The next morning, the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window and fell across Shi Xiu's face.
Shi Xiu slowly woke up and rubbed his eyes. Out of habit, he reached to feel for the person beside him, only to find the space empty. Haku was already gone.
Slightly surprised, Shi Xiu quickly sat up, stretched, and got out of bed.
When Shi Xiu opened the door, an enticing aroma wafted toward him. He looked over and saw Haku and Kushina busy preparing breakfast in the makeshift kitchen.
Shi Xiu hurried over and asked in confusion, "Haku? Why are you up so early?"
Hearing him, Haku turned around, about to answer, but Kushina beside him beat her to it with a teasing grin. "It's rare to see you up early, Lord Shi Xiu! Don't tell me you've received another urgent mission?"
Kushina's words left Shi Xiu feeling a little awkward.
He scratched his head sheepishly and replied with a laugh, "Not at all. I was just thinking that this house is too small, and it's inconvenient with so many of us living here. So I'm planning to expand it today. By the way, Haku, why are you up so early too?" As he spoke, Shi Xiu turned his gaze back to Haku.
In response to Shi Xiu's question, Haku bowed slightly before answering in her soft, respectful voice.
"I'm very grateful that you took me in, sir, but I've never been able to repay your kindness. When I woke up this morning and saw that you were still asleep, I thought I could at least do something to help. I happened to see Lady Kushina making breakfast, so I came over to lend a hand. I hoped I could prepare breakfast for you."
Hearing Haku's words warmed Shi Xiu's heart. Smiling, he stepped forward and gently patted her head. "Thank you, Haku. That was very thoughtful of you."
Just then, Minato, Obito, and Rin slowly came out of the house.
Sunlight fell upon them, casting golden rays across their bodies.
As soon as Obito stepped outside, his gaze was drawn to the hearty breakfast laid out on the table.
The bacon had been fried to perfection, its slices golden and fragrant. Beside it were plump eggs, their yolks just set and their whites fried until golden and crisp. There was also freshly baked bread and rich, creamy milk.
The sight of the mouthwatering food filled Obito with delight.
He rubbed his hands together eagerly, swallowed, and said with anticipation, "Your cooking is as amazing as ever, Master's wife! Just smelling it makes me want to dig in!"
Kushina beamed at his praise, then glanced at him and chided with a smile, "You sure know how to flatter me. Stop sweet-talking and go wash your hands. Then come eat."
As she spoke, she waved them over, urging everyone to hurry up.
Meanwhile, Haku carefully picked up a serving of breakfast and brought it over to Shi Xiu.
Compared with Kushina's beautifully prepared meal, the food Haku had cooked herself did look a little worse for wear. The bacon on the plate was somewhat burnt, losing its original tenderness, while the fried egg was misshapen, as if it had just survived a fierce battle.
Looking at the breakfast she had made, Haku seemed uneasy. Her face reddened as she lowered her head and said shyly,
"I'm sorry, sir. This is my first time cooking, so it might not look very good..." Her voice grew quieter as she spoke, until it was almost inaudible.
Shi Xiu wasn't bothered by Haku's apology at all. He smiled and waved it off, accepting the breakfast from her hands and offering her sincere encouragement.
"Don't say that, Haku. It's impressive that you managed this well on your first try!" He gave her an approving look, and the tension in her gradually eased.
At last, under Haku's expectant gaze, Shi Xiu speared a piece of bacon with his fork and put it in his mouth. It was a little burnt on the outside, but it still tasted pretty good.
Shi Xiu smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. "Very good. Thank you."
When Haku heard his approval, she finally let out a long breath, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
Her stiff expression immediately relaxed, and the corners of her mouth lifted into a bright, relieved smile.
Just then, Kushina walked over with a smile, carrying a steaming, fragrant serving of breakfast, and gently handed it to Haku.
Time flew by. Before long, Obito, Shi Xiu, and Haku had wolfed down every last bite of breakfast on the table.
Seeing that everyone had finished eating, Kushina stood up to clear away the dishes and chopsticks.
But as soon as she moved, Rin quickly stood and stopped her. "You've been working hard for so long, Master's wife. Let me take care of these little things." Before Kushina could reply, Rin picked up the dishes and headed for the kitchen.
After eating his fill, Shi Xiu leaned back comfortably in his chair, let out a satisfied burp, and stretched deeply, loosening his muscles.
Then he said energetically, "All right, now that we've eaten, it's time to expand this house!"
Shi Xiu turned to Minato and Obito and gave them their instructions. "Minato, Obito, move all the furniture outside first."
Minato and Obito exchanged a glance and nodded without hesitation. They immediately got to work.
Working together, they carefully lifted the heavy wardrobe and gently carried away the fragile vases, keeping themselves busy.
After half a day of hard work, Minato and Obito had finally moved all the furniture inside the house out to the spacious courtyard, without damaging anything.
Shi Xiu had been supervising nearby. Seeing their work, he nodded in satisfaction and clapped his hands firmly.
In an instant, a series of rumbles rang out as thick, massive wooden pillars burst from the ground, growing taller at an astonishing speed like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.
The pillars stood close together, forming a sturdy wall that completely enclosed the formerly cramped, shabby house. Then an astonishing sight unfolded—the entire building seemed to come to life as it began to reshape itself.
In the blink of an eye, a magnificent, imposing three-story mansion stood before them.
Haku was completely stunned by the miraculous sight. His eyes widened, his mouth fell open, and disbelief filled his face.
Haku stood motionless, staring at the brand-new mansion as if he had lost the ability to think. For a long while, he couldn't come back to his senses.
Shi Xiu smiled and rubbed his nose. "All done. Besides the kitchen and living room, the mansion now has twelve rooms, each with its own bathroom. You can go pick a room."
Then Shi Xiu took out all the money he had and handed it to Kushina. "Kushina, go disguise yourself in a little while and take Obito to buy some beds and other things."
Kushina nodded, wrapped her face up so thoroughly that it was completely hidden, and took Obito and Rin out to buy furniture.
Shi Xiu walked over to Haku, who was still standing there in a daze, patted his shoulder, and said with a smile, "What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to pick a room?"
Haku finally came back to his senses. After hesitating for a moment, he looked at Shi Xiu and said, "I... I'll stay in the room next to yours, sir."