-279- Dumbfounded

In the afternoon, Linwin returned home and naturally put on an apron to cook soup in the kitchen.

The meat simmered in the boiling broth while chopped vegetables flew into the pot in an orderly manner.

"Master, wind magic is so convenient."

"Yes, I feel the same way," Linwin nodded as seasoning ingredients flew into his hands.

Thinking back, being born in Zaun was truly excellent. Where else could you easily meet gods like Janna? She was such a communicative deity, unique even in the entire of Runeterra. And wind magic was indeed very useful.

Taliyah sat at the dining table, watching Linwin's back as she rested her chin on her hand, pouting.

After returning from Shurima to Zaun, Linwin rarely cooked. Initially, it was Zoran who cooked, but later, for some reason, Zoran found a drinking buddy and started going out every day, leaving cooking duties to Kai'Sa.

However, Linwin would occasionally showcase his culinary skills, and Taliyah had been eager to taste her master's cooking ever since.

It's not that Kai'Sa's cooking was bad. No, not at all. It's just that Linwin's food was simply too delicious!

Taliyah propped herself up and walked to the kitchen, wanting to help Linwin serve the dishes.

"Is Powder coming for dinner today?"

"Powder?"

Linwin wiped his hands, plates hovering beside him, and steadily flew towards the table.

Taliyah followed with bottles of drinks.

"She will be here soon."

Taliyah: "."

Linwin was about to say he didn't know if she would come.

Powder had so many thoughts in her little head.

But today, she should come since Linwin asked Vi to take care of Sejuani, so Vi should take care of her dinner too, along with the two girl who came with Sejuani from the Winter's Claw.

As for what Vi would bring them to eat, that wasn't Linwin's concern.

By the way, the two Winter's Claw girls were strangely beautiful.

Hmm, that's not the point.

Anyway, when Vi wasn't at home, Powder wasn't someone who liked to stay alone, so Linwin thought she would come over for dinner today.

But just as Linwin was about to expand his magic to sense her, he shook his head helplessly with a smile when he hears a loud thumping sound.

Who else could dash up the stairs so wildly and crazily except Powder?

"Linwin!"

A wild Powder has appeared!

She was carrying a blue hat in her hand.

"Aha! Am I just in time?"

Tying the black coat with roses around her waist, the long sleeves flapped everywhere, and her long hair was tied into two giant blue buns. Because she had various experiments to do today, Powder dressed in convenient sporty style. She wore a black short top inside and black cropped pants below, revealing a pair of fair and tender legs.

During experiments, long braids were easy to get dirty and posed a danger, so she tied them into two big buns.

But don't say, these two big blue buns, matched with Powder's delicate face, made Powder even cuter and more energetic.

With one hand on the doorknob, she tilted her head, swinging her two big buns proudly.

Seeing this, Zoran, who had just stepped out of the door, walked straight up and tapped Powder's head with force, making one big bun shake vigorously.

"Ow, old man, what are you doing!"

Hastily holding onto her big buns, Powder looked at Zoran with a pout.

With her mischievous personality and naturally charming face, one look from her made her seem pitiful.

But Zoran wasn't buying it.

He had watched this girl grow up. She used to be quiet and reserved as a child, but she became more lively as she grew older.

"Don't run up the stairs, you crazy girl,"

"Go and sit down." Zoran said sternly.

"Come on, Powder, it's time for dinner," Linwin also waved.

"Hmph, I'm not going to argue with you."

Following behind Zoran cautiously, Powder muttered to herself with her head down.

Zoran suddenly stopped, and Powder stopped immediately too, then turned her head away from him.

"You little brat," Zoran added.

In response, as soon as he turned around, Powder immediately stood on one foot, pressing her palms against her cheeks and pushing out her tongue while make a "bleh" face.

Taliyah saw this scene from the dining table and quickly lowered her head, suppressing her laughter.

Linwin couldn't help but chuckle on the side.

Powder's always such a delight.

At the dinner table, Zoran glanced at Powder, then at Taliyah, and finally at Linwin next to Powder, and loudly asked, "You little brat, why hasn't Kai'Sa come back yet? Are you hiding something from me?"

