Paul nodded and said, "From a little vige tucked away in the south."


    David thought about it for a moment. The ent didn''t quite match, but it wasn''t unusual for isted viges to have their own dialects. He shrugged it off and asked, "Have you always been into growing herbs?"


    Paul''s mind drifted for a bit, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. Snapping back, he replied, "Yeah, you could say I''ve been farming herbs my whole life."


    David''s interest piqued, "So, cultivating the Secret Gardenia should be a breeze for you, huh?"


    "Yeah." Paul smiled modestly, his confidence shining through effortlessly.


    Not to brag, but there wasn''t a single herb out there he couldn''t grow.


    Just then, Grant returned with a small box, cing it on the table in front of Paul.


    "This is a throat lozenge, try one; it should help a bit," David exined.


    Paul hesitated for a couple of seconds before opening the box and popping a lozenge in his mouth.


    "How''s it feel? Throat any better?" David asked after a moment.


    Paul cleared his throat. He wasn''t the type to sugarcoat things, but he appreciated


    the gesture. After a pause, he said, "...It''s alright."


    Grant, standing nearby, gave him a sideways nce.


    Alright?


    Did he realize this lozenge was crafted by a top-notch pharmacist, way better than the usual store stuff?


    David, though, was more focused on Paul''s ability to grow the Secret Gardenia. He quickly asked his assistant to bring over the employment contract.


    When the contract wasid out, David pointed out, "You''ll get a share of the profits, but you need to ensure the regr output of rare herbs."


    Paul barely nced at the first page before putting it down and looking at David, "I think you''re getting it wrong. I can grow rare herbs for you, but that doesn''t mean I''m signing up to be an employee at your herb farm."


    David was momentarily surprised but rified, "It''s not about being an employee; it''s about coboration."


    Paul shook his head, gripping his pipe, "I don''t enjoy being bossed around."


    Too many rules just aren''t his thing.


    Emmitt seemed to grasp what Paul meant and, after giving it some thought, suggested, "How about we price based on the rarity of the herbs you grow? You teach our folks at the herb farm, and the profit share stays the same. This way, we''re partners."


    "I''ll think about it," Paul said, his fingers brushing over his pipe. He absentmindedly reached for a cigarette, which smelled of earthy tobo with a hint of herbal aroma.


    David nced at the cigarette.


    But Paul soon stopped himself, resisting the urge to light up. He nodded at David, "Alright, let''s go with that."


    After all, he was just looking to make some extra cash, with his main goal being to find someone.


    Seeing Paul agree, David mentioned, "Our herb farm is in Riverdale. The climate and soil there are perfect for growing herbs... When would you like toe over?"


    "Anytime," Paul replied without hesitation.


    "Great, I''ll set everything up in the next few days," David said.


    Paul nodded, then remembered something and asked, "Does your herb farm have inte ess?"