Landon was astonished as he listened to her talk. He had never encountered anyone like her before. The feeling was simply wonderful. There was no need for misunderstandings or pretense at home. He remembered how his father would come home from work, exhausted, but would always put on a brave face to avoid worrying his grandfather. He realized now that it was okay for him to express unhappiness at home and not have to pretend otherwise.Leaning against the kitchen door, Landon watched as Emma busied herself preparing dinner. He took a deep breath as the enticing aroma wafted through the air. He had tasted countless fine cuisine prepared by renowned chefs, but none had ever smelled as comforting as Emma’s cooking.When Emma finished, she set the dishes aside and Landon immediately moved to help. "I'll take it," he offered."Okay," Emma replied, accustomed to Landon's help in the kitchen. "Be careful, it’s hot."With a smile, Landon took the dishes. Sometimes it seemed l
“Everyone has their strengths and learns things at different times,” Emma said with a smile. “He learned basketball first, and since you’ve not learned it yet, it’s perfectly fine that you don’t know how to play.”“Yeah,” Asher nodded vigorously, feeling much better with Emma’s reassurance. “I don’t like him, Mommy.”“If you don’t like him, then you don’t have to be friends with him,” Emma said, gently patting Asher’s head. “Friends should make each other happy, not be mean to each other.”“He came and laughed at me for not knowing how to play basketball,” Asher said, clearly upset. “I told him, but he didn’t understand.”Landon chuckled. At just four years old, Asher's classmates were still quite young. It was normal for kids to be competitive. However, that boy, Dennis, did sound rather annoying. Whose child was that? Did his parents not teach him any manners?Landon considered calling the kindergarten principal later.“Well, you don’t need to explain things to him,” Emma said
“Should we enroll Asher in a basketball class?” Landon asked.Emma, busy with her chores, replied, “I’ll ask Asher about it later. If he wants to learn, we’ll let him. If not, then we shouldn’t push it.”Emma expressed her pride as she continued, “Asher knows what he wants and needs. Other people’s opinions shouldn’t influence his decisions.”Landon smiled. “That sounds good.”Emma placed all the dishes into the dishwasher and turned it on before turning to Landon with a smile. “I’m a bit surprised that you agree with my decision.”Landon looked puzzled. “Why is that?”Emma thought for a moment before answering. “I expected you to insist on Asher learning something. Someone like you, who’s so successful, would likely want to impart a competitive spirit.”Emma chuckled. “I don’t know if I’m saying this right, but most people seem to have that mindset. When others mock your shortcomings, you work hard to overcome them, determined to prove them wrong.“Indeed, many educational app
Once the contract was settled, Emma immediately set about getting the business license, buying equipment, hiring staff, and decorating the shop. The whirlwind of activity left her utterly exhausted.“You’ve lost weight recently, haven’t you?” Landon asked with a frown as they were having dinner.“Have I?” Emma touched her face, not really noticing any change.Asher peered at Emma and nodded vigorously. “Yeah, you’ve lost weight!”“Oh? Really?” Emma smiled happily. “Well, that’s good. I don’t need to diet anymore then.”Asher tilted his head, looking puzzled. “What’s dieting, Mommy?”Emma smiled. “Dieting means Mommy wants to fit into smaller clothes, so she eats less and exercises more to make her body smaller.”As she spoke, she gestured with her hands to illustrate what she meant.Asher was still confused. “Why does Mommy want to wear smaller clothes?”“Because a larger curve is better,” Emma said as she stood up to demonstrate what she meant by curves.“See, this is the wa
Slightly bemused, Emma lowered her head to her food. She had no idea what Landon might have been feeling.The next day, at Stirling Group, Calvin called his assistant over and asked, "Did you deliver the documents to Mr. Stirling?"The assistant promptly replied, "Right when he arrived this morning."Calvin frowned. It was almost noon, and there was still no response from Landon. What was going on?"Alright, I understand," Calvin said, then immediately went to find Landon. He needed the documents by tomorrow. Was Landon having issues?Calvin went straight to Landon’s office. He pushed the door open without knocking and asked, "Hey Landon, what’s going on with the documents?"He was caught off guard by what he saw. He rubbed his eyes, thinking he might have been seeing things.Landon was daydreaming."Something wrong?" Landon said slowly as he came back to his senses."What are you so absorbed in?" Calvin asked, puzzled.The company had been running smoothly ever since Land
Landon chuckled softly. Emma shot him a glance and quickly caught on, “You’re teasing me.”“You’re usually high-and-mighty as a boss. Are you just pretending to be humble and poking fun at me?” Emma huffed, clearly annoyed.Landon laughed. “I’m just giving you a heads-up. Being polite is fine, but you still need to have some authority as a boss.“Most people have good intentions but there are those who will take advantage of excessive politeness. If you’re too accommodating to those types, they might end up bullying you,” Landon advised.He knew that Emma would be a very gentle boss, but whether she could manage her employees effectively remained a question. Not everyone was as conscientious as her.Emma nodded. “If they don’t work properly, I’ll handle it.”Landon raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Can you even be strict?”Emma sighed with a touch of sadness. “Mainly, I can’t bear to lose money. If they don’t work well, it’s my money that I lose.” Emma laughed, “It’s one thi
