Chapter 408: Chicken Wings Stuffed with Rice

Chapter 408: Chapter 408: Chicken Wings Stuffed with Rice

They hadn’t eaten lunch here, so they had to stay for dinner.

When it was time, the people on cooking duty started to trickle up. Leo Colby saw Lily Hart sitting on the sofa, her hands folded in her lap, looking as if she had fallen asleep.

He tiptoed over, picked up a nearby blanket, and stealthily draped it over her. But just as he finished,

Lily Hart slowly opened her eyes. Their gazes met, and things suddenly felt a little awkward.

Leo Colby looked as guilty as if he’d been caught red-handed, his hands hovering in the air like he was surrendering.

"Hmm?" Lily Hart murmured, turning her head to look from side to side. ’Oh, he was putting a blanket on me.’

She gave Leo Colby a knowing smile, her eyes curving into crescents. He shifted his gaze away, looking flustered.

He cleared his throat, slowly lowered his hands, and pointed to the kitchen, feigning nonchalance. "I’m going to cook."

"Okay," Lily Hart replied without moving, remaining nestled on the sofa.

Her hands were now tucked under the blanket, and her head rested against the back of the sofa. It was an incredibly comfortable position.

More people gradually came up. Some headed straight to the kitchen to help out, while others sat on the sofa to rest, eating fruit and chatting idly.

All in all, everyone was comfortable and familiar with each other, acting as if they were in their own homes.

Owen Warren strode right up to Lily Hart and fixed his gaze on Roman Rowe, who was sitting next to her.

Roman Rowe: ?

"What?" Roman Rowe asked.

"Move. I want to sit there," Owen Warren demanded.

’He was even more baffled. What was this guy’s problem? I was sitting here perfectly fine, why the hell should I move for him!’

Roman Rowe puffed out his chest. He knew he couldn’t win a fight against him, but with Boss Hart right there, he felt bold. "I’m not moving!"

Owen Warren frowned, wondering if Lily Hart would get mad if he just unceremoniously hauled the kid away.

’In Lily Hart’s eyes, who was more important? Him, or this little brat? Owen Warren was actually quite curious.’

Still, he didn’t quite dare to actually go through with it.

As for Lily Hart’s other side, it had long been claimed by Frost Shaw. If he didn’t dare to physically move Roman Rowe, he certainly wouldn’t dare try anything with Frost Shaw.

Everyone knew that Frost Shaw had been with Lily Hart the longest and that they had the closest relationship.

Provoking Frost Shaw was, in all likelihood, the same as provoking Lily Hart.

Who would dare to try? Trying meant dying!

And so, Owen Warren could only plop down sullenly next to Roman Rowe.

Lily Hart, who had witnessed the entire exchange, had to suppress a laugh. Seeing Owen Warren talking so fiercely to Roman Rowe,

and then seeing Roman Rowe become so cocky, emboldened by her presence... his defiant little expression was actually quite endearing.

She ran her hand through Roman Rowe’s hair. It was soft and fine; you could just tell it would be fun to ruffle. ’Like the soft fur on a Golden Retriever’s head!’

Soon, dinner was ready, and once again, everyone ate until they were stuffed.

After dinner, both Frost Shaw and Owen Warren refused to leave, much to Lily Hart’s exasperation.

’Did these two get a little taste of something sweet and now they’re addicted? Why are they still, both openly and subtly, angling for kisses and affection?’

’Is this even okay? The main thing is, she could barely handle both of them at once.’

While Lily Hart was lost in thought, sparks were practically flying between Frost Shaw and Owen Warren.

They stared each other down, neither one backing off.

’Frost Shaw just knew it. The reason Boss Hart hadn’t come back for lunch was because this guy had lured her away. Damn him!’

’He should have been more vigilant. Ugh, now there was another person stealing his time with Lily.’

Owen Warren glared right back. ’Hmph, so what if you got here first? Does that make you special?’

’It all depends on who Boss Hart truly likes!’ At that thought, Owen Warren himself paused.

