Chapter 15 Bird

She finally picked up the spoon, carefully scooped up a round meatball, blew on it, and put it into her mouth.

The soft, sweet taste melted on her tongue. It was so delicious that she squinted her eyes, a satisfied glow blooming on her little face.

The only sounds left in the room were the faint sounds of chewing and the clinking of spoons and bowls.

An Zhi ate the sausage in small bites and secretly glanced at Quinn who was eating silently beside him.

He ate very little and moved very politely, as if he were in a high-end restaurant rather than this humble outpost.

That elegance and sense of control were at odds with the tense atmosphere around them.

She looked at the scarred man and the others again.

They ate very quickly, hardly daring to look up, as if they were not enjoying the delicious food but carrying out a mission.

An Zhi suddenly thought of something and stopped.

She raised her little face and looked at the scarred man closest to her. There was a hint of worry in her clear big eyes, and she asked in a low voice:

"Uncle...old Grandpa Kane...did he have breakfast?"

This gentle question was like a piece of ice thrown into the soup that was just slightly warm.

The scarred man's chewing motion froze instantly.

The two big men also put down their chopsticks.

The small silver spoon Quinn used to stir the milk also made a clear "ding" sound on the edge of the cup.

The shrimp dumplings in the scarred man's mouth instantly tasted like wax. He turned his neck stiffly and looked at Quinn, his eyes filled with fear and help.

The two big men were so frightened that they even held their breath, as if An Zhiwen was not asking about breakfast, but a death warrant.

Ancestor...how dare you ask questions to the boss.

The only light left in the room was the faint but stubborn warm yellow light emitted by the little mushroom above An Zhi's head, like the only candle that refused to go out in the cold night.

The small silver spoon in Quinn's hand stopped in mid-air, and the lingering sound of the cup rim seemed to still be vibrating.

His gaze slowly moved away from the milk in the cup and fell on An Zhi's little face which was filled with pure worry.

She asked so naturally and as a matter of course, as if whether old Kane had eaten breakfast was the most important thing in the world.

This innocent concern, like a fine needle, precisely pierced the brief illusion of tranquility in this makeshift restaurant.

Quinn's gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds.

The low pressure made it almost impossible for the scarred man and the other two to breathe.

An Zhi felt a little uneasy when he looked at her. Her little hands unconsciously clenched the spoon, but worry was still clearly visible in her clear big eyes.

Finally, Quinn spoke.

"Scarface."

"Here! Boss!"

The scarred man practically shot up.

He stood straight, a thin layer of cold sweat on his forehead.

"go."

Quinn's gaze turned completely towards him, still locked on An Zhi's face, as if observing a strange, incomprehensible creature.

"Send a copy of the same past."

The scarred man was stunned and didn't react for two full seconds. "Send... send one?"

He repeated it subconsciously, wondering if he was hallucinating because of the strange atmosphere.

Give that old Kane? Send this little ancestor a breakfast that is exactly the same as the one prepared by the boss himself?

"Um."

Quinn replied calmly, as if to confirm. He withdrew his gaze, picked up the small silver spoon again, and slowly stirred the slightly cooled milk in the cup, as if he had just given an insignificant instruction.

"Tell him," he paused, tapping the tip of the spoon lightly on the edge of the cup, making a crisp sound, "that's what my son asked."

The last four words were light and airy, but they were like a huge rock thrown into a deep pool, causing a huge wave in the scarred man's heart!

Zizi asked!

That's what the boss meant.

This breakfast wasn't a reward from him, but was given because... it was given at the request of this little ancestor?!

The scarred man felt a chill running from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and his eyes changed completely when he looked at An Zhi.

It was no longer just awe, but an added sense of extreme horror and fear.

"Yes! Boss! Do it right away!"

The scarred man's voice was hoarse, and he almost crawled towards the cart, and began to hurriedly put food on an empty plate - shrimp dumplings, sausages, biscuits, lotus root soup, and he even found a thermos and poured a full pot of warm milk.

He moved as fast as if he were in war, fearing that a second of delay would bring him death.

The big man pushing the cart also quickly stood up to help, and the two of them worked together to quickly prepare a steaming hot and substantial breakfast.

The scarred man held the heavy dinner plate as if holding a bomb that could explode at any time. He bowed deeply in Quinn's direction, then rushed out of the room as if escaping.

The door slammed shut, isolating the outside world and taking away the suffocating tension.

The only people left in the room were Quinn, An Zhi, two big men, and the remaining food on the cart.

Big man: Brothers, how could you leave them behind?

An Zhi watched the scarred uncle run out like the wind, and a relieved smile finally appeared on his little face.

The mushroom-like light above her head also stabilized, and the warm yellow halo seemed to be softer.

“Thank you, uncle!”

She tilted her little face up and smiled sweetly at Quinn, her big eyes curved into crescents. That pure joy and gratitude were conveyed without reservation.

Quinn paused slightly as he stirred the milk. He lowered his eyes to watch the swirling liquid in the cup. His long eyelashes cast a small shadow under his eyes, obscuring the ripples deep in his eyes.

He didn't say anything, just picked up the cup and took another sip of the slightly cool milk.

The two remaining big men on the side secretly looked at each other and saw the relief of surviving the disaster in each other's eyes.

An Zhi, however, completely relaxed. Having solved the breakfast problem for Grandpa Kane, her appetite was greatly improved.

She happily scooped up the sweet lotus root soup with the small spoon, and her cheeks were bulging with food. The little mushroom on her head trembled as she chewed.

The sunlight filtered through the crude window slits, casting a few narrow beams of light on the floor.

Quinn sat quietly in the shadow at the edge of the light column, his profile clearly outlined, half in light and half in dark.

He drank the milk slowly, his eyes occasionally glancing at the little figure beside him who was eating contentedly, as if the thrilling experience just now had never happened.

Like a little bird, chirping and immersed in its own world.

That fragile, beautiful little life flying in the sunshine.

…

The warmth of breakfast had not yet completely dissipated, and the aroma of food in the room was replaced by a more tense atmosphere.

Two big men stood solemnly by the wall with their hands hanging down, their muscles bulging, but their eyes revealed a subtle uneasiness.

Quinn had stood up.

He walked to the open space in the middle of the room, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the cold metal cufflinks on his cuffs, and his eyes fell on An Zhi, who was still sitting on the high stool, licking the milk stains at the corners of his mouth.

"come over."

He spoke, his voice calm.