Both of them drove here, so after Charles Smith sent her the address of the private dining place, they each went back to their own cars.
Sitting in the car, Alia Garcia was troubled.
Christopher Hart had said he’d co ho for dinner, what should she say when he asked why she wasn’t there?
Although this was normal social interaction, because the person she was eting was the buyer of the courtyard house—he would definitely throw a fit if he knew.
It’s really a headache...
Unexpectedly, before she could think of a suitable excuse, Christopher’s call ca first.
Looking at the caller ID on the screen, she was hesitant and uncertain.
Could he have already reached ho and called to ask why she wasn’t there?
After hesitating for a long while, she still mustered the courage to answer: "Hello..."
"Alia, I have a very important dinner tonight, I can’t co back to have dinner with you all." Christopher’s deep voice carried a hint of apology.
Alia cheered inwardly, imdiately understanding and saying, "It’s okay, it’s okay, you must be very busy today, I understand. Just rember not to drink alcohol as it’s not good for your health."
"Mm, don’t worry. If it ends too late, I won’t co over so as not to disturb your rest."
"Okay."
He was always running over here, having to commute across half the city to work the next day, she’d long told him it was a hassle and suggested he stay at Imperial Garden.
After hanging up the call, Alia was extrely happy. Just as she started the car, a Rolls-Royce drove past and honked at her.
She understood, signaled an "ok" through the window, and imdiately followed the other car.
The private dining place was hidden in a quiet street amidst the bustling city, with pavilions, carved beams, and painted rafters, and with rockeries and greenery, it was like a different world.
Being there didn’t feel like dining but rather like visiting the mansion of so noble family for a tour.
Alia had been back in the country for so ti and had gone to many upscale places with Christopher, but this was her first ti at a restaurant of such style.
"How is it? The environnt is nice, right?" Charles asked with a smile as he saw her admiring everywhere along the way.
"Yes, it’s really nice. How did you find such a serene and elegant place? It’s like visiting a famous scenic spot."
"This was opened by a family friend of my father’s. It’s not open to the public and doesn’t advertise; regulars bring friends here, and they only serve eight tables a day."
"Oh, I see." Alia nodded, understanding!
It seed only the wealthy or influential could dine here and even that wasn’t enough—one still needed to be brought in by soone familiar.
The rich really know how to enjoy life, even making dining so complicated.
Charles led her into the main hall, and indeed, a middle-aged man warmly approached, "Charles, you haven’t visited Uncle Mason for a long ti, don’t be like your heartless father."
Charles smiled and explained, "Uncle Mason, I only started working in River City after the New Year, I’ve been too busy these days."
"I understand, I understand, Uncle Mason was just joking!" Boss Mason gave him a light pat on the shoulder and then turned his gaze to Alia, his eyes lighting up, "You... finally have a girl by your side, co, tell Uncle Mason, who is this young lady..."
Seeing that the boss had misunderstood, Alia quickly wanted to deny it, but fortunately, Charles reacted swiftly and corrected, "Uncle Mason, you’ve misunderstood, this is the original owner of the Ancient Town Courtyard. We just completed the transfer procedures today and decided to have a al together."
"Oh~" The man called Uncle Mason suddenly understood, "So you borrowed money from this morning for this."
"Yes."
Uncle Mason nodded and looked at Alia again, with a sowhat thoughtful gaze, "Looking closely, you really look like your mother when she was young."
Alia was taken aback, "You know my mother?"
"Chloe Norton! She was known as the first beauty of the Ancient Town back then!"
Before Boss Mason could continue, another distinguished guest arrived. Charles, familiar with the place, let him attend to the other guests while he led Alia to find a seat.
Just as the two walked away, Boss Mason welcod another group of seven or eight people.
The leader, evidently familiar with Boss Mason, exchanged warm greetings. Behind them, a man in a wheelchair had just put away his phone, looked up, and nodded politely at the boss.
Then the group also entered the inner hall.
Benny Palr, helping to push Christopher’s wheelchair, inadvertently glanced at the courtyard corridor and saw a figure, his brow furrowing slightly.
Hey? Was his sight getting blurry?
How co that back looked so much like Alia Garcia?
"Christopher, did Alia sell the company and stop working now?" Benny asked casually.
"Yes, she just completed the handover today. She’s been working too hard all these years, a break would be good."
"Indeed, she should rest, spend ti with the kids, and with you."
anwhile, Charles led Alia to a seat with a great view.
Alia was still pondering over what Uncle Mason had left unsaid, full of suspicion, "How does this Uncle Mason know my mother?"
Charles replied, "He’s a native of the Ancient Town and has known my dad for many years."
So he knew all about his father’s youthful affairs.
Alia nodded absently.
It was really strange; her mother had been gone for so many years, and her maternal relatives had also passed away one after another or lost contact over the years—now, years later, so of her mother’s ’old acquaintances’ suddenly appeared.
Thinking of Snow Fitch’s gossip from the other day, Alia was also curious, "Doctor Smith, when is your father returning to the country? You said he was an old friend of my mother’s, I want to ask... what was their relationship?"
As Charles was making tea by hand, he glanced up at her upon hearing the question and gently replied, "My father just ntioned it, I don’t know the specific details. This Uncle Mason... when I borrowed money from him today, he asked what it was for, and when I told him that my dad had entrusted to buy the courtyard house, he said he knew about that place too."
"Oh..."
"My father will be back this Friday. If you’re free this weekend, you can probably arrange a eting." Charles said as he gently pushed a freshly brewed cup of tea in front of her, "Try this tea, it’s fragrant and sweet."
"Okay, thanks."
Sitting there, with no reason for the two of them to just sit there staring at each other silently, Alia slowly sipped her tea and sought a topic of conversation: "I saw the news; there was an accident in the highway tunnel yesterday, a cargo truck carrying hazardous materials was rear-ended and caught fire, you saved a lot of people at the scene."
Charles put down the teacup and smiled faintly, "You’ve seen it too? I’ve been asked about it so many tis by my colleagues today that my ears have calluses!"
Alia comnted admiringly, "You were amazing, staying calm in the face of danger, and your dical skills are superb!"
"Just doing my duty," the man smiled modestly, accepting the complint, and then said, "Good thing you left early yesterday; if you were there a bit later..."
Alia couldn’t help but sigh, "If we were there a bit later, it would’ve been better..."
"What do you an? Were you guys stuck too?"
"We had just entered the tunnel when it beca completely blocked. Knowing what was happening, Snow and I quickly got out of the car to escape. The tunnel was filled with thick smoke, you couldn’t see anything. Luckily, we covered our faces with wet wipes, but we still inhaled so toxic smoke."
"Really?" Charles’s fair and delicate face imdiately showed concern as he examined her, "Did you see a doctor? Are you feeling any discomfort now?"
"I’m fine now..." Alia shook her head, still shaken by the mory of the previous day’s incident, "A doctor checked us on the highway yesterday, and we went to the hospital for another check when we got back, just mild inhalation, nothing serious."
"That’s good. Yesterday’s accident resulted in two fatalities and more than a dozen injuries, with varying degrees of severity."
"Mm..."
The two of them were engrossed in their conversation and did not notice the two distant eyes peeking from a window of a private room not far away.
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