Joseph was lost in thought as he absentmindedly dried his hair and stepped out of the bathroom. Just then, his phone buzzed from the living room, vibrating insistently.He glanced around and noticed that Alice had already retreated to her room. Perhaps this girl was just teasing him earlier. Shaking his head, he picked up his phone and saw an unfamiliar number on the screen. The caller ID indicated it was from Nova City.Joseph frowned slightly. There weren’t many people in Nova City who had his number, and although he was puzzled, he answered the call."Hello, who’s this?" Joseph asked."Mr. Wilson, it’s me!"The voice on the other end sounded eager, almost elated."It’s you? And... who might that be?" Joseph rolled his eyes, already wary that this might be some kind of scam call."It’s Richard Anderson! You know, from the Health Bureau today," the man quickly clarified, realizing his earlier vagueness."Oh, it’s you. So, what’s up?" Joseph asked casually, sipping some water as he sp
"Ta-da, a reward!"At that moment, Alice, who had been hiding her hands behind her back, revealed a colorful lollipop.Joseph stared at the lollipop, momentarily taken aback."A lollipop?"He was dumbfounded."Yes! It’s your favorite kind, just like mine. We both have a sweet tooth," Alice said with complete seriousness.Joseph didn’t respond immediately but accepted the lollipop, examining it carefully."I never would’ve guessed I enjoyed these so much in the past," he said with a slightly awkward smile."Of course you did! You’ve just forgotten. But Joseph, one day, you’ll remember everything," Alice replied earnestly."Yeah, actually, I’ve started recalling a lot of things over the past few days.""By the way, I’ve got a meeting with a friend later. I might be home a little late," Joseph said to Alice."Be careful tonight, and if you’re drinking, don’t overdo it. Just come back after you’re done. Don’t worry, I know how to give a man his space.""Alright, I’m off," Alice said with
After Fiona returned to her room, Maria Long continued watching TV. However, after only a few minutes, her stomach grumbled noisily."My cooking really can’t compare to that useless man’s... I can’t keep living like this. Tomorrow, I’ll definitely visit the domestic service agency and hire a chef or a housekeeper," she muttered to herself.---Nova City, "Usual Place" Barbecue Restaurant**Joseph parked his car a little way from the restaurant, careful to choose a spot that wasn’t too conspicuous. There were parking spaces closer to the barbecue joint, but his car was far too extravagant. He didn’t want Heidi to see it; she would bombard him with questions, and he didn’t want the hassle.Even so, a million-dollar car tends to attract attention, no matter where it’s parked."Hey, could I get your number?"A young woman in a tight-fitting skirt, tall and curvaceous, approached him. Her large hoop earrings swayed as she walked, and her wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her eyes glea
"Alright, I’ll leave you to it," the owner said before walking off.At that very moment, a taxi pulled up in front of the barbecue restaurant. A striking young woman stepped out and hurried toward Joseph after spotting him.It was, of course, Heidi Cooper."Finally, I made it! I’m starving," Heidi panted as she sat down, immediately grabbing the tea from the table and gulping it down."Why the rush? That’s the tea for rinsing your cup," Joseph said, bemused."I don’t care. At this point, it doesn’t matter. So, did you order anything yet?" Heidi asked eagerly."Yeah, I’ve ordered some things. Take a look. Start with some of the mains, and later I’ll make you something special," Joseph said, pouring her another cup of tea."Oh, Joseph! I’ve missed your cooking so much," Heidi said, her voice softening with appreciation.Just as she finished speaking, plates of cumin lamb ribs and cold beef salad arrived at the table."Wow, you’re amazing! You always remember my favorite dishes," Heidi e
"Every month during your cycle, you experience severe pain, don’t you?" Joseph asked casually."Uh... well, that’s pretty common, right? It’s just a matter of probability. Most women I know go through it. It’s nothing unusual," Heidi replied, a bit startled."Joseph, I think you’re just guessing," she added with a playful smirk, resting her delicate chin in her hand as she looked at him teasingly."Two days from now, your cycle will start. Your pain isn’t the typical cramping most women experience. Yours feels like constant stabbing, doesn’t it? That’s different from what most women feel," Joseph continued, undeterred.Heidi’s expression shifted immediately."How... how do you know that? You’re right. My pain is different," she admitted, her tone more serious now."And during those days, you have nightmares. When you wake up, your mouth feels bitter. But once your cycle is over, the symptoms disappear. Am I right?" Joseph pressed on."You’re exactly right. But how did you know all tha
"Got it. I knew you’d be showing off your cooking skills tonight," the barbecue shop owner called out."The usual deal—charge me the regular price," Joseph added."No problem. This isn’t the first time, I know how it goes," the owner chuckled."Hey, man, I saw you cook last time. You’ve got some serious skills. That grilled fish you made—it looked and smelled amazing," said a middle-aged man sitting at a nearby table, his tone warm and friendly."Yeah, I was lucky enough to try it. This guy’s cooking is something else," echoed another diner."Not to say the barbecue owner here isn’t great—his skills are top-notch—but this guy’s on a whole different level.""Is he really that good? He must be a professional chef, right?""Professional? Even professionals can’t always make food like that."The chatter around the tables grew louder.Joseph was a regular at the barbecue shop, and on occasion, he’d step behind the grill himself. Quite a few people there knew him, and some had even had the
"Excellent. Where is he right now?" Raymond Kim asked."Grabbing a late-night snack, with a girl. Looks like she’s from the Cooper family." Jonathan replied, a hint of pride creeping into his voice. "Mr. Kim, to be honest, I’ve spent the past few hours digging into his recent years. I’ve got everything.""Seems like you’ve been thorough." Raymond Kim smiled."Hey, when I’m working for you, Mr. Kim, I don’t leave anything to chance." Jonathan chuckled."Who did you send to follow him?" Raymond Kim asked again."Just a low-level thug from the area, goes by Scrappy. He’s got a dozen or so guys under him. This isn’t his first job for us. Mr. Kim, you remember Scrappy, right? Last time, you had him help bring a woman to your bed…" Jonathan said, taking a bite of food and sipping his drink, clearly enjoying the conversation."I remember. He gets things done." Raymond nodded slightly."Tell him, once Joseph’s finished eating, to beat the food right out of him. Make sure most of the p
At that moment, Joseph brought over two more dishes: cold clams and shrimp porridge."Wow, this is such a feast, brother-in-law! I’m going to cry… when will I get another meal like this?" Heidi gazed at the spread before her, moved almost to tears."Next time? Well, maybe we’ll have to wait until I get paid next month." Joseph smiled, teasing her."No way! Next month is far too long. I’ll take the hit and treat you instead. We can’t wait that long—I’ll starve to death living off the stuff at home." Heidi reacted dramatically, shaking her head. "Honestly, brother-in-law, I can’t live without you.""Alright, alright. You eat first. I’ve got a few more dishes to finish. I’ll bring them over once they’re done." Joseph stood up, still smiling."Be quick about it. You’ve been working all day. Once you’re done, come sit with me and eat." Heidi peeled a juicy shrimp, her words dripping with double meaning."Won't be long." Joseph answered casually before heading back to the kitchen."He