NovelEnglishThe man had a strong grip on her hand, and his nose and mouth were covered with a wet towel. He handed one to Grace as they
quickly made their way out.
There was another passage inside the teahouse where the flames were less intense, allowing the two to pass through.
The fire crackled as it consumed the wood. It was a truly heart-stopping experience.
Grace held onto the wet towel on her face, feeling srelief in her lungs.
"Boss! What are you doing here?"
Other people were also escaping through that passage and were surprised to see the man.
The man scolded them in a hoarse voice, "Hurry and leave!"
There was the sound of hurried footsteps.
Grace hurried down the stairs, keeping an eye on the man's dark silhouette. He was tall and well-built and seemed to be middle-
aged.
His voice sounded so familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere before.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
She didn't have tto think more about it. All she could think about at that moment was finding a way out of there.
As she descended the last step on the third floor of the teahouse, Grace felt a tremendous sense of relief. She dropped the wet
towel and gasped for air.
She figured they were at the back door, which all the staff had used to escape. Everyone was visibly shaken at that moment.
"What a pity. It had just been built, and now it's all gone."
Someone elbowed the person who had spoken and gestured toward the man. The person immediately shut up.
Grace finally recovered enough to speak. "Thank you for saving me. May | know your name?"
The man's eyes were deep and mysterious. Their corners were upturned, making them quite expressive.
He kept the wet towel over his nose and mouth, avoiding Grace's scrutiny.
"No need to thank me. | just happened to see you while | was escaping. | couldn't stand by and do nothing."
His voice was indeed familiar.
Grace frowned. "Regardless of whether it was coincidental or intentional, thank you. | just heard them calling you "boss". Are you
the owner of this teahouse?"
"The manager." He glanced at the teahouse and then toward his subordinates.
"Why did the place suddenly catch on fire?"
"We don't know either. The fire started downstairs. It's probably because it's winter and dry. A guest might not have watched the
stove properly ..."
The subordinate fell silent.
The fire at the teahouse had drawn the attention of many passersby.
Grace's gaze remained fixed on the manager, whose hard work had just been reduced to nothing in an instant.
Yet the man had not only remained level-headed, but he was also remarkably calm, showing an exemplary mindset.
She approached him and said, "Since | was a child, I've been taught to repay a favor with kindness. Could you please share your
contact information so that | may have a chance to repay you?"
The manager continued to avoid her gaze. "As | said, it was nothing. There's no need for thanks."
"l insist."
Grace saw that he was about to leave and beca bit anxious. She grabbed his sleeve and pressed him, saying, "I really insist."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThe manager frowned. Seemingly out of options, he ordered his subordinates, "Give her my address."
As the fire truck arrived, he covered his nose and mouth and walked away.
One of the other staff members took out a pen and paper and wrote down the manager's address, saying, "Miss, don't be mad.
He's always been like this. He had an accident, and his face was disfigured. He's not intentionally hiding from you."
Grace suddenly understood why he had avoided showing his face.
Outside, Luke was pacing around anxiously. Seeing Grace safe and sound, his face lit up.
"Ms. Lewis, You're alright! You scared me! | thought ..."
Grace held the paper with the address. "Don't worry."
"Good to hear. Mr. Fulton has called several times. Maybe you should ..."
At the mention of Xander, Grace snapped back to reality and quickly took her phone out. She had gotten over a dozen missed calls
from Xander.
He had also sent her messages. "Are you out yet?"
"Grace, get out of there and tellyou're safe."
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