Mia felt utterly powerless in the presence of Charlie.


    Although she was aware of Charlie’s immense strength, a shadow of doubt lingered in her heart about whether he could truly take on the Zhong family and Hongmen.


    Still, Mia had a n brewing in her mind.


    If the situation became tooplicated to resolve, she would reach out to her father for assistance.


    If her dad couldn’t handle it, he would take the matter to the police directly.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    After all, today’s incident was sparked by Pankaj and his crew following them, and they even attempted to harm Charlie. Charlie’s actions could easily be justified as self-defense.


    With her father and the police applying pressure on the Zhong family and Hongmen, there might just be a chance for a resolution!


    Later, Mia led Charlie to a bustling wonton noodle stall.


    Noticing the small tables in front of the booth were filled with customers, she cheerfully remarked to the owner, “Uncle Cheng, your business is thriving today!”


    “Miss Mia, we’re all thrilled to hear that you’re dating!” Uncle Cheng replied with a grin.


    Mia looked surprised, “What? Who said that? That’s just gossip!”


    Cheng chuckled, “It was Street Mouth Anan who shared it in our WhatsApp group! The whole street is talking about it! He even snapped some photos of you and your boyfriend without you knowing!”


    As he spoke, he pulled out an old smartphone and showed off the pictures of Mia and Charlie, adding with augh, “Miss Mia, you and your boyfriend make quite the charming couple!”


    Feeling a bit embarrassed, Mia responded, “Uncle Cheng, please don’t y paparazzi. This gossip is really exaggerated! We’re just friends…” Quickly shifting the topic, she continued, “Anyway, Uncle Cheng, could you please whip us up two bowls of wonton noodles?”


    Cheng nodded, retrieving a clean folding table from under the booth, setting it up in a tidy spot, and cing two folding chairs at either end. “Miss Mia, you two can sit here while I prepare your meal.”


    Mia said, “Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Cheng! I’ll go grab a few other things.” Uncle Cheng insisted, “Miss Mia, just rx. Let me know what else you want, and I’ll take care of it.”


    Mia hesitated, “I really should go myself…”


    Cheng smiled and said, “Miss Mia, you often visit the stalls with those olddies. They’ll just tease you if you go alone!”


    With a hint of anxiety, Mia replied, “Okay, you’re right. I’ll let you handle it then. I’d like some beef tripe, curry fish balls, a tter of marinated items, and a serving of roast goose.”


    Cheng chuckled, “Got it, Miss Mia! Just a moment, I’ll let them know.” Charlie couldn’t help but sigh, “It seems everyone really adores you.”


    Mia smiled back, “Yes, they’ve watched me grow up. They probably feel a sense of gratitude because of the stall, which is why they treat me so warmly.”


    Charlie remarked earnestly, “It’s clear they hold you in high regard, but it’s also true that they genuinely like you. You can see how they treat you like family; their affection is very sincere.”


    Mia nodded, her smile softening, “I’m very thankful for them. If it weren’t for their support, things could have gone terribly wrong. They’ve helped me cherish the best moments of my life.”


    She then added, a touch of sadness creeping into her voice, “Everything here feels the same as it did before, but they’re getting older, I’ve grown up, and my mother is no longer with us.”


    Noticing her mncholy, Charlie tried to lighten the mood, saying, “My parents passed away when I was very young. After that, I became an orphan and spent ten years in a welfare home. Inparison, you’ve had a much happier upbringing.”<fn3820> Readplete version only at findnovel</fn3820>