Asher nodded brightly. “Thank you, Mommy. You’ve worked hard!”Emma laughed. “You’re welcome. It makes me so happy to see you care, Asher. Daddy works hard to put food on the table, so let’s thank him.”Asher turned to Landon. “Thank you, Dad. You’ve worked hard too!”“And you’ve worked hard too, Asher. Growing up and making progress is tough work as well,” Landon said with a smile, naturally blending into the light-hearted atmosphere between Emma and Asher.He really enjoyed their family dynamics—encouraging and thanking each other felt so refreshing. Being with them made everything seem more comfortable, even brightening the world around him.The family of three enjoyed a pleasant dinner together and went on with their evening activities.The next day, after finishing up at the store, Emma came out of the shopping mall and noticed Landon’s car parked outside.Amused, she walked over and asked, “What are you doing here?”“Just finished up with work and thought I’d come by. Let
“Not a good person,” Landon said. “He abuses his position and power to mistreat his subordinates. He’s always finding ways to exploit them.”“Because of him, a lot of people have been driven to despair and many families have been torn apart.” As Landon mentioned Daniel, his expression darkened.Emma gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath. “He deserves it!”“People like him should be locked up,” Emma said, her voice filled with anticipation as she looked at Landon. “Do you have evidence to put him behind bars?”Landon nodded. “He just lost his job today. The things he’s done will be investigated thoroughly.”With his resources and connections, finding out the truth could not be difficult, and he certainly had plenty of both.As Landon spoke, he suddenly felt a burning gaze on his face. He glanced at Emma and saw her eyes sparkling like stars, her enthusiasm making his heart race.“You’re amazing!” Emma said, admiring him. “You’re such a good person, doing such a great thin
As soon as Landon finished speaking, Emma’s excited voice was no surprise. “Oh my gosh, you’re amazing!”“You really have such a strong sense of social responsibility,” Emma said, praising him openly. “You’re not just a businessman; you’re a responsible entrepreneur.”Landon chuckled softly. “Aren’t you?”Emma looked puzzled. “Huh?”“The baker you hired—didn’t you mention one of them is deaf?” Landon asked.Emma smiled with a hint of pride. “Well, if I can open a shop and have some ability, of course, I’ll help out where I can.”“And besides, the person trained in baking and pastry has really good skills. Why wouldn’t I hire them?” Emma said matter-of-factly. “They’re self-reliant and hardworking, which I admire.”“Of course, I admire you too,” Emma said with a smile. “You’re truly a great person!”She felt incredibly fortunate to have met someone like Landon—wealthy, handsome, incredibly caring, and responsible. How could there be someone so perfect?Landon smiled but did not
Emma watched as the office door closed in front of her. She nervously pressed her lips together. She realized she lacked Daniel Holt’s boldness. He could treat people arrogantly and yet when he needed something done, it was completed effortlessly. Perhaps that was why Daniel had climbed so high in his career. He had thick skin and spared no one to achieve his goals.Emma sighed softly. She only wanted to open a shop to improve her life and Asher’s. Even if she became very wealthy in the future, she would always remind herself not to get carried away and not to become like that.As she finished the thought, she laughed at herself. She had not achieved anything yet and was already dreaming of wealth. Indeed, becoming rich had always been her dream. After all, money could solve 99% of the world's problems. As for the rest, having money would help ease those difficulties. While Emma was lost in her thoughts, the office door opened again, and Landon walked out. She hurried to me
"Oh, yes!" Asher instantly became excited. "I got a pencil and a dinosaur eraser!""Wow! A dinosaur eraser?" Emma asked with enthusiasm. "Which dinosaur is it?""It's a T-Rex!" Asher said proudly. He not only received a reward but also knew the dinosaur's name."A T-Rex! That's amazing," Emma continued, matching Asher's excitement.Landon quietly drove the car, surrounded by their cheerful voices. Despite the childish nature of the conversation, it brought him immense peace. He noticed that Emma followed Asher's lead but at the same time guided him to think for himself and make the right choices.Emma had a real knack for teaching children, mainly because she had immense patience. She never scolded or belittled Asher but constantly encouraged him. Landon smiled but sighed inwardly. Perhaps it was true that people who had been hurt the most were always looking out for others.Emma had grown up in such unfortunate circumstances and then worked hard to suppress all the darkn
Landon smiled, stepped aside, and gestured for Emma to sit. It was the first time Emma had entered his suite since they had been staying together.They had always discussed matters in the living room.Emma did not read too much into Landon’s gesture. Since the host had invited her in, she did not hesitate. Landon followed her in, still smiling. “Would you like something to drink?”“Oh? No, that’s not necessary,” Emma said, startled. She was there to ask a question, and she did not want to trouble Landon.Besides, they lived together so they did not need to be so formal with each other.“Let’s go with milk,” Landon decided for her. “It’s good for sleep.”Emma was surprised. “You drink milk before bed?”She had thought it was a routine she had established for Asher alone.“Is that surprising?” Landon asked with a laugh as he poured the milk into a glass.“Yes,” Emma admitted honestly. “I wasn’t expecting that. I thought someone like you would prefer coffee or alcohol.”Emma
“The most important thing is that they apologized to Daniel yesterday. They didn’t side with us and were afraid of our retaliation,” Landon said. Emma grew increasingly astonished as she listened, her eyes widening in disbelief. “Isn’t he overthinking things a bit?”“People who try to please everyone often think like that,” said Landon who did not find it unusual. He had encountered such people frequently.“It sounds exhausting,” Emma sighed. “I could never be like that. The issue, I suppose, is that I just can’t seem to learn it.”“Not everyone needs to be like him. I think you’re doing just fine as you are,” Landon took the opportunity to express his opinion. He genuinely thought she was great.“I feel like people who can please everyone can access more resources, making life better for themselves and their families,” Emma said, not noticing Landon’s intent, but speaking her mind.“And who doesn’t want a better life?” Emma said with a self-deprecating smile. “No one would turn
“Let’s start by focusing on food for children,” Landon instructed. “It must cater to kids’ tastes while being safe and healthy.”Calvin nodded. “This indeed offers greater profit margins. Children are cherished in every household. Parents often put their kids’ needs first, even if they go without. I’ll have the team assess this and start the process as soon as possible.” Expanding into a new business line was good news for the employees. Over the years, those eligible for promotion had been promoted, but there were still many capable individuals. The issue was that there were only so many positions available, and capable employees who had yet to receive a promotion could become discontented, leading to instability within the company.With the new venture, not only would the company’s revenue increase, but it would also create more opportunities for advancement within the organization.“How did you come up with the idea of starting a food business?” Calvin asked.Typically, Stir
“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.