“Let’s go then,” Landon said with a smile.Emma chuckled, “Let’s go.”She found Landon to be an interesting man. Though he had seemed cold and distant when they first met, his politeness was paired with a high level of caution. Over time, she realized he also had a good sense of humor.However, two traits remained consistent—his attentiveness and his thoughtfulness. He was a good man. Emma hoped he would find his true love someday.As she thought about that, she could not help but laugh out loud, prompting Landon to glance over with curiosity. “What’s so funny?” he asked.They had just arrived at the parking lot and nothing particularly amusing had happened there.“I was thinking about the future,” Emma said, clasping her hands behind her back and skipping forward a few steps.She could not reveal that she was laughing at her thoughts. A man like Landon, wealthy, handsome, and gentlemanly, was bound to meet a wonderful woman and enjoy a loving, lifelong relationship.Emma found
Emma was startled. She stopped and turned. She noticed a missing tile on the ground. If she had stepped on it, she could have easily hurt herself.As she stared at the small pit in the ground, her body went rigid, and her mother's harsh words echoed loudly in her mind. "Why are you walking backward? You should watch where you’re going! What kind of girl does that? What a mess!”"Why are you crying? Serves you right!""Look, when I go out to shop, I want to be happy, not have you adding to my trouble! Got it? Smile!"Even though it had been a long time since she’d heard those harsh words, they haunted her so often that it sometimes left her breathless.“Emma?” said a worried voice as a hand reached out to grasp her shoulders, “What’s wrong, Emma?”The gentle, concerned tone pulled Emma back from the suffocating memories. As the twilight glow surrounded them, Emma saw the worried face of the person who had come to her aid. “…Landon?”“I’m here. What happened?” Landon asked in
“Of course, marriage is about mutual benefit. You treat me well, and I treat you well in return. You help me shoulder life's pressures, and I offer you support. That’s what fosters a stable marriage,” Emma stated matter-of-factly.“It won’t work if one side keeps giving while the other takes without giving anything in return.“And sometimes, it may seem like one side isn’t contributing, but there are always invisible sacrifices being made.“Otherwise, how could any marriage last?” Landon wrapped his arms around Emma and sighed softly. “You know, what I love most about you is your clear understanding of things.“You give me a sense of security,” Landon said candidly. He knew Emma was not the type to overthink things as she was a very reasonable person.“You see, Asher has grown so optimistic and cheerful because of you. Being with you makes me feel incredibly at ease. That’s something money can’t buy.”Emma thought seriously for a moment. “If you need comfort, I feel like ther
Emma froze, her curiosity piqued. “What did you learn?”She was not surprised that Asher had absorbed her lessons as that was her goal in teaching him. But what had Landon learned? “I learned a lot,” Landon replied with a smile. “For example, your attention to detail and patience, your tolerance for others, and your ability to handle situations calmly—”Emma laughed, breaking his train of thought. “Stop, stop, stop! If you keep going, I might start believing I'm some kind of superhero! I’d be even better than you!” “Then I'd really be lacking in self-awareness if I think that,” Landon said as he wrapped his arms around her. “You genuinely possess many admirable qualities—exactly what I need.”“Alright, alright... what you need,” Emma replied casually.Landon gently tapped her shoulder. “Are you brushing me off?”Emma pouted. “You hit me…”Landon hurriedly rubbed her shoulder. “Did it hurt?”He had not even used enough force to swat a fly but hearing Emma say it made him do
People loved to take advantage of a good deal, and after consulting the owner, the manager anticipated such behavior from the customers when he proposed the solution. Besides, both the owner and the manager possessed a broader vision. They understood that they could not let a small financial loss tarnish their restaurant's reputation.The way they handled the incident turned into a great advertising opportunity. Those diners who experienced the situation firsthand became loyal customers. They now had a favorable impression of the restaurant and would be the first to recommend it for future gatherings or family outings. No amount of traditional advertising could rival the power of genuine recommendations from friends and family.Both the restaurant owner and manager knew how to effectively navigate a business crisis. What could have been a damaging situation had transformed into positive publicity due to their prompt action.“Let Daddy explain the specifics of the business
