Time passed by slowly, and lunchtime arrived with perfect timing. Noah had already sent Ethan the address of his new house, and his aunt’s family was making their way over for the celebratory meal.
The doorbell chimed at exactly the right moment. Noah and Alan had just finished preparing their elaborate feast, the kitchen filled with aromatic evidence of their collaborative cooking efforts.
On his way to the door, Noah smiled at the notification that appeared before him a minute ago.
[Your Cooking skill has reached level 3!]
It seemed like his cooking for his dad earlier, and cooking with him had paid its dues not only in filial piety but also in evolving his skill.
Noah opened the door to find Aunt Mei’s family waiting with warm smiles and obvious curiosity about his new living situation.
"Noah!" Aunt Mei exclaimed, immediately stepping inside whilst checking the house with obvious approval. "This place is beautiful! Congratulations on your business success!"
Her eyes took in the spacious interior, quality furnishings, and general atmosphere of prosperity that marked such a dramatic change from his previous cramped apartment. She felt incredibly proud of her nephew and wished him even more success; he deserved it.
"Thank you, Aunty," Noah replied with appreciation for her enthusiasm.
"And thank you again for treating Ethan so well," she continued, her gratitude filled with mother-like warmth. "That computer setup and everything else you bought him—it’s made such a difference in his life."
Small investments in family happiness. Always worth it.
Noah accepted her thanks graciously before leading them inside toward the dining area where the feast awaited.
He exchanged a fist bump with his cousin and a hug with his uncle.
Noah immediately noticed how much better Ethan looked compared to their meeting a week or so ago. The young man’s posture radiated confidence rather than the dejected slump that had been his post-breakup depression.
"You look great, man," Noah observed with genuine approval. "Much better than last time."
Ethan grinned with obvious pride. "I’ve been focusing on my studies and my goal of becoming a pro esports player."
Adversity transformed into achievement. He’s got the potential to be something, good kid. Noah felt happy for his cousin; he just needed a little push to stabilise himself.
"And check this out, one of the professional teams is actually thinking of recruiting me! They’ve been watching my gameplay and think I have potential." Ethan had a huge smile on his face as he spoke.
Noah’s eyebrows rose with impressed surprise. "That’s incredible! Professional gaming recruitment?"
"Yeah, and I’ve also started streaming regularly. My skills have caught attention online, and I’m averaging about two hundred daily viewers on the streaming platform."
Two hundred daily viewers. That’s actually impressive for a new streamer.
"The income isn’t available yet, but I should start earning after signing a contract with them, which they promised would arrive tomorrow," Ethan added with obvious satisfaction at his growing independence.
Uncle Smith and the rest of the family settled around the dining table as Noah and Alan presented their culinary masterpiece.
The main dishes featured perfectly prepared beef and chicken, seasoned with perfection.
Whilst cooking with his father, Noah noticed that Alan really had some good cooking experience. He reckoned that if his father had a system, it would evaluate him at level 3 in cooking, which Noah had just reached recently.
The beef and chicken might have appeared to be the main components of the meal, but in truth, they were not. The real star was the bread.
Noah had sneakily incorporated bread, allowing his family members to earn an attribute point in vitality and a short-term increase in their regeneration.
Family members are about to receive permanent attribute improvements without realising it.
Uncle Smith bit into the magical bread, and his eyes widened immediately. "This bread... It’s extraordinary. The texture, the flavour, it’s like nothing from any bakery I know."
As the meal progressed, subtle changes became apparent in his family members’ demeanour and energy levels. Aunt Mei’s usual afternoon fatigue disappeared entirely, making her more energetic than she was normally.
Uncle Smith’s chronic back pain, which typically made him shift uncomfortably during extended sitting, seemed to vanish. He sat straighter and moved more freely.
The bread’s vitality enhancement is working exactly as intended.
"I feel amazing," Aunt Mei declared as they finished the main course. "Like I could run a marathon or clean the entire house without getting tired."
"Same here," Uncle Smith agreed, rolling his shoulders experimentally. "My back hasn’t felt this good in decades. Whatever you two did in that kitchen, it worked miracles. Thank you for the amazing meal, it’s been great."
Alan observed his family’s remarkable energy with knowing satisfaction, understanding exactly what his son had done without needing explanations. His own experience with magical enhancement made the effects obvious despite their subtle presentation.
"This has been the best family dinner we’ve had in years," Aunt Mei declared with obvious emotion. "Everyone feels so... alive."
The celebration had achieved every goal Noah had hoped for—his father’s successful homecoming, family bonding through shared cooking, and improving his close relatives’ health without them knowing.
After lunch finished, the family began making their gracious departures. Each member took time to express their heartfelt wishes to Alan for his continued health and recovery.
"Take care of yourself, Alan, you look wonderful, but don’t overdo anything too soon." Aunt Mei said warmly.
Uncle Smith nodded in agreement. "Rest is important, even when you’re feeling great. Hospital recovery takes time."
Ethan added his own wishes. "Get plenty of rest, Uncle Alan. Thanks for the amazing meal!"
They wanted to give Alan space to relax and adjust to being home again. Even though he felt remarkably well, they understood that transitioning from hospital life back to normal routine required time and patience.
They were a thoughtful family. They knew when to give someone space to recover properly.
With warm farewells and promises to visit again soon, Aunt Mei’s family departed, leaving father and son alone in their quiet house.
Noah turned toward his father with consideration. "I’ll clean the dishes later, Dad. Don’t worry about them. I have some work to do in my room—I’ll probably be busy for a while. Do you need anything from me?"
Give him time to rest while I handle my shop matters. Lola’s shift has already ended a few minutes ago.
His dad shook his head with a contented smile, the food enhancement still providing energy that made him feel decades younger. "No, son. You can go do your thing. I’m perfectly fine."
Noah nodded with satisfaction and headed toward his room, ready to check on his shop operations and continue his training routine.
As Noah disappeared into his room, Alan looked around the kitchen with energy coursing through his body. Despite his son’s thoughtful offer to handle cleanup later, Alan felt too energetic to simply sit idle.
I feel better than I have in years. Might as well put this energy to good use.
He sneakily entered the kitchen and began washing the dishes. The simple domestic task felt satisfying after being bedridden in the hospital for so long.
Good to be useful again. Good to be home.