Volume 1: Laying the Foundation Chapter 8: An Unusual Lineage

  Before long, one of his two attendants came in with two suits and respectfully presented them to Chen, saying: "Mr. Chen, Mr. Craig asked me to bring these over. He said it would be more convenient for you to wear this for the time being when attending social events."

  Chen Xiaoqi nodded and said: "Oh, I see. Put it down. Thank Mr. Craig for me."

  The housekeeper hastily took the clothes from him and, without being told to do so, took them into the inner room and hung them in the wardrobe. When she came out, she saw the three people staring at each other in silence, and hurried over to Chen Xiaoqi.

  Chen's patience finally ran out, and he raised an eyebrow to ask Gao the accountant: "Old Gao, what kind of play are you guys putting on? Why did a foreigner suddenly appear out of nowhere? And why drag Mr. Lu into it? In the end, those two were like that! What a mess!"

  Gao Zhai Fang accompanied Chen to say with a smile: "Mr. Chen, it's like this, it wasn't until this morning that Mr. Chen wanted to buy two sets of clothes..." He roughly recounted the events from when Chen Xiaoqi wanted to buy clothes to when Dennis arrived and the two people chatted in English for half a day, finally driving them away. In between, he repeatedly apologized for the incident involving Mr. Lu's flag. Mr. Lu didn't mind at all, he was just curious about what exactly Dennis and Chen Xiaoqi had done.

  Of course, the most curious one is Chen Zhanggui. He looked like a child who never grew up, with a mischievous smile on his face, and said to Chen Xiaoqi: "Hey, Old Seven! What's going on here? That foreigner usually looks down on people with his nose up in the air, how come he's being so friendly to you today? Are you two... ahahahaha!"

  Lu Jiaju smiled and said, "Alright, Sixth Brother, stop talking nonsense. I think Xiao Qi is a very thoughtful person, but what you're saying doesn't make sense to me. However, I also find it unbelievable that this Dennis, who I've had dealings with before, is actually quite arrogant as a Frenchman, and I've never heard of him being so friendly with anyone. What did you all talk about?"

  Chen Xiaoqi shook his head and smiled: "It's nothing big, I just sold a belt to him!" As he spoke, he told the two people about their discussion on cooperation. Chen Zhuanggui laughed loudly: "Good job, Old Seven! You really have your ways! I picked you up from the seaside yesterday, and today you've already fooled a foreigner! A simple belt can be turned into so many tricks, you're quite capable!"

  Lu Jiaju also laughed and said, "Sixth brother, you don't know this, but Xia Qi is not just bluffing, he has real skills. You don't know that in Europe, those so-called nobles have nothing to do all day, so they spend their time buying these luxury goods that look good but are useless. This is the same principle as when Chinese people get rich and start collecting antiques and calligraphy. They call this fashion and taste."

  "Cut it out! What kind of belt can't hold up a pair of suspenders? You're just making excuses because you've got nothing better to do! Antiques and paintings are the kind of things that appreciate in value over time, but this thing is worthless - after wearing it for a few days, it's just going to stink of sweat!"

  Chen Xiaoqi and Lu Jiaju were speechless, shaking their heads and laughing as they sat down. Chen's enthusiasm was undiminished, seemingly very pleased with Chen Xiaoqi's unexpected performance today, the smile on his face couldn't be suppressed, and wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. He waved his hand to let Old Gao go about his business, then the three of them sat in front of the tea table, launching into a long conversation.

  Chen said, "Old Seventh, yesterday evening I was drunk and brought you back, so my intoxication came on, so I went back first. Anyway, you were exhausted that day too, I thought it would be better to just talk about it another time. Plus today you've made such a big deal out of this, you really are a bit hard to figure out!"

  Lu Jiaju smiled and said, "Sixth brother, that's what they call unfathomable! Just this one thing today shows that Xiao Qi is a capable person. Sixth brother, you really have the ability to find the right people even when doing good deeds."

  Three people burst out laughing. Chen Xiaoqi knew it was time for him to show his true feelings, so he didn't wait for others to ask and immediately spoke out the words he had been preparing all day: "Sixth brother, Jiaru brother, I won't hide from you two, I'm now a person in trouble. If Sixth brother hadn't picked me up yesterday, maybe last night I would have been washed away by the waves. When Sixth brother pulled me up, I couldn't even stand myself, at that time there wasn't even anyone around to care about my life or death, it's hard to say whether I would be dead or alive, Sixth brother, thank you!"

  Having said that, Chen Xiaoqi stood up and bowed deeply to Chen Shou. At this time, the person who had just been saved should be thanking him by kowtowing, but Chen Xiaoqi had never kowtowed to anyone in his life, and he didn't think about whether he should or not at this moment. He simply followed the most solemn etiquette he knew, with a sincere and reverent attitude, to express his gratitude.

