The Omnistore System

Chapter 156 Premium Dining

"I've been eyeing this purse since it came out," Riya confessed, gazing at the dark blue, exotic-looking creation made from a smooth, unique leather.

"Yeah, it's absolutely gorgeous," Natalie replied, admiring Riya's purse with a touch of jealousy. She had also splurged on some items with Kevin's money but didn't go all out like Riya. Kevin, too, had made a few purchases.

Key, do you want anything else?" Kevin asked Key, who had just bought some black shirts and leggings, as the mall didn't have any goth girl apparel.

She shook her head, appearing a bit shy, as this wasn't a conversation about food.

"So, what's next on the agenda?" Kevin inquired, realizing that it was late in the afternoon, and if it were up to him, he'd consider most of the date completed by now, possibly time for some "snu snu."

But judging by Riya's smile, it seemed the date wasn't quite over yet. She suggested, "Both of us were thinking it might be a good idea to split up and give you two some space to get to know each other better."

Kevin was intrigued by the idea, but he wasn't entirely sure if Key could hold a conversation with him without her sister around. He glanced at Key for her response, and she was already looking down with a flushed face. Sensing Kevin's gaze, she meekly replied, "Okay."

Riya beamed with excitement, seeing Key agree to some alone time with Kevin. She grabbed Key's hand and shook it enthusiastically. "Then give me a call if he does anything weird, alright?"

Key, who was still focused on her shoes, nodded in agreement. Riya released Key's hand and took hold of Natalie's, announcing, "Well, it's time for us to make our exit, let's go, Nate."

Natalie grinned but allowed herself to be led by Riya. She added with a hint of seriousness, "Just make sure she's home before 9, okay?"

Kevin nodded, maintaining a friendly smile, and glanced at Key, who appeared a tad annoyed with her sister's request.

With their sisters off on their own, Kevin turned his attention to Key and asked, "So, what's on your mind now?"

Key didn't respond immediately and just cast her gaze downward. Kevin caught her hand, surprising her a bit, and flashed a warm smile. "Wanna grab a bite to eat?"

The blush on her face gave way to an excited grin as she nodded. Kevin chuckled and took the bags from her other hand, suggesting, "Then how about some premium beef?"

Key's mouth watered at the mention of beef, and she nodded with even more enthusiasm.

As Kevin tucked the bags into his ring, which surprised Riya, he held Key's hand a bit tighter and suggested, "I know a great place; let's head there."

Key looked at him in surprise, her eyes widening. She might not know much about cultivation, but she did recognize certain common items they use, and a space ring was one of them.

She'd encountered many cultivators in the city, even though they didn't frequently roam the streets. Only a handful of them possessed space rings, as they were pricey and usually reserved for the more powerful cultivators. Key was convinced that Kevin was wealthy and held a fairly high cultivation rank. But something remained unclear; according to her sister, he had only begun cultivating a month ago. She pondered, 'How can he become this powerful so quickly?'

As they continued chatting, Key sharing her fondness for food with him, they arrived at the restaurant, which happened to be the same one where Kevin had dined with his mom.

Key's excitement was palpable as she laid eyes on the restaurant. From the outside, it exuded a classic and upscale vibe, and which she would never have ventured inside on her own.

But with Kevin leading the way, she felt the freedom to order to her heart's content, even if the monetary concerns did nag at the back of her mind. However, her love for food often trumped her financial worries, and that was evident when, with stars in her eyes, she inquired, "Can I go all out and order whatever I want?"

Kevin flashed a reassuring smile and replied, "yeah, anything you want."

Key's excitement bubbled over as she asked, "So, then can I order everything?"

Kevin sounded slightly taken aback but chuckled, "sure if you can eat everything."

With a determined expression, Key stated confidently, "Don't worry; I'll handle it." Kevin couldn't help but find her determination amusing and went on to order every dish on the menu. Fortunately, since it was a premium restaurant, the menu wasn't overwhelmingly long, consisting of just a handful of main courses and some appetizers and drinks.

As the drinks were brought to the table, Kevin briefly contemplated indulging in some alcohol, which he hadn't touched for a month. However, he thought better of it, knowing he had important matters to attend to later, and he didn't want to be intoxicated.

With the dishes arriving and Key attacking them like there was no tomorrow, Kevin observed her in astonishment. He muttered to himself, 'She's really love to eat. But how on earth does she manage to stay so slim?' Puzzled, he considered her petite figure with just a few curves here and there, wondering how she could eat so heartily without putting on weight.

While Kevin was savoring his date or simply admiring Key's voracious eating, his sister was already back home, her face marked with disappointment. Natalie had declined further outings, citing fatigue, which left Riya longing for more excitement.

"Mom, I'm home," Riya called out as she entered the house. She continued, "I brought some gifts; Kevin got them for you." However, there was no response from Maria, which didn't seem unusual as she could be preoccupied.

With a tired expression, Riya headed upstairs and called out again, "Mom, where are you?" Still receiving no reply, her concern grew. She hastened her steps and found her mother still asleep. She let out a sigh of relief and approached, gently shaking her. "Mom, wake up. Look at what I've got for you."

As she tried to wake her mother, Riya noticed the sweat on her face and the pained expression she wore, along with the noticeable heat emanating from her. Alarmed, she muttered, "She has a fever," while checking her temperature with the back of her hand.

Meanwhile, Kevin, still observing Key's impressive eating performance, looked at his watch when it buzzed and decided to answer the call. "Hey..."

Riya's voice came through with surprise, and Kevin asked, "What happened?" anxiously inquiring about the situation.

"How high is it?" he inquired again, his face etched with worry.

"I'm on my way," he affirmed before ending the call. Kevin then retrieved Key's clothing bag from his space ring and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, but we need to cut this date short. My mom isn't feeling well."

Saying this he got up out of the cabin and said. "hope we can go on another date like this,."? Key, still chewing and eager to take another bite, nodded in agreement. Kevin smiled and added, "And don't stress about the bill; I've already taken care of it." With that, he bid her farewell.