Harem Investment System: Getting Money And Women-Chapter 161: Recipes

Ethan glanced at her lunchbox, then at her. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t," she replied, using her chopsticks to pick up a piece of grilled chicken and holding it out to him. "Here."

He hesitated for a second before taking it straight from her chopsticks, chewing thoughtfully.

"…Not bad," he said after a moment.

Riley raised an eyebrow. "Not bad? Excuse you, that’s great cooking."

Ethan chuckled. "Alright, alright. It’s good."

Satisfied, Riley handed him the extra pair of chopsticks she always kept in her lunchbox — just in case.

She hadn’t expected to be sharing a meal today, let alone with Ethan, but it felt natural in a way she couldn’t quite explain.

The lunch break stretched on, the quiet hum of conversation filling the air as the workers took their time eating and resting.

The wind had died down a little, but the air still carried the crisp edge of late morning.

Riley continued eating, comfortable in the moment, while Ethan, now properly settled beside her, ate at a steadier pace.

"You cook often?" Ethan asked after finishing a bite of rice.

Riley nodded as she poked at her food with her chopsticks. "Yeah. I mean, I have to eat, right? Might as well make something good instead of eating takeout every day."

Ethan smirked slightly. "Nothing wrong with takeout."

She scoffed. "Spoken like someone who’s never had to worry about spending too much money on food."

He chuckled. "Fair enough. But I still cook sometimes."

That caught her off guard. "Wait, you cook?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "What, I don’t look like the type?"

"Not even a little," she admitted, laughing. "No offense, but you seem more like the ’order a steak at a fancy restaurant’ kind of guy."

Ethan smirked. "I do that too."

Riley shook her head. "Of course you do."

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They ate in silence for a few moments before Riley spoke again. "So, what do you cook?"

Ethan set his chopsticks down briefly, thinking. "Nothing fancy. Breakfast foods, mostly. Eggs, pancakes, sometimes an omelet if I’m feeling ambitious."

She snorted. "Wow, real chef material."

Ethan shrugged. "Hey, don’t underestimate a good breakfast."

"I won’t if you won’t underestimate real cooking," she shot back playfully.

He smirked. "Alright then, educate me."

Riley leaned back slightly, looking up at the sky for a second before launching into an explanation. "Okay, so for this meal, I prepped the chicken last night. Marinated it in soy sauce, garlic, a little honey for sweetness, and a dash of chili flakes."

Ethan nodded as he listened. "That explains the slight kick."

"Exactly." She gestured with her chopsticks. "Then I grilled it this morning while the rice was cooking. The vegetables? Just a quick stir-fry — onions, bell peppers, some carrots. Simple, but it works."

Ethan took another bite, chewing thoughtfully. "It’s solid. Balanced flavors."

Riley grinned. "Glad you approve."

They continued eating, with Riley occasionally adding little details about her cooking process.

She explained how she learned from watching her grandmother cook, how she experimented with flavors, and how she preferred home-cooked meals over restaurant food because it just felt better.

Ethan, surprisingly, offered his own thoughts. "You ever try adding ginger to your marinade?" he asked after another bite.

Riley raised an eyebrow. "Ginger? For chicken?"

He nodded. "It gives a bit of extra depth to the flavor. Balances out the soy sauce."

She considered that. "Huh. Never thought of that. Might try it next time."

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He smirked. "See? I do know a thing or two."

"Alright, Chef Ethan," Riley teased. "What else do you suggest?"

Ethan leaned back slightly, thinking. "Lemon zest. Just a little. Adds brightness."

Riley stared at him. "Where are you getting all these fancy tips? I thought you just made pancakes."

Ethan shrugged. "I pay attention when I eat."

She shook her head, laughing. "Okay, I’ll give it a shot. But if it turns out weird, I’m blaming you."

"Deal."

The wind picked up slightly, carrying the distant sounds of the other workers finishing their meals and getting ready to start work again.

But Riley and Ethan remained seated, finishing their food at a comfortable pace.

"You should cook more," Ethan commented after a moment.

Riley smirked. "What, so I can feed you again?"

Ethan didn’t deny it. Instead, he just gave a small shrug. "Maybe."

Riley rolled her eyes but felt a small, unexpected warmth in her chest.

"Well," she said, setting her empty lunchbox aside, "if you ever get tired of eating fancy steaks, maybe I’ll let you have another meal."

Ethan chuckled. "I’ll hold you to that."

Lunch break was soon over.

The quiet moment of shared food and conversation had passed, and now the real work was about to resume.

Riley stood up first, stretching her arms over her head before crouching down to start packing up.

She folded the mat they had been sitting on with practiced ease, then tucked it neatly into her bag. The lunchbox followed, snapped shut and stowed away.

Ethan remained seated for a moment longer, watching as she worked.

The sun had fully emerged from behind the morning clouds now, its golden rays beaming down on the construction site.

The warmth was a stark contrast to the earlier chill, and Riley groaned as she shielded her eyes.

"Ugh. I hate this part," she muttered.

Ethan smirked. "Not a fan of the sun?"

"It’s fine when it’s not trying to cook me alive," she shot back. She dusted off her jeans, sighing. "Guess I should get back to it."

Ethan nodded, watching as she grabbed her notepad and walked back toward the other workers, already calling out instructions and making adjustments to the markers.

She moved with purpose, sliding right back into her role without hesitation.

Once she was out of earshot, Ethan let out a slow breath and pulled up the System hologram from his watch.

A translucent blue screen flickered to life before him, displaying a detailed project timeline. Numbers, charts, and estimated deadlines scrolled across the interface as he tapped through the data.

[Estimated completion time: 7 months.]