Chapter 249
"Of course." Howard said, gently applying the brakes and pulling the car over to the side of the road. "The university town is just ahead. There are lots of great street food stalls."
Howard opened the umbrella, positioning Chloe on the inside of the sidewalk, sheltered from the road.
"It's been so long since I've had street food near a university. I kind of miss it." Chloe said, looking genuinely excited.
"You didn't eat enough, did you?" Howard found her undisguised delight amusing.
"How did you know I didn't eat enough?" Chloe looked at him, astonished.
A slight curve touched Howard's lips. "The person who can usually eat a whole bowl of noodles at home only had a few muffins today. How could that be enough?"
Because it was a dinner to thank Howard, the Jenkins family had put on a grand spread. But grand as it was, it was mostly for show, not for eating. Plus, Chloe wasn't fond of such formal occasions to begin with, so it was only natural that she hadn't eaten her fill.
"Just a guess." Howard said casually.
They ambled along, their footprints marking the thin layer of snow on the ground. As they passed a small, brightly lit stall, Chloe suddenly sniffed the air. "That smells so good. It's been ages since I've had barbecue."
After she said it, she seemed to remember something and looked at Howard. "On second thought, let's just forget it."
"It looks delicious. Why don't you have some with me?" Howard asked, his expression serious.
Chloe knew, of course, that Howard was just humoring her. She looked troubled. "Can you eat this?" Howard had been raised in luxury; his stomach was naturally just as delicate. Chloe worried he wouldn't be able to handle cheap street food.
Seeing her hesitation, Howard simply took her arm and led her straight into the stall.
Taking the plates from the stall owner, Howard pulled Chloe along, earnestly picking out food to eat. A wave of warmth spread through Chloe's heart. After they had chosen, they found a table in a quiet corner and sat down.
"This is so good!" Seeing the look of pure satisfaction on Chloe's face as she ate, Howard couldn't resist reaching out and patting her head.
After they finished, the snow seemed to have lightened. The road was slippery, and Chloe, in her high heels, had trouble walking. Howard took the initiative and held her hand. Chloe glanced at him, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
"You deliberately brought up the southern district factory today because of me, didn't you?" On the way back, Chloe chatted idly with Howard, and the conversation inevitably turned to the Jenkins family. She knew Howard wasn't the type to meddle in other people's affairs.
"Yes." Howard admitted readily.
"It was just a lesson for Amara. I saw the security footage from last time. Amara's real target was you." Howard said slowly. He could tolerate the schemes and deceptions of the business world, but he would not allow any harm to come to Chloe. He would make anyone who hurt her pay the price.
"The matter with the southern district factory was just a lesson for the Jenkins family and for Amara." Howard said. "Also, you're about to join Remy's studio. Consider the factory my thank-you gift to Remy." He was adept at using one force against another.
"Howard, thank you!" Chloe stopped and looked up at him. In that moment, Howard's eyes seemed to hold a kind of magic that she couldn't look away from. If only he didn't have someone he loved, she thought, then maybe... A hint of melancholy touched her gaze.
Looking down at the exquisite face before him, Howard felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her, but he held back, worried he would startle her. He hesitated, then simply pulled her into his arms, feeling their heartbeats sync. After a long moment...
"And... me getting into Ms. Jenkins' studio, that was your doing too, wasn't it?" Chloe's voice was soft.
Howard gently patted her back. "You know Remy's personality better than I do. If you didn't have the talent, no amount of effort on my part would have gotten you in, right?"
"I will be an excellent designer." Chloe said, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled up at him.
"I believe in you." Howard said, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Chloe was momentarily stunned. She was so dazed that she spent the rest of the drive back lost in thought. So, what exactly was their relationship now? More than friends, but not quite lovers?
The Riverton design competition was only three days away. For the past few days, Chloe had been almost constantly drawing. Even though she and Howard lived under the same roof, they barely saw each other.
"We're going to the market later." Howard said out of the blue from his top-floor office at the Miller Group, while reviewing documents Teddy had handed him.
"What? Is Mr. Miller planning to acquire the market?" Teddy was taken aback. Since when had Howard become interested in the public service sector?
"To buy groceries, not to acquire the market." Howard said, giving Teddy a weary look.
"Buy groceries?" Teddy was momentarily speechless. When had the perpetually busy Howard picked up a hobby like grocery shopping?
"Mr. Miller, whatever you want, I can make a list and have someone buy it." Although he didn't know the reason, if the boss said it, there must be a reason.
"No need. You'll come with me after work." Howard said.
"Alright." Teddy nodded, clutching the files as he uneasily left the office. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. Teddy muttered to himself, seriously suspecting that Howard had been cursed.
At five o'clock, for a rare change, Howard left work on time. Teddy drove Howard's Maybach, carefully parking it at the market entrance. Staring at the not-so-clean ground, he hesitated. "Mr. Miller, perhaps we should go to a supermarket? It's the same thing."
But Howard shook his head, insisting, "Chloe says the vegetables at the market are fresher and cheaper."
So, it was because of Chloe. That made Howard's strange behavior much more understandable.
"Fresh sea fish, want to take a look?"
"Sweet, sweet cabbage..."
The market was a chaotic symphony of vendors' cries. Howard, in his prim and proper suit and tie, looked completely out of place.
"How much for this fish?" Howard walked up to a fishmonger's stall and stopped.
The fishmonger eyed Howard and said casually, "You look new around here. Just moved in?"
Howard grunted in affirmation.
The fishmonger deftly scooped a wriggling fish out of the water and began to scale it, chatting idly with Howard. "You're dressed so formally. What do you do for a living?"
Before Howard could answer, the fishmonger continued, "Let me guess!"
"Insurance salesman?"
"Or maybe, a real estate agent?"
Teddy, standing beside them, broke out in a cold sweat. Howard dealt in millions of dollars per minute; this fishmonger really had a way with words.
"So, what do you do?" the fishmonger asked, handing the cleaned fish to Howard.
Teddy quickly intercepted it.
"I don't have a job. I'm kept by someone." Howard said, spinning a lie.
The fishmonger seemed to understand instantly. He gave Teddy a complicated look, then, after a long pause, said slowly, "Well, that's nice too."