Loredana returned and encountered the doll prank which made her forget about it. Loredana felt sorry about that, “I’m sorry that I forgot.”
“It’s OK. Didn’t I come here to seek for you?” “How about treating me to a meal in the morning?”
Charles said as he glanced at Cormac.
“Mr. White, are you too poor to purchase a meal?” Cormac teased Charles as he faked a smile. He placed his hand around Loredana’ shoulder and slid it to her waist. With a strong snap, Loredana’ body was instantaneously stuck to his body.
“If it was not Ms. Flores who treats me to a meal, then it would be meaningless and tasteless no matter what I eat” Charles said as his gaze skimmed over the big hand around Loredana’ waist. His gaze flickered slightly as he smiled gently.
Loredana’ gaze darted back and forth between Charles and Cormac as she wondered why she had the impression that they were actually comparing and fighting with one other.
Why did the atmosphere become so tense?
She couldn’t go back on her word, because she was the one who recommended treating Charles to a meal. “That’s OK, you may join us”.
Charles grinned as he glanced at the table not far away, where all her family members had seated half of the table “Is it proper to ask me to dinner with so many people? Shouldn’t you inquire as to what I’d like to eat?”
“Sorry that I’m not considerate enough so where and what does Mr White want to eat?” For a time, Loredana’ expression changed subtly as she hadn’t expected Charles to become so picky today.
He used to be very easy-going.
“Turn right out of the hotel, there’s a breakfast shop named FSB not far away. The breakfast from the store is delicious, I particularly like the leaf-lard bun from the store, I wonder if Ms Flores, could you treat me to have it?”
“Alright,” Loredana replied as she kept her grin on her face.
Loredana didn’t appear to comprehend at this point in the conversation that Charles just wanted her to invite him alone, so Charles spoke up and reminded her, “You’re inviting me alone, right?”
Loredana said without hesitation, “Yes”.
“Then isn’t it suitable for Mr Mendelsohn to follow?” He said as he smiled gently.
He was pushing his luck!
Cormac’s words were on the tip of his tongue, but just as he was ready to let them out, he felt a strong tug on his back.
He turned around to see Simona rushing over to him. She grasped the edge of his shirt and said, “Daddy come and eat, I peeled eggs for you.”
“Simona is such a good girl,” Loredana said as she touched her daughter’s hair. “Then please take care of Simona,” she said as she looked up at Cormac.
“Daddy, Daddy, hurry up and see the eggs I peeled for you…,” Simona drew Cormac to the table in the same way she drew Loredana back to her room in the morning.
“Let’s go,” Loredana remarked as he approached Charles.
Charles moved to the front as he turned his wheelchair to lead the way.
They didn’t drive since it wasn’t far and Tom who used to be with Charles didn’t follow.
“You’re not furious just now, are you?” Charles spoke as she walked out of the hotel.
“I was the one who said I’d treat you to a meal but I forgot so I should be the one who feels guilty,”
Loredana replied with a smile.
“What I mean was that I asked just you out for a meal.”
Loredana was taken aback by his persistence in calling her out.
“Actually, I have something that I wish you can help me with, and it’s not good to talk about that inside, which is why I called you out.” Charles confessed.
This was why he phoned Loredana so early and mentioned the treat in order to ask her out.
“I would like to help if it’s something I’m capable of.” Loredana said honestly. Anyways, he did save her, although she was forced to repay by Cormac. But anyhow she still considered Charles as her friend and did not hurt her.
“I am relieved to have your words.” “The store is right in front,” Charles said with a smile.
“Don’t you have something to say?” Loredana was puzzled.
“The things matter, but eating is more essential. I can’t let you starve.”
Charles was undoubtedly a regular customer here. When he reached the door, someone opened the door and brought them to the compartment without having to say anything. They were then served with the store’s special breakfast, which featured the leaf-lard buns that Charles mentioned.
“Try it,” Charles said as he picked up one and put it onto Loredana’ plate.
Loredana glanced down, as she could see the crust was crystal clear and looked just like crystal and there was a ball of filling in it. As she clipped up and was about to put it into her mouth, Charles reminded, “Eat it up with just a bite otherwise it will spill as there is soup inside.”
