Chapter 1 Just in Time

• Late at night, in a secluded village deep in southern Rociago, Kenneth Mohler inhaled deeply, savoring the fresh, sweet air. With the city's skyscrapers dominating the horizon these days, Brighter Valley felt like a slice of paradise. "Wow, five years away, and I'm finally back!"
• 'Splash!' The sound came from beneath the nearby bridge, jolting Kenneth from his reverie. "No way. Is someone jumping into the river at this hour? Could it be suicide?" Acting on instinct, he sprinted to the stone bridge, dropped his backpack, and plunged into the river. Kenneth moved quickly, rescuing the person just before they fell deeper into the water.
• "Ah!" Startled after being saved and brought back to shore, Casey Cadman was in shock. She had resolved to end her life tonight, sneaking out in the dead of night to jump into the river. But now, she had been rescued. The man who saved her even had his hand firmly grasping her chest! After they got ashore, he even squeezed her chest a few times, causing her to cry out from the pain.
• "You can still make noise. Looks like you're alright," Kenneth remarked under the dim glow of the moon, his eyes fixated on the woman's face. It possessed an untainted allure, its eyes shimmering with astonishment as she stared back at him. Even when Casey was in a worn-out floral dress, she would turn heads and spark rivalries among affluent men in a metropolis. Hmm, she feels impressive!
• "Help! There's a thug! Mmph!" Before Casey could scream in earnest, a large hand muffled her mouth. She peered up at the young man before her, her moist, large eyes brimming with fear.
• "I just rescued you! And you're calling me a thug?"
• "Mmph!" After a couple of stifled whimpers, Casey's emotions began to settle. It was true; she had been on the verge of ending it all, and this man had intervened to save her.
• "I'll release you now. Then, let's talk nicely," Kenneth said.
• Casey nodded, drawn in by the magnetic quality of his voice. She couldn't refuse him. "Cough, cough!" She cleared her throat and lowered her gaze. As she composed herself, the memory of his earlier actions resurfaced, filling her with unease.
• "I... I squeezed you by mistake earlier. It was just to check if you were conscious."
• "Oh..." Casey's head drooped even lower. How could she respond to such an honest explanation for his earlier aggressive actions? Boo-hoo...
• "Which family in Brighter Valley are you from? What are your parents' names? Why were you trying to jump into the river in the middle of the night?"
• "My dad is Daryl Cadman, and my mom is..."
• "Mr. Cadman? So you're Casey Cadman?" Kenneth recalled Daryl Cadman, the honest and humble middle-aged man who was his father's contemporary. When Kenneth lost his parents at a young age, Mr. Cadman had been a great support. Then, when Kenneth turned eighteen and his grandfather passed away, Mr. Cadman often provided him with financial help for living expenses. Kenneth would never forget this kindness.
• Mr. Cadman only had one daughter, and Kenneth had been away from the village for five years. Casey seemed to be just fourteen years old back then, a young girl. Yet unexpectedly, in those five years, she had blossomed into such beauty!
• "Mr. Cadman? So, you're Kenneth... Mohler?" Casey looked up and peered at Kenneth, the lighting inadequate but enough for her to discern his familiar features. Throughout the village, the only person who referred to her father as "Mr. Cadman" was Kenneth, who had vanished five years ago.
• "Yes, it's me. Case, I've returned," Kenneth replied, his heart swelling with warmth. This young girl still remembered him.
• "Boo-hoo! Kenneth!" Suddenly, Casey leaped up and threw her arms around Kenneth, sobbing uncontrollably. At that moment, she released all the pent-up emotions and hardships she had endured.
• "Case, please, tell me what happened? Why did you try to jump into the river in the middle of the night?" Kenneth held Casey in his embrace, letting her cry until she began to calm down, then gently patting her back as he spoke with a comforting tone.
• "Kenneth, my dad passed away two years ago, and then..."
• It turned out that Daryl had succumbed to a severe illness two years prior, leaving Casey and her mother, Kim Mawnny, alone and vulnerable. To compound their difficulties, after Daryl's death, the villagers appeared to purposefully isolate the mother and daughter.
• A year ago, Casey was accepted into Unisdale University. Her mom, Kim, sold all their possessions and borrowed thirty thousand to fund her education. But a year later, the lender returned, demanding ninety thousand in repayment! The debt had tripled, and Kim and Casey couldn't come up with that much money. During this break, Casey was ostracized by the villagers and burdened by the high-interest loan. In desperation, she secretly purchased insurance, hoping it would provide her mother the money to repay the debt...
• "Silly girl! You're a university student! How could you resort to such a ridiculous plan?" Kenneth was somewhat taken aback after hearing Casey's story.
• "Boo-hoo, Kenneth, I had no other choice. I couldn't bear to see my mother suffer like this," Casey sobbed.
• "It's alright now. Your family's troubles are mine, too. Now that I'm back, I'll take care of everything," Kenneth assured her with determination.
• "Kenneth, I..."
• "Don't say anything. When my parents and grandfather passed away one after the other, I would've starved if it weren't for Mr. Cadman. Now that he's gone, I'll be there for you and Mrs. Cadman. No one will bully you anymore!"
• "Kenneth, I..." Casey's tears welled up again, moved and overwhelmed by his words. Since her father's passing, she hadn't felt this kind of support.
• "Alright, girl. Let's head back first. Even though it's summer, you're soaked. You might catch a cold," Kenneth suggested.
• "Kenneth, I'm no longer a girl!" Casey retorted, lifting her head and puffing out her chest so Kenneth could get a good look in an attempt to assert herself.
• "Pfft! Okay! You've grown up, Case. You're not a girl anymore. Not at all!" Kenneth teased with a grin.
• "Hmph," Casey huffed, blushing slightly and snorting coldly. Thankfully, it was dark, sparing her further embarrassment.
• "Won't Mrs. Cadman be concerned if you don't go back?" Kenneth asked, showing concern after they arrived back at his old house.
• "My mom went to bed early. I don't want to wake her by going home," Casey explained.
• "Alright then, you can stay here. Your clothes are all wet, but I have a clean set in my backpack. You can change in the bathroom outside," Kenneth offered, pushing the creaky wooden door.
• The house was constructed from the mountain's soil and stones, and it was sturdy and enduring even after generations. Kenneth's grandfather had built it, and it showed no signs of collapsing even after more than a decade. In the living room stood a large cabinet with numerous small compartments.
• Kenneth's grandfather was the village's holistic medicine doctor, often venturing into surrounding villages to treat people. Any surplus medicinal herbs collected from the mountains were stored in this cabinet and sold in nearby towns and markets on designated days.
• "Why is the house so clean? It looks like someone's been keeping it tidy," Kenneth wondered aloud. He hadn't been home for five years, so the state of the house surprised him.
• "Kenneth, I changed into your clothes. What about you?" Casey entered through the doorway, clad in Kenneth's oversized shirt and shorts. In the beam of the flashlight, her smooth, slender legs and graceful figure gave her a youthful and striking beauty...