Barrett had long known this group of city youths were a headache, but he hadn't realized they were shameless enough to try and swindle him.

Dominic stood there, fidgeting. Had the loss been minor, he might have let it go, but the sheer scale of the theft left him no choice but to swallow his pride. "Barrett, please... the bulk of our money is gone."

Barrett’s patience, already stretched thin, finally snapped. His massive, hammer-like fist tightened. He looked as though he was on the verge of lunging across the desk. "Get out," he roared, his voice trembling with a rage that bordered on violence. "Get out of my sight!"

The group retreated, humiliated and empty-handed. Back in their room, a heavy silence settled over them.

"What now?" Caleb muttered, his voice thin. "I’ve been asking around quietly. No one else has been near our quarters."

Seraphina seethed with a quiet, venomous resentment. It was obviously Evelyn’s work—who else would hold such a grudge? But she couldn't voice her suspicion; to admit it would mean revealing her own earlier plot to frame Evelyn, and she knew exactly how that would look.

"Should we report it?"

Dominic shook his head. "Barrett is done with us. Even if we called the police back, it would only drag the whole of Red Wolf Valley into our mess. Unless they recover the money—which they won't—we’ll just end up more despised than we already are."

Seraphina’s jaw tightened with frustration. "We can't just let that much money vanish into thin air, can we?"

No one had an answer. After a long, agonizing pause, Dominic sighed. "We’ll investigate on our own. If we find a lead, we'll decide what to do then."

"I’ll write home," Julian added, sounding defeated. "Maybe my family can wire us some funds and coupons."

But the Ward family’s coffers were essentially empty, reliant on his Uncle Sloan for support. Caleb had already lost his own money to pickpockets; he didn't have the face to ask his parents for more. With the wheat harvest looming and an extra mouth to feed in Caleb, Dominic’s prospects looked grim.

The mood in Evelyn’s cottage could not have been more different.

Barrett had been fuming over the city youths, but the moment Evelyn invited him to dinner—and mentioned that Mayor Adrian would be joining them—his irritation evaporated. He arrived at the cottage with a spring in his step, ready to bask in the Mayor's presence.

Evelyn had poured her heart into the meal. With no time for a trip to town, she had traded for every ingredient, relying on Tess to help barter with the neighbors. The fish came from Meida’s family, the tofu from Elara’s, and Tess had raided her own family’s pantry for fresh vegetables.

The table was a spread of rural delicacies: red-braised fish, fish-head stew with tofu, braised eggplant, succulent pork belly, stir-fried peppers with eggs, twice-cooked pork, and vinegar-glazed shredded potatoes.

Barrett watched the spread, privately wondering how much oil had gone into such a feast. The portions were refined, delicate compared to the massive bowls typical of village life, but they were intoxicating. Then came the centerpiece: a massive basin of stewed chicken with mushrooms. The moment Evelyn lifted the lid, a fragrance wafted out that made Adrian, Barrett, and the others instinctively swallow.

Before they started, Evelyn insisted that Tess take a generous portion home to her family, though she insisted Tess stay to eat with them.

Tess was out of her element. Usually, she didn't sit at the table when guests arrived, let alone someone of Adrian’s stature. She sat stiffly, barely daring to breathe. Evelyn had once gently teased her about chewing loudly, and today, watching the stark contrast between her father’s table manners and the Mayor’s elegance, she felt a sudden, sharp pang of self-consciousness.

But the food was irresistible. A few bites in, she forgot herself and began to chew with gusto. When she realized what she was doing, her face burned with shame. Suspecting she looked unrefined, she scrambled up, shoveled a few pieces of food into her bowl, and bolted out the door.

Barrett, initially skeptical of the portion sizes, changed his tune the moment he took a bite. He was stunned. Had this girl been a professional chef before moving to the countryside? He even brought out his private stash of medicinal liquor, an elixir he usually saved for holidays, to toast the meal.

"I finally understand why Tess is always lurking around your kitchen," Barrett chuckled.

They had intended to drink, but the food claimed their full attention. Even the simplest vegetables tasted like a revelation. When it came to the meat, they devoured it with such intensity that conversation practically ceased.

Adrian watched Evelyn as she worked. She hadn't added anything unusual, yet every dish possessed a depth of flavor that left one craving the next bite. Evelyn had prepared rice as the staple, a rarity for the locals. Barrett, who usually only enjoyed such a meal during the Lunar New Year, found himself finishing a massive bowl in seconds, then nervously grabbing another, embarrassed by his own hunger.

Even the tractor driver was no slower, already reaching for his second serving. Evelyn, mindful of local customs, kept the pot full. While she ate a modest half-bowl, the men devoured four bowls each—even the lean, graceful Adrian polished off two bowls with the rich sauce from the braised pork.

Evelyn watched them, a sudden worry pricking at her. Did I not send enough food with the meals I packed for him?

When the meal ended, not a drop of liquor remained, and the bowls were polished clean. Barrett sat back, his stomach so full he couldn't stand, an expression of comical distress on his face.

He made a mental note: he couldn't let Tess keep learning to cook from Evelyn. If his family ate like this, their grain supply would vanish in a month. It was no wonder the Mayor was so keen on this girl; if he were in his position, he’d send her gifts too.

As Adrian prepared to leave, Evelyn quietly tucked two lunchboxes into his hand: one with braised pork, the other with the chicken stew.

The tractor driver was already planning his return. "Mayor, when are you coming back?"

Adrian smiled. "If I come by every few days, I’ll eat her out of house and home."

"Next time, I’ll bring my own rations!" the driver pleaded, his mouth watering at the thought. "Mayor, I’m telling you, I’ve never tasted anything like this in my life. It’s better than the Seven-Star Hotel! I could have eaten the bowl itself if it was made of rice!"

Adrian chuckled, a genuine, warm expression that softened his features. As he watched Evelyn, the evening breeze catching the edges of his coat, he realized he owed her more than just a favor. She had fed him, and in return, he owed her his protection.