Frank Warren listened to these rambling words, feeling his head spinning and not knowing how to respond, his heart tangled with anxiety over his current predicament. Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of that boy in the corner. Remembering that abrupt call of “father” earlier, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

If he had really become this woman’s younger brother now, how old could he possibly be? How could he have such a big son!

Although he didn’t say anything, the eldest sister sitting at the edge of the bed noticed his gaze. Following his line of sight, her pretty face immediately turned frosty as she called out, “James Gold, come here!”

Taking a deep breath, Frank Warren looked at the boy approaching as instructed, his expression complicated. The boy stood up straight, but no matter how you looked at him, his face was full of nervousness.

Seeing James Gold biting his lip tightly and remaining silent, the eldest sister still kept a cold face: “In a moment, I’ll have someone send you back!”

James Gold’s face grew even paler. He stood there stiffly for quite a while before stammering, “Aunt, is it because I didn’t take good care of father?”

“Ever since your brother sent you here, you’ve served day and night for half a month, doing your utmost!” The eldest sister saw a bit of color return to James Gold’s face, but still didn’t relent. “But even though we share the same surname and ancestry, and are of the same blood, little brother took just a few words from your brother and a deed of sale, and accepted you as a servant—this is improper! Besides, if it weren’t for showing off money when giving your brother the gift silver, how would little brother have brought this disaster upon himself?”

Frank Warren let out a sigh of relief, but was now completely confused. Wasn’t this boy just calling him father? How did he suddenly become a servant?

James Gold’s face finally turned completely ashen. Suddenly, with a thud, he knelt down, crying, “Father, please let me stay. If I go back, I really have no way to survive! Lighting fires, boiling water, chopping wood, cleaning, serving tea... I can do it all, I can do the work of several people! When my brother sent me here, he said selling me would mean one less burden at home. Otherwise, he’d break my hands and feet and sell me to outsiders who buy children to beg! Father, I beg you, please let me stay!”

In his previous life, Frank Warren had never even married, let alone experienced a half-grown child kneeling and calling him father. His parents had died young, and he had struggled on his own, finally achieving some success, only to suffer an accident. When he woke up, it was as if he were in a dream, arriving in this strange world. At this moment, he felt that the world was vast, but he was utterly alone. Looking at the tear-streaked little fellow, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of shared misery.

“Let him stay.”

“Brother!”

“Little brother!”

“With our parents gone, I am the head of the family. Listen to me!”

Facing the four utterly disapproving looks from his eldest and second sisters, while the youngest sister was grinning as she sized up James Gold, Frank Warren felt a bit guilty, but refused to change his mind. Besides pity, he had other concerns.

Fortunately, their parents were away, so he only had to deal with the three sisters. Otherwise, he wouldn’t know what to do. But even if he passed this first hurdle, if he couldn’t figure something out with the little one calling him father, he might have to pretend to have amnesia!

“The marriage contract is established by Wang Qiu of Songming Mountain, Qianqiu Village, She County, Huizhou Prefecture. Now, his younger brother Wang Jinbao, aged eight, due to family poverty and hardship, after discussion with his wife, entrusted relatives to arrange for him to be adopted as a righteous son under the name of clan uncle Frank Warren. On this day, eight taels of silver as a gift were received in full, with the agreement to raise him to adulthood, arrange his marriage, and have him serve for life.”

After finding a way to send the three sisters out, he now sat half-upright on the bed, holding that neatly written contract for the sale and adoption of a boy. Frank Warren felt his temples throbbing. After today’s string of events, he could already be sure that he had come to another world and gained a new identity. But what a coincidence—one of the parties named in the contract was also called Frank Warren! Could this be fate at work?

But the troublesome part was, he had no memory of this identity at all, not even knowing what era it was now!

He rubbed his temples and glanced again at James Gold, who stood by with hands at his sides, as obedient as could be. He understood that James Gold’s calling him father was not without reason. The contract spelled it out in black and white: his brother had sold him to Frank Warren for eight taels of silver, in name as an adopted son. After a moment’s distraction, he continued reading down the document.

“This is a matter of mutual consent, with no overlapping claims or unclear origins, nor any profit, discount, or coercion involved. From now on, he belongs to the master, and will not return to his ancestral grave even in death. He must be diligent day and night, not daring to slack off or shirk. If he does, the master may discipline and punish him as he sees fit. Should misfortune occur, it is fate and has nothing to do with the master. This marriage contract is hereby established, with the boy’s handprint, and is handed over to the master for safekeeping.”