The people of Northbrook had long been hardened by.


    Even if the world forget about them, they knew how to fend for themselves. They''d hail the gods on makeshift carts to sell in the neighboring city


    It wasn''t enough to make them rich, but in kept food on the table. Hard work was just part of the deal.


    But this year, the relentless downpours had caught everyone off guard. No one had been prepared for the sheer force of the storms.


    dece kept her stance low-key, and even when


    she was injured, she didn''t make a fuss. The gathered fruit farmers exchanged nces, hesitating Then, a few younger ones finally booke the


    "Three days. Just three days, She''s a streamer. Maybe she really can help "


    The others still looked uneasy, but in the end, they nodded.


    Mandy red or tocheck Grace''s injuries, but she shook her head. "I''m fine."


    Fine? Not a chance. Her entire back was probably bruised


    The Grace had already pulled back the p of a tent belonging to some of the younger farmers and stepped inside, issing instructions as she went. Send a message to every single customer who ced


    an order," she told Mandy. "Tell them personally inspected the orchards and found that Northbrook apples are sweeter. We''re switching the shipment to Northbrook apples. If they''re okay with that, we''ll ship. If n Mandy frowned "Why send that message? We''ve got over to thousand orders lined up. If we just ship them out, no one will know the difference between Southbrook and Northbrook apples. We could sell over 2 Grace caught sight of the younger farmers, whose faces were burning with anger. She quickly cur Mandy off.


    "For the people of Northbrook, pping a "Southbrook"bel on their apples is an it. Back then, Southbrook treated them like outcasts, pushing them our of the circle of prosperity like a bunch of bandes. "And now if they let their apples ride on Southbrook''s reputation, it''s no different than groveling Like they said, they''d rather let their apples for on the ground."


    Some people in this would clung stubbornly to their principles, no matter the cost


    just liker the people of Northbrook. Their elders never bowed their heads. Naturally, neither would the younger generation. That unyielding pride ran through their veins.


    Some might call them foolish, but having a code to live by wasn''t such a bad thing. At least they weren''t like the people of Southbrook, who repaid kindness with betrayal. The young farmers beside them lit up at Grace''s words.


    "Exactly! My mom always said we should never ride on Southbrook''s cortails. You have no idea how disgusting they were decades ago. People died because of them. Even our most respected His voice choked up.


    "The chief was killed. My mom was only a teenager back then. She always said he was a highly educated man from a top university. But instead of chasing a cushy city job, he chose toe here, determined "It was his idea to start growing apples in the first ce. Back then, Brookfield wasn''t split to Southbrook and Northbrook yer. But then a Southbrook official took all the credit for the


    apple industry and kept getting promoted, rank after rank


    "Everyone was furious and wanted to set the record straight, but the chief told them to let it go. As long as people could make a living, that was all that mattered.


    "But soon after, Southbrookpletely shut us out. They cklisted our apples. The chief went to negotiate for our rights, but before the meeting even started, he was beaten to death with arake. Southbrook''s Three hundred dors. That was the price they put on a man''s life—


    a man who had given up everything for his people.


    Only now did Grace truly understand how Northbrook hadendured all these years. How could the older generation ever let go of such a grudge!


    The young man wiped his eyes. "The chief was only in his 20s back then. With his background, he could''ve lived like a king in the city.


    wa rock and


    This nele, who was still in the city when she got the news, jumped in her car and drove straight to Southbrook, determined to take him home. Bet on the way, someone thera shattered her windshield. She cra Grace''s fingers curled tighter around the apple in her hand. Even her breathing felt heavy.


    Mandy couldn''t hold back anymore, and her face was red with rage. "e you kidding me? What kind of monsters are they? Did the murderer at least get the death penalty?" The young man lowered his eyes, pres Twelve years old. Achild that age was still


    was still too young to face real punishment. They would''ve just been sent to juvenile reform.


    Mandy trembled, her chest heaving with fury. Then, the suddenly realized she had suggested repackaging Northbrook apples as Southbrook''s just moments


    ago. Shame burned through her. "I''m sorry I didn''t know."