Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Conner picked up the bowl and dug in without a care in the world. "I can handle spicy food. I've been eating Harry's dumplings since I was a kid."

Annie, on the other hand, couldn't handle the heat anymore. She looked at Conner, her eyes full of concern. "You should stop. It's way too spicy."

"I'm fine, really. I'll even have another spoonful when winter rolls around," Conner assured her, looking completely unfazed.

Harry, busy hand-making dumplings, joined in the conversation. "Young Conner here had a tough upbringing. Back when it got cold, we didn't have heating or air conditioning around these parts. He'd shiver from the chill and come here for a bowl of dumplings, starting with a spoonful of spicy sauce just to warm up.

Sometimes, when he was feeling under the weather but didn't want to trouble his mom with medical bills, he'd drop by. He'd eat dumplings with three spoonfuls of hot sauce, sweating and tearing up from the spice, before heading home.

Later on, when Conner got into turf fights, he'd come by for a meal of dumplings with that fiery sauce, no matter if he was bruised or not. It was his way of finding comfort."

As time went on, Conner moved in with the Nettleton family after his mom passed. Whenever he felt down, happy, or just needed a break, he'd come by for his dumpling fix. He eventually found four friends he could trust with his life, experiencing a joy he never knew before, all while enjoying dumplings.

Annie asked, "Am I the first woman Conner's brought here for dumplings?"

"Nope," came the reply.

aback, staring at Conner. "...This isn't how I pictured

already downed half his dumpling soup. "What plot twist?

you think I'd eat while they just

subordinates too?" Annie realized too

one of my female subordinates hadn't become a mom, she'd

and

enough, folks finishing work started dropping by for dumplings. Harry got

Annie quickly grabbed a napkin, handing it

his sweat and then his mouth with another napkin. "I'm used to it. Especially in winter when it snows, people line up here just to get a

Harry waved him off, refusing to take his money "Conner, it wasn't for you looking out for my stall, I wouldn't be able to set

gently restrained Harry, and just when Annie thought things might take a turn, Conner cheekily slipped the money into Harry's cash box, mixing it around with his hand before flashing

released Harry, "Sorry, Harry. The boss

Conner's antics both charming and amusing. It was like a playful kidnapping, but