"Come, my dear Natalie, let''s have a drink."


    Federrick raised his ss toward Natalie. "Speaking of which, it''s been a long time since we had a drink together. And you, brat. You stole my dear Natalie away."


    Federrick red at Marcus. "But considering those sketchbooks you gave me, I suppose I''ll let you have her."


    Marcus nced at Natalie, who smiled lightly. "He''s always talked like this. You''ll get used to it. Mr. Langton is kind and sweet. All of us respect him the most."


    Pleased by her words, Federrick was in a good mood. "Of course. If I''m not considered a good person, there wouldn''t be any truly good people in this world. My business may notpare to the Walkers or the Holdens, but it''s more than enough to support Natalie and my people."


    "Mr. Langton, you''re the best. No matter how rich the Walkers or the Holdens are, they still have to show you the utmost respect."


    Natalie poured him a drink. "I''m just an unworthy mentee who still has much to learn from you, but even the wealthiest people have to be humble when theye to me for treatment."


    Federrickughed heartily. "My dear Natalie, keep talking. I love hearing it."


    Natalie''s lips curved up. Her smile was lighthearted and sincere. Marcus could see that whenever she was with Federrick, she waspletely at ease and happy.


    He also noticed that when Natalie interacted with Federrick, even though he called her a brat, his tone was filled with affection.


    It was a stark contrast to how she used to act around Grace, where she was always restrained and tense.


    The love given by them was truly different.


    Still smiling, Natalie reached under the table and squeezed Marcus'' hand. "Eat up. Mr. Langton''s meals are hard toe by."


    "Alright."


    Marcus snapped out of his thoughts and put some food onto Natalie''s te.


    Noticing this, Federrick was satisfied with Marcus'' action. He had spent years raising Natalie after taking her in.


    Naturally, the man she chose had to be exceptional. If not, he''d rather her change to the next man as soon as possible.


    "Marcus, you should eat more too." Federrick chuckled as he sipped his wine. "Come, have a few drinks with me."


    "Yes, Mr. Langton." Marcus raised his ss and said respectfully, "Mr. Langton, this toast it to you."


    "As it should be! Without me, how could you have such a good girlfriend like Nat today?"


    Federrick lifted his ss. As a sign of respect, Marcus kept his ss lower and gently clinked it against Federrick''s.


    "Mr. Langton, I''ll drink it all. You may take your time." Marcus drained his ss in one go before refilling it. "Mr. Langston, another toast. Thank you for giving my mother a second chance at life."


    "Drink up!" Federrick only took a small sip, while watching Marcs finish his ss in one gulp once again.


    "Mr. Langton, another toast to you, for saving Nat back then from the Langleys. Only then was she able to grow up safely."


    One toast after another, Marcus continued drinking. His gratitude and respect toward Federrick were sincerely from the bottom of his heart.


    Federrick kept smiling, gently clinking ss with him each time, but only taking small sips himself. Marcus, on the other hand, downed every single one.


    After several rounds, Federrick pped his hands and called in Joshua and the others. "They are all my mentees. Marcus, you should give them a toast too."


    "Yes, Mr. Langton." Marcus obediently poured more wine and toasted each person in turn.


    The Herbalist''s Sanctuary was currently managed by Joshua, but tonight, all of Federrick''s mentees were there.


    They hade to vet Natalie''s boyfriend. Only if he passed their tests would they allow him to marry Natalie.


    Federrick watched with a smile as Marcus went from person to person, drinking one ss after another.


    Meanwhile, Natalie, who had been quietly observing, started to feel bad.


    "Mr. Langton-"


    "Shh." Just as Natalie was about to speak, Federrick shushed her. "Nat, this is how it is here."


    Natalie remained silent.


    After all, Marcus wasn''t the first person to be tested. Federrick had a rule of putting his mentees'' partners through trials, just with different methods for men and women.


    Even though he had no children of his own, he truly cared for the mentees he had taken in. His only wish was for all of them to find good partners and have happy lives.


    He not only tested the women''s boyfriends but also the men''s girlfriends. Sincerity wasn''t about gender, only about good or bad intentions.


    However, Federrick never took things too far. After all, people might change. They could be truly in love, but when it was gone, it was truly gone.


    Even so, he still wanted to make sure anyone who wanted to be with his mentees understood that they weren''t easy to win over.


    If love came too easily, people wouldn''t cherish it.


    "Feeling sorry for him already?" Federrick noticed the growing concern in Natalie''s eyes and chuckled. "Don''t worry. This is my special medicinal wine. There''s nothing to worry about."


    Natalie let out a sigh. "I''m not worried about your wine. I''m just worried he will drink too much and wet the bed tonight."


    Natalie''s words made him burst intoughter. "If he really does, I''ll treat him myself."


    Their voices were low, and with Marcus being surrounded by the other mentees in


    a toasting session, he didn''t hear their conversation.


    Nat, don''t spoil your man too much. If you do, you''ll suffer for the rest of your life."


    "Are you saying I shouldn''t spoil you too, Mr. Langton?" Natalie put on serious face and said calmly, "After all, you''re a man too. An old one at that. I''m pretty sure you had a lot of experience causing trouble for others."


    "You brat! Are you asking for a


    Qu


    beating?" Federrick tapped her lightly on the head. "How dare you joke about your mentor? Your punishment is to stay up all night to


    watch over Marcus to make sure he


    doesn''t wet the bed."


    Natalie held her head dramatically and whined, "Mr. Langton, I was wrong! I won''t


    do it again!"


    "Hmph, it''s toote!" Federrick


    scoffed proudly and ced a piece of pork rib onto her te. "Eat up. don''t want them to think I''m mistreating you. If you don''t gain at least ten pounds while staying here, they''ll start nagging again, saying I didn''t feed you properly."


    Natalie simply smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Langton."


    Federrick doted on her, and her fellow mentees all loved her as well. Even though


    she wasn''t the first child he had taken in, she was undoubtedly the most favored


    in the group.


    By the time Marcus finished his rounds of toasts, his face was flushed red.


    Despite all the alcohol, he remainedposed and polite.


    Federrick leaned in toward Natalie and whispered, "They say a person''s character


    is reflected in their drinking habits. I think he''s pretty decent."