Grandma came back in the late afternoon, after what felt like an unnecessarily long vacation at her friend's house.
Two weeks.
Fourteen days.
Chen had counted.
The house had not been empty while she was gone. It had functioned just fine. Meals were still cooked. Floors were still swept. Yun Hu still caused daily chaos.
But it hadn't felt complete.
So when Grandma finally messaged that she would be arriving today, Chen woke up earlier than usual.
He told himself it was normal.
It was not.
By nine in the morning, he was already in the kitchen.
He planned a feast.
Not a simple "welcome back" meal.
A feast.
There was braised pork simmering slowly on the stove, glossy and fragrant. A whole steamed fish resting on a plate layered with ginger and scallions. Stir-fried vegetables bright and fresh. A light soup bubbling gently with tofu and mushrooms. Even small side dishes arranged carefully — pickled cucumbers, cold shredded potatoes, and Grandma's favorite sesame spinach.
