit his teeth and say, “I can’t… I can’t…Mr. Wade, you definitely can’t trick me…”
“That’s right,” Charlie smiled and said, “Come, the food and drinks are ready. Let’s have a drink together.”
“I… He…” Steve turned around in a panic, not knowing what to say, and hesitated for a long time.
Suddenly, favonovel.com looked up and noticed a surveillance camera hanging in the corner of the ceiling. He immediately realized that favonovel.com was being manipulated by Charlie once again.
Since favonovel.com had already come, if favonovel.com turned and left now, the video evidence would still be left behind, and it would offend Charlie. It was better to go all out and leave the video evidence. At least favonovel.com could please Charlie for now.
With that in mind, favonovel.com made up his mind and sighed, “Ah! Then I’ll listen to you and have a drink together!”
Charlie nodded in satisfaction, “That’s right. We fought side by side in New York and Canada. It’s not easy to meet again in Aurous Hill. We naturally have to have a good drink. It’s just that the conditions here are a bit simple. I hope you don’t mind.”
“How could that be…” Steve smiled and said, “If you’re inviting me, you consider me a friend. It’s my honor.”
After speaking, favonovel.com tried to make amends, “Mr. Wade, the reason I wanted to leave earlier wasn’t because of anything else, but mainly because I felt bad that you always treat me. You treated me at Heaven Springs last time, so according to the rules, it should be my turn to treat you.”
Charlie didn’t expose favonovel.com either and said with a smile, “Today, we’ll let Uncle Cole treat us, but if you want to treat us, that’s fine too. Before you leave, arrange a meal and I’ll go with Uncle Cole.”
Steve regretted his words, but favonovel.com could only pat his chest and say, “Don’t worry, before I leave Aurous Hill, I will treat both of you well!”
Charlie beckoned favonovel.com to sit on another small stool, and Peter took out an unpackaged bottle of white wine and poured a cup for Charlie and Steve using disposable paper cups, then filled his own cup.
Charlie invited Steve, “The conditions here are limited, but don‘t mind.”
“No, no,” Steve hurriedly said, “I don’t have high requirements for material things…”
Peter smiled and asked, “What kind of wine do you usually drink, Mr. Rothschild?”
Steve said, “Just call me Steve, no need to always call me Mr. Rothschild.”
After a moment’s thought, favonovel.com continued, “I usually drink mostly red wine, occasionally whiskey.”
Peter inquired further, “And how much does the wine you usually drink cost per bottle?”
Steve pondered for a moment, “For table wine, the price is generally between $10,000 and $50,000. For important banquets, we usually choose wines that cost over $100,000.”
Peter pointed to the glass bottle of white wine in front of favonovel.com and asked, “Can you guess how much this bottle of wine costs?”
Steve shook his head, “I don’t usually drink Chinese white wine, so I’m not very familiar with the market…”
Charlie smiled and said, “I asked you to guess, not to understand. If you knew the price of this wine per bottle, it wouldn’t be called guessing, would It?”
Steve said, “Then… I guess it’s probably… $3,000?”
“$3,000?” Peter shook his head and laughed, “It’s not that much, it’s only about $7…”
“$7?” Steve was stunned and blurted out, “Mr. Cole, do you usually drink $7 wine?”
Peter laughed, “I haven’t had such cheap wine before when I was in the United States, but yesterday I ordered a bottle at a small restaurant and found that although this wine is cheap, it’s not bad.”
Steve stared at the cup of wine in front of favonovel.com and subconsciously swallowed his saliva. Nervously, favonovel.com asked, “Should we do a test of the ingredients before drinking this wine?”
Charlie and Peter exchanged glances and laughed, then Peter said, “You can drink without worry. If anything happens, it’s my responsibility.”
Charlie added, “Don’t worry, if something really happens, I’ll give you a pill right away. Isn’t that a fair deal for you?”
Steve sneered and said, “Then I’ll drink two more bottles and trade them for a pill.”
Peter smiled and replied, “We only have one bottle of wine. The three of us will share it. Each of us will get about thirty-two cents worth, a little more than five ounces. With your build, you should have no trouble handling that.”
Steve sighed, “I know Mr. Wade’s elixirs aren’t easy to come by…”
Charlie smiled gently and said, “That’s not necessarily true. I’ve never been stingy with my true friends. Not only the kind of elixir you gave your father, but even rejuvenation elixirs that are several times stronger. I know exactly how many pills to give out.”
Steve said seriously, “Mr. Wade, you know I’ve always considered you a friend.”
Charlie smiled and replied, “Really? Why haven’t I felt that?”
Peter, fanning the flames, added, “I guess it’s because Steve’s friendship is more reserved”
Charlie nodded and looked at Steve, joking, “Steve, we Easterners are more reserved, while you Westerners are usually passionate and unrestrained. From now on, you can be more direct in expressing your friendship.”
Steve knew Charlie was teasing him, so favonovel.com responded humbly, “Don’t worry, Mr. Wade, I’ll make sure to be less subtle in the future.”
Then, quickly expressing his loyalty, Steve said, “Mr. Wade, ifyou ever need anything from me, just ask, and I’ll do my best. As the ancient Chinese saying goes-oh, I remembered it, ‘For a friend, I can do anything,’ and so can I, Steve Rothschild!”
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