Chapter <b>72 </b>Acting childish


    “I just want to get to know you.” The young man observed Renee’s ringless fingers and remarked, “Since you aren’t married, I see no reason why I don’t have a chance with you.”


    “Will you fuck off or not?” Marcelo’s gaze turned cold. He tightened his hold around Renee’s waist.


    It was a disy of possessiveness.


    “Hey! How can you speak like that? Do you know who I am?


    “Mister, you’re trying to woo me in front of my husband. And you expect him to be polite?” Renee was left speechless.


    The man was stunned. “You… you! You’re married?”


    Deciding she had enough of the delusional conversation, Renee grabbed Marcelo’s hand and left.


    Marcelo felt an urge to confront the man but hearing “my husband” eased his displeasure. It wasn’t until Renee pulled him away that he regainedposure.


    “Mrs. King, quite popr, I see.” His voice remained cold as Renee led the way.


    If anyone should have been wearing a mask, it was her.


    Spotting the crowded milk tea shop, Renee hastened her steps upon seeing the long queue outside. After a couple of steps, she found herself unable to move further.


    Marcelo, nearly six feet and two inches tall, stood immobile with Renee’s hand in his, his expression unreadable.


    The bright sun cast a warm glow on him, softening the contours of his face.


    She watched him for a moment and somehow felt that Marcelo was having a temper tantrum.


    But how could a man in his early thirties behave so childishly?


    She chided herself for overthinking.


    “Mr. King, your wife’s quite the attraction. Isn’t that a testament to your good taste?” Attempting to soothe him, Renee coaxed, “You should be happy. The woman others want is already yours.”


    “Others shouldn’t want you!They should keep their eyes to themselves!”


    Despite wearing a tough expression, Marcelo had to admit he was pleased by her words, especially the word ‘yours


    ‘.


    This inte–famous milk tea shop, just opened in this spot, drew a long line within a day. Numerous young people lingered outside, waiting for their orders.


    As Renee expected, she calmly joined the end of the queue.


    Two more individuals lined up behind her the moment she stopped.


    When Renee reached for her phone, she suddenly realized her hand… was entwined with Marcelo’s.


    His palm was bigger than hers, and his skin felt coarser.


    Feeling embarrassed, Renee retracted her hand. Meeting Marcelo’s impatient gaze, she exined, “The shop


    opened yesterday. That’s why many people are lining up. We’ll only wait for twenty minutes. If it’s not our turn to order, we’ll leave then, okay?”


    Her tone softened unconsciously during negotiations.


    Marcelo nced at her soft, hopeful eyes.


    It was just a cup of milk tea. Why was she so invested?


    He couldn’t understand at all but condescendingly nodded in agreement.


    “Thank you!“Renee didn’t expect things to progress so smoothly, prompting an instant, joyful smile.


    Marcelo was mesmerized by her radiant smile.


    She nced toward a direction and abruptly told him, “Help me hold our ce in line. I’ll be right back.”


    Before she could finish speaking, she had already walked away.


    Marcelo disliked ces filled with people. He had barely managed with Renee’s presence earlier, but now he earnestly wished to clear the area.


    Where did she go?


    “Hey buddy, are you saving a spot for your girlfriend too?” The man in front of Marcelo enthusiastically turned around and asked.


    Marcelo cast a sullen nce at the man, exuding an air of not to be trifled with.


    However, the man was so oblivious, continuously saying, “s! I’m also in line for my girlfriend. Women are quite stubborn sometimes. Can’t she just buy any milk tea? Why this particr shop? I heard people who bought milk tea yesterday waited in line for forty or fifty minutes.”


    Forty or fifty minutes….


    Marcelo’s expression turned into a frown.


    The man answered a phone call. A few minutester, he hung up and resumed grumbling to Marcelo. “My girlfriend just called and asked if I saved her a spot to buy milk tea. Well, I’m already here. I just noticed, why are you on a mask? You look so handsome even with a mask on. By any chance, are you a celebrity?”


    Throughout this time, Marcelo remained silent.


    Upon Renee’s return, she noticed his impatience, which his mask failed to conceal.


    Renee overheard the young man saying, “Hey, dude, I’ve said a lot. Why is there no response from you? If you don’t want to talk, just say so.”


    “Sorry, he is dumb. “Renee hurried over and apologized.


    “Who are you calling dumb?” Marcelo’s voice, low and cold, emerged as he gently pinched the nape of Renee’s slender neck, a mixture of romantic and threatening undertones.


