When Mirabe first peeked into the first box and saw the array of pristine herbs, she couldn''t help but feel a wave of appreciation. "My neighbor is definitely a goldmine," she thought.


    Looks like she''ll be turning to him for rare ingredients from now on!


    She quickly moved on to the second box and her eyes lit up when she spotted a purple flower that resembled a lotus but wasn''t quite one.


    "Lunar Lace."


    It was an herb she had been hunting for ages.


    James nced at the herb and casually asked, "So, what potion are you whipping up with this Seven-Leaf Lotus?"


    Originally, this herb was meant to bait a member of the legendary healer n, the Shangguans, and was auctioned on the ck market. But when no one from the n showed up, it ended up staying with the Shepherd family.


    It wasn''t until a few days ago, when Wyatt saw it listed on a kid''s wishlist, that he brought it back.


    Mirabe was looking down, so James couldn''t see her expression clearly.


    Soon, she closed the box and sat up straight, her eyes shing with surprise as she looked at James. "Just a tonic to boost health, but it''s pretty rare. How did you find it?"


    Honestly, she had added the Seven-Leaf Lotus to her list at thest minute, not really expecting him to find it. So, getting it now was a pleasant surprise.


    "Stumbled upon it by chance," James said nonchntly, sitting down next to her.


    Raising an eyebrow, Mirabe sensed he wasn''t keen on giving details and decided not to press. After a brief pause, she said, "How much do I owe you? I''ll transfer the money right now."


    She had already pulled out her phone as she spoke.


    James nced at her and said, "Whatever you think it''s worth, just name your price."


    Mirabe''s lips twitched slightly. She looked at the box in her arms. If she were to assess its value based on "The Mirror''s" standards, it would easily be worth millions.


    After a moment''s thought, she asked, "So, I pay what I think it''s worth, right?"


    James saw the cunning glint in her eyes but didn''t call her out, simply nodding in agreement.


    Feigning casualness, Mirabe said, "...Probably worth around a grand or so."


    She might miss out on fleecing the golden goose this time and who knows if she''d get another chance.


    Without waiting for James'' response, she tapped on her phone''s Messenger app and transferred a thousand bucks.


    After the transaction, she prompted, "Hit the ept button, will you?"


    James'' expression was a mix of amusement and resignation as he watched her transfer just a thousand dors.


    Yep, never expect a penny-pincher to part with much money.


    Feeling James'' gaze, Mirabe guiltily averted her eyes. Just then, her phone rang.


    She nced at the caller ID and saw it was Autumn. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.


    Thest time Autumn hade over for dinner, she had left her contact info, but Mirabe was curious about the sudden call.


    She quickly answered.


    "...You want to grab lunch? Sure, send me the address and I''ll see you then."


    After hanging up, Mirabe pocketed her phone.


    The volume was loud enough for James, sitting nearby, to catch the gist of the conversation. His eyes shifted as he casually asked, "A friend inviting you out to lunch?"


    As she put away her phone, Mirabe nonchntly replied, "Yeah, from that party Niki threw. Owen''s sister, she''s the one who asked me."