As usual, Elina wiped down the tables stained with food. Then she carried the pile of dirty dishes to the back and washed them.
"The last customer already left, El?" Misnah asked.
The woman set down several plastic bags filled with vegetables and raw meat. There was fish, cooking spices, and ingredients to prepare for the next day.
Misnah owned a roadside eatery that was always packed because its prices were relatively cheap. During lunchtime, plenty of cash-strapped employees came to her food stall.
"Yes, Auntie. They also ordered twenty takeout packages," Elina replied.
The girl was soaping the dirty dishes. Some of them had already been neatly arranged. There were still more left to wash.
"Thank God, business is booming today. That's great—we can put more toward paying the rent on the stall tomorrow. That landlord Beno has been throwing a fit since yesterday. My ears hurt just listening to him," Misnah grumbled.
They were ten years apart. Misnah was a childless widow whose husband had left her for another woman.
At the time, Elina had been desperately looking for work after getting laid off during the COVID outbreak. She had happened to meet Misnah and boldly asked the woman for a job.
"Oh, Auntie, can I go home early today? Erin has been taking care of Mom since last night. I feel bad for her—she has night classes too," Elina pleaded.
"Sure, El. Go home at five. It won't be too busy in the afternoon anyway. I can handle things by myself," Misnah replied.
"Thanks, Auntie," Elina said.
Elina went back to washing dishes. Meanwhile, Misnah went to tidy up the display case, replacing the dishes that had sold out with freshly cooked food.
"You sure you want to eat here, Sam? Seriously, this place is so cramped. Why don't we just go to our usual café? There are tons of college girls from the campus next door hanging out there. At least they're easy on the eyes. Unlike a dump like this. It's dusty, hot, and so unhealthy!" Kevin complained.
"You talk too much! Go call the vendor. I'm starving!"
Sam sat at a corner table and pulled out his phone. The sharp-nosed man's eyes darted across the screen, engrossed in whatever he was looking at.
"What a weirdo! You were born rich and can eat whatever you want, yet you come looking for some filthy place like this. Don't come crying to me when your stomach hurts from eating who-knows-what!"
Kevin walked toward the display case. "Excuse me! Is the vendor here or not?" he shouted.
"Hey, wait a second. I'm still taking the fritters out of the fryer. Sit down for now, sir," Misnah shouted back.
"Sir? You've got to be kidding me. Did that woman just call me 'sir'? Do I look like someone's dad already?" he sneered.
Kevin grumbled as he walked over to Sam, who was still busy with his phone. He was opening a gallery filled with dozens of photos of beautiful girls. Who knew where his parents had gotten all those pictures.
"Sam, what's with you? Why are you eating here all of a sudden? We could be checking out girls at our usual place," Kevin said, dropping into a chair.
"Can you stop running your mouth for once? I feel like a change of scenery. I'm tired of eating at cafés. Rudi said the food here is good," Sam replied.
"Rudi, the admin guy?"
"Yeah. How many Rudis do you think we have at the office?"
"Seriously, Sam? You trust your employee's taste? Their palates were destined from birth for cheap food. Even bland tempeh tastes good to people like them. We're in a different class. Besides—"
"Excuse me, what kind of rice would you like, sir? With pecel, jengkol, pete, or offal? We also have soto if you'd like. It's our best seller—the Beautiful Widow's Offal Soto," Misnah rattled off.
Kevin's eyes widened when he saw what the woman was wearing: a tight-fitting floral dress that ended above her knees. She stood there with a broad smile, looking from one man to the other.
"Do you have pasta? Burgers or pizza? At the very least, a simple sandwich," Kevin offered.
Misnah furrowed her brow.
"Sorry, this is a warteg, sir. It's not a restaurant, so we don't have any of that kind of food," Misnah replied irritably.
Kevin leaned toward Sam. "You sure you want to eat here? Instead of leaving full, we'll probably end up with stomachaches," he whispered.
Misnah planted her hands on her hips and glared at Kevin.
"Hey, watch what you say! My place may be small, but I guarantee it's clean and halal. How dare you say it'll give you a stomachache. Want me to curse you with one until you can't even stand?"
"This old lady's vicious!" Kevin jumped and rubbed his chest.
"If you're looking for fancy food, then go to an expensive restaurant! All we have here is pecel, jengkol, pete, and their friends. We don't have pizza, burgers, or whatever else you mentioned!" Misnah ranted.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. Please don't take my friend's words to heart. Could I get one serving of pecel rice with rempeyek?" Sam said, jerking his chin toward Kevin.
"Same for me. No chili sauce!" Kevin added.
