The scorching sun of August had nearly baked the soil of the Grafburg Village dry.
However, the current weather didn't make Gilbert Harrison, who was at the vineyard, feel a shred of warmth. Instead, he felt a chilling coldness.
The problem was, on the vines across the wire fences in the vineyard, not one bunch of grapes were plump. They were all wrinkled and sour beyond belief.
Spitting out a grape he had just picked, Gilbert felt a lump in his throat, "Roberta, these grapes are inedible. I doubt we can sell any. When will I make enough dowry money?"
The pretty village girl standing beside him giggled coquettishly, "If you can't earn it, then you can't. I knows many nice girls. I can introduce you to them."
Her name was Roberta Kitto. In her thirties, she was a widow.
She had an enticing face and an enviable figure. Especially her fair, shapely legs that peeked from beneath her blue skirt. Anyone who saw her would get the feeling that it would be easy to win her over.
But Gilbert knew well enough that despite her outgoing demeanor, Roberta was very reserved.
"Please, Roberta, can you stop tormenting my fragile heart? With my current situation, what girl would give me a second look?" Gilbert said helplessly.
"Look at you, so spiritless. Where's your confidence?"
Once again, Roberta let out a charming giggle, "You're a handsome university graduate. There are many girls who'd like to marry you!"
Gilbert shot her an annoyed look, "Roberta, if you keep joking about me, I'll get angry."
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore."
Seeing his unhappy expression, Roberta stopped laughing. She gently patted his shoulder and encouraged him, "Gilbert, starting a business isn't easy. If worse comes to worst, you can always start again. If you're short on capital, just tell me. I'll sell everything, even my pots and pans, to support you!"
"Roberta…"
Gilbert was deeply moved, choking out, "It's all because I'm useless. Ever since I graduated from university last year and returned to the countryside to start a business, I've been in debt. If it weren't for your help in paying it off, I wouldn't know what to do."
Roberta seemed to be infected by his emotions, and passionately said, "Gilbert, don't say that. If it weren't for you saving me back then, my reputation would have been ruined. Helping you is the least I could do..."
Initially, her husband had just passed away. Overwhelmed by sorrow and restless in heart, she was secretly drugged by local hooligans from the village outskirts. Fortunately, Gilbert, who was still a senior high student at the time, discovered the situation, chased off the hooligans, and prevented her from being taken advantage of.
Out of a sense of gratitude, she had always been financially supporting Gilbert through university.
"Roberta, rest assured, I will be successful in my venture. When I make money, I will repay you double," Gilbert firmly stated.
"Hmm, I am waiting for that day!"
Roberta had just spoken when a malicious male voice suddenly came, "Oh, you two got together so quickly, huh!”
Upon hearing this, Gilbert and Roberta were startled.
Roberta hastily retracted her hand, her eyes brimming with rage, her face burning red. Gilbert and she didn't have anything going on and they were painted in such a disgraceful light by others.
The perpetrator was none other than Leo, the village chief's son from Grafburg Village.
This guy has always been idle, lacking in both knowledge and talent, acting irresponsibly, relying on his father's power to bully others in the village—a typical village hoodlum.
He had always been slyly attracted to the elegant widow, Roberta, and desperately wanted to possess her. However, Roberta did not like him and had repeatedly rejected him, which made him seethe with resentment.
"Leo, what are you blabbering about? This is my sister! How dare you insult her!" Gilbert retorted with glaring eyes.
"Oh, Gilbert, bold enough to act, but not to admit it, huh?"
"Leo, Shut your mouth!"
Listening to Leo's nonsensical talk, Gilbert couldn't suppress his anger any longer. He was about to punch Leo when he was stopped by Roberta.
"Leo, we're all from the same village. Aren't you going to give us any respect?" Roberta said, attempting to suppress her anger.
"Respect?"
Leo smirked, "Respect is something only friends can give each other. If we get to know each other better, I will naturally show you some respect."
"What a shameless creature!"
Roberta, an experienced person who was fully aware of the implicit messages in Leo's words, trembled with rage. Unable to hold back anymore, she went straight in to give him a beating.
Seeing her 'daredevil' spirit, Leo might have been terrified in the past but today, he simply chuckled, "I must warn you, you'd better not attack me. Do you know who I am? Let me tell you, I'm your biggest creditor now!"
"What? You are my biggest creditor?"
Roberta was taken aback, but immediately her phoenix eyes widened, "Nonsense! When did I borrow money from you?"
"You may not have borrowed money directly from me, but last year you borrowed ten thousand yuan from Moira, didn't you? Let me tell you the truth, I've got the I.O.U. note from Moira. As of now, I'm your biggest creditor!"
After finishing his words, Leo took out the I.O.U. note, and flashed it in front of her.
"What?" Roberta's face changed, stopping her in her tracks.
On closer inspection, indeed. The I.O.U note was definitely written in her own hand.
"Nasty old lady, well? Isn't it the note you wrote? In a word, pay back the money now!" Leo finished, extending his hand out.
"Leo, you..." Roberta clenched her teeth in rage.
"What do you mean, you? Hurry up and pay the money back. If you can't pay, well… you know the consequences."
After Leo finished speaking, he looked up and down Roberta, his face full of malice.
"You son of a bitch!"
Gilbert couldn't bear it any longer. He exploded on the spot and launched a punch at Leo.
Unfortunately, Leo was no stranger to brawling. Seeing Gilbert's rapid attack, he nimbly sidestepped and avoided the punch.
"Gilbert, you cheeky brat, dare to hit me in the face? Today, I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!"
After finishing his sentence, Leo suddenly kicked out, landing a hard blow to Gilbert's stomach.
Gilbert, already thin and weak, was caught off guard. He let out a wailing cry and fell to the ground, forehead bleeding from the impact.
"Gilbert!"
Roberta cried out in alarm, rushing to his side.
But just then, Leo suddenly grabbed Roberta from behind.
"Let go of me!" Roberta was terrified, struggling to break free.
However, this time, Leo held on, even lifting her up and heading towards a hay shack in the vineyard.
"Roberta!"
Gilbert was furious. If he allowed Leo to harm Roberta, he would never forgive himself.
He wiped off the bloodstains on his forehead, gritting his teeth and trying to get up. However, his forehead injury was too severe to even rise.
What he didn't know was that as soon as he wiped off the blood on his forehead, the ancient bracelet on his wrist suddenly flashed a gleam of light. The bloodstain on his hand disappeared instantly, completely absorbed by the bracelet.
Gilbert was taken aback, all at once, he felt his body tremble, as though he had been electrified.
Immediately afterward, he felt the bracelet emit a beam of light, which pierced into his eyes and then a breath poured into his body, making him feel his entire body was filled with strength.
"What's happening?"
Gilbert couldn't figure it out. At this moment, Roberta's scream suddenly came over, "Help, help me——"
