"Such a troublemaker." Emma Clark gently tapped Ryan Brooks's forehead. She was about to say something when Grace Bennett, unable to stand it any longer, interrupted, "Wait a minute, Sister Emma, can you tell me what's going on? Why did a man suddenly appear in our house?"

Ryan Brooks mimicked Grace Bennett's tone and said, "Yeah, Sister Emma, I want to know why there's a woman I don't know in my house. And just now, when I was taking a shower, she suddenly barged in and said she wanted to give me a massage to make me feel good. She was wearing a police uniform, but she's actually a female hooligan."

"Who are you calling a female hooligan? Believe it or not, I'll beat you up!" Grace Bennett shouted, baring her teeth and waving her claws, but she didn't call Ryan Brooks a thief again, because she could already tell that Ryan Brooks really wasn't trespassing.

In Emma Clark's memory, Grace Bennett was very skilled in martial arts. She was afraid Grace Bennett might hurt Ryan Brooks, so she quickly tried to smooth things over: "Grace, you both misunderstood. Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Brooks's grandson, Ryan Brooks. After Mr. Brooks passed away, this courtyard house was inherited by him. From now on, he's your landlord."

What? Landlord!

Grace Bennett's face turned bitter. She had thought Ryan Brooks was some distant relative of Emma Clark's, but she hadn't expected him to be the owner of the courtyard house—her landlord.

Emma Clark then introduced to Ryan Brooks, "Ryan Brooks, this is Officer Grace Bennett. She currently lives in the second room of the east wing and is one of our tenants."

Ryan Brooks already knew she was a tenant, but he was puzzled as to why the courtyard house was being rented out. His grandfather was never short of money.

"Since you're the landlord, I'll forgive you for today. You two go ahead and talk."

Now that she knew Ryan Brooks was the landlord, Grace Bennett felt a bit guilty. Thinking about how she had just barged into the bathroom and seen Ryan Brooks's body, and even said those shameless things, her cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment. She wished she could find a hole to crawl into and quickly turned to head back to her room.

Watching Grace Bennett walk away briskly, Ryan Brooks smiled but didn't press the issue. He had no intention of driving away such a beautiful tenant; that would be a real loss.

"You still dare to laugh? Officer Bennett is a black belt in taekwondo. If you really piss her off, she'll definitely beat you up. But don't be fooled by her fierce appearance—she's tough on the outside but soft on the inside." Emma Clark briefly explained Grace Bennett's situation, then her face softened with concern: "Ryan Brooks, where have you been all these years? How have you been?"

"Nothing much, just traveled around the world."

Ryan Brooks was telling the truth, but he didn't mention that while traveling the world, he had also killed many people.

As the two walked toward the main hall, Ryan Brooks glanced around the somewhat neglected courtyard and asked, "Sister Emma, my grandpa wasn't short of money. Why would he rent out the courtyard house?"

Emma Clark hesitated, frowned, and finally said, "The courtyard house wasn't rented out by Mr. Brooks. After Mr. Brooks passed away a year ago, I made the decision on my own to rent it out."

Seeing the guilt and sadness in Emma Clark's eyes, Ryan Brooks felt a surge of affection and didn't ask further. He smiled and said, "It's fine. Renting it out is good. There are so many rooms—if they're empty, they're just empty. With people, there's life."

Looking at Ryan Brooks's smiling face, Emma Clark kept the words she had intended to say to herself. After all, it was rare for them to reunite—why bring up The Brooks Family's affairs and spoil the mood?

That night, Emma Clark made more than a dozen dishes, all of Ryan Brooks's favorites.

Looking at the table full of food, Emma Clark smiled with satisfaction and said to Ryan Brooks, who was sitting beside her, "In the past, everyone in the courtyard would eat together. Now that you're back, it's no exception. Go call Grace and Lily to come eat."

Grace, Lily?

Ryan Brooks looked puzzled and turned to Emma Clark, "I know Grace, but who is Lily?"

Emma Clark set the bowls and chopsticks, then looked up and winked at Ryan Brooks, "Lily's full name is Lily Grant. She's a nurse, very pretty, and has a gentle personality. Don't miss this opportunity."

So, not only is there a policewoman tenant, but also a nurse. What a great deal!

Ryan Brooks still looked innocent in front of Emma Clark, but as soon as he turned his head, a wicked smile curled at the corner of his mouth. Yet his tone remained calm: "Okay, Sister Emma, I'll go call them."

Chapter 003: Great Charm

Dinner was eaten by Ryan Brooks, Emma Clark, and Grace Bennett together. As for the nurse Lily Grant, she had to work the night shift and didn't come back tonight, which left Ryan Brooks a little disappointed.

At the table, Ryan Brooks wolfed down the food, his mouth stuffed full, giving Emma Clark a thumbs up and mumbling, "Sister Emma, your cooking is still the best."

Emma Clark smiled gently, looking up at Ryan Brooks. Her eyes, like rippling water, were full of tender affection. Two shallow dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth, and with her cheongsam, she looked like a woman from a Republic-era magazine—elegant and refined, yet even more beautiful.

Grace Bennett lowered her head, poking at the rice at the bottom of her bowl, her eyes occasionally sneaking glances at Ryan Brooks, secretly thinking, "This guy looks so ordinary, so how did he easily dodge my attack from behind and even turn the tables on me? His skills are so good—there must be something strange about him."

"Grace."