Chapter 432: 302. The Secret of Autumn Leaf Courtyard
“Sir, I know you want to hit Qing Yi, but you can’t do it because of your status,” Li Ke said seriously, “I, as a student, can do it.”
“I have no such intention,” Qing Chen said with a smile.
“I understand,” Li Ke said.
Qing Chen thought to himself that this young man indeed possessed integrity but was not pedantic.
He thought to himself that perhaps the old man had noticed this trait as well, which was why he had sent him to Qing Chen.
However, did Li Ke know what kind of path it really was?
It was a path of nine deaths and one life; one should not embark on it unprepared.
Qing Chen did not agree with Li Ke, nor did he refuse; he merely said, “Whatever you want to do is your own business, and whether I’m willing to teach you is mine.”
Having said that, he maintained a peculiar breathing frequency and continued to lie on the lounge chair, immersed in the mysterious world.
The First Breathing Technique, combined with sniper rifle training, allowed Qing Chen to grow rapidly, experiencing the joy of growth.
Qing Chen never had the opportunity to play games like other students; now, his training felt like leveling up in a game, filled with a sense of achievement.
Although it was winter, the knight’s skin and blood circulation were different from normal people, so he didn’t feel cold.
Seeing that his master was ignoring him, Li Ke stopped talking as well.
Not only that, but he also took a fresh winter peach from the refrigerator, washed it, and placed it on the stone table next to Qing Chen.
Then he returned to the kitchen to continue preparing vegetables and cooking.
The sound of skillful knife work came from the kitchen, and the frequency of chopping indicated an experienced hand.
Qing Chen ignored it and wasn’t particularly surprised.
Soon, Li Ke had prepared four dishes and a soup and brought them to the stone table, including that dragon fish.
Just then, footsteps sounded again outside the door.
Qing Chen opened his eyes; they were unfamiliar footsteps.
Thump, thump, thump, someone outside the courtyard gate said, “Hello, is the Martial Arts School instructor here?”
Li Ke glanced at Qing Chen, “Sir, shall I open the door?”
“Go ahead,” Qing Chen nodded.
Outside the door stood two servants, each carrying a gift box in both hands, the contents unknown.
When the two servants saw Li Ke, they were taken aback, then scrutinized his apron and arm covers, glanced at the food on the stone table, and quickly understood what was happening.
In the Li Family, there were distinctions even among servants; those without perceptiveness could not enter Banhill Estate.
The estate’s servants, when facing servants from outside, always considered themselves superior.
Though everyone had signed the same labor contract.
They had already realized that the food on the stone table was personally prepared by Li Ke!
But who is Li Ke? He is currently the most anticipated descendant of the Li’s Big Room, and the favorite son of that head of household.
Every year on New Year’s Eve, the Li Family held ancestral rituals, and last year, Li Ke represented Li’s Big Room in the ritual.
The servants all knew that those who could represent a branch in the ancestral hall were significant figures.
And now, such a disciplined heir, eligible to represent a branch in the ancestral hall, had run to this remote courtyard to cook for an instructor?
Although an instructor at the Martial Arts School held a high status, it surely wasn’t high enough to warrant this!
Li Ke glanced at the servants, “You are from the second room, aren’t you? I’ve seen you before. What do you want with the instructor?”
“Ah,” the servants quickly replied, “Our boss heard that the Martial Arts School instructor has moved to a new residence, so he sent us to deliver congratulatory gifts.”
Li Ke pointed to a corner of the courtyard, “Put them there. I’ll help the instructor sort them out later. Wait, only four gifts? Go back and tell your side to bring four more. Don’t you know the proper etiquette?”
“Yes, yes, right away,” the servants hastily replied, “We’ll go back and tell them now.”
In Qing Chen’s presence, Li Ke was respectful, but he exuded a natural air of superiority when facing the servants.
This was the inherent sense of superiority that came with being born into Li’s Financial Group; they were pampered from birth.
However, at this moment, this 14-year-old boy, wearing arm covers and an apron, somehow seemed out of sync with that superior air.
The servants left, and throughout, Li Ke dealt with everything; Qing Chen didn’t say a word.
Not long after, when the servants returned, they brought several people carrying twelve boxes of gifts, completing the sixteen required!
They had brought twice as many as the eight Li Ke had initially asked for.
The servants said, “We apologize for the oversight earlier; please accept our apologies.”
Li Ke said, “Alright, put the things aside, don’t disturb the instructor’s peace.”
“Understood,” the servants quickly exited.
After a while, it seemed other branches of the Li Family had received some news, as they all sent representatives, with each branch bringing sixteen gifts.
Moreover, the first batch was delivered by servants, the second by students themselves, and the third by parents accompanying their children.
The level of ceremony became increasingly grand, with no branch wanting to be outdone by the others.
All those who brought gifts shared one characteristic: upon entering the Autumn Leaf Courtyard, their gaze would sweep back and forth between Qing Chen and Li Ke.
They were trying to gauge the relationship between Qing Chen and Li Ke.
Looking at the small mountain of gifts piling up in the corner, Qing Chen even felt it somewhat bizarre.
Is this the way of the financial consortium?