However, upon entering, Heidi Cooper noticed Maria Long, Stephen Cooper, and Fiona Cooper sitting at the dining table, staring at each other. The atmosphere felt a bit off.
"Um, what's going on? Why isn't anyone talking? Where's brother-in-law?" Heidi sat down cautiously, sensing the unusual atmosphere.
"What brother-in-law are you talking about?" Maria Long asked with a displeased expression.
"What? Joseph Wilson, my brother-in-law," Heidi was momentarily confused.
"He's not your brother-in-law anymore," Maria Long said with disdain.
"What? How is he not my brother-in-law anymore?" Heidi was completely baffled.
"I divorced him. He's already left," Fiona said coldly.
"What? Divorced?"
"Sis, are you crazy? Why did you drive him away? What did he do to offend you?" Heidi was perplexed.
"He and I are from two different worlds. I, Fiona Cooper, look down on men like him," Fiona said with indifference.
"No, I don't know how he falls short. He's always been diligent, honest, and humble."
"You don't want to marry that Charles Martin, do you? Sis, you've gone mad. Charles Martin is not a good person," Heidi said, utterly bewildered.
"I never said I wanted to marry anyone. Eat your food," Fiona said emotionlessly, poking at her rice bowl.
"Calling him brother-in-law all day long, what's so good about that loser? Eat your food. Do you need to manage your sister's affairs? Why do you care so much about that Joseph?" Maria Long said irritably.
"Enough, let's all eat. Stop discussing that outsider," Stephen Cooper finally spoke.
"You..." Heidi was momentarily speechless.
"Enough, stop talking. Just eat!" Maria Long gave Heidi a turkey leg, trying to shut her up.
Heidi had nothing to say. She instinctively took a bite, but as soon as the food entered her mouth, she spat it out with a disgusted expression.
"Pfft... Pfft! What the hell is this? Why is the food so awful today? What's going on?" Heidi looked miserable.
"Awful? How is it awful? Your mom was busy today, so your dad cooked. Just make do with it!" Maria Long glared at Heidi.
"Mom, you have no self-awareness about your culinary skills. Your cooking is even worse than Dad's. I'm not eating. This life is unbearable. I'll go eat instant noodles by myself." Heidi stood up and returned to her room in a huff.
"Hey, you..." Maria Long was helpless seeing this.
"Is it really that bad?" Maria Long couldn't quite believe it.
"It's a bit unpleasant," Fiona had already eaten some. Although it was bearable, the food couldn't compare to what Joseph cooked.
Maria Long also tasted a bite.
"Pfft, pfft..." As soon as the food entered her mouth, she spat it out.
Stephen Cooper watched this scene with an innocent expression. His cooking skills were poor, but Maria Long's were even worse. Fiona took after her mother, with a similar level of skill.
"Stephen Cooper, what are you doing? You can't even cook a few dishes properly. Is salt free?" Maria Long exploded in anger.
"You've all gotten used to that loser's cooking. Besides, as a grown man, I can't spend all day studying how to cook, right?" Stephen Cooper said, a bit exasperated.
"I'm full. I'll go back to my room first," Fiona stood up and left for her room.
Maria Long and Stephen Cooper sat at the table, both in a bad mood.
"We can't go without eating in the future. Let's hire a housekeeper," after a long while, Maria Long finally spoke.
"That's the only way," Stephen Cooper also had a sullen expression, looking at the table full of dishes, feeling quite helpless.
Heidi returned to her room, still full of resentment.
"What's the big deal? Who does she think she is? She really considers herself a goddess? You're so high and mighty, you're so great, no man in this world is worthy of you," Heidi tossed her things on the bed, grumbling incessantly.
After taking off her outer clothes, she lay directly on the bed and took out her phone. She found Joseph's phone number and called him right away.
"Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently switched off. Please try again later," the voice prompt indicating the phone was off came from the other end.
"What's going on? Why is it switched off?" Heidi tried calling several more times, but the message remained the same.
Left with no choice, she could only send messages.
"Brother-in-law, where did you go? Why is your phone switched off?"
"Brother-in-law, what's wrong? Are you okay? Reply to me when you see the message!"
"Brother-in-law, you're not thinking of doing something stupid like committing suicide, are you? Don't do anything foolish. If you need any help, just tell me..."
