Like a statue, Luna stood dumbfoundedly facing the unfamiliar faces except Felix sitting and enjoying the food in contentment before her with Felix's gaze stealing hers once in a while.
"So, you are the chef who made this luscious gnocchi?" A neat shady-eyed man in his fifty jerked his chin up, uttering his comment on the food that created thumps of happiness in Luna's heart. For a junior chef like her who lacked experience with western food, such impressive praise from the most respected guest was beyond her expectation.
"It is such an honor for me to be able to serve the food that fits your taste, Sir." In a deep bow, she conveyed her heartfelt gratitude to the man whose gaze didn't stir away from her.
"What's your name?" asked he, showing his interest to get to know about the chef who managed to indulge him with her food.
A question of her name stated instantly by that man muttered a spontaneous short answer in her mouth. "Luna Yang."
From her position, Luna's eyes corner caught Felix who chose to stay quiet,
waiting for his clarification of his dishonesty about the hotel ownership. Her intimidating eyes could finally force him to have his say.
"Luna is my friend, Dad. Knowing that she is an expert in culinary, I hired him to work in our hotel." Felix's confession of referring to that honorable man as his father dilated Ayu's pupil in surprise that she hid behind her bowed head.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"I barely had a chance since you are too. busy." Felix could read the awkwardness shown by Luna's body language, being the center of the intention of his family or being worried that he might reveal her stay with him in his apartment, Felix initiated to save her from the inconvenience. "Luna, you may go back to the kitchen with Mr. Wang," he instructed that girl who immediately obeyed him and nodded her head before following Mr. Wang who had also done the same thing.
Walled inside the largely white kitchen among the other coworkers, the curious Mr. Wang, queried Luna about how she could make a friend with the son of the owner as well as the manager of the biggest hotel in Beijing. To his knowledge, Luna, like other workers, came from the average low-level family who wouldn't have an opportunity to enter the world of the rich.
Luna couldn't tell him the truth about how she ended up living in Felix's apartment; that might ruin Felix's reputation as a respected person in his employees' eyes. She wrecked her brain thinking of the best response to his query which wouldn't be detrimental for both her and Felix.
"He was one of my classmates in senior high school. It seems God has destined us to meet again after years of graduation. We met at one of the school reunions and he offered me this job."
That was the best lie to his curiosity that her brain could produce in her situation. She was not supposed to lie to him but for the sake of her and Felix, she had to do it, let alone this man didn't have to know a lot about her life as he was only her senior employee at the workplace.
"It sounds like….Yeah, you are lucky to have a rich friend like him. At least you got a job without much struggle. I hope fortune will come to my daughter too." He bettered his sentence; despite that, Luna could learn that his words led to a quip of her fluke.
"Sir…I…."
"Go back to your work. Another order is waiting." Not wanting to listen to her defense, Mr. Wang distracted her with a direct command that Luna had to do at the very moment.
***
With both of her hands stretching to the right and left, Luna released her fatigue from her cooking activities which had drained all her energy. Straight to her vision, the round object on the wall in the changing room ticked and displayed that it was time for her to go home after a long work. In a sigh, she tugged her small handbag out of her locker and held it in one hand, walking out of the room.
Her surroundings were only filled with quietness when her body emerged at the door, remaining only two janitors who still did their duty, mopping the floor. To show her respect toward other workers, Luna greeted them genially while passing them; she accepted their greetings in return.
Turning to the other hallway, her steps halted by the big box passed to her; she was unable to cover her yell of surprise to see Felix appear in front of her all of a sudden with a smile on his face.
"Felix…you almost got me a heart attack." He only giggled with no guilt written on his face.
"Wear this, you will come with me to my family dinner."
"You must be kidding. I am not a part of your family. I am just…"
"I told you you are like a sister to me. Hurry up. I can't wait."
Still, with a questioning look, Luna returned to the changing room to get her clothes changed with whatever Felix had provided for her. With a trembling hand, she slid open the box that she put in her locker after ensuring no one would spot her bringing that huge box into the locker room. The pink hue peeped from the inside of the box when the lid was half opened. Luna carefully scooped it out of its box with her heart drumming against her chest.
A beautiful knee-length pink plain dress posed in the hold of her hands, charming her with its beauty that she stood in awe for a moment before Felix's voice from the outside alerted her to rush. In a few minutes, Luna was ready to go in her gorgeous gown which captivated Felix so that for a few seconds, that man stared at her in amazement.
"Can we go now?"
"S-sure….." he sputtered. None of the men saw her the way Felix looked at her in her whole life and to Luna, the way he gazed at her caused her awry instead of flattered.
It was out of Luna's thoughts that they would visit a mansion for a family dinner. And this mansion was so familiar to her as she had spent a couple of months living inside it. She kept her inquisitiveness in her heart about his relationship with the owner of the mansion who was no other than grandma Li. She was too late to undo her decision to go with Felix or cancel joining the dinner; their car had made its half to the yard of the big building where grandma Li and the others had been waiting.