But as soon as he thought of Emily Smith, he steeled his heart and decided to go for it! The reason David Walker cared so much about Emily Smith was actually because he felt that he and Emily Smith were on the same level, and that something could possibly happen between them. As for people like Sarah Carter and Emily Smith, he knew he wasn’t worthy of them, so he didn’t even dream of a toad eating swan meat.

In order to get Emily Smith’s salary back, David Walker braced himself and entered Red Bird Internet Café. He was too embarrassed to go to Thomas Moore again. Unexpectedly, as soon as he walked in, a staff member saw him, let out a sharp scream, and turned to run away. David Walker was puzzled: What’s going on? I’m not the plague or anything. He walked up to the front desk. “Where’s your boss?”

The cashier girl had also experienced what happened that day. Seeing David Walker, she nervously pointed behind him. “O-over there.” David Walker turned around and saw the bald James Scott rushing over at top speed. Seeing his aggressive manner, David Walker felt a bit uneasy. James Scott charged up to him, suddenly raised his hand, and David Walker quickly assumed a boxer’s defensive stance—both hands in front of his face!

To his surprise, James Scott grabbed his hand enthusiastically and said, “Big Walker, you’re here! Please, come in!” James Scott, following Andrew Lewis’s orders, treated David Walker with the utmost respect, nodding and bowing, almost calling him grandpa.

David Walker quickly figured out what was going on and relaxed, getting down to business. “Ahem, I really shouldn’t be so petty, but after all, the girl worked here for quite a while. Don’t you think you should… you know?”

James Scott was very tactful and nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes!” He personally got up and went into the back room. Soon he came out holding two thick brown envelopes.

“This is your sister-in-law’s wages, and a little something from me as an apology. I really didn’t recognize greatness when I saw it!” David Walker weighed the envelope—there was quite a bit inside, at least ten or twenty thousand.

James Scott stuffed the other envelope into David Walker’s arms. “This is an apology for Daniel Walker. I really offended him last time, I’m so sorry. Please, Big Walker, put in a good word for me with Boss Lewis in the future…” David Walker felt elated. “Heh, no problem, no problem…”

“Smack!” David Walker slapped the brown envelope down in front of Emily Smith and Emily Smith. Emily Smith asked curiously, “What’s this?” David Walker said, “Your wages!” Thinking of how James Scott kept calling her “sister-in-law,” making it sound like Emily Smith was his wife, he couldn’t help but blush, but deep down he was quite pleased. If only he really could have such a gentle and beautiful wife—ah, he’d die happy!

Emily Smith picked it up and saw two stacks of US dollars! “Wow, that’s a lot!” Emily Smith’s expression changed too. “And it’s in dollars.” David Walker hadn’t expected James Scott to put two stacks of US dollars in there either. How did this guy, just running an internet café, get so much money?

“What’s going on here?” Emily Smith asked him. David Walker waved his hand. “I don’t know either. He said it’s your wages, and also money to apologize to you.” Emily Smith tried to give the money back to David Walker. “I can’t take this.” David Walker got anxious. “Why not? Don’t turn down free money. He can’t just bully you for nothing.”

David Walker tried hard to push the money into Emily Smith’s hands, but Emily Smith just wouldn’t take it. The two stacks of dollars totaled twenty thousand, which was nearly 160,000 yuan—not a small sum. Emily Smith’s eyes turned red. “You—you’re bullying me!” She flung her sleeve, covered her face, and ran off. David Walker was dumbfounded. “How—how did I bully her?” Emily Smith sighed, took a hundred-dollar bill from the two stacks, and said, “This hundred dollars will count as my sister’s wages. That’s more than enough. A net café attendant can’t make that much in a month anyway.”

David Walker felt a wave of disappointment. Emily Smith said, “Keep the money and go home for now. I can tell my sister likes you. I’ll talk to her again.” David Walker said aggrievedly, “I didn’t mean to…” Emily Smith nodded. “I know, but even though we’re poor, we have our dignity. What you did might have made my sister misunderstand.”

David Walker stuffed the money in his pocket and left the teahouse. On the way, he cursed bald James Scott and all his ancestors—what did this have to do with James Scott anyway?

Back home, he lay on his bed, motionless, quietly thinking about Emily Smith’s every smile and frown during their conversation today, her shy gaze, the dimples on her cheeks… David Walker couldn’t help but be a little lovestruck. That current inside him mysteriously surged up again, wandering all through his body, and before he knew it, he fell asleep just like that!

Even though he hadn’t eaten dinner last night, David Walker didn’t feel hungry at all. He thought to himself: Could that current also have the effect of fasting? Heh, that would be amazing.

He didn’t take the matter to heart. David Walker got up, washed up, got dressed, and was about to go to work, but suddenly stopped: Why am I being so diligent? I’m not going to work today. Didn’t Sarah Carter give me time off? If she doesn’t come looking for me, I won’t go to work!

Having made up his mind, David Walker quickly tidied himself up, combed his hair, put on some gel, and got ready to go to the teahouse again. As soon as he stepped outside, sure enough, the Lincoln was still waiting. David Walker was about to walk over when suddenly a single-row, two-seater BMW convertible shot out from the side, screeching to a halt right in front of his toes. David Walker was startled and about to curse, when he realized the person in the car was actually Matthew Wright.