The weather is getting hot lately, and the children were occasionally getting heatstroke when they played outside for too long.
It was alright during the weekend because they were at ho, but he was worried about what would happen to them at school. He frowned as he thought of the streaming hot sun.
He does have a few dishes in his restaurant that have a cooling effect, both of which are heavy dishes that can’t be eaten just anywhere. With this thought in mind, he entered his space. He went straight to the bookshelf, searching for a particular red book.
His fingers brushed over the spines of nurous books and scrolls until he finally found it, the worn red cover reminds him of the days he was learning how to cook.
When he worked in the mortal restaurant in his previous life, he was amazed at their food and drinks. They were countless and endless. That’s when he bought this cookbook with over 500 pages, even at this point, he hasn’t cooked half of the dishes in here.
He ca here with a sense of urgency he needs to create sothing special for the children’s lunch today. Sothing that will relieve them from the sweltering sun.
He opens the book and scans the pages. Recipes for cool soups, refreshing fruit salads, and chilled drinks filled the pages. He tapped his finger against the shelf, contemplating which dish or drink would be best.
But he considered the children’s taste, and he knew they’ll like sothing sweet. He flipped a few more pages and paused. His eyes lit up instantly. Smoothies, fruit smoothies, that’s it. He also used to love this drink, but he’d forgotten about it because of the cold weather.
He looked over the recipes, there wasn’t a set recipe for making smoothies. The possibility is endless, he could use common fruits like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherry, mangoes and so on. Or he could use other non common fruits like Fruit lotus petals, snow jade mint, moon dew fruit, glacier lon, and even elusive silverberries. Each fruit had its unique properties, perfect for heat reduction.
He checked the warehouse and gathered so ingredients, but he ended up planting so. Luckily, many plants only take a few minutes to be ready for harvest in his space. He grabbed a handful of various fruits.
He brought the things outside and started to prepare them in the kitchen. Thanks to the spiritual energy in the space, ordinary fruits that are grown there would also beco spiritual food.
He placed the frost lotus leaves and the jade mint into a big bowl. He released his spiritual energy from his finger tips, swirling it around the ingredients. He put in so spirit milk and ice cubes that he made with his ice energy, as he worked, the scent of sweetness and freshness filled the air. Soon, the smoothies were ready. He repeated the sa process, making many different kinds of smoothies.
When the children woke up, he was preparing their breakfast.
"Good morning, Dad." Li Yuhan greeted, as he walked into the kitchen.
The delicious aroma of the dishes seed to pull him out of his dozeness and he rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the remnant of sleep.
"Good morning, Xiao Han. You don’t seem well rested." Li Jain said as he glanced over his shoulder, stirring a pot of rice porridge on the stove: "Did you stay up late again?"
"Just a few extra minutes." Li Yuhan shrugged with a sheepish grin on his face.
"You shouldn’t stay up late for no reason. If you have that much ti, you should be doing your howork or advanced reading."
"I know, Dad, I just... lost track of ti." He said guiltily. Then as if he thought about sothing, his eyes narrowed and he shifted the bla: "It’s all because Yujian is not there to nag about ti. How long is he going to remain sick?"
Li Jain sighed: "I know you miss him, but he needs ti to recover. Pushing him won’t help."
Li Yuhan leaned against the wall: "I don’t miss him. I just hope he feels better soon. It’s not the sa without his poker face." He paused and added as if afraid that he’ll be misunderstood: "But I’m not worried about him, either."
Li Jain stopped what he was doing and looked at Yuhan speechlessly. He wanted to say ’Son, the more you deny it, the more obvious it becos that you miss your brother.’
But he just shook his head instead: "Xiao Han?"
"Yes, Dad?" Li Yuhan straightened up, eting his father’s gaze with a hint of compliance.
"Go help your brothers get ready for school. Breakfast is almost ready." Li Jain waves his hand.
"Yes, Father." Li Yuhan returned upstairs.
🌺🌺🌺
After breakfast, Li Jain packs the children’s bags with their lunches and snacks. He told them there is a new fruit drink to reduce the heat. They could drink it anyti during the day and don’t have to wait for lunch ti.
