Chapter 237: Chaos, Comfort, and a Quiet Picnic
Of course, his father wasn’t good at climbing trees either.
"Oh, but I also liked reading. I read a lot at school," he continued.
He had spent much of his time in the library and reading anything he could get his hands on.
After losing his parents, he read even more, finding every free moment to immerse himself in books.
"I just don’t understand you anymore."
"Is that so?"
He didn’t think Qiong Xing had that complicated a personality.
"More importantly! Stop those twins!"
At first, it was unclear what had happened, but when they were dragged into the room, everything became clear.
"Now, this is something else."
The twins, being beastkin and growing quickly, had already outgrown crawling and could walk on their own and once that happened... well, one could imagine the chaos.
They walked around the room, knocking things off tables, and as Qiong Xing tried to pick up the fallen items, the twins would keep messing everything up.
On top of that, Rui must have bumped into something because he was crying loudly in pain.
"Rui, stop crying already! Yue, stay still!"
Raon shouted as he picked up the fallen objects, but his voice only made Rui cry harder, which in turn made Yue start crying too.
"Lian, go play with Albe. Rui, Yue, come here."
As Qiong Xing’s call their names, he caught the two who stumbled over while crying.
It was partly his fault for having gone outside with them for a little while.
"What happened? You were such good kids just a moment ago, weren’t you?"
That was exactly why Qiong Xing had left the twins with Raon and gone outside for a short break.
"’Mama, where’s gone~’"
"You were looking for me?"
It was truly his fault.
After he apologize, he hugged them tightly, and finally, they stopped crying.
"Raon, I’m sorry too. That must have been tough."
They had probably run to Albe for help because Raon alone couldn’t handle it.
"Well, it seems they woke up and panicked when you weren’t there," Raon said with a shrug his shoulder and Qiong Xing felt nothing but gratitude.
"Shall we apologize too, you two?"
"...Sorry~"
"That’s good if you’ve learned your lesson."
Now in a better mood, the twins went to hug Raon.
As long as Qiong Xing was around, they behaved and played nicely.
"Since they’re awake, shall we go for a walk outside today?"
"Lian too!"
"Right. Lian, you’ll come along too. But you absolutely must not leave my side. If I can’t protect you, next time you’ll stay home."
"Yeah!"
Lian’s energetic response made them all smile.
Together with Raon and Albe who also wanted to come along, they headed outside.
"Humans are creatures that learn, you know."
It’s fine, he’s not lost!
"Mama?"
Qiong Xing smiled at the curious tilt of Lian’s head, masking his worry.
After checking that no one was around, he didn’t shout, but instead sent a magical signal into the sky, like a distress signal.
"This way, Albe will understand. Now, Lian, let’s have a bite to eat until then."
"Beat to eat?"
"It’s bite to eat. In other words, a meal. Today, we have your favorite rice balls and miso soup."
"Rise balls!"
Close! The way he mispronounced it just made him even cuter.
Perhaps inheriting some habits from Qiong Xing, Lian really liked rice and miso soup.
As he setting up the picnic-like meal, Qiong Xing almost forgot that he himself had gotten lost.
"I put lots of vegetables in, so let’s eat well, okay?"
"No."
Lian turned his face away as if vegetables were the worst thing imaginable, but when Qiong Xing scooped them up and fed her with a spoon, she opened her mouth wide and chewed diligently.
If it had been raw vegetables, Lian wouldn’t have eaten them no matter how much Qiong Xing encouraged her.
Cooked or seasoned vegetables were also refused and even sandwiched in bread, he wouldn’t touch them.
But for some reason, vegetables in miso soup were acceptable.
It was a strange quirk, so Qiong Xing always made sure to put plenty in the soup.
"I’d like to add fried tofu as well, but I only vaguely remember how to make it."
"?"
"It’s my favorite miso soup. Once it’s ready, Lian can eat it with me."
"Yeah!"
White radish, seaweed, green onions, clams—the possibilities were endless and if you increase the variety in the soup, you naturally want to increase the variety of rice balls too.
Simple salted rice balls or ones with fish were tasty, but he wanted something with... a little originality.
The thought suddenly popped into his head and now he wanted to eat it.
"Ah, fried tofu, of course."
Something so common in in his previous life now felt nostalgic.
Recalling how to make it, he was soon being urged by Lian to eat quickly.
"You’re unusually hungry today."
He was still a child, so the portion wasn’t that big, but it felt like he was eating more than usual.
"Delicious, isn’t it?"
Perhaps it was because they were eating outside.
If Lian refused to eat, Qiong Xing might worry, but as long as she was happily eating, there was no need for concern.
"O-oh, look at you! Eating something good, huh!"
"..."
Annoying.
Ignoring the noisy man, Qiong Xing carried the food over to Lian.
Perhaps because Qiong Xing said nothing, Lian didn’t react either and quietly eating as it was placed before him.
"Hey, are you listening?!"
He could hear him, but he didn’t want to listen.
"Hey! You there!"
"Can’t you see? I’m eating with a child right now. If you want to make a fuss, go ahead by yourselves."
They could make as much noise as they liked, but a little consideration for others would be nice.
"Shut up! Just give us the food already!"
Apparently, his ears were as bad as his manners.
Qiong Xing had clearly prepared enough for himself and Lian, yet the man didn’t seem to understand the polite way Qiong Xing was hinting for them to leave.