Fifteen minutes later, the roar of a sports car echoed down the road leading to Alverton. Initially, the villagers were puzzled, assuming another outsider had arrived. However, when a flamboyant figure emerged from the car, onlookers exchanged glances and quickly dispersed, as if avoiding something unclean. The figure was Shawn.

During the Fuller family's residency in Alverton, Shawn had cultivated a notorious reputation for petty theft and mischief. He was repeatedly caught harassing young women by the river, often resulting in confrontations. Yet, his parents, Howell and Tabitha, remained utterly shameless, failing to seek justice and expertly deflecting blame onto others.

Over time, his name became synonymous with disgrace. Consequently, the villagers instinctively kept their distance. Seeing him now, they immediately avoided him.

Shawn's high-profile return, flaunting a rented sports car to display his perceived wealth, revealed his belief that he had surpassed the villagers, whom he considered insignificant. But the villagers saw through his charade, turning away and leaving him alone.

Fuming, Shawn grabbed a nearby villager, prepared to boast. Before he could speak, the villager scoffed, "Make sure you take good care of that rented car, or you might not get your deposit back!" Laughter erupted around him.

Shawn's face flushed crimson. The car was, indeed, rented. After receiving fifty million dollars from the Fuller family, he had purchased a sports car, but Lance had seized it to settle his debts.

Shawn refused to acknowledge his disgrace, sneering, "You bunch of simpletons! Do you even know my status now?"

The villager he'd grabbed, Cody, retorted coldly, "What status? The status of a debtor with missing fingers? That sounds rather pathetic."

The villagers watched with interest as Shawn's heavily bandaged hand was revealed; two fingers were missing.

Infuriated, Shawn's face contorted with rage. "Did Felicia tell you?"

No one answered. Shawn, however, assumed Felicia had. His expression darkened. "That little brat thinks she's untouchable, but I'll deal with her sooner or later!"

Cody, hearing this, slapped Shawn. "You bastard! Just start behaving like a decent person!"

Shawn staggered, his eyes blazing with malice. As he prepared to retaliate, other villagers intervened, pulling him away. Even Charles West, the village chief, was furious, his expression a blend of anger and disappointment. "Get lost! You're not welcome here!"

Shawn, about to explode, was suddenly struck by the changes in the village. Behind the village lay abundant fields, and beyond them stretched seemingly endless rows of greenhouses. The villagers' spirits seemed lifted; homes were repaired, and numerous construction projects indicated a vibrant prosperity. Shawn stood dumbfounded. Was this the impoverished village he remembered?