Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Holding Hands

Jim Thorne puffed up with even more pride, but he was still reluctant. He didn’t want to farm for Adrian Hawthorne. ’If I’ve got the energy, shouldn’t I be using it on my own family’s land?!’

“And you claim you’re not bragging. Hmph, what a load of hot air,” Adrian Hawthorne taunted again.

Jim Thorne leaped three feet into the air. “I’ll show you what I can do! You just watch!”

He snatched up the hoe from the ground, dug out a few bamboo rhizomes from the patch of wasteland Adrian Hawthorne had cleared, and scoffed. “Of all the places on this huge hillside, you had to pick one full of bamboo? What kind of decent crops do you expect to grow here?”

Still not satisfied, he muttered, “Must’ve had his brain eaten by a dog. Dumb as dirt!”

Adrian Hawthorne’s face grew even darker, but a future big shot knew when to be flexible. He could face his own shortcomings. From Jim Thorne’s tone, it was obvious he had chosen his land poorly. Since there was a problem, he would endure the criticism.

’Let’s just see what brilliant plan this guy has.’

“Brother, why is having a lot of bamboo a bad thing?” Tang Xiaonan asked, not understanding either.

Jim Thorne dug out more bamboo rhizomes, one after another. Soon, he had a high pile. There was a surprising number of them, and this was just from a quick look around. The ground was surely full of more.

“Bamboo is the most invasive plant there is. Just one piece of rhizome can sprout into a huge grove. A plot like this has to be treated before you can plant crops, or nothing will grow at all.”

When talking about serious business, Jim Thorne was actually quite solemn. As he spoke, he dug out another pile of rhizomes. A thoughtful look crossed Adrian Hawthorne’s face. ’So that’s the reason. No wonder the crops I grew before were always so poor.’

“How do you treat it?” Tang Xiaonan asked again.

“Don’t even bother. There are way too many rhizomes here. Just get a different plot of land. There’s plenty of wasteland on the mountain. Why cling to a barren patch? You can’t just let yourself burst from holding it in when you have to pee.”

Jim Thorne rolled his eyes again. Adrian Hawthorne felt a knot of frustration in his chest, but he wasn’t angry. When it came to farming, he had no right to speak. He was self-aware enough to know that expertise in one area doesn’t translate to another.

“Brother, you’re the best! You’re so smart, and you’re an amazing farmer too!”

Tang Xiaonan gave him two thumbs-up, laying on another round of praise. Jim Thorne’s mood soared. He slung the hoe over his shoulder and bellowed at Adrian Hawthorne, “Come on! I’ll show you what real fertile land looks like!”

Ever since he learned to walk, his youngest uncle and two older brothers had taken him all over the mountains. Jim Thorne knew every inch of it like the back of his hand—which plots were fertile, where the wild fruits grew, and where to find the most firewood.

Old Master Tate said with a gentle smile, “Kenneth, you should go learn from Jim. I’ll wait for you all here.”

“Okay.”

Adrian Hawthorne hadn’t planned on refusing anyway. If there really was fertile land, then he, his mother, and Grandpa Tate wouldn’t have to go hungry.

Jim Thorne was taken aback. This was the first time he’d seen Adrian Hawthorne so compliant. Before, he was always so proud and rebellious, a sight that never failed to infuriate Jim. He acted as if he was born into some kind of nobility, and that was why Jim was always picking fights with him.

But with Adrian Hawthorne’s sudden change in attitude, Jim Thorne couldn’t bring himself to act arrogant anymore. He was even a little pleased. ’I just tamed the village’s biggest pain-in-the-neck! Doesn’t that make me the greatest of all?’

At this thought, Jim Thorne grew even more pleased with himself. Carrying the hoe over his shoulder as if it were a rifle, he swaggered proudly in the lead, with Adrian Hawthorne and Tang Xiaonan following behind.

“Mr. Hawthorne.”

Tang Xiaonan stretched out her hand. For a six-year-old, her balance was terrible; she had nearly fallen just a moment ago. She decided it was best to let the future big shot lead her. Adrian Hawthorne glanced at the chubby, meaty paw, hesitated for a second, then silently reached out and grasped it.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep