Chapter 49 Beauty, Homosexuality, and Dinner

The next evening.

 

After visiting Daniel and Robert in prison, Alexander returned home alone to grab some clothes, planning to stay with Andrew in the dorm for a while.

 

As soon as he finished packing, Alexander saw Emily returning home through the window. He was startled for a moment and immediately opened the door, shouting, "Emily, you're back."

 

"Get lost," Emily turned around and snapped, "You nasty gay."

 

"You're home early from work today."

 

"I finished my stuff, so I came back." Seeing Alexander greet her, Emily didn't go to her room but walked over and asked, "Where's your lover? Separated?"

 

"He has gone back to his mom's place." Alexander didn't bother to explain and made up a story.

 

"Back home? You let him go home?"

 

"Are you done?" Alexander snapped back, "Why are you so curious about these irrelevant things?"

 

"Yeah, right about that. I'm curious about the shit between you two."

 

"Shame on you!" Alexander snapped with a blush. 

 

"Alright. Enough." Emily stretched herself and asked with a bright smile, "Alexander, I helped you out. Shouldn't you treat me to a meal?"

 

The reason the Anderson family found Terry's stash on Elm Street that night was actually thanks to Emily. She had a conflict with George before, and it was Alexander who helped her. Alexander could provide reliable information to the Anderson family because of the photos Emily had taken, so she did indeed help Alexander a lot.

 

"What do you want to eat?" Alexander asked.

 

"I want Japanese food," Emily responded boldly.

 

Alexander was stunned, "Japanese food? You can't find much of that in all of Pine City, and one plate of salmon may cost me several months' salary. No way."

 

"You're getting mean. You think you're familiar with me?"

 

"I'll take you to eat something else."

 

"What is it?"

 

"Let's go. You'll see." Alexander put down his glass and picked up his luggage.

 

Emily was a bit curious and asked with a frown, "Why are you taking so much stuff? Not staying here anymore?"

 

"No, I'll go seek refuge." Alexander didn't want to explain and dragged Emily out, saying, "Let's go."

 

A handsome man and a beautiful woman walked along the dilapidated street for about twenty minutes before arriving at an alley next to the police station.

 

Emily blew on her hands with her face red from the cold, and looked at the storefront in front of her, saying, "There isn't a sign in this place. How dare you bring me here?"

 

"It's the thought that counts, not the money."

 

"Nonsense," Emily snapped, "Cheapskate!"

 

Alexander carried his luggage to the door, lifted the thick cotton curtain, and turned around, saying, "Come in."

 

This restaurant was introduced to Alexander by John, specializing in fish pasta, a traditional Pine City snack. Because there was a large frozen river on the north side of Pine City, stretching for hundreds of miles. Some hardworking fishermen would often dig holes in the ice to catch fish with nets.

 

Although there were no living creatures in most of the world now, Pine City was less affected by disasters, and the environment wasn't as harsh as outside the district. Otherwise, the city wouldn't be rebuilt in the Ninth District here.

 

This restaurant had only one dish and one main course. Not long after Alexander and Emily sat down, the owner brought a large iron pot to the table, using a charcoal stove to keep it warm. The cost of gas was too high for a small restaurant to afford.

 

Emily brushed her hair back, looked down at the fish and hand-pulled noodles in the pot, and said with a smile, "It looks pretty good."

 

"This pot costs nearly 30 dollars." Alexander rolled his eyes. "Not cheap. It's sort of a big cost for me." 

 

"Alright, alright, I know you're stingy. Enough talking." Emily picked up her utensils, took a bite, and chewed. "Mm, it's really good."

 

"Not just tasty, but also a good steal." Alexander was starving and started wolfing down the noodles.

 

"You eat like you're starving. Aren't you afraid of burning your mouth?" Emily frowned and muttered. "Can't you be a bit more dignified?"

 

"I'm gay, not trying to woo you. No need to act so well," Alexander said on purpose.

 

Emily smiled. "Do you like me? Otherwise, why would you help me beat up George that day?"

 

"Why would I? Are you a princess?"

 

"Get lost!"

 

"I'm just kind-hearted, so I helped you," Alexander added insincerely.

 

Emily smiled at Alexander. "Don't have any improper thoughts about me. I can be friends with you and teach you how to woo your lover."

 

Alexander didn't want to bicker with Emily and asked, "I'm curious about something."

 

"What?"