    Renee’s neck shrank at Marcelo’s touch. Looking at the young man, she quickly corrected herself, “Sorry, he doesn’t like to talk too much. He wasn’t trying to be rude!”


    “It’s okay,” replied the young man, looking at Renee and Marcelo strangely. He finally stopped talking and focused his attention on his cell phone while swiping the screen of the phone.


    Renee was still in shock after what had just happened. She turned to Marcelo and said in a low voice, “Mr. King, we are in the street. Can’t you rx just this once? When someone talks to you, the least you can do is to reply to them. If you don’t want to talk with them, just tell them that you are in no mood to chat.”


    Chapter 72 Acting childish<


    Renee was right. After all, no one liked people who showed no reaction when spoken to and left the other person talking to themselves for a long time.


    Marcelo looked at her all a while without saying a word, one hand in his pants pocket.


    Although he didn’t say anything, Renee still got what he wanted to make her understand. In fact, by letting that young man talk to him for so long, even though he didn’t respond, Marcelo just didn’t want to be here.


    Realizing that, Renee sighed.


    She decided not to dwell on it. After all, this kind of situation wasn’t going toe up often.


    She just had to not go out with Marcelo anytime soon to avoid something like this happening again.


    As they stood in line, Renee took the scarf out of the paper bag and took a photo of it, which she sent to Sarah.


    When she looked up, she found that Marcelo was staring at her.


    “Sarah said she really liked this scarf, but it wasn’t sold in the stores she went to. Luckily, I saw it today, so I bought it for her,” She exined.


    His eyes darkened upon hearing that.


    Renee had asked him to wait in line just so she could buy a gift for Sarah?!


    Since she couldn’t have dinner with Sarah today, she decided to buy her a gift.


    “Renee, what do you take me for?“He asked bluntly with an expressionless face.


    She suddenly blinked and came to her senses.


    She was a little carried away today, otherwise she wouldn’t have asked him to help her get in line.


    “Well… If you don’t want to wait in line here, why don’t you go wait for me in the car?” She asked, standing on tiptoe to look at the queue in front of her. She then looked at Marcelo and added softly, “It’s probably about ten minutes until it’s my turn.”


    Marcelo knew that if he left, the men in line, who had been eyeing her for a while now, would rush to her and ask for her phone number.


    Just thinking about it made his mood worse. Not wanting to speak to Renee anymore, he looked away.


    He kept telling himself he was stupid. It was the only usible exnation for why he came to this damn ce with Renee to waste time.


    Ten minutester, it was their turn to order. Upon arriving at the order window, Renee ordered two cups of signature milk tea. She then turned to Marcelo and asked, “Would you like some? It’s my treat.”


    Marcelo nced at the price list disyed prominently in front of the order window. The prices ranged from twelve to eighteen dors per cup. Seeing these prices made Marcelo feel even unhappier.


    “Renee, you bought an expensive scarf for Sarah, but for me, you only buy something that’s not even worth twenty dors?“He remarked unhappily.


    Renee was speechless. After a moment of silence, she turned to the waiter and said, “Just two cups. I’ll pay the bill.


    11


    She couldn’t believe it. Did he really think that twenty dors was nothing?


    Twenty dors for a cup of milk tea was too cheap for him?


    Renee took the two cups of milk tea and handed them to him. “Would you mind holding them for me?” she said softly.


    Marcelo didn’t say a word and just took the cups of milk tea with a long face.


    As soon as he took them, Renee took out her phone and called a local deliverypany for an express delivery. She was going to send one of the cups of milk tea and the scarf she had just bought to Sarah.


    When Renee turned around after ending the call, she was stunned to see Marcelo drinking one of the cups of milk


    tea.


    With a look of shock on her face, she asked in confusion, “Why did you drink it? I thought you said you wouldn’t have milk tea. I bought it for Sarah.”


    Although Marcelo drank the milk tea, he didn’t like its taste which he found too sweet.


    Renee’sments certainly didn’t help his mood.


    Seeing Marcelo’s sullen expression, Renee feared that he would drop the other cup of milk tea on the ground the next second. So, she quickly grabbed it from his hand. Fortunately, this cup of milk tea had not been opened. She could give it to Sarah.


    As the couple left the pedestrian street to the family style restaurant dining, Marcelo’s mood didn’t improve at all. His face was gloomy.


    Weary and distraught, Renee lowered her head and rubbed her eyebrows. Why had the atmosphere between her and Marcelo degenerated like this?


    What could she do or say to cheer him up?