Little Sparrow
"Wow, Food Wars! is really living up to expectations this time! Even though the modified recipes don't trigger those 'drug-like' reactions from eating, it's still way better than the food in Cooking Master Boy!"
"Yeah, I've seen several food video creators trying to make those imitation crispy roasted meat and transformed egg rice dishes, and they seem to taste pretty good."
"This manga is genuinely amazing. I think it's even better than Cooking Master Boy!"
"Nonsense! The glowing dishes are the real gourmet experience!"
Ever since the release of Food Wars!, the internet was buzzing with people talking about the new manga.
For years, ever since Cooking Master Boy, there hadn't been a food manga that was this captivating, and food manga enthusiasts had been waiting for something to fill that void.
When Ren's portrayal of the culinary master appeared, it was like a dam of excitement bursting open.
At the same time, in Ren's home...
"Is it my fault they copied my homework?"
"Little Dong was dumb enough to not only copy my homework but even write my name on it. Is that my fault?"
"Did I ask them to copy it?"
"So why am I the one getting scolded?"
Right now, a little girl was mumbling angrily at home, her cheeks puffed up like a hamster's.
Being a good kid, she diligently finished her homework every night.
But not all kids are like that.
Just like when Ren was in school, there were plenty of kids in the little girl's class who rushed to copy homework in the morning.
As one of the top students, her homework was naturally a prime target.
Unfortunately, she ran into classmates who didn't even know how to copy properly.
There was a language assignment where they had to write a short 200-word self-introduction, but her classmates didn't even read it; they just copied it all, including her name. Because of this, she got scolded at school by the teacher.
However, Ren thought her teacher was quite clever.
Normally, teachers would only scold those who copied and would just tell the ones who let them copy not to lend their homework next time.
But this teacher did things differently, scolding both sides, and was even harsher on the little girl.
As a result, the little girl would probably avoid letting others copy her homework in the future.
After all, kids know how to avoid trouble. After realizing she got into even more trouble by letting others copy, it was unlikely she'd let them do it again.
But Ren didn't bother to comfort her.
Instead, he lay on the couch, legs crossed, scrolling through the latest comments.
Seeing all the praise for Food Wars! and compliments directed at him, Ren nodded with satisfaction.
Who doesn't like being praised?
The little girl, realizing her complaints weren't having any effect on her dad, pouted and prepared to tackle him playfully.
But suddenly, she stopped.
Little White was barking loudly outside for some reason.
"What's up with Little White?"
Could it be a dog thief?
Ren was puzzled, but considering his neighborhood, it didn't seem likely.
He sat up and looked out the window.
Little White was just standing outside, and there were no signs of strangers, which put Ren at ease. He waved his hand dismissively, "Probably just wants to howl a bit. Kinda like you when you sing."
"Really?"
The little girl seemed skeptical, but her curiosity got the better of her, making her forget all about her troubles at school as she headed outside.
Ren glanced at her as she left.
He let out a sigh of relief.
Tonight, Little White deserved an extra meaty bone for taking this chatty kid off his hands.
But his peace didn't last long.
"Dad! Dad! Come here, quick! Something's happened!"
The little girl's shouts came from outside, causing Ren's brief moment of peace to disappear. He sighed and made his way outside.
On the lawn, the little girl and Little White were crouched down, seemingly looking at something.
When they noticed Ren, the little girl quickly waved him over, "Dad, hurry up! There's a little bird here!!"
Ren walked over.
Sure enough, there was a little bird on the lawn.
It was a small bird with a bit of brown on its wings, and its left wing drooped to the ground, appearing injured.
"Dad, look! The poor bird has a hurt wing," the little girl said worriedly, then glanced at Little White, "It must've been Little White!"
"Woof woof~~"
Little White whimpered as if trying to defend himself, but it was just a pitiful attempt in dog language.
Ren quickly noticed the real culprit.
"Don't make assumptions. It's obviously that cat over there," Ren said, pointing to a flower-patterned cat on a tree not far away. The cat was watching them intently, and a feather was stuck to its fur.
"Bad kitty!"
The little girl seemed to understand, shaking her fist at the cat.
"Alright, alright. Cats eat birds to survive. It's natural selection," Ren said, even though he knew the little girl might not fully grasp the concept.
He then crouched down and gently picked up the injured bird.
It was a tiny sparrow, not even half the size of Ren's palm. It looked chubby and round, with a small head and plump body, almost like a little ball with no visible neck.
"Come to think of it, sparrows are a protected species, aren't they?"
Ren chuckled and told the little girl, "Let's bandage it up."
A while later...
The little sparrow, now bandaged, was lying in a makeshift nest that Ren and the little girl had put together.
Clearly frightened by its new surroundings, the bird kept chirping non-stop.
"Poor little bird," the little girl said, looking at the sparrow with sad eyes. "Its wing is hurt, and it can't fly."
Her big eyes shone with empathy.
But then...
"What kind of bird is this?" she asked curiously, inspecting it closely and turning to Ren.
"It's a little sparrow. They're a protected species!"
"Wow~~"
A look of wonder flashed across her face.
Although she didn't really understand what a protected species meant, she knew that pandas were also a protected species!
Did that mean the bird she saved was just like a panda?
"Dad, should we take it to the zoo?"
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