04. A Delivery That Still Counts
Author: The LA
last update2026-05-03 00:41:46

Ken’s motorcycle slowed before finally stopping in front of a two-story house by the roadside.

Fortunately, the porch light was still brightly on.

He didn’t need to check the time on his phone twice, he was clearly late. Ken stared at the numbers for a few seconds longer.

Before, a number like that only meant one thing: complaints, rating drops, income cuts.

Now…

he glanced at the corner of his vision.

[Mission: In Progress]

“Whatever…” he muttered softly, more to calm himself.

He got off the motorcycle. As he stood upright, the pain in his ribs returned to greet him. It wasn’t as bad as before, but enough to make his steps feel heavy.

He lifted the delivery bag. The warmth of the food was still felt in his palm.

Strange. It had been this long, but the temperature hadn’t completely faded.

Ken walked to the door and pressed the bell.

There was no answer, but footsteps were heard quickly from inside before the door opened rather harshly.

A middle-aged man stood there, his face immediately hardening when he saw the delivery jacket Ken was wearing.

“Yes? What now?” his tone was sharp, clearly displeased.

Ken raised the bag slightly, showing a proper smile with a hint of apology.

“Dinner order, Sir.”

“Only arriving now?” the man cut him off immediately, his voice rising. “Did you check the time? I’ve been waiting for almost two hours!”

Ken opened his mouth, wanting to explain length x width x height, but he wasn’t used to that, so in the end he just said, “Sorry, Sir, I—”

“Don’t keep saying ‘sorry’!” the middle-aged man cut him off again, even louder. “I’ve been calling, complaining, and in the end I canceled it! Do you think I don’t have a limit to my patience?”

“And how do I know if this food is still edible? Or already spoiled?”

He pointed at the bag with disgust.

Ken stayed silent for a split second. Logically, he could leave after being scolded like this. The order had been canceled and his business was done. Besides, he had already been fired.

But the blue screen glowing at the edge of his vision made him unwilling to give up. He took a slow breath, holding back the urge to defend himself excessively.

“Sir, I understand you’re upset,” he finally said, calmer.

“Of course I’m upset! If you were in my position, you’d be angry too!” the man shot back immediately.

Ken gave a small nod and didn’t argue, simply accepting the criticism calmly and sincerely.

That attitude made the man pause for a split second, and Ken used that moment.

“If you don’t want to take it, that’s okay. But please let me check the food first.”

Without waiting for permission, Ken slightly unzipped the bag, and warm steam immediately escaped. The aroma of the food spread slowly—strange, because it wasn’t just warm, but stronger than it should have been.

Fresher, and definitely more appetizing.

The man narrowed his eyes slightly, his nose moving reflexively.

Ken also paused for a split second.

“It shouldn’t… still be like this,” he thought.

“It’s still warm, Sir,” he said, different from what he thought, his voice steady. “If the quality isn’t right, you don’t have to pay in full.”

The man didn’t answer immediately. His gaze dropped into the bag. The crease on his forehead didn’t fully disappear, but it wasn’t as harsh as before.

“I’m not forcing you, Sir. But if you’re willing… just consider this my apology.”

He paused briefly, then continued, “I’ll take responsibility if there’s any problem.”

The man lifted his head, looking at Ken again. This time his attitude was more approachable, especially when he noticed the tear at the corner of Ken’s lips.

“Where are you from?” he asked suddenly.

“Nearby, Sir.”

“Nearby but still two hours late?” his tone was still sharp, but not as high as before, if anything, it sounded slightly more lenient.

Ken was silent for a moment, then finally answered, “…there was a problem on the way.”

The man let out a long breath. Like someone still annoyed, but starting to get tired of being angry.

“Fine,” he said at last, extending his hand. “Here.”

Ken handed over the bag.

The man opened it slightly, smelled the aroma again, then gave a small nod, almost unnoticeable. In truth, he felt very satisfied.

He went inside while Ken remained standing outside.

A few seconds later, the man returned with some money in his hand.

“Here,” he said shortly. “It’s still edible, so I’ll pay in full.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

The man didn’t reply, instead turning back inside and closing the door.

Ken stood there for a few seconds, looking at the blue screen that had updated.

[Congratulations, mission completed]

[Reward available: 1x Lucky Draw]

Ken stared at it for a long moment, his fingers still slightly stiff.

“…so this is real,” he muttered softly. For the first time tonight, he felt very happy and eager to go home.

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