?Chapter 1697:


    As she entered the school cafeteria, a wave of student greetings echoed through the microphone, reaching Ethan’s ears.


    She requested a simple meal of pasta and boiled cabbage with onions, and the staff, in a kind gesture, reserved a chicken drumstick for her.


    Sitting down, she continued, “She’s remarkably gifted and destined to be a rare talent in music.”


    In the past, Ethan and Elsa’s interactions were often tense, never as harmonious as they were now.


    Ethan realized his mother possessed a profound respect for talent and a radiant quality to her soul.


    “Mom, look after yourself. I’ll bring people there to visit in a few days,” he said.


    Elsa responded softly, “Make sure to bring everything I listed, and some meat. The kids heree from poor households and can’t afford it. The principal tries to improve their meals, but resources are scarce, and meat at every meal is not something he could afford.”


    Ethan hung up when he arrived at Dustin’s store.


    In his mid-thirties, Dustin had a gleaming jade pendant dangling from his neck and an oud bracelet encircling his wrist, reflecting his family’s deep-rooted legacy in the antique business, where they honed a sharp instinct for spotting valuable artifacts.


    “Wow, these are remarkable! Where did you get them?” Dustin’s trained eye instantly gauged the value of the stones resting in the car’s backseat.


    “My mother collected these from the mountains. They seem promising, but I’m not sure. I wanted your expert opinion,” Ethan said.


    Neville and Rex assisted in hauling the stones indoors. Using his specialized equipment, Dustin cast a beam of light across the rocks.


    “Let’s crack them open; they look like high-grade material,” Dustin said.


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    “Go for it,” Ethan replied, a spark of excitement flickering in his chest.


    If the stones, unearthed by mountain vigers, proved valuable, it could signal the presence of an actual mine.


    Dustin selected a fist-sized purple stone and carefully split it. Its interior revealed a rich, glossy purple with minimal impurities.


    “This is exceptional,” Dustin remarked, sweeping his shlight over it again. “This is top-quality material. You could craft several bracelets, a figurine, and multiple nes from it, easily fetching hundreds of thousands.”


    Mindful of Elsa’s warning to deal fairly with Debby’s family, Ethan inquired, “What’s the value of this stone in its raw state?”


    Dustin raised three fingers. “Thirty thousand.”


    Ethan nodded. “Let’s examine the rest.”


    Dustin was equally eager to check the rest, but disappointingly, only thergest stone contained jade of decent, though not elite, quality; the others werergely worthless.


    “So, will you sell them? Since we’re old friends, I’ll offer two hundred and thirty thousand for the two valuable ones,” he said to Ethan.


    Ethan promptly agreed, sealing the deal.


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