Raiden Ryoma paused and looked at Mei in confusion.
Mei quickly grabbed the cake from his hands, avoiding his gaze. "This is my first time making this cake... I haven't had anyone taste it yet."
"If Mei made it herself, then I have to try it. No matter how bad it is, I'll finish it all." Raiden Ryoma scratched his head, snatching the cake back and taking a small bite. As he chewed, an indescribable taste exploded on his tongue.
Hiding behind the curtains, Fu Lin grinned meaningfully, feeling a newfound respect for Raiden Ryoma. He then silently counted to three...
------------------------------
In three seconds, Fu Lin curiously peeked out from behind the curtain, looking at Raiden Ryoma's back, his eyes full of confusion.
'Why hasn't he collapsed yet? Could it be that purification really works?!' A gleam of light flashed in his eyes, and Fu Lin grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. His shoulders trembled uncontrollably, almost making him burst into laughter.
'I can cook too, yes! Yes! Yes!'
"Dad?" Mei looked curiously at the suddenly motionless Raiden Ryoma and reached out to poke him. The next second, Raiden Ryoma's body fell backward.
The plate in his hand also dropped to the ground, producing a crisp and piercing sound as it shattered into pieces, pulling Fu Lin out of his beautiful future fantasy.
"!!!" As his hopes shattered, Fu Lin stepped out from behind the curtain, staring blankly at the lifeless-looking Raiden Ryoma, wanting to say something but stopping himself.
Then, under Mei's bewildered gaze, he fell to his knees, painfully hugging Raiden Ryoma while wailing, "Old Man! Old Man! Old Man! Get up! I put all my hopes in you!"
Amid Fu Lin's cries, Raiden Ryoma's body twitched slightly a few times before white foam oozed from his mouth, and his heartbeat gradually slowed.
Fu Lin's face darkened. He reached out to close Raiden Ryoma's eyes, then gently placed him back on the ground, "..." Rest in peace.
"Ah! Fu Lin, what happened to my dad? I… I just added a little bit of sleep-inducing 'suspicious powder.' It shouldn't be like this…."
Mei panicked at the scene, her hands trembling, her lips quivering as she looked at Fu Lin helplessly, instinctively blurting out her involvement.
Hearing this, Fu Lin's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Mei. But upon seeing the redness in her eyes, he found himself unable to scold her. Besides, a life was at stake.
"Your father isn't like this because of the 'suspicious powder.' It's food poisoning…." My fault.
"Fu Lin, I didn't poison him! I don't know why this happened either…." Mei froze, glancing at the cake on the floor, now completely ruined. A trace of confusion flashed in her eyes, and fearing Fu Lin might misunderstand, she hurriedly explained.
Fu Lin rubbed his neck, avoiding eye contact: "I believe you."
Mei's eyes brightened slightly. She hugged Fu Lin's neck from behind and nuzzled against him, softly responding with an "Mm." As the setting sun cast a warm glow, the scene turned gentle and touching.
Lying on the ground, Raiden Ryoma seemed to sense something. His pale face grew even paler, and his body twitched involuntarily, expressing his dissatisfaction.
"Mei."
"Mm."
"Mm what? If you don't get up soon, you'll lose your father."
"It's fine… huh?" Mei quickly got up, blushing, covering her face in embarrassment, unable to look directly at her father on the ground. In a low voice, she asked, "Can my father still be saved?"
(Raiden Ryoma: My little cotton-padded jacket has holes… my heart is so cold….)
"Of course. Even if the body turns cold, I can snatch him back from the King of Hell." Fu Lin took a deep breath, gathering energy in both hands and aiming at Raiden Ryoma. A gentle white light enveloped his entire body. Within the glow, Raiden Ryoma's heartbeat gradually steadied.
As time passed, beads of sweat formed on Fu Lin's forehead. Only after ensuring that all traces of food poisoning were removed did he stop.
Mei took out a handkerchief to wipe Fu Lin's sweat and, looking at her still unconscious father on the ground, asked worriedly,
"Fu Lin, how is my father?"
After purifying himself once, Fu Lin stood up, stretched his arms, and said, "Ha~ He's out of danger now."
Mei glanced at the damp handkerchief in her hand, then looked up at Fu Lin, blushing. She neatly folded the cloth and placed it in her chest pocket before crouching down to poke Raiden Ryoma's cheek with her finger.
"Then why isn't he waking up?"
"I removed the food poisoning, but I left a little bit of it."
"This way, you'll remember that you added the 'suspicious powder'!"
Fu Lin slightly bent down, smiling at Mei as he gently patted her head, deliberately emphasizing the words 'suspicious powder.'
Mei let out an awkward laugh, her guilty conscience making her avoid eye contact. She mumbled, "Haha… I thought you wouldn't hold me accountable."
Fu Lin sat on a chair, crossing his legs, staring coldly at Mei. "Aren't you going to say something?"
Mei lowered her head, standing stiffly in place, unwilling to meet Fu Lin's indifferent gaze. "I was wrong???"
Fu Lin asked again, "Where did you get that thing?"
Mei's eyes reddened slightly, tears welling up. "I bought it online three days ago…."
Upon hearing this, Fu Lin blinked in shock, suddenly feeling very unwell, "..." Three days ago… How did I not know? Did she do it while I was away?!
Seeing Fu Lin remain silent, Mei mustered her courage, lifted her head, and stared at him with big, round, grape-colored eyes. In a soft voice, she asked, "You'll forgive me, right?"
Fu Lin put down his crossed leg, licked his dry lips, and commanded, "How could I? I'll decide what to do with you later. Go get me a glass of water first—make sure to add honey."
".....Oh."