"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.
"Brother-in-law, say what you just said again," Heidi couldn't believe her ears."Not an elementary school teacher, a teacher at Nova University," Joseph repeated his words once more."No, brother-in-law, you're not joking, are you? Nova University is the nation's top institution. The teachers and professors here must at least have a doctoral degree or something. Even the cleaning aunties have bachelor's degrees.""Brother-in-law, your friend must be messing with you, right?" Heidi found it hard to believe."It's definitely not a joke. At first, I also felt that I might not be qualified to be a teacher at Nova University, but in the past couple of days, I've remembered some things.""It seems my educational background is quite high," Joseph said with a smile, calmly."No, brother-in-law, what is your educational background?""You've even forgotten your own educational background. I give up.""However, you're only twenty-five years old this year. You got married to my sister when you w
After sending the message, Heidi stretched her arms and took off her clothes, revealing her stunning figure, and walked into the bathroom.At this moment, Joseph had just finished showering, his upper body still bare. Over the years, he had persisted in exercising every day. Although the amount of exercise was not very large, his regular lifestyle and scientific training had given him an excellent physique. With eight-pack abs and an inverted triangle-shaped body, his build was of the lean and muscular type, making it difficult to tell he had such a great figure when clothed.He wiped his hair and was about to return to his room. However, at this moment, a sudden flash of light came from the direction of Alice's room, accompanied by a "click!" sound of a camera shutter.Joseph instinctively turned his head and saw Alice shrink back into her room like a rabbit and immediately close the door. Joseph chuckled helplessly. Was this girl foolish? She even forgot to turn off the camera flash
"Ahem, don't joke around. You're taking a bath. What video call? Don't mess around," Joseph choked badly. Although he knew Heidi was just teasing him, he still felt a bit embarrassed."What's there to be afraid of? I'm soaking in the bathtub. You won't see anything. Even if you do see something, so what? Brother-in-law is not an outsider," Heidi directly sent a voice message, sounding completely nonchalant."Ahem, that's still not okay. Men and women are different," upon hearing Heidi's bold words, Joseph instantly felt awkward. This girl's way of thinking was too bizarre.Does this matter even differentiate between insiders and outsiders? Even if she's not an outsider, he can't just look casually. Joseph is a person with very traditional values.However, just as Joseph was at a loss for words, Heidi directly made a video call. Joseph was in a dilemma. Should he hang up or not? In the end, after an inner struggle and under strong moral constraints, he chose to hang up."Don't mess aro
"I... I was just using a metaphor. I'm your second uncle. Is this how you talk to me?" Hugh Cooper was stunned for a moment, unable to respond."If you don't know anything, just shut up, okay?" Fiona was quite disdainful."Fiona, my father is your second uncle, after all. You're talking to him like this. With such disrespect for your elders, I guess you don't respect Grandma in your heart either," Ryan Cooper spoke up."I don't want to waste my breath on you. If you want to investigate my character, you can do it in private.""Grandma, I just want to ask you one thing. Did you call me here to investigate my character too?" Fiona looked at the old lady and asked."Hugh, and you too, Ryan Cooper, did I let you speak? You're so eager to talk. Do you have any good solutions to solve the family's current predicament? If so, I'll let you talk all you want," the old lady tapped her cane on the ground, her expression very serious.Hearing this, Hugh Cooper and Ryan Cooper opened their mouths
When the two entered a room, a doctor had just finished examining the old master's body."Dr. Morales, is there anything wrong with the old man's body today?" the old lady asked casually."Old Madam, Old Mr. Cooper's body is still the same. His bodily functions are as active as usual, but he just won't wake up.""Based on his physical condition, he shouldn't be in a coma, but he has been maintaining this state, which makes me feel helpless.""In my thirty years of practicing medicine, I have never seen such a situation," Dr. Morales said with a wry smile."Thank you, Dr. Morales. You can go and rest. My granddaughter is here to see the old man," the old lady had already gotten used to the doctor's words.Hearing this, Dr. Morales bid farewell and left with his assistant."Grandma, I want to talk to Grandpa alone for a bit," after the doctor left, Fiona said to the old lady."Alright.""You all can leave too. It's enough to have the young miss here," the old lady looked at the servants
"Ahem... You girl, don't be like this to others. You've grown up, not a little girl anymore. Men and women are different," Joseph's face turned red, feeling a bit embarrassed. Alice was already eighteen years old. Although slightly inexperienced, she had developed in all the right places. He didn't expect her figure to be so sexy."Of course. I'm not stupid. I'm only like this to Joseph. Joseph is not an outsider. What do I have that I can't show Joseph?" Alice chuckled. Seeing Joseph's awkward appearance, she found it a bit amusing."Didn't you say it was at noon before? Why did the time change?" Joseph purposely changed the subject. He was worried that if they continued talking, something he couldn't control might happen between them."Ah? That's because Principal Geoffrey Harris is going to receive a returnee with a doctorate. I heard that the returnee has many research achievements and has published many papers in famous international journals.""Nova University has always placed
