MD-Chapter 320 Master Plan!

Arthur sat alone at the dining table for a moment, then chuckled to himself. 

"She 'did' take my words to heart after all." 

Arthur, as he often referred to himself in his thoughts, nodded in satisfaction. He picked up his chopsticks, plucked a slice of beef from the bowl, and popped it into his mouth. 

The meat was tender, spicy, and flavorful— a true culinary masterpiece. His appetite surged as he glanced at the large bowl in front of him. It seemed Lily had gotten better at cooking for him, knowing full well that a small portion wouldn't be enough to satisfy his hunger. 

He grabbed a bowl of rice and dug in. 

Halfway through his meal, Lily emerged from her room wearing a pair of loose-fitting jeans. She walked over, grumbling, "These pants are terrible. They don't show off my figure at all." 

"...Who are you trying to show it off to?" 

The words slipped out before Arthur could stop himself. 

Lily's head snapped up, her eyes locking onto his. Arthur quickly looked down, suddenly aware of his unintended bluntness. He missed the flicker of surprise and delight in her eyes. 

"What did you say?" Lily asked slowly, each word deliberate. 

Arthur kept his head down. "I said you don't have much of a figure to show off, so stop trying." 

"I…" 

Lily nearly smacked the back of his head. She muttered something under her breath, too low for him to catch, then sat down across from him. She picked up a bowl of rice and began eating in small, deliberate bites. 

Arthur finished two bowls of rice, finally feeling somewhat full, and glanced at Lily. "What's wrong? You seem off." 

"The little bit of excitement I had was completely crushed by someone," Lily huffed. Then, her eyes lit up as if she'd just remembered something. "Oh, by the way, there's something I need to tell you." 

"What is it?" Arthur asked, curious. 

"Lately, there's been this guy who keeps asking me out to eat," Lily said, her tone serious. "What do you think he's after?" 

"A guy?" Arthur's expression darkened. 

"Yeah," Lily confirmed. "He's an alumnus, a few years older than me. He's pretty well-known in the industry. Our professor invited him to give a couple of lectures, and now he keeps asking me out. Do you think… he sees potential in me? Maybe he wants to mentor me?" 

Arthur stared at her for a moment, then went back to eating without a word. 

"What's with that reaction?" Lily pouted. "Well? Do you think that's it?" 

"Not a chance," Arthur said, rolling his eyes. "That kind of guy is trouble. You should keep him at least three meters away from you at all times." 

"Why?" Lily asked, puzzled. "You sound like my parents." 

"...The word 'trouble' doesn't even begin to cover it," Arthur sighed. "And how do I sound like your parents?" 

"My dad used to tell me, 'Lily, if any boy tries to pull your pigtails, you hit him. Hit him hard so he never dares to do it again!'" Lily said, imitating her father's stern tone. "Don't you think your advice sounds just like that?" 

"Ridiculous." 

Arthur snorted, picking up his bowl again. He fished out a large piece of cabbage from the bottom of the pot and placed it in his bowl with satisfaction. "Anyway, if someone's being overly nice for no reason, they're up to no good. You should be more cautious. Don't just go eating with strangers." 

"And yet I brought a stranger home without a second thought," Lily shot back. 

Arthur fell silent, his brow furrowing. 

Seeing that he wasn't responding, Lily's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, and there are a few other guys who've been trying to get close to me lately. Do you think they're up to something too?" 

"Vultures," Arthur muttered under his breath. 

"What was that? I didn't catch it," Lily said innocently. 

Arthur set his bowl and chopsticks down on the table. "I'm full." 

With that, he stood up and headed to his room. 

Lily's eyes widened. 'Full? Three bowls of rice? Ten bowls wouldn't even fill you up halfway!' 

She couldn't help but cover her mouth, stifling a laugh. "Is that all it takes? A little teasing, and he's already making progress?" 

She thought back to the conversation she'd had with her best friend before coming home. They'd talked about Arthur— though, of course, she'd left out the part about him being a superhero. Her friend had given her some advice: 'Don't just wait around. Be proactive. Take the initiative if you want to win him over!' 

But Lily had no experience in this kind of thing. Her friend had come up with a couple of strategies for her to test Arthur's reactions. If he responded strongly, it would mean he had feelings for her. Then, she could move on to the next step. 

So, this time, Lily hadn't just come home to cook Arthur his favorite spicy beef. She'd returned armed with a master plan. 

But she hadn't expected that just mentioning a few things would be enough to make Arthur "full." She didn't believe for a second that he was actually full. No, he'd been rattled. 

"Hmph, faker," Lily muttered to herself, smiling as she continued eating. 

However, when she finished her meal and Arthur still hadn't come out of his room, she started to feel uneasy. 

"Why isn't he coming out? Is he sulking in there?" 

She walked over to his door and knocked gently. "You in there?" 

She expected a response, but the silence that followed made her heart sink. Her gentle knocks turned into urgent raps. "Arthur, what are you doing? Why aren't you answering? I saved some food for you!" 

Still, there was no reply. 

Growing worried, Lily pushed the door open. 

The room was empty. The window was wide open, the curtains fluttering in the breeze. Arthur was gone. 

"What the…?" Lily stared in disbelief. "Did he jump out the window and run away?" 

... 

... 

Arthur hadn't run away. He'd received a message from Natasha. 

Now, he was at a small safehouse, reviewing the files she'd sent him. 

According to the latest intel, individuals with "special abilities" had recently surfaced in London. 

This news hadn't just reached Arthur. SHIELD was also aware and preparing to take action. 

(End of Chapter)

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