Incense money?
Don’t be funny. He owned a thousand-year-old temple covering an area of over 500 acres, which was the most famous tourist attraction in the area. The annual revenue from ticket sales alone is worth more than 1 billion.
Benson steered the conversation back to the right track and asked with great curiosity, “Bro, how did you know about that place and happen to save me?”
In response, Marcel smiled lightly and said, “It wasn’t me who saved you. It was Master Glenn.”
Glenn?
Upon hearing this name, Benson was momentarily stunned, and then memories of many unpleasant experiences with Glenn surfaced in his mind. How could the two-faced and cunning Glenn have saved him?
“Alright, don’t think about it too much. You just woke up, so you should drink this medicine.”
Saying that, he handed a bowl of pitch-black medicinal juice, filled with the bitter taste of coptis, to Benson. The air was permeated with the pungent scent, making Benson frown just from the smell.
He expressed his distaste, saying, “How much coptis did you put in there, anyway?”
Standing in front of him, Marcel smirked, his gleaming white teeth carrying a hint of schadenfreude in his response, “Good medicine tastes bitter.”
Even his three-year-old niece Caitlyn teased him, “Uncle, are you afraid of taking bitter medicine? It’s so embarrassing. I drank a bowl of it last time.”
Her innocent and pure words, along with her clear and round eyes, shone like twinkling stars, melting people’s hearts.
Although Benson rarely returned to Jostrana, he was very fond of his sweet and obedient little niece. His gaze toward her was always gentle.
He extended his slightly cool and distinctively knuckled fingers, affectionately patting his niece’s head, and softly replied to her, “Yes, Uncle is afraid of taking bitter medicine.”
A tinge of bitterness appeared on his fair and handsome face. “Uncle has suffered too much in his life and needs something sweet to keep going.”
The little one suddenly rummaged in her pocket, her expression looking a bit mischievous.
Finally, she pulled out a lollipop from her pocket and, with a sweet voice, handed it to him, “Uncle, if you’re afraid of bitterness, have a lollipop. Whenever I take bitter medicine, I eat a lollipop, and it feels much better.”
In her delicate palm sat a lollipop wrapped in colorful paper, looking delightfully sweet, like strawberry candy.
He took the lollipop, unwrapped it, and put it in his mouth, closing his eyes to savor the sweetness between his lips and teeth. “Thank you, Caitlyn. Uncle feels much better now.”
Marcel raised an eyebrow, glanced at him, and said, “Is it worth it to be in such a sorry state for a woman like this?”
Benson slowly opened his eyes, his long and deep-set eyes staring at the drizzling rain outside the window, making a crisp sound as it fell on the balcony.
“Love is a miraculous thing. It’s not about worth, but about willingness.”
“All I know is that she is the most important person in my life. I can’t bear to see her unhappy, and my heart aches when I see her cry.”
“Cheyenne is the only light in my life.”
Marcel sighed. A tinge of sadness couldn’t help but well up in his heart.
As his eyes caught a glimpse of his well-behaved daughter playing beside him, the heavy mood in his heart dissipated, and a gentle smile blossomed on his handsome face, akin to that of a loving father.
“You’re right. There’s no question of worth when it comes to love matters. It’s simply a question of willingness. If your heart belongs to her, you’d willingly become her captive, even sacrificing your life for her sake,” he said.
“There are always things we cannot control. It’s better to go with the flow and not force things,” he advised.
Benson lowered his head slightly, taking a moment to process the words before finally showing a relaxed smile. “I understand,” he said.
“Alright, now that you’re awake and there’s no one ringing the temple bell, I should go back,” Marcel said.
The temple bell…
A wry smile crept up on the man’s lips as a cool and teasing voice echoed in his ears, “Looks like you’re going to be a bell-ringing monk for life.”
Marcel nodded in agreement. “You’re right. In fact, it’s a display of dedication to my post. Let’s go, Caitlyn,” he said, addressing the young girl.
However, it seemed like the little one hadn’t had enough fun yet. She blinked her eyes at her uncle, signaling that she wanted to stay and take care of him for a while. With utmost seriousness, she explained, “Father, Uncle seems to have sweat on his forehead. I think he’s not feeling well, so can I stay and take care of him?”
Marcel couldn’t help but feel helpless. His daughter may appear well-behaved, but in reality, she was mischievous. Her only flaw was being unable to resist a handsome man.
Needless to say, she must have been attracted by her uncle’s looks.
“Caitlyn, you haven’t finished your homework yet. Go back quickly,” he reminded her.
As soon as homework was mentioned, a tinge of guilt appeared on Caitlyn’s face. It was the fear of being controlled by assignments. She sighed, hanging her small head.
“Uncle Darren, I’m going to go back and do my homework now. Please take your medicine and get well soon,” she said.
Seeing her adorable demeanor, Benson couldn’t help but envy his Marcel even more. Suddenly, he felt that having his own daughter following him would be nice.
Unfortunately, he was destined to be lonely in this life.
Because, besides Cheyenne, he couldn’t be interested in any other woman.
“Marcel, does she really have so much homework at the age of three? Isn’t it a bit early?” he asked.
Marcel, however, didn’t think there was anything strange about it. With one hand behind his back and the other holding his daughter’s small hand, he explained, “No, it’s not early. Buddhist Scriptures like Saddharmapundarika Sutra are profound. If she doesn’t start studying early, it’ll be even more difficult later on.”
“Wait, Saddharmapundarika Sutra?”
He surely didn’t mishear!
The 217th generation of the Miller family, the future heiress, might not be studying subjects or Praying Magic but Buddhist scriptures.
If this got out, it would surely be a cause for ridicule.
Was his Marcel raising the heiress of the Miller family as a nun?
Sensing what was going on in his mind, Marcel looked deeply at Caitlyn and firmly replied, “I have no intention of subjecting her to tests.”