Arjun Sharma, Priya Sharma, and Ananya Desai sat at a corner table, the surface laden with a lavish spread of five seafood platters—butter garlic prawns, crab masala, tandoori pomfret, fish curry, and crispy calamari—an indulgence Arjun had secretly craved for weeks, using the outing as an excuse to treat the girls and fulfill a Midlife Mastery System prompt: "Task: Host a lavish meal to boost household morale. Reward: +2 Spirit, +1 Strength." The system, a secret fueling his transformation at 45, had bolstered his wealth to ₹21,17,750, making the feast a small but deliberate expense.
Ananya, her sleek hair catching the light, stared at the towering platters, her fingers nervously twisting her napkin. "Uncle, this is too much," she whispered, her eyes darting to a nearby table where a couple settled a ₹3,000 bill for a single prawn dish. "That's so expensive—how can we afford this?" Arjun, his fitted shirt accentuating his 81-kilogram physique, leaned forward with a reassuring smile. "Ananya, don't stress about the cost. Tonight's for celebrating you settling in. Here, try the crab like this," he said, picking up a claw and cracking it open with a deft twist, revealing the tender meat. "Dip it in the masala sauce—go on, taste it." Ananya, hesitant but curious, followed his lead, her first bite eliciting a shy grin. "It's... amazing," she said, her voice soft amid the clatter of plates and chatter of diners.
Priya, lounging with her iPhone 16 Pro propped against a glass, glanced up, her expression a mix of amusement and irritation. "Dad, you're practically her personal chef now," she quipped, her tone sharper than usual. She popped a piece of calamari into her mouth, chewing slowly. "You never showed me how to eat crab like that." Arjun raised an eyebrow, noting the shift in her demeanor—unlike before, he didn't soften her remarks with apologies, his confidence steadier since the system's rewards. "You've been cracking crabs since you were ten, Priya," he shot back lightly, a playful edge in his voice. "Maybe teach Ananya a trick or two yourself." Priya huffed, scrolling through Instagram, but a faint smile tugged at her lips, betraying her attempt to stay annoyed.
Arjun, a former top student from a rural Maharashtra village who studied computer science at a Mumbai college, savored a bite of pomfret, its smoky spices sparking memories of his early career. Back then, he'd dreamed of stability in the booming civil engineering sector, only to face layoffs when projects dried up. Now, middle-aged and reinvented, he felt a quiet pride in providing for Priya and Ananya. "This place reminds me of dinners with my old project team," he said, breaking the silence. "We'd crowd around tables like this, sharing stories over fish fry and cold drinks. Feels good to be here with you both." Ananya, nibbling on prawns, looked up with interest. "What kind of stories, uncle?" she asked, her curiosity genuine. Arjun chuckled. "Oh, mostly about impossible deadlines and cranky bosses. But we laughed through it. You'll have your own stories at college soon."
The lively atmosphere shifted as a group of four young men, led by a brash, chain-wearing man named Rakesh Yadav, swaggered toward their table, their eyes lingering on Ananya. Rakesh, his voice loud over the restaurant's din, gestured at the empty chairs. "Oi, uncle, mind if we join? Table's big enough, and we're starving," he said, his smirk directed at Ananya, who shrank slightly in her seat. Arjun's protective instincts flared, his Strength stat of 70 giving him a quiet confidence. He leaned forward, his tone calm but firm. "Sorry, mate, this table's for family. Plenty of spots over there." He nodded toward the other side of the eatery, his gaze steady. Rakesh scoffed, stepping closer. "Come on, we're just being friendly. Your daughter won't mind, right?" He glanced at Ananya, mistaking her for Priya.
Priya, catching the tension, put down her phone, her eyes narrowing. "She's not his daughter, and we're not sharing. Move on," she snapped, her voice cutting through the humid air. Ananya, clutching her fork, whispered to Arjun, "Uncle, they're making me uncomfortable." Arjun's jaw tightened, sensing Rakesh's bad intentions. "You heard her. Find another table," he said, his voice low but carrying an edge that silenced Rakesh's crew. The group hesitated, then retreated under Arjun's unyielding stare, muttering as they claimed a table nearby. Ananya exhaled, her hands trembling. "Thank you, uncle. I didn't know what to say," she murmured. Priya, softening, reached over and squeezed her hand. "Don't worry, we've got you," she said, her earlier irritation giving way to solidarity.
To lighten the mood, Arjun signaled the waiter for another round of mango lassi, the bill for the feast totaling ₹4,200. His phone pinged: "SBI: ₹4,200 debited. Balance: ₹21,13,550." He leaned back, watching Priya and Ananya share a laugh over a spilled lassi, the system's prompt—boost household morale—feeling within reach. "Let's make these nights a tradition," he said, his voice warm, masking his alertness as he kept an eye on Rakesh's table. A new system notification buzzed: "Task: Practice active listening with family for 10 minutes daily for 7 days. Reward: +2 Spirit, +1 Strength." Arjun saw it as a chance to strengthen his bond with Priya and Ananya, his transformation anchoring him amidst the restaurant's lively chaos and Mumbai's vibrant pulse.
Attribute Panel:
Height: 185 cm (+)
Physical Age: 44 (-)
Wealth: ₹21,13,550
Strength: 71 (+)
Spirit: 60 (+)
Props: Knowledge Scroll=8, Electrolyte Drink=10, Protein Shake=2
Daily Tasks: Nutritious breakfast, gym check-in, Ola rides, Efficient reading