  Chen Shou hastily stood up, clasped his hands together and said urgently: "No no no! Brother, being able to meet you is also the fate we cultivated in our previous lives. It's destined that Chen Liu Zi will have an additional brother, this is a great thing! I'm so happy I haven't had time to react yet, what are you talking about thanking or not thanking? Get up get up!"

  Chen Shou felt that after decades of hard work, his physical strength was only equivalent to one or two hundred catties. However, he still couldn't lift Chen Xiaoqi up. It wasn't until Chen Xiaoqi thought it was enough time that he straightened up himself, with tears sparkling in his eyes. How could he not be excited? In this world, he was a lone person, and it was his good fortune to have encountered someone like Chen Shou who was kind-hearted and straightforward. People like him were rarer than giant pandas! He didn't go so far as to kick a man when he's down or watch the commotion from the sidelines and cheer; just being able to save a life was already something to be thankful for!

  Lu Jiaju was also happy for the two of them. Although he had never met Chen Xiaoqi before, with his family background and experience studying abroad and starting a business after returning home, his eyes were not to be trifled with. He could see that Chen Xiaoqi's sincerity was genuine and not fake, and in this matter with Denis, he could also see that this young man had unusual wisdom and potential. Sixth Brother was also an orphan, and it was a rare thing to meet someone from a similar background who shared similar personalities. Of course, as the saying goes, "the best of friends are those who have just met, but after a long time, you can see their true nature." He still needed to observe this person calmly before making any judgments.

  Chen Shoutian exaggeratedly shook his two hands and laughed: "Old Seventh! What did you do before? How come your strength is so great? I feel quite powerful every day when I carry the dough, but I didn't expect you to be even more powerful than me. Could it be that you've practiced? However, you're young and tender-skinned, not like someone who's practiced!"

  Xiao Qi smiled and said, "Sixth brother, I haven't practiced any kung fu. Since childhood, I've lived abroad, where those foreign teachers would bully us Chinese people because of their height and physique. Some domestic martial artists who went abroad couldn't bear to watch this, so they occasionally taught us kids some moves as a form of self-defense. It's not comparable to the real deal with those martial arts practitioners."

  "Oh! Is that so!" Chen Shou nodded and thought for a moment, then asked, "By the way, I remember you telling me yesterday that you didn't have a home. What's going on?"

  "Sixth brother, Jiaru brother. My ancestors were from Yexian County, Shandong Province, but I don't know which village exactly. In my grandfather's generation, our family was ruined by bandits and everyone died. My grandfather couldn't make a living, so he sold himself as an indentured servant to go to San Francisco in the United States. Later, he got married and had my father there, but didn't live for many years. It's hard for Chinese people to live abroad! Those foreigners don't treat Chinese laborers as human beings. Tens of thousands of Chinese people built such a long railroad for America, but died without even leaving behind their names, their bones buried there unknown. Later, they were driven around like homeless children, and the government even passed laws specifically excluding Chinese people."

  My parents were also helpless at the time, and later fled to Illinois, hiding in a remote farm to work for others, with no one in sight for tens of miles around. Fortunately, that family was not bad, and this state's xenophobia was not severe, so our whole family lived on like this.

  At the beginning of this year, my father accidentally fell into a coal mine and I was left alone. My mother was heartbroken and fell ill, saying before she passed away that I was all alone now and couldn't suffer anymore. I heard that there's been a revolution at home, overthrowing the Qing dynasty, so I'm coming back to take a look, to see if I can return to my roots, and also to make amends with our ancestors.

  "After I returned by boat, I followed my mother's instructions to visit Grandfather's relatives on Huang Island. Unexpectedly, the entire village was killed during the German occupation of Shandong. I took a fishing boat from Huang Island and went back and forth, but the warship of those little devils capsized it! Those damn little devils not only didn't save me, they stood there laughing and urinating on me! I barely managed to crawl out, exhausted and thinking that from now on I would be all alone, without any support or family. My heart was desolate and I didn't know what to do. If it wasn't for Sixth Brother pulling me back at the time, who knows if I wouldn't have ended my own life."

  Telling these stories, thinking that from now on, I may really never have the chance to see my biological parents again, Chen Xiaoqi's tears kept falling down, it was truly heartbreaking!

