Early the next morning, Chen Shi'an got up at five as usual.
First, he lifted Little Cicada off him, where she had been clinging like an octopus, and stuffed a pillow into her arms. Only then could he get out of bed, pull up his pants, and leave the room.
Fat Cat, who slept on the sofa, had woken up ages ago and slipped out before dawn to recruit feline underlings and stake out territory.
Chen Shi'an chatted for a while with Professor Ye, who was exercising downstairs, then ran outside himself to expand his new map of the city.
When he got home, all three girls were still asleep. Fat Cat, however, had returned from an early morning of roaming and was stationed at the kitchen door, waiting for him to make breakfast.
"Meow."
"Where did you go so early in the morning?"
"Meow..."
They needed physical examinations that morning, including fasting blood tests, so Chen Shi'an only made breakfast for Sister Wanyin and Fat Ink. He would eat with the two girls in the cafeteria afterward.
Breakfast was scallion oil noodles with seaweed and egg drop soup, a favorite of Sister Wanyin's.
He had already rested the dough beforehand and pulled it into long, evenly thin noodles. After a few rolls in the boiling water, he scooped them out and poured sizzling-hot scallion oil over them. With a hiss, the fragrance immediately filled the entire apartment.
Unexpectedly, Wen Zhixia was the first to wake up.
The girl wore loose, baggy pajamas with nothing underneath. Her eyes had yet to open fully, but her nose was already twitching.
Hearing movement in the kitchen, she stumbled over sleepily, leaned against Chen Shi'an's back, and wrapped her little hands tightly around him.
"Taoist... smells so good..."
"You're up so soon, Little