Chris Brooks watched all the way, and his stomach started to growl. The boss selling egg pancakes noticed this interested customer and shouted from afar, “Hey young man, come have one!”

“OJBK.”

Chris Brooks walked over quickly, even planning to ask for an extra egg, but then remembered it was 2002—how was he supposed to pay without a mobile phone?

“What a pain.”

Linda Parker had also forgotten to give him any change, so Chris Brooks had to reluctantly give up on the egg pancake. Actually, he didn’t mind running a tab, but the boss did.

Thinking about it, it was pretty funny—a man worth tens of millions like Chris Brooks was reborn and couldn’t even afford breakfast. Still, he kept a good attitude, and wanting to get used to Port City as it was seventeen years ago, he continued walking along the moat.

Unknowingly, he walked several kilometers and finally stopped at Shuangqiao Park.

There were already quite a few elderly people exercising there. Chris Brooks originally planned to sit for a while and then go home, but suddenly spotted a familiar figure.

It was actually Julia Bennett.

She was out for a morning run, wearing athletic shorts.

“Julia Bennett.”

Chris Brooks sat on a stone bench and waved to greet her.

Julia Bennett was very surprised to see Chris Brooks. It was only about 6:30 now, and Chris Brooks should still be sleeping. Why was he here?

Unless...

Julia Bennett suddenly understood. She wiped the sparkling sweat from her nose, hesitated for a moment, and finally said to Chris Brooks, “Little Brooks, I know how you feel, but I really don’t want to date in college.”

“What the heck?”

Chris Brooks looked at Julia Bennett in shock, thinking she must be out of her mind, talking about romance so early in the morning.

Seeing Chris Brooks’s expression, Julia Bennett said helplessly, “Weren’t you waiting here so early just to see me?”

Chris Brooks was momentarily stunned.

“And another thing.”

Julia Bennett pouted her rosy lips. “Yesterday you pretended not to know me, probably just to get my attention, right?”

“Chris, you really don’t have to do this. I don’t want to date right now, I just want to focus on my studies.”

Julia Bennett said seriously and sincerely.

Chris Brooks didn’t answer, swallowing hard.

“Not saying anything—does that mean I was right?”

Julia Bennett’s long, beautiful eyes sparkled like a clear spring, full of confidence.

Chris Brooks stared blankly at her, and in the end, actually nodded in admission. “You’re just too smart.”

“How about this, I’ll treat you to breakfast, and we can talk while we eat.”

Penniless, Chris Brooks offered proactively.

Sure enough, Julia Bennett shook her head. “Actually, I should treat you. Back in school, you always looked after me more.”

“Alright, it’s settled then.”

Chris Brooks agreed cheerfully, and even suggested, “There’s a really good bun shop in front of the police station. With soy milk and fried soybeans, just thinking about it makes me hungry.”

“Let’s go try it.”

Chris Brooks said excitedly.

Julia Bennett was a bit thrown off by this sudden change of pace. Her face looked confused—why did it seem like Chris Brooks was more interested in breakfast? She could only nod blankly.

This bun shop really was popular. In his previous life, Chris Brooks often came here. Since it was right in front of the police station, there were quite a few uniformed officers coming and going. Someone greeted Julia Bennett, “Little Julia, having breakfast?”

After speaking, they glanced at Chris Brooks, who was eating buns with his head down.

Julia Bennett had a small appetite and spent most of the time watching Chris Brooks. She seemed to want to say something, but didn’t know how to start.

“Still too young.”

Chris Brooks pretended not to notice and devoured three baskets of meat buns. Only then did he look at his own belly and say, “You know, you really shouldn’t eat so much in the future. What if you get fat in middle age?”

Chris Brooks was actually speaking from experience, but Julia Bennett found it amusing and asked, “Are you full?”

“I’m full, thanks for the treat. I’m heading home.”

Chris Brooks stuck a toothpick in his mouth and swaggered out of the bun shop.

The boss watched eagerly, waiting for him to pay. But Chris Brooks had no money. He turned to look—Julia Bennett was tying up her hair in the back.

Since she couldn’t hear him anyway, Chris Brooks joked, “Wait, my girlfriend will pay together.”

At that moment, a middle-aged police officer with a second-class inspector’s badge walked in from outside and happened to hear this.

“He looks familiar—probably a friend of my parents.”

Chris Brooks met his gaze, but couldn’t recall his name, so he just nodded in greeting.

But while waiting outside, Chris Brooks saw that middle-aged officer affectionately helping Julia Bennett wipe her sweat, and the bun shop owner was pointing in his direction, saying something.

“Crap.”

Chris Brooks suddenly realized what was happening. He tossed away the toothpick and shouted, “Little Bennett, something came up at home, I’m heading back first!”

Without waiting for any response from Julia Bennett, Chris Brooks hurried home.

……

Chapter 7: Watch My Face for Cues

“Damn, trying to scam a free meal and I actually ran into her dad.”

Back home, Chris Brooks couldn’t help but complain a bit. Mark Brooks and Linda Parker had already left for work, and the kitchen was spotless, without a trace of cooking fumes.