Zoran poured himself a glass of wine and drank it, then said loudly, "You better tell me the truth, Linwin, did you made Kai'Sa angry? Is that why she hasn't come back?"

"Old man, what nonsense are you talking about? My relationship with Kai'Sa is fine," Linwin glared at Zoran.

What's this old man blabbering about?

Linwin knew exactly what Zoran was thinking.

The old guy thought he was getting old, and every day he hoped Linwin would have a child, so he could hold his grandchild.

For a while, he even tried to pair Linwin with Vi.

Although Vi was violent, Zoran could see that she was actually a good girl.

But it didn't work out.

Then, Kai'Sa came.

Hmm, so Zoran changed his goal to match Linwin with Kai'Sa.

"Why hasn't she come back yet if everything is fine? Didn't you tell me she'd be back soon? It's been a week already."

"What's the rush? Kai'Sa went to see her father," Powder added from the side.

Then, Powder quickly made her own calculations.

I hope Kai'Sa never come...

Wait, no, no, she has to come back.

If Kai'Sa really didn't come back, after a while, Powder was sure she would be sad.

On the surface, Powder acts like she dislike Kai'Sa, but she actually really likes Kai'Sa.

So.... Just take your sweet time and come back as late as you can.

Yes, that's it!

You can come back after I take Linwin down!

Powder thought to herself as she bit her chopsticks.

"She must have run into some trouble," Linwin looked at Zoran, picked up a piece of meat and put it in his bowl, and said, "Anyway, stop worrying so much. What are you so impatient these days?"

"I'm impatient? I'm over fifty!" Zoran glared at Linwin and said loudly, "There aren't many Zaunites who live to this age. I don't know when I'll die, so of course, I'm in a hurry."

"You're not going to die, you're still young." Linwin scooped some soup and put it in front of Zoran, saying unkindly, "Wear the charm I gave you properly. You'll live to be a hundred. If you still want to live after a hundred, go ask Viktor and Jayce for help. They can modify you to live to a thousand years old and become a real old man."

"Modify my ass, living to a thousand years old is bullshit."

"You little brat, why would I want to live that long?"

Powder, holding her chopsticks, tilted her head and said, "To be a turtle?"

Zoran's veins bulged, he slapped the table and said, "You little brat!"

On the other side of Zoran, Powder quickly lowered her head and moved closer to Linwin.

There are not many people in Zaun who dare to hit her.

Vander and Silco absolutely doted on Powder, and Vi did too.

As for Linwin? Linwin had never hit Powder before, so it was even less likely now.

It's not that Linwin doesn't hit women, didn't he hit Illaoi and Nagakabouros? Hmph.

But Linwin absolutely wouldn't hit his own wife.

But Zoran is an exception.

First of all, this old man is Linwin's father, and so he's technically Powder's father too.

Secondly, this old man already hit Powder a few times when she was little. When Powder was very naughty and caused trouble at the age of eleven or twelve, the old man hit Powder's butt with a bamboo stick.

The key is that Vander even praised him for it!

There was a sense of satisfaction in finally seeing someone able to do it.

Silco wasn't as indulgent at that time, he just turned a blind eye to it.

And Vi?

Vi was eating the candy and snacks given to her by Zoran on the side, just watching her sister get beaten.

Anyway, Powder is actually quite scared of Zoran.

"You can stop glaring at her now," Linwin said helplessly.

"You just keep doting on her now. Just you watch, you little girl, when you get married, I'll make you pour tea for me every day."

"Kai'Sa should do it, I'll be the big wife, she's the little one, so she should be the one who do it."

"The big wife is responsible for many things so you'll be doing these things," Zoran said immediately.

"Then, then I'll be the little one, anyway, I won't pour tea for you."

Linwin reached out, slapped himself in the face, and sighed at Powder, who was arguing with Zoran: "Sigh."

Despite being such a genius, why does she always do such stupid things?

Taliyah listened to the interaction that she couldn't interrupt, with a silly smile on her face.

—————

"We're finally here."

Looking at the distant city lights, the woman in the cloak rubbed her cheeks vigorously.

Behind her, the man wearing oversized pilgrimage robes, which covered his face, patted his head and said awkwardly saying, "Actually, we didn't waste much time, did we?"

