Rachel Bailey looked up at him, and when she saw the mischief in his eyes, she knew he was lying. She didn't call him out, still giggling, "So I'd be picking up your leftovers? But you can't eat that much by yourself, so don't order so much next time, okay? It's not like it's free. Even if you have a high salary, you're still just an employee. It's not easy to earn money. Next time, just order two dishes and a soup. That way, if you don't finish everything, it won't be such a waste."

"If you don't want to pick up my leftovers, you can come with me next time." Hansen Ruiz was laying a trap, just waiting for Rachel Bailey to walk into it. Ordering a lot of food was a habit of his; after all, didn't the Ruiz Family always have a vast array of dishes spread across the table at every meal? With so much money earned, aside from investing in real estate and buying luxury cars, enjoying good food was naturally part of it.

Hearing Rachel Bailey describe him this way, a sly smile touched Hansen Ruiz's warm, deep eyes.

So, I'm just an employee to her? he thought. Well, for now, I suppose I am.

He worked for Glades Horne, but he also had a hundred thousand people working *for him*. The annual salary he received from Valence Group wasn't even enough to cover one month's payroll for his own employees.

However... he mused, watching Rachel Bailey. She always kept a clear head and wasn't the least bit captivated by him. He knew he couldn't let her discover his true identity—at least, not yet.

"You don't owe me anything; I'll eat my own food," Rachel Bailey casually responded. "I'll remember this meal. When I make it big, I'll treat you to a meal at Emperor Hotel."

He chuckled. "I'm looking forward to it." Hansen Ruiz's smile grew deeper.

He was slowly figuring out why he was attracted to this ordinary woman. Though her appearance was common, she wasn't ugly. And despite her sharp tongue, which could make her seem fierce, she was actually a strictly self-disciplined and self-respecting person. Occasionally, she might seem to take advantage of others, but she kept a clear account of everything in her heart. He believed that when she had the means, she would undoubtedly be the type to repay kindness many times over. It was this resilient, self-reliant spirit of hers that attracted him, making him recall her sharp wit whenever he managed to steal a quiet moment from his busy schedule.

Hansen Ruiz watched over the stall for Rachel Bailey, allowing her to eat her meal in peace. After she finished, and upon her repeated urging, he finally grumbled, "You're the first woman who's always rushing me to leave."

"Goodbye." Rachel Bailey, pretending not to have heard his muttering, smiled and waved at him before continuing to tend her stall.

Hansen Ruiz didn't linger and walked to his car. As he got into the car, he turned to take one last deep look at Rachel Bailey, who showed no sign of reluctance at his departure, before driving away.

Hansen Ruiz driving a car worth over a million to this place and bringing Rachel Bailey dinner made everyone assume he was her boyfriend.

"Boss Bailey, your boyfriend looks very rich! Why are you still selling clothes at a stall here? Even if you want to do business, just ask him. Your boyfriend would surely buy you a large storefront," one said.

"I really didn't expect you, with your plain looks—apart from your big eyes and good figure—to land such a wealthy boyfriend. Life's truly unfair."

"Exactly! Even though that man's dressed casually, he exudes an air of wealth and nobility. He may not be as handsome as young master Horne, but he's quite good-looking, gentle, and refined, like a piece of polished white jade. Boss Bailey, where did you find such a catch? Introduce us so we can snag a wealthy husband too!"

"Rich men wouldn't fall for a plain-looking woman like Boss Bailey. There are plenty of beautiful, wealthy heiresses around."

"Don't you know? Men marry for virtue; they seek a true lady..."

Several other small stall owners, who also dealt in trendy apparel, gossiped among themselves.

"He's not my boyfriend," Rachel Bailey retorted coolly after their chatter died down. "I'm not that fortunate. He's a senior employee at the company run by my best friend's husband. My best friend married into a wealthy family, you see. He was just passing by, saw I hadn't eaten, and brought me dinner out of kindness to my friend."

"Oh, so that's how it is! No wonder. I was thinking, that man looks to be in his mid-thirties; he must be married."

"Exactly! If he weren't married, aren't all of us here prettier than Boss Bailey?"

"I was wondering what Boss Bailey did to charm such a mature and composed man. So it was just a connection..."

Again, a barrage of chatter followed.

Rachel Bailey, the subject of their thinly veiled ridicule, simply glanced at them and continued with her business without engaging further. She tolerated their mockery because they were all co-investors in this space, people she had to see regularly, and she preferred not to cause an open rift. Otherwise, she would have readily countered each of their comments.

「The Horne Family villa.」

After dinner, everyone habitually gathered in the living room to chat.

"Mom, I don't want to work at the company! And I especially don't want to be some errand girl who just serves tea and fetches water!" Adele Horne whined, slumping on the sofa. She pouted, shaking Mila Anderson's arm coquettishly. Her eyes, however, darted towards Glades Horne and Julia Bluen, who had just emerged from the dining room. The look she gave Julia was filled with resentment.

Her punishment to work at the company was for hitting Ruby Bluen and had nothing to do with Julia. However, since Julia was Ruby's sister, Adele strongly disliked both sisters and naturally directed her resentment towards Julia.

Feeling Adele Horne's resentful glare, Julia raised an eyebrow. She couldn't recall doing anything to offend her petulant sister-in-law since returning home. Why is she glaring at me with such resentment?

Ever since Ruby had come home earlier, her young sister-in-law had been like this with her, from the moment Julia came downstairs.

It was utterly baffling.

"Work at the company? An errand girl serving tea?" Mila Anderson asked, puzzled. "Who told you to go work at the company? Who would dare make you an errand girl serving tea and water?"

"Mom, I'm the one making her go, to keep her from idling away her days," Glades Horne said authoritatively as he led Julia to the sofa and sat down, taking over the conversation. "With no work experience, she naturally has to start as a junior."

Mila looked at her son, then at her daughter, even more puzzled. "Glades, why on earth are you making Adele go to work? She's still young, and we're not short of money. What's wrong with letting her enjoy herself? Look around you. Which young lady from a wealthy family isn't just enjoying herself all day? And how many of them actually get involved in the family business and work in the company?"