The scene was just like their first meeting two days earlier.
Only now, Kent's face held less gloom and more pain. When he looked up and saw Chen Lun, he immediately averted his eyes, lowering his head as he tried to edge past him up the stairs.
"I know everything."
As they passed each other, Chen Lun suddenly spoke.
Kent jumped, nearly tumbling down the stairs. His heart raced as he struggled to control his emotions and look as normal as possible.
"Know... what?"
Kent turned back, looking puzzled.
"Your name, of course, Mr. Kent."
Chen Lun answered as though it were obvious.
"What else did you think I meant?"
"..."
Kent secretly breathed a sigh of relief, only for an inexplicable sense of embarrassed anger to well up in him. His face darkened, and he snorted, ignoring Chen Lun as he opened his door and walked inside.
Just as he was about to close it, a hand caught the edge.
"One moment, Mr. Kent."
Kent looked up to find the black-haired young man watching him with a polite smile.
"What else do you want?"
He was growing impatient and wanted to get rid of this nuisance as soon as possible. He still had plenty of luggage to pack, and the Iron Fist Gang's men were waiting for him outside.
"Have you seen my sister? Miss Froy, who lives next door."
"Sorry, I haven't."
Kent's voice was stiff, his indifference unmistakable.
Chen Lun looked a little surprised and frowned slightly.
"That's strange... What about Miss Connie? Have you seen her?
She's working part-time as our maid. According to what she told me, her classes should be over by now, and she should have come to look after my sister Froy..."
At those words, Kent's impatience with Chen Lun instantly turned to anger.
He might have been fine if Chen Lun hadn't mentioned it, but now he was furious.
In fact, he had already heard about this from Connie.
At the time, he'd thought it was no wonder he couldn't persuade Connie to go to the Bird-and-Flower Tavern, even after talking himself hoarse. This bastard had interfered.
Damn it! All my fucking effort was wasted!
This outsider mongrel ruined everything!
"I haven't seen her! I haven't seen anyone!"
Kent was beginning to lose control of his expression as he spoke coldly.
"Is that enough, sir? Now would you please move that hand out of my doorway? Don't blame me if it gets crushed!"
"Oh, sorry..."
Chen Lun withdrew his hand, looking apologetic.
"Sorry for bothering you, Mr. Kent."
With that, Chen Lun turned and left.
As Kent watched the black-haired young man's retreating figure, his expression gradually twisted into a vicious grimace.
The Iron Fist Gang should have dealt with those two girls by now...
You're next. I'll watch them throw you into the drainage ditch.
Choke to death on sewage, you piece of shit!
"Cough, cough!"
Connie's face flushed as she coughed twice.
"So sour..."
Holding a cold drink in one hand and Froy's hand in the other, she walked down the street.
Night had fallen, and the black streetlamps along the road lit up together.
"Miss Froy, how does your Golden Orchid Earl taste?"
Connie looked curiously at the sealed paper cup in Froy's hand.
"It's good."
Froy kept smiling.
She tilted her head slightly toward Connie and offered her the black tea with milk.
"Would you like to try it?"
"N-no, thank you, Miss Froy."
Startled, Connie quickly waved her hand.
She was simply curious why Miss Froy liked milk tea without any sugar at all.
She had been foolish herself, ordering fruit tea that was far too sour, then refusing to throw it away.
Money was tight for Connie, so she rarely spent any at cafés.
Miss Froy had paid for this outing, too. It was also the first time Connie had seen someone bring a bag containing dozens of Gold Pounds into a café just to buy drinks.
The moment Miss Froy opened her purse, Connie felt as though gold was flashing before her eyes.
Good heavens, she's so rich!
Miss Froy must be descended from nobility...
Connie had been astonished at the time and had quietly speculated to herself.
She had then nervously scrutinized every customer in the café, seemingly worried that someone might see the money and get ideas.
Fortunately, there had been few customers in the café, and none had paid much attention to them.
Still, Connie had quietly reminded Miss Froy not to bring so much money next time. The Outer District wasn't safe; running into a robber would be disastrous.
Miss Froy had also seemed surprised by her words, as though she hadn't realized that her purse was full of Gold Pounds.
And Connie's impression had been right.
Chen Lun had given Froy the money beforehand, and Froy had simply assumed it was a bag of Silver Crowns.
Mr. Jack treats Miss Froy so well...
Connie sincerely envied her.
But that envy was followed by a surge of inferiority.
Perhaps only an angelic girl like Miss Froy deserves to be treated that way.
She felt a little dejected.
But why did Mr. Jack bring Miss Froy to live on Danton Street?
Many questions surfaced in her mind, but Connie didn't dare ask them aloud. That would have been far too rude.
Holding Miss Froy's hand, she strolled along the street. When she turned and saw the black silk covering Miss Froy's eyes, Connie felt sad for her again.
What a kind, sensitive girl...
Froy "looked" straight ahead, a smile still on her face.
Her powerful perception allowed her to clearly "see" Connie's expressions and emotions.
Just then, Connie took two blue tickets from her pocket and said to Froy:
"Tomorrow's the weekend. I'd originally planned to take you for a walk in the park...
But since Kent had two tickets for tonight's performance at the Dolphin Opera House, why don't we go to the opera instead?"
After speaking, she realized something and hurriedly added:
"Actually, the seats in the opera house are all so far from the stage that you can't see clearly anyway... But the voices are loud, so you can hear them."
Perhaps sensing how unconvincing her explanation was, Connie looked crestfallen.
On her way home from class that day, Kent had stopped her and asked her to go to the opera with him that evening.
Connie had politely declined, explaining that she still had her part-time cleaning work that evening and had to look after Miss Froy. Kent had left sadly, but he had given her the two tickets.
She had originally intended to refuse them, but then she'd thought of Miss Froy. Perhaps they could go together.
Tickets to the Dolphin Opera House weren't cheap, costing three Silver Crowns each. Connie normally couldn't bear to spend that much on a performance.
Wouldn't it be a waste not to go?
After hearing her out, Froy paused.
"The opera..."
It was something entirely new to her, something she had never experienced before.
Then her face brightened with a smile.
"All right, let's go to the opera. I'm looking forward to it."
Chapter 36: Please Don't Kill Me, Boss
The Dolphin Opera House stood in the Outer District, relatively close to the inner ring, a few blocks away from Danton Street.
Taking the main road would mean a long detour.
Connie knew the area well and knew a shortcut that would get them there in a little over ten minutes.
Hearing that the shortcut wouldn't take long, Froy suggested walking there.
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