Maggie’s frustration flared up instantly . “ If he could make it into the city’s top school , then maybe we could talk , but he can’t , can he ? So , what right does he have to ask for any of this ? ” Wendy stayed silent , feeling a twinge of unease inside . She was complicit in this , too . “ He’s probably run off to see those useless friends of his in the suburbs ! I told you he’d get in touch with them ! ” Maggie snapped , her anger now directed at David . “ David , if you don’t step up and discipline your son , he’s going to be a complete mess ! ” David’s expression turned icy as he replied , “ When he gets back , lock him up for a few days to teach him a lesson ! This disobedient kid is out of control ! ” Wendy couldn’t sit still any longer . A tightness crept up in her chest as she rose from her seat and hurried back to her room . She would have to wait three more days before they could figure out where Joshua had gone . At least , for now , she was somewhat reassured , knowing he was likely safe . Outside , the storm raged on , halting the police’s progress . Wendy had no time to head into the office or get her phone fixed . She was stuck at home , waiting . Now that they knew Joshua wasn’t in immediate danger , the household felt a lot more at ease . Maggie even asked their housekeeper , Mrs. Locker , to whip up some snacks . Everyone settled into the living room , nibbling on treats and watching TV , as though everything was fine . Meanwhile , Joshua was balancing taking care of the live crabs and shrimp , all while staying on top of his homework . Time moved swiftly , and before anyone realized it , two days had already passed . Thanks to Joshua’s careful attention over the past two days , only a couple of his crabs and shrimp had died . As he glanced at his phone , a news report caught his eye . The storm had wreaked havoc on the coastal fish and shrimp farms , with estimated damages running into billions . Joshua’s heart raced – this was his moment . Unable to sit still , he grabbed his jacket and , braving the fierce winds , made his way to the seafood market to check on the prices of live crabs and shrimp . The storm had subsided , and people were starting to venture outside again . Fallen trees lined the streets , a testament to the chaos left behind . When Joshua arrived at the market , he was thrilled to see familiar faces . “ Joshua ! ” 7:17 pm 21 . Chapter 24 Business Plans “ Hey , Joshua ! ” He turned and spotted Gwen , Tom , and Edith waving at him . Gwen was tall with a simple ponytail and a face.dotted with acne . It gave her a plain look despite her pretty features . Edith , shorter and delicate , had a baby face and was also dressed simply . They all shared the same humble upbringing . Tom , on the other hand , had a sunny demeanor , with dark skin and a certain charm to his smile . It looked like they had already done their rounds at the market , buzzing with excitement . “ I checked , and the prices have skyrocketed ! ” “Yeah , they’ve more than doubled ! From twenty to forty – three for 500 grams ! ” “ Fishing boats were wrecked , and shrimp ponds wiped out . We’re in for some serious profit . The group looked at Joshua , their excitement contagious . Joshua grinned , feeling utterly happy . “ Alright , let’s get our stalls set up ! Each of us will take a different market . Gwen , you handle Surwich Market , Tom , you go to Bienvon Market , and Edith , you take Chenes Market . Let’s move fast and sell all our live shrimp and crabs while the prices are hot ! ” “ Got it ! ” Their years growing up as orphans had toughened them , turning them into seasoned street – sman traders . Doing business like this was second nature to them . Without wasting time , they dispersed to sell the live seafood . They didn’t have official stalls , but that didn’t stop them from selling just outside the market . Sure , they would get chased off now and then , but that was nothing new . They could always find another spot . They weren’t easily deterred , having grown up with little . They were fearless and used to facing challenges Joshua got right to work, taking out his 300 catties of live shrimp and crabs . It was more than he could handle in one go . He wasn’t fully recovered yet and was still weak from malnutrition , but he could make multiple trips . He didn’t expect to sell everything on the first day . It would probably take him three or four days to move all his stock . So , he dove into the hustle . Meanwhile , back at home , Wendy , seeing that the storm was almost over , was starting to feel uneasy . 7:17 pm 144 Promise to Punish My Ridiculous Family