“Heh, let’s not talk about that.” Seeing Brian Carter’s suppressed expression, William Brooks’s eyes reddened again before he finally spoke, “How is your Aunt Xiu doing? Has she been well lately?”

　　Mentioning his own wife, William Brooks fell into gloom once more. A once harmonious family had ended up in this situation all because of a single piece of porcelain—he truly was on the verge of collapse.

　　If not for the resilience built up over more than forty years of life, and the longing for his wife that kept him going, he probably would have broken down long ago.

　　But when William Brooks was finally allowed visitors, and his wife wanted to come see him, he resolutely refused. He couldn’t let her see him in such a miserable state, so this time, only Brian Carter came to visit.

　　“Aunt Xiu is doing well.” Plop—a large, hot tear finally slid from Brian Carter’s eye. The next moment, he pressed down his voice and said, “Uncle, if I ever find out which bastard did this, I’ll fight him to the end!”

Chapter 002: We Can’t Afford to Offend Him

　　“Don’t be impulsive.” Hearing Brian Carter’s almost growling whisper, William Brooks’s face changed dramatically. He quickly lowered his voice and said, “Mingluo, listen to me, you must not act rashly. My situation is already settled, so don’t dwell on it anymore.”

　　At this moment, he was truly anxious.

　　Compared to Brian Carter’s respect and admiration for him—treating him like a real uncle, second only to his own parents—William Brooks regarded Brian Carter with the heart of a true son.

　　There were many reasons for this. First, William Brooks had his own issues—he was born with certain deficiencies, so even in his forties, he still had no children.

　　That was a big problem. Over the years, besides traveling everywhere in search of collectibles, William Brooks had also been seeking solutions for his own issue, but to no avail.

　　Though years of hope and disappointment, along with his passion for antiques to occupy his mind, made him seem no different from others on the surface, he couldn’t deny that in the quiet of night, he often felt the urge to weep when he thought about it.

　　It was only after meeting Brian Carter that William Brooks’s fatherly love found a true outlet.

　　Of course, there were many reasons for this, including the fact that Brian Carter suited him very well.

　　When he first met Brian Carter, he just lent him a hand, helping him get enough to eat and wear for a while.

　　This wasn’t the first or second time William Brooks had done such things over the years. The key was, in his conversations with Brian Carter, he saw the young man’s simplicity and sincerity.

　　At that time, his shop also needed new staff, so he simply brought Brian Carter in.

　　Their relationship truly deepened after Brian Carter joined the shop and began to cram all kinds of knowledge. His diligent attitude and seriousness at work greatly impressed William Brooks, making him feel he’d chosen the right person. Occasionally, he would give him some guidance, which made Brian Carter study even harder. Over time, this naturally turned into William Brooks teaching him everything he knew.

　　After more than three years together, their relationship evolved from strangers, to boss and employee, to master and apprentice, and now, deep down, William Brooks already regarded Brian Carter as family.

　　So at this moment, he couldn’t help but worry.

　　“Mingluo, listen to me.” He spoke urgently, a rare sternness appearing in his eyes. “That person—I don’t know who he is, but I’m sure he’s the vengeful type, and he acts without scruples. I only refused him once—maybe not even him directly—but not only did he send me to prison, even after I got here, things have been… So you absolutely must not provoke him. We can’t afford to offend him! I’m already in trouble. If something happens to you too, how could I ever face your father and mother?!”

　　“And you still have to take care of your Aunt Xiu for me! Let’s just leave it at that. Anyway, I’ll be out in five years—it could be worse.”

　　With William Brooks’s stern words, Brian Carter’s emotions instantly deflated again.

　　Can’t afford to offend him.

　　Yes, he didn’t even know who the other party was, but William Brooks’s description of his character was definitely accurate.

　　And everything he said was true. No matter how much Brian Carter respected and admired William Brooks, no matter how deep their bond, he still had his own parents to support, and he also had to look after Aunt Xiu.

　　If something happened to him now, that would be a real disaster.

　　You have to know, back when they tried to save William Brooks, the Fang family sold almost everything of value. Even Brian Carter’s savings from the past few years were completely spent, and Aunt Xiu naturally lost her job as well. Thinking of all this, no matter how agitated he was, he could only grit his teeth and accept it.

　　That’s life and reality.

　　The suppressed Brian Carter felt as cold as ice, as heavy as a mountain.

　　“Uncle, don’t worry. I’ll definitely take good care of Aunt Xiu for you.” Gritting his teeth hard, clenching his fists until his palms ached from his nails, Brian Carter finally spoke in a low voice.

　　And with these words, the stern and anxious William Brooks across from him suddenly smiled, revealing a genuine, long-lost look of happiness.