At home, in the kitchen.
It was not yet seven. Li Wei had washed up and was getting ready to knead some dough when a pair of slender, fair hands slipped around his waist.
Li Wei left the hands where they were and turned his head with a smile. "Why are you awake so early?"
Cynthia rested her cheek against his broad back. "I don't know. I feel like I slept really well last night."
As she spoke, tenderness and affection naturally welled up in her eyes.
"I tried to keep as quiet as possible when I got up. I didn't think I'd still wake you."
Cynthia said nothing. She simply kept her arms around his waist as a few quiet minutes passed.
What she really wanted to say was that he had held her all night. Wouldn't she have to be awfully oblivious not to notice him getting up?
"Go wash up first. I'll make you some noodles in clear broth."
Cynthia's lips curved upward. "Okay."
Around this time, Li Wei's parents were waking up too.
As for the Old Master, he had already taken Gengar and Farfetch'd out for an early walk.
Ever since the Old Master caught Farfetch'd, the Pokémon had adopted an elderly person's daily routine.
They went out for a walk at five in the morning and could stay out until seven. Sometimes, they even stopped by the market early to buy groceries.
So while Li Wei worried about his dad's health, he never had to worry about his grandpa's.
"Huh?!"
"That smells amazing!"
Still half asleep and yawning, Leon caught a delicious scent.
When Li Wei's parents, Elder Uncle, and Elder Aunt got up that morning, they all smelled the aroma drifting from the kitchen.
Seated in the dining area by the floor-to-ceiling