Martin put down his fork and knife, and opened the beautifully wrapped box that Max handed over.



When Martin saw what was inside, his eyes lit up, and he praised, "This is a monochrome glazed porcelain cup, a good piece indeed."


Max's face showed a look of pride and he said, "Uncle Martin, I know you like antiques, so I went to several places and finally got this porcelain cup."


With the antique in hand, the frustration that Martin had felt earlier dissipated.


The color, texture, and pattern of this monochrome glazed porcelain cup were absolutely genuine.   


Holding it in his hand, Martin could even feel the traces of history. For someone obsessed with antiques and jade like Martin, its allure was immense.


"Max, you're so considerate. It must have cost you a lot. How much was it? Let me pay you for it."


"Martin, this is your birthday gift. How could I take your money? Besi

"Leo, that's enough!" Martin shouted in frustration. From his perspective, this monochrome glazed porcelain cup was definitely genuine. He couldn't understand why his son-in-law insisted it was a counterfeit.


"Leo, apologize to Max right now!" Merry chimed in.


Leo, however, just looked at Martin and said slowly and deliberately, "Dad, have you considered the possibility that you take this cup home, show it to your friends for appraisal, and they discover it's a counterfeit..."


"Well..." Martin imagined the scenario Leo described. If that happened, he wouldn't be able to face his friends in the antique collectors' circle anymore.


Martin immediately examined the porcelain cup in his hand more carefully.


The atmosphere grew tense again when a waiter opened the door from outside. A man passing by the door glanced in and immediately exclaimed in delight, "Mr. Bloomer!"


The man wal

"Do you have thirty million?" Coral stood up from her chair, locking eyes with Leo.


Leo slapped the thirty million check that Venus had given him onto the table.


A man should not let a woman look down on him!


"This Saturday at 8 AM, meet me outside the building on the first floor. I'll take you to an event where you can prove yourself to me."


Just as Leo was about to walk out of the office, Coral added, "Remember to change your clothes; wear formal attire."


Leaving the Wilde Jewelry Group building, Leo drove directly back to the Henley family estate.


After parking the car in the garage and entering the villa hall, he saw Martin and Jessica arguing about something on the sofa.


Leo didn't want to know or get involved in these domestic disputes. After greeting Martin and Jessica, he prepared to go upstairs.


Unexpectedly, Martin called out to him, "Leo, come here."


Leo turned back, noticing the displeased expression on Martin's face.


"Leo, you've been a part of our Henley family for four years. I'm about to turn fifty-five. When are you going to let me have a grandson?" Martin looked at Leo and asked.


Leo felt embarrassed, unsure of what to say.


Could he say that in the past four years, he hadn't even held Martin's daughter's hand? Let alone having a child, he couldn't even share a bed with her!


Leo's silence made Martin's face turn even colder. "Leo, I am losing my patience. If you can't have a baby by the end of this year, then divorce Sophia."


"No, he can't divorce Sophia. Who knows how much of our family's assets he will take away?" Jessica quickly exclaimed.


"Shut up!" Martin glared at her fiercely, exclaiming.


Clearly, Martin held the authority in this household.


Jessica, unwillingly, pouted but didn't dare to argue with Martin. Seeing Leo still standing there dumbly, she impatiently waved her hand, adding, "Why are you still standing there? Go do whatever you need to do."


Martin didn't say more and picked up the newspaper from the table, shaking his head as he read.


"These knockoffs are becoming more rampant. An ancient porcelain from the Fortune Store turned out to be a counterfeit."


Martin had a deep passion for antiques and jade but lacked expertise, often buying knockoffs. As a result, he now had a deep aversion to counterfeits.


As Leo went upstairs, Jessica suddenly remembered something and called out, "Leo, we won't be having dinner at home tonight. Martin's sisters are coming to Langstel. We're eating out."


"Got it," Leo replied indifferently with two simple words.


Around five in the afternoon, Sophia, unusually early, came back home. So, Leo drove the group to the Intercontinental Hotel. They had reserved a private dining room there.


In the car, Jessica, seated in the back, reminded Leo, "This year, Martin's sisters are coming early for his birthday, making it a simple family gathering. So, Leo, keep being the mute you are: eat more and talk less."


