John Adams gave his instructions with great seriousness.

Chad Sullivan looked to be at least three hundred jin; being this overweight, he was almost certainly suffering from severe fatty liver, and his cardiovascular system must also have issues. In his condition, he should have quit drinking long ago.

“I didn’t expect you to not only know about gourmet food, but also have some medical knowledge!”

Chad Sullivan asked in great surprise.

“I can’t really say I know much, I’ve just skimmed a few miscellaneous books and picked up a bit here and there.”

John Adams told a little white lie. He had been overweight before, so he did know a thing or two about this.

Hearing John Adams’s words, Chad Sullivan’s expression suddenly became a bit strange. He stared at John Adams for quite a while, then suddenly sighed, but said nothing.

“What’s wrong, Uncle Huang? Do you have something on your mind?”

John Adams asked curiously.

“It’s nothing really, it’s just that seeing you reminds me of my own son. If only he were as considerate as you.”

Chad Sullivan hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke with a bitter smile.

“Uncle Huang, is your son being thoughtless and making you angry?”

John Adams asked again, curious.

“It’s not that he’s thoughtless—he’s actually too thoughtful, so much so that it troubles me greatly.”

Chad Sullivan gave another bitter smile.

“That’s odd. If your son is so considerate, shouldn’t you be even happier?”

John Adams was a bit confused. How could being considerate become a problem?

“Being considerate is good. My son has been smart and eager to learn since he was little. My father is very fond of him, even more so than he is of me. He takes him everywhere, and many people say the reason my father chose me to take over the family business is because he values my son’s excellence. By comparison, I’m just a dispensable transition!”

By the end, Chad Sullivan’s face was full of grief and indignation. He raised his wine cup to drink, but recalling John Adams’s advice, he put it down heavily and stuffed several large pieces of braised pork into his mouth instead.

“I get it now—Uncle Huang, you’re jealous of your own son!” John Adams laughed heartily.

“It’s not really jealousy. I am the legitimate eldest son, so the family business should rightfully be mine. But now, everything seems to be credited to my son, and all my years of hard work have gone unnoticed!”

Chad Sullivan once again complained indignantly on his own behalf.

“Uncle Huang, you should count your blessings. Having a considerate son is still better than having a thoughtless father like mine!”

John Adams was also reminded of his own troubles and couldn’t help but complain.

“Oh? How is your father thoughtless?”

Hearing John Adams’s words, Chad Sullivan became interested and immediately put aside his own son’s issues.

“Well… a son shouldn’t speak ill of his father, so I’d better not say.”

John Adams suddenly changed his mind. In this era, filial piety was paramount, so sometimes one had to be careful.

“Come on, keeping worries bottled up will only make you sick. We may get along well, but we’re just chance acquaintances. Once we leave Tianjie Temple, we may never meet again. So if you have anything on your mind, just say it!”

Chad Sullivan seemed very interested in John Adams’s family affairs and kept urging him.

John Adams thought it over and realized it made sense.

“All right, I really have been holding this in for a long time and haven’t found anyone to talk to!”

John Adams finally slapped the table, picked up his wine cup, and drained it in one go.

“My family situation is actually pretty cliché. My father is the second son, and he’s always wanted to compete with my uncle for the family business. Relying on my grandfather’s favoritism, he’s often done outrageous things.”

“If your grandfather dotes on your father so much, maybe he really will let your father inherit the family business?”

Unexpectedly, Chad Sullivan interjected, his expression tinged with a bit of resentment.

“Nonsense! My father is hot-tempered and aggressive. Even if he wants to seize the family business, he should at least know how to win people over. But instead, he acts domineeringly and has offended everyone inside and out. My grandfather isn’t stupid—how could he possibly hand the family business over to him!”

John Adams grew more agitated as he spoke. Such a simple matter, yet Thomas Jefferson just couldn’t see it.

“You really have no faith in your father?”

Chad Sullivan seemed very surprised, his big, pale, chubby face full of disbelief.

“It’s not that I don’t have faith in him—it’s just the way things are. What worries me most now is that my grandfather’s favoritism toward my father is almost at its end. When that happens, our whole family will probably be in trouble.”

John Adams sighed again at the end. George Washington was about to return to the capital, and when that happened, Thomas Jefferson would not only be stripped of his military power but also exiled to Shandong.

“If that’s the case, why don’t you try persuading your father?”

Chad Sullivan leaned in and spoke softly.

“I’d like to, but with my father’s explosive temper—believe it or not, if I dared to say a word, he’d beat the crap out of me!”

John Adams looked miserable. With a father like Thomas Jefferson, even being a transmigrator didn’t help.

Hearing John Adams’s complaints, Chad Sullivan nodded in deep understanding.

“Forget it, let’s not talk about this anymore, or it’ll ruin the mood!”

John Adams suddenly shook his head and steered the conversation back to food.