"Brother-in-law, can you at least reply? You're making me really worried about you..."
"Brother-in-law?"
"..."
Heidi sent many messages in a row. She lost count of how many she had sent.
Previously, Joseph's phone was always accessible 24/7, and he would reply to messages instantly. He never disappeared like this and was basically available whenever needed, always responding to everything.
After sending numerous messages, she finally stopped.
Perhaps brother-in-law was heartbroken and didn't want to see anyone from the Cooper family anymore. It made sense. All these years, this family had always treated him as an outsider.
Thinking this way, Heidi stood up, took her cup, and went out to get some water.
"Joseph Wilson? Joseph Wilson? Get me a glass of water. Also, I'm going to wash my feet. Prepare the foot bath water for me," at this moment, Fiona's voice came from her room. Hearing these words, Heidi was a bit exasperated.
"Joseph, are you deaf or dead? Can't you hear me talking?" When there was no response, Fiona stormed out of the room.
"Sis, are you crazy? What Joseph? Didn't you drive Joseph away?"
"From now on, get your own foot bath water. Or see if Charles Martin, whom you'll marry in the future, is willing to get foot bath water for you," Heidi shook her head and sighed.
Hearing these words, Fiona remembered that Joseph had left and felt awkward.
"I... forgot," Fiona opened her mouth, but in the end, only uttered this sentence.
"He's a man, after all. Don't keep ordering him around. People have dignity. Serving you all day and getting scolded. He must feel liberated now. You're on your own!" Heidi took a sip of water and slowly walked back to her room.
Hearing Heidi's words, Fiona rubbed her forehead.
"Am I going crazy? Joseph is gone. Why am I calling for him? What an exhausting day," Fiona sighed, shook her head, and also returned to her room.
Back in the room, Fiona sat down and wearily slumped over the table.
A few minutes later, she took out her phone and stared at it, lost in thought.
"Did I... go too far?" After a long while, Fiona murmured this sentence.
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The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 9: If Only It Could Last Forever
After much inner struggle, Fiona finally dialed Joseph's number. Over the years, she had never taken the initiative to call Joseph unless there was a particularly important matter she needed him to handle.However, after dialing, the voice prompt indicated that the phone was switched off. Upon hearing this, Fiona put down the phone and continued to rest her head on the table with her eyes closed.Suddenly, her phone vibrated again. Startled, she immediately opened her phone, only to feel a sense of disappointment when she saw it was a Facebook message from her best friend, Hannah.Fiona suddenly felt a bit ridiculous. What was she expecting? For Joseph to come back and beg her not to divorce him?Thinking this way, she still opened Facebook and read the messages from Hannah."Dear Fiona, congratulations on regaining your freedom and getting rid of that loser!""So, when shall we meet up and celebrate?"Hannah sent two messages."Let's forget about celebrating. I'm busy these days. I h
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 10: I Like All Your Ways
"What does it have to do with you?" Blake Morgan was the first to reply."Grandpa is right. What does it have to do with you?" Alice also replied in the group.Seeing their responses, Mason Morgan was speechless and could only send a series of question marks in the group to express his astonishment."Dad, although you have the final say in Alice's matters, and I trust your judgment, I should at least know what kind of man my daughter is going to marry, right? I'll find time to go over and take a look after a while. There are too many things going on here in Metropolis City at the moment. @Blake Morgan," after a long time, Mason Morgan sent another lengthy message."Do as you wish. It's not like you can change anything anyway," Blake Morgan said rather domineeringly."Dad, you're overthinking. It's only just beginning now!" Alice was obviously a bit exasperated too.After replying, Alice put down her phone."Why aren't you eating yet?" At this moment, Joseph also came out from the kitc
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 11: Buying This for a Boy for the First Time
Due to the overwhelming number of messy comments, Alice couldn't read them one by one. More importantly, there was no need to do so.With her pure and beautiful appearance and good family background, naturally, many people pursued her at school. The wealthy young masters of Nova City's affluent families, without exception, were all her ardent admirers.However, in her eyes, these were all just frivolous playboys. From a young age, her heart had only been filled with her Joseph. Her entire youth was occupied by beautiful memories related to Joseph.Alice opened her phone, thinking of replying in the comment section to clarify her relationship with Joseph to avoid any misunderstandings. But after thinking about it, she stopped and deleted the entire line of text she had typed.Why should she clarify? If she deliberately clarified, would Joseph be unhappy? But if she didn't clarify, many people would be displeased, right?However, what did other people's displeasure have to do with her?
