"Let's eat!" Her father's voice rang out through the kitchen like a dinner bell, pulling Li Hua from her reverie.
Warm and strong hands scooped her up from behind, and she found herself airborne for a breathless moment. In her past life, such vulnerability would have been unthinkable, a moment suspended in the air was a moment of weakness. But her small body responded with pure delight, a giggle bubbling up from somewhere deep and genuine.
"My little poppy must eat her fill or Bàba will be very sad," he said, nuzzling her cheek with his stubbly chin. The scratchy sensation made her squirm and laugh harder.
"Bahahaha, no! Stop!" She squirmed in his arms, her tiny hands pushing playfully against his chest.
"Me next, me next!" Li Hao shouted, his chubby little hands waving in the air.
She watched her brother bounce on his toes, his round face glowing with anticipation.
Her father swung her through the air one final time before setting her down, his weathered hands gentle despite their strength.
Li Hua watched as he scooped up Li Hao next, her brother's delighted squeals echoing through the open courtyard. The sound pierced through layers of old memories—of silent kills and shadowed corridors—replacing them with something warmer, brighter.
"Wei'er, you want some too?" Her father asked, his breath slightly labored from the exertion but his eyes twinkling with mischief. Her eldest brother Wei sat in his seat, trying to maintain the dignified air of his nine years. But Li Hua could see the way his lips twitched, fighting back a smile as he watched their father's antics.
"I'm too old for that now, Bàba," Li Wei protested, though his gaze lingered on Li Hao's soaring figure with poorly concealed longing. Every few moments, he would drag his attention back to the mulberry bark before him, only to have it drift away again to the sounds of play and laughter.
A small smile crept on Li Hua's lips unknowingly as she watched her father sneak up behind Li Wei's chair.
In one fluid motion, he hoisted her eldest brother into the air, Li Wei's startled yelp dissolving into reluctant laughter. The sound was pure and unguarded, so different from the careful composure he usually maintained. Li Hua's chest tightened with an unfamiliar warmth as she watched them, her trained eyes catching the way Wei's shoulders relaxed, finally surrendering to the simple joy of being a child.
"Ok, the main course is here! Come, let's eat!" Her mother's cheerful voice rang out from the kitchen, accompanied by the rich aroma of braised pork belly. Her father set Wei down with exaggerated care, ruffling his now-disheveled hair.
Li Hua watched as her brother attempted to smooth his appearance, though the lingering smile on his face betrayed his continued delight.
The table was finally full, but Li Hua realized that besides the braised pork, there were coarse grain pancakes, steaming bowls of millet porridge, and a plate of stir-fried wild vegetables glistening with oil.
She recognized these as the staples of poorer households, a far cry from the lavish meals she'd been served in her last life. Yet somehow, the simple spread before her held more appeal than any of those elaborate feasts ever had. The warmth in her chest grew as she watched her mother ladle out portions with practiced care, making sure everyone would have enough.
Her father picked up a few braised pork pieces and placed it in her mother's bowl before turning to serve Li Hua and her brothers. The gesture was small, almost unconscious, but Li Hua caught the tender look that passed between her parents.
Watching her father's weathered hands carefully distributing the precious morsels of meat, she understood that love could manifest in the smallest of actions.
"Mmmm, Māmā! This is delicious!" Li Hao shouted, grease dripping down his chin as he spoke.
"If it's good, then eat more!" Her mother beamed at him, her eyes crinkling with joy. She reached over to wipe Li Hao's chin with her sleeve, tutting softly even as her smile grew wider.
"Hua'er, is it delicious?" Her mother turned to ask.
Realizing that she had yet to take a bite, Li Hua hurriedly stuffed the pork in her mouth and felt her eyes widen at the explosion of flavors on her tongue.
"Delicious...Māmā." She said with a full mouth of food.
In her past life, food had been merely fuel—precise portions calculated for optimal performance, then later, as CEO, expensive dishes served in sterile elegance. Even when dining at the world's finest restaurants, each morsel had been just another symbol of power, devoid of true meaning.
But here, in this humble courtyard, watching her mother's eyes crinkle with joy at their appreciation, Li Hua discovered what all her wealth could never buy. Each bite carried more than just the rich flavors of soy sauce and garlic—it was seasoned with her mother's love, garnished with her father's proud smile, and shared with her brothers' cheerful chatter.
This simple meal, born of their modest means but served with abundant love, taught her that true nourishment came from more than just the food itself. Each shared dish was a celebration of belonging, every taste a reminder that she was home, not in a mansion filled with servants and security, but in a place where her heart could finally rest.