They hardly recognized Brian Carter anymore.

However, the minced pork with eggplant on the table still whetted their appetites. David Carter carefully reached out his chubby hand, pinched a bit of the minced pork, and cautiously put it in his mouth to taste, chewing slowly, then stopped moving.

Seeing him like this, Emily Thompson grew even more suspicious, so she imitated him, pinching a small piece of eggplant and putting it in her mouth.

Next, Emily Thompson's eyes suddenly lit up, and the rosy glow radiating from within her even outshone her rouge. Her lips trembled as she let out a sound that was almost a moan: "It's so delicious."

This eggplant was rich but not greasy, with a meaty aroma that burst forth as soon as it entered the mouth. The flavor spread from the inside out, smooth and refreshing to the extreme, making Emily Thompson unable to help but praise it.

She had eaten at least eighty or a hundred eggplant dishes before, but today's minced pork with eggplant made her feel as if she were floating on air.

But while she was still marveling, David Carter had already buried his head down, stretching out his "pig hand" and shoveling food into his mouth with gusto. Not only did he eat without any manners, he was even afraid that Emily Thompson would snatch his food, so he deliberately let saliva drip everywhere. With a few loud slurps, he swept the minced pork with eggplant clean.

Emily Thompson scolded angrily, "You really have no sense at all! No wonder you'll be poor all your life, working as a servant here. You'll never get a wife, and your family line will end with you."

But David Carter just licked the plate and retorted confidently, "What does it matter to you if I can't get a wife? I have a cousin!"

A moment ago he was so overbearing, but now, calling out "cousin" in such a way, it could melt anyone's heart.

His chubby hand reached out to grab Brian Carter's sleeve, but Brian Carter, finding him dirty, quickly stepped back and said, "If you have something to say, say it properly. Do you know you were wrong now?"

"I was wrong." David Carter was no fool. This cousin had suddenly become enlightened, and regardless of the reason, with such cooking skills, there was hope for reviving the restaurant. David Carter had no skills, was lazy and gluttonous, and was only taken in because he was related to Brian Carter. If he really had to leave the restaurant, he'd probably have to go back to farming. So he put on a signature Qin-family smile and said, "Cousin... no, boss, from now on I'll work hard in the kitchen. Please teach me how to cook."

Brian Carter crossed his arms and raised his nose: "Hmph!"

To forgive you so easily would really make me a bookworm. When it comes to dealing with people like this, Brian Carter had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.

On the side, Emily Thompson's eyes rolled as she realized that Brian Carter had suddenly become possessed by something and was now enlightened. She also knew he wouldn't care about the Zhou family's young lady anymore, so she giggled and said, "Carter Boy, I really misjudged you. Who would've thought you had such a hidden talent? Looks like your Qin family can continue its old business. You're not young anymore; it's time to get married. One of these days, I'll find you a match, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Brian Carter replied domineeringly, "I'll decide on my own wife, no need for you to interfere."

Emily Thompson was so angry her teeth itched, hating these two cousins to the core. She complained, "You two, not a single good one between you. One doesn't even know his own surname, and the other..." Thinking of how David Carter had snatched her minced pork with eggplant, Emily Thompson grew even angrier: "The other is a heartless glutton." With that, she stomped her foot and left.

Chapter 3: There Must Be Faith

The kitchen quieted down. David Carter looked at Brian Carter with puppy-dog eyes and pleaded pitifully, "Boss, boss... I was wrong, please forgive me, okay?"

"No way!" Brian Carter replied crisply, "How are you going to make up for all the times you hit me before?"

"That was when I was young and didn't know any better."

Brian Carter sneered, "If you hit me when you didn't know any better, wouldn't you beat me to death now that you do? Go, go, go, I don't want you anymore."

David Carter immediately burst into tears, almost wanting to hug Brian Carter's leg, wailing, "No, I can't! I'll work like an ox or a horse, live as a restaurant man, die as a restaurant ghost. Cousin, I was blinded by lard..."

Brian Carter was secretly amused. This guy really did have a bit of his own style—thick-skinned and shameless. But rivals in the same trade are enemies; if you're this shameless, won't you steal my thunder?

But Brian Carter didn't really intend to drive David Carter away, because he was out of money. Without money, he couldn't hire staff, and without help, he couldn't run the restaurant.

So he said slowly, "Forget it, after all, we're family. Brothers fight tigers, fathers and sons go to war together. I'll teach you how to cook."

"Ah..." David Carter was stunned, his voice trembling, "You... you'll teach me how to cook?"

David Carter was very excited. With his cousin's skills, even if he learned only half, he could be a top chef anywhere.

Brian Carter nodded, "That's right, we're brothers. Cousin, I've always valued this family bond. I don't have many relatives left in this world. If I really drove you away, I'd be all alone, lonely and desolate, just like a stranger in a foreign land, raising my head to gaze at the bright moon, lowering my head to think of home. Every time I lower my head, I'd think of you, and my heart would ache, my guts twisting with sorrow."

A warm feeling instantly spread through David Carter's whole body. David Carter's burly frame trembled, and he tried hard to hold back tears in his eyes: "Cousin..."

Brian Carter looked at him affectionately, "Cousin."

"Good brother!" David Carter put his hand on Brian Carter's shoulder.