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
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
“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
Today was Fiona Cooper's birthday.Reflecting on the countless humiliations he had endured over the past three years, Joseph Wilson had little affection for his wife, Fiona Cooper. However, as husband and wife of three years, it was her birthday today, so Joseph Wilson still bought a bouquet of flowers, intending to pick her up from work at the entrance of Cooper Group.It was laughable that, as a live-in son-in-law for three years, his wife in name had never looked him in the eye. They had always slept in separate rooms, and he had never even touched Fiona Cooper's hand.Fiona Cooper never allowed Joseph Wilson to appear at the company, so every time Joseph Wilson came to pick her up from work, he would stand far away and wait for her to come out. This time was no exception.However, what Joseph Wilson did not expect was to see his wife walking out of the Cooper Group building, arm in arm with a man."Charles, why are you back so suddenly?""I finished my business abroad and missed y
Joseph drove towards Cooper Group.The Cooper Group belonged to the Cooper family, the biggest family in Nova City. Three years ago, it wasn't, but in these three years, the Cooper family had developed very rapidly, leaping to become Nova City's top family.After about half an hour, Joseph Wilson finally arrived near the Cooper Building. He parked the car in front of a secluded alley and called Fiona Cooper."Fiona, I'm here, at the usual place."Joseph Wilson said after the call connected."I know. How many times do I have to say it? Don't call me Fiona. Call me Fiona Cooper." Fiona Cooper's disgusted voice came from the other end."Okay, Fiona Cooper. I'm here, waiting for you at the usual place."Joseph Wilson repeated his words.The other end immediately hung up. Joseph was used to this. Moreover, he had already made up his mind. It was time to leave.About ten minutes later, Joseph saw a tall, beautiful, fair-skinned woman walk out of the Cooper Group building. The woman was nat
Thereafter, the three chatted idly. Joseph was full of questions, but he didn't get much useful information from Alice Morgan and Blake Morgan.After about half an hour, Blake Morgan's car drove into a luxurious villa neighborhood and stopped in front of a detached villa."Mr. Wilson, please," Blake Morgan got out of the car and personally opened the door for Joseph.The three entered the villa's hall. The interior decor of the villa could be said to be quite extravagant. At first glance, even Joseph was shocked.It was clear from this that Blake Morgan's identity was quite extraordinary. However, Joseph couldn't remember his master having a friend named Blake Morgan at all."Mr. Wilson, now that you have left the Cooper family, following your master's instructions, I will provide you with whatever assistance I can. Is there anything you need help with?" Blake Morgan poured Joseph a glass of water and asked meaningfully."I need a job and a place to live, that's all. Of course, if pos
After leaving the villa, Joseph was pulled by Alice to the underground parking garage.The garage housed dozens of cars, the least of which were luxury vehicles like Maseratis, demonstrating immense wealth."Mr. Joseph, you seem quite unhappy. Experiencing marital changes in middle age is indeed difficult to accept. But someone as outstanding as you will surely meet a better woman in the future." Alice held Joseph's arm, her breasts intentionally or unintentionally brushing against it, making Joseph feel out of place.He had never had such close contact even with his wife in name."Thank you. I'm fine," Joseph said with a wry smile."Joseph, I have a question I want to ask you." Alice released Joseph's arm, her demeanor and tone somewhat restrained."Hmm? What question?" Joseph instinctively asked."Do... do you think I'm pretty?" Alice bit her lip, mustering her courage to speak. As she uttered these words, her face flushed crimson, and she tightly grasped the hem of her clothes, her
"Joseph, what are you talking about? Money isn't an issue. Grandpa said to take good care of you, especially when it comes to money.""Joseph, you don't want Grandpa to blame me for not taking care of you, right?" Alice pouted her lips and said with a grin."Um, alright then!" Joseph felt somewhat speechless upon hearing this."I'll go tidy up the room, and then we can go out together. I do have some things I need to buy," Joseph said after a moment of hesitation."Okay, I'll tidy up my room too." At the mention of tidying up the room, Alice's pretty face blushed slightly. If she had cleaned her room properly earlier, Joseph wouldn't have seen that scene.Would Joseph think she was an improper girl? With this thought, Alice felt somewhat uneasy.Joseph agreed and left. Entering a girl's room felt a bit strange, but since Alice had pulled him in earlier, he had no choice.It was also funny to think that despite being married to Fiona Cooper for three years, he had never even entered he
“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
The problem that had troubled her for so long had been resolved in just a few sentences by the man she had always looked down upon. The irony of it all weighed on her. She had never imagined Joseph to be such a capable individual. At least in the realm of teaching, he could stand on equal footing with Leonard Sanchez. Even Leonard sought his assistance, which spoke volumes about Joseph’s brilliance in Sanchez’s eyes. "Professor Wilson, you truly are a master of inspiration. It only took a few words to open up new possibilities for us. Remarkable, truly remarkable! Mr. Harris is incredibly fortunate to have you on board. These days, I see him smiling while walking, smiling while eating, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he smiles in his sleep!" Leonard Sanchez exclaimed as he rose, his excitement palpable. Joseph had resolved one of Sanchez’s concerns today, leaving him feeling thoroughly at ease. The three directions Joseph proposed were not only practical but also highly promising. If
Fiona blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the question. "My research focuses on herbal pharmacology, so I’ve primarily studied Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing. As for Su Wen and Ling Shu, I’ve only read Huangdi Neijing Taisu, particularly the Su Wen section, but I haven’t delved deeply into it," she answered. "Ling Shu primarily discusses acupuncture, Nan Jing covers physiological and pathological conditions, and Shang Han Za Bing Lun focuses on the treatment of various internal and external diseases, along with prescriptions. Other than Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, these texts don’t seem to be directly related to my research topic, do they?" she asked, though her voice grew less certain as she spoke. "Huangdi Neijing Taisu is essentially an annotated version of Huangdi Neijing, which inevitably includes the author’s personal interpretations. I’d recommend reading the original text instead—you’ll gain far more insight that way," Joseph said, correcting her gently before continuing. "Additi