PWE – Chapter 88 A Surprising Discovery

By the time they reached home, it was already eleven-thirty — just about time to make lunch.

Xiao Wange let Mu Yunhao and the others sit in the main room to rest, while she went alone into the kitchen to prepare lunch.

But she had only just poured the rice into the pot when Mu Yunhao came in.

Mu Yunhao said, “It’s too tiring for you to cook alone. Let me help you.”

Xiao Wange put the lid on the pot, turned her head to look at him, and said, “No need. The work in the kitchen is very easy. I don’t need help.”

But Mu Yunhao walked over to the stove pit and sat down.

He picked up the fire tongs and added wood to the stove. “Let me help you keep the fire going. With someone tending the fire, it’ll be easier for you.”

Xiao Wange watched him stoke the fire in such a practiced way that it seemed he did this often.

Slightly surprised, she raised a brow. “I didn’t expect the great young master of the Mu family to know how to do kitchen work.”

She had assumed a young master like him wouldn’t even know what fire tongs were.

Mu Yunhao lifted his gaze toward her. “When I was little, I lived in the countryside for a long time. During that time, I often cooked and tended fires. Keeping a fire going is easy for me. I’m just a bit out of practice with actual cooking.”

He thought that when he had time later, he should relearn how to stir-fry. After all, once he mastered it, he could cook for her sometimes, couldn’t he?

He was already imagining it — if she allowed him to take care of her, then he… would definitely take good care of her. Even if he had to cook for her three meals a day, he would gladly do it.

Xiao Wange took a cutting board from the wall and set it on the counter. The corner of her lips lifted in a smile. “Then you’re a bit like Zhan Zeyán. He doesn’t really know how to cook, but he’s very good at tending the fire.”

The moment she mentioned Zhan Zeyán, ripples stirred in her heart.

She wondered where he was now, and how he was doing.

She knew he definitely wasn’t dead — but since he had to fake his death for a mission, that mission was surely far more dangerous than ordinary ones.

When she brought up Zhan Zeyán, his fingers tensed slightly. He lowered his gaze to the fire in the stove.

After two seconds of silence, he suddenly asked, “Comrade Xiao… is Comrade Zhan really… already sacrificed?”

After asking, he lifted his head, eyes fixed on her.

Her expression dimmed, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on the knife.

She picked up a cabbage from the basin and chopped it while saying, “The message from the military did say he died. But I feel like he’s still alive, like he’s still right here among us. Sometimes I even feel… that faint trace of his presence.”

Her words sounded eerie — but also clearly told Mu Yunhao… that Zhan Zeyán really was dead.

Although she knew he wasn’t dead, since the military wanted him to fake his death, the news must remain secret. Even though this place was far from his unit, she couldn’t leak anything.

She couldn’t let anyone know he was alive. She couldn’t put his secret mission at risk in the slightest.

“Comrade Xiao…”

Mu Yunhao pressed his lips together. Even though he had long suspected that Zhan Zeyán had truly died, hearing it from Xiao Wange still shocked him.

He wanted to comfort her — to say “my condolences” — but the words wouldn’t leave his mouth.

After a moment’s hesitation, he said slowly, “Mm. Comrade Zhan definitely still exists in some way. He must still be accompanying you… in another form.”

Xiao Wange saw he had accepted her explanation. Her gaze flickered slightly, but she said nothing more — only, “Mm.”

Mu Yunhao looked at her deeply. Now that Zhan Zeyán was truly gone, his chance… had finally come.

But with a woman as extraordinary as her, how was he supposed to pursue her?

What did she like? If he knew, things would be easier. But right now, he had no idea what she preferred.

…

Just as lunch was almost ready, Shi Jinzhu came in with Zhaozhao and Taotao.

She had been playing games with the two children. She had wanted to help in the kitchen earlier, but Zhaozhao clearly needed company, so she stayed with him.

When she entered the kitchen and saw Xiao Wange busy at the counter while Mu Yunhao sat by the stove expertly tending the fire, she frowned slightly — suddenly getting a strange feeling.

Why did she feel… that Mu Yunhao and Comrade Xiao looked very harmonious together? So harmonious that… they looked like a married couple.

She glanced at both of them, muttering internally, then walked over to Xiao Wange.

Xiao Wange said, “Take the children outside. Lunch will be ready soon. Once it’s done, I’ll bring it out.”

Shi Jinzhu said, “I’ll just stay here and keep you company. When the food is ready, I can help carry dishes out.”

Zhaozhao and Taotao stood nearby. Zhaozhao said, “I can help carry dishes too.”

