Dad, Are You and Mom Divorced?

"Done!"

With a crisp clang, the cleaver landed firmly on the cutting board.

Li Ran used both knives to scoop the minced garlic into a delicate little dish, his movements neat and efficient.

"Shhk! Shhk!"

Two crisp sounds rang out as Li Ran peeled two sheets of plastic wrap off his shoes.

"Riiip!"

Another, louder tearing sound followed.

Li Ran crouched down and gave the plastic wrap on the floor a hard tug. A much larger sheet peeled away.

Once it was gone, the floor—previously scattered with tiny bits of garlic—was spotless and gleaming.

"I just learned this on my phone. When cooking, you can lay plastic wrap over the stove, the sink, the floor, and the soles of your shoes. Bits of food are bound to fall while you're chopping and stir-frying. If you don't notice them, you'll track them around on your shoes, and they'll turn into grime that's really hard to clean."

Li Ran kept talking to himself with his back to Su Bingyao, as if he knew she was standing behind him.

Once he peeled the plastic wrap off the stove, floor, and sink, the entire kitchen was orderly, tidy, and spotless.

The pots, bowls, utensils, and appliances were arranged without a single jarring detail. The whole kitchen looked fresh and was an absolute pleasure to behold.

Su Bingyao, still transformed into a giant ice serpent, froze.

"He actually cares about how I feel?"

Was this really the ex-husband she knew?

She slowly returned to her human form.

Her eyes trembled as she stared in disbelief at the man working in the kitchen.

For some reason, at that moment, the sight of him cooking...

It was as if a tiny pebble had dropped into the icy pond in her heart, sending out one little ripple after another.

Li Ran tossed all the plastic wrap into the trash, then glanced at the reflection of Su Bingyao, back in human form, on the stainless-steel pressure cooker. He let out a huge sigh of relief.

If his Golden Finger hadn't given him a warning through the cooker's reflection, he wouldn't have known that his monster-turned ex-wife had appeared behind him.

He'd almost died!

The hardest part was dealing with her obsessive-compulsive cleanliness.

That was why he'd put so much effort into arranging the cookware and cleaning everything.

To people like her, even the tiniest imperfection could turn into an invisible claw reaching for the heart. It wouldn't hurt you, exactly, but it would needle you, making you restless and driving you mad!

Li Ran might have looked relaxed while cooking, but inside, he was a complete wreck.

Only when a line of text appeared on the pressure cooker did he finally relax.

(Crisis averted.)

Li Ran dried his hands with a dishcloth and turned to look at Su Bingyao.

"Actually, I know you like things clean, and you're a little..."

He hadn't even finished saying "obsessive-compulsive" when he froze.

Su Bingyao hadn't noticed the strange look in Li Ran's eyes. In a cold voice, she said, "So you've finally realized I have OCD? But one meal won't change how I feel about you. Don't forget, we have nothing to do with each other anymore."

When she saw Li Ran standing there dumbly without responding, she furrowed her brows. "Didn't you hear what I said?"

Li Ran wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth and said foolishly, "You smell so good. Slurp... slurp. Is that okay?"

Su Bingyao's brows drew together as her icy gaze bore down on him.

"Ah!"

Su Bingyao let out a scream.

The next second, a fair, bare figure dashed toward the bedroom in a panic.

"Slurp."

Li Ran wiped the corner of his mouth, a roguish grin spreading across his face, and went back to work in the kitchen.

An hour later.

"Knock... knock-knock!"

Li Ran knocked on the master bedroom door.

Su Bingyao opened it, her expression perfectly normal, as if nothing had happened.

Li Ran held out a nightgown. Su Bingyao's face instantly flushed bright red.

"I... I came to call you to dinner."

"I know." Su Bingyao snatched the nightgown, turned her head away, and quickly shut the door.

They were still husband and wife, so why was she acting shy?

It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her before. Why couldn't she be a little more open about it? What was the point of shutting her husband out? It wasn't as if he was going to peek.

