After these words were spoken, not only did Mark Bolton freeze, but David Carter, listening on the side, almost toppled over in shock given his temperament. Goodness, he was only eleven years old—even though he’d heard that people in ancient times married young, the idea of an eleven-year-old boy getting a wife was just bizarre. The more he thought about it, the more it sent chills down his spine. It wasn’t as if he’d never been around women; for a warrior like him, relieving the stress of battle and endless training was necessary, and there were many ways to do so. Finding a woman to sleep with was undoubtedly the most direct and effective method. Still, he simply couldn’t imagine the strange sight of an eleven-year-old child trailing around with a little girl with a runny nose.

But Samuel Carter didn’t care what his son was thinking. As the saying goes, “parental orders and the words of a matchmaker”—this was never something for the younger generation to butt into. He continued, “What I mean is to arrange a betrothal for him first, and after two or three years, when the child is older, then bring the bride over. There were a few suitable girls in the village, but… but now it’s hard to say. The child has become like this, and I’m embarrassed to bring it up with anyone, you know?

But Mark, don’t worry—the child is perfectly healthy physically, it’s just that his temperament has become a bit… a bit odd, and he doesn’t like to talk to people. But it’s not as if we’re marrying him off right away. In another two or three years, when he’s a bit older, this problem should mostly resolve itself. If the other side is still dissatisfied by then, we won’t force it; we’ll just break off the engagement, and you absolutely won’t be put in a difficult position.”

Mark Bolton hesitated for a moment after hearing this, then nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll look around when I get back to the city. We do need to find a suitable match for Rocky. But I think it’s best if I take Rocky back to see a doctor. He’s your only son, after all—it’s always better to be cautious, right?

Also, Rocky isn’t that young anymore. If he just stays cooped up in the village, he won’t amount to much. I think it’d be better to enroll him in the county school. Even if he doesn’t succeed in his studies, he’ll at least pick up some skills, and making a living shouldn’t be too hard. What do you think, uncle?”

Samuel Carter immediately broke into a broad smile, nodding repeatedly. “Good, good! Having a brother like you is truly a blessing for Rocky. Rocky, aren’t you going to thank your third brother? Standing there all dazed, you don’t understand a thing.”

David Carter’s mouth twitched, but he didn’t object. Though he was cold and ruthless by nature, he was always extremely cautious. Listening to the two of them talk, he was initially a bit shocked, but after a moment’s thought, he realized none of this would do him any harm. For matters that didn’t affect his own safety, he’d always just let things be. So he simply said, “Thank you, third brother.”

……

The interlude passed, and Samuel Carter and Mark Bolton continued toasting each other, eating and chatting, both already seven or eight tenths drunk.

At this moment, Samuel Carter said, “The child’s aunt has a weak constitution. I have a roe deer I hunted just a few days ago, already cleaned. Take it with you when you leave, let your mother use it to build up her strength. The child’s mother has been talking about you a lot lately, saying you haven’t come by to visit. I don’t know if your mother’s asthma has gotten any better. If you don’t come soon, I’ll have to take her to the county myself. There are only three children left at home, and I really do worry.”

Hearing this, Mark Bolton drained his cup in one go, then sighed, his face darkening. Samuel Carter was startled. “What’s wrong, has your mother’s old illness flared up again?”

Mark Bolton quickly shook his head and explained, “My mother’s fine. Sigh, since you’re family, I’ll just tell you. You have no idea—this past year, our household has been turned upside down…”

“What happened?”

“You know my uncles, right?”

“Yes, I’ve met them all, they…”

“At the beginning of the year, they started clamoring to split the family. At first, my father didn’t take it seriously, but when he didn’t say anything, they just got more and more out of hand. My third uncle even started making snide remarks right in front of my father. How could my father not get angry? After a few days, he fell ill and still hasn’t fully recovered. You know, I’m the youngest at home, and as the third child, no one listens to me. My second brother is even less reliable, and my cousins are all troublemakers. The whole family was on the verge of an all-out brawl. My eldest brother is capable, but he was away studying. As soon as my father fell ill, the house was in chaos.

Seeing things couldn’t go on, I had my second brother look after the house while I went to the capital to fetch my eldest brother. Luckily, things went smoothly, and after more than three months, the situation hadn’t gotten completely out of hand. You know my eldest brother’s temperament—he’s the most knowledgeable and decisive of us all. In front of him, those troublemakers were like mice before a cat. With just a few words, he settled everything down. But in a fit of anger, he kicked out the worst of our cousins and forcibly split the family. Still, since we’re all from the Zhang family, he showed some leniency to our uncles. Even so, my father scolded my eldest brother harshly, saying he’d gone too far and that people would look down on the main branch of the Zhang family in the future.”