Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

The night market was just a quick fifteen-minute walk from the University of Maple Grove. Cynthia and her mystery boyfriend often went there and always raved about how perfect it was for couples.RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

Friday.

At exactly 5 pm, Flora wrapped up her work at the lab and headed for the university's main gate. As soon as she stepped outside, she spotted Connor waiting by the roadside.

He was rocking a beige trench coat, looking tall and elegant. The sun was still hanging in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow behind him that made him appear almost regal. His hands were tucked into his pockets, and he was gazing at the university entrance with a soft, patient expression.

The moment Flora saw Connor, he saw her too. She noticed a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

He was smiling.

With a grin, she ran toward him, arms wide open, and jumped into his embrace. "Connor!"

Connor caught her and hugged her tightly. "Take it easy."

"I missed you so much!" Flora exclaimed, nuzzling her face against his chest, wrinkling his crisp, white shirt. Connor's smile widened as he gently patted her head.

Since the night market was at its best after dark and they had some time to kill, they decided to grab dinner first.

After their meal, they strolled leisurely towards the night market. It was huge and surprisingly well-organized, with no hint of the usual chaos and mess. Students from nearby universities often flocked there on weekends, and since it was Friday, the place was packed.

Connor made sure to keep Flora close, shielding her from the bustling crowd. The night market was buzzing with activity: balloon shooting games, ring toss, stalls selling cute accessories-something for everyone.

Connor found himself getting caught up in the festive atmosphere, feeling a bit younger.

Up ahead, a couple was bickering at the balloon shooting game.

"Ugh! You're hopeless! How can you miss every time?" the girl huffed, stomping her foot in frustration.

"It's not my fault! It's just a teddy bear! I'll buy you one!" her boyfriend retorted.

"It's not the same!" she snapped, stomping on his foot before storming off.

The boyfriend hurried after her. The stall owner, laughing as he pocketed their money, didn't seem concerned about their argument. Spotting Flora and Connor, he called out, "Hey there, young lady! Don't just walk by-try your hand at shooting!"

"Want to give it a go?" Connor asked Flora softly.

He'd noticed a lot of the young girls enjoying these games.

"Hey handsome, girls usually say no," the stall owner interrupted, sensing an opportunity. "Come on, give it a try. Make your girlfriend smile!"

"We'd better not," Flora said seriously. "If you let him play, he might just clean out your whole stall."

Connor chuckled, appreciating Flora's sense of fairness.

The stall owner laughed too, clearly intrigued. "Really? Then I've got to see this. Go ahead, I can handle losing a bit."

Flora silently wished the owner good luck. She had warned him.

Seeing Flora's interest, Connor asked the owner how the game worked.

"Ten bullets for twenty bucks, twenty bullets for thirty," the owner explained with a grin.

Connor reached into his pocket but realized he only had a hundred-dollar bill. He handed it to the owner and said, "Keep the change."