Tang Xiaonan felt so weary. This third brother of hers was more explosive than gunpowder. With a temper like that, he was bound to get into trouble sooner or later. In the book, Jim Thorne got into a gang fight and accidentally hurt three people. One died, and two were severely injured.
Jim Thorne was only twenty-one at the time, in the prime of his life, yet that was when it all came to an end.
By then, Adrian Hawthorne had already returned to the city, but according to the book, the Hawthorne family simply stood by and did nothing about the matter.
The book didn't go into detail about this part of the plot, but Tang Xiaonan guessed that her original self must have gone to Adrian Hawthorne to plead for help. Her bond with Jim Thorne was the deepest; she would never have just stood by. Yet, in the end, Jim Thorne still died.
In truth, Jim Thorne wasn't a bad person at heart. He was just brought up the wrong way and fell in with a bad crowd, which set him on a path of no return.
After Jim Thorne's death, Felix Thorne's health went from bad to worse, and he passed away within a few years. After that, the Thorne family fell into complete ruin.
Jim Thorne's death was the source of the Thorne family's downfall.
Ultimately, however, it was because Felix Thorne and Phoebe Huxley hadn't raised their four children well.
"You're the stupid one! Mr. Hawthorne saved me, so he's my benefactor! Who asked you to get revenge? We have to repay his kindness, understand? Repay his kindness!" Tang Xiaonan shouted, her voice cracking.
Tang Xiaonan's throat burned, and her stomach was empty. 'That fragrant bowl of steamed egg custard must be cold by now, and I haven't even had a single bite!'
Adrian Hawthorne raised an eyebrow. 'This little brat doesn't seem like she's trying to cause trouble. After being duped so many times, I can tell sincerity from pretense.'
'Did the little brat really learn her lesson after one fall?'
Adrian Hawthorne was still suspicious. 'But since Tang Xiaonan has already made such a scene, I'll believe her for now. Let's see how long this little brat can keep up her act.'
"You don't have to repay me. It was nothing."
Adrian Hawthorne had finally responded. Tang Xiaonan breathed a long sigh of relief. 'As long as he's willing to talk to me, it's a start. I can slowly repair our relationship from now on. There are still five years before he leaves Millstone Peak; I have plenty of time.'
In the book, five years from now, Adrian Hawthorne's father would come to pick up him and his mother. From that point on, Adrian Hawthorne's life would begin its ascent to the top.
"Mr. Hawthorne, I was wrong before. I'll change."
Tang Xiaonan didn't want to just offer empty promises. Actions spoke louder than words, and she would make sure Adrian Hawthorne saw her sincerity.
'If you treat people with sincerity, you'll be treated with sincerity in return.'
'Although Adrian Hawthorne was vengeful over the smallest slight, he also clearly distinguished between kindness and grudges.'
Howard Thorne grabbed his third brother and shot him a glare. Jim Thorne snorted resentfully and glared back at Tang Xiaonan. 'My sister has betrayed me,' he thought. 'She even yelled at me for Adrian Hawthorne. Hmph, she must be mesmerized by his pretty face again.'
'That jinx looks like a sissy, what's so good-looking about him? A real man should be strong like me—that's what you call manly! But all the girls in the village say Adrian Hawthorne is handsomer than I am. It drives me crazy! Every single one of them is blind!'
'Including my own sister.'
"Mr. Hawthorne, have some candy!"
Tang Xiaonan pulled a piece of candy from her pocket and stood on her tiptoes, trying to stuff it into Adrian Hawthorne's pocket. She was just a little too short. Resigned, she hopped a few times, but still couldn't reach.
Frustrated, Tang Xiaonan glanced down at her chubby little legs and made a secret resolution. 'I have to exercise more. I must grow taller than the original's 156 centimeters!'
A hint of amusement flickered in Adrian Hawthorne's eyes, gone in an instant. His expression remained cold, but it seemed less gloomy, softening a little. Seeing how much the chubby girl was struggling, he bent down.