At that moment, Loreen turned to Sam and said, “Brother, let me introduce you to my college ssmates!”


    As soon as she spoke, Charlie turned around with a smile. The instant Samid eyes on him, it felt as though he had encountered a ghost!


    He was taken aback for a moment before regaining hisposure, then he clenched his teeth and eximed, “Okay! My name is Wade! I was so f*cking worried about finding you. How dare youe to my grandma’s house? You won’t get away with this today. Damn you!”


    Loreen was shocked and interjected, “Brother, what are you talking about? Charlie is a guest! Why are you speaking to him like that?”


    Sam ground his teeth and retorted, “Do you know why I had to undergo surgery?”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Loreen eximed, “I heard my mom mention that you swallowed a ne.”


    “Exactly!” Sam replied angrily. “Do you think I wanted to swallow that ne? It was because of this jerk!”


    Charlie scoffed, “Master Kilgore, let’s be rational and kind. Did I force you to swallow that ne? Did I break your mouth and make you eat it?”


    Sam fell silent.


    What could he say?


    Charlie was technically right. He hadn’t forced Sam to swallow the ne; Sam had lost a bet and, unable to back out, had bitten the bullet and swallowed it. But wasn’t he still to me?


    Realizing this, Sam cursed fiercely, “Wade! You’re here to settle this with me! I just want to get even!”


    Charlie ignored him. Instead, he turned to Mrs. Thomas, presenting the gift box he had brought. “Grandma Thomas, this is a birthday gift that ire and I prepared for you. I hope you ept it.”


    Mrs. Thomas, unaware of the tension between Charlie and her grandson, remained polite, reaching out to ept the gift. “Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Charlie and ire,” she said.


    Sam watched Charlie ignore him, his frustration boiling over.


    He snatched the gift box from his grandmother’s hands and threw it to the ground, pointing at Charlie while shouting, “Wade, get out of here now! Just wait until I go to Aurous Hill; I’lle for you personally in two days!”


    Charlie remained calm, replying indifferently, “Sam, out of respect for Loreen, I’ll call you Master Kilgore. But don’t overstep your boundaries, or don’t me me for disregarding Loreen’s feelings!”


    Loreen, equally furious, eximed, “Cousin, what are you doing?! Charlie is a guest! Why are you trying to kick him out? Why would you throw away the gifts he brought for grandma?”


    With that, she bent down to pick up the now-opened gift box and the fan inside it.


    Sam sneered, “What good could a loser like him possibly give grandma? It’s just a broken fan; he’s nothing but a freeloader!”


    Mrs. Thomas sighed, feeling helpless.


    She was well aware of her grandson’s character. Although she had heard that Charlie might be connected to Sam’s surgery, looking at the situation, it seemed more likely that Sam was to me for his own troubles, rather than Charlie.


    So she said sternly, “Sam, as an adult, why is your thinking so shallow? Gifts represent thoughtfulness, regardless of their value.”


    In response, Sam pulled out a gift box from his pocket. When he opened it, a Maitreya Buddha carved from green jade was revealed.


    The jade was an imperial green, radiant and wless, with perfect carving, apanied by a circle of diamonds that sparkled brilliantly.


    He presented the jade Buddha to Mrs. Thomas, insisting, “Grandma, this jade Buddha is made from Laokeng Emperor Green, worth at least 30 million. That broken fan is worth only a few hundred. When youpare the two, the difference is clear! Rubbish is still rubbish, no matter how fancy the wrapping is!”<fn4424> Readplete version only at find{n}ovel</fn4424>