"Bye Dad,"
Li Cheng, Li Jingsheng and Li Juanxin said as they left with Fu Seng.
An hour later, Li Jain took the other three brothers.
He returned ho after dropping them off.
"Boss, a letter ca for you." Bai Lian ca knocking on Li Jain’s study door.
Li Jain raised his brows curiously: "A letter? Who is it from?" He gestured for him to enter.
Bai Lian stepped in with a sealed envelope: "It is addressed to you from soone called Patriarch Li."
Li Jain took the letter and looked at it thoughtfully. He carefully broke open the seal, unfolding the letter.
The letter asked for the original owner to find a ti and go back for a visit to his family. From the content of the letter, the person who wrote it seems to have a good relationship with the original owner. But from the mory he got, the original owner’s view on his family is negative.
Co to think of it, the original owner was a spoiled brat who didn’t suffer any hardship until he was kicked out of the family residence.
It seems he’ll have to go and see how things are for himself. With a sigh, Li Jain leaned back in his chair.
He doesn’t like complicated situations, it would be nice if everyone could just be happy... But he knows that is unrealistic. Humans would always find ways to complicate their lives, driven by desires and grievances.
"What does it say, Boss?" Bai Lian asked, interrupting Li Jain’s thoughts
Li Jain paused, then said: "It’s an invitation for a reunion."
"Oh, ok." Bai Lian turned to leave but suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked back: "Old man Ling is to order so dishes, but he insisted on you serving him yourself."
"What a troubling old man." Li Jain laughed and made his way to the tavern.
The Spiritual Tavern was bustling as usual. Li Jain doesn’t really like to co in here when he doesn’t want to break.
It can’t be helped, the people "love" him too much. Their greed, sches, and admirations are too enchanting for him. Every ti he cos in, especially in the middle of the day, he’ll be filled with boundless spiritual energy.
"Xiao Jain, there you are." Old Ling spotted Li Jain with his sharp eyes and waved at him.
"Good day, old Ling. Do you want to sit?" Li Jain asked
"No need, I’m just here for the dishes. Old Yan stopped by my place a few days ago and told about your request. I’ll see what I can contribute."
Li Jain raised his eyebrow, totally intrigued: "Oh, okay... You have my thanks in advance."
"What? You thought only old Yan had connections?" Old Ling asked coldly
From Li Jain’s expression, he could tell what he was thinking.
"Indeed, I underestimated your network. But I wouldn’t dare look down on you."
Old Ling scoffed and waved his hand dismissively: "You youngsters always think you know everything. Just because I don’t flaunt it doesn’t an I’m not well connected."
Li Jain nodded in approval: "You really are low-key. The fact that you still run business in that shop that’s collapsing, says it all."
Old Ling almost fell when he heard Li Jain’s words. But looking at Li Jain who was staring at him with pure admiration, he couldn’t bring himself to curse.
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with a reluctant smile: "You really know how to flatter an old man. Co and take my order. I’m buying a lot so I’ll need a discount."
"Why do you need so much all of a sudden?" Li Jain asked curiously.
"I’m leaving town for a few days. I have so important matters to attend to. And it has been ten years since I left ho to run a business in this town."
You’ve been in a broken shop for ten years?... Li Jain was really speechless.
Could it be that his talisman isn’t making money? Li Jain thought but quickly dismissed the idea. That’s very unlikely because he had seen how prosperous his business is.
Then the only conclusion is, old Ling is afraid to spend the money he earned. This is what the humans would call stingy or not being free handed.
Li Jain found another thing to think about. But he wanted to wait. He wasn’t in a hurry to Breakthrough yet.
"Before you leave, do you want a talisman that will keep your shop from collapsing in your absence?"
Old Ling raised an eyebrow, he was clearly intrigued but also skeptical: "Why would my shop collapse? I’m only leaving for a few days."
Isn’t it obvious?
"I’m just worried for you. If the children hit it with a ball? Or a strong wind blowing?"
It’s a building for crying out loud, not a balloon. It doesn’t need to be coddled!!!
But he was too lazy to argue with Li Jain: "Sure, thanks." He said reluctantly.
"Don’t ntion it." Li Jain smiled lovingly.
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