Daily Life in the Safe House: Family BOSS and Gundam Strategy

The sunset dyed the streets an oversaturated orange, like a graphics card rendering error.

Lu Ren and Kiyosawa Mashiba walked side-by-side, their shadows stretching long and thin. When they reached a fork in the road, the two stopped in unspoken agreement.

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Brick," Kiyosawa Mashiba waved, her smile looking particularly cunning in the sunset. "Don't forget to check the guide. If you lose too badly on Saturday, I'll pretend I don't know you."

"Don't worry, I'm a master at rewinding," Lu Ren said, waving lazily.

Watching the girl lightly hop into the neighboring yard, Lu Ren turned and pushed open his own front door.

Although he claimed to be treating volleyball as his main quest, the moment he stepped through the door, a system notification seemed to ring in his mind: [Entered Safe House. HP/MP recovery speed +100%.]

As soon as he changed his shoes, a potent aroma wafted down the hallway.

It was the scent of peppercorns and cypress branches, mixed with the savory char of rendered fat.

Lu Ren's olfactory radar instantly activated.

"Mom, I'm home."

He casually tossed his backpack, filled with volleyball guides, onto the sofa and followed the scent straight to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, a middle-aged woman wearing an apron was busy with her back to him. Amidst the roar of the range hood, she skillfully tossed ingredients in a wok, her movements crisp and efficient, bearing the air of a martial arts master.

Lu Ren leaned in for a closer look.

The plate was piled high with thinly sliced sausage, glistening and translucent, a mix of red and white, reflecting the light.

"Did Grandma Xichuan send this?" Lu Ren swallowed, his right hand darting out like lightning towards a piece of stray meat on the edge of the plate.

He had practiced this "Sleight of Hand" countless times in the game, with a success rate of up to 95%.

However.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the sausage, a hand holding a spatula appeared out of nowhere, stopping precisely three centimeters above his wrist.

There was no contact.

But the sharp sword energy—or perhaps killing intent—froze Lu Ren's fingers in mid-air.

Mother Lu turned around.

It was a well-maintained face, with fine lines around her eyes, but her gaze was still sharp as a knife.

"Trying to steal food before washing your hands?" Mother Lu's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable pressure. "You can try. See if your hand is faster than my spatula."

[System Warning: Encountered high-level wild BOSS. Current level gap is too large, tactical retreat recommended.]

Lu Ren chuckled sheepishly, retracting his hand and rubbing it on his pants. "I was just helping you test the saltiness. This color, this cooking, it's simply a legendary quality item."

"Stop joking around." Mother Lu gave him a sideways glance and transferred the stir-fried vegetables to a plate. "Go wash your hands and call your dad for dinner. He's been in the study for ages without moving, I wonder what mischief he's up to now."

"Aye aye, captain."

Lu Ren gave a sloppy salute and slipped out of the kitchen.

After washing his hands, he went to the study door.

The door was ajar.

Lu Ren didn't knock. As a veteran stealth game player, he knew that barging in at this moment would only reveal a disguised facade.

He moved quietly, controlled his breathing, and minimized his presence.

Stealth Skill (Passive) activated.

He drifted to the door like a ghost and peered through the crack.

In front of the desk, his father—Comrade Lu Jianguo—who usually sat with a teacup, discussing stocks and international affairs with a serious expression, was now wearing reading glasses, his entire body practically slumped over the desk.

He held a pair of fine tweezers, and in front of him lay a huge blueprint and countless tiny plastic parts.

His focused expression was ten times more serious than when he had stared at Lu Ren's college entrance exam practice papers back then.

Lu Ren quietly pushed the door open and walked behind Lu Jianguo.

The items on the desk gradually came into focus.

White armor, blue paint, and that iconic V-shaped antenna.

It was the RX-93, Nu Gundam. And judging by the number of parts and the color separation, it was definitely a PG (Perfect Grade) level.

"The gate trimming isn't great here, Old Lu."

Lu Ren's faint voice echoed in Lu Jianguo's ear. "The sanding is too rough, it'll leave big gaps."

"Ah, damn it!"

Lu Jianguo jumped, startled, and almost dropped his tweezers. He spun around, saw his son, and patted his chest, still shaken.

"You little brat! Why are you walking so quietly! Trying to scare your dad to death so you can inherit my Ant Huabei?"

Lu Jianguo quickly rolled up the blueprint and tried to block the conspicuous pile of parts on the table with his body, forcing an awkward yet dignified smile. "Well... I'm working. Yes, repairing... the company's precision instruments."

Lu Ren crossed his arms, looking at his father with amusement.

"Precision instruments?" Lu Ren pointed to the unfinished robot head. "Can this instrument also fire funnels? Does it need Amuro Ray as the pilot?"

Lu Jianguo's expression froze.

Since he'd been found out, he stopped pretending. His shoulders slumped, revealing a crestfallen look.

"Alright, you've got sharp eyes, kid." Lu Jianguo sighed, took off his reading glasses, and rubbed his eyes. "I only got into this recently. And... our wedding anniversary is coming up soon, isn't it?"