How boring.

Li Ran stood by the door, grabbing at the air. A pleasant fragrance still lingered in his palm.

"Um... son, dinner's ready."

Li Ran turned and knocked on the door across the hall.

At the dinner table,

there was his special braised pork, steamed giant grouper, radish and pork rib soup, cucumber stir-fried with eggs, and water spinach with garlic.

Three meat dishes and two vegetable dishes—four dishes and a soup.

Su Bingyao and Li Ziyang stared at the steaming dishes on the table, momentarily dazed.

How long had it been since their family last sat down to eat together?

When was the last time they'd had a hot meal?

They couldn't remember anymore.

The hot braised pork melted in their mouths, turning into a warm, sweet, tender stream that flowed into their hearts. It was comforting and cozy.

At that moment, tears blurred Su Bingyao's eyes.

Li Ran noticed the subtle change in her expression. He knew very well that one meal wouldn't melt an iceberg. Whether he could mend the cracks in her heart and bring their broken family back together was what he'd have to figure out over the next seven days.

If he couldn't repair this broken family, he'd fail the mission.

And failure meant death!

He only had seven days!

"Dad's cooking is so good it makes me cry!" his son cried happily.

"Dad will make you something delicious every day from now on, okay?"

"Yay! But why isn't there any little closed cub?" Li Ziyang asked.

Li Ran almost sprayed soup across the table.

This little brat really knew how to bring up the one thing he shouldn't. He'd ruined the warm atmosphere out of nowhere.

But he couldn't beat up his son.

A gentleman used words, not fists.

Su Bingyao looked at Li Ran suspiciously. "What's that?"

"Uh... it was a gift from Teacher Zhang. It's a supplement that can improve married life. I'll cook it for you to try another day... later."

With a mischievous grin, Li Ran served Su Bingyao the tenderest piece of flesh from the giant grouper's belly.

Su Bingyao slowly slipped the piece of fish into her cherry-red mouth, then turned her face away. For some reason, her cheeks had reddened.

After dinner,

Su Bingyao didn't say anything, but her eyes looked noticeably gentler.

(Notice: A good husband would make sure the child studied at a time like this.)

The prompt appeared, and Li Ran—who'd been at a loss—suddenly knew what to do.

After washing the dishes, Li Ran spoke to Su Bingyao, who was sitting on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window. "I'm going to make sure our son studies."

Su Bingyao didn't respond.

Li Ran went to his son's room.

The moment he closed the door, Li Ziyang asked a question that left him at a loss.

"Dad, are you and Mom divorced?"

Li Ziyang sat in front of his drawing board, asking without expression.

Li Ran's heart gave a thump.

His son knew?

So they were all putting on an act?

Which meant the whole family was acting?

(Notice: He hasn't found any real proof that you're divorced. If you let it slip that you are, you're in for a world of trouble.)

Li Ran walked over and stroked the cracks in Li Ziyang's head. "Your mom and dad love you so much. How could we possibly get divorced?"

"But Mom and Dad haven't slept together in a long time."

The cracks on Li Ziyang's face widened even further.

Li Ran kept smiling as he stroked his son's head, forcing down his fear. "Silly boy, that was because Dad was sick for a while. I was afraid I'd pass it to Mom, so I didn't sleep with her."

"Really?" Li Ziyang asked doubtfully. The cracks on his face stopped spreading. "Are you better now, Dad?"

"I'm better. I'll sleep with Mom tonight," Li Ran said without thinking.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. Damn it, he wanted to slap himself.

Given the situation, would Su Bingyao really let him sleep in her room?

Li Ran thought his son would believe him, but when he looked down, he saw that the cracks on the boy's face hadn't healed at all. His eyes had turned completely black, and he was watching Li Ran suspiciously.

Clearly, Li Ziyang still didn't fully believe him. Something was still bothering him.

And the cracks in his head still wouldn't heal.

Confused, Li Ran looked at his son's drawing board.

Li Ran narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression turning grave.