Upon hearing the other party’s question, Charlie offered a faint smile and replied, “You must be Grandma’s son, right? I’m Wade. My father and your father are old friends. I came to visit Grandma Jiang.”


    The other party looked surprised and asked, “Does the old man recognize me?”


    Charlie nodded slightly in response.


    Just then, an elderly woman emerged from beneath the cooking shed. She regarded Charlie with a hint of skepticism, furrowing her brow as she asked, “Young man, do you know my husband?”


    Charlie replied, “You are Grandma Jiang, and my father knows your husband.”<fnf8eb> This text is hosted at Find[?]ovel</fnf8eb><h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    The olddy hesitated briefly before quickly saying, “Come in,e in!”


    She then called out to her son, “Yaoer, pleasee in and pour some water for our guests.”


    The middle-aged man hurried to open the door and courteously invited, “Pleasee in, both of you, and have a seat inside the room!”


    Charlie nodded in gratitude and stepped into the yard with Isaac Cameron.


    The small courtyard was modest, spanning only a few tens of square meters. It featured three wooden houses and two thatched sheds, one on the left and the other on the right. One shed housed the stove, while the other, built against the wall, created a small enclosure that resembled a toilet.


    Directly across from the gate were the three wooden houses, with the main room in the center wide open. nking this room were two smaller rooms, their doors covered by cloth curtains.


    Charlie and Isaac followed the middle-aged man into the main room, where they found a long, narrow altar table positioned against the wall. It was undoubtedly an ancient piece.


    On the altar sat incense burners and several tablets, all bearing the surname Jiang.


    Above the altar, three traditional Chinese portraits hung on the wall.


    The central portrait depicted a middle-aged man in a blue gown. Despite his lean appearance, he exuded vitality as he stood on a boulder atop a mountain, hands sped behind his back. His long beard and the hem of his garment fluttered in the wind as he gazed skyward, an expression of pride and ambition etched on his face.


    To the left of this portrait was a seven or eight-year-old boy, seated cross-legged at a stone table on the mountaintop, engrossed in a book. To the right was a portrait of an elderly man sitting upright.


    Having a background in antiques, Charlie could discern that these paintings were ancient and quite valuable.


    He couldn’t help but think, “While I’m uncertain if these three paintings were created by renowned ancient masters, their exquisite craftsmanship and unique charm suggest they are far from ordinary. If ced on the market, they could easily fetch a price of at least hundreds of thousands for a pair; one million for all three wouldn’t be too far-fetched.”


    “One million is a significant sum for most people. Given the substantial value of the three paintings hanging in the olddy’s home, why was her son deceived into going to Mexico under the guise of being a sailor? It almost cost them their lives abroad…”


    At this point, Charlie’s mind was filled with even more questions.


    Nheless, he realized that his earlier suspicions had been correct. Despite the olddy’s current financial struggles, her family had a rich history spanning over a thousand years, indicating a truly remarkable background!


    Meanwhile, the middle-aged man, noticing the two well-dressed young visitors, appeared somewhat anxious and awkward. He gestured toward the low wooden table and stools in the center of the main room, saying with a hint of embarrassment, “Please have a seat. I sincerely apologize for the humble conditions here; I appreciate your understanding. I’ll go pour some water for you both.”