Eye of Insight

Ethan, who had been silently standing nearby, was also furious. In three quick strides, he reached the bedside, bent down to drag out an old travel suitcase, pulled out the black leather wallet full of money, and walked over to Ivy. He spoke softly, "Sis, how much do you owe her? I'll pay it back."

His gentle words caused Ivy's heart to flutter. Tears welled up in her eyes, shimmering as they almost spilled over. She didn't believe Ethan could pay off this debt, but hearing those comforting words warmed her heart.

"Fifty thousand. Actually, I've already paid twenty thousand over the past two years..."

Before Ivy could finish her sentence, the aunt interjected sarcastically, "Lazy good-for-nothing, you're going to pay? With what? A bag of worthless paper?"

Without showing any emotion, Ethan unzipped the wallet and let it fall open. With a rustling sound, stacks of green bills tumbled to the floor. As the aunt stared in shock, Ethan slowly used his toe to push five stacks of cash directly in front of her.

"Fifty thousand, count it carefully, and then get lost. We're better off without relatives like you!" Ethan turned his back on the aunt, then turned to the still-surprised Ivy, saying softly, "sis, don't worry. Every cent of this money is earned honestly. I'll explain the details later. I promise you, from today onwards, your life will get better."

Tears overflowed, and Ivy burst into sobs. The strong woman finally found an outlet for all the grievances and pain she'd been holding inside. She threw herself into Ethan's arms, her tears flowing like a river. In that moment, crying seemed to be the only language that mattered.

The aunt picked up the five stacks of money from the floor. She rubbed two bills between her fingers, confirming they were real, then stared greedily at the remaining piles of cash scattered on the floor. With sneaky steps, she moved closer to the money.

Just as the aunt bent down to grab two nearby stacks, Ethan suddenly turned his head. His dark eyes were full of mockery as he looked at her, and he coldly said, "Take the money and leave. Don't you think you can stay here and eat?"

The aunt's hand recoiled like it had been bitten by a venomous snake. She forced a smile and said, "I just... wanted to help you pick up the money."

Ethan, with one arm still around the weeping Ivy, extended his other hand, palm facing her nose, and coldly ordered, "Where's the IOU?"

The aunt hesitated, throwing one last longing glance at the money on the floor. She clenched her teeth and handed over the IOU. Ethan grabbed it, crumpled it into a ball, and sneered, "Thanks. Now get out."

Face flushed, the aunt glared at Ethan before storming out. The door slammed with a loud bang, as if she were venting her frustration in this futile way.

"sis, stop crying. It's all over now. Tomorrow, I'll pay off the debt, and I'll buy you lots of beautiful clothes and a big house. You won't have to worry about money anymore..." Ethan gently patted Ivy's shoulder, offering comfort in his unique way.

Ivy's body trembled, and she broke free from Ethan's embrace. She sniffled and said, "Ean, tell me the truth about where this money came from."

Ethan smiled, sitting down with her and briefly explaining the events of the past few days, skipping over the part about meeting the old madman. When he finished, he took out the bank card with 11 million in it from his bag and handed it to Ivy.

Ivy looked at the card in disbelief. She knew Ethan never lied, but the shock in her heart was still overwhelming. Eleven million—such wealth that most people would never see in their lifetime—was now in her hands, and the weight of the card seemed heavy with it.

"Ean, is everything you said really true?"

Gurgle... a loud rumble came from Ethan's stomach, answering for him. He was starving.

"sis, everything I've said is true. You can use this money without worry." Ethan bent down to pick up the scattered bills and put them back into the leather wallet, then softly added, "How about we go downstairs for a bite to eat? I'm really hungry."

Ivy wiped her tears away and shook her head. "There's food at home. I'll cook now." She stood up and walked into the kitchen. Soon, the sound of chopping on the cutting board could be heard.

Ethan opened his laptop and began searching for information about jade betting stones. He had decided to use his mysterious, newfound ability to see through things to earn more wealth, and the magical world of jade betting seemed to be a shortcut.

He believed that the jade business was legitimate and ethical. He wasn't planning to touch the money he'd given Ivy—there was already ten thousand on the table, and he believed that, in no time, his wealth would grow like a snowball. Even if he lost his ability to see through things later, there would be no regrets.

Ethan scrolled through online resources, from how to differentiate raw jade to the pricing of various grades... the information flooded his mind like a gentle stream. He even took out a notebook and started jotting down useful details. He was so absorbed that he completely forgot about his hunger.

"Ean, dinner's ready," Ivy called out, in a great mood as she brought four dishes and a soup to the table: crispy pork ribs, braised carp, stir-fried pork, fried eggs, and a winter mushroom and wood ear soup.

The mouth-watering aroma whetted Ethan's appetite. He quickly stopped what he was doing, ran to the table, and grabbed a piece of pork rib to throw in his mouth.

"Go wash your hands. You're such a big kid, yet you don't care about hygiene," Ivy laughed, scolding him while raising her spoon as if to hit him. Ethan quickly raised his hands in surrender and said, "sis, I'll obey, I'll obey!" He turned around and ran to wash his hands, and the apartment was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Ivy's cooking skills were top-notch, and Ethan couldn't help but praise, "sis, your cooking is way better than Elysian Feast. What's with all those dishes with fancy names like Golden Melon and Peony Prosperity? They should be thrown out..."

Ivy shot him a look and asked, "What are Golden Melon and Peony Prosperity? Are those even real dish names?"

Ethan took a spoonful of soup and slurped it up, then shrugged and said, "It's just baked potatoes wrapped in tin foil and fried chicken butts. Each dish costs over eight hundred, and I've been embarrassed twice already..." He then went on to vividly recount his experience at Elysian Feast, leaving out the part where he had to deal with the blonde man, fearing Ivy's scolding.