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Chapter 233: MAX's Choice
🕑 Added 2025-04-30 03:21:22 +0000 UTCDuncan’s Apartment.
“Are you trying to be my sugar daddy?”
MAX asked with a serious expression, posing a deadly question.
Adam was caught off guard.
This was not an easy question to answer.
If he said no...
Most of the reasons he could give would sound like complete nonsense. A little thought would reveal the flaws.
Helping a friend—does it really require this much effort?
Of course not.
In the original timeline, when Chandler was promoted to manager and needed an assistant, Phoebe was unemployed at the time. Yet, his first instinct wasn’t to hire her. Even after being reminded by others, he hesitated repeatedly.
There were valid reasons for this—friends shouldn’t mix personal relationships with professional hierarchies—but ultimately, it highlighted an important truth: help among friends has limits.
Lending a hand when convenient is expected.
But persistently reminding someone who clearly isn’t interested, securing them a high-paying job two years in advance to eliminate any financial concerns—that level of assistance goes beyond what even close family members would do. That’s what a real father would do.
MAX wasn’t stupid—how could she not see through this?
She smacked away Adam’s “divine hand” that had nearly rearranged the letters of "MAXAM" into "NAXAN" and asked her question with utmost seriousness. If he tried to play dumb now, it would be outright insulting to her intelligence.
But if he answered yes?
That wouldn’t work either.
A sugar daddy is basically the equivalent of a “godfather” in some Eastern cultures, except with an entirely different—and much more scandalous—connotation.
In America, there are even sugar daddy dating websites, making the whole concept seem almost socially accepted. But make no mistake—it’s still a derogatory term.
Claiming to be someone’s sugar daddy? That would be an undeniable insult to any self-respecting woman.
So here was the dilemma.
Answering yes or no was equally unacceptable.
If this wasn’t a trick question, then what was?
“Hahaha!”
Seeing Adam’s conflicted expression as his emotions shifted rapidly, MAX suddenly burst into laughter.
“You were trying to scare me?”
Adam immediately understood.
In his eyes, MAX was a good girl—but she was also a bit of a troublemaker.
Sometimes, during playful banter, she would jokingly call herself a dirty girl or a naughty girl—especially naughty girl. That tone? It paired perfectly with the term sugar daddy.
Under normal circumstances, Adam wouldn’t have fallen for it.
But just moments ago, he had been reflecting on how he had been acting too casually around MAX. Sure, MAX was often the one making inappropriate jokes, but he had also pushed the boundaries a little too far.
And with the serious look on her face, he really thought she had been offended and was confronting him for real.
That was why he hesitated.
“Hahaha.”
MAX laughed, saying, “Candy has always been my favorite. And I’ve always wanted a dad growing up. A sugar daddy is practically my god! How could I not love it?”
Smack!
Adam immediately swatted her.
Of course, not on the face—one shouldn’t hit someone’s face, after all.
“Sugar daddy~”
MAX blinked at Adam with teary eyes.
Adam took a deep breath, cursing in his mind:
Damn this decadent, free world!
MAX was indeed an expert at mischief. Even after all that, she still dared to tease him like this.
No hesitation—he couldn’t back down.
One Hour Later
The late night returned to its usual tranquility.
Adam continued reading, occasionally glancing at MAX, who was now fast asleep. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment.
After an hour of “friendly negotiations,” MAX had finally agreed to his suggestion—she would go back to college to further her studies and, after graduation, work with him.
Adam wasn’t just making empty promises—he genuinely had an idea.
In his previous life, he had nieces and nephews, and for a while, they were obsessed with a certain cartoon about a little pig named Peppa. Because of them, Adam had watched a few episodes and even researched it.
What stuck with him the most was how shockingly influential that little pig was. The show became a worldwide sensation, its merchandise selling like crazy, and its licensing fees bringing in over a billion dollars annually.
The only thing that might have surpassed it? Probably Harry Potter.
But Harry Potter had an extremely high production cost compared to Peppa Pig.
What was Peppa Pig exactly?
A cheaply animated kids’ show.
Of course, just like Harry Potter, its success wasn’t purely accidental—promotion played a big role.
But no phenomenon goes viral without some intrinsic appeal.
The show’s humorous dialogue and its surprisingly educational yet eerie storytelling captivated not just children but also parents. That was the real foundation of its global success.
Adam planned to first outline the storyline, then have MAX illustrate it for publication—securing the copyrights early.
As for whether to license the animation to another company or produce it himself, that could be decided later.
The only costs involved were MAX’s salary and a bit of mental effort on Adam’s part to recall and refine the story.
If it worked out in the future, it would be an absolute cash cow.
A billion-dollar annual revenue stream? If it became a publicly traded company, its market value could easily reach hundreds of billions. That meant its stock value would outshine even his investments in Apple and Google.
A low-cost, high-reward opportunity that could also change MAX’s future—how could he not do it?
And choosing MAX wasn’t a random decision.
She wasn’t without advantages—in fact, she had plenty.
Her loyalty? That was only half a joke.
Sure, he could hire someone else and use contracts to prevent plagiarism or early leaks.
But if he could work with someone who was naturally loyal, why wouldn’t he?
Besides, Peppa Pig was aimed at young children, meaning its storytelling and art style had to be appropriate.
Adam had only seen parts of it, not the full series, so he could provide an outline and an initial concept—but the rest would require someone to refine and complete.
That person needed artistic skills, a sense of humor, and a childlike heart.
MAX had all three.
Her sharp tongue and risqué humor were legendary, but that didn’t mean she lacked the ability to be genuinely funny in a child-friendly way.
Her current style was a defense mechanism—a way to protect herself from the harsh realities of life, much like Chandler’s self-deprecating humor or Susie’s rebellious antics.
If given the opportunity, MAX could shift that humor into something that parents and children alike would enjoy.
That brought up another key requirement—a childlike heart.
You wouldn’t ask someone who writes adult stories to suddenly write pure romance. It’s just not their style.
Without a genuine childlike perspective, no matter how well-written something is, kids simply won’t care—because their view of the world is entirely different.
And did MAX have that childlike heart?
Absolutely.
If Adam hadn’t stepped in, she would have ended up working as a nanny for wealthy housewives—so skilled that she would make actual mothers look bad in comparison.
Plus, she still loved watching robotic dolls in kids' cartoons.
Loyalty, humor, and a childlike heart—MAX excelled in all these areas.
The only thing she lacked was advanced drawing skills, but that was something she could learn.
Peppa Pig didn’t explode in popularity until after 2010, meaning there were still more than ten years to go.
There was plenty of time.
MAX had all the right qualities. She was also a good friend.
Waiting a few years for her? No problem at all.
(End of Chapter)
