Eye of Insight

Ethan answered with a couple of "hmm" sounds, then smiled at the anxious Oxie beside him. "If Bro calls you later, just tell him the truth. He'll figure out a way to help you out."

Oxie hesitated, biting her lip in doubt. Before she could say anything, her phone rang. Once she picked up, she started unloading her complaints with a voice full of grievance…

Ethan smiled slightly. He knew Mike had the ability to handle things—no matter how tough the market guys got, they wouldn't dare mess with Grant. Plus, Mike and Grant were the best of friends.

It's often said that men have four types of brotherhood: going through thick and thin together, fighting side by side, going to brothels together, and sharing dirty secrets. Mike and Grant had at least half of that covered. With this kind of bond, the rough market guys wouldn't stand a chance. Ethan figured, since he was the one rescuing the damsel in distress this time, it was only right to leave Mike some space for a dramatic "hero saves the day" moment.

The taxi pulled up right in front of the building. Oxie hurriedly paid the fare, and the two of them headed upstairs. However, Ethan turned down Oxie's offer to stick around as a "third wheel" and dashed up the stairs, already starting to prepare dinner.

When Ivy came home from work, she was greeted by the delicious smell of food wafting through the air. She couldn't help but inhale the scent. Just then, Ethan, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen holding a plate of food.

"Sis, wash your hands, dinner's ready," Ethan said, quickly serving up four dishes and a soup, smiling as he gestured for Ivy to sit down. She felt a bit overwhelmed by the attention, but went to change into something more comfortable, washed her face, and then sat down at the table.

Ethan eagerly handed her chopsticks and then picked up a large crab, placing it in her bowl. "Sis, try my cooking."

Ivy smiled slightly, raising an eyebrow. "You're being awfully nice, what do you want?"

Ethan scratched the back of his head. "Nothing much. I was thinking of going to Yunnan with some friends for a few days."

Ivy slowly cracked open the crab shell, not hurrying. "I can tell you really want to go, right?" Ethan nodded enthusiastically. He'd been studying everything about the jade market in Yunnan recently, hoping to make some money off it. If he had the chance, he didn't want to let it slip.

Ivy focused on cracking the rest of the crab, finishing it off before speaking. "Just be careful, and remember to call every day."

Ethan grinned from ear to ear, surprised by how easily Ivy agreed. To show his gratitude, he kept adding food to Ivy's bowl.

"Sis, try this shrimp, this stir-fried clams with onions, and this crab is really fat…"

Ivy's bowl was piled high, and she held up her chopsticks as if blocking him. "Stop, I'm on a diet."

It was a pretty lame excuse, but Ethan didn't mind, he obediently retracted his chopsticks and put a large shrimp in his own bowl. After dinner, Ethan took the initiative to clear the dishes and headed to the kitchen. Ivy, delighted to have some free time, opened her computer and got lost in an online game, something she rarely did.

Once Ethan had cleaned up, he sat on the bed and began reading. His phone buzzed with a message from Grace.

"The lost item has been found, don't worry about it." Ethan smiled and began preparing his things for the trip to Yunnan the next day. He only packed his bank card and ID. Thinking about the flight ahead, he couldn't suppress his excitement.

The next morning, Ethan woke up early to work out. Two hundred sit-ups and three hundred push-ups were part of his daily routine. It was this intense exercise that had built his strong physique. After a sweaty workout, he felt completely refreshed, his mind clear. It was also why his grades had always been top-notch.

He spent five minutes in the shower, then changed into a short-sleeve shirt and stuffed his ID and bank card into an old wallet. Sitting at his desk, he logged onto Facebook.

As soon as he logged in, a message popped up from Alexander Family's eldest son. "Bro, flight's booked. 9 AM sharp, don't make me kick you off the plane."

Ethan checked the time—just after 8 AM. He had plenty of time. He shut his phone off and headed downstairs for breakfast.

He grabbed a meal at the nearby stall for 10 bucks, then leisurely sipped a cup of tea, waiting until 9:10 AM when the Knight XV roared up to the street.

Mr. Grant, wearing sunglasses, got out of the car. His hair was slicked back, looking like it had been licked by a dog, definitely the kind of look that screamed "untouchable." The car pulled right up beside the food stall, and as soon as Mr. Grant got out, he spotted Ethan.

Two large men in black suits and sunglasses followed, looking like bodyguards straight out of *The Matrix*. Their presence turned heads among the stall's customers, who were all a bit startled by their strange attire in the heat.

"Haha! You're living the life, huh? Out here sipping coffee at dawn while I haven't even had breakfast!" Mr. Grant laughed loudly, sitting down opposite Ethan. His two bodyguards stood behind him.

Ethan drained his coffee and grinned. "If you're hungry, just order."

Mr. Grant made a face. "You're trying to gross me out first thing in the morning, huh? Watch out, or I'll kick you off the plane later." With that, he waved at the stall owner. "Three bowls of noodles, with beef."

Soon, three bowls of beef noodles were served. Mr. Grant handed a bowl to each bodyguard, grabbed one for himself, and started slurping it down. His eating style was hardly dignified—he shoveled the beef into his mouth with chopsticks, finishing it off in just a few bites, then slurped the broth from the bowl.

Ethan stared for a moment, then willingly paid the bill. Mr. Grant wasn't done yet. He wiped his mouth, pulled out a small box from his handbag, and slid it across the table to Ethan.

"This is for you. Don't use that old phone anymore."

Ethan opened the box and found a brand-new iPhone 16 Pro Max. Without bothering with politeness, he stuffed it into his pocket and pushed the box back toward Mr. Grant. "You can keep it for now. I didn't bring a bag."

After finishing the noodles, the four of them got into the car and headed straight for River City Airport. The two bodyguards sat in the front, while Ethan and Mr. Grant joked in the back.

"Yesterday afternoon, man, I finally saw Mike in action. You should've seen him when he got all angry for the girl. He was fiercer than any action star! Those poultry vendors didn't know what hit them." Mr. Grant laughed, recalling how, if he hadn't called in a hundred people to tie those bullies up, they would never have seen Mike unleash his fury.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Come on, don't tell me you had a few dead dogs for him to beat on?"

Mr. Grant snapped his fingers and laughed. "Bingo! That fat guy used a human punching bag for a while, and guess what happened?"

Ethan casually responded, "What else? He must've passed out from exhaustion."

Mr. Grant shook his head seriously. "Wrong. He took two Viagra pills to pump himself up before going to town. And in the end, he had the audacity to…"

Ethan froze for a moment, then burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.

Half an hour later, the car stopped at the airport's security checkpoint. A middle-aged man was already waiting, and after handing over the car keys to him, Mr. Grant walked toward the security gate.

There were no forbidden items on them, except for Grant's handbag. Ethan absent-mindedly blinked and glanced at the luggage of the passengers nearby, only to spot something unusual.

A pink soft tubular object, one end had two flaps, looking exactly like women's... well, you know. Realizing its purpose, two black lines appeared on Ethan's forehead. He thought to himself, "This guy is something else—he brought that kind of stuff onto the plane. The cabin sure does have space for all kinds of things."