Chapter 24: I Did It

Huo Minglei tended the fire while inhaling the fragrant air, clutching his stomach and feeling that he would certainly be able to eat an extra bowl of rice later.

"Mommy, isn't the food ready yet?"

Yaoyao usually spoke in a childish tone, fond of repeating syllables, and Lu Mingyue found herself unconsciously adopting the same way of speaking.

"The food is ready! Let’s dig in!"

Huo Minglei pricked up his ears, a glimmer of light crossing his eyes. It was finally time to eat. His stomach had rumbled several times already, and had he not been sitting and pressing against his belly to muffle the sound, he would have surely embarrassed himself in front of Lu Mingyue.

Once the meal was prepared, Huo Zheng arrived home. He quickly washed his hands, and the family sat down at the table.

As the lid of the claypot rice was lifted, Yaoyao’s mouth fell open in surprise. She kept sniffing the air, letting out chirps of wonder. "The food smells so good!"

Huo Minglei nodded in agreement. Though he had not yet fully accepted Lu Mingyue, he had already given her cooking his hundred-percent approval.

Neither child was a picky eater; they ate all the side dishes provided. Lu Mingyue scooped a bowl for each of them and set it down. "Eat up. You can have more when you’re done."

When it was Huo Zheng’s turn, he was met only with a rice scoop. Lu Mingyue chuckled softly. It was such a simple task, and he wasn't a child; there was no need to wait on him. Most importantly, she did not want him to develop the habit of being waited on hand and foot. If he became like that, he would be no different from the Lu family men. The mere thought made her shudder.

*Host, don't forget my portion.*

Seeing the family eating with such gusto, the System, fearing its host might forget the task, couldn't help but chime in. Indeed, while she was cooking, the System had issued another mission. This one was simple: prepare a delicious meal, and she would be rewarded with two pounds of pork belly. Thinking of the succulent meat, Lu Mingyue had put even more effort into the cooking.

With a soft *ding*, the two pounds of pork were credited. Lu Mingyue didn't withdraw them yet, planning to find a suitable time to reveal them to the family.

Yaoyao loved fish and had eaten most of the sea fish. Being young, she wasn't very good at picking out bones, so she chewed slowly with her cheeks puffed out. The fish they had bought had relatively few bones, making it suitable for children, but there were still some tiny ones hidden in the corners.

Lu Mingyue helped her debone a portion, leaving the meat to soak in the savory broth, and instructed the children to be careful while eating. Yaoyao took a big bite, the fish meat bursting with the unique aroma of the sea as she chewed.

The rich, oily claypot rice was a hit with Huo Zheng. Given his intense training, such calorie-dense food was perfect for quickly replenishing his body's needs. Huo Minglei, a boy who couldn't go without meat, kept his chopsticks moving between his bowl and the sweet-and-sour pork. Fortunately, they had prepared a hearty portion, so there was no fear of going hungry.

When the family finished their meal and set down their chopsticks, they all slumped in their chairs, so full they could barely move. Huo Zheng took charge of the cleanup, clearing the table and carrying the pots and pans to the courtyard to wash them.

Lu Mingyue looked at the two children, who were lounging in their chairs in the same posture as her. She couldn't help but wonder if sitting still immediately after a meal was bad for them. As the saying went, a walk after a meal helps one live to ninety-nine.

Lu Mingyue stretched and stood up. "Shall we go for a walk?"

Yaoyao was the first to agree. "Yay! Mommy, where are we going?"

Lu Mingyue tapped her chin. She was still new to the area and didn't know much about the surroundings. Plus, there were no streetlights at night, so going too far wasn't ideal. "Let's just walk around outside the front door."

Their house was in a prime location, perfect for enjoying the scenery. Huo Zheng had mentioned that when the house became available, many people had scrambled for it; had he not filed his application early, it likely would have gone to someone else. Two hundred meters away lay the sea, and one could hear the waves lapping against the shore from time to time.

Huo Zheng finished tidying up, put everything in its place, and grabbed a flashlight. "Let’s go. I'll come with you." Even though they were within the family quarters, the combined strength of one adult and two children was too weak; if they encountered any trouble, they wouldn't be able to run in time.

A bright moon hung in the sky, clearly illuminating the path ahead. Many people were sitting outside their homes on small stools, enjoying the cool night air. Thanks to their house's location, the surrounding area wasn't too crowded, and each home had its own private wall. Otherwise, Lu Mingyue would have been forced into a round of socializing.

Yaoyao walked in the middle, holding her brother’s hand in one and her mother’s in the other. Her little hands swung back and forth, and she looked exceptionally happy. Huo Minglei looked at his father’s large hands and, gathering his courage, tentatively reached out to hold his father’s calloused hand.

Huo Zheng glanced down at his son. Whether out of guilt or something else, the boy didn't dare look up. In the military, Huo Zheng was known as the "Cold-Faced Yama," a persona that often lingered even after he came home. Without realizing it, he would often wear a stern expression when facing his children. Yaoyao was too young to be afraid, but Huo Minglei was different. Since his mother’s passing, he had experienced the bitterness of life; the scheming and abandonment of relatives had left him deeply insecure. Despite appearing like a sturdy little calf, it was merely a facade to hide his inner vulnerability.

"Mommy, look! A star fell!" Yaoyao blinked, staring at the sea in the distance. A shooting star had streaked across the sky, followed by a smaller trail.

Lu Mingyue quickly took her hands. "Yaoyao, close your eyes. We have to make a wish together for it to come true." Yaoyao didn't understand what making a wish meant, but she followed her mother's lead.

Making a wish on a shooting star was a beautiful expression of people's hopes for life. Lu Mingyue had long passed the age of believing in such poetic notions, but even so, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement as she watched the meteor.

Once everything returned to calm, Lu Mingyue looked toward the sea and asked Huo Zheng, "Is there anywhere nearby to go foraging for seafood?"

Huo Zheng pointed toward the direction of the main gate. A hundred or two hundred meters from their home was where oysters loved to congregate. "Our area has seafood too, though it’s mostly small starfish and clams."

Lu Mingyue remembered seeing a starfish wind chime in Yaoyao’s room and made a bold guess. Seeing her sharp intuition, Huo Zheng nodded. "You’re right. I made that starfish chime for Yaoyao myself. She loves starfish, and her room is filled with them."