251 A Strange Man
“You’ve eaten my ...”
Isabella paused for a moment and asked, “Have you ever eaten the dishes cooked by Slike?”
Cedric replied, “Yes, and I like it. My father even invited Mr. Slike to my house as a private chef, but he refused. I still remember the reason was that his daughter wanted more people to taste his unparalleled cooking.”
—
“Daddy’s dishes are the best! Isabella is so happy!”
“Thank you, my dear. Eat more!”
“Dad, could you cook for mom, our neighbor and all the children in my kindergarten? I hope everyone knows that my father’s cooking is the best!”
“Sure. Dad will open a big restaurant and let everyone taste it, okay?”
“Yes! Daddy is the best!”
.....
—
The memories crashed into her mind suddenly. Isabella’s hands trembled with excitement. She bit her lip to calm her voice and said “It’s incredible. Mr. Cedric and Slike are friends.”
Cedric was noncommittal. He picked up the teacup and sipped his tea. He looked at Isabella with a deep gaze, “Our relationship is much more than that. My father was also engaged in construction design this year. At that time, the design philosophy of Slike Restaurant adopted a very multidimensional design concept and even won a grand prize. Therefore, my father especially took me to visit. That’s why we can be friends.”
“That design concept has won an award...
Isabella suddenly discovered that there were too many things that she did not know.
“Yes.”
Cedric looked at her deeply and said, “That designer and Slike have been good friends for many years.”
Then, he smiled casually, “And coincidentally, like you, the designer’s last name is also called ‘Smith’, a very rare last name.”
Isabella tightened her grip on her knee.
“By the way, that designer is now the head of Smith Design. His name is Carl Smith. Have you heard of it?”
Cedric continued to add some details and asked her a question.
Isabella stuttered, “I don’t know that kind of powerful person...”
Isabella lowered her eyes to hide the fear in his eyes. She said, “‘Smith’ is not a very rare last name. It’s just a coincidence.”
Isabella wondered, ‘I am so unlucky. Unexpectedly, he knew both Carl and my father. If he revealed this to Carl, I will be killed.’
‘Never give sincere advice to people of ordinary friendship! I am a fool. I told my secret to someone who had only met once.’
The waiter knocked on the door and brought in the freshly cooked pheasant. So Cedric stopped talking.
Isabella heaved a sigh of relief and changed the topic. “Mr. Cedric, thank you so much for worrying about me. Have a taste. Octavio has been praising the pheasant here.”
She used the plate to give Cedric a few pieces of chicken. As she thought of something, she withdrew the plate and used the chopsticks to pick it up again before handing it over.
Cedric smiled and wiped his hands with a napkin. “Miss Isabella...”
“Eat quickly! It tastes better when it is hot!”
Isabella was afraid that Cedric would bring up the topic again, so she lowered her head to eat hurriedly. But the food was too hot. She was scalded as soon as she took a bite and hurriedly covered her mouth with a napkin.
“Are you scalded?”
Cedric fished out the ice from the nearby can, picked up a piece, and walked over to Isabella. “Don’t rub it, take some ice.”
“Thank you.”
Isabella took the ice directly.
The decoration of Small Bridge Restaurant was retro design. The eating place was a low table and mat, like a Japanese-style tatami, sitting on the ground to eat. Therefore Cedric sat next to Isabella directly and handed her ice.
Isabella eased the burn on her mouth and realized that Cedric was sitting a little closer to her. She said hurriedly, “Thank you, Mr. Cedric. Please continue to eat.”
What she meant was for Cedric to quickly return to his seat.
Cedric said gently, “It’s OK. I’ll help you hand over another piece of ice later.”
“I’m fine.”
Isabella spat the ice in her mouth into a napkin to prove that she was really fine. Seeing her red and swollen lips, Cedric said, “I won’t tell anyone about our conversation. You don’t have to be so nervous.”
Isabella felt that he had been completely seen through by the other party. He frowned and nodded.
The tortured hour of mealtime ended. Cedric’s car had arrived, so they went downstairs.
“My God! Miss Ghost!”
The moment the driver got out of the car, he looked at Isabella in surprise.
“Ghost?” Isabella pointed at the tip of her nose in confusion, “Are you talking about me?”
Cedric reprimanded, “Joey, don’t be so rude.”
Peter kicked Joey and said, “You talk too much!”
Peter looked at Isabella and said warmly, “How can such a beautiful young lady be a ghost? My brother has a screw loose. Please don’t mind.”
Isabella puffed up her cheeks. “I’m fine. The ghost is more beautiful than a human. I think he praises me.”
After saying that, she sat in the back seat of the car.
Cedric smiled and sat in the car too.
“Mr. Joseph, where are we going now?” Peter asked.
“Where is the crew?” Cedric asked Isabella.
“It is in my collage, Richmond Arts University.”
Cedric nodded and said, “Go to Richmond Arts University.”
Isabella was stunned and said, “Just take me to the bus stop in Peace City.”
Joey said “No way!”
He added, “Mr. Joseph is a gentleman. He cherishes every beauty. And he is very nice to every lover.”
Isabella was speechless.
“You foolish, what are you saying!”
Peter slapped Joey on the head, “Mr. Joseph never had a lover! He takes his feelings very seriously. If he loves a girl, he will marry her.!”
“So Mr. Joseph wants to marry Sara, Vivian, Diana, and Katyusha!”
“You foolish, just shut up!”
Isabella was speechless and thought, ‘It’s just a playboy. She doesn’t care.’ So she took out her phone to see if Joseph had called. Cedric cleared his throat and said, “Sorry, they might have misunderstood.”
Isabella smiled hypocritically and said, “It’s OK.”
She added, “Compared to the ghost, it’s much better to be your ‘lover’. In their eyes, I am a human being at least.”
Cedric smiled, “I see that you’ve been picking up your phone. Is there something urgent?”
“No, my boyfriend went abroad last night. I want to see if he has arrived safely.”
“I see.”
Cedric’s eyes flickered and said, “Unexpectedly, your relationship is pretty good.”
“Why would Mr. Cedric think that our relationship is bad?”
Cedric curled the corners of his lips and said, “Sorry.”
Isabella felt that Cedric’s tone and expression were a little strange. She was on guard and no longer spoke. The two of them remained silent the entire way.