chapter 10 Am I your father?

Edwin was flabbergasted.
This guy, could he actually get a ticket?
Titus indeed came from the Northern Savage Army, but he was just a chef! Could a chef have such clout?
"Oscar, you know, I've always treated you like a real brother," Edwin said solemnly.
"I've always treated you like a younger brother," Oscar replied, pursing his lips.
"If you're lying to me, I'm cutting ties with you," Edwin said with a determined expression.
"I'm not lying to you," Oscar said. "If there's anyone in Blackhills who can get a ticket, it's only him."
"Why him?" Edwin couldn't accept it, didn't understand, and was unwilling.
"He spent ten years in the Northern Savage Army and is quite close to the current Young Marshal of the Northern Savage Army, Alan. It's said that when Marshal Alan was severely injured and removed from the front line, it was Titus who personally took care of Marshal Alan's diet," Oscar fabricated a touching story to lift Titus's status, aiming to ease Edwin's psychological burden when asking Titus for help.
Edwin, as the older brother, had done all he could.
"Got it," Edwin said, gritting his teeth and nodding heavily. "To send off my idol for the last time, I won't care about my dignity!"
But the thought of cursing Titus one moment and then turning around to ask him for a favor made Edwin's face burn with shame, and his heart was clogged with discomfort.
After pacing around the room for more than a dozen laps and getting dizzy, he finally steeled his heart, pushed the door open, and went downstairs.
Titus was enjoying some snacks and tea, waiting for Leila to finish cleaning up before sending him back to the city.
But in the blink of an eye, there was an additional figure in front of him.
It was none other than Edwin, who had just cursed him out thoroughly.
This fellow was holding a large teapot, his face filled with a smile that looks uglier than crying, and sheepishly said, "Brother-in-law, try the Earl Grey tea I just brewed, picked from the mother tree. My grandma doesn't even drink it herself, I brewed half a pound for you."
Titus leaned back slightly, his face full of wariness, "Did you brew it with half a pound of rat poison?"
What was this kid up to?
He had just finished scolding him, and now he was groveling. Was he out of his mind?
With this thought, Titus became even more determined to divorce as soon as possible. He couldn't stay with the Hodges family, a house full of idiots.
"No way!" Edwin poured tea into Titus's empty cup, but because the mouth of the pot was too large, the expensive Earl Grey tea spilled all over the table. "I was just drunk and ranting earlier, brother-in-law, please don't mind me."
Given the unexpected turn of events, Titus dared not drink the tea, especially seeing the concentration of the tea color, knowing that drinking a cup would mean not being able to sleep tomorrow.
"Spit it out, don't try to get cozy with me," Titus glanced at Edwin.
"Alright, since brother-in-law is a straight talker, I won't beat around the bush," Edwin put down the teapot and lowered his voice. "Brother-in-law, I heard you're close with the Northern Savage Army's newly promoted Young Marshal, Alan?"
Titus, upon hearing this, casually lit a cigarette and crossed his legs in a relaxed manner, "Not only am I close with Alan, but I'm also as close as brothers with Jorge. But what does this have to do with you?"
Edwin slapped his thigh, his face full of excitement, "Brother-in-law, as you know, General Jorge is the man I admire most in my life, my only idol. In three days, General Jorge's memorial service will be held in Blackhills, but it's a ceremony that's basically not open to the public, and I can't get a ticket."
Edwin's eyes reddened as he paused and said, "When General Titus was alive, I never had the chance to witness his elegance. Now that General Titus has died in battle for the country, I hope to send him off one last time."
Titus glanced at Edwin indifferently and pursed his lips, saying, "You want me to help you get a ticket?"
"If it's not too much trouble for my brother-in-law..." Edwin tentatively asked, his heart pounding with fear.
"It's not troublesome. I can make a call and even have Alan personally come to pick you up," Titus said with ease.
"Really?" Edwin was so excited he couldn't contain himself.
"Fake." Titus blurted out.
"You…" Edwin almost poured a pot of Earl Grey tea over Titus's head.
Titus glanced at Edwin and said leisurely, "Kid, the first time I came to your house, you blocked me at the door and called me a loser, and now you're asking me for help and calling me brother-in-law?"
"Am I your father? Do I need to spoil you like this?" Titus extinguished his cigarette and said coldly. "Get lost, don't disturb me drinking tea."
Edwin was furious, his face flushed with anger and frustration.
But Oscar had made it clear, looking all over Blackhills, aside from Titus, no one else had the ability to get tickets from the Northern Savage Army.
Leave? Unwilling. Stay? Too humiliating!
Titus, without raising his head and sipping his tea, wasn't really holding a grudge. The kid cursed him, mainly out of dissatisfaction for his sister and because his idol, Jorge, had died, leading to a breakdown.
Not helping Edwin was mainly because he didn't dare to.
Sophia was like an old demon impervious to fire and water, utterly immovable. If he really helped Edwin and gained the fervent support of his little brother-in-law, it would make divorcing even more troublesome later on.
However, after drinking a few cups of tea, Edwin stood in front of him stubbornly like a mule. His fists were clenched, his body shaking with excitement, and his eyes were red as if he was about to cry.
"I just don't understand." Titus put down his teacup and disdainfully said, "Jorge is just a soldier. Are you that concerned? Even if you really went to the memorial service, could he climb out of the coffin and take a photo with you?"
Edwin's eyes turned bloodshot as he said, "General Jorge was unparalleled among the statesmen, a role model for our generation, and a national hero!"
Then, biting his teeth, Edwin said, "General Jorge was also my sister's lifesaver! If I can't send General Jorge off for the last time, I will never forgive myself for the rest of my life!"
Titus was taken aback for a moment, realizing the kid was quite sentimental and manly.
Forget it, might as well fulfill the little fan's wish. This kid, even if he liked himself, couldn't say much in the Hodges family. It's better to show a small kindness to avoid future trouble.
"Kid, I see you are grateful and have some spirit," Titus said lazily. "Fine, you come up with a reason for me to help you."
"You are my brother-in-law," Edwin said hastily.
"Brother-in-law? From the day your sister and I got married, she hasn't shown me a kind face, and you've been the same, giving me a hard time at every meeting," Titus said with narrowed eyes. "That reason won't work, it doesn't convince me."
Edwin's face turned red with frustration, unable to think of a reason why Titus would help him.
To be honest, which jerk had just cursed him out half an hour ago, and now was shamelessly asking for help?
Not to mention a brother-in-law, not even a real father would do!
"Alright, I'll give you a clear path," Titus said nonchalantly. "Just between us, I don't care about anyone in the Hodges family, except I respect your sister a bit. If you can get her to coax me and make me comfortable, not to mention taking you to the memorial service, I could get the entire Blackhills Military Academy, over thirty thousand cadets, to attend Jorge's last journey."
Edwin, with tears welling up in his eyes, gritted his teeth and said, "A gentleman's word!"
"Let's see your performance," Titus said with a smile.
Edwin turned and went upstairs, rushing to Leila's room.
Watching Edwin go upstairs, Titus felt he was truly wise.
It was meaningless to disgust Edwin, a fool who trembled at the sight of Leila, unable to make a difference.
In terms of divorce, Sophia had the final say. Next, it was Leila.
From the current situation, other members of the Hodges family were just bystanders, with no real say.
Now that he had failed to win over Sophia, Leila had become Titus's primary target.
As long as she continued to be hostile, resistant, and even disgusted with him, could Sophia not see it? Could she watch Titus anger her precious granddaughter to death?
This marriage, sooner or later, would end!