CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 42: WINNING HER FATHER WITH FOOD

After Mu Lihua finally left, Su Qinglan let out a quiet sigh of relief.

She turned her head and looked at her father.

He was standing still, his tall figure looking as if it had aged even more in just a short moment. His shoulders were heavy, and his eyes were tired. Seeing him like this, Su Qinglan’s heart ached.

She slowly placed the stone pot in her hands onto the ground. Then, step by step, she walked toward him.

When she reached him, she gently held his large hands in her smaller ones. Her voice softened as she spoke.

"Father, don’t worry... I know, Mother. She will never remove your mark. You don’t have to be afraid of her. And if she ever dares to, I will take care of her myself."

Her last words turned cold, filled with a dark promise.

But Su Mingxuan frowned and did not believe her childish thoughts. Instead of agreeing, he raised his hand and lightly flicked her forehead.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" he said firmly. "You are not allowed to speak about your mother like this. I know you don’t like her, but she is still your mother. You must respect her."

His voice was not harsh, but it was calm and steady. He thought his daughter was only angry, so she had spoken too much.

Still, his heart felt warm. For the first time, his daughter had stood on his side. In the past, she only knew how to hide behind him, and avoid her mother like she was a plague. But now, she was defending him.

It seemed his daughter had finally grown up.

Su Mingxuan smiled faintly. He believed Su Qinglan had only said those words because she understood, just like him, that Mu Lihua was only threatening him.

And the truth was... he was not afraid of Mu Lihua removing his mark. What he truly feared was something else...

If one day he became an evil beastman, what would happen to his daughter?

That thought pressed heavily on his heart, more than any threat Mu Lihua could ever make.

After Mu Lihua left, the cave felt a little less heavy.

Su Qinglan decided to act coquettishly to shake off the gloom. Her father still looked weighed down, his brows furrowed. She hated seeing him like that.

So, she tiptoed back to the stone pot, lifted it carefully, and brought it toward him. Her lips curved into a small, mischievous smile.

"Father," she said softly in a playful tone, "look, I made this for you."

She pulled away the large leaf that was covering the bowl.

At once, a rich aroma spread through the cave. Warm, savory, and mouthwatering. It wrapped around them like an invisible cloud.

Su Mingxuan blinked. His tired eyes widened in shock.

"This... what is this? Why does it smell so good?"

Su Qinglan’s eyes sparkled as she explained patiently, like a child showing off a prized toy. "It’s meat, Father. I cooked it myself. I wanted you to try it."

Su Mingxuan stared at her, too stunned to speak. He had never smelled meat like this before. Meat was meat...but why does it look different? Even its color is different. And this fragrance? It was something else entirely.

"Here, Father." Su Qinglan picked up the chopsticks and held a piece out for him. "Taste it."

He reached for the chopsticks, but the moment he put the food in his mouth, his whole body stiffened.

The flavors burst on his tongue...it was rich, savory, soft, and juicy. He had never eaten anything like it in his life. His hands trembled.

And then...

He threw the chopsticks aside.

Without a second thought, he dug straight into the bowl with his large hands, stuffing the food into his mouth like a starving beast.

"Lan Lan!" he said between bites, his voice muffled but filled with pure joy. "This...this is too good! Too good!"

Su Qinglan’s face went stiff.

She sat there watching as her dignified father gobbled down the food like he hadn’t eaten in weeks, his fingers covered in oil, his mouth messy.

Her eyelids twitched.

So much for elegance.

She sighed in her heart. It seemed it would take a long time before beastmen learned what hygiene even was.

But then, she glanced at her father’s bright, happy face. He looked years younger now as he devoured every last bite, his eyes glowing with delight.

Su Qinglan’s lips softened into a small smile. It was really the right decision to cook for him.

Forget it. He was her father. She could tolerate it.

And this father of hers really reminds her of her original father, whom she had lost early in the apocalypse world.

After watching her father devour the food with such joy, Su Qinglan’s heart finally felt lighter. She stood up, dusted off her hands, and decided to let him finish the rest in peace.

"Father, I’ll go now. You eat slowly," she said softly, smiling as she turned toward the entrance.

But just as she was about to step out, Su Mingxuan quickly raised his voice.

"Lan Lan, wait! Take the hides with you."

Su Qinglan paused...

She turned back and saw him looking at her seriously. His eyes were still glowing from the taste of the food, but he still has not forgotten his task to give her hides.

For a moment, she felt warmth spread through her chest.

Then she remembered something, and her lips curved upward.

If she left these hides here... wouldn’t that bitch of a mother snatch them the moment she walked back in?

Her smile turned a little mischievous.

"Okay, Father," she said cheerfully, nodding without hesitation.

She walked over and gathered up the bright, beautiful hides. They were soft, warm, and clearly prepared with care. Hugging them in her arms, she looked like a little child carrying treasure.

Her father’s eyes softened at the sight.

And Su Qinglan... well, she couldn’t help but feel proud of herself. She wasn’t leaving even a single scrap behind.

If that bitch mother wanted to fight over hides, she could dream on.

With a hum on her lips and the hides piled high in her arms, Su Qinglan cheerfully marched out of the cave.