Adrian Hawthorne quickly leafed through them. They were mostly copies of the People’s Daily and the Zylos Daily from the past few days. A wave of joy washed over his usually calm face, and he couldn’t help but give one of Tang Xiaonan’s pigtails a tug. "Thanks."

"You’re welcome. I’ll bring you more later," Tang Xiaonan said with a wide grin, feeling wonderful herself.

’Her relationship with Adrian Hawthorne wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy, but they were at least good friends now. Plus, Adrian’s relationship with her three brothers had improved a lot. A physical fight was absolutely out of the question. At most, Jim Thorne might start a verbal squabble, but the future big shot paid him no mind, treating her third brother’s complaints as so much hot air.’

’Besides, Adrian Hawthorne had started earning money ahead of schedule, so his family’s quality of life had improved dramatically. Not only had Adrian grown taller and put on weight, but Old Master Tate and Rosalind Green had also changed noticeably. Their complexions were excellent—the healthy, rosy glow of people who were well-fed—making them look like entirely different people compared to the sallow, skinny figures they were a month ago.’

"Okay."

Adrian Hawthorne tugged her pigtail again before shouldering his hoe and heading off to the fields. Rosalind Green brought out half a bag of cake, smiling as she offered it to them. It was just a very plain sponge cake made of flour, eggs, and sugar. Tang Xiaonan, being a picky eater, stopped after half a piece. Jim Thorne and Amanda Chapman, however, ate with great relish, their words turning just as sweet.

"Aunt Green, you’re so beautiful, just like a fairy."

Amanda Chapman was completely mesmerized. She felt that Rosalind Green was even more beautiful than the celestial maidens on the wall calendar at home. Her family had a calendar with twelve of them, though she only remembered "Magu Offering Peaches" and "Chang’e Flying to the Moon." They were all exceptionally beautiful. Amanda used to think those maidens were just drawings and that no one in real life could be that pretty, but seeing Rosalind Green changed her mind.

Rosalind Green’s eyes crinkled into crescents as she smiled. It had been a long time since someone had genuinely praised her looks. Amanda Chapman’s innocent, childish words put Rosalind in an excellent mood.

"Are you blind? She’s ugly as sin. What part of her is good-looking?"

Jim Thorne snorted and muttered under his breath. Having just eaten her food, he was holding back more than usual. But with his booming voice, even his muttering was audible. Rosalind Green’s smile froze on her face, and she stared at Jim Thorne in astonishment.

’Me? Ugly?’

’Growing up, no one had ever called her ugly before. Plenty of people had called her a vixen, sure. Rosalind Green wasn’t angry, just genuinely surprised. She was also quite curious to know what Jim Thorne’s standard for beauty was. Was it someone like Xi Shi or Diaochan?’

Tang Xiaonan was also surprised. ’Is my third brother blind or just an idiot? How could he possibly think Rosalind Green is ugly?’

’Rosalind Green might be weak, incompetent, and a bit of a crybaby—not exactly a model mother—but her beauty was undeniable. Even the so-called "beauty in 4,000 years" from her previous life would pale in comparison. In this world, Rosalind Green’s looks were definitely number one.’

"Third Brother, who’s prettier than Aunt Green?" Tang Xiaonan asked.

Jim Thorne answered without a second thought, "Mom, of course!"

The air instantly fell silent. Everyone was stunned. Their gazes toward Jim Thorne were now tinged with pity. The boy wasn’t just blind; his brain wasn’t working right, either. He needed help.

Tang Xiaonan’s lip twitched. ’Even though she really liked Phoebe Huxley, you had to respect the facts. Phoebe Huxley really wasn’t a beauty. She couldn’t even be called pretty. How on earth did her third brother develop such a peculiar sense of aesthetics?’

’Is he going to find me a stout, brawny third sister-in-law in the future?’

"Mom is so pretty! She’s a hard worker, her cooking is delicious, she’s strong, and she’s never lost a fight. She’s way prettier than... her!"

Jim Thorne glanced at Rosalind Green, his expression still full of disdain. ’This woman is completely useless. Back when I used to beat up Adrian Hawthorne, all Rosalind Green would do was cry. If that had been my mom, she would’ve grabbed a cleaver and charged in to chop someone up long ago.’