Sigh! James Carter closed his eyes, secretly curling his lips, and sighed inwardly. Big brother really is patient and persistent—he still hasn’t gone to bed at this hour.

With his head lowered, he mumbled as he walked toward his own room, “Bro, didn’t I call you? A classmate had a birthday tonight, so I came back a bit late.”

“Stop right there.” Sitting on the sofa in the living room, William Carter stood up and walked over to James Carter. When he saw the swelling and redness on his face, his brows immediately knitted into a knot.

William Carter was ten years older than James Carter. Although they were biological brothers from the same mother, their personalities and appearances were worlds apart.

Older brother William Carter was tall and well-built, about 1.85 meters in height, with healthy tanned skin and handsome, chiseled features. His face was angular, his features deep-set—the kind of man who looked tough and attractive at first glance.

Compared to his brother, younger brother James Carter seemed much more ordinary. He was slightly thin and of average height, his features not exactly handsome—at best, you could call them delicate. He looked pale, quiet, and honest, the very image of a well-behaved, studious kid.

Anyone who didn’t know them would never guess they were brothers.

William Carter moved in front of James Carter, bent down, and seeing his lowered head, asked in a deep voice, “Did you get into a fight?”

“N-no, I didn’t.”

“Still denying it?” William Carter frowned even more deeply, reached out to pinch his chin, and forced his head up. Seeing the red, swollen cheek and the clear finger marks, he took a deep breath. After a moment of silence, he turned and walked toward the kitchen, asking casually, “Who did you fight with?”

“I was just messing around at a classmate’s house and accidentally bumped into something…”

“So your face just happened to bump into someone’s hand?” William Carter took the first aid kit from the cupboard, came back, and slammed it heavily onto the coffee table.

Realizing his brother was truly angry, James Carter immediately lowered his head again and muttered softly, “Bro, just stop asking. I won’t do it again…”

“Come here.” William Carter opened the first aid kit and spoke without even looking up.

James Carter, like a child who had done something wrong, drooped his head and slowly, cautiously shuffled over to his brother’s side.

With a grumpy tug, William Carter pulled his arm and sat him down right next to him. Then he took a cotton swab from the first aid kit, dipped it in hydrogen peroxide, and gently dabbed at the split corner of his mouth.

The hydrogen peroxide bubbled on the wound, and the pain nearly brought tears to James Carter’s eyes.

“Does it hurt a lot?” Seeing this, William Carter instinctively made his touch gentler.

“It’s okay, not too bad.”

“Yeah, right! Good, maybe this will teach you a lesson. Don’t do such stupid things again.”

“Yes, bro.”

“Dad and Mom passed away early. I only have you as a younger brother. If anything happened to you, I wouldn’t even know how to face them.”

“Bro…”

Hearing this, James Carter’s eyes turned red, and tears welled up.

It had been over eight years since their parents passed away. For these eight years, the two brothers had depended on each other.

When their parents died in a car accident, James Carter was not yet eight, and William Carter was only eighteen. The sudden tragedy at home was unimaginable.

At that time, William Carter didn’t even hesitate—he dropped out of school and used their parents’ compensation money to open a small bar.

Maybe hardship really does bring out a person’s potential. Before he even had a chance to go to college, William Carter showed remarkable business acumen.

Eight years later, that once unremarkable little bar had grown several times over and become a well-known big bar in the area.

Now, the two brothers couldn’t be called rich, but they were certainly better off than most.

Not being able to go to college back then became an unshakable regret in William Carter’s heart. But he still had hope—his hope was his younger brother, James Carter. As long as his brother could get into college and make something of himself, he would be satisfied.

With both parents gone, the eldest brother became like a father. Over these eight years, he truly had played both father and mother, raising his little brother. This was what William Carter was most proud of.

“If you’re going to get into fights, at least win. If you can’t win, you’re just asking for trouble.”

William Carter said meaningfully, “You’re in high school now. You can’t just play around and fight whenever you want. Your most important task is to study and get into college—a good college. Don’t end up like me. No matter how much money you make, people will still say you’re uneducated, a brute, a nouveau riche…”

Hearing his brother start another long lecture, the sadness in James Carter’s heart eased a lot, replaced by drowsiness.

His eyelids drooped as he nodded repeatedly, “Yes, yes, yes, bro, I’ll listen to you. I definitely won’t fight again. Bro, stop nagging me like Mom.”

“Don’t be annoyed. I’m doing this for your own good.” William Carter put away the first aid kit and, as he carried it back to the kitchen, grumbled discontentedly, “Why do you always say I’m like Mom? Can’t I be like Dad?”