The woman who was pulled back paused, realizing she had stopped hitting.
She thought the other woman was joking—how could she have beaten someone to death? She had only hit that person a few times.
She had completely forgotten how aggressive she had just been.
She picked up the bag from the ground and checked the contents carefully—twice—to make sure everything was there.
Feeling relieved, she finally looked up and clearly saw Veera's face.
A bit embarrassed, she forced a slightly awkward smile.
She hadn't expected the person who helped her to be such a beautiful woman.
The woman took out fifty cents and handed it to Veera, holding her hand:
"Comrade, thank you so much. I don't have much, but you must take this."
She didn't want to focus on Veera's looks, since her face was something she was born with.
Just because someone is pretty doesn't mean they didn't really help.
She knew how to be grateful.
Veera stared at the paper money in her hand. This could be exchanged for food.
She thought, "This woman really knows how things work." So she took it without hesitation.
Not taking money would be fake politeness—she was honest. She helped because she wanted a reward.
Money equals food. That's something valuable.
Since it was given through proper means, she didn't feel guilty.
"Then I won't be polite. I'll take this man to the police later. You take your child home now and calm them down."
Since she took the money, she had to offer good service.
After Veera accepted the money, her expression softened. When she smiled, her eyes sparkled, making people's hearts flutter.
The woman couldn't handle her beauty and quickly thanked her again, carrying her child away.
The injured man lay unconscious on the ground.
Seeing he was barely breathing, Veera had no choice but to go to the police station herself to report it.
She explained everything clearly, and staff from the state-owned restaurant backed her up.
The police saw how badly the thief was beaten but didn't say anything.
Instead, they praised her for her bravery.
Back then, people still valued justice.
By the time everything was settled, lunch was already over.
The state-owned restaurant had run out of food.
The tasty buns were long gone.
Veera, who hadn't eaten, felt a little angry.
She had just arrived in this world, and now she had to go hungry. Maybe this place wasn't a good match for her.
It didn't feel like a place to stay long.
Since she couldn't change anything, she accepted it and dragged her tired body toward Wade's workplace.
She hadn't reached the gate yet when she saw Wade walking out.
He looked even better than his photo.
Especially his peach blossom eyes under those strong brows—Veera liked that kind of look.
It made his handsome face even more attractive.
Veera wondered how beautiful his eyes would look when he smiled.
She spaced out for a moment, then quickly pulled herself together.
"Wade."
She heard her own soft, clear voice.
Very good—the original host's voice, even when she shouted, still sounded pleasant.
But it didn't match her strong image at all.
Her aura of power dropped instantly.
If her former comrades heard her now, they would probably laugh to death.
Wade recognized the familiar voice and quickly spotted Veera not far away.
Her familiar face appeared before him.
She had a bit of sweat on her forehead, and her face was glowing pink.
Her beautiful eyes were full of emotion.
His brows tightened slightly, and a trace of concern flashed through his deep eyes.
He swallowed, feeling his body freeze for a second.
Just seeing her gave him energy that rushed to his head.
He tried hard to stay calm and quickly walked toward Veera.
His steps were firm and full of confidence, but his hand secretly clutching his clothes revealed his nervousness.
He stopped in front of her.
Was the woman he missed so much finally here to take him home today?
He had imagined this scene many times. Was it really happening now?
Veera felt like her breathing was becoming unsteady.
This man's gaze was sharp and intense, making her feel a strong sense of pressure.
Veera stared directly into his eyes, open and fearless. Now that they were face-to-face, she couldn't let her presence weaken.
Why did his eyes look a little... pitiful?
How was he so tall? What did he eat growing up?
Right now, he stood like a mountain, completely blocking her view.
Maybe that look of sadness she saw was just her imagination.
"Why weren't you waiting at home? It's a bit sunny today."
Wade asked in a serious and formal tone, doing his best to hide the happiness inside him.
Whatever frustration he had felt the night before had completely vanished.
Now, his sweet and soft little wife was looking up at him with misty eyes. At this moment, he felt like the happiest man alive.
"Wade."
Veera couldn't stand the way he was looking at her—it felt sticky and too much.
She got goosebumps all over.
Wade looked confused, glanced around, and quickly reached out to hold her hand.
His gaze became incredibly gentle. He didn't care about how being affectionate in public might affect their image during these times.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a checkered handkerchief.
He wiped away the sweat on Veera's face—the sweat that bothered him so much.
His eyes openly showed his heartache.
"Wife, what's wrong?"
His voice was intentionally soft and careful, afraid his rugged manner might scare her again.
Right now, he didn't want to think about why the wife who once disliked him had suddenly come looking for him.
His long-lonely heart felt like it had just been lit up.
In her eyes, he could finally see himself.
She had even called out to him.
"Wade"—he had never realized his name could sound so beautiful.
Veera, holding his hand, was so hungry her tears almost came out on their own.
With misty eyes, she looked at him and said, "Wade, I'm hungry."
She thought she said it normally, completely unaware that with her soft, fragile voice, those few words sounded incredibly pitiful.
Wade almost lost control. This girl still knew how to pull at his heart.
Was she acting cute with him? That thought made a smile creep into his expression.
Flustered, he answered, "Wife, let's go home. I'll cook for you."
As Veera was led by the hand, she remembered how, in the original host's memory, this man had been cold, stiff, and completely uninterested in women—always serious and proper.
But now, he was caring and attentive.
Even though Veera wasn't very emotionally aware, she could clearly see the affection in his small gestures.
It was clear this man really cared about his wife.
He wasn't the same Wade from the original memories—the one who didn't like her.
His tender gaze, his nervous movements, and the overflowing fondness couldn't be hidden.
With signals this obvious, how did the original host never pick up on them?
What a shame.
On the pet screen, the energy level rose by one point.
It was so thrilled it wanted to kiss Wade. This man really knew what to do.
If things kept going this way, it wouldn't even need to step in.
Veera, the emotionally dense woman, was going to fall for him very soon.
At this rate, it might get to return to base ahead of schedule.
"Don't hold my hand. I know the way—I can walk by myself."
Veera's voice was cold. She wasn't used to being held like that by a man.
She'd never really been cared for growing up, so she only knew how to push away unexpected warmth from strangers.
"Master, you're too blunt. With that attitude, forget about love—any man would run from you."
The little pet couldn't help but speak up again, feeling its mission was becoming much harder.
Veera's lips curved slightly as she smiled and responded silently in her mind:
"You're too noisy, robot pet. Go sit in the quiet room and reflect. Remember, I'm the master."
This little thing dared to question her?
Wade didn't let go of Veera's hand. His voice was soft and gentle:
"I know. But I like holding your hand. I like the feeling of going home with you."
Now that his wife was willing to try accepting him, there was no way he'd let go.