“Well, I can’t tell you that. What’s good in your cafeteria?” Ethan Sterling asked.
“There’s only leftovers left at this hour,” Evie muttered.
“What? You invite me to eat, and it’s leftovers from the cafeteria? Seriously?” Ethan’s eyes went wide.
“I wasn’t finished! There’s a stir-fry counter upstairs. I can treat you there. It’s a step up from the main hall. We don’t usually go up there.”
“Fine. Stir-fry it is.” Ethan said, his face showing reluctance.
Evie led Ethan upstairs.
But then Ethan ordered the most expensive items on the menu. Evie nearly turned into a skeleton from the shock.
“Don’t be so stingy. It’s not every day I get treated.”
“You just ate up my entire week’s allowance.”
“My uncle won’t be that cheap. He won’t cut your allowance after you’re married!”
“I’m not taking his money!” Evie muttered, then nervously glanced around.
“Why?” Ethan followed her gaze, confused. “What are you looking for?”
“Keep your voice down. I don’t want anyone to know I’m married,” Evie whispered.
Ethan burst out laughing.
“So you want my uncle to be your secret lover?”
“No. It’s just… I haven’t graduated yet. It’s not good for people to know.” Evie murmured.
Getting a marriage certificate before a diploma was just awkward. If the other students found out, she’d be a laughingstock.
Better to keep a low profile. Less trouble.
Besides, Alexander might dump her before she even graduated.
Low profile. Definitely low profile.
“That’s true. It’s not exactly popular for students to get married these days. You could have just waited until you graduated. Then you wouldn’t have to worry,” Ethan suggested.
“That would require my family to stay solvent until then,” Evie shot back, rolling her eyes.
If it weren’t for the money, who would have married herself off so easily? She wasn’t crazy.
“Oh, right. I almost forgot. You married my uncle for the cash.” Ethan nodded with a look of sudden understanding.
Evie was speechless.
She just wanted Ethan to finish eating and leave.
The stir-fry was either incredibly slow or the service was terrible today. Either way, Evie felt like it took forever for the food to arrive.
And it was just a plate of vegetables.
“You must be hungry. Eat up,” Evie said.
Ethan made a face of disgust.
“What’s wrong? Not to your taste?”
“I hate vegetables the most!”
Evie almost laughed. So he was a carnivore.
“Then wait. I’ll eat first.”
With that, Evie picked up her chopsticks and started eating.
She was halfway through her meal before the fish finally arrived.
Ethan stared at her with a resentful look. “Did you invite me to dinner, or did I invite you?”
“You weren’t eating anyway. It’s not a waste if I finish it. Besides, it’s not your money, so why would you care?”
Ethan nearly choked on his own spit. “Evie, how much do you love money?”
“Like a mouse loves rice, or a cat loves a fish,” Evie answered seriously.
Ethan almost choked again.
After catching his breath, he stared at her. “Then you really married the right man.”
Evie laughed, remembering what Ethan had said before.
My uncle is short on everything, but never on money.
“Eat quickly. The fish will be terrible when it’s cold,” Evie said, changing the subject.
Ethan picked up his chopsticks and started eating.
While eating, he complained. The fish had too many bones. It wasn’t cooked well. The meat was too tough.
Evie felt a headache coming on.
She was terrified the chef would hear him and spit in their food out of spite. So she ate quickly while soothing Ethan, promising to treat him to a better meal next time.
As soon as Ethan heard about a better meal, he stopped complaining.
Evie finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But then, after dinner, Ethan said he hadn’t seen their campus yet and wanted a tour.
Evie was depressed.
What time was it? She had to practice singing tonight!
“There’s nothing good to see at night. Come another day, and I’ll show you around. The scenery is much better during the day,” Evie strongly recommended.
“Why does it sound like you’re trying to get rid of me?”
“No! Absolutely not!” Evie shook her head, forcing a dry smile.
“Fine. I won’t make things difficult for you. Another day, then. Are you in a hurry to go back and sing?”
