James noticed the girl frequently glancing back at him with a smile, as though teasing him to chase her.
He smirked faintly and waved her off, making no effort to pursue this young woman who had already been in eight relationships at her age.
The idea of inviting her to a meal was purely to see what additional information his system could unlock about herâpossible rewards or benefits from "strategizing" her.
Right now, he had more pressing responsibilities: a child at home waiting to be cared for and an exhausted sister bedridden. There was no time to go around flirting and chasing women.
Besides, a girl with eyes full of flirtation like her wasn't worth pursuing. Today, she might smile coyly at him; tomorrow, she'd do the same to some other stranger.
At most, if they crossed paths again in the future, maybe he'd throw some money to "taste the flavor," but playing games like "chase me, I'll chase you" was out of the question.
Besides, his heart was already occupied by two women and a little girlâthere simply wasn't room for anyone else right now.
James strolled leisurely for a while until he found the bun shop the girl had mentioned.
The shop was large, styled like an ancient restaurant, complete with traditional flags fluttering outside, one of which read: "Top Scholar's Crab Roe Soup Buns."
Inside, there weren't many customersâabout three tables were occupied among a dozen or so available. On the stove, steamer baskets stacked high released fragrant white steam.
While in-store customers were sparse, online delivery orders were non-stop, punctuated by the frequent ringing of an app notification, "My goodness!"
James glanced at the price list and was taken aback:
Crab Roe Bun: $20 eachSmall Basket (5 buns): $30
His heart sank.
This was outrageously expensive! Twenty dollars for a single bun? He remembered when two large pork buns and a cup of soy milk cost five bucks. Further back, in an earlier era, three cents could buy a massive meat bun bigger than your face.
Was this bun stuffed with gold?
Curious, James ordered one crab roe bun to see what the fuss was about.
Sitting at a table, he followed the staff's instructions. He bit into the soup-filled bun gently, letting the scalding broth cool slightly before taking a sip.
The broth was clear but not greasy, rich without being heavy, and incredibly flavorful.
Then, he popped the whole bun into his mouth. The savory freshness of the crab roe spread throughout his palate, its slightly grainy texture suggesting it had been sautéed over high heat.
Was it worth the price? He wasn't sure, but the taste was undeniably excellent. Expensive things, as they say, often come with their reasons.
Pleased, James asked for a variety of large buns, small buns, and soy milkâtwo of eachâto be packed up. He also spotted fried dough sticks and tea eggs and added two of those to the order as well.
Whether the three of them could finish it all didn't matter.
The total bill came to $160.
Paying the steep price, James sighed at how much times had changed. Since when did breakfast require hundred-dollar bills to settle?
Shaking his head, he quickened his pace to bring the food back before it got cold.
Amanda's home had a fingerprint lock, and James had registered his fingerprint the day before.
Entering the house, he noticed Amanda was still asleep, but Timmy was awake, sitting in the living room flipping through a children's book.
The little girl perked up when she saw him and ran over, her voice hushed as she whispered, "Uncle!"
James ruffled her hair gently and whispered back, "Go wake your mom for breakfast."
"Mommy always sleeps in during the morning. We're not supposed to wake her," Timmy said in a hushed but serious tone, her demeanor both obedient and endearing.
James glanced at the partially open bedroom door and caught sight of Amanda's graceful figure still lying in bed. A thin blanket draped over her, accentuating her alluring curves.
An idea popped into his mind.
He laid the breakfast spread on the dining table, handed Timmy a pair of chopsticks, and said, "You start eating first, Timmy. Uncle will go check if Mommy wants to wake up for breakfast."
With that, he walked into Amanda's bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him.
Timmy furrowed her small brows.
She was worried that James might disturb her mom's sleep or, worse, make her mom angry. If that happened, she wouldn't know which side to take.
She stared intently at the closed door, her adorable little face showing a trace of concern.
"Big Sis, time to wake up!"
James leaned down by the bed, kissed Amanda's soft cheek, and whispered in her ear.
The beauty on the bed let out a soft, unintelligible murmur.
Her long lashes fluttered slightly, but she showed no intention of opening her eyes. Instead, her lithe body shifted slightly on the bed, as if protesting the disturbance to her dreams.
With her eyes closed, she lacked her usual enchanting allure, replaced by an indescribable gentleness and softness.
Her phoenix-shaped eyes were half-hidden beneath her lids, her amber pupils glimmering faintly. Her cherry-red lips were delicately curved like a tiny fruit, and the kiss marks on her collarbone added a hint of intimacy.
James couldn't help himself. He lifted the thin blanket and placed his hand gently on her.
Amanda, still half-asleep, felt someone touching her and slowly opened her drowsy eyes. When she saw it was James, she glanced at the closed door and then reached up with her fair, slender arms to wrap them around his neck.
Her beautiful fox-like eyes opened slightly as she whispered, "Little brother, don't mess around."
"I'm messing around," James teased, inhaling the faint fragrance on her body as he gently pulled the blanket off her and climbed onto the bed.
Amanda tried to dissuade him gently. "Too much of this isn't good for your health."
"Don't worry, I'm just getting started," James replied confidently.
"You shouldn't skip breakfast. Let me make you something to eat first, and then we can talk," Amanda said soothingly.
"No need. I already bought breakfast," James said smugly.
Amanda, helpless, pinched his cheek lightly.
Just then, the sound of the doorknob turning came from outside.
"Uncle, open the door! Let Timmy wake Mommy up!" a little voice called out from outside.
"Timmy, go eat your breakfast first! You can wake her up after you're full," James quickly replied, panic flashing across his face.
"Timmy wants Mommy to feed me!" Timmy insisted.
James was furious but had no choice but to ignore her and pounce back toward Amanda.
Amanda, however, laughed softly and blocked him with her knee.
"Little brother, let's have breakfast first," she said with a teasing smile.
James looked utterly defeated. "Sis, how can you be so cruel?"
Amanda used a bit of force to push James back and said softly, "Timmy's still young. She can't go hungry. Once she's finished eating, I'll take her to Grandma's house. How about that?"
James clenched his teeth in frustration and muttered, "Sis, didn't you say there was a private international school with boarding starting from elementary? Should we send Timmy there?"
"Yes, but I'm not planning to send her there right now," Amanda replied.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm rich now," Amanda said with a smile as she wrapped her arms around James's neck and kissed his forehead.
"Now that I have time to be with her, there's no need for any fancy schools. As long as she's happy, any school will do."
"..."
"You'll help me take care of her too, won't you?" Amanda rubbed her cheek against James affectionately, her voice soft and sweet.
James thought about the future, where Timmy would constantly shadow Amanda, and how he'd have to outwit the little girl just to spend some time alone with her mom. The thought filled him with despair.
Forcing a smile that almost looked like he was about to cry, he replied, "Of course, I'll treat her like my own daughter."
Amanda chuckled softly and knelt in front of James, her beautiful eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Should I have Timmy start calling you Daddy, then?"
James froze, caught off guard by Amanda's sudden remark, a hint of panic flashing across his face.