Touched By A Stranger

Chapter 7:The Busy Market and the Charming Butcher

"Hey Reid, dude!" Reid's name was urgently called out, and it echoed through the air, catching his attention. "Hey, guess what? Someone is looking for you!"

Reid was staring at someone in the distance, watching them walk. They just glanced at each other for a moment. It's moving forward quickly and confidently, slowly getting closer to him. Reid was so skilled with his knife! He sliced through the juicy meat effortlessly, moving swiftly and precisely. He cut every detail carefully and specifically, just the way his pickiest client wanted it. He's right in the middle of all the action, surrounded by a bustling and lively scene. There was an excellent line of people waiting for him to finish.

Reid couldn't help but notice the woman standing right before him. He gave her a big smile and handed her the most fantastic piece of fresh meat, saying, "Here you go, Miss Beautiful."

The woman quickly snatched it out of the air. Reid's face lit up with a smile as he took the money. He wasted no time returning the favor, making the trade all done. Right before Reid looked away, he gave her a little wink. The woman was so happy and excited that she happily accepted her change.

"Thanks, Reid!" The woman said, "I'm so excited to see you tomorrow!"

Enzo's sharp eyes carefully scanned the lady, taking in every detail from head to toe. He let out a little giggle.

"You come here every day. How's your blood pressure going? You're a daily pork eater, right?"

Enzo was slightly uncomfortable when he saw the woman's severe and frowning expression. She wasted no time at all! She went straight for his arm, leaving a permanent mark to show just how disgusted she was.

"Ouch! That hurt!" Enzo gently caressed his arm. "You're taking my joke seriously!"

"Does it bother you?" The lady let out a deep, guttural roar, its raw ferocity reverberating through the entire area. "If I want to eat pork every day, why does that bother you?" With self-assurance and financial safety, the lady said, "I possess the means to buy any of my desired things."

"God, I hate being fat, and seeing you every day just confirms it." Enzo laughed merrily, a devilish gleam in his eye. His infectious laughter echoed through the halls. Her palm slapped his arm again, sending the force through the air in a quick and natural reaction. She left suddenly, leaving behind a tense atmosphere.

"You're always making fun of my customers." Reid accused him, his voice tinged with frustration. Reid consciously tried to avert his gaze, purposely avoiding looking at Enzo. He had a long line of eager buyers waiting, excitedly, to buy meat from him. As the young lady approached the counter, she looked around at the various cuts of meat available.

"Excuse me," the woman said, staring at Reid. "Two kilos of liempo, please."

"Sure, Miss Beautiful!" Reid said with a wink. The woman smiled back and stared at him intently.

Enzo's voice broke the silence, his words carrying a mix of curiosity and excitement. "Some noise came from the barangay hall," he said, looking straight at Reid. "It looks like someone is looking for you."

"I settled our bills. Are you in debt again? When you don't have money, stop going on dates." Reid growled towards his friend. As Reid turned his gaze at the woman, he swiftly passed the plastic bag into the buyer's outstretched hand. "Miss Beautiful, three hundred sixty pesos."

The woman's face lit up with a gentle smile, her hand extending gracefully as she reached for the plastic and her p*****t. She smiled warmly and said, "Thanks, handsome."

Reid just said, "Thank you," to convey his appreciation. He spoke with a voice that was both excited and unsure. "I hope you will think about buying meat from me again." Reid looked at the woman, who was immediately enchanted by his smile. He gave her a charming, cheeky smile, his eyes twinkling with mischief. But then, seeing more customers in the line, he swiftly turned to them.

A barangay tanod, whom Ella happened to meet in the middle of the chaos, kindly volunteered to help her find her way through the maze-like passageways of the wet market. She set off for the barangay hall as the sun rose, bathing the sleepy village warmly. She couldn't sleep because she kept thinking about what had happened to her car. She trusts the guy, who is determined to fix her vehicle only if he proves himself to her.

"Once again, Reid's dominance was evident. His shop was packed with active customers. Would you agree that having a good look can effortlessly captivate customers in no time?" He said with a confident grin.

Ella shifted her gaze towards the man beside her. "He runs out of meat all the time."

Ella kept her eyes in the distance. A group of butchers had set up shop in the middle of the packed market, with their booths so close together that their meat counters almost touched. After a closer look, a strange pattern would attract her attention. One booth stands out and draws consumers in despite the competition. Customers flock to this stand even though it's one of several in the area offering similar goods. A surprising finding was that most of these cherished clients were women of any age. After walking a short distance, they finally arrived at the busy stall.

As soon as Ella laid eyes on it, she was fascinated. A guy stood at a neighboring counter, expertly slicing into a slab of meat with the blade of his knife. Ella couldn't resist the magnetic pull of the knife in his hands as he cut at a rhythmic pace. His strong arms, which protruded from his dark black wifebeater, were obviously of no concern to him. Blood had left a bright imprint on the man's once-white apron. Its vivid color penetrated the cloth, creating a beautiful scene that seemed like a painting. His hand is the only portion of his body showing movement, the busiest part of his job. His arm is stained, and the color seems to have transferred to his face. He looks fierce and uses his knife with fantastic skill and accuracy. Despite the difficulty, his hands move with grace and ease. His handsome features remained unaltered despite his hard work. Not surprisingly, his business had a lot of customers.

As he approached the busy stall, the barangay tanod's voice broke through the crowd. "Reid, Miss Ella wants to see you."

The fire immediately captured Reid's attention in her eyes. Fortuitously, their eyes met, creating a connection beyond words as their minds converged in perfect accord. Reid's face was shining with a smile that beamed happiness. When Ella's eyes met the man's seductive grin, she immediately averted them, feeling an overwhelming unease.

"I didn't expect you to want to meet me now, Ella. I was surprised." Reid's voice was tinted with astonishment and perplexity. "I'm not a big fan of surprises, but I must admit, with your beauty, you'll catch me off guard every day. I might even pretend to be surprised to see you."

Reid didn't budge from his spot, his concentration unbroken as he skillfully carved into the juicy meat. Ella's brows furrowed in astonishment when the guy addressed her by name as if they were friends.

"Can't you wait to see me?" Reid's lips formed a gentle curve as he spoke.

Straight at him, Ella said, "In your dreams."