Standing at about 1.8 meters tall, with golden hair almost identical to Domino's but seemingly even more vibrant.
Her figure had become more curvaceous compared to two years ago. Although her skin wasn't as fair as Domino's or Hancock's, it had a unique healthy glow.
As for the freckles on her face…
Perhaps because her features were so exquisite, the moment Vivian saw her, he was captivated by her clear, bright blue eyes, completely ignoring the freckles.
This was Aili, now twenty years old, after two years.
At this moment, she was wearing a white dress, looking like a doll, and she threw herself into Vivian's arms, tears streaming down her face.
"Vivian, you're finally back…"
"Aili… I'm sorry. Two years ago, to avoid being detected by headquarters, I had to leave without saying goodbye."
Vivian gently patted Aili's shoulder, softly comforting her.
The next second, Aili's father, Hodman, walked in, holding a machete, pointing it at Vivian's head.
"You damn brat, you left for two years without a word! You made my daughter wait for you on the ship all this time. Do you not respect me, Hodman, or the old man, or the entire Whitebeard Pirates?"
He swung the machete menacingly, but just as he raised it, Aili spread her arms and shielded Vivian.
"I won't let you hurt him, Dad!"
"I'm just standing up for you, silly girl. This guy made you sad for so long. If I don't teach him a lesson, how will he treat you well in the future?"
But Aili wouldn't listen at all. She looked at Hodman with determination and said, "Dad, if you hurt him, I'll sever our father-daughter relationship!" {Thought this was only Chinese, but found in indian dramas too, even korean, even japanese…. What the heck.}
Hodman: "…"
My daughter… wants to sever our father-daughter relationship?
She wants to cut ties with the father who raised her for twenty years for a man?!
Hodman was petrified on the spot upon hearing this.
Why?
He couldn't accept it!
This was a classic case of forgetting her father for a man!
"Hodman, it's rare for everyone to be together again. I didn't have the ship brought near Marine Headquarters just to have you all argue and ruin the atmosphere," Whitebeard interrupted the argument.
Seeing this, Hodman reluctantly put away his machete but still shot a resentful glance at Vivian.
This damn brat… I must make him suffer before he leaves!
He thought to himself.
"Gurararara, let's eat first, and then have a few drinks."
Whitebeard said, picking up the fried rice on the table and shoveling a few mouthfuls into his mouth.
About five seconds later.
"Poof!"
Rice grains splattered all over Marco's face.
Whitebeard, clutching his throat, collapsed onto the bed as if he had fainted.
"Old man!"
…
"Is that guy's cooking really that good?"
Outside the kitchen on Whitebeard's pirate ship, a group of pirates, including several division commanders, were leaning against the doorframe, peeking in with curious expressions at Vivian's busy figure in the kitchen.
"I don't know, but he seems very confident."
"Do you think his cooking will be as bad as Captain Marco's?"
"What? I've been eating Captain Marco's food for three days now. If I eat it again, I'll definitely die."
"I don't want to eat Captain Marco's food anymore either. Every night, the taste wakes me up, even though I rinse my mouth five times before bed…"
Everyone's faces turned mournful as painful memories flooded back.
Before they could finish speaking, Marco, who was also trying to sneak a peek from the back of the crowd, sneered with an expression like this: (╬▔皿▔)
The atmosphere in the ship instantly filled with tension, and everyone shivered, turning to look behind them.
=???=???(●???●|||)
Meanwhile…
"There are so many people on the ship, how about making hotpot?" Vivian muttered to himself.
But he had made hotpot too many times before, and it wouldn't showcase his culinary skills…
"How about making spicy hotpot instead?"
Looking at the kitchen filled with various ingredients, Vivian's eyes locked onto a pile of bamboo sticks in the corner.
Grinning, he pulled out his Blood Demon sword and began to skillfully carve the sticks in front of the watching pirates.
About an hour later…
In the dining hall of the ship, over five hundred main ship combat personnel sat around several long tables, drooling uncontrollably at the strong aroma wafting from the kitchen.
They couldn't help it. After days of avoiding Marco's dark cuisine, they were starving. Now, finally able to eat a proper meal, especially one with an unfamiliar but enticing aroma, no one could sit still. They stood up, holding chopsticks or forks, eyes fixed on the kitchen door.
The next second, when Vivian emerged carrying a pot two to three times larger than a basin, the pirates' eyes gleamed like wolves spotting prey.
"Don't rush. Wait until I tell you to start eating."
Seeing this, Whitebeard, sitting at the head of the table, coughed and ordered.
At his words, the eager pirates immediately sat back down, like obedient children in a kindergarten, eyes forward, sitting perfectly straight.
Vivian was amazed by this sight.
Wow, these guys really listen to Whitebeard.
This pirate crew has quite the discipline.
He marveled as he placed the pots on the long tables.
Once the dishes were served, everyone held their bowls, catching their drool, staring at the soup filled with chili and cilantro, veins almost popping out.
After a while…
"Dig in!" Whitebeard waved his hand.
Before he finished speaking, the dining hall turned into a battlefield, and Vivian watched in astonishment as the pirates plunged into a fierce "battle" for the food.