Adrian Hawthorne returned rather late, and he wasn’t alone. He had found Herman Morgan, the candy peddler from the mountain, collapsed on the side of the road. Face deathly pale and drenched in sweat, he was in a perilous condition.

Fortunately, Adrian Hawthorne had some medical knowledge and knew that Herman Morgan was having a hypoglycemic episode. All he needed was a piece of candy to recover. A candy peddler, falling ill from low blood sugar—it was as ironic as it was tragic.

After Adrian fed him a piece of candy, Herman’s condition stabilized, but he was still very weak, most likely from hunger. Peddlers like him, who traded sugar for goods, often braved the elements, eating and sleeping poorly. They earned a meager, hard-won living—a lifestyle most people couldn’t endure.

"Young man, thank you. You look a little familiar," Herman Morgan said gratefully. His carrying pole was tied to the bicycle’s rear rack, laden with goods like eggs, chestnuts, dried bamboo shoots, and preserved mustard greens.

Many families couldn’t pay with cash, so they bartered with goods for sugar. Herman Morgan would then take these items to the market and sell them, profiting from the difference.

Adrian Hawthorne wasn’t riding the bicycle. He wasn’t strong enough to pedal with an adult and two heavy loads, so he could only push the bike and walk slowly. Fortunately, they only had a few miles to go.

"We’ve met before. I bought your candy on the mountain. You’re Herman Morgan, from Morgan Village in Baili Township," Adrian Hawthorne said with a smile. He had an excellent memory, retaining the information after hearing it just once.

"Oh, so it was you! What a coincidence. And what about that fellow, Goldie Thorne? He’s your uncle, right?"

Herman Morgan’s memory wasn’t bad either; he still remembered Goldie Thorne’s name.

"He’s a distant uncle. It’s already dark—are you still trying to get home?" Adrian Hawthorne asked with concern.

Herman Morgan gave a bitter smile and nodded. He had to get back, of course; he had nowhere to spend the night. It was just that his body was failing him today. He felt limp, completely drained of strength, and suspected he’d caught a chill from being in the rain recently.

"COUGH COUGH... I’m fine. I’m used to the mountain paths. It’ll take me two or three hours at most to get home." Herman Morgan coughed a few times. His face was flushed, and he clearly didn’t look well.

Adrian Hawthorne stood on his tiptoes and felt his forehead. It was burning like boiling water. There was no way he could continue his journey like this; if he fainted on the mountain, he would freeze to death.

"You have a fever. I’ll take you to get some medicine, and you can stay at my place tonight."

Herman Morgan hesitated for a long while. He really didn’t want to impose on anyone, but he felt truly awful. Finally, he smiled sheepishly and said, "I should be fine after a night’s sleep. Thank you for your trouble, young man."

"It’s no trouble. One good turn deserves another."

Adrian Hawthorne smiled faintly. At this moment, he had not yet become the psychopathic boss from the book. Though his personality was a bit extreme, he was still warm-hearted and would help those in need. The future Boss Hawthorne, after he had snapped, would have simply stood by and watched. If it had been a dog in trouble, however, he would have helped.

In the heart of the future boss, people could never compare to dogs.

The Thorne family was in the middle of dinner, and Felix Thorne was sulking. Phoebe Huxley had lent out his precious bicycle without his permission, and he’d worn a sour expression ever since he got back. Now that it was dark and Adrian Hawthorne still hadn’t returned, Felix’s face grew even darker. He was worried that Adrian, being reckless, would damage his treasured bike.

Tang Xiaonan, on the other hand, was worried something had happened to Adrian Hawthorne. He should have been back much earlier. ’Could he have been picked up by the disciplinary patrol?’ she wondered.

DRING DRING DRING...

The crisp sound of a bell rang out in the courtyard. Tang Xiaonan let out a sigh of relief and dashed out to greet them. Seeing Adrian Hawthorne was completely unharmed, she could finally relax.

"Huh? You’re the candy uncle! Are you sick?"

Tang Xiaonan recognized Herman Morgan at a glance. His complexion was all wrong, his breathing was labored, and it looked as if he could barely stay on his feet.