  Chen Shoutian felt a deep sense of empathy, and although he didn't shed tears, his eyes were red-rimmed as he gently patted Chen Xiaoqi's hand and sighed: "Old Seven! We brothers have the same fate! We both lost our parents early on, and in the end, it was all because of this chaotic world! But from now on, things will get better. Your sixth brother, me, I've been through hardships since childhood, being beaten and bitten by dogs, but didn't I still grow up to get married and have a wife? As long as we men have backbone and ambition, we can live with our heads held high! Losing loved ones is no use crying about it. We brothers will work together in harmony, achieve great things, marry several wives, have many children, branch out and flourish, and bring glory to our ancestors - isn't that just as good?"

  Lu Jiaju also advised: "Yes! Xiao Qi, it's already like this, and being sad is useless. You're a capable person, as long as you get through this hurdle, you'll definitely become a great talent in the future. Being able to meet Sixth Brother is the fate of brothers, I think you might as well just become sworn brothers, that way you won't be lonely, how good would that be?"

  Chen Shou was overjoyed, and he patted the tea table vigorously, laughing loudly: "Great! Great! I mean it too! In this life, we brothers have a good relationship, let's be sworn brothers! Xiao Qi, Old Seventh, what do you think?"

  Chen Xiaoqi was really moved, the other party didn't ask for favors but only with good intentions pulled him back from the seaside, and with a sincere heart, they interacted with each other. What a noble character! Such a person, in any era, can be trusted with one's life, let alone calling them brother! Of course, it's hard to come by!

  As soon as he stood up, he said with joy: "This is the best! I was just afraid that Sixth Brother would despise me for being a wild child without any background."

  Chen Shou's eyebrows furrowed, his face sank in displeasure: "What nonsense are you spouting? When I, Chen Liu-zi, speak, my words are set in stone! From today on, you are my own brother, Chen Shou!"

  Lu Jiaju also stood up and said: "This is a great thing! Sixth brother, you can't just be happy about it, this matter can't be ended so simply. Nowadays we are also considered to be people with status, Xiaoqi will have to meet people in the future, and we must hold a grand ceremony. At least, you should invite Miao Ge from Jinan over? And Zhao Lao San and a few others, choose an auspicious day, and let's make it lively!"

  Chen Shou furrowed his brow and said, "Do we have to go through so much trouble? It sounds like marrying a new bride. You cultured people always make things complicated! In the past, Liu Guan Zhang's Peach Garden Oath was just a matter of piling up earth as an incense burner and inserting grass as incense, with all the peach trees in the garden as witnesses under heaven and earth! Weren't they also brothers for life and death? The value of being brothers lies in understanding each other's hearts, not in those rules and regulations. I think it's unnecessary to go through so much trouble! Let's just go home, cook a table of dishes, stew two pig's feet, and drink two catties of wine. With three bowls as an offering to heaven and earth, that's enough!"

  Lu Jiaju shook his head: "No, no! This matter can't be handled according to your temperament. Sixth brother, Xiaoxi, it's settled then! I'll take care of this myself. These days, business hasn't been too busy, and just reading the newspaper for you is a waste of my skills as a German engineering student. Now that there's finally something serious to do, you're not allowed to compete with me!"

  Chen Xiaoqi was deeply moved, what is this? This is called treating each other with sincerity and having a clear conscience! With Chen Shou's current social status and Lu Jiaju's success, acknowledging him as his younger brother without any background or foundation, it's hard to say that he's taking care of him. But Chen Shou insisted on holding a grand ceremony for him, not just to save face for himself, but also to give face to him! Whoever knows about this will look up to him with admiration! From now on, his identity will be completely different! If it were someone else, their value would immediately increase exponentially!

  Why did Lu Jiaju insist on doing this? He had his own reasons. Although the three of them had only known each other for a day, he could see that Liu Ge was genuinely fond of Xiao Lao Di, and it was inevitable that they would get involved with each other. So why not make a big show of it and do things openly? The advantage of doing this was that on the one hand, it would give Liu Ge and Chen Xiaoqi enough face to last them for the rest of their lives. After all, isn't a man's whole life just about saving face?

  Another reason is that he also has a deep meaning, because from the brief exchange and Dennis's affair, he can see that Chen Xiaoqi is not ordinary! This is an intelligent person, or a capable and intelligent person! If such a person is honest and upright, it will be a lifelong good helper! As friends and brothers, of course, there will be no loss, and they can work together to do many great things! But if this person has ulterior motives, it's really scary. Intelligent people learn bad things, and at best, they are disastrous for the country and the people!

  After he made such a big show of it, with so many social celebrities and nobles testifying, everyone naturally understood the ins and outs of the matter. On this issue, no matter who would think that Chen Shou Ting and Lu Jia Ju were decent! They took responsibility! So when the time comes, if Chen Xiao Qi really goes astray, there will be public opinion to supervise and punish him! A thousand people pointing fingers, he will come to a dead end! In this society, those who betray trust and abandon righteousness have nowhere to go!