Chapter 26: Milk Tea
This was the second time today Margaret had taken his hand. She gripped it tightly, as if afraid he would vanish the second she let go, paying no attention to the scattered curious stares from people around them.
Her hand felt as delicate and smooth as fine porcelain, carrying a faint coolness. She held on for a good distance before finally stopping, slowly loosening her fingers without any trace of shyness. She remained as natural and composed as ever.
"You don't have to rush like that. We can slow down," Julian said, coming to a stop.
Margaret turned her head and glanced back down the long street. There was no sign of Isabella anymore. The two of them had finally left each other's sight.
"We're almost there. We can take it easy for the rest of the way."
She noticed the dazed look on Julian's face and stepped closer. Her sharp eyes caught the single bead of sweat at his temple. His body temperature seemed elevated, and faint red tinges he was trying hard to suppress colored the side of his neck and cheeks.
She reached down and lifted his hand again. "Want to keep holding hands?"
"N-no, that's okay."
Julian quickly pulled his hand back. The lingering warm, slightly cool sensation stayed with him. Somehow he was the one who felt more awkward about it. They weren't supposed to be this close. Margaret seemed completely unbothered by physical contact between guys and girls, treating it like a casual joke. It left him extremely unsettled.
When they reached the diner, the owner was handling customers alone. The lunch rush had died down, and he seemed to be managing fine by himself.
Seeing Julian and Margaret arrive, the owner quickly finished with his current customer, paused, and handed them a list. "Put your bags down first. I need you two to run an errand for the store. Everything we need is written here. It's about forty dollars worth of stuff. Whatever you can save by bargaining is yours to keep."
He pulled out his wallet and handed Margaret two twenty-dollar bills before turning back to serve the next customer.
"Thanks, boss. We'll head out now."
"Go on. It's at the street market down the block and the supermarket. The sooner you're back, the better."
At the far end of the street stood an old market that had been operating for decades, supplying fresh produce, meat, and vegetables to hundreds of families in the neighborhood. The stalls were packed with everything from fruits and vegetables to fresh chicken, duck, and fish. Many regular customers and vendors knew each other well.
It was right after school and work hours, so the place was crowded. Julian looked at the vegetable stalls and quickly spotted several items from the list, but he hesitated, unsure how to proceed.
His usual meals were thrown together at the last minute—either something quick from school or discounted ingredients ordered online. He rarely had to handle face-to-face bargaining like this. It wasn't that he couldn't do it, but he had almost no experience haggling, especially with these sharp-eyed older vendors.
Every dollar saved was extra money. Overpaying would sting, and besides, part of the savings belonged to Margaret too.
"Does the list have potatoes? Let me see?" Margaret asked, standing in front of a stall.
Julian passed her the note. "Yeah, it does."
Margaret scanned it, picked up a couple of muddy potatoes, weighed them in her hands like a pro, and flashed a sweet smile. "Sir, how much for the potatoes?"
The vendor quoted a price. Margaret let her smile fade a little, looking hesitant. "That's expensive. Can you make it cheaper? We're just students and we don't have a lot of money. Look how small these potatoes are."
"That's already the lowest price, young lady. You won't find cheaper anywhere else around here."
"Come on, sir, just a little discount. It's freezing out and we haven't even eaten yet. If you help us out, we'll buy more from you."
The old man eventually gave in to her persistent charm. They saved several dollars on the bag of potatoes. Margaret took the bag with a bright "Thank you!"
Julian couldn't help feeling impressed—and a little inadequate—by how naturally she handled it. Before long he became her silent assistant, carrying the growing collection of bags while she expertly worked her way through the entire market.
At the last stall they ran into a chatty older woman. She eventually asked about their relationship. Two high school students in uniform out shopping for groceries together—she naturally assumed Julian was Margaret's younger brother.
Margaret smiled and looped her arm through his. "No, actually. I'm his big sister."
"Oh, his older sister? You two do look alike. Here, take these extra green onions no one's buying. My treat for you siblings."
Margaret let go of Julian's arm, accepted the onions with thanks, and led him out of the market.
They had almost everything. The last few items were seasonings from the supermarket. Julian took most of the heavy bags, his posture slightly bent as he walked slower, trailing a few steps behind Margaret.
He noticed she had dropped the lively, outgoing energy she'd shown earlier and returned to her usual quiet, gentle demeanor. It was almost like a mask she put on when needed.
After a moment, Julian asked, "Margaret, do you do the grocery shopping often by yourself?"
"Yeah. There's a market near my house too. Most of the vendors there know me, so I don't have to bargain like this."
"You were really good at it back there."
"I learned from watching others. Just picked up some lines that usually work to bring the price down."
Margaret checked the list again and counted the remaining money. They had saved almost twenty dollars.
"Supermarket stuff can't be bargained, but we still saved about twenty total. Here, Julian—ten is yours."
She pulled out a ten-dollar bill and turned to hand it to him. Seeing both his hands were full, she stepped closer and slipped it neatly into his jacket pocket.
"Thanks. I feel like I didn't really help much."
"You carried all the heavy stuff. Plus, we wouldn't have gotten those free green onions without you."
"I guess that's true."
The supermarket wasn't far. After a short walk they arrived. Margaret saw how loaded down Julian was and told him to wait outside while she went in for the seasonings.
Julian set the heavy bags down, leaning against the wall. A rich, creamy aroma drifted through the air. He turned his head and noticed the supermarket counter had a warmer full of fresh milk tea.
Margaret quickly found the exact brands the owner wanted and paid. When she came out, Julian was standing there holding two cups of milk tea.
"You're spending the savings already?" Margaret asked with a smile.
"They're only six bucks each. I threw in two more of my own." Julian handed her one cup. "Consider it a thank-you for all the help you've given me lately. Drink it while it's hot—it'll warm you up."
"I helped because I wanted to. You don't have to… but thank you anyway."
Margaret poked the straw through the plastic lid and took a sip. The warm, sweet liquid slid down her throat, spreading gentle heat through her body.
She took a couple of the lighter bags to help lighten Julian's load, and they started walking back together.
Halfway through her milk tea, the drink had eased the dryness in her throat. But Margaret knew there was a much deeper thirst that still needed satisfying. She glanced sideways at Julian's clean, handsome profile, her tongue quietly moving as saliva pooled in her mouth.
"I can't finish this. Want the rest, Julian?" She shook the cup lightly.
"Huh? Just throw it away if you're done."
Margaret pulled out the straw, flipped it around, and inserted it the other way. "Here, you drink it. It'd be a waste to toss it."
Julian hesitated for a second, then took the cup without thinking. He drank several sips until the milk tea was gone.