The Slum's New Year Feast

In the afternoon, the snow got heavier, and the entire Saint Callen was covered in a blanket of pure white.

Before heading to the restaurant, a small incident occurred.

Luo Wei had intended to take Tilis around the factory district to let her experience the magnificent magic-driven industry of Saint Callen. However, while taking a shortcut through a dimly lit alley, a few ruffians suddenly emerged from both ends.

Luo Wei frowned as he looked at these individuals. Their appearances, demeanor, and the weapons they held all perfectly fit the profile of street gangs.

He wasn't afraid of them, but he was puzzled because he hadn't arranged this plot before.

"Luo Wei..." Tilis tugged at Luo Wei's hand, curiously looking at the approaching thugs.

"Are they trying to rob us?"

"Probably..." Luo Wei nodded.

He had almost forgotten that he couldn't create as many realistic details as Ophelia, so he often improvised, making things work well enough. To his surprise, he had accurately captured Saint Callen's poor public safety.

Tilis looked at Luo Wei seriously. "Should we call the police, or kill them privately?"

For Tilis, being robbed was almost an impossible scenario, so she was a bit confused about how to handle it without causing trouble for Luo Wei.

Luo Wei chuckled and weighed his cane in his hand. "Anyone who disrupts our date deserves to be dealt with first and questioned later."

It seemed that the Barton Technique could indeed be applied in scenes that fit the description.

"Oh..." Tilis nodded. Seeing one of the thugs raise his gun, she casually cast a Puppetry spell.

Then it was Luo Wei's time to shine. Within half a minute, he had dispatched the thugs with his cane.

After finishing them off, Luo Wei stood tall, leaning on his cane, and turned to look at Tilis.

"Pretty cool, huh?"

Tilis smiled, her eyes curving like crescents, and enthusiastically clapped her hands.

"Oh~ My brave hero! With your gentlemanly demeanor, you've saved an innocent, fragile lady~"

Luo Wei extended his elbow, and Tilis gracefully took his arm. The couple strolled out of the alley like a true gentleman and lady.

The commotion in the alley attracted the attention of the surrounding residents. Seeing that the thugs were all lying on the ground, their tension eased.

Luo Wei was about to take Tilis to the restaurant when he noticed that many people were approaching them.

He subconsciously tightened his grip on his cane, thinking they might be hostile, but instead, everyone surrounded them with warm and grateful smiles.

"Young man, young lady, thank you so much! You've done us a great service!"

"These damned thugs have been wreaking havoc in the neighborhood, and we couldn't get rid of them. Now they've finally been dealt with! It's a relief, truly!"

The residents thanked Luo Wei and Tilis warmly. Some vendors even offered their appreciation gifts, though the area being a poor district, the offerings were modest—stewed sweet potatoes, baked bread, and other warm food.

Luo Wei politely declined all the gifts with a smile, not because he was disgusted, but because he was still intent on taking Tilis to the restaurant.

Tilis, on the other hand, was a bit at a loss.

Being hunted by the church and always treated as a criminal or a villain, she had never truly been thanked by people before.

"It's nothing..." Tilis smiled awkwardly at the enthusiastic uncles and aunts, "I didn't expect to help you so much; it was just a small thing..."

"Such a beautiful young lady, and so capable! Far better than those useless police in Saint Callen!"

Luo Wei chuckled, thinking of Inspector Raymond.

He continued to refuse the residents' offers, planning to lead Tilis out of the crowd.

But then, an old, kind grandmother took Tilis's hand.

"It's so late, haven't you two had dinner yet? The weather is freezing outside; come to my house and sit down!"

The grandmother's hair was completely white, her voice trembling, and her kind gaze felt like she was looking at her own children, making it hard for Tilis to pull away.

"My lazy boys are all working in the factories outside; look at them, they couldn't even come back on such an important day! And I, along with the girls, have prepared a big feast!"

"If the young man and young lady don't mind, come to my house and join us; a lively gathering is always the best!"

"Oh, no, no, thank you..." Tilis quickly refused.

"Come on, come on!" the grandmother insisted enthusiastically.

Tilis gave Luo Wei an embarrassed smile. Even facing an indescribable monster was easier for her than dealing with this grandmother...

In the end, she steeled her heart and firmly declined the grandmother's invitation.

The grandmother's eyes showed disappointment, and her figure seemed even more stooped.

Tilis took Luo Wei's hand and prepared to leave.

"Let's go; aren't we supposed to go to the restaurant?"

But Luo Wei hesitated.

He actually began to seriously consider the idea.

If they left, they would enjoy the best restaurant service in Saint Callen, with live music and a beautiful night view of the city. These thoughts were both elegant and romantic...

The grandmother's home certainly wouldn't have such conditions.

But why did he hesitate?

Perhaps it was the sight of Tilis’s genuine, heartfelt smile that made him reconsider.

And so, Luo Wei quickly called out to the grandmother, who was about to turn and leave.

"Grandma, please take us to your house."

The grandmother's eyes lit up, and she smiled joyfully.

"Alright, alright, I'll take you there right away!"

She grabbed Luo Wei and eagerly led them toward a dilapidated, low-rise neighborhood.

Tilis looked at Luo Wei, her expression puzzled.

Luo Wei noticed her gaze, which clearly asked, "Aren't we going to the restaurant to have dinner and enjoy the night view?"

Luo Wei just shook his head and smiled. It was indeed a spur-of-the-moment decision.

This unexpected event had disrupted his original plans for the date. Perhaps, life is like this sometimes.

People often encounter unforeseen situations. The more we try to stay on schedule, the more likely things go awry.

In reality, Luo Wei would probably have taken Tilis and left directly.

But this was in the dreamscape under his control. Therefore, he decided to go with the flow.

Perhaps they would find an unexpected surprise.