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce 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 p
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 13: I'll Marry Him in My Sister's Place
"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
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 14: Beat Her Up and Steal Her Man
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
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 15: The Cooper Family's Crisis
"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
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce Chapter 16: The Comatose Old Mr. Cooper
"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
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Chapter 314
"Oh, stop it! Don’t ask me that—you’re so shameless!" Alice covered her face, utterly embarrassed. Every time Mason Alvarez probed her with these kinds of questions, her cheeks would burn as if set ablaze. "Oh, please! You’ve been living together for so long—who would believe that nothing has happened between you two?" Mason teased with a mischievous grin. "It’s true! Joseph said he wants to wait for the right moment," Alice murmured, her voice growing softer as she buried her face deeper into her hands. "Tsk tsk, waiting for a special moment? Who would’ve thought Wilson was such a traditional man? He really doesn’t seem the type," Mason mused, clearly surprised. "Honestly, I think it’s kind of sweet," Alice said in a hushed tone. Mason draped an arm around Alice’s shoulders, her voice laced with playful mischief. "Listen, little one, a man only truly belongs to you once he’s in your grasp—understand?" Alice blinked in confusion. "What do you mean by that, Mason?" "It’s simpl
Chapter 313
"So, how do you think my conversation with him went?" Felix Baker smiled, throwing the question back at Mason Alvarez."Looks like it went pretty well—you've got a smile on your face," Mason replied casually.Felix chuckled. "It was quite enjoyable, actually. You’ve heard about all the mess Charles Martin has gotten himself into, right? Well, Director Myers' opinion of him has definitely taken a nosedive." He lowered his voice slightly—after all, discussing other professors in public wasn’t exactly appropriate.Mason’s eyes lit up. "So that means I don’t have to go on that blind date with Charles Martin anymore?" "Of course not! What’s so great about him anyway? He’s just a fool. Professor Wilson is leagues ahead of him." Felix spoke with sincerity."That’s a relief! Thanks, Professor. This whole thing had been stressing me out." Mason sighed in genuine gratitude.Felix waved it off. "No need to thank me; it was nothing. Anyway, I’m off to grab some food—you go ahead with whatever
Chapter 312
"Thank you, Alice. In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony," Mason Alvarez said with a smile. Joseph had yet to pick up his chopsticks, but she had already started eating, fully embodying the meaning of being unreserved.Joseph took a bite as well, nodding slightly in approval, offering Alice generous praise for her cooking. There was no denying it—her culinary skills had improved remarkably. "Oh, by the way, your dad called me earlier. He wants to see me after lunch," Joseph mentioned casually as he ate. "My dad? What does he want with you?" Alice asked, surprised. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Does this mean you two have already met the parents? When’s the wedding? And when can I expect to hold your baby?" Mason Alvarez teased, a playful smirk on her face. Though she joked, there was a hint of envy in her heart—perhaps even a trace of melancholy. Alice was only eighteen, yet she had already introduced her boyfriend to her father. And what about herself? Why was it that she could never seem
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"It's me—Mason Morgan! Mason Morgan! Do you get it now?" A slightly exasperated voice came through the phone. "Then say it clearly next time. My hearing isn't great—I can’t always distinguish voices over the phone." Joseph responded deliberately. "You’re not hard of hearing—you’re just doing this on purpose." Mason Morgan snapped. "Uncle Mason, how could you say that about me?" "Anyway, did you call because you've finally come around?" Joseph asked directly. "Is there anyone with you right now? Is Alice nearby?" Mason Morgan’s tone was cautious. "No, I'm alone. Just say whatever it is you need to say." Joseph replied. "This isn't something that can be explained over the phone. Why don't you come out now so we can talk in person?" Mason Morgan hesitated, sounding somewhat troubled. "Not happening. I haven’t even had lunch yet." Joseph rejected the proposal outright, his tone full of reluctance. "Lunch? Forget that! You think I’d let you go hungry? Just name a place—pic
