Chapter 648: They’re All Liars
Chapter 648: Chapter 648: They’re All Liars
Henry Stark looked around and said calmly, "Let’s talk somewhere else."
The two found a noodle shop, ordered two bowls of fried sauce noodles and two steamers of meat buns, and chatted as they ate.
Henry Stark passed a pair of chopsticks to Zachary Conway and asked with a raised eyebrow, "Why are you selling yourself short?"
"Boss, I’m not selling myself short." Zachary Conway sighed as he mixed his noodles. "It’s just that my family background is too ordinary, and my career isn’t going anywhere."
"Mr. Conway and Aunt Conway are both teachers. They deal with books and knowledge every day. You come from a scholarly family that everyone envies," Henry Stark chuckled.
Zachary Conway chuckled at that. "Boss, my mom teaches kindergarten. Does that count?"
"Why wouldn’t it?" Henry Stark smiled, raising an eyebrow. "As for your career, the time probably just isn’t right yet. No need to be so anxious."
Zachary Conway took a bite of noodles, his tone tinged with melancholy. "Boss, you really don’t think I’m not good enough for Michelle?"
Henry Stark put down his chopsticks, swallowed the noodles in his mouth, and then spoke slowly, "If you like her because of her family background, then you really aren’t good enough for her."
"Of course not." Zachary Conway explained eagerly, "My family isn’t wealthy, but we’re not short on money either. Besides, I’m not materialistic at all. I wouldn’t like someone for their money."
’If I were really after Michelle Fuller’s money, I wouldn’t be agonizing over whether I’m good enough. I’d just be chasing her relentlessly.’
"If you truly like her, why obsess over whether you’re good enough?" Henry Stark said nonchalantly. "Just be bold and confess."
Zachary Conway’s brow furrowed, a hint of suspicion on his face. "Boss, are you messing with me?"
"Do I look like I’m messing with you?" Henry Stark’s dark brows slowly drew together.
Zachary Conway pursed his lips, pondering for a full ten seconds before speaking. "Boss, have you ever been in a relationship?"
Henry Stark: "Does it matter?"
Zachary Conway: "If you’ve never been in one, that means you have no experience. How can I trust advice from someone who’s been single their whole life?"
Henry Stark’s tone grew heavier. "What I mean is, you shouldn’t be tormenting yourself over it. Be bold and confess. If she rejects you, it means she thinks you’re not good enough. Then you’ll have your answer."
Zachary Conway: "..."
’That... actually makes some sense.’
**
At eight in the morning in the high-speed rail station, travelers hurried past, some dragging suitcases, others clutching bags.
Renee Jennings’s gaze shifted, landing on a parent in the corner holding a child’s hand, their face etched with displeasure.
Michelle Fuller looked around and said in a low voice, "It’s been so long since I took a high-speed train. It’s so lively. Hey, Captain Stark, Zachary Conway, over here~"
She spotted Henry Stark and Zachary Conway and quickly raised her hand to wave.
Renee Jennings turned her head to look. Both men were dressed in sharp black outfits, with dark backpacks slung over their shoulders. Tall and upright, they stood out from the crowd.
"Michelle, Renee." Zachary Conway was the first to walk over to the two women. "I brought you guys snacks and drinks."
Michelle Fuller smiled. "What kind of snacks did you buy?"
Zachary Conway took off his backpack and unzipped it. "Take a look. It should be all the stuff you girls like to eat."
"Nice, nice." Michelle Fuller gave him a thumbs-up, then looked at Henry Stark beside him. "Did you bring any snacks, Captain Stark?"
Henry Stark shook his head and said calmly, "I’m not as thoughtful as Kian Cole. I didn’t prepare anything."
Michelle Fuller nodded. "True, Kian Cole really knows how to live."
The praised Zachary Conway turned his head away, secretly pursing his lips to hide a smile.
After they boarded the high-speed train, Zachary Conway handed the snacks to the two women in the front row for safekeeping.
So as not to let Zachary Conway’s kind efforts go to waste, Michelle Fuller and Renee Jennings ate more than half the snacks during the three-and-a-half-hour train ride.
When the train arrived, the driver Henry Stark had arranged was already waiting at the station exit.
The group got into the car, admiring the scenery along the way while looking for a place to grab a bite to eat.
It was mealtime, so many of the restaurants on the street were bustling. They could vaguely see that the places were packed with people.
"How about dumplings?" Henry Stark asked.
Renee Jennings glanced at Michelle Fuller before replying, "Anything’s fine."
"Driver, please pull over," Henry Stark called out.
The dumpling shop wasn’t as busy; there were only three or four tables of customers.
When Renee Jennings and her group entered the shop, an employee greeted them with a ceremonial flourish: "Welcome! Eat dumplings, be happier~"
"Good afternoon, everyone. What can I get for you?" a girl with a buzz cut asked with a cheerful smile as she approached.
The four of them ordered four servings of dumplings, each with a different filling.
So as not to delay their plans for the day, Michelle Fuller, who usually ate at a leisurely pace, ate quickly today.
Half an hour later, the four of them paid and returned to the car.
Renee Jennings glanced at the GPS. They were still over fifty minutes away from the Trenwick Cutie-pie Zoo.
She put down her phone and turned to Michelle Fuller. "I’m going to take a nap."
"Okay, I’ll wake you when we get there," Michelle Fuller said with a grin.
The car hit a bumpy stretch of road, and Renee Jennings groggily opened her eyes. She yawned, "Are we there yet?"
Henry Stark, sitting in the front passenger seat, replied calmly, "Ten more minutes."
"Okay." Renee Jennings twisted open a bottle of mineral water and took a few sips.
Ten minutes later, the car stopped at the entrance of the Trenwick Cutie-pie Zoo.
Henry Stark gave the driver an instruction and was the last to get out of the car.
After entering the zoo, the four of them followed the signs toward the Panda Pavilion. Along the way, they saw many small animals that all seemed to be in good spirits.
"The Panda Pavilion is just ahead," Michelle Fuller said, her voice tinged with excitement.
As a national treasure, the giant panda has won countless fans with its chubby, roly-poly cuteness. The viewing area was noticeably more crowded.
Most of the visitors were holding up their phones to film the pandas, their faces beaming with smiles as they let out excited cheers from time to time.
"WOOHOO~ Baby Joy is so cute! It can even do a somersault!"
"Why isn’t Felicity dancing today?"
"Hahaha, is Felicity just obsessed with sunbathing today?"
"Hey, why has Hope been looking so listless lately?"
"..."
The tourists chattered among themselves.
Renee Jennings and her friends slowly moved into the crowd and immediately spotted a noticeably thin giant panda on a wooden stump.
"That must be Hope, right?" Michelle Fuller asked, pointing.
A nearby tourist kindly replied, "Yeah, we don’t know what’s wrong with Hope lately. It’s getting thinner and thinner."
"I wonder if the zoo has had a vet check on Hope."
"Sigh, it’s heartbreaking to see Hope so thin."
"..."
Renee Jennings watched for a while. Hope remained completely still, like a statue.
After a few more minutes, perhaps tired of sitting, Hope’s body slumped to the side. It collapsed listlessly, exuding a visible sense of dejection.
She pondered for a few seconds, then spent 50 points in the shop to redeem an "Animal Heart Sound Prop Card."
After the prop card took effect, Renee Jennings stared in Hope’s direction and suddenly heard a simple, thick voice.
’Liars! You’re all liars!’
’SOB SOB SOB... I hate this world! I hate everything!’