Loredana shoved the entire bun into her mouth. The soup and the filling which was with a strong seafood taste occupied her mouth. It was not greasy but satisfying. Just with a bite, they could eat something that was so wonderful. She covered up as she knew that her eating face must be ugly.
“This is the right way to eat and enjoy it,” Charles said as she gave her a tissue.
Loredana took it as she swallowed the food in her mouth and scooped a spoonful of porridge. It was white porridge, there was no unique taste when having it. The faint scent of marrow lingered in her mouth after swallowing it.
“This porridge is called pork bone congee. The meat was first removed from the pork bone, the white bone then condensed into soup. The rice was then washed and put into a ceramic jar. Next, pour in the bone soup. Simmer it for an hour. This porridge looked no difference from the normal white porridge but the nutrition and flavour in it were much beyond the white porridge.”
“Are you still studying and searching for good food?” Loredana asked as though she had a big discovery.
Charles took a drink of water, his gaze fixed on the gently swirling water in the cup. After a while, he slowly lifted his eyes, “I’m not really studying. I mean, I did some research about the food for you overnight, do you believe?”
Loredana was swallowing the porridge. Because of Charles’ remarks, she was unsure whether to vomit or swallow the porridge. It stuck in her throat and not able to go up or down, which cause her to choke as she took a gasp. Ahem——
Charles handed her water, “Drink some water to ease the cough.”
Loredana took the cup and poured a mouthful of water to swallow the porridge down. She put the cup down and took a tissue to wipe her mouth, “Mr White, this prank is not amusing.”
Loredana pretended not to understand what exactly he meant and treated that as a joke.
“You may consider that as a joke,” Charles chuckled.
Loredana said when the dinner was nearly completed, “Tell me, what can I do to help?”.
“It’s about the prank that day,” Charles said after some thought.
Loredana calmed down and stayed steady as she doubted that he also found some clues.
How could he be that fast?
“Mr. Mendelsohn believes it was a buddy of mine,” she said. When he heard about Lacey, the typical smile on his face gradually faded.
Lacey was the name represented more than simply a person. It represented his recollections of being at the orphanage.
She was just as close as his family member. They were both orphans.
Since they both grew up in the orphanage, which was why he intervened to assist Lacey when he confirmed that she was his childhood friend.
“She was shy and kind-hearted since she was a kid. Once, a few children who were also orphans like us grabbed a puppy and wanted to burn it to eat.” “Did you feel shocked?” He chuckled as he clearly saw Loredana being startled.
Loredana nodded truthfully.
“The orphanage’s daily expenditures were entirely funded by donations and government subsidies, but how much of that money truly reached the orphans?” When it came to this, his tone was obviously sarcastic. “Not to mention to have meat to eat, there were times that we couldn’t even get anything”
“The few orphans who were older than us did not just dare to plan but also dare to take action. They said the meat of the puppy was very nutritious and fragrant to be burned to eat. As she saw that, she freed the puppy. All of us couldn’t get out of the orphanage, if the puppy ran away, it was impossible for them to catch it back. After the few orphans knew what she did, they surrounded her and violently beat him up, I went to call the dean to come to save her, and then she lay in bed for a week. I asked her whether she regretted it and she said no. So, I don’t think such a kind-hearted girl would do that terrifying thing.”
Loredana was unsure, she did not dare to make a conclusion because people might change.
“…Then do you know anything about her now?”
Charles White shook his head, “I’m not sure about it. She never told me anything about her. She only simply said that her adoptive parents weren’t good to her.”
Charles gazed at the rising sun outside the window and worriedly said, “How many orphans are adopted by good people?”
New Book: Beginning with a Daring Encounter
Celsie was tired of being labeled as an introvert, workaholic, and dull virgin by her friends. Determined to prove them wrong, she made a bet that she would do something daring on her 25th birthday. Now that the day had arrived, it was time to fulfill her promise. On her daring to-do list, there was one task: a one-night stand with someone.
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