My Reborn Admirer Wins Over My Heart (Oriana) novel Chapter 466

Chapter 466 The Village Dinner

Oriana said, “I’ll have the spicy chili broth.”

“Perfect! Spicy is the way to go. I’m a chili–head too. See? Our tastes match perfectly!”

Kai’s crew members exchanged glances.

Did our boss knock his head when he fell on his tailbone?

Since when does he eat anything spicier than ketchup?

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Thirty minutes later, a pop–up canopy shaded a cozy setup in the clearing behind the village chief’s house. Oriana sat with Kai and his team on folding camp chairs, gathered around a portable camping stove where a pot of fondue simmered and bubbled.

It had been ages since she’d indulged in this kind of casual feast. The rich, savory aroma hit her, and Oriana found herself unconsciously swallowing, her mouth watering.

Kai had been watching her closely and didn’t miss that fleeting, hungry look. He reached for the fondue forks. “What would you like? Let me get some for you.”

Oriana offered a polite smile. “Oh, that’s alright, I can manage.”

“Nonsense, you’re in the worst spot for reaching the pot. Here, let me.”

Oriana glanced at the perfectly accessible space in front of her, genuinely puzzled about what “worst spot” Kai was referring to.

Distracted for a second, she looked down to find a perfectly toasted cube of crusty bread topped with melted cheese already on her plate.

“I’m a fondue pro. The key is the swirl and the timing–see? Golden brown, not a second over. Go on, try it!”

Oriana hesitated, meeting Kai’s eager, sparkling gaze.

Kai nudged her plate. “Eat up! Why are you looking at me? Although I am rather delectable myself.”

Oriana nearly choked on air. She decided honesty was best. “Actually, for that type of bread, it needs a bit longer in the cheese to soften properly and absorb the flavor. This is still a little too firm and the inside isn’t warm yet.”

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Chapter 466 The Village Dinner

Visibly, Kai’s confidence deflated.

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He flushed crimson with embarrassment, swiftly retrieved the bread cube from her plate, and popped it into his own mouth.

The next instant, his expression turned… complicated.

He struggled to chew, then finally forced a swallow.

“Yeah, a bit… dense. But no worries! Round two!”

Before Oriana could protest, Kai focused intently, timing his next dip perfectly before placing a gooey, perfectly melted piece on her plate.

Kai’s manager sat diagonally across. Noting Oriana’s slight reserve, she leaned in and murmured kindly, “He’s just like this–all heart, not much sense. Don’t feel you have to be polite. If you are, he’ll just find ten other overly elaborate ways to ‘make it up to you‘ and end up bothering you more.”

The manager was aware of Kai’s history and understood his motivation for fussing over Oriana.

Otherwise, even without Oriana’s concerns, she’d have been the first to rein him in.

Oriana paused, recognizing the friendly advice. She relaxed and began to eat.

“Is it good?”

“Mhm, delicious. The cheese blend is really nice too.”

“Have some more. I’ll keep it coming. The fondue mix is good… I’ll have my team send more from the city. We can have proper fondue nights!”

Conditions in Sunrise Village were basic. As volunteers, they travelled light, relying mostly on local provisions.

The village general store, run by elderly locals, had limited stock. Even cooking for themselves, their choices for gourmet ingredients or specialty items were slim.

Kai’s offer meant arranging deliveries–a definite hassle involving logistics and expense.

Oriana shook her head gently. “Please don’t go to the trouble. Once the volunteer work wraps up, we can have all the fondue we want back in Jindiwood.”

Kai asked, “How long is your team scheduled to be here?”

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17:46 Mon, Jan 19

Chapter 466 The Village Dinner

“A little over two weeks. It depends on the community’s needs.”

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“Exactly! Another ten–plus days. A few nice meals won’t hurt. Consider it done!”

Oriana was getting a clear picture: Give Kai an inch, and he’d enthusiastically build a mile–long pier. Hand him a step stool, and he’d try to reach the moon.

He was utterly impossible to deter.

“Stop focusing on my plate. You should eat too.”

Before long, Oriana’s plate resembled a small, cheesy mountainscape, all courtesy of Kai.

Feeling both touched and exasperated, she finally took action, spearing a plump, sauce–coated meatball from the communal pot and depositing it onto his plate.

Staring at the glistening, herb–speckled meatball before him, Kai swallowed visibly. “Right. Okay.”

He eyed it warily for a long moment, then with the air of a man facing his culinary destiny, stabbed it with his fork and took a determined bite.

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