What kind of person was the young lady, and who among those who could be friends with her was a simple person?"It's okay. We're just ordinary friends," the guard's reaction made Joseph feel it was a bit exaggerated."Well, I won't disturb you then. I still have to be on duty. If you have any needs, just tell me," the guard said, nodding and bowing."Alright, thank you," Joseph said very politely."No need to thank me. It's what we should do," the guard nodded and left, looking very respectful."The young lady is a good person, and the friends she makes are of such high caliber. If it were other rich people, would they be so polite to us ordinary folks?" the guard returned to the security booth, muttering.A few minutes later, several luxury cars suddenly drove over. The guard hurried out to greet them.The window of the leading car rolled down, revealing an extremely beautiful woman wearing sunglasses."I'm Fiona Cooper from the Cooper Group. I have some business with your chairman,
"Old Mr. Morgan, you overthink. I didn't mean that. The Cooper family and I have long had nothing to do with each other. If I interfere in the Cooper family's affairs, wouldn't that be meddling?" Joseph said with a wry smile."Indeed, Mr. Wilson's mind is still very clear," Blake Morgan chuckled."Well, Old Mr. Morgan, please don't call me Mr. Wilson anymore. It sounds too awkward. You have helped me a lot and are my elder in terms of seniority. Just call me by my name," Joseph started the car and said with a faint smile."Although your master and I can be considered friends, in the end, he did me a favor. Even in terms of status, I can't be on equal footing with him. Calling you Mr. is not only a sign of respect for you but also for your master," Blake Morgan thought for a moment, looking very serious."When my master was alive, he didn't like to fuss over these things. In this regard, I take after my master. Just call me Joseph," Joseph continued."Since that's the case, I won't dec
“You sound disappointed.” “No wonder Grandpa has always valued you so highly. You’re just like him—a calculating merchant who only cares about profit.” “Selfish. Ruthless. Utterly unprincipled.” Heidi’s words were laced with venom, her disdain evident. “You’re absolutely right. That’s exactly who I am.” Fiona admitted it without hesitation, showing no intention of defending herself. “What’s wrong with you today?” Heidi shot her a sidelong glance, her tone dripping with sarcasm. She found Fiona’s behavior strange—completely out of character. Normally, Fiona would’ve at least argued back, but tonight she seemed utterly indifferent. “Haven’t I always been like this?” Fiona retorted, her voice calm and unaffected. “Looks like you’re really sick.” Heidi rolled her eyes, unable to resist a parting jab. Just as she was about to retreat to her room, Maria Long’s voice stopped her in her tracks. “Hey, Heidi, you’re back!” “Any progress on that thing I mentioned yesterday?” “Wha
“Cough, cough… I think that’s enough. Just endure it a little longer.” “Your neck is quite stiff. You’ll need to take better care of it going forward.” Joseph cleared his throat lightly, deliberately adding more pressure to his hands, hoping it might help Alice regain a bit of composure. “Mmm…” Alice let out another soft, breathy moan, her previously closed eyes fluttering open slightly. “Alright, that should do it. How do you feel now?” Joseph withdrew his hands and gently helped Alice sit upright. “It feels amazing, like all the tension in my neck has just melted away.” “But… there’s this strange sensation all over my body. I feel so warm, and I’m sweating so much.” “And… and I even felt that kind of sensation!” Alice lowered her head slightly, her cheeks burning red as she stammered. It was just a neck massage—so why had it felt so much like… that? The sensation was overwhelming, far more intense than anything she’d ever experienced before. As the memory of it lingered
“You’ll get used to it. I don’t reply to them anyway. You can just ignore or decline them if you want.” Joseph sighed and smiled helplessly. “Let me read some of their messages to you.” “‘Darling, are you free tonight? Can I treat you to dinner?’” “Listen to that—‘darling’? Even I haven’t called you that! How shameless! I’m blocking her.” Alice’s outrage was palpable as she quickly took action. “And this one—I already rejected her at noon, and she’s trying again.” “Her message is still about inviting you to her house to ‘fix her plumbing.’ Seriously? This is too much. I’m not just rejecting her; I’m going to teach her a lesson.” “‘If your pipes are clogged, call a plumber. Mr. Wilson doesn’t fix plumbing!’” Alice muttered indignantly as she typed. “Do whatever you want.” Joseph could only smile wryly—he was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of his former classmates. “And this one—oh my God, this is even more absurd! Joseph, listen to this!” “‘Mr. Wilson, my mom saw your photo
