She is a natural disaster.

Chapter 5 Insolent Remarks

Love expert Mike Montague walks ahead, with private investigator Anastasia following behind.

The two walked one after the other through the streets and alleys, passing through two blocks before Mike stopped and entered a restaurant that looked very expensive.

Anastasia, who was lagging behind, also entered the restaurant. A attentive waiter immediately came up to her, guided her to a seat, handed her the menu, and recommended the restaurant's signature dishes.

Anastasia sat near the store entrance, absentmindedly flipping through the expensive menu, occasionally glancing at her target in the crowd. She didn't pay any attention to what the waiters recommended.

Compared to Anastasia, who didn't know what to eat, Mike was very decisive, ordering food without any hesitation or indecision, and seemed to be a regular at this restaurant.

Anastasia felt much more at ease upon seeing this. The restaurant's food was very expensive, and she didn't want to spend money to suffer.

She roughly calculated that this meal would cost about 12 crowns if she wanted to eat her fill, and if she were to eat in a hurry, the cost would be at least two or three times that.

In Gloria, a male worker earns about 100 helers a day, while female workers earn even less. Female workers in the matchbox factory work fourteen hours a day and earn only 20 helers, enough to buy just four baguettes.

The exchange rate between crowns and hellers is 1:100. A male worker would have to work hard for at least twelve days without eating or drinking if he wanted to have dinner at this restaurant, and he would have to work even longer if he wanted to eat his fill.

Anastasia flipped through the painfully expensive menu for a while, and finally only ordered a relatively cheap meat sauce pasta dish. The waiter's enthusiastic recommendation was completely useless.

"Please wait a moment."

Perhaps finding nothing more to offer Anastasia, the waiter's enthusiasm waned, and he hurriedly left after saying "please wait a moment."

On the other hand, the waiters surrounding Mike were still very enthusiastic, their smiles wide and their eyes almost closed, as if they were happier than if they were seeing their own father, and they could even see the dinner from last night in their throats.

Before long, the fragrant meat sauce noodles appeared in front of Anastasia. She picked up her fork and took a bite, and the taste was indeed quite good.

Men tend to habitually visit the same restaurants and order dishes they are relatively familiar with. If the food at a restaurant is not good, men will generally not go there a second time.

Anastasia nodded. Although Mike was a bit of a jerk, his taste was pretty good. This noodle dish was worth every crown Anastasia was about to take out.

Soon, the meager portion of meat sauce noodles was completely devoured.

Anastasia, having just ate a little something to fill her stomach, put down her fork, took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, and asked the waiter for a glass of water.

"Miss, here's your water."

Instead of a waiter who had been unenthusiastic, Mike Montagu walked over with a glass of water.

"Miss, haven't we met somewhere before?" Mike asked as he sat down opposite Anastasia.

"We just met downstairs at your apartment building." Anastasia took the water glass; she didn't hide her stalking behavior—there was no need.

"So you're admitting you've been following me?" Mike's voice was warm and pleasant to listen to. "I've known about you for a while now. Your tracking—to be honest, it's incredibly poor."

Anastasia twirled her water glass with her slender fingers and said, "I'm not good at tracking, and I don't intend to hide it. From the apartment building to this restaurant, you looked back three times in total, and I didn't flinch even once, did I?"

Mike thought about it carefully and realized that it was indeed the case. Every time he looked back, he could see the woman in front of him following behind.

"Miss, may I ask what your purpose is in following me?" His voice was still gentle, but with a hint of frivolity. "Could it be that you've taken a fancy to me? Of course, that's understandable."

Tall, handsome, and, most importantly, young and rich, Mike Montagu certainly deserves to be the dream of countless young girls.

"I admit you're very attractive, but I have no feelings for you," Anastasia said. "I'm only following you because someone asked me to, to make sure you don't get killed for no reason."

Upon hearing this, Mike frowned, assuming that Anastasia was the new bodyguard sent by his father.

Young Mike disliked this forced arrangement, which made him feel disrespected. He felt that even if more bodyguards were to be added, he should at least be informed in advance.

"So you were protecting me. I thought you were following me to sleep with me."

Mike's face turned cold, his tone contemptuous, and his gaze towards Anastasia filled with disgust. It was a classic case of hating the house because of its inhabitants.

He continued, "If you have even the slightest thought of that, I advise you to get lost immediately and never dream of instant success again, because you don't deserve it."

