"Where's my daddy?"
"He went on a very distant adventure. This adventure is incredibly important, it even concerns the lives and deaths of many people. To save everyone, to help many people, your father had to throw himself into this adventure. That's why he left."
"Then what about mommy?"
"...She's trapped. Trapped by a lot of trouble, a lot of responsibilities, and many, many difficulties, so she can't come to your side. But your mommy is working hard right now to overcome those troubles and restraints. When she defeats those enemies, she'll be able to come and be with you."
"Then who are you?"
"Your mommy and daddy temporarily entrusted you to me, asking me to take good care of you. So, little Kiana, can we eat our food obediently now?"
"...But I don't like vegetables."
Little Kiana crinkled her small face, leaning her head back in clear resistance, obviously not wanting to eat the greens.
For the first time, Xin Yu understood just how tiring it was to take care of a child. He wondered if being a bit firm would make him seem too strict. But if he always spoke softly without a hint of authority, would the child ignore him and not listen?
Ah, I have no experience. The balance here is hard to grasp.
Xin Yu thought seriously for a moment, then coughed lightly, attracting the little girl's attention. He then said, "Kiana, you are the child of Mr. Siegfried and Ms. Cecilia. Your parents are both renowned great heroes, you know that, right?"
"Mhm, mhm!"
"Since you are the daughter of a heroic couple, you too should not fear challenges. Are you saying that a tiny little vegetable is going to make you retreat, make you scared, make you shrink back now?"
"Hmph! I'm not scared! It's just vegetables, right? I'll eat them!"
Little Kiana somewhat clumsily picked up her chopsticks. It had to be said, the child's aptitude was quite strong. As a child who had never encountered chopsticks before, she was able to use them simply after a little instruction from Xin Yu. Truly Kiana, through and through.
Other talents aside, when it came to anything related to eating, Kiana's talent was definitely top-tier, no matter which world she was in.
Kiana clumsily used her chopsticks to pick up a leaf of vegetable and stuffed it into her mouth. Her initially tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed as she chewed, and her eyes began to brighten.
"So, so yummy!"
Kiana felt this was the most delicious food she had ever eaten. Although it was a tiny bit inferior to instant noodles, it was definitely much tastier than the meals those two at home cooked.
Xin Yu watched Kiana hugging her bowl and chopsticks, gobbling down her food. Even though she was still young, her voracious eating style was already on par with her teenage self.
Speaking of which, is my cooking really that good?
Xin Yu doubtfully picked up a piece of vegetable and put it in his mouth. After chewing for a moment, he found the taste quite normal, nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, it seemed he might have added a bit too much salt; the flavor was a little strong. This wasn't particularly... No, could it be that in this world, Mr. Siegfried's cooking skills were also terrible? What about Ms. Cecilia then?
Xin Yu glanced again at little Kiana, who was devouring her food over there—the same Kiana who had just been saying she didn't want to eat vegetables at all but now couldn't stop. He felt the answer was already clear.
This family's cooking skills were probably at a disaster level, weren't they? If not for their strong constitutions, would this family end up in the hospital from eating their own cooking?
"Ahem, cough!"
"Alright, alright, eat slowly. No one's going to snatch it from you."
Xin Yu gently patted little Kiana's back. After she stopped coughing, he picked up a bowl of soup from the side, which had been set aside earlier. It had been left there specifically so its temperature would be just right by now. Offering it to the child now, it wouldn't be too hot.
Kiana drank the delicious meat soup, her expression one of extreme comfort. This was so much better than the soup made at home.
Children naturally get sleepy after eating. Little Kiana yawned, then left her little stool and came over to Xin Yu. Using her hands and feet, she climbed up and curled up in Xin Yu's embrace.
Xin Yu noticed the girl's drowsiness. He let Kiana rest her head on his arm, gently patting her back with his hand, and began to sing a soft song.
"Beyond these infinitely stretching dreams,
In a world seemingly empty, holding nothing,
Even the precious hopes within our hearts might falter,
But still, even with these seemingly unreliable wings,
Though weighed down by the image of being unable to advance,
We can surely, surely take to flight..."
The song gently drifted into the girl's ears, making her sleep even more soundly, more peacefully.
It seemed as if she had begun an adventure in her dreams, an adventure uniquely her own, a grand adventure full of vibrant colors and rich imagination that only a child could conceive.
As Xin Yu hummed this song from the depths of his memory, he felt as if he saw a blurry image—a child in a school uniform, with a backpack, sitting on a small stool.
That child's eyes were bright, watching the television screen, watching a story unfold about a group of children fighting against darkness with their companions.
The story playing there taught children to have courage, to value friendship, to be honest, to be loving, to have a heart that pursues knowledge, and not to forget to maintain their innocent selves. It taught them to be full of hope when facing difficulties, to believe that light would surely come.
Suddenly, that child turned his head and met Xin Yu's gaze. He opened his mouth, his lips moving up and down as if saying something, but no sound came through. Yet, Xin Yu could understand what he was saying.
"Do you still remember your dream?"
After asking this question, the child turned his head back. Simultaneously, a child's voice, sounding familiar yet tender, echoed in Xin Yu's ears.
"I still remember my dream! I want to embark on an unforgettable adventure too! I want to overcome countless difficulties with my friends and save the world! To become a great hero! To make everyone smile happily, to let everyone be happy!"
The child turned his head once more, pointing at the animation playing on the television screen.
"Have you forgotten?"
"No."
Xin Yu smiled as he looked at him.
"Perhaps my past self had already abandoned this seemingly childish dream, but now, I've found it once more... I will definitely become a great hero who saves the world, change all tragedies, let everyone smile happily, and ensure everyone has a blissful ending."
"Mhm! We'll definitely do it."
"Mhm, after all..."
"The power of dreams is infinite!"