"Brother Lin, why go to such lengths? This is nothing but a worldly possession."
Chen An looked at Lin Ke with gratitude. "You spoke up for me before. What I do today is merely the fruit of that earlier seed... whenever you need anything in the future, Brother Lin, I will never refuse."
"Right now, you need to attain Qi Induction more than I do. Although Uncle Li Chungang and the others are Great Confucians, even they would struggle to obtain a book on Qi Induction for you... take this first. I can read it after you finish!"
As he spoke, Chen An handed over the book.
The sight stirred something in Lin Ke's heart.
Chen An seemed about the same age as "Lin Ke," but the education they had received was entirely different.
"Lin Ke" had suffered endless mistreatment since childhood. His material hardship aside, he had barely read any books, leaving his inner world terribly barren as well.
Chen An was different.
Though his mother was gone, his father was still there.
Judging by what Minister Qi had said earlier, Chen Pingping was probably a Great Confucian, or at least not far from that level.
Under Chen Pingping's guidance, Chen An had become learned and courteous. He acted with propriety in his daily life and harbored no dissatisfaction with his circumstances.
He was remarkably like Confucius's favorite student, the Half-Saint Yan Hui.
The "Yongye" chapter of the Analects said: "With a basket of rice and a gourd of water, living in a humble alley, others could not have borne the hardship, yet Hui never let it diminish his joy."
That was exactly how Chen An was.
Of everyone Lin Ke knew, he felt Chen An came closest to being a true Noble Gentleman.
"Brother Chen, I appreciate your