Watching Noah bite into the soft piece of the sugar pancake and swallow, Lila Vale stared at his expression like a kitten waiting for a head pat as her reward. "How is it? Delicious?"
"Yeah, really sweet and chewy."
"I'll give you these two as well." She pushed the food bag into his hands, smiling sweetly. "If you like them, we can come again next time."
But Noah didn't accept the other two pancakes. "No need for that many. I can't finish them anyway. I might not have time next time… but thanks, the pancakes were really good."
"We're not strangers who need to thank each other, right?" The girl took the bag back, puffing out her cheeks in mild displeasure.
"Yeah, that's true. I should head back now. They should be done shopping." Noah glanced back at the clothing store. Evelyn and Grace still hadn't come out yet, so there was still time.
"So soon… Fine then. See you." Lila Vale seemed to remember something and hurriedly added, "Oh, right, um…"
The girl pressed her lips together, hesitating. Seeing her reluctance, Noah asked gently, "What is it? Just say whatever's on your mind. Didn't you say we're that close?"
"If you ever need help in the future, you can come to me anytime. Noah, you don't have to give up everything just to accommodate someone else… no matter who it is."
"Why are you suddenly saying this?" Noah scratched his head, not fully grasping the unspoken meaning behind her words. "I'm going now. Bye."
"Mhm, bye."
He waved goodbye to Lila Vale, holding the food bag, and turned around—only to see Grace pushing open the store door while Evelyn was already standing at the entrance, watching him with a cold, indifferent expression.
"Oh my, the second we look away, Nate goes off flirting with a girl," Grace said jokingly as he hurried back. "Aren't you afraid Evelyn will get jealous?"
She reached out to pinch Noah's cheek, but Evelyn swatted her hand away. Grace withdrew her hand with a trace of dissatisfaction. "You won't even let your sister touch you, yet you were so close with that girl just now."
"Grace, please stop teasing me," Noah said awkwardly, glancing at her.
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. But how are you going to explain this to your sister? Evelyn was picking out new clothes for you and wanted you to try them on for size. The moment she turned around, you had disappeared."
"Sis…" Noah lowered his head and walked over to Evelyn like he was admitting his mistake. He held up the half-eaten sugar pancake. "The sugar pancakes here are really good. Want to try some?"
"Why were you running around with her again?" Evelyn ignored the little bag he offered and asked coldly.
"I… I got hungry. I didn't want to disturb you two, so I went to grab something to eat first. I just happened to bump into Lila."
He lifted his face and gave Evelyn a silly, innocent smile—one that was obviously forced and evasive—as if he was determined to lie his way through it.
Evelyn didn't reply. She grabbed his wrist tightly and turned to Grace. "Let's go, Grace. Time for dinner."
"Okay, okay. Let's head to that hot pot place nearby that I always go to. Their lamb hot pot is amazing."
The restaurant Grace mentioned was close, less than a hundred meters away. Situated in the busiest section of the commercial street, it had elegant and cozy decor. On this cold winter night during the holiday season, it was packed with customers.
Fortunately, one or two tables were still available. The server led them to a private room. Grace scanned the QR code on the table and pushed her phone toward Evelyn. "Order whatever you want. It's my treat, don't hold back."
"Thanks for treating us, Grace."
Evelyn didn't have strong preferences when it came to food. She usually just cooked whatever Noah liked. She herself only paid more attention when dealing with her stomach problems.
She ordered a moderate selection of meats and vegetables, most of them chosen to suit Noah's tastes, then handed the phone back to Grace. Grace took it and looked at the quiet Noah beside her. "What about you, Nate? Pick out some things you like."
Noah waved his hand, sitting up straight. "No need, I'll eat whatever."
The hot pot broth was still heating up. The bright red, oily, spicy base hadn't fully come to a boil yet. The air conditioning hummed steadily. The private room shut out the noise from outside, and the large glass window reflected Loane City's brilliant, bustling night scene.
Grace took off her coat and stretched, her white knit sweater hugging her graceful figure. Her pretty, delicate face was slightly flushed in the warm room.
"It feels so much better hanging out with you two. At the company I have to keep a straight face all day long. I'm about to turn into a statue."
"If I joined, wouldn't I end up the same?" Evelyn asked with a light laugh.
"You could be my secretary, Evelyn. I believe you'd excel at any position." Grace curved her lips and glanced at Noah, holding up three fingers. "Or Nate could come work for me. I'll pay this much."
"Really? I'm in, I'm in. I'll work really hard."
The moment he agreed, he received a solid knock on the head. Evelyn pinched his cheek sternly. "Work hard at what? Right now you need to focus on your studies for me, Nate. What could you even do there besides cause Grace trouble? Do you know how poorly your recent assignments have been?"
"I'll do it later, after I graduate."
"After graduation you'll prepare for grad school, then a doctorate. If possible, I'll send you abroad to study. You think undergrad is the end of it?"
"More school? The bar is so high. What about you, sis?"
"I only just got my PhD this year. You want to compare yourself to me?"
Noah was left speechless. As expected, he lost the argument with Evelyn again, though this time Grace stepped in to mediate.
"Alright, alright, don't put so much pressure on Nate. Evelyn, you got your PhD even earlier than me."
The hot pot gradually came to a boil. The ordered ingredients arrived plate by plate and were dropped into the pot. Steam rose in front of them, creating a warm and cozy scene.
Evelyn picked up a piece of perfectly cooked meat and placed it in Noah's bowl. Watching him dip it in sauce and eat it, she asked softly, "Is it good?"
"Of course. It's really flavorful."
"So you can still eat after all. I thought you'd filled up on the street."
"Come on, sis, stop teasing me."
She placed another piece of meat into his bowl. "Hmph. Enjoy it while you can, Nate."
The boy didn't quite catch the ominous undertone in her words. He continued happily eating the spicy, aromatic food on the table, completely unguarded—like a rabbit sleeping peacefully inside a trap.
"Evelyn, come with me to grab some drinks. What do you want, Nate?"
"Coke. With ice."
"Got it. Iced Coke."
Grace gave Evelyn a meaningful look. The two of them left the private room and walked to the counter. Her gaze swept across the colorful bottles on the shelves before stopping on several bottles of pale yellow liquor.
"Hm, let's go with this one. He should be willing to drink it."
"What do you mean by this, Grace?"
"What do you think? I'm helping you out here, Evelyn."