Chapter 419: Looking Forward to the Future

The next day, Zeke Walton personally accompanied Linden’s family to look at a storefront.

The location was excellent. It was surrounded by residential buildings packed with office workers. Opening an affordable fast-food restaurant here was sure to do good business, and most importantly, the rent was cheap.

They hadn’t expected such a sudden turn of good fortune. Linden’s family was endlessly grateful to him and insisted on treating Zeke Walton to a meal, but he declined.

"Some other time. I’m busy today. Don’t you all have to move your things? Go ahead and get busy. We can talk after you’re settled."

"Alright, then. Let’s exchange phone numbers. Once we’re officially open for business, you’ll be the first person we invite to come and try our food."

Zeke Walton wasn’t that foolish. ’Giving them my number would be like handing them leverage against me, wouldn’t it?’

"I don’t really check my phone much, so it’s more of a decoration. Besides, you’ll be too busy to check your phones anyway. There’s no need. It’s not like I don’t know where your shop is. I’ll stop by for a visit in a couple of days."

They thought that made sense and saw him out the door with a thousand thanks.

After Zeke Walton left, they tidied up the shop and moved their things, working nonstop until the afternoon before they had a moment to rest.

Looking at their brand-new home and the endless stream of people outside, Linden was filled with hope for the future.

"Dad, Mom, I heard that restaurants nowadays all offer online delivery services. Before, we were too far from the city center, so we didn’t bother. But now that we’ve moved downtown, we have to learn how to do it. Anyway, we’re not fully settled yet for the next couple of days, so you two can take your time with things. Tomorrow, I’ll go find a job as a delivery driver. While I’m making deliveries, I can secretly learn how to set up the service. What do you think?"

His parents thought it was a fantastic idea.

They didn’t have much education and didn’t understand many things, so they could only watch as others made money.

Now their son was grown up, knew how to take initiative, and was willing to learn. They were overjoyed.

"Yes, yes, of course."

That very night, Linden went to a second-hand market to buy an electric scooter, registered as a driver, and after a bit of research, started taking orders the next day.

He wasn’t familiar with the city center and was weaving through the streets following his GPS when a familiar figure suddenly appeared before him.

She was wearing a delivery driver’s uniform and hat, holding two orders as she walked toward him.

That incredibly familiar face... who could it be but Amina?

Linden quickly moved to block her path. "Amina!"

Amina looked up, surprised to see him.

"Tim Tate? What are you doing here?"

The two of them talked for a bit and caught up on each other’s recent situations.

When Amina heard that his family had moved their restaurant to the city center to a pretty good location, she was genuinely happy for them.

Linden, afraid of delaying her delivery, rode his electric scooter alongside her, and they chatted as she walked.

After she finished a delivery, Linden said to Amina, his face blushing.

"Once, when we were kids, I accidentally fell into a ditch and got my pants wet. I was scared I’d get a scolding at home, so I hid behind your house, too afraid to go back. Your grandma saw me, took me home, gave me a bath, and even let me change into your older brother’s clothes. That left such a deep impression on me. Your grandma will always be my benefactor..."

"Actually, I wanted to ask you last time when your two brothers were here. I wanted to invite you and your grandma to have a meal with us. After all, Veridia is so big, and there are so few of us from our village here. It’s not easy for us to run into each other. But I was afraid you’d say no..."

"Amina, today I’ve finally worked up the courage to invite you and your grandma. Please let me do this to repay her kindness from all those years ago. Please don’t refuse me, okay? Otherwise, I’ll feel indebted for the rest of my life."

Amina felt that what he was talking about was such a small thing, hardly worth this level of tearful gratitude.

But seeing how Linden’s face was bright red as he spoke, as if it had taken all his strength, she didn’t have the heart to refuse.

"Alright, then. I won’t work overtime tonight. But you have to promise me that while dinner is fine, you can’t order anything too expensive. Otherwise, we won’t go."

"Nothing expensive, nothing expensive! People in the city love eating barbecue at night. Have you tried it yet? No, no, no, you must have. I mean, your grandma probably hasn’t. How about I treat your grandma to some barbecue? It’s only one or two yuan per skewer."

Amina was amused by him and laughed. "Okay."

They exchanged phone numbers and went their separate ways to get back to work. Amina didn’t stop taking orders until 6 p.m., when she got a call from Linden hurrying her along.

When she got home, she told her grandmother about it. At first, her grandmother didn’t want to go. She wasn’t familiar with his parents, and it felt embarrassing to accept a meal over such a small matter.

But then, she had another thought. ’I’m old. How many days do I have left? I can’t count on my two grandsons, and Amina will have to get married sooner or later.’

’Out-of-towners aren’t reliable. As for locals, there aren’t many like Linden—someone we know through and through, and who’s about the same age.’

For her granddaughter’s sake, she swallowed her pride and went.

「At Linden’s home.」

Two years ago, Linden’s grandfather passed away. His family went back to their hometown for the funeral, and Amina’s two older brothers went to their house to help out. That’s when they exchanged phone numbers with Linden.

That was why when her two brothers came to Veridia last time and couldn’t get in touch with their uncle, they called Linden instead.

Linden had taken it upon himself to let the two brothers stay at their place, much to his parents’ disapproval.

For one, they had a sense of superiority. They felt that with their savings and worldly experience, they were now above associating with the poor, backward people from their village.

For another, they were worried about the expense of hosting two able-bodied men. They weren’t even related.

But Linden insisted on taking them in, and his parents knew what he was thinking.

He was doing it for Amina.

Amina’s family may have been poor and her parents unreliable, but they had watched her grow up. Not only was she a natural beauty, but she was also honest and dependable.

They figured that although they had achieved some small success in the city, marrying a city girl was still out of the question.

As for marrying someone from out of town, their line of work didn’t give them a chance to meet anyone.

After thinking it over, Amina was the only suitable choice.

So when Linden came home today and said he had run into Amina and wanted to treat her to dinner, his parents were quite pleased.

Everyone washed up and changed into presentable clothes, then waited at home.

Amina followed her GPS, brought her grandmother, and went to their house after buying a small gift.

Despite being two families who barely knew each other, they met like the closest of relatives, exchanging a long round of greetings and pleasantries before Linden’s parents finally led the grandmother outside.

As they walked, the grandmother kept reminding them.

"Just a simple meal is fine, really. There’s no need to spend so much. You really mustn’t. It makes us feel like strangers."

Linden’s parents just smiled and repeated.

"It’s no trouble, no trouble at all. It’s what we should do. When it comes to Amina, we’re willing to spend any amount."

The three of them walked ahead, talking and laughing cheerfully.

Amina and Linden followed behind, keeping a slight distance.

Although Amina didn’t say much to him and seemed incredibly shy, Linden still felt overwhelmingly happy.

’Grandma’s attitude is great. When my parents hinted at something between me and Amina, she didn’t seem to mind at all. I can feel it—there’s hope for me and Amina to get married. This meal we’re having now... it’s practically an engagement dinner.’

’Ah, I’ll be able to marry the girl I love so soon!’

He felt like he was floating on air.