Restaurant.
In front of the restroom.
"Hey, buddy! Look closely, it's a bear! Not a volleyball!"
As Adam stood there stunned, the person he had bumped into—a familiar yet slightly youthful face—blurted this out without hesitation. That was all the confirmation Adam needed.
It was her!
It was her!
It was really her!
The sharp-tongued, big-bear MAX!
But at this moment, she still looked a bit younger, and there was a sparkle in her eyes that didn't match the impression Adam had of her. Compared to her appearance in 2 Broke Girls, she had much more youthful energy.
Her looks were slightly above average—nothing exceptional, and she didn't have long legs. But her one true advantage was so overwhelming that it made everything else insignificant.
"Isn't it?"
Adam couldn't help but tease, "Are you sure?"
Seeing the girl, MAX, crouching on the floor, rubbing the spot where they collided while picking up the books she had dropped, Adam crouched down to help. A quick glance revealed they were college art textbooks, which delighted him.
So, at this point in time, she still had dreams. They hadn't been completely suffocated yet.
There's a joke that goes, I smoke, drink, and have tattoos, but I'm a good girl.
For 99% of the girls who say that, it's just a self-serving excuse.
But for the girl in front of him, it fit perfectly.
Her life had been an absolute mess—filled with hardships and misfortune. Yet, she had remained kind-hearted throughout.
Right now, if Adam wasn't mistaken, she was standing at a major crossroads in her life.
If she took a step forward, she might escape the abyss and find her way into a better life.
If she took a step back, she would stare into the abyss and embrace hell without fear.
Her dream was simple: to be a children's book illustrator.
And if nothing unexpected happened, she would likely hit a roadblock and be forced to take that step back.
But at this moment, Adam colliding with her was the biggest unexpected event of all.
"Huh."
MAX looked up in surprise, lowered the hand that had been rubbing the sore spot, and grinned. "Buddy, I like you!"
Adam didn't read too much into it. He knew that by like, she meant she appreciated his quick-witted humor—one sharp-tongued person recognizing another.
"You work here?"
Adam was curious.
This place was near Brooklyn, but still in Manhattan, separated by a river.
In his memory, she had always hung around Brooklyn.
"If I didn't work here, would I just be standing on the street?"
Even though MAX still had a youthful look, her two signature traits—her sharp tongue and her big presence—were already fully developed. Her snarky, slightly risqué remarks rolled off her tongue effortlessly.
"Well, with assets like those, working the streets could be a solid career choice."
As she spoke, she even cupped her chest slightly.
Adam, with his restless energy, suddenly felt a bit dizzy.
"I see what you mean. That really is a good career option."
MAX laughed at his reaction. "If I ever end up going that route, make sure to support me, alright? Volleyball, bear—whatever you say it is, it is."
"Ahem."
Adam really couldn't handle this level of banter and could only respond with an awkward chuckle.
People always said that when a woman gets raunchy, men don't stand a chance. That wasn't a joke—it was a fact.
"Alright, enough chatting. I gotta get to work."
MAX turned to leave but, after taking a few steps, glanced back at Adam with a smirk. "See that new big-bear chef over there?"
"Yeah."
Adam glanced at Monica and held back a laugh while nodding.
"Know why she dresses like that?"
MAX made an exaggerated hefting the world motion with her hands, causing Adam's head to spin again.
"To attract customers?"
Adam suddenly understood.
"Bingo. Now go check out the name of this restaurant."
MAX smirked. "The waitstaff here make 30% more than at other places—because they match the theme. So, why do you think I work here?"
With that, she pushed open the kitchen door and walked in.
"Holy shit."
That's when Adam finally noticed—the restaurant was called MAX's Restaurant.
Then, following MAX's hint, he glanced at the other waitresses. The average size was at least a C.
By those standards, Monica technically already fit the bill. The only reason she had to wear such an exaggerated outfit was that she worked in the open kitchen, directly facing the customers.
After all, when it comes to color, aroma, and taste, color comes first.
"Wait, you're not leaving?"
Monica, busy preparing food, turned around and was surprised to see Adam still sitting there. "Why are you sitting so far away?"
Her open kitchen had a bar counter in front of it. She made the food and handed it directly to customers sitting at the counter—no waitstaff needed.
Of course, this setup had limitations. She could only prepare simple dishes that didn't require extensive cooking. The rest was handled by the back kitchen.
"I suddenly got hungry again."
Adam didn't sit at the bar but instead chose a table. He smiled and said, "Don't mind me."
Monica was initially puzzled, but when MAX walked out in her uniform and Adam waved at her, she immediately rolled her eyes and muttered, "You really can't live without women, huh?"
Then, she glanced at MAX a few more times, before looking down at her own, more exaggerated curves, and muttered, "I told them it's fake, but they still don't believe me."
Today was Monica's first day on the job, and MAX had just arrived because of her class schedule. The two hadn't officially met yet.
Monica didn't know MAX's background, but after a quick glance at her exaggerated proportions, she instinctively assumed MAX was just another victim of their sleazy boss's questionable hiring standards.
"Sir, what would you like to order?"
MAX, now in her uniform, walked up to Adam's table, holding a notepad and pen, looking all business.
"My name's Adam."
Adam held the menu but didn't immediately order.
"Got it. One braised Adam."
MAX scribbled on her notepad.
"I'll also take one steamed MAX."
Adam grinned.
"Well, well, looks like someone's done their homework."
MAX glanced at the other waitresses and quipped, "Figures. These little bitches love guys like you."
She assumed Adam had learned her name from them.
"You don't?"
Adam, uncharacteristically bold today, decided to push his luck.
"Are you asking me out?"
MAX shot back.
"Do I have that honor?"
Adam smiled.
MAX didn't answer. Instead, she tore off a piece of her notepad, slapped it on the table, and walked off to take more orders.
Adam picked up the slip. On it was her name and phone number.
As expected of MAX—super direct.
Even with her youthful inexperience, her sharp intuition and decisiveness were already impressive.
As MAX passed by again after taking more orders, she paused beside Adam and, with a perfectly straight face, asked, "Sir, are you satisfied with your braised Adam?"
"Very satisfied."
Adam nodded with a smile.
"Good."
MAX kept a straight face. "If you ever need anything else, feel free to call me~"
Monica had been watching the whole thing. Seeing Adam wave the note at her, she rolled her eyes.
Back in the kitchen.
Faced with the envious stares of her female coworkers, MAX puffed out her chest, made finger guns, and pointed at both vital assets.
"That's right, ladies! I'm just like you—I'm a bitch too!"
Blunt as ever.
Her coworkers: "..."