Since a month ago on East 62nd Street, William had made it very clear to Anthony Carter and others that, from that day on, they owed nothing to each other.
Moreover, it had been 50 years. Daniel Bell had his own career and family, and William no longer regarded them as his servants.
This was how William thought, but Daniel could not agree at all.
Watching William cook, Daniel sat restlessly, not daring to disturb William’s cooking, and could only stand quietly by the side.
It was just like over fifty years ago, when William was busy, he would wait by his side in the same way.
While cooking, William said, “I remember when I first met you, you were only about eight years old. Now, you have a large family and have grown old…”
At this, William couldn’t help but laugh, “Time really flies.”
William had experienced this too many times.
Often, before he could come to his senses, the people around him had aged and died.
That’s why, even facing James Taylor’s rebellion, William wasn’t very angry. 𝘪.𝑐ℴ𝘮
In the endless flow of time, what did it matter?
Hearing William say this, Daniel also fell into reminiscence. 𝘳.𝑐ℴ
He originally did not have the surname Bell, and even said that he can’t remember what his original surname was.
He only remembered a hurricane disaster that year, which killed many in his town. William, along with James Taylor, came to their village like gods, saving many people.
He even gave him a fragrant whole wheat bread.
The taste of that whole wheat bread seemed to linger on his lips even now.
That whole wheat bread was definitely the most delicious thing he had ever eaten in his life.
To this day, he still remembered swallowing the bread in three bites when William handed it to him, almost choking to death.
James told him to spit it out, but he forcefully swallowed it.
Later, he shamelessly clung to William, begging to be taken in. It was only after James pleaded on his behalf that William agreed to take him.
“I remember asking you what your surname was, and you stood there in silence. It was raining outside, and you were clutching that whole wheat bread in your hand as if seeking some warmth and support. At that time, raindrops continuously fell on the surface of Hubbard Pond in the distance, and the old clock tower by the lake rang clearly. In that moment, you were like a whisper on the lake, warm and clear. So, I named you Daniel Bell. Daniel, to represent your resilience and integrity; Bell, like the clear sound of the bell, reminding us that even on the most desperate days, there is hope and warmth.”
William then asked, “After all these years, have you never gone back to Rindge to look for your family?”
Daniel was already in tears, having forgotten those times, but William still remembered.
“I tried to go back,” Daniel said with a choked voice, “but the hurricane was too fierce. Many people in Rindge and the surrounding towns didn’t survive. The destruction in our area after the hurricane was too great, many families were torn apart, many were left homeless. I searched and asked, but the disaster nearly erased everything, I couldn’t find any clues.”
William didn’t ask further, serving a bowl of Herbal Breeze Lamb Broth to Daniel, “Try this, I’m planning to open a small restaurant with your granddaughter and Maria. What do you think of the taste?”
Daniel took the soup from William with trembling hands and slowly tasted it.
“Delicious!” Daniel couldn’t help himself after just one sip.
William had actually made soup for him.
And the taste, indeed, was extraordinary.
“That settles it! Let’s eat together later,” William smiled, “Why don’t you rest outside for a bit?”
Although William was much older than Daniel, Daniel was already frail, and standing for too long was not good for him.
“No need, I’ll just stand here,” Daniel said, holding the bowl without finishing it, but leaving half, and stood obediently at the side.
He knew his own body well, not many days left. Even being able to pass things to William made him quite content.
After a while, William said, “Go call Maria in, I’ll teach her cooking.”
“I’ll go now!” A smile finally appeared on Daniel’s face. He wiped away his tears and walked out.
He always felt something was missing when standing there.
If William didn’t instruct him to do something, he felt somewhat uneasy.
As if… he was old and of no use.
But the moment William called him, Daniel was instantly invigorated, his steps much lighter.
“Stubbornly clinging to outdated ideas really does harm,” William shook his head.
He could probably understand Daniel’s feelings.
Just like a long time ago, if a master was too friendly with the servants and didn’t require them to serve, they might worry that they had done something wrong.
Soon, Maria entered, led by Daniel.
Maria was really nervous.
Daniel’s demeanor towards her made her somewhat panicked.
“Miss Perry, please come in,” Daniel said, not daring to call William ‘master’ in front of outsiders, but his tone made Maria feel unexpectedly honored.
If she didn’t already know Daniel’s identity, she might have thought he was a servant of the Bell family.
After they entered, Daniel Bell stood there obediently.
Maria sneakily glanced at William, feeling immense pressure.
This was Daniel Bell of the Bell family, after all!
One of the five richest people in the world!
Him personally coming to the kitchen to watch them cook, was this really okay?
“Go get that salt for me,” William said, pointing to the small bottle of salt 10 feet away.
Maria was about to go, but Daniel Bell quickly took a few steps and fetched the small bottle of salt, bringing it to William.
“Mr. Bell, why don’t you sit down and rest for a while?” Maria was genuinely nervous!
Daniel Bell looked to be over seventy, and having him run around fetching things didn’t seem good for his health.
“It’s okay! It’s okay! When you get older, you need to move more,” Daniel could only say so.
“Alright… okay…” Maria thought the old gentleman was a bit odd, but didn’t find anything amiss.
She also heard about some elderly people who, despite having substantial assets and millions of dollars in savings, sometimes go out to the streets to pick up trash deliberately.
Not for anything else, just to have something to do.
She couldn’t fathom the behaviors of the wealthy.
William, unaffected by Daniel Bell’s presence, began teaching Maria how to cook Sole Piccata and Beef Bourguignon.
He was concise and clear, and Maria understood quickly.
However, this time, William didn’t let Maria try her hand, instead suggesting she try it at home later.
They had already cooked three dishes, and it would be a waste if they couldn’t finish them.
William always adhered to a principle: one can be extravagant, but never wasteful.
Once everything was ready, Daniel also helped serve the dishes. William sent a message to Bella, inviting her to the dining room for a meal.
Meanwhile, outside the room, a burly man kept a close eye on William.
He was another “Chosen One,” Graham.
Graham was not only acting as Daniel Bell’s bodyguard but had also been highly regarded by Daniel Bell, who even hoped he would court Bella and eventually marry her, aiming for the two to become in-laws.
He also believed in his heart that he would become a son-in-law to the Bell family, eventually inheriting all that the Bells owned.
But William’s arrival made him waver.
Judging by Daniel Bell’s attitude towards William, as long as this man lived, he feared he might not achieve his goal and obtain everything he wanted!
Updated from .𝒎