After looking it over, Carlson signed his name with a steady hand.


    He then returned the document to Roseanne with both hands, assuring her, "I won''t let theb down."


    Roseanne''s lips curved into a smile. “I trust my judgment."


    This was the second time.


    The second time she had helped him.


    Carlson was filled with a gratitude too deep for words, but he knew that actions spoke louder than a thousand thanks. He made a silent vow to spend the rest of his life repaying this kindness.


    Mr. and Mrs. Smith hadn''t expected such a turn of events. They exchanged a look, their eyes filled with gratitude for Roseanne''s help and a profound sense of guilt toward their son. If he hadn''t been shouldering the family''s burdens, Carlson could have gone so much further in life, but instead...


    "Dad, Mom, we have money now" Carlson said, turning to his parents with a bright smile.


    In that moment, he finally began to believe that his education had been worth it, that one day, knowledge truly could be wealth.


    Mr. Smith was clearly overjoyed. Moving to the city meant his wife could receive treatment at a top-tier hospital, and with the specialist Mr. Reynolds had rmended, her recovery seemed hopeful. Gail Smith would also get a much better education. As for himself, there were far more opportunities to earn money in the city than in the vige. Even with his limp, he was still strong, and he knew how to cook. As long as he worked hard, he could always make a living.


    Suddenly, their lives were filled with hope.


    Now, the only thing left to worry about was—


    "The cherry orchard behind the hill... what do we do about that?"


    "That''s simple,” Owen said. "There are agricultural contractingpanies that leasend from farmers in the city to grow fruits and vegetables, then ship them directly from the source. I looked it up, and there''s a decently sized one right here in the province."


    "Would they even be interested in a small orchard like mine?" Mr. Smith asked. Having worked outside the vige for years, he''d heard of suchpanies. To save costs and streamline management, they usually preferred to leaserge, Concentrated areas nke several viges at once, to build uniform greenhouses. A small plot like his would likely be overlooked.


    But Owen waved his hand dismissively. "They might consider economies of scale


    for other fruits, but cherries are different."


    The local cherries had a short shelf life and were too delicate for long-distance transport. Even by air the spoge rate was immense they were typically sold locally The neighboring districts of Milton and Riverside also had a demand for local cherries, so for the sake of proximity, thepany would certainly be interested in leasing nearbynd.


    "If you trust me," Owen offered, "I can help you get in touch with them."


    “Of course, we trust you! Of course!" Mr. Smith said repeatedly. "We''d just be troubling you again."


    "It''s no trouble at all," Owen replied.


    Arge agriculturalpany like that would have its own connections and backing; the Moore family''s influence wouldn''t even be a blip on their radar. This way, the Smiths could be free of the Moore family''s harassment while still receiving a fixed annual ie. It was the best of both worlds.


    Just then, Carlson''s phone rang.


    He''d had someone bring it from town that morning. After inserting the SIM card, dozens of missed calls popped up. When he logged info his social media apps, his phone buzzed nonstop with with notifications, almost all of them from Roseanne, Scales


    Dixon, and Mamie Finch. A wave of


    warmth washed over Carlson.


    "Hello?" he answered.


    Whatever was said on the other end made his eyes light up with joy. "Really?!"