"Now that's more like it. Speak politely. Just because you're rich doesn't mean you can insult people however you want. I never asked you to eat here. What would you like to drink?" Misnah snapped.
"Two glasses of hot tea. Thanks, ma'am," Sam added.
"Just wait!" Misnah turned away and left them. Kevin watched her with a frown.
"That woman sure talks a lot. And she's aggressive too. Sooner or later, I'll be the one leaving her weak. She has no idea how powerful my Writhing Dragon Technique is!" Kevin sneered.
"You can't control your mouth. Why argue with someone older than you?" Sam clicked his tongue.
Not long after, Misnah brought over two servings of pecel rice and two glasses of hot tea.
"Eat up and finish everything! No leaving leftovers at my stall—your plates have to be clean!" she said as she set the food on the table. Then she turned and walked away.
"Auntie, do we have customers?" Elina asked. She had just finished arranging the clean plates and glasses.
"Yeah. Rich guys who got lost!" Misnah answered curtly.
"Huh? What do you mean, rich guys who got lost?"
"Never mind. Don't look over there. Go heat up the soto, El. I just got an order from the security guard at the shop next door. He said he'll pick up ten packages of soto with lontong later."
"Thank God."
Elina hurried to the back to prepare the order. More customers had come in today than usual.
The aroma of beef soto smelled absolutely delicious. Elina wrapped up each serving one by one and packed the lontong separately in plastic bags.
Kevin stared at the food on his plate with a frown.
"Pecel rice," he sneered.
"Just eat and stop whining! Do you want that food-stall lady to chew you out again?" Sam chuckled.
Kevin chewed his food halfheartedly. It was the first time the man had ever sat down and eaten a meal like that.
Sam and Kevin were cousins. Their families had entrusted them with managing Dirgantara Corp, which belonged to their grandfather's family.
"It's pretty good," Sam admitted.
Kevin shook his head. "If Auntie Sherin finds out you ate somewhere like this, I'll be the one getting yelled at!"
"Then don't tell Mom," Sam replied casually.
"Hey, Sam, what about your grandpa's ultimatum?"
"About what?"
"Oh my God! Are you seriously that dense? Have you picked one yet?" Kevin asked, raising and lowering his eyebrows.
"Picked what?"
"Come on, you're acting like an idiot. A potential wife! Have you picked one or not? Grandpa only gave you a month. And now you have three days left. Hmm..." Kevin pressed his lips together to hold back a laugh.
Sam let out a heavy sigh. He had just been about to put a bite of food in his mouth when his phone suddenly rang.
Sam set down his spoon and reached into his pocket for the phone. His face fell when he saw who was calling.
"Who is it?" Kevin whispered.
"Grandpa!"
Kevin immediately snickered when he saw Sam's pale face. He already knew why the old man was calling.
"Yes, Grandpa," Sam answered.
"Are you at the office, Sam?"
"I'm having lunch with Kevin," Sam replied reluctantly.
"Sam, what have you decided? Can Grandpa get your answer right now?" Hendrik asked.
"Grandpa, please don't talk about that right now. I'm having lunch," Sam said.
"You have endless excuses. I don't care—your answer has to be ready today. If you can't find a potential wife, I'll find someone who fits your criteria!" Hendrik declared.
"Fine. I'll give you my answer tonight!"
Beni smiled sourly at Sam's answer. Which woman was Sam going to drag along as his fake girlfriend this time?
"Good! That's the decisive attitude of the heir to Dirgantara Corp. Don't go wandering around after work!"
Hendrik hung up without waiting for his grandson's reply. Sam placed his phone on the table, his face stiff.
"Yesss, you're finally getting married!"
"Marry your own bald head. Help me figure something out, Vin. Call any of your female friends so I can bring one to meet Grandpa."
"Huh? Why me again?"
"Come on, Vin. Help me out this time. I don't want to be set up with those money-hungry girls!" Sam whined.
Kevin let out a long sigh. "Oh my God, Sam, it's not that I don't want to help. The problem is, I'm completely out of female friends. Where am I supposed to find another one?" he said despairingly.
"I don't care where you find her. Just make sure you help me this time!"
"No, I can't help you anymore. Don't you remember the last time we brought a herbal-drink seller to be your fake girlfriend? Grandpa was furious. I'm not risking it!" Kevin refused.
The man took a sip of his hot tea. Then he calmly resumed chewing his food.
Sam snorted in annoyance and shot a sharp glance at Kevin, who looked completely relaxed. But a moment later, his gaze locked onto someone behind the display case. A smile spread across the thin lips of the man.
"There she is. She's perfect!" Sam murmured, nodding repeatedly.