Mr. Ming, as he wished, was knocked unconscious by his lover.

This time, fate seemed to have suddenly let him go.

Those inescapable nightmares that had entangled him like destiny suddenly vanished without a trace. He had the best sleep he’d had in ten years.

Ming Bozhou was woken by the aroma of grilled fish, his stomach empty.

It seemed to have rained outside. The cool wind made the wind chimes tinkle, and the damp air was exceptionally fresh.

The sky had already turned completely dark, and from the window, he could see the stars twinkling all over the sky.

There was a bright fire in the courtyard, and a rich aroma kept drifting into the room with the wind. There was no smell of anything burnt or charred, so he knew with one sniff that it wasn’t the work of Xiao Yu or his son.

It was indeed not the work of Xiao Yu or his son.

The area around the bonfire was very lively. Not only was there grilled fish, but a temporary stone stove next to it was also simmering fish soup. The two delicacies, one on top of the other, mixed together, the aroma so fragrant it made one’s mouth water.

Next to the bonfire was the young boy who had lent him the horse today.

He looked to be only twelve or thirteen, no longer wearing that stunningly beautiful hunting attire, but had changed into a loose, simple short-sleeved shirt and long pants. He wore an apron like a pro, looking both well-behaved and neat.

Ming Bozhou still couldn’t completely distinguish between dream and reality. He stood by the window in the wind, staring at the fire in a daze for a while, before suddenly realizing that the boy by the bonfire didn’t seem to be helping an adult.

…The boy seemed to be the head chef.

The fish, skewered on a branch, was grilled to a crispy, golden brown. The places where it had been scored bloomed open, and the oil sizzled as it dripped out.

The fish was propped over the fire, skillfully flipped back and forth. The cumin and chili powder sprinkled on it instantly released a rich fragrance, which was carried by the fresh, cool post-rain wind, making one want to take several deep breaths.

This time, Ming Bozhou also saw his son clearly.

Ming Weiting was wearing clothes similar to the other boy’s and was taking out the watermelon, grapes, and apricots that had been chilled in well water. He washed them one by one and placed them on the low table under the grape trellis.

Ming Weiting seemed to have completely overcome the psychological shadow of “stumbling a hundred times on flat ground after being on shore for more than thirty-six hours.” Not only was he walking very steadily, but he was also in high spirits. He was sitting on a small stool, using the small, self-defense knife his father had given him, which could cut through iron like mud, to deseed the watermelon and grapes.

Ming Bozhou watched his son cut the watermelon into small pieces, put them in a small white porcelain bowl with the grape and apricot pulp, and take it to the bonfire to wipe the thin layer of sweat from the other boy’s forehead. He then used a toothpick to feed the cut fruit to the boy who was concentrating on grilling the fish.

Ming Bozhou found this scene somewhat familiar but didn’t dwell on it. He searched the courtyard, and only when he clearly saw his lover’s figure did he finally feel at ease.

Yan Yu was sitting under the grape trellis, chatting and laughing with her good friend while making dumplings.

Ming Bozhou hadn’t eaten dumplings in many years.

He had learned many things from Xiao Yu, learned what “home” was, learned that a family should reunite during the New Year, set off fireworks, have a New Year’s Eve dinner, and eat dumplings to hope for peace and reunion in the coming year.

Peace and reunion.

They sounded like the simplest four words.

He wanted his lover to be safe and healthy, happy every day. He wanted his son to grow up smoothly. He wanted a reunion.

He wanted the family to be able to spend every New Year together, to live the happiest days that Xiao Yu had described to him.

When he confronted his white-haired father, stubbornly insisting on marrying Xiao Yu, he didn’t know that this would be so difficult.

…

Yan Yu finished pinching a dumpling and suddenly looked up as if she had sensed something, her gaze meeting his precisely.

Ming Bozhou was startled and immediately retreated. He didn’t know which cabinet he had bumped into, but many things came crashing down.

He was worried something fragile might break and rushed over to catch them. Unfortunately, in his haste, he fumbled. The more he was afraid of dropping things, the less he could catch them. He didn’t know what his foot slipped on, and he lost his balance.

Yan Yu put the dumpling down. Hearing the loud clanging and banging from the room, she couldn’t help but press her lips together.

Ren Shuangmei was a little curious: “Not going to check?”

“It’s fine,” Yan Yu said. “He’s all about saving face. Let him clean up first.”

She and Ming Bozhou had met on a cruise ship. At that time, both of them were so young, not at an age where they needed to consider the future or what came next. They had tried every thrilling thing they wanted to try.

They had met wonderfully because of that cruise line, and because that cruise line came to an end, it was a natural time for them to part.

It wasn’t until she got off the ship that Yan Yu found out that the young man who was skilled, interesting, but always a bit too obsessed with being cool to the point of seeming a little dim, was actually the so-called Young Master Ming.

…

Mr. Ming, who was still the young master at the time, chased her off the ship and took a hard fall right there on the pier.

