"Uncle, Auntie!"

He made his rounds greeting everyone, but when he got to a short-haired woman, he suddenly paused and smiled, "Sis!"

"Little David, why are you so late? We've been waiting for you forever!"

The woman was none other than Yvonne Carter, with delicate features and, just like her younger brother, a sharp look about her. She spoke in a tone that was neither soft nor hard, but then the aunt suddenly jumped in, pulling Olivia Thompson over and eagerly introducing her: "Auntie, this is Xiao Fei's girlfriend. I liked her so much the first time I met her. Look, aren't she and our Xiao Fei a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman?"

"Oh, so this is Little Olivia? Come, come, sit next to Grandma. Little David, you come over too."

Grandma Carter was not tall, with a kind face. She beckoned the two to sit down and said, "Little Olivia, I've heard Little David mention you so many times, saying you're gentle and beautiful. Now that I see you today—oh my, my grandson really has good taste!"

"Thank you, Grandma. Little David is wonderful too." Olivia Thompson was a bit shy.

"I heard you're still in school?"

"Yes, I'm in graduate school right now."

"What are your plans for the future?"

"Uh, I'm majoring in Chinese, so I might get a teaching certificate and become a teacher at a school."

"Oh, being a teacher is great, educating and nurturing people. I didn't study well back in the day and suffered a lot for it. Not bad, not bad, Grandma supports you."

Wretch!

While the conversation was lively over there, Yvonne Carter secretly scoffed: Bringing your girlfriend to please the elders—what a shameless trick! She had just broken up with her boyfriend and couldn't conjure up a new one out of thin air, but luckily she had other plans.

Actually, the siblings used to get along well, but things had turned hostile later on. What could you do? With such a big company and assets worth over a billion, who wouldn't be tempted?

Everyone at the table was family, so there was no need for formalities, and the atmosphere was very lively. Although Grandma Carter was retired, her sharp eyes and experience from decades in the business world hadn't faded. She could easily see that these younger folks all had their own little schemes.

She couldn't be bothered to interfere, as long as things didn't get too messy, she was happy to play the role of a kindly old lady. Especially when it came to her grandson and granddaughter—in her view, a bit of competition was necessary, but it should never cross the line of family bonds.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Henry Carter, as the head of the family, stood up and said, "Let me say a few words. Today is Mother's birthday, and it's also a family gathering. Everyone is busy with their own things, so it's not easy for us to get together. Come, let's all raise a glass and wish the old lady happiness as vast as the East Sea, and a long, healthy life!"

Everyone stood up with a clatter, each calling out something different:

"Happy birthday, Mom!"

"Happy birthday, Auntie!"

"Happy birthday, Grandma!"

Glasses clinked, and everyone drank in one go, except for the old lady, who just sipped her warm wine.

Yvonne Carter saw the timing was right, so she picked up a gift box and smiled, "Grandma, this is a gift I specially prepared for you. It's not expensive, but it took a lot of effort. I hope you won't mind."

"Oh, what gift did you bring? I know you're always so thoughtful... Yvonne, then I'll open it."

The old lady took the gift box, unwrapped it, and found a small brocade box and a long incense tube inside. Opening them up, she saw a string of deep brown wooden beads in the brocade box, and, as expected, incense sticks in the tube.

The old lady knew her stuff. Seeing the beads' rich luster, natural grain, and elegant, lingering scent, she could tell they were top quality. She praised, "Yvonne, you really put thought into this. Is this Qiongzhou agarwood?"

"Grandma, you're amazing! You got it in one try!"

Yvonne Carter leaned forward, smiling with pursed lips. "I picked out the material myself in Qiongzhou—almost got tricked, too. And the incense is top-grade calming incense, perfect for you."

"Mm, very nice, very nice."

The old lady nodded. Though she was pleased, she didn't show too much emotion. She put the gifts away and then looked expectantly at David Carter.

Chapter 9: The Expert

The world of collectibles has always been popular since ancient times. Gourds, walnuts, purple clay teapots, folding fans, brush pots, jade—dozens of small items, each with its own appeal, and countless enthusiasts.

Incense appreciation is a category that has become popular in recent years. It's not widely understood, hard to master, and tends to be expensive, so its followers are relatively fixed. There are two main types: One is those who love bracelets, who go to the source to collect materials, picking up a piece of raw incense wood—real or fake—much like gambling on jade, relying on sharp eyes and luck.

The other type prefers burning incense, seeking out the finest stick, pellet, or loose incense, burning it in a bronze censer in a quiet room—either drinking tea alone or gathering with a few friends, finding joy in the experience.

But either way, it has nothing to do with making incense. Incense making is a craft, a skill; incense appreciation is a lifestyle.

Agarwood is an extremely precious incense material, with high medicinal value—this is beyond doubt. But in modern times, some speculators have hyped it up like it's some kind of magical treasure.

According to industry practice, agarwood is generally divided into seven types: fallen wood, water-submerged, earth-buried, ant-infested, live wood, white wood, and qinan.

White wood is the cheapest, qinan the rarest. As for water-submerged agarwood, there are usually two explanations: one is that the wood has fallen and been buried in a swamp, decomposed by organisms, and then retrieved from the marsh; the other is that the wood is so dense it sinks in water.

Either way, it's relatively rare and also one of the more common types.