Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO-Chapter 647 - 395: Benjamin Rescues the Damsel in Distress [Part 2]
Nora Scott saw Mr. Smith the moment he looked up and noticed her leaning against the wall.
Instantly, his already unpleasant expression turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
"Uncle."
Nora raised her eyebrows with a light smile, greeting him cheerfully, completely ignoring his expression.
"..."
Mr. Smith’s expression remained stiff.
Benjamin Durant, seeing Nora, brightened up and called out, "Master Aunt!"
"..."
Mr. Smith’s already displeased face turned even sourer upon hearing this, his piercing gaze sweeping over to Benjamin Durant.
Benjamin Durant: ???
What’s with this uncle’s attitude?
"You two know each other?" Mr. Smith asked with a grim face, his voice somewhat sullen and rather cold.
"Of course we do," Benjamin said immediately, "You know each other too, right? Then that’s perfect—"
Just as Benjamin was about to make a connection, Mr. Smith snorted coldly and walked away without finishing the conversation.
Benjamin was taken aback, stepping up to follow Mr. Smith, walking beside him, then turned around with his hands tucked in his pockets, walking backward, "Uncle Smith, what’s that supposed to mean, weren’t we discussing things just fine?"
"Not selling anymore."
Mr. Smith walked toward the elevator with a frown.
Briefly pausing, Benjamin was surprisingly accepting of Mr. Smith’s sudden change of heart, his expression remained relaxed and free-spirited, he merely asked, "Could you give me a reason?"
Mr. Smith cast a glance back.
His sharp, cold eyes shot towards Nora Scott’s direction.
The next moment, both Benjamin and Mr. Smith disappeared around the hallway corner.
Nora held her phone between two fingers, gently swinging it, with one hand in her pocket, staying put and patiently waiting in place. After about two minutes, Benjamin showed up in her sight, scratching his head, looking somewhat helpless.
"He said there’s an undying grudge against you. Master Aunt, how did you offend him?" Benjamin asked, baffled.
"It’s just a minor thing," Nora said casually, "That old man holds grudges, is petty, you say a few words against him, and he remembers it for life."
"..."
Benjamin had a feeling there was more to what she was saying but didn’t dare to expose her.
Nora asked, "How did you get tangled up with him?"
"Miguel Smith often bragged about his dad’s secret hot pot base recipe, I didn’t think much of it before. But later, when Miguel stole some of the base and cooked it at Henry Chapman’s place, it was genuinely good. There were a few ingredients I couldn’t figure out, so I wanted to buy them directly from Mr. Smith. And here I was just about to negotiate the price."
Saying this, Benjamin spread his hands, looking quite regretful.
He was just at the doorstep of success, only to run into Nora.
Nora asked, "Does he need money?"
"I don’t know."
"If he doesn’t, he wouldn’t sell the secret recipe," Nora turned to head back to the private room, "Just mention this to Miguel Smith."
"...Oh."
Benjamin, being used as a go-between, agreed.
The originally planned price negotiation with Mr. Smith now ruined, Benjamin wandered around the third floor, picking out some hygiene issues, then took the elevator straight to the first floor, intending to find Humphrey Jennings for something to do.
But—
Stepping out of the elevator, his gaze swept around the first floor, finally landing on a window-side table.
*
With her chin resting on one hand, Rosie Sullivan stared half-opened eyes, listening listlessly to a young man across from her boast about everything.
It wasn’t until the dishes they ordered were served that Rosie finally breathed a sigh of relief, flexed her fingers, and picked up her bowl and chopsticks to eat.
"Have you found a job now?"
The young man, immersed in his own world, finally shifted the topic back to her.
"Hmm."
"What kind of job?"
Picking up a sweet and sour spare rib, Rosie answered, "A newly opened security company."
"Security?" the young man was taken aback, asking in surprise, "Weren’t you studying history?"
"..."
"How much do you earn?"
With a slight pause, Rosie replied, "Two thousand."
Her salary... would scare you if spoken out loud.
The young man furrowed his brow, looking at the charming girl sitting across from him, deciding, "You must still be interning, right?" he asked.
"...Yeah."
With her full attention on the food, Rosie answered quite nonchalantly.
His expression darkened slightly, after a while, the young man exhaled and made a decision for her, "Quit the job."
"Huh?"
Rosie Sullivan paused her action.
"Rosie, I’m really happy to see you in Fenton City." The young man spoke formally, yet carried a certain indescribable superiority, "You’re an outstanding girl. Although the job competition in Fenton City is intense, there are many opportunities. I suggest you switch to a better job. Resign from this one, and I can introduce you to a new one."
"..."
Rosie Sullivan blinked.
Could this guy be living by the sea...?
Considering it was him who was treating her to this meal, Rosie Sullivan took a breath and refrained from getting angry. Instead, she gently smiled, "No need, senior. I quite like this job."
