An hour later, they all sat together at the dining table. Ethan and Evelyn sat together with Nora between them while Jason and Maria sat across from them.
The moment they began eating, the old couple looked at Ethan suspiciously.
"When did you get so good at cooking?" Jason asked with narrowed eyes.
Ethan smiled slyly and replied. "Of course, it’s only because I paid attention and learned from you and Mother. How else can I be this good?"
Jason snorted while Maria chuckled. The old man obviously didn’t buy the flattery, but he didn’t bother pressing the issue either.
Being proficient at cooking wasn’t anything worth his suspicion. At least it was a good sign.
Nodding his head, Jason said, "Since you’re this good at cooking, then you should be the one cooking for your family. You can’t be stressing this young lady all the time."
Evelyn paused, then smiled bashfully. "Actually... Ethan has been the one preparing our meals for a while now."
Jason stared at his son in surprise, just like Maria. They didn’t think their son would actively volunteer for something like that. Still, they were pleased.
Jason finally revealed a genuine smile and said, "Good, good. A good husband must know how to take care of his wife. I’m proud of you."
Ethan accepted his words with a smile. "Of course, I learned all of it from you, Dad. Isn’t that right? Or have you stopped cooking and let mum handle everything?"
Jason’s expression stiffened, and his gentle eyes turned into a glare.
Maria chuckled slightly and supported her son. "Jason, what our son said is true. You should start helping me cook, shouldn’t you?"
The old man was immediately put in a tight spot, and his expression crumbled into forced reluctance.
"It’s alright. I can still cook... I guess."
[Family Happiness: 20.11%]
Ethan raised an eyebrow, then glanced at Evelyn and Nora. The mother-daughter pair were laughing quietly, covering their mouth with their hands.
He looked at the sight and couldn’t help but smile, ’They really look identical, don’t they?’
[Host, you have finally gained access to your family members’ individual happiness levels.]
The message pulled his attention away from them, and he focused on the screen before him.
[Wife’s Happiness: 18.10%]
[Daughter’s Happiness: 2.01%]
Ethan froze.
’2.01...?’
His gaze slowly returned to Nora, and he realized her case was far more serious than he had initially imagined.
’What exactly is making her sad?’
He looked at her smile, wondering, ’Is that fake?’
He turned back to the system and asked, ’What exactly is wrong with her? I don’t think she suffered as much as Evelyn did, no?’
After a moment of silence, the system answered him.
[I’m afraid I cannot answer that. It surprises me that her personal happiness is pitifully low, and there seems to be some mental barrier preventing her from fully accepting your change. My only advice is that you pay more attention and try to find out the problem.]
Ethan nodded slowly.
[I understand and sympathize with your current dilemma. Hence, I’ll support you by giving out tasks focused on her. Hopefully, they can help in making her happy again.]
Ethan sighed and thought, ’Thank you.’
Noticing his change in expression, Evelyn called his name softly. "Ethan?"
He turned to her and forced a smile. "Yes?"
"You look troubled," She said, worry evident in her voice.
She had gotten used to him being upright in the past few weeks that she felt a little startled by his gloomy expression.
"Did something happen?"
His parents were also looking at him with confused expressions as they couldn’t understand the sudden change in his demeanor. Wasn’t he laughing with them just now?
Ethan’s forced smile dimmed slightly, and he stood up. "Give me a moment. I’ll be right back."
Before anyone could say anything, he left the dining room and headed to the balcony of the house.
’Sigh...’
He slowly opened his eyes and looked towards the sky. ’This is a little harder than my life as a businessman.’
[Why do you seem disturbed?]
He stared at the screen, then looked away.
’I’ve been trying my best, adapting to everything and trying to correct another man’s mistakes. It’s a little frustrating when you realize that your efforts amount to little, you know?’
The system fell silent for a moment. Then, another string of texts appeared in his vision.
[I can understand you a little. Perhaps you need a break. You haven’t had time to focus on yourself at all.]
Ethan said nothing, merely staring at nothing in particular.
[For the next five days, there will be no daily tasks. Only hidden tasks will remain available. After that, we can return to fixing the little girl. Is that alright?]
Ethan finally smiled a little and nodded. ’Alright. Maybe I really need that break.’
With that, the system went silent and no longer disturbed him. Ethan stayed there for several minutes. He didn’t even notice how much time had passed until he felt a pair of slender arms wrap around his waist from behind.
Evelyn’s body followed, and she hugged him tightly. She didn’t say anything, merely holding him as they stood in silence.
After a while, Ethan sighed and turned to face her. He wrapped his arms around her and spoke softly.
"I’m sorry."
Evelyn blinked in surprise. She wanted to ask why he had said that, but soon realized that it wasn’t needed. She merely nodded and rested her head on his chest.
The two remained like that for a while, unaware that their daughter was watching from a corner. She stood hidden from their sight, watching as her parents hugged each other.
Nora’s eyes narrowed, and she walked away feeling conflicted.
’Am I being paranoid? But I can’t blame myself...’ Her hands curled into fists. ’I’ve seen what he’s like. He’ll eventually force Mom into that state again. I’m not going to let it happen again.’
Her black eyes sharpened with determination. ’If it comes down to it, then I’ll do it.’
She would kill him.
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