After the signing was done, both Sia and Kevin went their separate ways. Kevin closed the store to prepare for his dinner with Samira. It was already 6 in the evening, and the dinner was scheduled for 8, so upon reaching home, he began getting ready.
His mother maintained her distance and didn't engage in much conversation with him, likely because the things she did to him. Kevin also didn't make an effort to engage, as it would be awkward if he mentioned that he was aware of what she had done to him the previous night. However, he couldn't help but notice a hint of sadness in her eyes as she went about her household chores, her face veiled as usual.
"Mom, you don't need to cook for me tonight. I'm going to eat out," Kevin informed her as he headed towards the door.
"Alright, just make sure you're not too late," Maria's voice carried from within the house.
"Sure thing," Kevin replied before stepping out.
*****
The person Kevin was having dinner with had already reached her destination and was enjoying a glass of wine while lost in deep thought. After obtaining the qi potions from Kevin, Samira received another stroke of luck on her way to the Cultivation Association. The Lucima City branch was planning to dispatch two employees from here to the Dasuya City branch, which happened to be the largest city in the southern region of the Kyosore Kingdom. It was only surpassed in prominence by some of the most advanced cities in the central part of the kingdom.
However, a condition had to be met in order for these two employees to be selected. They needed to successfully condense their qi into its second liquid form, and their spiritual bodies had to reach the initial stage of growth.
Samira had met one of the conditions by advancing her spiritual body to the second stage of growth. But she hadn't fully condensed her qi yet. This task wasn't impossible, but to achieve it, a cultivator had to store an immense amount of qi within their body. Once the capacity was reached, the excess qi would naturally transform into its liquid state, the purest form of qi achievable in Lucima City's cultivation stages.
Now, the challenge was that the Lucima branch housed a total of forty official employees, including the branch director and vice branch director, who were significantly stronger, occupying realms two levels higher than Samira. Thankfully, these high-ranking officials wouldn't be transferring, as their responsibility was to safeguard this city. Thus, an opportunity emerged for Samira to escape this relatively underdeveloped city.
Yet, seizing this chance required her to outperform other cultivators vying for the same position. Many of them had managed to transform a small amount of their qi into the liquid state. Now, with the two qi potions acquired from Kevin, Samira could potentially reach her limit and initiate the transformation of her qi. However, this alone wouldn't ensure her selection, prompting her to compromise her pride and seek additional qi potions from Kevin.
Samira's playing it smart, though. She's got a trick up her sleeve to buy herself some time without pulling any weird moves. "But can I really fool him with this?" she wonders, feeling a bit jittery. "If he were just a regular cultivator, I'd probably have hustled him for sure. But this guy seems to have some serious backup," she mulls over, knowing it's pretty fishy for a guy like him to have a truckload of Immortal-level qi potions all by himself.
While she was lost in her thoughts, a teenager strolled in, wearing black pants and a half-sleeve t-shirt neatly tucked in. He ambled through the door of the simple yet classic restaurant, a grin playing on his lips as he made his way over to Samira.
As he got closer, the grin on his face broadened and he extended his hand toward her. "Sorry to call you out again after our meeting earlier," Samira mentioned, slipping her hand into Kevin's.
Kevin's smile turned even more charming, his eyes dancing with admiration. "Oh, trust me, Miss Samira, I'd call that fortunate timing. Getting a chance to meet you twice in a day? I'd say I'm the lucky one here."
Samira couldn't hold back a chuckle at Kevin's smooth and playful response. With a graceful gesture, she invited him to take a seat across from her. "Please, have a seat."
"I must admit, I was intrigued when you suggested dinner. It's not often that someone makes such an offer after a business meeting," Kevin commented as he settled into the chair.
Samira's smile deepened as she replied, "Well, I believe in combining business with pleasure whenever possible. And considering the pleasant company, this seemed like the perfect opportunity."
Just as they settled in, a waiter promptly approached. "Good evening, Miss Samira. What would you like to have tonight?"
Kevin observed the familiarity between Samira and the waiter, raising an internal brow. 'She's a regular here, it seems.'
Without consulting the menu, Samira confidently stated, "How about some Simona steak? Mr. Morrison, you should try it too. It's made from the meat of a cattle-like monster named Simona. It's quite tender and juicy."
Kevin's lips curved into a smile as he replied, "I'll take your recommendation then."
The waiter jotted down their orders and inquired, "Anything else, sir?"
"For now, nothing else," Kevin replied, letting the waiter take his leave.
As they were left alone again, Kevin leaned back slightly, regarding Samira curiously. "You seem to be a regular here."
Samira sipped from her wine glass, her eyes meeting his. "Yes, I often dine here. The atmosphere is comfortable, and the food is excellent."
His gaze inadvertently fell on her wine glass, reminding him of a temptation he had been managing to resist. Samira caught his unspoken desire and courteously offered, "Would you like some wine as well?"
Kevin hesitated for a moment, his relationship with alcohol not being as well-defined as his comfort with other indulgences. Yet, he recognized the allure of it, much like the appeal of the pleasures he indulged in. With a playful smile, he pushed his glass a bit closer and responded, "Why not, I'll give it a shot."
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