Make an Extra Serving

At night, Charlos lay in a deck chair, the sea breeze washing over him as his body gently swayed with the chair. Slowly, he closed his eyes.

Amina walked over on light steps and draped a blanket over him.

Amira leaned against the nearby railing and unknowingly fell asleep.

Amina glanced back at her sister and lowered her voice. "Shh, she's asleep. Sleeping in the wind will make her catch a cold."

"Let her lie there a little longer. We'll wake her later."

After a stretch of silence, Amina spoke. "Sister, if pirates hadn't broken into our village back then, do you think we would've lived happily?"

Amira turned to look at her. "What's wrong, little sister? Why are you suddenly asking something like that?"

Amina shook her head. "Nothing. I heard about Rukia. She's so pitiful. It looks like she still has a chance, but I feel like she doesn't have any chance at all."

Amira walked over and reached out to stroke Amina's head.

"Why think so much? The life we have now is already more than I ever dared hope for."

Amina lowered her head and gently shook it.

"Sister, do you remember? The moment we were captured as slaves and had collars put around our necks, I thought everything was over."

Amira raised a hand and touched her own neck.

Amina suddenly grabbed Amira's hand.

"Sister, the slave collar has been gone for a long time."

"I know." Amira's voice was soft. "Back then, I kept wondering what kind of twisted methods the Celestial Dragons would use to torment us. During those days locked in cages, I was terrified. Until that day..."

The two of them turned their heads together and looked toward Charlos, sleeping peacefully in the deck chair.

Amina looked at the sleeping Charlos and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Ha ha."

In the kitchen, Rukia opened the refrigerator and rummaged around.

"Strange. I clearly remember there being some bread left."

"Damn it, who stole it? This is infuriating, absolutely infuriating!"

A black shadow flashed past behind the stove.

Rukia whipped around. "Who's there?"

The surroundings were empty.

"Did I see it wrong?"

She turned back and continued searching through the refrigerator.

"This can't be eaten, and this still needs to be prepared. What a hassle."

The kitchen door slowly swung open with a creak.

Rukia turned around again. "Who is it? Come out!"

She grabbed a spatula from nearby and held it in front of herself.

"I'm telling you, I'm really strong!"

The room was deathly quiet, without the slightest movement. Rukia lowered the spatula and muttered, "Sigh, I'm just scaring myself."

She turned back to the refrigerator and continued looking through the food.

The kitchen door creaked again as it was pushed open.

"Who? There's definitely someone here! Who's there?"

Rukia kept swallowing, and even her voice trembled.

"I-I'm really strong. Come out already, seriously!"

She slowly shuffled toward the doorway.

A black shadow swiftly slipped from the kitchen to outside the door.

Rukia spotted it at once and shuddered all over.

"Ghost—!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs.

The sleeping Charlos jolted awake at the scream.

"Whoa! What happened? What's going on?"

Amira and Amina immediately stood up.

"What was that sound?"

Amira frowned. "It sounded like Rukia screaming. It came from the kitchen. Let's go check."

Charlos threw off his blanket and hurried toward the kitchen with the two sisters.

Amira stepped into the kitchen first and switched on the light. She looked at the tense Rukia.

"What happened to you?"

Rukia's voice trembled. "I-I was a little hungry, so I came to the kitchen to find something to eat, b-but there's a ghost in here!"

Amira was speechless. "You're just scaring yourself. Where would a ghost come from?"

Charlos followed her inside, rubbing his head.

"Hey, that scream of yours ruined my sweet dream. So tell me, how are you going to compensate me?"

When Rukia saw Charlos, she pounced on him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and burst into tears.

"There really is a ghost. I'm so scared."

"Hey, stop, stop, stop!" Charlos held her back with one hand. "First tell me what happened. How could there be a ghost on my ship? Impossible."

"It's true! I'm not lying to you! I just wanted to find something to eat, and then a black shadow zipped right past behind me."

"What did it look like?"

"I didn't see clearly."

Charlos stretched out his hands and pinched both of Rukia's cheeks.

"Rukia, what am I supposed to say about you? Go back and sleep already."

Rukia shook her head. "I-I'm scared."

Amira slowly spoke. "She said she was hungry just now. Maybe she was so hungry that she started hallucinating."

Charlos looked at Amira with a speechless expression.

"We ate dinner only three hours ago. Even if she was hungry, she couldn't possibly be hungry enough to hallucinate."

Amina walked over, grabbed Rukia by the collar, and dragged her aside.

"Don't cling to him so tightly. Men and women shouldn't touch so freely."

Rukia raised a hand and wiped the tears and snot from the corners of her eyes.

"Why don't you say that to yourself first?"

Amina curled her lips. "I'm not the same as you."

Charlos spoke. "Then make something to eat."

Amira looked at Charlos. "You're hungry?"

"I'm not hungry. She is."

"Fine, then."

Rukia said quietly, "I actually know how to make some food."

"You know how, so why not make it yourself?"

"I'm a little tired. It's such a hassle to make."

Charlos pointed at Rukia.

"What am I supposed to say about you? You had to make such a fuss. The lights were on. Why couldn't you just cook properly?"

Rukia picked at her fingers and lowered her head.

"I won't do it again."

"Fine. Your punishment now is to make each of us something to eat too."

Rukia immediately glared. "Oh, so you're hungry too! You're deliberately ordering me around, aren't you?"

Charlos raised his chin. "I'm the boss of this ship. What I say goes."

Charlos walked to the dining table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Amina came over, picked up a napkin, and gently tucked it around his neck. Amira arranged the tableware nearby.

Rukia glanced over while working and muttered under her breath, "You sure know how to enjoy yourself."

"What are you muttering about? I heard that."

"Nothing." Rukia turned back and continued working. "I'm the only one cooking, hmph. No one's even coming over to help."

Charlos waved a finger. Amira nodded and went over to help Rukia.

Rukia looked up at Amira. "Sister, you're so kind."

"Oh, and make one extra serving while you're cooking."

Rukia turned to Charlos. "Why?"

"Just make an extra serving."

"Wouldn't it be a waste if we make too much?"

"It won't go to waste. If I tell you to make more, then make more."

Before long, all five late-night meals were brought to the table.

Amina walked over with a small bowl, carefully portioned out Charlos's food, and brought it up to his mouth.

Charlos took it from her and looked at Amina.

"Eat your own food. You don't need to worry about me."

Amina's eyes curved as she smiled.

"I'm just afraid you'll stick your chopsticks up your nose later."

Charlos shot her a helpless glance.

"Am I that stupid? Enough, eat your own food."

"Okay."

Amina obediently returned to her seat and quietly ate her late-night meal.

Everyone at the table ate in silence.

Rukia shoveled rice into her mouth and couldn't help looking at Charlos.

"Who is that extra serving you prepared for?"

Charlos ate unhurriedly, his tone calm.

"Of course, it's for someone who'll eat it."

Rukia nodded as if she understood.

"Oh."

In the shadows outside the kitchen, a figure quietly watched the four people eating at the table.

The girl kept swallowing, raised an arm, and wiped away the drool spilling from the corner of her mouth.

She hid in the darkness, not daring to make the slightest sound, her gaze fixed firmly on that extra serving of food.