From Ashes of Scandal to His Embrace (Laurinda) novel Chapter 170

Just thinking about hotpot made Laurinda’s mouth water. The food she’d had these past few days just wasn’t cutting it for her, no matter how hard Leo tried to make her comfortable. Local dishes had their own flavor, and there was nothing anyone could do about that.

Orlando pulled the car to a stop at the mouth of a narrow alley. He looked around, not spotting the little restaurant Laurinda had talked about. “Laurinda, is this it?” he asked, sounding unsure.

“This is the spot. The copper pot hotpot is really something. It’s just a small place, but it used to go viral online. Tons of people came just to check it out. Go ahead and park here and we’ll walk the rest of the way,” Laurinda replied.

She pushed open the car door and was instantly greeted by a rush of cold air that made her shiver.

Adolphus came over and gently wrapped a blanket from the car around her shoulders. “It snowed again a couple of days ago. It’s even colder than when you left,” he said.

Laurinda gripped the blanket with one hand and reached for Adolphus’s hand with the other. “Let’s walk a little faster, it won’t feel so cold. The restaurant’s just up ahead.”

Inside, the little hotpot shop was quiet and not too crowded. Adolphus took in the place, noticing how clean everything was, from the dishes to the tables and chairs. It even reminded him a little of the private restaurants back in Cabinda.

Laurinda noticed his curious look and leaned in close, lowering her voice. “It’s nice, right? This is the old part of town. It used to be packed, sometimes you’d have to line up to get in. But after they tore down the apartment complex in the south, people started saying it’s too out of the way, so fewer folks come now.”

While Laurinda was talking, the owner came over with three bowls of dipping sauce and three plates of lamb. She smiled at them, her voice warm and friendly. “Most of our customers are regulars. The menu’s pretty simple, so we don’t get a lot of young people or new faces. There was a time when social media brought in a crowd, but the buzz has died down. Now it’s just us and our regulars.”

“My husband and I are getting older. Running a small place like this is just enough to cover our daily bills. You three enjoy your meal. If you want more meat, just give us a shout.”

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