章 24: Watching the Stars
On the second-floor terrace of Jada's villa.
The Hao family of three was celebrating this issue's sales officially.
"Sizzle sizzle."
The sound of meat grilling on the grill made everyone involuntarily swallow.
The breeze carried the aroma of the meat.
"Daddy, is it ready yet? Is it ready yet?" Little Yueyue wandered around Ren, looking eager.
"Yueyue, don't sway around, be careful near the grill," Jada cautioned her daughter. Unlike her usual business attire, her dark hair was tied back with a white headband, and she wore a black dress that made her look more like an eighteen-year-old girl than a woman in her early thirties.
Ren glanced at the more than twenty plates of various meats and the beers and juices set aside, nodding, "Okay, it's ready."
After saying that, Ren handed the skewers to the little girl.
Yueyue started eating eagerly.
However, as parents always worry about various things, Jada was no exception.
Watching Yueyue enjoy the barbecue, Jada frowned and looked at Ren, "I heard that eating barbecue can cause cancer. Is it really okay to let Yueyue eat this?"
She had even heard that eating a single grilled chicken leg was akin to smoking sixty cigarettes—a statement she found online. Though unsure of its veracity, she believed there must be some truth to it since it was widely circulated.
"Don't worry," Ren waved his hand dismissively, "It's not cooked with an open flame. I used an electric grill, so it won't be a problem."
Ever since they had their daughter Yueyue, Ren had also researched a lot about how to take care of children, including their diet.
He had learned that grilling with an open flame could be problematic due to uncontrollable temperatures, potentially forming carcinogens like benzopyrene and heterocyclic amines.
Thus, Ren had switched to using an electric grill.
"Really?" Reassured by Ren's explanation, Jada took a bite of the skewer and then took a sip of beer, pushing back a stray lock of hair, "Thank you..."
"For what?" Ren was momentarily puzzled by her sudden gratitude.
"For the comic."
If not for Ren's comic, her company's sales might have declined even further by now.
The company was her parents' legacy, and she deeply cherished it, not wanting to see it fail.
"Oh, that. It's nothing," Ren shook his head, then looked at Yueyue, who was munching on corn like a little hamster.
Noticing her parents looking at her, she tilted her head in confusion, "What's up? Did the teacher tell you I was talking in class?"
"It's nothing. We were just saying you're cute," Ren smiled.
This made Yueyue shyly scratch her head and then she picked up a skewer, running over to Ren, "Daddy, have some."
"..."
Ren looked at the skewer and pretended to be upset, "It's all bell peppers, how can I eat this!"
He then scooped up Yueyue and started spinning her around, causing her to squeal in delight.
Watching this, Jada couldn't help but look up at the sky.
She had heard from her parents that after people die, they turn into stars.
"Dad, Mom... I'm doing well now," Jada murmured softly, as if she could see the faces of her parents in the stars smiling at her.
Just then, Jada noticed something and pointed to the sky, "Yueyue, look! A shooting star!"
"Ah, where, where!?" Yueyue quickly patted Ren's hand to get down and then stared at the sky.
She had heard on the news about a meteor shower tonight, which was why she had decided to have dinner on the rooftop instead of going out.
"It's so pretty!" Yueyue exclaimed, watching the shooting stars trail across the sky. She tugged at Ren, "Daddy, daddy, take a picture, quick!"
As she posed like a magical girl at the edge of the second floor.
Ren quickly took out his phone and snapped a few photos.
After several pictures, Yueyue was satisfied.
She would have something to talk about with her friends tomorrow.
"Yueyue, don't forget to make a wish on the shooting stars," Ren reminded her.
"Right!" Yueyue remembered and quickly clasped her hands together, looking up and softly said, "I wish for daddy and mommy to always be with me!"
"Silly girl, who tells their wishes out loud?" Jada playfully tapped Yueyue on the head.
"Hmph, mommy is silly," Yueyue pouted, looking at Jada with disdain, "You're supposed to wish silently to a shooting star, but this is
a meteor shower, so many stars, of course, I have to say it out loud so all the stars can hear my wish!"
Later, Yueyue and Ren sat watching the meteor shower while enjoying the barbecue.
The stars in this world seemed more numerous than in his previous life, thought Ren. Even within the city, he could see them forming various constellations.
Yueyue sat in Ren's lap and suddenly pointed to the sky, "Daddy, what's that bright star?"
"That's the North Star," Ren began to explain, pointing to the nearby stars, "It's the second brightest star in Ursa Minor, also known as the Purple Micro Star in our country."
"Ursa Minor?" Yueyue tilted her head, puzzled.
"It looks a bit like a little bear," Ren explained, pointing out the stars that formed the constellation.
"..." After staring intently for a while, Yueyue suddenly exclaimed in delight, wriggling in Ren's arms, "Daddy is so smart, it does look like it!"
Then she pointed elsewhere, "And that one?"
"That's Sagittarius, one of the zodiac constellations."
"Oh, and that one?"
"That's Leo."
"And that one?"
As Yueyue continued to ask, sweat began to form on Ren's forehead, but seeing his daughter's admiring look, he didn't want to admit he didn't know and blurted out, "Magical Girl Constellation."
"Pretty Soldier Constellation."
He even made up names like Barbecue Constellation.
Jada finally couldn't stand it anymore and lightly smacked Ren on the back of his head, "Stop making things up."
Then, turning to Yueyue, she said, "Don't listen to your dad, there's no such thing as those constellations."
Unexpectedly, Yueyue nodded knowingly, "Of course, I knew that. How could there be a Magical Girl or Pretty Soldier Constellation!"
This made both Ren and Jada pause, then say in unison, "Then why did you keep asking?"
"I was just playing with daddy because he seemed to be having fun," Yueyue said proudly, hands on her hips.
Jada laughed, covering her mouth.
Ren was speechless.
When did he become the child being played with?
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