Chapter 318

A boy, perhaps five or six years old, sat across from a woman, eating with a knife and fork. He looked like a little gentleman—quite cute. Noticing he was being watched, the boy looked up at Lily and smiled shyly, but remained well-behaved.

Lily instantly liked him. He was adorable. Seeing him, she remembered Alexander's earlier suggestion. He'd assumed she wanted children, proposing a son and daughter when she'd brought home the two wood carvings. She'd dismissed his comment as nonsense then, but now, the thought of a baby with Alexander seemed quite appealing.

Smiling, she turned and took a picture of her food with her phone, texting it to Alexander with the message, "Food porn." Considering the time difference, he was likely asleep. She didn't expect a reply. The message was simply a comfort, born of missing him.

Unexpectedly, he replied quickly, sending a photo of steak and mashed potatoes with the message, "Likewise." How interesting! Their interaction felt increasingly intimate. The cruelty of sending her a picture of her favorite dish—she could almost smell the delicious steak—caused her to pout. Holding her phone with both hands, she replied, "Eating alone in the middle of the night will make you fat!"

He replied, "I'm already married. Who cares if I'm fat?"

"How dare you!" she texted back, "If you get fat, I'll request a refund!"

Alexander replied, "Goods sold are not refundable."

A blatant provocation! Was he fearless? Just as she was composing a reply, a loud thud echoed through the restaurant, followed by exclamations. Cups and plates crashed to the floor; chairs and tables were overturned. People nearby stood up.

Lily was stunned. She turned to see someone collapse behind her. Those around them looked bewildered. A woman was half-kneeling, crying. The noise made it hard to understand the situation.

Lily immediately recognized Lisa. Rushing over, she saw Lisa's scared, anxious face. Lisa's eyes were red as she cried, "What should I do? What happened?"

"Lisa?"

Looking down, Lily saw the boy who'd smiled at her earlier, twitching on the ground. His face was pale, his breathing rapid, his eyes rolling. He was seriously ill.

A crowd gathered, but no one acted. The restaurant staff, though clearly frightened, remained calm, calling an ambulance.

"Lily, he" Lisa was close to tears.

The woman half-kneeling beside the boy was crying and shouting—presumably his mother.

"Let me see!"

Without hesitation, Lily crouched down to examine him.