Adrian Hawthorne had also assumed the heavier ones were better—most people would. But while he was picking them out, he caught a glimpse of Ace’s expression. The hint of a smirk made him change his mind.

He wasn’t entirely sure, though, so he just went with three of the lighter bags and two of the heavier ones. That way, he could minimize any potential losses. Besides, you live and learn; next time, he’d know how to choose the right goods.

Goldie Thorne picked up one of the fabric remnants and shook it out. In truth, you couldn’t really call them ’scraps.’ They were all decent-sized pieces. The larger ones could be used as tablecloths, and even the smaller ones were about a foot square.

"How are we supposed to sell this fabric? It’s too small to make clothes, but it’d be a waste to use for lining shoes. Besides, who would wear shoes with patterns this bright and floral?"

Adrian Hawthorne frowned slightly. He hadn’t thought of that either, but—

"We can just sell them off cheap later. I’m sure someone will buy them."

There weren’t that many remnants in one bag anyway. When all was said and done, it was still a profit.

Jim Thorne also picked up a piece of small-print floral fabric and mumbled, "This would make a beautiful dress for Little Nan."

"Little Nan loves flowery dresses. She was just nagging Mom to make her one the other day."

The more Jim Thorne looked at the fabric, the more he liked it. He picked out a large piece from the pile of remnants, held it up to size it, and was very satisfied. "Two of these could make a whole dress. I’ll have Mom make one for Little Nan when we get back."

A spark of inspiration flashed in Adrian Hawthorne’s mind. He slapped Jim Thorne firmly on the shoulder. "I’ve got it!"

’This kid has the best kind of luck. His offhand comment just gave me an idea. Why sell these remnants for cheap? It’s such a waste. We could hire someone to turn them into children’s clothes and sell the finished products. We’d make a lot more money that way.’

"Tomorrow, we’ll go to the department store and see what children’s fashions are popular right now. Then we’ll go back and have these remnants made into kids’ apparel. They’re sure to sell."

Goldie Thorne slapped his thigh hard, his eyes gleaming with excitement. The idea was brilliant. He was now completely and utterly impressed with Adrian Hawthorne. ’That kid’s mind moves at lightning speed,’ he thought. ’He can think up a solution in a second. He was born to be a boss.’

Jim Thorne got excited too. ’Soon I’ll be the biggest earner in the family! I’ll be able to buy my sister yummy treats every day.’ The thought alone made him happy. But then—

"Let’s go get Little Nan. That ’Madman Ye’ must have seen how cute she is and decided not to let her go on purpose."

Jim Thorne was worried sick. His little sister was still in someone else’s custody.

Goldie Thorne was just as worried. "Let’s go get her now. What if we’re too late and he’s run off with Little Nan? We’re not familiar with this place, and it’s huge. If he goes into hiding, we’ll never find them."

The more the uncle and nephew spoke, the more panicked they became. If they lost Little Nan, they might as well just hang themselves with a belt. How could they ever show their faces at home again? They’d be hacked to pieces if they went back empty-handed.

"Madman Ye is a big shot in the underworld. Reputation is everything to guys like him. He wouldn’t have gotten to his position otherwise. Since he said he’ll return her tonight, we just have to wait. Little Nan will be fine, I’m sure of it."

Adrian Hawthorne wasn’t too worried. Madman Ye wouldn’t just hide the little chubster away and not return her.

"It’s the ’what if’ that’s scary! Little Nan is so adorable, like a little angel sent from heaven. What if he decides to throw his honor out the window? No way, I’m going to go keep an eye on things right now."

Goldie Thorne rushed toward the door, and Jim Thorne tried to follow, but Adrian Hawthorne grabbed him. "Someone has to stay here and watch the merchandise."

"You stay, Jim!" Goldie Thorne yelled. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Why me? I’m going to find Little Nan!"

Jim Thorne stubbornly tilted his chin up, refusing. The merchandise wasn’t nearly as important as his sister.

"Uncle Goldie, you should be the one to stay," Adrian Hawthorne said. "You’re the adult. If any thieves show up, you can handle them. Jim and I are just kids, so it won’t be a problem for us to go see Madman Ye."