 

"Is the person who kidnapped you related to the Patrick family?" Alexander suddenly asked.

 

Emily was stunned. "How do you know?"

 

"It's my guess. Because afterward, William suppressed your kidnapping case, and there were rumors in the department that David got scolded by William for interfering," Alexander responded honestly.

 

"I found out later that Joseph was related to them."

 

"Terry is doing fine, so why did he kidnap you? Just for a little money?" Alexander couldn't help but ask.

 

Emily hesitated.

 

"Forget it. If you can't say, don't." Alexander stopped the topic when he saw she didn't want to talk.

 

Emily drank some water and responded after a long silence, "Actually, there's no need to hide it from you. Terry kidnapped me because my uncle is a senior executive in a big company in Stardust City. He asked my uncle for a favor, but my uncle didn't agree, so he came up with this plan. Originally, he planned to have Joseph pretend to be the kidnapper and ask my uncle for money, then he would heroically save me, to earn my uncle's gratitude and achieve his goal."

 

"I see." Alexander nodded and asked, "But why kidnap you to make your uncle agree to his request? Doesn't your uncle have kids?"

 

"Because I was coming to Pine City for work, and I grew up in my uncle's house, almost like his own child." Emily laughed. "My uncle's kids have certain social statuses, so Terry probably didn't dare to touch them and instead chose me."

 

"Got it."

 

"Enough about me. Let's talk about you." Emily took off her coat and asked with rosy cheeks, "Did you come to the Ninth District alone? What about your family?"

 

Alexander frowned at this question.

 

"What's wrong?" Emily sensed something was off and asked cautiously.

 

"I don't have a family. During the riots before the Ninth District was established, I was abandoned. Some say my parents died, others say they ran away with my brother." Alexander's eyes dimmed. "There are many stories, but after all these years, I've almost forgotten them."

 

Emily was stunned for a long time and said blankly, "I'm sorry. I thought..."

 

"It's okay. I'm used to it." Alexander waved his hand.

 

With that, the atmosphere became a bit awkward. They both focused on eating their food.

 

About twenty minutes later, Alexander paid the bill, and they left the small restaurant.

 

It was very cold outside, with light snowflakes falling.

 

Emily shivered from the cold, constantly blowing on her hands.

 

"Are all women crazy? Wearing so little in this weather, aren't you afraid of dying early?" Alexander rolled his eyes, took out a pair of thick, old sheepskin gloves from his luggage, and said, "Put these on."

 

Emily took the thick gloves, looked at Alexander, and said, "You're quite thoughtful."

 

"Observing and understanding is a basic skill for chasing girls," Alexander replied.

 

"Using a pair of old gloves to woo me? Keep dreaming!" Emily spat and happily put on the gloves, praising, "So warm."

 

Alexander didn't say anything. He just walked forward at a moderate pace.

 

Emily touched the icicles on the windowsills with her gloved hands and suddenly shouted, "Big dummy."

 

"What?" Alexander turned around.

 

"Cheer up. We can't change the past, but living in this era, we have to believe in a better tomorrow." Emily stood in the snowy alley and cheerfully advised, "At least you have a beautiful woman walking with you now. Isn't that something to be grateful for?"

 

Alexander was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Thank you, gorgeous."

 

Under the dim light, they looked at each other for a long time. Emily seemed a bit embarrassed and walked quickly, saying, "What are you looking at? Let's go. Take me home."

 

"I can take you home, but not for free. Can something happen tonight?" Alexander followed and asked.

 

"Stop it, or I'll call your lover."

 

Deep in Maple Street.

 

Several young men who worked for Benjamin were standing in front of a storefront, talking in low voices.

 

In the distance, a bald man leading four young men, swaggered over.

 

"Are there any women?" the man burped and shouted.

 

One of the young men by the roadside glanced at him. "How many of you?"

 

"Are you blind? Can't you count?" one of the men beside the bald man cursed.

 

"Who are you cursing?" The bald man punched the young man, making him stagger three steps backward and fall to the ground with a thud.

 

"How dare you hit us!" The young man's companion helped him up, cursing with widened eyes, "Are you looking for trouble?"

 

The bald man whistled and shouted, "The Anderson family is hitting me."

 

As soon as he finished speaking, three or four dozen people rushed out of a dark alley nearby, wielding steel pipes and machetes.

 

The premeditated conflict began tonight.