’He wasn’t exactly confident... that Lily Hart actually liked *him*.’

’He figured Lily Hart just liked to kiss, that’s all. Hmph, in that case, we’ll just have to see who’s the better kisser!’

Lily Hart looked up and urged them, "What are you two still standing around for? Go on, head back."

They both wore identical expressions of shock. Each had assumed Lily Hart would let at least one of them stay, but to their surprise, she was sending them both packing.

Lily Hart pressured them with just a look, and the two had no choice but to trudge obediently back to their own shops.

’Fight, fight, fight. You’re going to tear this place apart with all your bickering. I’ll kiss whoever I damn well please!’

’I can go find them myself when I feel like it. I don’t need them waiting around here for me. It makes me seem so passive.’

Lily Hart mulled it over for a moment, then went upstairs to take a shower. She had just come back down when she heard Tina Jacobs exclaim excitedly, "A new night market machine!"

She glanced down at her pajamas, then turned, threw on a jacket, and headed down.

The moment she got downstairs, a delicious aroma hit her. A crowd of people was gathered up ahead, with the stall owner seemingly trapped in the center.

"Make way!" Lily Hart called out as she squeezed through the crowd.

When some people saw it was Lily Hart, they automatically parted to create a small path for her, making her way much easier.

Without any prompting, the stall owner was already operating the machine himself. His movements were a little clumsy, but at least he was giving it a go.

Lily Hart took a closer look and saw a row of plump chicken wings arranged on the machine’s grill. Each one was stuffed full of sticky rice.

Chicken wings stuffed with rice?!

’This stuff is delicious, too! If they’re generously filled, two of them would be enough to stuff you.’

Lily Hart joined the crowd of onlookers, her mouth watering as she inhaled the fragrant aroma.

It didn’t matter that she had just eaten a huge dinner.

Once the grill was completely filled with chubby chicken wings, the stall owner was ready to sell. "Come and get ’em!" he yelled. "Two for one Crystal Core!"

Instantly, everyone scrambled forward. "Me, me, me! I’ll take two!"

"I’ll take two as well!"

"Me too! Save two for me!"

It nearly caused a stampede, but thankfully, everyone managed to keep some semblance of order.

They waited with great anticipation as the stall owner took their money and handed over the stuffed chicken wings.

The dozens of stuffed chicken wings on the grill sold out in a flash. Only then did the stall owner finally spot Lily Hart in the crowd.

’His heart sank. Crap, I didn’t save one for Lily Hart.’

Lily Hart smiled and walked toward him with a gentle expression, but the stall owner’s own smile was stiff as he racked his brain for a way to make the first move.

"Are you..." she began.

"Boss Hart! I’m so sorry, it was so crowded just now, I completely forgot to save one for you to try!" the stall owner blurted out.

It was an unspoken rule of the business, and he’d actually forgotten.

Lily Hart: Huh?

’The words she’d been about to say caught in her throat. What was going on?’

Lily Hart recovered and waved her hand with a smile. "Don’t worry about it. I just ate dinner, so I’m not hungry. I was just going to ask if you wanted to set up a stall at the night market."

The stall owner breathed a sigh of relief. ’Boss Hart is just too kind!’ he thought.

’Whoever said Boss Hart was scary was dead wrong! She’s the best!’

He nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes! I was just thinking about it. I just don’t know, are there any procedures for setting up a stall in the night market?"

This was the first Lily Hart had heard of such a thing. "Nope. If you want to, you just can."

The stall owner’s eyes lit up, and he was overjoyed. "Great! Then I’ll go right now!"

The area around the lottery shop was mostly filled with people buying scratch-offs and lotto tickets; the night market would be a much better spot for him.

Everyone there comes for the food! The customer base is perfectly targeted!

The stall owner pushed his machine and hurried away. Lily Hart watched him go.

Afterward, she boarded the RV. ’The shopkeepers and stall owners are getting more and more self-sufficient these days,’ she thought. ’I barely have to tell them anything.’

She was happy for the peace it brought, as it gave her more time to do her own thing.