I could see it clearly: my dad, Beta Jackson, was speechless.
At first, he must have thought Daniel might be fooling me. But now, looking at Daniel's appearance and demeanor, it seemed more likely that my family was the one doing the fooling! Honestly, with a man like this, it was hard to believe he'd be the one to deceive anyone. If anything, it looked like I had managed to snag a catch.
Is it illegal to scam a soldier?
Ever since I was young, I've always had a soft spot for good-looking people, regardless of whether they were men or women. I still remember when I was in elementary school, I had a crush on a handsome older boy. I would follow him around, insisting on eating lunch with him, saying that looking at his face made the food taste better.
Luna Elzzie shooed Beta Jackson out of the kitchen after deciding he was just in the way. She peeked into the living room, then loudly called out, "Rose, if you're free, why don't you come help me in the kitchen?"
As her daughter, I knew exactly what she was trying to do. My mother wanted to make a good impression on Daniel. Even though I had a good job at the post office and was admired by many, I couldn't cook at all. In fact, I was hopeless with any household chores.
I stood up instinctively when she called for me, but Daniel stepped forward, saying, "You don't need to go. Let me handle it. It's a good chance for me to show off a little."
I remembered I had mentioned earlier that I couldn't cook, so he must have taken it as his cue.
Daniel rolled up his sleeves and said to my mother, "Ma'am, please take a rest. I'll take care of the cooking."
Luna Elzzie had been expecting me, not him. She was taken aback.
It's not every day that a new son-in-law steps into the kitchen on his first visit!
But Daniel was serious. He started washing and chopping vegetables, acting as if he were right at home.
My mother was shocked. She watched as he expertly sliced through the vegetables, clearly skilled in the kitchen.
Could this man really cook? Men who could cook were rare in this era!
No wonder I wanted to marry him so quickly—seeing him cook must have sealed the deal.
Luna Elzzie couldn't help but smile and quietly stepped out, leaving the kitchen to Daniel.
She glanced over at me, sprawled on the sofa, casually eating tangerines.
She came over and sat beside me, whispering, "My girl, you're smart. You better hold onto this one tightly! He can earn money, cook, and look this good. Men like him are hard to find!"
I glanced at Daniel, feeling proud. "Of course! I know how to pick them."
Earlier, my mom had been worried about this sudden marriage. But after seeing how capable and charming Daniel was, her concerns vanished. Now, she was simply thrilled.
I peeled a tangerine and handed half of it to her. "Mum, I'm pretty sure his cooking is great. With a guy like this, I've made a good choice, haven't I?"
"You sly little fox," she teased, flicking my forehead.
Soon enough, Daniel finished cooking. He made a few stir-fried dishes, filling the table with a colorful spread.
While my mom went off to quietly chat with my dad in their room, I lingered near the kitchen, watching Daniel work. The aroma wafted through the apartment, making my mouth water.
"Wow, it smells amazing!" I exclaimed.
Daniel's lips curled up into a slight smile before he quickly hid it. Normally, he was reserved, but today, I had seen him smile several times, and it seemed like he was cooking faster, too.
When the meal was ready, I helped bring the dishes to the table and called out, "Mum, Dad, dinner's ready! Daniel's cooking skills are impressive—we're in for a treat tonight!"
The meal included six savory dishes and a soup. They were simple, but Daniel had managed to elevate them with his skill.
Luna Elzzie looked a bit embarrassed. "This is Daniel's first time visiting, and we made him cook for the whole family."
Daniel waved it off. "It's no trouble, ma'am. I just threw together a few quick dishes. Next time, I hope I can try your cooking."
"Oh, of course!" she beamed. "Come, sit down. We're all family here—no need to be so formal! Let's eat."
My dad, Beta Jackson, nodded in approval. He was clearly pleased with his new son-in-law. He even wanted to share a drink with Daniel, but Daniel politely declined since he had to drive later.
A son-in-law with his own car? Dad was definitely impressed.
Halfway through dinner, we heard heavy footsteps in the hallway. The door creaked open, and a woman stormed in, shouting, "Luna Elzzie! What's going on here?"
It was Ryhana, our local matchmaker. Her face was flushed with anger.
"We're all neighbors here! How could you play such a prank? Didn't you agree to the blind date yesterday? So why didn't anyone show up?" she demanded.
Ryhana was known for her matchmaking. She had successfully set up many young couples. Today, she looked especially upset, probably because she'd just been scolded by the other party.
She glanced at our dinner spread, then back at me, her fury escalating. "How could you leave the boy waiting at the restaurant for hours without telling anyone? That's just cruel!"
The four of us at the table froze.
Daniel shot me a concerned look, sensing that something was off.
I stood up and calmly replied, "Aunt Ryhana, there must be some misunderstanding. I went on the blind date today, and we even got our marriage certificate right afterward."
"Marriage certificate?"
Ryhana's face went blank. "Then why did I just get told the boy was stood up?"
I tilted my head toward Daniel, gesturing for her to take a look.
She turned and saw Daniel—tall, handsome, and clearly a catch.
The realization hit her, and she stared, wide-eyed.