Leo still remembered the incident two years ago during a meal with Martin's sisters. He was ridiculed because of his status as a mute son-in-law, which hurt Jessica's pride.


Leo had met those so-called aunts before. Both families were snobbish and couldn't stand seeing others living better than them.


Not long after the five of them arrived at the hotel, Martin's sisters and their family also arrived.


Martin's older sister, Lillian Henley, brought her husband and daughter along with her son-in-law. Martin's younger sister brought her husband and her own son.


Upon seeing Lillian's son-in-law, Leo knew that today's dinner might not go smoothly.


Lillian's son-in-law was named Max Lucas, who married her daughter two years ago and now held a minor leadership position.


It was common for relatives to compete with each other. With the two sons-in-law present, who knew what kind of sparks would fly?


"Sophia and Tina are getting more and more beautiful, Jessica. You're really fortunate," Lillian said.


"Lillian, you seem to have gained some weight. You should watch your diet; high blood pressure and all that can be troublesome," Jessica replied.


The three families exchanged pleasantries and entered a private dining room together.


As usual, Leo was the object of neglect. To the Henley family relatives, there was no longer any sense of superiority in belittling the mute son-in-law.


After everyone was seated, Max stood up from his chair, looked at Leo, and said, "You must be Sophia's husband. I'm Max Lucas, Lily's husband."


Leo only nodded at him.


Since Jessica had instructed him to stay mute, he decided not to speak a word.


Seeing Leo only nod, Max laughed, adding, "I've heard so much about you. Oh, right, you're mute, aren't you?"


"Max, how could you say that?" Lillian feigned anger in her scolding.


Jessica's face immediately darkened, and she gave Martin a sharp look, as if to tell him to do something about his relatives.


Martin's expression also turned sour. He hadn't expected his relatives to start attacking so eagerly right after sitting down.


"Even though they're both sons-in-law, people are just different," Tina snorted.


Jessica quickly reprimanded, "Tina, stop talking nonsense. Keep quiet; no one asked for your opinion."


Her youngest daughter was so clueless, siding with outsiders.


"I'm just stating the facts. Lily's husband is a public servant, while your son-in-law is a stay-at-home husband!" Tina retorted.


"Shut up!" Martin said, angrily slapping the table.


The action startled Tina, and she didn't dare make another comment.


"Oh, Martin, take it easy. Tina was just joking. Getting so angry isn't good for your health," Martin's younger sister, Merry Henley, tried to smooth things over.


The atmosphere became awkward until the dishes were served one after another.


"Everyone, let's eat," Martin called out.


"Ahem ahem," Lillian's husband cleared his throat.


Max immediately understood the implication and took out a gift box from his bag, handing it to Martin. "Uncle Martin, tomorrow will be your birthday. I wish you an early happy birthday. This is my birthday gift for you; I hope you like it."


After Max spoke, Merry's son also stood up and said, "Uncle Martin, I also brought a birthday gift for you. It's a bit heavy, so it's in the car. I'll bring it to you after dinner."


Martin's face finally showed some warmth and a smile, and he said, "We're all family; no need for the formalities."


"You deserve these. After all, birthdays are a big deal, unlike some people who can't even give their father-in-law a decent birthday present," Lillian said, glancing at Leo.


Leo remained silent, focusing on his meal.

Martin put down his fork and knife, and opened the beautifully wrapped box that Max handed over.



When Martin saw what was inside, his eyes lit up, and he praised, "This is a monochrome glazed porcelain cup, a good piece indeed."


Max's face showed a look of pride and he said, "Uncle Martin, I know you like antiques, so I went to several places and finally got this porcelain cup."


With the antique in hand, the frustration that Martin had felt earlier dissipated.


The color, texture, and pattern of this monochrome glazed porcelain cup were absolutely genuine.   


Holding it in his hand, Martin could even feel the traces of history. For someone obsessed with antiques and jade like Martin, its allure was immense.


"Max, you're so considerate. It must have cost you a lot. How much was it? Let me pay you for it."


"Martin, this is your birthday gift. How could I take your money? Besides, it wasn't expensive at all, right Max?" Lillian gave Max a meaningful loo

Chapter 15: He Discerned What Is Treasure