Chapter 12: She Doesn't Cherish You, But I Do

"Hello? Brother-in-law? Is that you, brother-in-law?" Upon discovering that the call had connected, Heidi's anxious voice came from the other end.

"Um... Heidi, it's me, Joseph," Joseph calmly replied.

"Brother-in-law, what are you doing? Such a grown man, not answering calls, not replying to messages, disappearing for an entire day. Do you know how worried I was about you?"

"I called many neighbors and relatives, and they all said they hadn't seen you. I was so anxious that I was about to call the police."

"Do you have any idea how concerned I was that you might have jumped into the river in despair?"

"..."

Without letting Joseph say much, Heidi started scolding him.

Hearing all this, Joseph could only smile helplessly.

After thoroughly reprimanding Joseph, Heidi finally stopped, feeling much more at ease.

"Are you done?" Joseph asked with a smile.

"I'm done. Don't do this again next time. And I'm serious, don't think of doing anything rash," Heidi continued.

"I just didn't have my phone with me temporarily, so I couldn't answer the calls. I've been cooking this whole time," Joseph felt it necessary to explain.

"Whew... Speaking of eating, I haven't eaten yet. I'm starving to death," upon mentioning this, Heidi sounded so aggrieved that she was about to cry. When Joseph was around, he never let her go hungry. Today, with Joseph gone for just one day, she was already starving.

"What's going on? It's already almost 9 o'clock. Hasn't dinner been prepared at home?" Joseph asked casually.

"Brother-in-law, you have no idea. My dad's cooking skills are so bad that even dogs wouldn't eat what he makes," Heidi said.

"Of course, if my mom cooks, it's even more terrifying."

"The things they make are simply inedible. I took a bite and completely lost my appetite. I can only eat instant noodles now," when it came to food, Heidi rambled on and on.

"Before I left at noon, I put some prepared dishes in the second layer of the living room fridge. There are vegetables, meat, and even a steak. You can take them out and eat. It's enough for one meal."

"When your dad was cooking, he probably didn't open the living room fridge, so he didn't see the food inside," Joseph said offhandedly.

"Ah? Really?" Hearing this, Heidi was overjoyed.

"Go take a look, and you'll know. Just heat it up, and it'll be ready to eat," Joseph said with a smile.

"I'll go check," Heidi immediately took a bowl and chopsticks from the kitchen and hurried to the living room. She opened the second layer of the fridge and found that there were indeed five or six dishes inside, including her favorite cumin lamb chops. Heidi instantly had tears in her eyes.

"Whew, it's really here. Brother-in-law, you're truly too kind. You're the best brother-in-law in the world," Heidi directly took action, scooping a large portion of the lamb chops into her bowl, and secretly returned to her room.

Back in her room, she started eating.

"Wow, it smells so good. My dad's cooking skills can't even compare to yours," Heidi couldn't stop praising.

"Be careful eating it cold. You might get an upset stomach," Joseph reminded her helplessly.

"I can't be bothered about that now. I'm starving. Without you, I really don't even have food to eat," Heidi said.

"Brother-in-law, I miss you. I don't know how I'll live in the future. Do I have to eat out every day?"

"Brother-in-law, where are you staying now? Should I move in with you? That way, I can eat your cooking every day."

"..."

Heidi kept talking while eating.

"Right now, I'm staying at a friend's place. I don't have money to rent a place. When I have money, I'll see if I want to rent a house," Joseph said casually.

"Ah? Is that so? Then can I come over and freeload meals? I can pay for my share of the food. I have pocket money," Heidi said.

"Oh, right. Brother-in-law, you must be short on money now. I'll transfer some to you later."

"When you have money to rent a house in the future, I'll move in with you."

"By the way, about you and my sister getting divorced, don't be too sad. There are plenty of good women in this world. If my sister doesn't want you, it's her loss. One day, she'll regret it."

"If you really can't take it, I'll marry you in my sister's place. She doesn't cherish you, but I do," Heidi's words became more and more unrestrained.

*Pfft!* Joseph, who had just poured himself a glass of water and taken a sip, spat it out upon hearing Heidi's shocking statement.

"What do you mean by marrying me in your sister's place? Don't talk nonsense, okay? Can such a thing even be substituted?"

"Are you trying to sell yourself to me for a mouthful of food?" Joseph almost collapsed on the spot. This girl's way of thinking was truly bizarre.

"What's wrong with that? What's wrong with doing it for a mouthful of food? You're much better than those hypocritical jerks. Brother-in-law, why don't you consider it?"

"I'm very easy to support. As long as I have food to eat, it's enough. My monthly allowance is also not bad, but I never buy branded clothes or makeup. I basically spend very little each month," Heidi said solemnly.

"Stop talking nonsense. Eat your food properly. Don't you have school tomorrow?" Joseph laughed, not taking Heidi's words to heart at all.

"I do! Whew... In the future, no one will drive me to school, and no one will cook for me! When I'm sick, there won't even be anyone to buy medicine for me," upon mentioning school, Heidi immediately became sorrowful.

"Alright, you're an adult now. You need to learn to take care of yourself. If your stomach feels uncomfortable after eating cold food, there's medicine in the medicine box in the living room. I've written clear instructions on how to use the medicine," Joseph took the opportunity to remind her again.

"You're still the most considerate one, brother-in-law. You're such a good person, the best," Heidi felt touched in her heart. It was difficult to find another man in this world who was so meticulous and caring.

"If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now," Joseph saw that they had been chatting for quite a while.

"Wait, brother-in-law. Have you figured out what work you'll do in the future? Is there anything I can help with regarding work?" Heidi suddenly asked.

"As for work, my friend should have arranged it for me," Joseph scratched his head, a bit uncertain.

"What do you mean by 'should have arranged'? Has it been arranged or not? What kind of work has your friend arranged for you?" Heidi was a bit exasperated upon hearing these vague words.

"If there are no issues, I should be going to work as a teacher," Joseph answered with some uncertainty.

"A teacher? An elementary school teacher? Or a kindergarten teacher? If it's an elementary school teacher, that's okay. Although the pay isn't high, it's stable," Heidi said knowledgeably.

"Not an elementary school teacher. A teacher at Nova University," Joseph explained.

"What? A teacher at Nova University?" Upon hearing Joseph's words, Heidi was startled. She suspected that she had misheard or that Joseph had made a mistake.