This was the latest dinner I’d had in a while.

But also the most delicious.

Outside, night had fully settled. Inside, the warm glow of the wall lamp mingled with the soft light from my laptop. At the dining table, Xiao Xian and I sat shoulder to shoulder, feasting heartily on savory braised beef.

Xiao Xian pouted as she served me a large bowl of rice. Only then did she scoop a small portion for herself. Then, making a separate trip just for chopsticks, she ended up making three trips total. She was clearly a little annoyed at being bossed around—but that hint of irritation vanished the moment I placed a perfectly cooked piece of beef, aromatic and glistening with sauce, onto her plate.

That’s reward and punishment for you. If Xiao Xian ever disobeyed or showed yandere tendencies, I’d spank her bottom to help her cool down. But if she stayed obedient and finished her chores diligently? Then every future meal—not just this braised beef—would be both a reward and care for her health. I’d make sure our table held nutritious, tasty dishes, with meat now and then, never just instant noodles.

A guy who cooks never lacks luck or female attention. Hmm… thinking like that actually motivates me to kick my lazy habits. And with Xiao Xian—this “burden”… no, this troublesome little cutie—my future self truly has a long road ahead.

Thanks to Xiao Xian’s arrival, I finally found the resolve to keep pursuing my senpai.

After all… we’ve already got a kid. How hard could it be to win over her mom?

A slightly shameless logic—but undeniably sound.

“Spicy? I went easy on the chili,” I said, chewing the beef I’d just shoveled in. Chopsticks already reaching for more, I turned to Xiao Xian.

She ate slowly; the bite I’d given her was still in her little mouth.

Noticing my gaze, she finally swallowed. Her eyes lit up.

“Delicious!”

Off-topic, but I smiled and popped the marbled beef from my chopsticks into my mouth.

After a few more bites, Xiao Xian’s cheeks flushed red. She hurriedly swallowed rice, but the tingling heat refused to fade. I passed her my water cup—my own, though a kid her age wouldn’t grasp the idea of indirect kissing anyway.

As mentioned, this well-seasoned braised beef doesn’t taste spicy at first. Only later does the heat, seeped into every fiber, bloom—leaving you craving more.

“So spicy…” She gulped the water and let out a relieved sigh.

“Took you long enough! Eat slow—it’s all yours,” I said, shoveling rice.

Xiao Xian kept staring. I assumed childish restlessness.

“Don’t stare while eating. It’s impolite. Finish up.”

She didn’t look away. I softened my tone.

“What’s wrong?”

She blinked, shook her head quickly, hugged her bowl, and buried her face in her rice.

“I haven’t had dinner with Dad… or Mom… in so long,” she murmured, voice thick with emotion.

“…”

“It really feels like a dream…” She paused. “Back when Dad was so mean to me, I was so desperate. I couldn’t understand how Mom would ever like someone like him…”

“…”

“But now… I think… if I were Mom, I might fall for Dad too.”

I placed another tender piece of beef on her plate. No words were needed.

Xiao Xian studied it, didn’t eat right away, and said earnestly:

“Dad… should Xiao Xian help you win over Mom?”

“…I want to reunite with Mom as soon as possible.”