Roscoe concluded it wasn't worth repairing, thinking it was almost ready for the junkyard and might not even be fixable at a regular garage. He handed the old man several hundred-dollar bills as a token of gratitude for his kindness.

But the old man declined and instead invited them to stay the night.

That evening, the old man built a bonfire. The village was tiny, and mostly inhabited by elderly people. His family and one other couple were the remaining couples. He explained that the village would disappear from the map because it lacked younger residents. Once everyone from their generation was gone, the village would be entirely empty.

That evening, all the villagers emerged, thrilled to see younger visitors after such a long time. They greeted Nicole and Roscoe warmly, not asking why they had come but eager to hear tales from beyond their village.

Nicole felt an unexpected warmth that night, with the elders affectionately calling her "Sweetie," which reminded her of her late parents.

Assuming Nicole and Roscoe were a couple, the villagers offered them a room to themselves.

Nicole took the bed, while Roscoe settled on a mat on the floor.

As they listened to the cicadas and crickets, Nicole suddenly proposed, “Roscoe, let's stay here."

This place was meant for them.

They initially planned to purchase a home, but the villagers insisted it was destiny that brought them there, offering a house where a centenarian couple had lived and died together, claiming it brought good luck and blessings.

Nicole fell in love with the house right away. It had a main building with three rooms, a well, and a big courtyard adorned with a fragrant osmanthus tree blooming in the summer.

And so, they made it their home.

To show his gratitude, Roscoe began offering free medical check-ups and prescriptions to the village elders.

Given the village's remote location, over sixty miles from the nearest town, Roscoe acquired a motorcycle and a tricycle to facilitate travel.

He cleverly planned to use the motorcycle during the warmer months and the tricycle during the winter to accommodate Nicole's sensitivity to the cold.

Initially, to keep things low profile, they stayed within the village boundaries for three whole months.

Luckily, the village was a haven of self-sufficiency, with everything they needed, including fruits, vegetables, chicken, duck and fish.

After the first three months, Roscoe started weekly trips to the nearby town. He fetched necessities for the villagers and kept up with the latest happenings in Ardlens. He discovered that Jarrod was the subject of a legal investigation because of a scandal involving his abusive behavior, which had significantly damaged his reputation.

Amid Jarrod's challenges, the shareholders of the Schultz Group united to vote him out. Officially, they claimed Jarrod was on sick leave, but the consensus was clear. His career was all but finished.

But Jarrod wasn't one to give up easily. After staying out of the spotlight for two months, he regained support by proposing to Vicki and taking back control of the Schultz Group. He appeared to change his ways, often participating in charity events and openly showing his love for Vicki.