Taotao raised his little hand. “Me too!”

Xiao Wange looked at the two little ones — both shorter than the stove counter. How could they carry dishes?

If they tried, they’d probably burn themselves.

So she took a few bowls from the cupboard and some chopsticks from the rack, handed them to Shi Jinzhu, and said, “Take them to set the table.”

The kids couldn’t carry hot dishes, but they could set out bowls and chopsticks — no risk of burns.

Although Shi Jinzhu felt the task was too trivial, she thought about how lunch couldn’t start without the table set, so she took the kids out.

Leaving only Xiao Wange and Mu Yunhao in the kitchen again.

Mu Yunhao’s lips curved almost imperceptibly.

Being alone with her like this… made him feel inexplicably happy. Not just happy — warm. He didn’t know what magic she had, but being with her made his whole mood brighten, and even the air felt… sweeter.

…

At the dining table—

While setting bowls and chopsticks with the children, Shi Jinzhu asked Zhaozhao, “Zhaozhao, if one day a new dad came to your home, would you accept him?”

She guessed Comrade Zhan might truly be dead. The things Comrade Xiao said earlier at the village entrance were probably just to comfort the child.

She felt both Comrade Xiao and Zhaozhao were quite pitiful. Although Comrade Xiao was strong enough to support a household alone, a home without a man still lacked something.

So if Comrade Xiao wanted to find a man, she would fully support her.

Judging from Mu Yunhao’s behavior, he probably liked Comrade Xiao. Otherwise why would he come all the way from the county town?

Zhaozhao froze for a moment. He raised his head and looked at Shi Jinzhu.

After staring for two seconds, he frowned. “I don’t want a new dad. I only want my dad! My dad isn’t dead — he’ll come back!”

His voice rose slightly, and he sounded agitated.

His usually gentle, clear eyes were turning red.

Shi Jinzhu was startled. She put down the bowls and hurriedly hugged him. “Yes, yes, your dad will come back. Auntie was just joking with you, just joking.”

She felt stupid — how could she ask such a question? Children are always sensitive to such things, especially smart ones like Zhaozhao.

She frowned and wanted to slap herself.

Why did she say something so thoughtless?

Zhaozhao was truly upset. His small body trembled, and his little fists clenched tight.

His father wasn’t dead. Mom said he wasn’t dead — so he definitely wasn’t!

He didn’t want a new dad, no matter how good he was! He only had one father — his father could only be Zhan Zeyán!

Shi Jinzhu held him for a few seconds, but then she suddenly noticed Zhaozhao’s body was extremely cold — as if his temperature had dropped suddenly. Holding him felt like holding a block of ice.

Shi Jinzhu was stunned. She looked down at the child in her arms, shocked.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Xiao Wange suddenly frowned and lifted her gaze toward the outside.

Something in the air felt wrong — the temperature had suddenly dropped, like a blast of cold air.

Even Mu Yunhao sitting by the stove felt it.

He frowned slightly and asked, “Is it going to snow? Why did it suddenly get so cold?”

Xiao Wange: “…”

She didn’t answer. She put down the spatula and hurried out.

Seeing her rush out, Mu Yunhao’s eyes flickered. He dropped the fire tongs and followed quickly.

Xiao Wange rushed into the main room. The dining table was there, and beside it, Zhaozhao stood with a furious expression, while Shi Jinzhu held him with a stunned look.

The air in the main room was colder than outside — as if the whole room was about to freeze solid.

Xiao Wange strode over in a few steps and pulled Zhaozhao into her arms.

Zhaozhao’s body was icy cold, as if he had turned into a block of ice.

His eyes were tinged with red, filled with a kind of indescribable ferocity and rage — a ferocity that startled her.

He was showing signs of qi deviation — he had fallen into a berserk state!

This child… she had guessed before that he wasn’t ordinary. But now, it seemed he was far more complicated than she thought.

The cold aura erupting from him came from his power breaking free — a power that must have been sealed before.

She probed his body briefly and indeed found a seal embedded deep within him. It was buried so deeply she hadn’t detected it earlier.

And the most shocking part — the seal seemed to be her own work!

This sealing technique was one she had learned long ago from that person. After learning it, she improved it — made it stronger and harder to break.

And after improving it, she had never taught it to anyone. No one else in the world knew this technique.

But now, she found it… on this child.

She was truly shocked.

But this was not the time for shock. Right now, she needed to help the child stabilize his breath and stop the qi deviation.

Her expression darkened. She pressed her palm to his back and channeled spiritual energy into him.

And softly whispered in his ear:

“Zhaozhao, be good. Mama is here.”