Chapter 173
To fight his jet lag, Kingsley went straight to the Sherwood Group headquarters.
Shortly after he settled into his office, Shane walked in carrying a bag. Inside, as requested, was sugarcane.
Shane looked at Kingsley’s weary face and muttered internally: *Does Mr. Sherwood think sugarcane cures jet lag p>
Shane placed the bag on the desk. Kingsley glanced at it, raising an eyebrow. “Are you sure this is right? It looks different from the pictures online p>
Shane smiled, pointing to the neatly prepared stalks. “The online ones have the skin on. These are peeled and ready to eat p>
Kingsley picked up a segment, his fingers feeling the hard, fibrous texture. He sounded genuinely baffled. “How do I eat this p>
Shane almost blurted out *”use your mouth,”* but caught himself. He explained patiently, “Bite off a small piece, chew it to extract the juice, swallow the juice, and spit out the residue p>
Kingsley looked down at the stalk in his hand. He didn’t speak, simply dismissing Shane with a quiet, “You can go p>
As soon as Shane left the office, the girls in the secretarial pool swarmed him, voices hushed but eyes burning with gossip.
“Shane, Shane! Was that sugarcane for Mr. Sherwood p>
“Oh my god, Mr. Sherwood eats sugarcane p>
“My hometown’s famous for its sugarcane! If he likes it, I could have my folks send some over p>
“Ooh, look at you, trying to bribe the boss p>
As the chatter rose, Shane gave them a half-smile. “Everyone’s so free? Discussing Mr. Sherwood-do you think your year-end bonuses are too heavy to carry p>
The group instantly went silent, clutching their throats as if choked. They exchanged glances and scrambled back to their desks.
Inside the office, Kingsley held the sugarcane. After a moment’s hesitation, he took a bite.
Sweet juice flooded his tongue immediately. He paused, then chewed as Shane had instructed. Soon, only the coarse fiber remained in his mouth.
He walked to the trash can to spit it out. He hesitated, then took a
second bite. The sweetness was the spitting was inevitable.
distinct, but in the tnesse
After discarding the pulp, he rinsed
his mouth and wiped away the
debris from the corner of his lips
the mirror Lucy’s words flashed
色
through his mind. He understood the
metaphor now-sweet at first,
nothing but trash in the end.
He wiped his hands and dialed the internal line. “Take the sugarcane away.” Shane knocked and entered quickly, lifting the bag. “Mr. Sherwood, take it all?” Kingsley hummed an affirmative, his eyes sweeping over the bag. “You like it?” Shane paused, recalling the taste. “It’s alright. Pretty sweet, just a hassle to spit out p>
Kingsley didn’t reply, waving a hand to dismiss him.
Shane retreated quietly, thinking: “Boss tried it? Guess he didn’t like it p>
That evening, Kingsley went to the Sherwood Manor.
Susan Talmadge was flipping through a magazine on the living room sofa. She glanced up. “You’re back p>
“Mm,” Kingsley replied, scanning the room. “Where is Grandmother p>
“In the study, practicing calligraphy,” Susan answered without looking up.
Kingsley walked straight to the study.
He knocked lightly. Old Mrs. Sherwood’s voice came from within, concise and strong. “Enter p>
Inside, Old Mrs. Sherwood pushed up her reading glasses, holding a
sheet of fresh calligraphy. She get
looked at him. Why are you back so Suddenly?
Kingsley approached the desk, his tone gentle. “Came back to see you p>