Yan Yu was still just a little girl then, startled by such a grand scene, and didn’t know whether she should help him up or not. By the time she ran over to take a closer look, Young Master Ming was already standing coolly in the water, a cigarette dangling from his wet lips, beckoning to her with a calm wave.

“It was only later that I found out that when you stay on a ship for a long time, you get unused to the ground. It’s not obvious usually, but when you get anxious, you can’t control your balance well.”

Yan Yu wiped her hands clean. While explaining to her good friend, she rested her chin on her hand and thought carefully. “When we first met, he probably fell about a hundred times.”

It wasn’t that he would just fall on flat ground, but as soon as he was distracted, anxious, or staring at something in a daze, a small five-centimeter bump could make Young Master Ming experience the dangers of the shore.

Ming Bozhou was also particularly concerned with his image. Every time, he would hastily pat the dirt off himself when Yan Yu wasn’t looking. If conditions allowed, he would even seize the opportunity to change into a new set of clothes with the cooperation of the equally young and elusive Ming family steward.

At first, Yan Yu was always surprised by the one-click-change Young Master Ming. Later, she gradually got used to it and would even considerately not pay attention for a little longer to give the young master time to check carefully, lest he accidentally leave his wallet and phone in the previous set of clothes and have to go to the broadcast room to find someone after losing them.

…

Later, when Yan Yu herself had been on the ship for a long time, she also became someone unfamiliar and unaccustomed to land.

She also began to feel that the ground was too flat, too stable. Her body, used to the ship’s balance system on the drifting sea, would always wake up startled in the middle of the night, urging someone to check what was wrong.

Why weren’t they on the ship? Why was it so quiet? Why was there no sea?

Yan Yu explained the principle of “land-sickness” to her good friend, then looked at her son who was coming over hand-in-hand with the other boy to bring the grilled fish, and was a little curious. “How did Huo Miao cure Weiting of this problem?”

Ren Shuangmei didn’t actually know either. She thought carefully while pinching a dumpling. “It was probably that rainy day when Huo Miao’s back injury flared up, and it hurt so much he couldn’t walk.”

That night, as soon as Ren Shuangmei heard the thunder, she immediately went out with an umbrella and a flashlight to meet them. Afraid of missing the two boys, she had to wait at the intersection.

Before long, the flashlight beam caught Ming Weiting carrying Huo Miao on his back.

Young Master Ming was carrying Huo Miao on his back, running home quickly in the rain, perfectly steady without a single wobble.

Yan Yu squatted down to thank the boys, took the fragrant grilled fish and ate it in small bites, listening to her good friend’s story, and suddenly became a little lost in thought.

She seemed to vaguely remember when Mr. Ming’s problem was cured too.

The medical facilities on the ship couldn’t treat her gunshot wound. Ming Bozhou carried her and jumped off the ship, desperately shouting for A’Lu to drive, and ran from the pier to the main road where a car could go.

She was still somewhat conscious at that time. She couldn’t really feel the pain anymore, just cold and sleepy. In her daze, she still remembered to tease Mr. Ming to run steadily and not drop her.

Mr. Ming carried her and ran all the way to the main road. The sky was so dark, the pier was wet and slippery, cluttered with wooden planks, seaweed, wet sand, and empty shells, but he didn’t stumble at all.

After that, she woke up from a long coma, too bored to lie down anymore. Ming Bozhou took her sightseeing, and wherever they went, he was more vigilant than her, protecting her not-yet-fully-healed wound every day. It was as if he had suddenly found the knack for reconciling with the land.

She could cook but could never learn how to barbecue, yet she refused to admit defeat, battling with the fish Mr. Ming caught every day. No matter what level of carbonization she grilled it to, Ming Bozhou would fight with his son to eat it, making the little Ming Weiting, who had never tasted a bite, believe that his mother’s grilled fish was the most delicious thing in the world.

After finishing the grilled fish, Yan Yu took off her plastic gloves and stood up, putting down the things in her hand.

Ren Shuangmei smiled and teased her gently, “Can’t sit still anymore?”

Yan Yu’s face grew warm. She pressed her lips together and nodded vigorously, pulling the small iron basin with the filling over. “We’re short-handed. He’s very good at making dumplings.”

Ren Shuangmei nodded in cooperation. “Then we must pull him over. With so many dumplings, just a few of us can’t finish making them.”

Heroine Yan had been given a way out and immediately slid down it, grabbing a finished product that could properly be called a “grilled fish,” and in one stride, was at the door of the small house.

Just as she was about to push the door open, Mr. Ming had also finished tidying himself up and walked out of the room.

Yan Yu’s hand was still on the doorknob, her other hand holding the grilled fish skewered on a branch. Before she could retract the excitement from her rush, she met Ming Bozhou’s gaze.

Ming Bozhou stared at her fixedly.

