“Really?” William Foster was instantly startled. Not only him, even Logan Bennett was taken aback!

Did the sun rise from the north today?! Since when did Ethan Brooks become so generous?

“Really!” Ethan Brooks nodded affirmatively, his expression serious and solemn.

“What are you up to?” William Foster looked at him suspiciously, calculating in his mind: This guy, is he scheming something against me again? Could he really be interested in me?

“Bastard!” Ethan Brooks said righteously, his good intentions being mistaken for ill will, and he spoke with anguish: “William Foster! What did you just say? I treat you as a good brother, that’s why I’m helping you out. I’m taking a big risk here—who knows when you, you spendthrift, will ever pay me back? And you still suspect me? Fine, fine, do whatever you want!”

“Forget it then! I’ll keep that money for picking up girls… Logan Bennett! Let’s go!” Ethan Brooks stood up in a huff and stormed off: “From now on, we’ll ignore this guy who doesn’t appreciate kindness!”

Logan Bennett was always the best at stirring things up, and of course wouldn’t miss this chance. He jumped up with a flourish and shouted gleefully, “Let’s go! Ignore this jerk who doesn’t treat us as friends!”

“No… no, wait… Brother Brooks, Brother Bennett, please stay! Oh my dear brothers…” In a flash, William Foster darted forward and tightly hugged Ethan Brooks’s waist, his face full of flattery as he apologized repeatedly: “Come on, I just said one wrong thing… We’re good brothers, brothers for life, are you really mad at me… Please, please stay! Butler, serve tea! The best tea! The finest tea! Serve the imperial tribute tea His Majesty bestowed upon my grandfather! Hurry, hurry, hurry…”

While giving a string of orders, he respectfully seated Ethan Brooks in the grand armchair in the center, bowing and grinning obsequiously: “Hehe… Brother Brooks, hehe, Young Master Brooks, wahaha, my good brother… So, you’re really lending me the money?”

Ethan Brooks crossed his legs and swung them back and forth: “I really was planning to lend it to you…”

“You can’t go back on your word…” William Foster was almost on his knees.

Finally, a chance to redeem myself—how could I let it slip by? Heaven knows what kind of days I’ve been living these past months… This is my own home, there’s nowhere to run.

“Hmph, fine.” Ethan Brooks leisurely blew on the tea leaves in his cup, a bit helpless: “Blame my big mouth… Since it’s like this, just write an IOU, then leave something as collateral with me, and I’ll lend you fifteen thousand taels of gold… But let’s be clear, you still have to pay me back in the future, there’s no negotiating that!”

“Of course!” William Foster beamed with joy, but then frowned, looking troubled: “But what should I use as collateral?”

“Can’t you understand plain language? Just grab anything, we’re brothers—do you think I’d really want something valuable from you?” Ethan Brooks rolled his eyes, speaking sincerely: “Just look at the ornaments in your house, give me any one of them… that’s enough, right?”

William Foster immediately breathed a sigh of relief: “That’s a good idea… Let me think, what should I sneak out this time?”

His eyes darted around, clearly having made up his mind to play the family thief once again.

“Aiya…” Ethan Brooks said, exasperated, “Can’t you hurry up? Just pick anything from this hall, it doesn’t have to be valuable, anything will do…”

With Ethan Brooks’s obvious hints, William Foster finally had a ‘sudden realization’: “This… can I use this as collateral?”

“Collateral or not, it’s just a formality, we’re brothers!” Ethan Brooks said magnanimously and earnestly.

William Foster grinned from ear to ear, the weight in his heart finally lifted, his face beaming: “Although all these things were placed here by my grandfather and he likes them all… but losing one or two doesn’t matter… Brother, just pick whichever one you like, I’ll give it to you! Why bother with collateral? I’ll pay you back the money, and you can have the ornament!”

William Foster was truly full of heroic spirit.

Ethan Brooks’s eyebrow twitched, and he said righteously, “What are you saying, what do you take me for? I’m just helping you, do you think I’d covet your stuff… If you want to give it to me after everything’s settled, that’s your gesture, a small gift with deep meaning, but if I accept it now, that’s a bribe!”

A bribe?!

William Foster’s mouth twitched hard.

You talk like you’re some high official.

“Look at you, dragging things out—let’s just take this one, I like the feeling of it about to take flight.” Ethan Brooks casually pointed with his finger—at the very piece of Heavenly Crystal Spirit Marrow.

“This one… isn’t this the worst of the lot?” William Foster was instantly moved. Looks like Ethan Brooks is really helping me this time. Out of all the treasures in the hall, he actually picked the worst one. What a good guy, how did I never notice before…

“Alright, alright, as long as you understand my intentions.” Ethan Brooks said with deep feeling, “We’re brothers, after all… Good brothers should help each other… Oh, and you must keep this a secret—if others find out I lent you so much money, they’ll all come asking to borrow, and I’ll be in big trouble.”