Mike had to admit that the woman in front of him was beautiful and sweet, but he had every reason to dislike her.

"You're overthinking it," Anastasia said with a laugh. "Even if I wanted to rise to the top this way, I wouldn't choose you. I think Mr. Montague is a much better choice."

Is that right? That's clearly not right!

Mike's intention was to say some harsh words to drive the woman away, but the result was completely different from what he had imagined.

Shouldn't this woman have stormed off in anger, and even thrown water at him before leaving? That would have been the right thing to do! He's defaming women, how come this woman doesn't care at all?

Just as young Master Montague was stunned, Anastasia's smile grew even brighter. She decided to teach this young master, who had just left the university campus, a lesson.

I heard...

Anastasia deliberately spoke slowly so that Mike could hear every syllable.

"I heard your mother passed away early, and your father has been a widower for many years. He must be very lonely, right?" she continued. "Mr. Montague, what do you think of me being your stepmother?"

"You!" Mike's face turned ugly, his facial muscles twitching unnaturally with anger, as if they were springs.

If Anastasia weren't a woman, Mike would probably have already punched her.

"As a person, if you treat others kindly, they will treat you kindly in return. If you insult others, they will naturally retaliate tenfold, won't they?"

Anastasia looked at Mike with eyes full of affection, as if she had already married the old Montague she had never met, as if she were already Mike's stepmother.

Mike, who had brought trouble upon himself, was left speechless. Although Anastasia was following him, it was he who had spoken rudely first. Even when Anastasia mentioned the long-deceased Lady Montague, Mike couldn't think of a retort.

Mike Montagu is a highly educated graduate from a prestigious university, a cultured man, and there are some swear words he can't bring himself to say.

Anastasia, on the other hand, was someone who made a living in the old city. She was apprenticed to a street shrew with extremely strong fighting skills and could talk for a whole day and night without using any vulgar language.

"Dear Mike, I'm still not used to having dinner with my stepson who is about the same age as me. Excuse me."

With that, Anastasia got up from her seat, turned and walked toward the restaurant door, pushed it open and went out, leaving Mike there in a furious and helpless rage.

Mike, consumed by rage, couldn't eat the sumptuous dinner. He angrily summoned the waiter to settle the bill.

"Mr. Montague, was that lady with you?" The waiter still had a wide smile. "She hasn't paid the bill yet—"

Yes, Anastasia didn't pay the bill; she shamelessly skipped out on the payment!

"Which eye of yours saw me with that bitch?!" Mike roared. "I'm not with her!"

The waiter was startled. Mike Montague was a regular at the restaurant, and this was the first time the waiter had ever seen him lose his temper or yell like that.

"Sorry, I wasn't targeting you," Mike said, looking aggrieved. "I'll pay the total."

Speechless after being confronted, and then having to pay the bill for that person, Mike Montagu felt like a victim of injustice.

As night falls and the streetlights come on, more and more people begin to walk on the streets.

Anastasia, who had skipped out on her bill, stood by the roadside, observing the passersby while waiting for her target.

A short while later, Mike walked out of the restaurant, looking as sullen as a pufferfish that had been inflated.

Some people are unlucky enough just to meet, let alone travel with them – that's truly a terrible retribution.

Mike looked at his own karma and silently uttered a single word: Shameless!

Anastasia smiled in response and silently uttered a single word: Thank you.

"snort!"

Mike snorted and turned to leave.

Anastasia shrugged indifferently and followed again.

The two walked one after the other through the streets and alleys, passing through a block before Mike, who was in front, stopped again.

Anastasia, who was lagging behind, also stopped. The two stood not far apart under the same shiny sign, which looked like an expensive bar.

"This time, I won't pay for you!"

Mike turned his head to look at Anastasia not far away and said through gritted teeth.

"That's really terrible." Anastasia returned the smile. "It seems I'll have to ask old Mr. Montague to pay the bill."

Bringing up the very thing you shouldn't have said; this private investigator who apprenticed under a street shrew is practically a master detective.

"Your legs would have been broken long before the old man came to settle your bill." Mike's words were utterly harmless, like children playing house.

"Dear Mike, don't worry about my leg," Anastasia said with a smile. "You should think about yourself more. I hope you leave this bar safely tonight."

Anastasia's words were not a curse, but a heartfelt wish.

If possible, Anastasia doesn't want to get into conflicts with people in public, as it would be very troublesome to deal with.