"His daughters were this grown and still lived together... Neither of them was married?"
He Xi pondered it inwardly, but his attention was quickly drawn to the food being served.
Manabu set a steaming pot of stew on the table, and He Xi finally realized what that familiar, savory aroma was.
Pooji chowder!
Valuable stuff!
Agreeing to stay for dinner had been the right call!
Besides the chowder, a stack of golden round cakes sat on the wooden table.
"Honey butter pancakes, Mom's specialty. Please have more, Mr. He Xi."
The speaker was Bruno's eldest daughter, Signey.
She had a round head, a round face, and a round body.
"Why does she look even rounder than Teacher Fivik?"
Signey used wooden tongs to pick up a pancake and enthusiastically placed it onto the wooden plate before He Xi.
He Xi thanked her, cut off a small piece with his fork, and put it into his mouth.
The soft pancake melted between his lips and teeth, honey's rich sweetness mingling with the thick fragrance of butter and eggs.
He Xi had never figured out what the essential difference was between pancakes and cake layers.
It tasted like a freshly baked hot cake, only with a firmer texture.
The flavor was quite good, though it was a little dry when eaten alone.
Bruno's other daughter immediately scooped out a small bowl of Pooji chowder and handed it to He Xi.
Bruno rolled his eyes beside them. I've never gotten this kind of treatment!
The two daughters crowded around He Xi, deferring to each other. Their eyes held words they dared not say aloud, and the air carried a peculiar, hesitant tension.
Manabu, who had remained silent all this while, finally could not bear to watch any longer.
"If you don't ask... he'll