Part 8. The dinner

Finally Robert, or the old man Ricky had met on the beach, arrived. He arrived just as Ricky had finished cooking and serving in the dining room. He was grateful that the kitchen was fully stocked with cooking utensils and cutlery, so he didn't have to bother buying any.

Ricky immediately opened the door for Robert, not forgetting to smile as he opened the door, because Robert's grandchild was there.

As soon as the door opened, a better-dressed Robert was standing with a pretty girl.

Ricky, who had expected Robert's grandchild to be a child, didn't realize his smile was faded. But after remembering that the girl with Robert was the girl who helped him when he first came to the apartment building, he smiled again.

Ricky had prepared strawberry and mango smoothies, hoping that a child would like them.

"I thought, who is the young man you told me about, I had a bad thought because I thought it was someone who wanted to get your attention, but it turned out to be Ricky." said Ella, the girl who turned out to be Robert's granddaughter. Ricky remembered that Ella's full name was Ellania Velhart, because Ricky read the business card Ella gave him.

"Don't say that, it's nice of him to invite us to dinner here, by the way, you look better than ever." Robert said.

Ella nodded, "That's right, you look better than ever."

Ricky didn't understand what they were saying, because he felt normal when he looked in the mirror before. Ricky only felt that his body was getting lighter and fresher after a long soak. The bathwater also turned black, which meant that the remaining toxins in his body had been removed.

Perhaps that was why Ricky's appearance seemed to have changed.

"Thank you, please come in, I've prepared everything. Sorry if my cooking doesn't suit your taste," Ricky invited them into the dining room.

They seemed quite impressed with his preparations.

"You cooked all this?" Ella asked incredulously. How could a skinny, unconvincing-looking young man like Ricky cook, especially since the dining table was so well decorated. It was like a restaurant or cafe.

Maybe it was Ricky's first time doing it, but he had wanted to do it for a long time, meaning cooking, garnishing his dishes, and decorating the dining table in a restaurant style. Because he really liked reading books about cooking or about restaurants when he was locked up.

That was his only entertainment.

Ricky himself was so excited when he did it the first time, that he thought it was too much. But seeing Robert and Ella's reactions, Ricky became proud of himself.

"I cooked it, I did everything." Ricky said groggily.

Rob approached him and patted his shoulder, "good job Ricky, I didn't know you were so talented."

"You're overdoing it, sit down and enjoy the food."

They started eating dinner, no one said anything, they were busy eating.

Ricky was a bit surprised that Robert and Ella ate with the grace of the upper class, making Ricky both interested and embarrassed. Ricky wasn't very good at eating like them, he rarely ate in the past. Moreover, the food he received was only like food for pets.

After the meal, Robert smiled, he looked quite satisfied with Ricky's cooking, while Ella acted casual. But Ricky saw for himself that Ella ate well, so he thought Ella liked the food.

"I think your cooking is pretty good, I'd love it if you invited us over more often," Ella said.

"No, it's really good! I didn't realize you could cook that well." Robert said.

Ricky shook his head with an awkward smile, "You're praising me too much."

"Of course not, you deserve it." said Robert.

"Thank you."

[You successfully cooked octopus and satisfied your guests]

[You deserve the 100,000$ prize money]

Ricky's eyes widened, he couldn't believe the amount of money he had just received. He was so shocked that he didn't hear when Robert said goodbye. After Ricky came to his senses, he hurriedly escorted Robert to the front door.

"Sorry for being so busy, next time you'll have to invite me again, Ricky." Robert said before leaving, Ricky just smiled, then turned to go back inside his apartment.

Just then he remembered that Ella was still in his apartment.

"Why aren't you with your grandfather, I mean, going home with him?" asked Ricky, he was a bit nervous about being alone with Ella.

Meanwhile, Ella was still sitting elegantly on the dining table, drinking a strawberry smoothie.

Ella turned to Ricky and smiled mysteriously, he don't know what that smile meant, but Ricky felt very nervous.

"I did a background check on you, Ricky, and I found you quite interesting." Ella said, now grinning briefly and then smiling sweetly.

Ricky was getting nervous at Ella's words, because that meant Ella already knew that Ricky was a guinea pig for the Harvert family.

Ella suddenly laughed quite loudly, making Ricky surprised.

"Are you afraid that I'll reveal your whereabouts here? I know you're being sought after by a lot of high profile people, if they get you, then they'll get someone who's resistant to poison, or they'll research why you can be resistant to poison and not get affected like everyone else. But you can rest easy, I won't use you, nor will I help anyone who wants you, so you can rest easy here. By the way, why did you change in an instant? I'm sure you looked dull before and your aura was quite bad, but now you look brighter and that bad aura is gone too."

Ricky rubbed the back of his neck, at a loss for an answer, because Ella was talking so much that Ricky didn't know what to answer to all her words.

"I don't know, just taking a shower..." Ricky muttered.

"A shower? Just taking a shower can make you change that fast? So you didn't shower before?" asked Ella confused.

Ricky widened his eyes, "No, that's not it! I mean, I was wearing a bathbomb in the shower."

Hearing Ricky's answer, Ella laughed out loud, making Ricky even more confused.

"You - haha, use a bathbomb? But which bathbomb can change you in an instant?"

[You can show Ella the bathbomb]

[Amaze her with the benefits of the bathbomb]

Since Ricky couldn't explain very well, he went to his room, picked up a bathbomb that looked like a galaxy, and gave it to Ella.

"I can't explain, you can use it in the shower, I'm sure you'll like it." Ricky said.

[Tell her that if she wants another bathbomb, she has to pay 1,500$]

Ricky was quite surprised at the price that the system mentioned, but he told Ella that too.

"If you want more, buy 1,500$, now it's free," Ricky said.

Ella snorted at Ricky's words, but she accepted the bathbomb wrapped in a transparent plastic box.

"The product packaging looks quite luxurious and excessive for a bathbomb, not to mention the price is very expensive, if after I use it I feel satisfied, I will pay 3,000$ for you."

"No need-"

"I'll be going, I'll see you tomorrow, Ricky!"

Ricky just stared silently at Ella who walked away.

"She doesn't have to pay twice as much," Ricky muttered.