Amadeus Yancey heard and didn’t deliberately ask her how things were in the Level 8 laboratory, started the car, and smiled: "Then let’s go eat first!"

"It’s just that Alfred Garland is back, I’ll take you for a hot pot meal. Are you going?"

Nathalie Quinlan originally had an average appetite.

Until she heard Amadeus Yancey mention hot pot, her stomach suddenly felt a bit hungry, temporarily leaving behind the trivial matters of the Level 8 laboratory, she curled up her lips, feeling much more open-hearted: "Let’s go!"

She then looked in the rear-view mirror at Alfred Garland, whom she hadn’t seen for over a month, pursed her lips, her gaze warming up: "I’ll treat, let’s welcome Alfred Garland."

"Ms. Quinlan, boohoo..." Sitting in the back, Alfred Garland was almost in tears, almost ready to switch to another big shot on the spot.

Amadeus Yancey glanced at him, amusingly looked at the girl, and softly said with a deep, smiling tone: "I’ll treat lunch, you guys just eat."

Nathalie Quinlan hadn’t had the chance to say anything.

He had already turned the car around, one hand resting on the steering wheel, while he looked ahead with a relaxed and soothing tone speaking lowly: "Nathalie, it’s the same whichever of us treats."

"Family."

The word family was spoken extremely low and hoarse, as if whispering right next to Nathalie’s ear.

Nathalie’s heartstrings were suddenly plucked, her heartbeat somewhat erratic, she lowered her eyelids, her pale fingers hooking the strap of her single shoulder bag, suddenly speechless.

Just... what a smooth game!

She always gets led astray when she lets her guard down.

*

Amadeus Yancey found a hot pot restaurant.

Inderia, after all, isn’t in China, the hot pot here can only be said to be barely adequate.

However, Nathalie hadn’t had hot pot for a long time, so she still ate quite a bit for lunch.

Amadeus Yancey spent most of the time blanching various vegetables for her, picking dishes for her, and pouring tea for her. Throughout the meal, Nathalie barely moved to pick dishes herself, while he ate not much himself.

After the meal.

Alfred Garland chatted with Nathalie Quinlan about some recent happenings in Beijing, while Amadeus Yancey went to pay the bill.

Soon after. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

The person who went to pay the bill returned.

The man was wearing a deep blue collared thick knitted sweater today, tall and slender, which complemented his exceptionally charming demeanor.

Amadeus Yancey walked up to the two, lifted a pair of deep-set eyes, and asked the girl: "What’s the plan for the afternoon, are you going back?"

He was asking if Nathalie wanted to go back to rest.

Nathalie Quinlan furrowed her brow, a quick flash of annoyance and fatigue in her eyes, picked up her single shoulder bag, yet said to the two: "I’m going back to the laboratory."

...

Half an hour later, the black Range Rover steadily stopped at the road entrance of The First Research Institute.

Nathalie Quinlan picked up her belongings, unbuckled the seatbelt, and was about to get out of the car.

Amadeus Yancey stopped her before she got out: "I’ll pick you up at six in the afternoon."

Nathalie Quinlan had already gotten out of the car, one hand on the car door, heard this, glanced at him, her dark eyes collecting the agitation within, responded: "We’ll talk in the afternoon."

She then said something to Alfred Garland, then casually closed the car door, turned and walked towards the direction of The First Research Institute, while waving to the people in the car indicating for them to leave first without looking back.

Until Nathalie’s silhouette disappeared.

Alfred Garland rolled up the car window, spoke to the man in the car: "Amadeus, I feel like Ms. Quinlan doesn’t seem to be in a good mood mentioning the laboratory, is she not doing well in The First Research Institute? By the way, which laboratory is she in now?"