Samuel Grant took out the cloth bundle: “The braised chicken is ready, but the taste isn’t great, and the meat’s not tender after being cooked so long.”

Henry Bennett’s hunger eased: “Then just throw it away.”

Samuel Grant tossed the bundle into the trash can, turned his head and met Henry Bennett’s gaze, and suddenly couldn’t be bothered to argue anymore. “Senior brother,” he stared at the rim of his bowl, “I’m hungry too.”

Henry Bennett picked up the tender heart of the vegetable: “Open your mouth.”

Warmth filled his mouth, and Samuel Grant squinted his eyes in satisfaction. When he opened them again, Henry Bennett had already finished all the soup and noodles. The night was deep, and with a full stomach came a wave of drowsiness. Henry Bennett said, “If we take the bus, we’ll have to leave early.”

Samuel Grant understood. Henry Bennett added, “Will you be able to get up?”

Samuel Grant didn’t know. Henry Bennett said again, “Or I’ll just take you.”

Author’s note: It wasn’t until Samuel Grant returned to his room that he realized—so he only got a bite of vegetable??

Chapter 6: Utterly Astonished.

No one expected Samuel Grant to leave everyone in the dust during the final exams.

The brothers of the Bennett family all had good grades, but the family didn’t really value academics. Edward Bennett had said early on that jade carving was the main business, everything else was secondary. The reason no one expected it was also because Samuel Grant was always so quiet—rarely seen joking around or being serious, quiet in front of others, even quieter behind their backs.

Other than Henry Bennett, no one had ever gotten close to Samuel Grant’s daily life. But even though Henry Bennett had the advantage of proximity, he hadn’t really paid attention to Samuel Grant’s every move. He did know that Samuel Grant stayed up late every night, burning the midnight oil for who knows what. Even if he guessed it was for studying, he never imagined he’d be this good at it.

That night, Samuel Grant had softened his heart with a bowl of fine noodles, and in a moment of heat, he’d offered to keep giving him rides. But he really wasn’t cut out to serve others, so after a few times, he quickly slacked off.

Luckily, summer break arrived, and both of them were freed.

The machine room door was closed. Samuel Grant could finally take a good look around. Eugene Bennett and Earl Howard Bennett were wiping down the machines, picking out the drill bits they’d need. A few minutes later, Edward Bennett arrived too, and the master and his three apprentices were ready for class.

The air conditioning was off, but the room was cool enough with all the jade. Eugene Bennett spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito: “Bro, are we working with him?”

By “him” he meant Samuel Grant. Earl Howard Bennett glanced at Edward Bennett, but didn’t answer.

“All three of you, come here.” Edward Bennett spoke after washing his hands. “Small pieces are easy to learn but hard to master. You all know the techniques, but you have to keep working at it yourselves. This ‘keep working’—it’s not just for a month or a year, it’s for your whole life.”

Edward Bennett paused: “Shenyu, has Vera ever said this?”

Samuel Grant replied, “Master said there’s no peak in this trade, and you can never be satisfied. You have to keep climbing your whole life.”

Really, it’s the same in any field. In front of Edward Bennett sat a chunk of crystalline hibiscus the size of a Xinhua Dictionary, untouched and glowing with a phosphorescent sheen, cool to the touch and refreshing. He said, “This is a medium-sized piece. I won’t sketch it out, I’ll just start cutting and see how the blade moves.”

Normally, you’d design and plan before cutting, considering the color and luster of the material. Almost no one dares to cut directly. But Edward Bennett didn’t hesitate—he gripped the drill and boldly made a cut, then turned the piece and cut again. Four cuts in total, chips flying, deep marks everywhere, none of them connecting—almost like… destroying the piece.

At this point, Edward Bennett said, “Most natural materials are mottled and flawed. This one your senior brother brought back is top quality, but I want to test you, so I’m going to ruin it a bit.”

He really was destroying it… Eugene Bennett felt a pang in his heart, dreading how Henry Bennett would explode when he got back. Earl Howard Bennett asked, “Uncle, are we supposed to cut this piece open?”

“No,” said Edward Bennett. “It’s just one whole piece, figure it out.”

After class, Edward Bennett took Samuel Grant to Yuxiaoji, while Eugene Bennett and Earl Howard Bennett stayed behind to clean up. The two brothers moved slowly, and just cleaning up the chips took ages.

“Bro, how are we supposed to carve this?” Eugene Bennett asked. “If we don’t cut it, and each of us carves our own part, it’ll just end up a mess.”

Earl Howard Bennett said, “He wants us to work with Samuel Grant.”

Eugene Bennett was unhappy: “His skills aren’t worth praising.”

When they finished cleaning, Samuel Grant was already gone, so with one person missing, they couldn’t discuss it anyway. Worried that Henry Bennett would come back and go crazy, Eugene Bennett and Earl Howard Bennett decided to just wait and see. Samuel Grant had already arrived at Yuxiaoji, helping Edward Bennett manually sort and classify, giving the goods a final check before they went on display.

“Shenyu, do you like studying?”

“I like reading even more. Why, Master?”

“Nothing, just asking.” Edward Bennett hadn’t expected Samuel Grant’s grades to be so good. He also knew that Vera Grant had long since shifted his focus to antiques, so he wasn’t sure how interested or committed Samuel Grant was to this trade.

True to his name, Samuel Grant asked cautiously, “Master, is it because my studies are interfering with my work?” He quickly explained, “It’s just that I want to do well. You took me in for no reason, and I want to earn us both some respect.”

Edward Bennett laughed heartily: “Don’t be nervous. I just want to know what you like more. Whatever you like, Master will support you.”