Transmigrated as the Villain Boss's Precious Darling-Chapter 48: The Old Man’s Dignity

Having received his reward, Jim Thorne was practically wagging his tail with delight. He savored the cookie, feeling it was more delicious than any he’d ever had before. A brand-new sense of satisfaction filled his heart.

"That’s for you to eat. Don’t give him any."

Jim Thorne couldn’t stand the thought of Adrian Hawthorne eating a cookie. There was only one package—not even enough for Tang Xiaonan! Why on earth should that Hawthorne kid get any?!

"It’s a reward for doing well in school!"

Tang Xiaonan explained patiently, still offering the half-cookie to Adrian Hawthorne. "Teachers even give out gold stars!"

Jim Thorne glared at him resentfully out of the corner of his eye. Adrian Hawthorne hadn’t wanted to take it, but with Jim Thorne staring him down, he involuntarily opened his mouth and ate the cookie.

The milky flavor, a taste he hadn’t had in a long time, spread in his mouth. It was sweet and crisp—even better than the chocolate he’d had before. Adrian Hawthorne never imagined he would one day come to love sweets.

’And here I thought I’d go my whole life without ever liking these cloyingly sweet snacks!’

"Thanks!"

Adrian Hawthorne mumbled awkwardly. ’This chubby girl has been so well-behaved these past few days... she’s not like herself at all. He even suspected she might have damaged her brain when she fell that day, and that another soul had taken up residence in her body.

’Come to think of it, there really was a grave near that hillside. I should go back and take a look at whose grave it is.’

"No need to thank me, Mr. Hawthorne. You saved my life!" Tang Xiaonan beamed, breaking into a wide grin. ’The big boss is finally warming up to me!’

’And it only took three days of grinding for affection points. I really am irresistible!’

Adrian Hawthorne could sense Tang Xiaonan’s sincerity, and his heart softened slightly. After all, the chubby girl was only six. She used to be mischievous, sure, but she’d never done anything truly awful. The ones who really went too far were her three older brothers.

But now, he wasn’t even angry at the three brothers anymore. They were all hopelessly stupid; arguing with idiots would just be a waste of time.

"Grandpa Tate, have a cookie."

Tang Xiaonan offered the last cookie to the old man, but he would never take something from a child. "You eat it, little one. Grandpa doesn’t need any."

"We’ll each have half."

Tang Xiaonan had an idea. She broke the cookie in two and gave the larger piece to the old man. "Grown-ups get the big piece, and I’ll eat the small one."

She shoved the piece into the old man’s hand and ate the smaller half herself. It tasted so awful she could barely swallow it.

"I’m finished! Now you eat, Grandpa Tate."

Tang Xiaonan watched him with expectant eyes. The old man looked sallow and was so thin his eyes were sunken. He became breathless after speaking just a few words. His body was in desperate need of high-calorie food.

The old man’s eyes began to sting, and a wave of sadness washed over him. ’To think that I, Germain Tate, was once so celebrated abroad, with top universities vying to have me lecture. Yet, upon returning to my own country, I can’t even fill my stomach and have to rely on a little girl’s charity.’

’How have I fallen so low?’

"I’ll eat it. Thank you, little one."

The old man’s voice was choked with emotion as he took a bite of the cookie. Every cell in his body seemed to rejoice, soaking up the nourishment from that small piece. Though it was only half a cookie, his spirits lifted considerably, yet he couldn’t bring himself to feel happy.

His pride and self-respect simply wouldn’t allow him to accept handouts from a child.

"From now on, you eat these yourself, little one," the old man said. Though he was smiling, his tone was serious. "Grandpa is a grown-up; I don’t really care for these things."

Tang Xiaonan understood. She understood the old man’s pride perfectly. ’If I were an accomplished, world-renowned master, I wouldn’t accept handouts from a six-year-old, either.’

’Besides, this kind of charity isn’t a real solution. I need to find a better way—a legitimate way to help Adrian Hawthorne and Grandpa Tate.’