Chapter 228

Chapter 228:
The summer night air was cool. A blue shed stood by the roadside, illuminated by several incandescent bulbs hanging on simple wires. It looked just like before.
The stall owner immediately recognized Candice and said, “Hey there, little girl. I haven’t seen you in nearly three years.”
Candice replied with a warm smile, “Yeah. Last time I was here, I was still a college student. I missed your hamburgers very much.”
“Have a seat,” the stall owner invited warmly. Her eyes lit up when she noticed the man standing behind Candice. She asked, “So this is your boyfriend? You brought him here to eat hamburgers together? Welcome.” As she spoke, she gave Milton a once-over. Besides his dashing looks, his demeanor and style were impeccable.
“Little girl, you’re so lucky. How did you get to know him?” She stepped closer to Candice and added, “I think he’s a good man. You ought to cherish him.”
As soon as Milton stepped into the stall, he couldn’t hide the frown cutting across his face. Judging by the old houses nearby, the mottled walls, and the faded blue roof, it was clear this was a place for rural workers to gather and eat. The air was thick with the heavy smell of grease. Although the tables and chairs looked clean and tidy, Milton hesitated and barely took another step forward to sit down. Only when the stall owner asked if he was Candice’s boyfriend did his face soften.
Candice quickly noticed the dislike on his face. She knew he couldn’t stand these roadside food stalls and wouldn’t be able to stay long. She grinned and clarified to the stall owner, “He’s not my boyfriend.”
The curious stall owner then replied, “Then who is he?”
Candice waved her hands cautiously and explained, “Don’t get me wrong. He’s simply my boss. Superior. Employer.” Worried the stall owner might not understand, Candice emphasized the terms several times.
“Oh, I see. What a shame.”
Milton’s face turned livid upon hearing this.
Boss? Superior? Employer? And noting himself as “Party A” in her phone?
These were absolutely not the terms he wanted her to use. Yet from her perspective, their relationship was purely professional. The idea left him crestfallen.
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Squinting at Milton, Candice continued to order, “Two hamburgers, a bottle of soda, a bag of chips, and a chicken drumstick, please.”
Then, she walked into the open-air shed, found a seat, and sat down.
Looking at Milton standing outside the shed, she smiled. She didn’t believe he would actually step in. The roadside food stall was as clean and presentable as such places could be, but it simply wasn’t somewhere Milton frequented. The eatery had only a simple four-legged table and several blue plastic stools, and its customers were ordinary people. Milton was used to dining in high-end restaurants. How could he eat here?
Candice had already decided to pack the extra hamburger to take home later.
Seeing the mockery in Candice’s eyes, however, Milton endured the discomfort and stepped into the shed resolutely. He walked over to Candice’s side and frowned at the simple plastic stools. Finally, he took a few pieces of tissue from the table, wiped the stool, and sat down.
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