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"You… You—!" Joseph’s words had left Lincoln Myers fuming. Not only was he livid, but more importantly, he had no retort—because, well, Joseph wasn’t wrong. He was both bald and overweight. "Alright, don’t get too worked up—anger isn’t good for your health. It’s bad to lose your temper so often." Joseph spoke with the air of someone offering sincere advice. Then, without waiting for a response, he turned and strolled away. "You brat, just you wait! You won’t get away with this!" Lincoln Myers shouted after him, but all he could do was glare at Joseph’s retreating figure before stomping off in frustration. Inside the office, Geoffrey Harris had overheard their argument. He could only shake his head helplessly. The relationship between the Traditional Medicine Department and the Modern Medical College had always been tense. Ever since Joseph’s arrival, things had escalated further. And now, Joseph had directly clashed with Lincoln Myers. In the Medical College, most professors
Chapter 309
"This kid—why should he be part of the investigation team? He himself might have issues! How can he possibly be an investigator?" Lincoln Myers shot a pointed look at Joseph, his voice filled with skepticism. Joseph, however, merely chuckled. "Director Myers, I originally had no interest in getting involved in this matter, but now that you've questioned me like this, I find myself quite intrigued." His tone was deliberately teasing. Hearing Joseph’s infuriating response, Lincoln Myers’s temper flared instantly. Seeing the smug grin on Joseph’s face only made him want to throw a punch at him. "You little brat, you just love going against me, don’t you?" He fumed. "You were the one who started going against me first," Joseph replied with a smirk. "Alright, enough. Stop arguing." "Director Myers, listen to me." Geoffrey Harris waved a hand, cutting off their bickering. "Professor Wilson is not only a direct witness to this medical incident, but he was also Old Mr. Cooper’s at
Chapter 308
"Since the inquiry has been issued, we must conduct an investigation. After gathering our findings, we’ll need to submit a formal report to the higher authorities." "This investigation won’t just focus on Charles Martin’s actions last Saturday—it will also cover his professional history, educational background, academic achievements, and more. Everything must be thoroughly reviewed." "Therefore, we need to establish an investigation committee." Geoffrey Harris stated decisively. "An investigation committee… Don’t tell me I’m going to be on it?" Joseph raised an eyebrow, finding the situation rather amusing. Him investigating Charles Martin? Now, that was something he never saw coming. "Professor Wilson, you managed to wake Old Mr. Cooper. You’re more than qualified to be on this committee." "You were directly involved in the incident, and besides, isn’t the Modern Medical College currently investigating you as well?" Leonard Sanchez was quick to express his support for Joseph
Chapter 307
"Professor Wilson, you’re here! Come, come, have a seat—no rush, take your time. Here, have some tea first." Geoffrey Harris greeted Joseph warmly the moment he saw him. "This is from an excellent coffeehouse—give it a try," he added, pouring Joseph a cup of coffee. Joseph took a sip and nodded appreciatively. "It’s quite good." "I just called Professor Sanchez over. Once he arrives, we’ll get down to business," Geoffrey Harris continued. "Sounds good. I’ll wait," Joseph said, setting his coffee down with a slight smile. "Professor Wilson, how’s your teaching going lately? How does it feel to be a professor?" Geoffrey Harris started making small talk. "It’s been going well. The students are enthusiastic, and the work is smooth—though I’d say that’s mostly thanks to their cooperation," Joseph replied modestly. "Ah, Professor Wilson, I have to disagree with you there! It’s not just about the students cooperating—it’s about your exceptional expertise." "I’ve not only heard abou
Chapter 306
"Huh? Yes, that’s definitely the ladies’ room… What on earth is Professor Charles Martin doing in there?" The female student frowned, puzzled. "I'll go take a look," Joseph said without hesitation. "Wait, Professor Wilson! That’s the ladies’ restroom!" The female student called out, trying to stop him. "I just want to check on Professor Martin. He’s young and inexperienced—I’m worried he might have lost his way." "If he’s engaged in any inappropriate behavior, I’ll put a stop to it immediately." With that, Joseph strode toward the restroom. The female student stood frozen, stunned by his words. "Professor Wilson is such a man of integrity! He’s actually worried about Professor Martin going down the wrong path!" "Intervening to prevent crime, standing up for justice—he's a true role model for us all!" "Professor Wilson is the embodiment of positive energy!" The surrounding students, both male and female, were full of admiration. Of course, Joseph, already walking toward th