“Yes, yes—” Evie nodded like a bobblehead, then stopped the next second.
She looked at Ethan awkwardly.
“I knew you had something to do. You were distracted during dinner. Forget it. I should head back too. Go sing. By the way, what competition did you say you were entering?” Ethan laughed.
“The preliminaries for the school anniversary.”
“When is it?”
“Saturday—” The next second, Evie felt something was off. “Why are you asking?”
“Nothing. Just curious.”
“Oh. I’ll walk you to the gate. Where’s your car?” Evie asked.
“You don’t need to see me off. You’re busy. I know the way.”
“Then you can walk back by yourself.”
“If I get robbed on the way, it’s too dangerous. You’d better come with me to the gate,” Ethan said immediately.
Evie broke out in a cold sweat. “You’re a man. Who’s going to rob you for money or looks?”
“Just because I’m a man doesn’t mean I’m safe. A handsome guy like me, looking like a Greek god…”
“Okay, okay. I’ll walk you out,” Evie interrupted him.
His words gave her goosebumps.
He called himself handsome. Why didn’t he just say he was beautiful?
But then again, Ethan was gay, and he was really good-looking. So the possibility wasn’t zero.
Finally, Evie walked Ethan to the school gate.
Before getting into his car, Ethan specifically told Evie he wasn’t afraid of being robbed.
It was boring walking back alone. Evie could just keep him company and chat to pass the time.
Evie was speechless.
She had never seen such a drama queen.
Finally seeing off the young master, Evie could go back to the dorm to practice.
She couldn’t help but sigh again.
Ethan didn’t go straight home. He went to the headquarters of Sterling Group.
His uncle was still working overtime at this hour.
Alexander looked up and asked faintly, “Not enough money?”
“No! It seems like every time I come to you, it’s for money.” Ethan sat down on the sofa automatically.
“Then what is it?”
“Fine, fine. This time it’s actually about my aunt.”
“Evie?” Alexander stopped signing and looked at Ethan, waiting for him to continue.
“Uncle, did you know Evie is entering the preliminaries for the school anniversary on Saturday?”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s entering a competition. She’s been preparing a song in Minnan dialect. I forgot the name. Anyway, she’s putting her heart into it. As Evie’s husband, I think you have an obligation to come and cheer her on in person,” Ethan said firmly.
“Are you sure she would want to see me at school?” Alexander asked calmly.
“Why wouldn’t she? More encouragement, more strength!” Ethan said with a hint of schadenfreude.
“Don’t give me bad ideas. How do you know she’s competing?” Alexander asked.
“Evie invited me to dinner tonight. She even treated me to stir-fry.”
“Are you sure Evie invited you, and you didn’t invite yourself?”
Ethan’s face fell.
“Uncle, you know it in your heart. There’s no need to expose me in front of my face.”
“I’m just stating the facts.”
“Speaking of which, I think it’s your fault, Uncle. You married my aunt, but you didn’t give her any allowance. She didn’t have the money to treat me to dinner.”
“So you’re saying I should give Evie an allowance so she can treat you to dinner?”
“Of course. But the point isn’t about treating me to dinner. Since you’re married, you have the responsibility to take care of her. Including her quality of life. Do you know? She said treating me to stir-fry cost her a week’s allowance. What kind of living standard is that? It’s worse than a pauper’s. Personally, I think it’s really bad for your image. People who don’t know might think you’re abusing your wife.”
“I understand,” Alexander said lightly.
“Well, that’s all. Just wanted to let you know my aunt is performing on Saturday. I’ll head home now. Bye.”
Alexander nodded.
Ethan had just reached the door when he heard Alexander ask.
“Do you like Evie very much, Ethan?”
Ethan nearly tripped over the threshold and fell flat on his face.
He grabbed the doorframe, barely escaping disaster. He turned around, looked at Alexander with a pained expression, and protested, “Uncle, don’t say such ambiguous things!”
“Don’t you like Evie?” Alexander asked calmly.
“I like this aunt very much. She’s so cute!” Ethan said, then laughed.