Damn, Why Couldn't Things Be Like in Novels and Have So Much Less Trouble?

"I'll take you to the hospital for a checkup in a bit."

After a moment of silence, Mocha looked at Ryan and spoke.

"Uh, that won't be necessary..."

"What are you two talking about? I think I just heard the word 'hospital.' Is someone sick?"

Rose emerged from the kitchen with a bright smile, carrying a fruit platter that she set on the coffee table in the living room. She looked at the two of them curiously.

"Ryan says he has amnesia."

Mocha pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and answered gloomily.

"Oh my God!"

Rose looked at Ryan, covered her mouth, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes. She pulled Ryan into her arms and cried, "How could something like this happen? My poor little Ryan..."

"Um..."

Ryan, trapped in her embrace, felt both awkward and ashamed.

He had deceived these two elders. Though the one they truly cared about was the original Ryan Garcia, not him.

Yet he was the one receiving their concern now. Thinking about how he would have to keep deceiving them afterward, he did not exactly regret it, but he still felt somewhat guilty.

"That's enough, Rose. I'll take him to the hospital later. Let him go first."

Seeing Ryan's pleading look, Mocha spoke up.

"My poor little Ryan."

Feeling Ryan struggle, Rose let him go and sat to one side of the sofa, wiping away her tears.

"Your father was my closest friend when he was alive, and you are his only child."

Mocha looked at Ryan and sighed. He stood, took a document from a drawer, and handed it to Ryan.

"I handled all the legal matters following his accidental death. I have sorted out the inheritance taxes and compensation. As long as you sign it, you'll receive around two million dollars in cash and the deed to the house you live in after a while."

Ryan picked it up and glanced through it before suddenly looking up. "What about Annie? Annie should be entitled to some compensation too, shouldn't she?"

"Annie? You mean the daughter of the woman who got your father killed? She does have compensation coming to her, but not much—only a few tens of thousands of dollars. Most of the inheritance you receive is your father's premarital property. Only someone with your father's blood running through their veins is qualified to inherit it, and she isn't."

Something was off about Mocha's tone. Ryan frowned after hearing this and asked, "Got my father killed? Didn't they die together? What exactly happened?"

"Don't listen to that old man spouting nonsense. What happened to your father, Kate, was purely an accident. He just thinks that if your father hadn't married Wei An, he wouldn't have died in a car accident."

Rose, who had been quietly wiping away tears nearby, glared at Mocha when she heard his mocking tone and explained it to Ryan.

"Am I wrong? If Kate hadn't married that woman, how could he have died in a car accident?"

"But you gave them your blessing when they got married!"

"That was because I didn't know that woman would get Kate killed!"

"You're completely unreasonable! You're just placing every factor behind Kate's death on Wei An! Even the police said it was just an accident!"

The two began arguing loudly in the living room, and Ryan finally understood the whole story.

Watching their argument grow fiercer, to the point where they looked ready to fight, Ryan stood and gave a dry cough, drawing both their attention.

"Uncle Mocha, I've already signed the documents. If there's nothing else, I'll head back first. Annie is still waiting for me to cook for her."

Ryan pointed at the documents on the table. Mocha, who had calmed down, frowned upon hearing Ryan's words. "What are you planning to do about that little girl named Annie? From the sound of it, you want to remain her guardian?"

"Yes. She's family to me." Ryan nodded.

"Nonsense! You can barely take care of yourself right now, so how can you look after another burden? The judge won't acknowledge that you have the ability either!" Mocha's eyes widened as he harshly rebuked Ryan.

"Yes, little Ryan. You're still too young, and you've only just lost your memory..."

Rose added worriedly from the side.

"But she's my family. I can't abandon her!" Ryan retorted just as loudly, then looked at Mocha and asked with a frown, "Is it difficult to handle?"

Mocha snorted at him and turned away.

Ryan's eyes lit up at once. In just these few minutes, he had already figured out a little of Mocha's personality. If there truly were no hope at all, Mocha would have told him outright.

"Uncle Mocha, Annie is very important to me. With her around, that big house still feels like a home instead of just a house. If you have a way, please help me!"

Ryan made his request earnestly.

"Mocha!"

Seeing Ryan like this, Rose could not help nudging Mocha's arm.

"You never used to ask anyone for help!"

Mocha turned back around, the corner of his eye twitching.

"But I do now!" Ryan said frankly.

He had inherited this body, but that did not mean he had to act like its original owner.

"Hmph! Every last one of you only knows how to cause me trouble. Your father did, and so do you!"

Mocha snorted and sat down on the sofa.

Ryan felt awkward for a moment, unsure how to respond.

In the end, Rose stepped forward to smooth things over.

"That's just how he is, Ryan. If he says that, it means he's already agreed to your request!"

Rose stepped forward and helped straighten his slightly rumpled collar as she spoke to Mocha, who was sulking.

Ryan's expression brightened with joy.

"Enough!" Seeing Ryan's delighted expression, Mocha said in a poor tone, "Although I still don't agree with you raising that child, since you're so determined, I won't say any more.

"I'll handle the legal issues for you. But if someone reports that you're unfit to raise that child and can provide evidence, you could end up being fined or even imprisoned. Are you sure you've thought this through?"

"Yes. I believe I can take good care of her, and there probably aren't that many people with nothing better to do." Ryan first assured him, then dismissed Mocha's warning about being reported, assuming Mocha was merely trying to scare him.

"You think I'm joking?" Mocha could tell what Ryan was thinking from his expression. He snorted and said, "There are plenty of idle people in this world. Reporters looking for a story, child protection organizations, even your neighbors. From the moment you, a newly minted millionaire, decided to adopt a little girl you'd only known for three months, you became visible to certain people. If they catch you slipping, you'll be in for it!"

Ryan's expression changed. After a long while, he nodded seriously. "I'll be careful!"

He had never considered such things before, but he had to admit that those concerns did exist.

Mocha looked at Ryan and sighed inwardly. He had said so much, yet Ryan still had not given up on adopting that little girl. This made him completely abandon any thought of trying to dissuade him further.

He went to the wardrobe, found a thick black leather jacket, put it on, then walked to the entryway and beckoned to Ryan.

"Where are we going?"

Ryan was briefly confused as he looked at the fully dressed Mocha.

"To the hospital, so a doctor can see just how badly damaged your brain is!"