The Return of the God Level Assassin Chapter 1309: GRANDPA'S MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL (II)

Bai Zhen occupied his wheelchair at the head of the expansive table, absorbing the scene surrounding him. The surface extended out in front of him, laden with an array of culinary delights. There was braised pork belly glazed in a deep, rich sauce. Ginger-infused steamed fish. Trays of chilled starters. Sautéed vegetables. Thinly sliced meats. At the center, a substantial pot of soup bubbled gently. Stacks of mooncakes rested close at hand.

Items that were gentle on the stomach had been arranged conveniently near him. Silky steamed egg custard prepared to perfection, steaming bowls of millet congee, and soft tofu simmered in a subtle, tasty broth. Additionally, there were tenderly poached strands of chicken and fully cooked rounds of yam.

Members of his family circulated around him, claiming their chairs. His son Bai Chen positioned himself on his right side. Adjacent to him sat his daughter-in-law Sun Xiulan. His grandson Bai Ze chose a spot opposite them. The young Bai Ye had already settled in his seat, with his legs dangling and his attention locked on the feast. His son-in-law Luo Wei Tian took a place further along with his sons. Luo Ren, the oldest among the grandsons. Luo Jin, the smallest of the three siblings. And Luo Yan, who had recently wheeled his chair into position and was now seated in proximity.

His gaze shifted to the chair belonging to his daughter. It remained unoccupied. For quite some time, it had stayed that way. Memories of her features and her joyful laughter surfaced in his mind. Next to hers, the spot once held by his wife also stood vacant. He longed for their presence. The burden of their absence was a constant companion, one he bore often without fully recalling its origin. Yet on this evening, under the luminous moon with kin gathered close, the pain softened from a sharp cut to a subdued throb. They belonged here. He yearned for them to witness this gathering. To observe the growth in everyone. To behold the abundant table and the emerging chuckles.

He lifted his eyes toward the heavens. The moon hung full and radiant, spilling its glow across the garden. It was a splendid moon. An ideal evening. Returning his focus to the table, he scanned the assembled faces. They had all come. Well, nearly all. He couldn't recall the last time they'd united in this manner. But such details held little weight. What truly counted was their togetherness.

"Grandpa, Grandpa," Bai Ye called out the moment the meal commenced. "Can you tell us again how you and Grandma met?"

"Xiao Ye, don't bother Grandpa," Sun Xiulan said softly to her youngest boy.

"No, it's alright," Bai Zhen replied, always eager for an opportunity to reminisce about his wife.

He offered a smile, his gaze turning reflective. Silence fell over the family at the table, all anticipating the familiar tale once more.

"The first time I saw Yingying," he started, "I was riding in a vehicle en route to a conference. We halted at a traffic signal close to the marketplace area. And there she stood, strolling down the road with a basket of produce, disputing with a seller who had evidently given her short measure. Smack in the midst of the pavement, she jabbed at her goods and voiced her unfiltered opinion on his dealings."

Luo Jin flashed a broad smile. "She sounds like she could hold her own."

"She could," Bai Zhen affirmed. "I observed her for an entire minute before registering that the signal had changed and the chauffeur was awaiting my awareness. I instructed him to stop the car."

Luo Ren arched a brow. "You chased after her?"

"I stepped out and approached her directly," Bai Zhen clarified. "Introduced myself. Expressed admiration for her fiery demeanor. She eyed me as if I were some oddity and questioned whether I routinely accosted unfamiliar ladies on the sidewalk."

Sun Xiulan chuckled softly.

Bai Zhen went on. "I inquired if she'd allow me to treat her to a meal sometime. She refused. I then asked if I might at least purchase fresh produce for her. She pondered briefly, then fished out a somewhat blemished cabbage from her basket and presented it. She declared, 'This one's for you. Since you're so keen on buying me items, begin here. Regard it as your initial challenge.' With that, she passed it over and departed."

Bai Ze burst into laughter. "She made you carry a bruised cabbage?"

"Well, that certainly sounds like Mom," Bai Chen remarked with a faint grin.

Luo Wei Tian nodded in concurrence.

"For a week, I kept it on my desk," Bai Zhen continued. "Colleagues repeatedly questioned the decaying produce in my workspace. I explained it was a token from the lady I intended to wed. They figured I'd gone mad."

Luo Yan grinned with delight. "And had you?"

"Probably," Bai Zhen conceded. "From then on, I sought excuses to linger near that market. And she persistently found ways to send me packing. This persisted for months. Each rejection only spurred my return. At last, she wondered aloud why I refused to quit. I replied that she was the sole woman who had ever given me a flawed cabbage and left me grateful for the gesture."

Bai Ye let out a giggle. "That's silly, Grandpa."

"It was," Bai Zhen concurred, his tone gentling. "But it succeeded. She consented to a single meal eventually. That one outing blossomed into numerous others. And the outcome..." He surveyed the table, taking in every expression. "Well, all of you exist thanks to a flawed cabbage and a lady who brooked no foolishness."

Luo Yan nodded thoughtfully. "Grandma sounds like she was something else."

Bai Zhen smiled warmly. "She was."

As the eating progressed, the talk flowed effortlessly into further recollections. He shared an anecdote about Bai Chen in his youth, and before long, others chimed in with their own. Sun Xiulan described her initial encounter with the family and the anxiety it stirred in her. Bai Ze reminisced about getting reprimanded by his grandmother for bringing dirt into the home. Luo Wei Tian recounted his debut Mid-Autumn Festival among them, back when his marriage was fresh, and how Meihua had sought to ease his discomfort.

The narratives circled the table successively, each evoking chuckles or tender grins. Bai Zhen absorbed them all, offering nods of approval, his gaze traveling from one speaker to the next.

He tilted his head skyward once more toward the moon, a serene smile gracing his features as his heart swelled with contentment and joy.

Maybe it's time to go meet Yingying and Hua-er.