Once inside, Heidi finally let out a sigh of relief. Everything she had done felt sneaky, almost like she was committing a crime. If her sister didn’t harbor such a deep grudge against Joseph, she wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble. Or rather, it wasn’t just Fiona Cooper who resented Joseph. Her parents, and even most of the family, looked down on him. Given the circumstances, Heidi felt she had no choice but to act discreetly. "Miss, are you settled? We’re about to leave," the driver, an old and reliable servant of the Cooper family, asked. Heidi was familiar with him. "All set, Uncle Alvarez," Heidi replied casually. "Very well, Miss," Uncle Alvarez said as he started the car and drove off. Heidi pulled out her phone and found Joseph’s number. She wanted to call him but quickly realized it wasn’t the best idea. After all, Uncle Alvarez worked for the family. Who knew if he would spread the word about her call? After hesitating for a moment, Heidi decided against maki
As the two chatted, they arrived at the place where the Cooper family patriarch was being cared for. The facility was staffed around the clock, with doctors visiting every two days to monitor his condition. The room was brightly lit, its warm glow illuminating the patriarch’s peaceful face. "Grandma, how has Grandpa been lately? What do the doctors say?" Heidi asked as she approached the bedside, her gaze resting on the elderly man lying there. The patriarch appeared healthy, his complexion rosy and his expression calm. It was hard to believe that someone who looked so serene had been in a coma for so long. "The doctors say the same thing they always do—his vital signs are stable, but he still hasn’t woken up," the matriarch replied. Heidi reached out and gently took her grandfather’s hand, examining it closely. When her eyes fell on his fingernails, her expression subtly changed. Just as Joseph had described, her grandfather’s fingernails showed signs of purpling. All five nail
"My brother-in-law’s cooking is absolutely top-notch. I don’t think there’s another man in the world who can match his skills in the kitchen. I could eat his food for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. But now… who knows if I’ll ever get the chance to taste his cooking again," Heidi said, a hint of melancholy creeping into her voice. "It’s clear you were closer to him," the matriarch said, her words carrying a deeper meaning. "Of course. My sister might be able to watch him starve on the streets, but I can’t do something like that. The night he left, I transferred some money to him. While he was living with us, he barely made any money from odd jobs during the day. My mom didn’t even give him grocery money most of the time. Can you believe that?" Heidi’s voice grew angrier as she spoke. "You did the right thing. No matter what, he was once family. If there’s a chance to help him in the future, you should. Your grandfather once told me that Joseph Wilson is an orphan. He
"I may be old, but I’m not so frail that I’ll topple over at the slightest bump. Heidi’s coming over today, and she said she wanted my mapo tofu. That girl was so close to me when she was little, and her favorite dish has always been my tofu," the matriarch said fondly, sitting down after setting the plate in place. "When she was young, Heidi loved clinging to me. Her sister, though, was always closer to the old master. The old master used to say Fiona was gifted, sharp, and destined for great things. I said Heidi was mischievous, but she knew how to charm people. She’d find a good man someday and live a happy life," the matriarch said, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "Grandma, I’m here! I bought you something from the store, so I’m a little late. Look, do you like it?" Heidi’s voice rang out as she breezed into the room, her arms laden with gifts. She placed them down and shoved them into the matriarch’s hands. "You silly girl, why bring gifts? We have everything we need here!" t
"Of course! If you like this look, Joseph, I can dress like this every day," Alice said, her cheeks tinged with a rosy blush. "That would be too exhausting. Just wear whatever you like. No matter what you wear, I’ll like it," Joseph replied, laughing softly. This girl’s thought process was truly one of a kind. "Really? Do you mean you’ll like anything I wear?" Alice blinked her bright eyes at him, her curiosity piqued. "Of course. I like you as a person, not just your clothes," Joseph said with a calm smile. "Wow, really? You actually like me? Is it the kind of ‘like’ I think it is?" Alice exclaimed, covering her flushed face with her hands. For a moment, she felt so shy she wanted to bury herself in the seat. What did Joseph mean by that? Was he confessing to her? Should she say yes right away? Or should she play hard to get, pretend to be reserved, and then agree? Her heart raced wildly, her thoughts spiraling out of control. "If I didn’t like you, would that mean I disliked y
"So, when Professor Baker said ‘introduce,’ he didn’t just mean a casual introduction—he meant setting up a date," Joseph realized immediately. When Felix Baker had mentioned introducing his student, Mason Alvarez, to him in the office earlier, Joseph had assumed it was a simple professional meeting. Now, thanks to Leonard Sanchez’s clarification, he understood Baker had been playing matchmaker. "What, he mentioned it to you already?" Leonard Sanchez asked, a little surprised. "He did, but I didn’t catch his meaning at the time. Professor Sanchez, this really isn’t appropriate. Come on, I’m technically divorced. Professor Baker’s student wouldn’t want anything to do with me!" Joseph replied with a bitter smile. "Ah, nonsense! I don’t think so at all. With your talents and knowledge, Professor Wilson, just look at the female students in the school—they’re all smitten with you. Even if they knew you’d been married before, their interest in you wouldn’t wane," Leonard Sanchez said dis