Noticing the sorrow etched on Mia’s face, Charlie felt an unexpected wave of empathy for the eldest daughter of one of Hong Kong Ind’s wealthiest families.


    Despite Liu Jiahui’s immense wealth, Mia’s childhood was far from whole.


    The betrayal of her father and the loss of her mother at a young age shattered her early years.


    In some ways, Charlie and Mia shared simr experiences.


    While his parents had a loving rtionship, their untimely deaths left Charlie’s childhood in ruins.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    He spent a decade in an orphanage. Even though Mrs. Lewis provided care, those ten years were filled with pain for Charlie.


    During the first five years, he had to confront the harsh reality of his parents’ deaths daily, and in the subsequent five years, he battled the deep sadness of missing them.


    What truly helped Charlie heal over the next twenty years and kept him grounded were the heartfelt lessons and cherished memories his parents imparted before he turned eight.


    Reflecting on it, Mia’s cherished memories likely stemmed from her childhood, when her mother would bring her here daily, employing various tactics to encourage her to eat. After her mother, the person who loved her most, was gone, Mia returned to this ce in search of her memory.


    At that moment, a street vendor in an apron was busy frying Niuhe. Upon seeing Mia approach, he greeted her with a warm smile: “Miss Mia, wee back!”


    Mia snapped out of her thoughts and replied with a quick smile, “Uncle, I didn’t see you open the stall the past couple of days!”


    The vendor beamed with pride, saying, “My daughter-inw gave birth two days ago! It’s a healthy baby boy, weighing seven pounds and eight ounces!”


    “Wow!” Mia eximed, her eyes lighting up. “That’s wonderful! Next time Ie, I’ll bring a big red envelope for the little one!”


    The vendor quickly replied, “Oh, there’s no need for that, Miss Mia. We’re grateful for your support every year—how can we let you spend more?”


    Mia smiled warmly and suggested, “How about this? I’ll speak to Manager Wan and have you exempted from rent for the second half of the year. It’ll just be a red envelope for the little guy.”


    The vendor insisted, “Miss Mia, that’s too much! You haven’t raised the rent in ten years and have always looked after us. Without your help, how would we manage?”


    Mia chuckled and said, “Uncle, please don’t be so polite. I’ll make sure to tell Manager Wanter.”


    She then pointed to Charlie and added, “Uncle, I’m taking my friend inside to eat, so please don’t disturb us for now.”


    The vendor nodded appreciatively, then smiled at Charlie, asking, “Miss Mia, is this your boyfriend?”


    “No…” Mia quickly shook her head. “He’s just a regr friend.”


    The vendor looked at Charlie with a thoughtful expression and remarked, “I’ve been here for over twenty years, and you’re the first boy Miss Mia has brought along.”


    Mia, flustered, responded, “Uncle, he really is just a friend! No need to create misunderstandings.”


    With that, she turned to Charlie and said, “Mr. Wade, let’s go.”


    Charlie nodded to the vendor and followed Mia deeper into the snack street.<fnbfe9> Follow current nov?ls on find?novel</fnbfe9>


    Once they were out of earshot from the vendor, Charlie asked curiously, “Miss Mia, I heard what Uncle said earlier. Are you the owner of this ce?”


    Mia blinked and, with a proud smile, gestured along the entire snack street, saying, “This whole street belongs to me!”


    “Wow!” Charlie eximed, genuinely impressed. “The boss is quite generous!”


    Mia grinned and replied, “To keep people and things you value, you have to be willing to make sacrifices.”