Unveiling Secrets Hidden in the Soul

"Alright, let's head back now." Without hesitation, Cheng Mo turned and walked in the direction they came from, leaving behind a few department heads with a belly full of questions. They could only send them off with bowed heads. Cheng Tian swiftly leaped into the woods, summoning the horse they rode in on, waiting at the edge of the forest. Cheng Mo pulled the white horse over, and the two rode back towards the wooden house.

Emerging from the mangrove forest, the view of the lagoon lay tranquil before her, resembling the stillness of days ago as if untouched for centuries. The bamboo hut on the beach, half-open door frozen in the moment of its owner's return, appeared like a framed painting. The lively and bustling beach of the past few days was undoubtedly joyful, yet this serene wooden cottage by the bay brought a sense of peace to North, making her surprisingly miss it after just a few days.

"Cheng Tian, check if there's anything to eat and bring it up. I'm a bit hungry."

"Understood, Your Highness. At this hour, the person in charge of the kitchen hasn't arrived yet. There's only some midday rice and pastries in the steamer. Please wait a moment, I'll go prepare some freshly caught fish right away." Cheng Tian went inside and checked around. Since this area was only occasionally visited by Cheng Mo, there wasn't a dedicated caretaker. The soldiers from the Sea Department came periodically for cleaning. They returned suddenly today, and the soldier responsible for the house had already left after preparing lunch since the master hadn't come by. No one should be coming until dinner time.

"I'll take care of it, Chengtian Big Brother. Could you help me check if there's any harvest in the river channel? Chengmo, you can also lend a hand." Xiangbei picked up a bamboo basket and entered the kitchen, remembering the tomatoes she harvested a few days ago. There were still some sparks in the hearth, and she tore off some palm fibers from the woodpile, gently blowing on them. The dry branches quickly ignited. She opened the steamer, took out the still-warm rice, heated the wok, poured oil, added tomatoes, and eggs, stirring vigorously. She then fried garlic and half a green pepper, sautéed shrimp tails and mountain chicken meat, poured mountain chicken egg yolks over the rice, added oyster sauce and soy sauce. After thorough mixing, she sprinkled green onions and served the colorful and fragrant tomato and egg dish with three fresh stir-fried rice.

Xiangbei carried the plates outside while Chengtian brought the bucket in. One set eyes on the large crab in the bucket, the other fixed their gaze on the egg-fried rice. Surprisingly, not a single word was exchanged. They swiftly swapped their items, and Chengtian took the tray, carrying the meal to the hall. Xiangbei turned back, placed the crab with bound claws on the steamer, skillfully tied it with palm leaves, and after cleaning three crabs with ginger slices, she placed them on to steam. Then, she turned and headed to the hall.

Chengtian had set the table for the two, and Xiangbei stood by Chengmo, eating with a silver spoon right beside him.

"How is it? Delicious, isn't it? This is my lifelong favorite," Xiangbei knew they had never eaten tomatoes before, so she was secretly testing the young lord's taste. Without revealing it, she sat down at the table and began eating. It was the taste handed down from grandma to mom, a flavor cherished since childhood. Mouthful after mouthful, Xiangbei didn't lift her head, transitioning from delight to happiness and then to nostalgia. Tears almost welled up but were forcefully swallowed back. Later on, her throat had stiffened, but she still held the rice in her mouth, letting the memories envelop her boundless solitude, staring intently at the red tomato in front of her.

Chengmo was captivated by the unprecedented deliciousness, enthusiastically eating more than half a plate before realizing it. Xiangbei, who hadn't lifted her head since the meal began, hadn't touched her chopsticks for a long time. Chengmo paused, quietly watching the small figure hidden in the midst of overwhelming sadness. Isolating herself from everyone, she silently rejected any approach. He thought about softly calling her, considered comforting her by wrapping his arm around her shoulders, or even pulling her into his arms and asking about her thoughts. However, he did nothing, only accepting the crab Chengtian brought from the stove, peeled it open, and delicately placed the crab meat on the rice in front of her with the tip of his chopsticks.

The silver chopsticks held the pure white crab meat seasoned with fermented black beans, seemingly infinitely magnified in front of Xiangbei. It abruptly intruded into the solitary world of Xiangbei, and his gaze followed the retracted chopsticks, lifting her lowered head. Unexpectedly, he met a pair of eyes full of concern, worry, and puzzlement, breaking through the shell of her nostalgia and peering directly into the depths of her soul.

The space experienced intense fluctuations, and the energy field resembled television static, flickering with spots of light and emitting a buzzing sound, as if stripped of protective clothing and exposed to radiation.