The restaurant manager politely apologized and thanked them before clearing all the food from the table. Emma smiled. "I really like this restaurant."Landon nodded, recognizing that this was a business that understood customer service. Just then, Emma spotted Asher’s confused expression. "Those dishes we had earlier might have been touched by that lady."If someone used a spoon that others had already used to scoop food for me, would you be pleased by that?" Asher shook his head vigorously. "Not at all!""Exactly! So, the food that might have come into contact with that lady's saliva was removed and destroyed by the restaurant staff," Emma continued. Asher looked concerned at Emma’s words. "That's such a waste!" "It is, but there's no other option," Emma sighed lightly. "If someone were to get sick from eating that food, it would be much worse. That was a terrible mistake that the lady made. "So the restaurant staff wants to make sure that the mistake was dealt with the
Asher nodded energetically. “Yes!”“Exactly! So, making mistakes isn’t scary, and not knowing things isn’t scary either. The key is to admit it boldly,” Emma explained.“When we make a mistake, we correct it. If we don’t know something, and it doesn’t affect others, we don’t have to learn it if we don’t want to.“But if it impacts others, we need to learn from it,” she continued.“Just like that lady earlier, she needed to learn not to use shared tongs to serve food. But for something like not wanting to do someone’s makeup, that’s okay, she doesn’t have to learn that.“Shared tongs are necessary for everyone, and they can’t be replaced. If you don’t want to do someone’s makeup, they can find someone else to help. That service can be substituted.”Asher listened intently and nodded his head. “I understand now, Mommy!”Landon watched the entire exchange and silently marveled at Emma’s approach. She had a knack for using examples from Asher’s own experiences to explain things, m
Asher beamed up at Emma, a sense of pride shining on his face.Emma finally gathered her emotions and turned to Asher. “Mommy makes mistakes too, Ash.”Asher’s smile faltered as confusion washed over him. “Huh?”Emma chuckled softly and ruffled his hair. “It’s not just Mommy who makes mistakes, Daddy does too.”“Really?” Asher exclaimed as he turned to look at Landon. His face was filled with disbelief.Landon smiled, though he was unsure where Emma was going with the conversation. Nevertheless, he cooperated without hesitation. “That’s right. Daddy makes mistakes too.”Asher’s mouth hung open in surprise, clearly shocked to learn that his impressive parents could also err.“Not just your parents,” Emma continued with a smile, “even people who are more capable than us make mistakes.”“Why?” Asher asked, furrowing his brows in confusion. “If everyone makes mistakes, then why do we even learn?”“Because we work hard to make fewer mistakes and try our best not to cause trouble
“What disruption? You’re just bullying your customers because your business is big!” The middle-aged woman exploded in anger. “Don’t think I’m easy to push around. I’m calling the police!”The restaurant manager nodded calmly. “Please do. Since your actions have caused damage to our establishment, we will also hold you accountable for those damages.”“Damages? What damages?” the woman shouted, stomping her feet in frustration.Unfazed, the manager responded evenly, “Because of your actions, we now need to remove and replace all the food at the serving stations. You’ll be responsible for covering those losses.“And if any customers request refunds because of this, we’ll refund them in full. If they ask for compensation, we’ll provide that too. All of these expenses will be your responsibility.”The woman nearly exploded at the manager’s words. “You’re deluded!“Come on, son, we’re leaving!” She yanked her son’s arm, pulling him toward the exit.But the restaurant staff was not ab
Since Asher had decided to eat one piece of cake himself, he chose fewer cakes, worried that he would not be able to finish them.‘Look at that! He’s already learning how to make his own choices,’ Emma thought proudly.Emma followed Asher’s lead, picking up the cakes he wanted. Just as they were about to leave, Asher suddenly grabbed her sleeve.Puzzled, Emma looked down and asked, “What is it, sweetie?”“They’re using tongs to feed each other,” Asher said, frowning in displeasure.Emma glanced over and saw a middle-aged woman holding a pair of tongs, about to feed a cake to her son. The boy, around eight or nine, reached out to take the cake with his hand, but the woman pulled the tongs back and scolded him, “Don’t use your hands! Just open your mouth.”Emma felt her face flush in disbelief. ‘What are they thinking?’ she protested quietly.The woman did not want her son to use his hands, claiming it was dirty, yet she was about to feed him with the tongs that everyone used to
Landon smiled. “I like eating too. Our whole family does. But what I enjoy most is eating with all of you.”Asher quickly agreed, “I’m always happy when I eat with Mommy and Daddy.”The family of three arrived at the buffet. Thankfully, Emma had already reserved a spot using her phone while they were still on the road.They headed straight to a small private room, ordered their food through the app, and waited for the server to bring it.“Mommy…” Asher called as he tugged at Emma’s shirt. “I want some cake.”Emma laughed and put on her sunglasses. “Let’s go get some cake.”Asher beamed with excitement. “Okay!” With one hand he held Emma’s hand tightly, while he swung the other one back and forth enthusiastically. He hurried along, and his wide, gleaming eyes searched eagerly for the cake display ahead.“Mommy, over there!” He spotted the table filled with cakes in an instant.Even though he was thrilled to see the cakes, Asher did not let go of Emma’s hand or rush ahead.