bookpower Chapter 8 FAMILY DINNER
Chapter 8 FAMILY DINNER
"Let's eat!" Her father's voice rang out through the kitchen like a dinner bell, pulling Li Hua from her reverie.
Warm and strong hands scooped her up from behind, and she found herself airborne for a breathless moment. In her past life, such vulnerability would have been unthinkable, a moment suspended in the air was a moment of weakness. But her small body responded with pure delight, a giggle bubbling up from somewhere deep and genuine.
"My little Poppy must eat her fill or Bàba will be very sad," he said, nuzzling her cheek with his stubbly chin. The scratchy sensation made her squirm and laugh harder.
"Bahahaha, no! Stop!" She squirmed in his arms, her tiny hands pushing playfully against his chest.
"Me next, me next!" Li Hao shouted, his chubby little hands waving in the air.
She watched her brother bounce on his toes, his round face glowing with anticipation.
Her father swung her through the air one final time before setting her down, his hands gentle despite their strength.
Li Hua watched as he scooped up Li Hao next, her brother's delighted squeals echoing through the open courtyard. The sound pierced through layers of old memories—of silent kills and shadowed corridors—replacing them with something warmer, brighter.
Watching her father's hands carefully distributing the precious morsels of meat, she understood that love could manifest in the smallest of actions.
"Mmmm, Māmā! This is delicious!" Li Hao shouted, grease dripping down his chin as he spoke.
"If it's good, then eat more!" Her mother beamed at him, her eyes crinkling with joy. She reached over to wipe Li Hao's chin with her sleeve, tutting softly even as her smile grew wider.
"Hua'er, is it delicious?" Her mother turned to ask.
Realizing that she had yet to take a bite, Li Hua hurriedly stuffed the pork in her mouth and felt her eyes widen at the explosion of flavors on her tongue.
"Delicious...Māmā." She said with a full mouth of food.
In her past life, food had been merely fuel—precise portions calculated for optimal performance, then later, as CEO, expensive dishes served in sterile elegance. Even when dining at the world's finest restaurants, each morsel had been just another symbol of power, devoid of true meaning.
But here, in this humble courtyard, watching her mother's eyes crinkle with joy at their appreciation, Li Hua discovered what all her wealth could never buy. Each bite carried more than just the rich flavors of soy sauce and garlic—it was seasoned with her mother's love, garnished with her father's proud smile, and shared with her brothers' cheerful chatter.
This simple meal, born of their modest means but served with abundant love, taught her that true nourishment came from more than just the food itself. Each shared dish was a celebration of belonging, every taste a reminder that she was home, not in a mansion filled with servants and security, but in a place where her heart could finally rest.