Chương 384: Chapter : 384

Ken stopped eating his cereal. He blinked his sleepy dark eyes. He looked at Sayma.

"She wants to spy on us?" Ken asked. He tilted his head to the side.

"That is very sneaky. I did not know fancy nobles acted like secret agents. Why does she want to watch us walk around?"

"She fully expects you to expose yourself as a fraud," Sayma said politely. She looked down at the table.

"She thinks you are just a greedy commoner. She believes you are a gold digger. She assumes you will beg me for money or act terribly. If you fail her test, she will force me into the arranged marriage with Scott." Laxmi sat on the window sill. She tossed a tiny orange spark of fire between her fingers. She laughed out loud.

"A gold digger? Ken? Ken only cares about potato chips and naps. He does not even know how to spend gold properly."

"Laxmi is entirely correct," Ken agreed cheerfully. He picked up an apple slice from Naomi's plate.

"Gold is very shiny. It hurts my eyes. I prefer snacks. Snacks are a much better investment." Sayma looked at Ken. Her dark eyes looked very hopeful. She needed his help. She needed him to play the role of the devoted boyfriend just one more time.

"Ken, I am politely asking you to play along for one afternoon," Sayma requested softly.

"We just need to walk around the wealthy district. We need to act like a deeply committed couple. If we convince my mother, she will finally leave me alone. I will buy your lunch today. You can pick any restaurant you want." Ken's eyes lit up with pure joy. The lazy smile spread widely across his face.

"You had me at free lunch," Ken cheered happily. He stood up from his chair.

"I am the absolute best fake boyfriend in the world. I will hold your hand. I will smile at the cameras. I will be totally charming. Let us go to the city right now." Naomi chuckled softly. She reached out and fixed his collar.

"Just try to look presentable, Ken. Do not embarrass her."

"I always look fantastic," Ken bragged lazily. An hour later, Ken and Sayma arrived in the Inner City. The streets were incredibly clean. The sidewalks were paved with smooth white stones. Large, beautiful fountains sprayed clear water into the air. Expensive carriages rolled down the wide roads. Wealthy nobles walked around in fine silk clothes. Sayma wore a beautiful, elegant blue dress. Her dark hair rested neatly on her shoulders. She looked flawless. Ken wore his tailored navy blue suit.

The suit fit him perfectly. But he still looked completely messy. He refused to tuck his white shirt into his pants. His shirt hung loosely over his belt. He did not wear a tie. He slouched his shoulders. He kept his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He looked around the fancy street with sleepy, half-closed eyes. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

"This place is too bright," Ken complained lazily. He dragged his shoes on the white stones. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff.

"There is zero shade. The sun is right in my eyes. I need to find a large tree and take a quick nap." Sayma walked close to his side. She linked her arm gently through his arm. She put on a perfect, polite smile.

"We cannot take a nap right now, Ken," Sayma whispered softly.

"Keep your eyes open. My mother is definitely watching us. We need to look incredibly affectionate." Ken grinned a goofy grin.

"Got it. Maximum affection activated." He leaned his head slightly toward her. He completely played the part of a loving partner. They walked slowly down the busy sidewalk. A few blocks away, Sayma's mother stood behind a large marble statue. She wore a dark green dress and a large sun hat. She held a small, expensive opera glass to her eyes. She peered through the magnifying lenses. She watched the couple very closely. Sayma's mother scowled. She did not like this boy at all.

"Look at him," the strict woman mumbled to herself.

"His shirt is completely untucked. He drags his feet. He has absolutely no manners. He is definitely just using my daughter for her wealth. He will probably drag her to the most expensive jewelry store right now. I will catch him in the act." The strict mother expected Ken to demand expensive gifts. She expected him to force Sayma to buy him fancy clothes or premium watches. She watched them approach a row of luxury restaurants and high-end boutiques. But Ken did not stop at the luxury stores.

He completely ignored the fancy jewelry shops. He walked right past a premium steakhouse. Ken suddenly stopped walking. He sniffed the air loudly. His dark eyes lit up. He turned his head toward a narrow side street.

"Oh my goodness," Ken said happily. He pointed a lazy finger down the side street.

"Do you smell that, Sayma? That smells absolutely incredible." Sayma blinked in confusion. She looked down the narrow street. There was a small, very basic wooden food cart parked on the corner. A vendor cooked simple street food over a hot grill. It was not a fancy place. It was a cheap, greasy snack stand.

"It smells like fried oil," Sayma noted politely.

"It smells like pure victory," Ken corrected her. He gently pulled her arm.

"Come on. You promised to buy me lunch. I want to eat there." Sayma pushed her thick glasses up. She felt a little bit surprised. She fully expected him to pick a nice restaurant. She had plenty of gold coins in her purse. But he chose a random street cart. She smiled a very genuine, warm smile. She liked his simple nature.

"Okay, Ken," Sayma agreed softly.

"Let us go to the food cart." They walked over to the small wooden stand. The vendor flipped pieces of meat on the grill. Sizzling grease popped in the air. The vendor also had a large glass display case filled with salty snacks. Ken leaned against the cart. He slouched his shoulders. He looked at all the food with absolute joy.

"Hello, sir," Ken greeted the vendor cheerfully.

"I need your finest, greasiest meat skewers. Give me five of them. Actually, make it six. And I also need three large bags of your saltiest potato chips. The ones with the extra crunch." The vendor laughed and started packing the food. Sayma pulled out a single gold coin. She handed it to the vendor. The vendor's eyes went wide. He handed her a large pile of silver coins as change. He handed Ken a massive paper bag full of greasy street snacks. Ken hugged the warm paper bag to his chest.

He looked completely thrilled.

"This is the best date ever. You are an amazing fake girlfriend, Sayma." Sayma chuckled quietly. She reached into the bag and pulled out a small meat skewer. She took a tiny, careful bite. It was very greasy, but it tasted surprisingly good. She wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"I am glad you are enjoying yourself," Sayma smiled.

"Let us continue walking. We need to stay in the open."