She stood motionless, her eyes inexplicably burning for no reason. She turned her head to leave, but was already caught in Mr. Ming’s embrace.

Ming Bozhou took the grilled fish she had brought.

Ming Bozhou’s heart was beating faster than hers, his strength greater than hers.

Held by him, Yan Yu felt his shoulders trembling. Her tears could no longer be held back, and lowering her head, she bit into Ming Bozhou’s shoulder.

“I went to the pier to elope with you,” Yan Yu said. “I brought my best pastries for you and Weiting. I brought a lot. People said they were hard to carry and store, but I said it was fine, my ship is at the pier.”

Yan Yu said, “I said my ship is in no hurry, it won’t leave no matter how long it waits. I told everyone I was going back to my sea, that I would rather die at sea…”

She spoke these words in a low voice, and just as the last word left her lips, Mr. Ming raised his hand and firmly sealed them.

Yan Yu’s tears fell even more fiercely.

“Was it because of this?” she asked. “You couldn’t bear to part with me, but how did you know I could bear to part with you and our son?”

She had heard the boys’ explanation. If someone else had told her these ghostly, supernatural things, she would never have believed them. But the ones who told her were Weiting and Huo Miao, and the two boys would never lie.

It was just that magical, so magical it was completely inexplicable.

Because the people who should have been the happiest, the most fulfilled, were not doing well in another world, so they tried every means to give reminders, to do their best to make up for these regrets.

Yan Yu looked up and asked, “At that time, was it because of this?”

Ming Bozhou was silent for a long time. He pulled her into his arms and gently stroked her hair. “It’s because I’m an idiot.”

…

The two boys had finished grilling the fish and were now helping to make dumplings, secretly peeking at the situation at the door.

Luo Chi was held in his mom’s arms, giving him a better view than Ming Weiting. He whispered a live broadcast of the scene to him.

Uncle and Auntie are talking.

Auntie is crying.

Auntie was made to laugh.

Auntie is angry because she was made to laugh, and she’s twisting Uncle’s ear.

Uncle seems to think it doesn’t hurt much, is worried Auntie’s strength isn’t what it used to be, is worried Auntie is hungry, is worried being hungry is bad for her health, so he’s giving the grilled fish to Auntie to eat.

Uncle seems to have been beaten up by Auntie again.

…

At the end of Huo Miao’s live broadcast, Ming Bozhou had carefully tidied his appearance and was led over by his lover to formally greet her good friend and the little one.

The progress of five people making dumplings was indeed faster than four.

In the wardrobe, Ming Bozhou found a full closet of clothes that fit his size, including suits, hunting attire, casual wear, as well as loungewear and pajamas.

He chose the most homely set of casual wear, not cool at all, but the most convenient for working and for a family to cook and eat together.

Ming Weiting made some private deals with his father, using “temporarily not telling Mom, not telling Mom that Father wants to drag him back to be the next Mr. Ming” as a threat to get a full three-year vacation from his father without being disturbed.

Yan Yu was curious about what the father and son were whispering about. She came over and peeked left and right, only to find that the Mr. Ming and Young Master Ming of the family had immediately ended their conversation and sat up straight and composed at the same time. She couldn’t help but hold her forehead and laugh.

Huo Miao was very fast. He finished his share of the dumplings and then ran to help his mom with the fish soup. The two worked together, taking the largest grilled fish, which hadn’t been seasoned, and putting it into the high-quality broth that had been simmering for hours, adding butter to cook with it. The delicious aroma instantly wafted everywhere.

Yan Yu went to continue making the dumplings in her hand, and was suddenly met with a peeled grape at her lips. She pressed her lips together before opening her mouth, and glanced at the person in front of her. “This kind of grape doesn’t need to be peeled.”

“I wanted to peel it for you,” Ming Bozhou said. “I deserve to be hit. I still made you cry at a time like this.”

Heroine Yan really didn’t want this to be discovered. She quickly ate the grape, glared at Mr. Ming, her face faintly warm.

The hot white steam floated and flowed under the light. The chirping of insects in the grass was crisp, and the sky was full of twinkling stars.

In the delicious aroma that made you want to swallow your own tongue, two chubby little puppies woke up and chased each other around the yard, tumbling and wrestling together.

“We are all strong and hardworking, so the ‘us’ in the other world must be able to live well too,” Yan Yu asked the all-knowing Mr. Ming. “Right?”

Ming Bozhou looked at her quietly.

He nodded, smiled, and looked at Huo Miao who was chasing the puppies all over the yard for a piece of butter, and at his son who was chasing Huo Miao all over the yard.

Mrs. Ren stood with her hands on her hips, smiling and cheering for the boys. In the courtyard, there was the evening wind and the moon, and a bright, warm bonfire.

“Yes,” Ming Bozhou said. “It will definitely be good.”

He raised his hand to stroke his lover’s hair, leaned over, and gently kissed her forehead.

They were all strong and hardworking, constantly moving forward with all their might.

Everything will be good.