"What future is there in a security company?" The young man pressed down his anger, subtly showing contempt and disdain, "I thought you came to Fenton City to forge ahead and strive, but I realized—honestly, I’m a bit disappointed. Rosie, you just graduated, no rush, you can take your time finding a job."
As the smile on her lips gradually faded, Rosie Sullivan tilted her head, never tearing face with him, "Can we eat first?"
"Rosie!"
Her indifferent attitude towards her future, caring only about the meal in front of her, slightly struck the young man, his good impression of her continued to decline, treating her more like a country bumpkin who’s just ventured into the big city, his expression growing increasingly disdainful.
Pushing up his glasses, the young man spoke righteously, "I have a good impression of you. I used to think you were a girl with vision and knowledge, but I didn’t expect you couldn’t avoid being mundane. Eating at such a restaurant is indeed rare, but this time it’s my treat. If it’s on your own——"
"Boyfriend, huh?"
A casually lazy voice cut in, dragging out the words leisurely, seemingly disrupting the young man’s speech.
The familiar voice caught Rosie Sullivan’s ear, causing her to startle. She immediately lifted her eyes to see a young man clad in a short T-shirt, long pants, and sneakers coming over. His hand was in his pocket, his stride lazy and carefree, exuding a laid-back demeanor.
Benjamin Durant.
Her eyelids twitched, looking between the two, Rosie Sullivan still found Benjamin Durant more pleasant, thus chose not to bicker with Benjamin Durant.
She said, "Senior."
"Blind date, huh?"
Benjamin Durant smirked, casually touching the stud on his left ear, smiling carelessly.
"..."
Rosie Sullivan choked.
Thinking to herself, honestly responding to his question earlier, she truly felt like a fool.
But, in the next moment——
The warm, solid palm reached over, rubbing enthusiastically on her head, a voice floated up softly yet firmly, full of loving indulgence, "Why didn’t you tell him this place is owned by your brother?"
The young man: "..." What the heck?
Rosie Sullivan widened her eyes in astonishment.
——Had she known it was his place, no way she’d set foot inside, even if forced!
"Sorry, but my sister is just working to experience life." Benjamin Durant smiled amicably, his brows slightly raised, to the young man who was staring in shock, "I appreciate your concern for my sister’s job. How about I offer you 50,000 as a waiter position at our place, as repayment, how does that sound?"
"..."
Humiliated, the young man’s face turned beet red.
Rosie Sullivan glanced surreptitiously at Benjamin Durant.
——Still the same, cunningly clever.
"You, you two——"
After holding back for a while, the young man awkwardly squeezed out a few words but had no clue where to start his reproach.
"Don’t feel too touched. Once you quit your job, just drop by the store’s front desk anytime, I’ll reserve a dishwashing job for you." Benjamin Durant said, with a faint smile, watching the uneasy young man, "For my sister’s sake, this meal is on the house. Such chances are rare, order whatever you like."
At this point, Benjamin Durant suddenly extended his hand, grabbed Rosie Sullivan’s wrist, and lifted her from the chair.
He said, "It’s too noisy here, come, I’ll take you to a private room to eat."
Today, Rosie Sullivan was wearing a long sleeve, but it was early summer, and the weather was hot. Through the thin fabric, she could feel the warmth and strength of his fingers, which made Rosie Sullivan rather uncomfortable.
But, leaving the annoying senior behind, she frowned lightly yet didn’t struggle to break free.
She followed Benjamin Durant.
Benjamin Durant led her, greeted the front desk, then took Rosie Sullivan to the elevator.
Standing at the elevator door, Rosie Sullivan slightly moved her wrist and freed herself from Benjamin Durant’s grasp.
Benjamin Durant blinked, then scanned her up and down quickly, placed his hand back in his pocket, and sardonically smiled, "What kind of taste do you have, to dine with someone like him?"
"...He didn’t used to be like this."
Rosie Sullivan couldn’t help but retort.
At the beginning of the month, she submitted her thesis, successfully graduated, and planned to settle in Fenton City. This senior was two years above her, used to be a warm-hearted guy, but they lost contact after graduation. They met accidentally a few days ago and exchanged contact info. Recently, the senior kept asking her out.
Originally, she didn’t intend to accept, but the senior offered to treat her to a meal at Virtue Retreat...
Heaven knows how delicious Virtue Retreat’s food is.
Heaven knows what she did this month, not even reaching the end yet and she’s out of money...
For the sake of the meal, Rosie Sullivan agreed to the senior’s invitation and came.
Unexpectedly, in just two years, this senior went through who knows what and became filled with snobbery and superiority, exuding an oily aroma, utterly beyond words.
Being led away by Benjamin Durant, Rosie Sullivan’s mind was muddled, not having responded yet, seeing the slowly changing elevator numbers her thoughts suddenly became clearer.
Giving Benjamin Durant a sidelong glance, Rosie Sullivan’s fingers curled slightly, she softly said, "I’m leaving."
With that said, she left.
"Leaving for what, I’m treating you to a meal."
Benjamin Durant said as he reached out to grab her, his fingers hooking onto her collar.
