Chapter 76: Comforting
If Lynsandra was right, she used to frequent places like this to find some sort of comfort. Every time Victor let her down—or life hit her from all directions—this was the kind of place she would end up in. Clubs were too loud for her, after all.
She blinked and snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Elias reach for the bottle of beer.
"You’re going to drink?" she asked, making him freeze mid-motion, his mouth slightly open and his hand poised to pour. "You’re driving."
"What do you think of me?" he narrowed his eyes as he lowered the bottle. "One beer won’t even reach my stomach."
"I’m not driving you back."
"Oh, come on!" he grumbled, studying the subtle displeasure on her face. "Fine. I won’t touch it."
As if the bottle were an old friend, he reluctantly set it down and dramatically looked away. She shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Just one," she said. "And if we get into an accident, I’m going to kill you. So pray it’s brutal enough to take both of us."
"Well, it would have to be brutal to kill both of us," he shrugged with a laugh. "Don’t worry. I’m not planning on speeding on the way back."
She smacked her lips and continued eating leisurely. Meanwhile, he happily chugged the beer, hissing in satisfaction afterward. It wasn’t as if she didn’t know that a single bottle wouldn’t cause an accident, but she disliked the idea of it.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" he asked.
"Huh?"
Elias arched a brow and glanced at his drink before frowning and hiding it slightly behind him.
"You’re not drinking."
"Why not?" she tilted her head. "Afraid of taking care of a drunk person?"
"Yep!" he answered immediately, leaning closer. "Hey, don’t you remember what you put me through that night?"
She blinked. "Was it bad?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind. But you... you’re a troublemaker."
Just think about the poor guys she beat up that night. Though they deserved it, she might’ve killed them if she had thrown one more punch.
"I’m not drinking." She clicked her tongue, eyeing the bottle he was trying to hide. Without warning, she reached for it.
At the same time, he leaned back, shaking his head.
"Na-ah," he laughed. "Been there, done that. You’re not tricking me again."
"Huh..." she rocked her head lightly and whistled. "When I’m drunk, I tend to lower my guard completely. Who knows what might happen on a drunken night?"
He gulped, cheeks slightly flushed at the idea.
"You are a really, really cruel person!" he hissed, finishing the rest of his beer in one go as if swallowing a bitter pill. "Cruel!"
All that earned him was her laughter.
"Goodness," he muttered, watching her smile. "This girl’s a sadist."
She resumed eating while he finished his meal. At first, they thought the amount of food was excessive. But by now, they realized it was just enough for the two of them. She ate more than she expected, and he enjoyed every bite.
"By the way—" Elias suddenly paused, his expression twisting in dismay. He tapped the table near her without looking. "Give me a second. Auntie! I told you—do you think you’re superhuman!?"
Lynsandra’s brows rose as she watched him hurry over to the same auntie who had served them earlier. She was carrying another large tray. This time filled with even more bowls of soup. It looked dangerous for her to carry alone.
Elias continued complaining loudly as he took the tray from her, though the auntie only laughed and smacked his shoulder. They looked genuinely close.
"How nice of him," Lynsandra whispered. "Or is he showing off?"
She considered it, then shook her head.
No. It wasn’t showing off. Judging by his reaction, it was instinct.
She followed him with her gaze, watching him carry the tray while the auntie distributed the bowls to other customers. Even the customers spoke to them casually, like old acquaintances.
Once they finished serving, Elias was about to return when the auntie said something to him. His face twisted slightly, but he complied and reluctantly carried the tray toward the back of the tent.
"I wonder what she told him," Lynsandra murmured. "I should’ve sharpened my senses."
To her surprise, the auntie was now walking toward her. Lynsandra raised her brows and watched as the auntie approached the table.
"Young lady, did you like the food?" the auntie asked, her bright smile unwavering.
Lynsandra returned the smile politely. "Yes. It’s the best noodle soup I’ve had in a while."
"I’m so glad," the auntie sighed in relief. "I thought he was joking when he told me that once he had a date, he’d bring her here. He’s really a nice and likable young man."
She shook her head fondly. "We kept telling him to take his date somewhere nicer. But he’s stubborn."
"Actually..." Lynsandra bit her lip, glancing toward where Elias had disappeared before looking back at the auntie. "I’m glad this is where he brought me."
Her eyes softened, and a faint pink tinted her cheeks. "The food... felt comforting."
"Oh?" The auntie’s eyes widened slightly before her smile grew even brighter. She giggled. "I suppose I didn’t need to worry after all."
"Hm?" Lynsandra frowned slightly, confused, especially when Enlly’s soft chuckle echoed in her mind. "Why are you laughing?"
The auntie waved her hand dismissively. "Nothing, nothing. I told Eli to grab the takeouts we prepared for him. He’ll be back soon. Come by anytime, alright?"
"Uh... okay?" Lynsandra tilted her head as she watched the auntie walk away, still giggling like a mischievous child. "I wonder what I said that was so funny."
She relaxed back into her seat. "Enlly, what’s so funny?"
As usual, Enlly gave no response.
Soon, Elias returned with a brown paper bag in his hand.
"Hey, sorry. The aunties said we should bring this home," he said, lifting the bag slightly. "You ready to leave?"
She nodded and stood with him. As they stepped out and headed toward their ride, she glanced at him.
"I enjoyed our date more than I expected," she admitted. "This place isn’t bad."
His brows rose as he turned to her. "Why are you talking like the date’s over?"
"It isn’t?" she asked innocently. "I thought we were going home."
The moment those words left her lips, the corners of his mouth stretched into a wide grin.
"The night isn’t over," he said, reaching for her hand and pulling her along. "It’s only just beginning."
