Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover

After putting down his phone, Ian was about to wash his face when he heard another voice downstairs calling for Susan.

"Hey, Small Fry," the man asked upon seeing Ian emerging from his room, "have you seen Ms. Jadeson?"

"No"

Looking as proud as ever, Ian's already foul mood worsened when he heard yet another request for Susan, prompting him to give a retort that was as cold and stiff as his stance.

Why does everybody only want her help? What about the rest of us volunteers? We might as well go home!

"Oh man, who's going to help me count for the sale of my wares if she's not here?" the middle-aged man wailed. *l'm selling all my lumber today, Small Fry! Say, are you as good as Ms. Jadeson? Why don't you come with me instead?"

"Me?" Ian wondered if his ears deceived him.

Before he could give a definite answer, the panic-stricken villager was already bounding up the stairs toward him.

"Yes, yes, you will do just fine," the man said impatiently as he tugged on Ian's arm. "Hurry up and come with me please; the driver is about to leave. What if I get scammed without an accountant present?"

Ian instinctively took a few steps back.

As was the culture within the village, every important sale necessitated an educated opinion wherever possible.

Even the sale of timber required the careful calculation of its mass to ensure equity for both parties.

In the end, Ian decided to consider it a favor to Susan by obliging the villager.

snow-white shirt caught the crowd's attention almost as soon as he arrived at

nobility emanating from his bones. Upon his arrival there, even his fellow volunteers stared at him

we evaluating

stupefied glances, Ian turned to the villager

immediately pointed to a pile of peeled fir trees on the ground. "All of that,” he said. "The buyer will come and measure it. After that, please record it in my ledger and exchange

That's it?

the paper and

buyer arrived

glance at the seemingly inexperienced teenager, he took out a measuring tape and conducted

minute. Is that all?" Ian stopped the pair of burly men stepping forward to carry

glared

What else are you

he cast a glance at the sizable mass of

buyer measured only two-thirds of the actual

this wily fox

to measure wood in

"Enlighten me."

are useless to us," the buyer retorted. "Why

around Ian, especially the middle- aged farmer, were glancing at each other in dismay. After witnessing the newcomer's anger, he

just-" the farmer

the buyer, instantly crushing the latter's arrogance. "Then they'll saw off what you didn't pay for, and you can keep the part you do have

buyer and the villagers

to saw off the branches