"Father, we could have returned to Zaun eight days earlier."

Arriving here, Kai'Sa could finally take off her hood.

Many people here knew her, and they didn't care about Kai'Sa's appearance.

The previous merchant ship docked on the side of the River Pilt in Twin Cities. Since they didn't have the documents to enter the ports of Piltover and Zaun directly, they had to stop here.

Kassadin fell silent.

Following behind his daughter, but when he saw the brightly lit, magnificent city, he frowned slightly.

He had been to Zaun and Piltover many times. It could be said that Kassadin was familiar with these two cities. But now, he had to admit that he didn't know these two cities at all.

In just a few years, these twin sister cities had slipped from Kassadin's memory, turning into something completely unfamiliar to him.

"Let's go, Father."

Kai'Sa's tone was urgent; she couldn't wait to see Linwin.

But this made Kassadin feel uncomfortable.

In the days spent with his daughter, Kai'Sa had never been this urgent. Only when it came to Zaun, when it came to that guy named Linwin, did Kai'Sa's tone change.

Kassadin took a deep breath: "."

The Nether Blade in his hand trembled slightly....

This was also the main reason why Kai'Sa was late returning to Zaun, because Kassadin was causing trouble.

Although Kassadin didn't intend to intervene in his daughter's love life, he certainly wouldn't stop Kai'Sa's love, because he had no right to do so.

But as a father, Kassadin couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

His daughter caring so much about another man, and that guy named Linwin, Kassadin still doesn't understand what kind of person he is.

From his daughter's words, Kassadin understood that this guy named Linwin was a bit lazy, liked to let Kai'Sa massage his shoulder, liked to feed Kai'Sa food, and so on.

With just these pieces of information, if Kai'Sa didn't mention the relationship at the beginning, Kassadin would have thought his daughter was being kept as a pet by someone!

"Can we go in directly?"

Kassadin followed behind his daughter and asked, "I don't have a pass."

"We won't be needing one..... probably?" Kai'Sa thought for a moment and said.

"Don't need one?" Kassadin was a bit puzzled.

"Actually, Linwin is quite powerful, Father," Kai'Sa explained.

Kassadin nodded silently, not saying anything.

And when they arrived at the checkpoint in Piltover, several enforcers immediately approached them.

"Hello, please stop!"

"Please show your pass."

Of course, Kai'Sa didn't have a pass.

Opening her mouth, she was about to say her name and Linwin's name.

Then....

"Wait. Are you Lady Kai'Sa?" the middle-aged enforcer exclaimed, looking at Kai'Sa in astonishment. Under the orange light, Kai'Sa nodded vigorously.

"Alright, make way, everyone."

"Lady Kai'Sa is back."

The middle-aged enforcer immediately spoke loudly.

He recognized Kai'Sa, even though she was currently dressed in pilgrimage attire, but from Kai'Sa's black hair and that face, he recognized her. She was someone who had fought alongside the Zaun enforcers.

"Kai'Sa? Ah, the lady who often accompanies Councilor Linwin?"

"Hurry, open the gates, let them through!"

"Lady Kai'Sa, please."

"I..." Kai'Sa blinked, feeling a bit uncomfortable, but she quickly calmed down when she thought that she would encounter such situations when attending events with Linwin.

And what about Kassadin on the side?

The father-in-law looked puzzled: "???"

Linwin, shouldn't he be somekind of thug in Zaun?

And Linwin as a councilor, what is that all about?

Isn't a councilor the highest level in Piltover?

"Wait, Kai'Sa, what does this Linwin actually do? You said he's a leader in Zaun?" 

"Yeah." Kai'Sa nodded and said, "Linwin is indeed a leader in Zaun."

"He can command enforcers in the undercity."

Kassadin suddenly froze.

Wait a minute, his daughter only said that the guy named Linwin is a leader, but didn't say he's the leader of some undercity gang.

Throughout, Kassadin believed that when Kai'Sa said Linwin's job was a leader in Zaun, he thought he was just a gang leader of some sort.

But now.

Kassadin understood.

His beloved daughter's words were meant literally.

He's literally the leader of Zaun!

Kassadin was dumfounded...