After Luca and Tina accompanied Marcos to another place, Luca asked, “Mr. Marcos, may I ask you a question?"
"Yes. Go ahead and ask," replied Marcos.
"You've been asking Andy to leave you alone every time you arrive at a certain place. Are you looking for something?" Luca
asked.
Marcos was not planning to tell Luca about his family affairs. After all, if the elders in his family found out that his mother might
be alive, his mother would probably be in danger.
"I'm looking for my memories. It's a pity that these places have changed so much. They're so much different from how they used
to be," Marcos deliberately spoke in a regretful tone.
Tina nodded while holding a cup of warm coffee in her hands. "Mr. Marcos, the places we've been to for the past two days are
different from how they used to be. And I heard the older generation say that many places were reconstructed 20 years ago. In
fact, they've been reconstructed many times so far. The old buildings were demolished, just like the park you're at now. Many
foreign friends would come here to promote their country's culture and traditions and look for companions who came here to
study before the reconstruction. They seldom come here after that. Nothing is like it used to be."
"How times have changed. I guess that's what it means." Marcos could not help but secretly let out a sigh, realizing that there
was a slim chance of finding his mother.
Things were different from how he had remembered them. No matter how much Marcos' mother had missed his father, looking at
these reconstructed buildings would not remind her of his father.
Andy said in a low voice, "Boss..."
Marcos looked at the snow falling from above. The eagerness of finding his mother grew stronger as he replied, "It's okay."
Both of them spoke in Russian, and Luca could understand them. She got even more curious. What was Marcos looking for in
these places?
After all, these places had nothing to do with the project. It was the government's jurisdiction to develop these lands, and they
would not let companies abroad participate in the development.
Marcos should know about that.
Luca became even more curious about what Marcos was truly looking for. However, Marcos did not tell her, and it would be
inappropriate for her to ask him more about it. Luca and Tina had no choice but to accompany Marcos to the places he would
like to go.
Andy shook his head. There was helplessness in his blue eyes.
Marcos turned around and said to Luca, “The scenery is breathtaking. I'm honored to have two pretty ladies bringing me here for
sightseeing today. Thank you for your company."
"I'm sorry the places didn't meet your expectations," replied Luca.
"It's not your fault. The city changes. It's difficult to find the traces of the past. It's getting late. Let me treat you to dinner." Marcos
invited.
Tina immediately replied, "Mr. Marcos, I've made arrangements for your dinner. Thank you, but you don't have to buy us dinner."
Marcos turned to look at Tina and said, "Ms. Tina, every meal you've arranged for us was perfect. They're something I've never
tried before. May I know what you've arranged for us this time?"
"It's a restaurant serving local dishes. Although it's not a big restaurant, they serve good food. Mr. Marcos, would you like to try
it? I can arrange some other cuisines for you if you don't like it," said Tina. She made the arrangements according to Marcos'
request.
Marcos wanted to try the dishes he had never tried in Russia before. Hence, Tina was trying her best to choose the memorable
restaurants that locals loved going to.
However, delectable food was not all found in big and famous restaurants. That was why Tina asked for Marcos' opinion first.
"I must try the ones you've arranged for me. But this time, I'd like the two of you to dine with me too. Let me treat you. Please
take it as a token of appreciation for being my tour guide for the past two days," Marcos said in a gentlemanly manner.
Tina shot Luca a glance.
Luca asked in confusion, "Mr. Marcos, do you mean you're going back soon?"
Marcos shook his head. He smiled and replied, "Not so soon. But I'm probably going to be busy for the next few days. A certain
someone can't wait to travel here. So, the two of you may get back to work after this. Of course, I'll inform Mr. Crawford about it.
Don't worry. Plus, I'm not sure if I have the time to invite the two of you out for dinner some other day. Why don't we make it
today?"
"Okay. Thank you, Mr. Marcos." Luca smiled.
Tina heard Luca agree to it. She could notice that Marcos was friendly to Luca. Although they were not especially close, the
friendliness Marcos had for her was different from what he showed her.
Marcos was courteous to Tina, while he admired and respected Luca. However, it was not the kind of admiration with bad
intentions.
Hence, Tina nodded and agreed to it too. She said, "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Marcos glanced at the scenic spot and left together with them.
He was destined to gain nothing from his travel here this time.
Marcos climbed back into the car. The gleam in his eyes was gone as they darkened. He did not show his disappointment in
front of the others, but the truth was he was indeed disappointed.
Although he did not expect that he could find his mother this time, he still had hopes of finding her.
Now, reality told him that it was all just his imagination.
Marcos did not manage to find his mother. Besides, there was no way he could ask his men to look for his mother...
It was because every move he made and every man he sent out would be investigated by the Abaza family.
Therefore, he could not risk himself doing that.
It seemed like he had to implement another plan. Even though he could not find someone to investigate the matter, he could still
ask someone to help him to look into it.
However, he had no idea whether or not that person would agree to help him.
The four of them got out of the car at the same time when they arrived at the farmhouse restaurant that Tina had reserved
earlier.
“Mr. Marcos, this is the restaurant I'm talking about just now. Although it's not a Michelin-starred restaurant, it's acknowledged by
everyone in A City as the best farmhouse restaurant. The taste of their food has never changed since they started the business
30 years ago. And they've never cut corners in their ingredients either," Tina introduced the restaurant to Marcos.
Marcos smiled as he looked at the farmhouse restaurant in front of him and said, "The farmhouse looks chic. It's one of a kind in
a bustling city."
"Yes. If it weren't for this farmhouse restaurant, the buildings here would have been demolished. The local food served by the
restaurant is too famous. And the government changed its mind and redeveloped this place just to keep the restaurant. It was
rare for the government to make such a decision and keep the specialty of this place." Tina had gotten used to explaining to
Marcos the different architectural features of the buildings in A City for the past two days.
Marcos showed great interest in her explanations too.
"A farmhouse restaurant that could make the government change their mind. Well, I'm starting to look forward to it," Marcos
confessed. He had heard his mother tell him that the local food in A City tasted good back then, and his father loved it too.
If there was another chance, he and his family would surely head to A City to try the local food there again.
However, he no longer had the chance to do so.