Chapter 45 I Will Never Worship Anyone
Finished
Besides, the warehouse was only rented for seven days. After that, they would have to return it to the owner, and not just return it, but clean it thoroughly before handing it back.
Inside, Joshua held a hose and carefully sprayed water over the bananas stacked high in the warehouse. He was worried the bananas might get too hot and ripen prematurely. If one ripened too soon, the others. would quickly follow, leading to devastating losses for them.
“Joshua! Bananas are going up in price! They’re selling at 0.21 per 500 grams now!” Tom came rushing into the warehouse, his face alight with excitement as he shouted the news.
Joshua glanced back at him. “Aren’t you supposed to be in class? What are you doing here?”
“Come on. How could I just sit through class at a time like this?” Tom grinned sheepishly. “As soon as I realized I was free, I ran over to check things out!” His eyes sparkled as he took in the sight of the warehouse full of bananas.
There were over 20,000 grams of bananas here, representing an investment of dollars. They were banking on the price rising so they could sell at double that amount, turning their initial investment into 40,000 dollars, which would be a significant profit.
Joshua chuckled. “0.21 per 500 grams isn’t the ceiling yet. Prices might go up to 0.28, maybe even 0.35.”
“Do you think it could hit 0.42 per 500 grams?” Edith asked eagerly, his voice full of anticipation.
Joshua shook his head, staying realistic. “Getting to 0.35 would already be fantastic. The retail price is only 0.42 per 500, after all. Plus, we need to sell these as soon as possible. Bananas can’t be stored for too long. If we wait too long, they’ll spoil.”
“Even 0.35 per 500 grams would be great!” Tom exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over as he joined Joshua, taking another hose to help spray water over the bananas.
The bananas needed to be watered every other day to keep them from ripening too quickly.
Before long, Gwen and Edith arrived as well.
Over the past few days, they had all been staying in this warehouse, unwilling to leave. Everything they owned that could bring fortune was stored here.
Though the warehouse was far from comfortable, plagued with mosquitoes and lit by dim, flickering lamps, the four of them endured it without complaint. Sitting together to work on their assignments, it almost felt like they had returned to the days back at the orphanage. The simplicity of it brought an unexpected warmth.
Gwen and Edith even took the time to prepare a proper meal. They managed to cook six dishes, and the four of them gathered around to eat.
They had depended on each other for a very long time. Having grown up as orphans, they deeply understood the value of this bond, which was why none of them chose to leave.
In a past life, after Joshua passed away, Tom, Gwen, and Edith continued to visit his grave regularly. The
1/3
3:20 am
Chapter 45 I Will Never Worship Anyone
Finished
three of them had become like siblings, and they supported each other through thick and thin, offering encouragement and comfort. Even as they eventually built their own families and careers, they never drifted apart. Their relationship remained pure and untainted by ulterior motives.
Joshua sighed as he watched Gwen and Edith scribbling away at their assignments with determined focus.
From this moment on, he thought bitterly, I will never admire anyone again. I will never worship anyone!
He scoffed inwardly, his expression darkening. It’s just a pretty face, nothing more. Who knows if it hides a heart as cold and cruel as a beast?
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he chose to drop the matter. He opened his own textbook and buried himself in his assignments.
The next couple of days passed in a blur. Joshua rarely showed up for classes anymore. On the days he did attend, it was usually just for the morning lessons before he requested leave for the afternoon.
It didn’t take long for his frequent absences to catch the attention of Agnes, his homeroom teacher. Concerned, she sought him out to inquire about what was going on.
In fact, at 27th Street High, he was regarded as a star pupil. He stood out as one of the school’s brightest, a student whose academic performance ranked him among the top 200 in the entire Kepong.
The school had always treated him as a high–priority student, investing resources and attention into nurturing his potential.
But over the past few days, problems kept cropping up, one after another, leaving Agnes deeply worried. Her concern led her to inform both Maggie and David about the recent issues.
Agnes‘ voice carried a mix of gravity and reassurance as she addressed Joshua in private. “Joshua, if there’s anything troubling you, anything at all that the school can help with, please don’t hesitate to let us know. You mustn’t overburden yourself! Rest assured, as long as it’s not something illegal, the school will stand firmly by your side. And if there’s something you’re reluctant to speak about openly, you can always come to me in private. With the SATs right around the corner, nothing, absolutely nothing, should disrupt your studies.”
Joshua responded with a polite yet hurried tone. “Thank you, Ms. Quinton! I admit I’ve been swamped with a lot of things lately, and it’s caused some trouble. The people who came yesterday weren’t family, nor were they relatives. They’re my enemies. If they show up again, could the school help keep them away?”
Agnes blinked in shock. “Enemies? Are they trying to harm you?”
He nodded slightly as a faint smile played on his lips. “It seems like it. But don’t worry, Ms. Quinton. They can’t do much to me. Still, they’re not my family. I’ve been an orphan my whole life, and I have no family. I’d really appreciate it if the school could prevent them from entering next time.”
Agnes‘ expression darkened with concern. She had already found David and Maggie suspicious during their visit, and now everything made sense. “You should have told me sooner!” she exclaimed in a rush, her tone filled with frustration at herself for not acting earlier. “If you had let me know earlier, I would never
have allowed them into the school!”
2/3
3:20 am
Promise to Punish My Ridiculous Family
