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Fox set down her chopsticks with satisfaction, subtly pressing a hand to her stomach.
A strange sense of happiness lingered.
Initially, she hadn't held much hope for Mike's cooking and had mentally prepared herself to eat whatever was served—so long as it was fully cooked—without betraying any expression.
But now…
She only hoped her face hadn't twisted too terribly while eating, embarrassing herself in front of her idol.
Just as that thought formed—
Hiccup!
She couldn't help letting out a small burp.
Her face flushed, and she gave a soft cough, pretending nothing had happened, maintaining her cool and alluring air.
"That was so good!"
Gwen reluctantly took her last bite, feeling as if she had just stepped into heaven. In her mind's eye, she could see a band of angels playing an otherworldly melody that sent her soul floating away.
Mike pulled out a napkin and gently wiped Gwen's mouth. He turned to Fox and asked, "How was it? To your taste?"
"It was amazing," Fox praised without hesitation. "This is the best Huaguo cuisine I've ever had—no, the best food I've ever eaten."
She wasn't exaggerating. A moment ago, she had nearly swallowed her tongue along with the food.
Mike gave a faint smile and gently tapped Gwen's hand, which was reaching for a fork. He shot a look at his already-stuffed daughter and, despite her longing gaze, carried away the small portion of leftovers.
Mike had cooked generous portions of every dish, but they truly couldn't eat any more. Otherwise, neither of the two would have let the food survive.
Fox and Gwen exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with regret.
While Mike washed the dishes, Gwen pulled Fox over to watch TV.
When Mike finished tidying up and stepped out of the kitchen, he found Gwen already asleep on Fox's lap.
"This little rascal."
Mike gazed fondly at Gwen, gently scooping her up and carrying her to her room. After tucking her in, he quietly closed the door.
Watching him, Fox felt a deep sense of envy.
She had once had a perfect family too—a father who loved her—but…
"What are you thinking about?"
Mike walked over with two cups of tea. After handing one to Fox, he took a sip and let out a relaxed breath.
"Try it—it helps with digestion."
Fox looked at the pale green tea in front of her, brushed aside a lock of hair that had fallen over her eyes, and said, "With a father like you, Gwen must be very happy."
Mike glanced at Gwen's door. "With a child like her, I'm very happy too."
Fox smiled and took a sip of tea. A fresh, delicate aroma spread through her mouth, making her feel entirely refreshed.
Sneaking a glance at Mike, she couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Kent, why did you leave back then?"
"Just call me Mike," he said with a gentle smile. "After seeing Gwen, you don't understand why?"
Fox was momentarily stunned, then chuckled.
"What about you? Never thought about changing jobs?"
Fox shook her head. "No. The Loom keeps assigning targets. There are still many names left to clear."
The Loom…
All targets of the Assassin Brotherhood were determined by a device called the Loom of Fate. Sloan would decipher its encoded messages, and the rest would carry out the missions.
Due to her childhood experiences, Fox was a devout believer in the Loom.
Whatever name it revealed— even her own—she would carry out the task without hesitation.
*Kill one to save a thousand.*
That was the creed of the Assassins.
They believed that eliminating a person named by "Fate" would, at some point in the future, save countless lives.
To them, killing wasn't just murder—it was salvation.
Mike shrugged, genuinely impressed by Fox's unwavering faith.
"Mr. Ke—Mike!" Fox corrected herself under his gaze. After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Do you remember Cross? His codename was The Cross."
Cross?
Mike rubbed his chin, recalling, "He was a gifted one. When he joined, I personally trained him for a while."
Back then, Mike had trained Cross, while the other assassin king, Kook, had trained another operative with the codename X.
Fox nodded, setting down her teacup. "He defected from the Brotherhood."
"Oh."
"And he killed one of the Brotherhood's members not long ago."
"Oh."
Seeing Mike's indifferent reaction, Fox couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you at all curious why he did it?"
Mike shook his head and said, "I'm no longer part of the Assassin Brotherhood. It has nothing to do with me."
Fox let out a sigh. "Sorry, I got carried away."
"I just don't understand. He was with the Brotherhood for over twenty years—why would he suddenly betray us? After you, he was one of the best assassins we had."
"If you don't know, then I certainly wouldn't," Mike replied with a smile and a shrug.
Fox sat for a bit longer, finished her tea, and stood up. "Thank you for the hospitality, Mike."
As she spoke, she picked up the paper bag she had brought with her and handed it to Mike.
Inside were two bottles of red wine.
Fox smiled and said, "Hope you don't mind."
Mike took the bag, peeking inside—and raised an eyebrow at the cigarette butt sitting in it.
Fox's smile froze for a moment. She snatched the bag back immediately.
"I'll bring proper gifts next time—for you and Gwen!"
With that, she turned around quickly, her footsteps… well, very rushed.
When she opened the door, she suddenly realized she hadn't changed out of her indoor slippers. Her face flushed with embarrassment.
In a fluster, she swapped her shoes, and without looking back, bolted out the door.
A cold and elegant assassin, reduced to such a mess…
Mike looked at the closed door and couldn't help but chuckle.
Still, he'd have to be extra cautious in the coming days.
Cross had already started making moves.
He didn't want to look away for one second, only for Fox to end up "drawing her last circle."
"Dad!"
Gwen suddenly peeked her head through the bedroom door crack.
"Hm?" Mike raised a brow. "Done pretending to sleep?"
"Ah! Daddy saw through me!"
Gwen stuck out her tongue playfully, then flung open the door and ran over, leaping into Mike's arms.
Mike bent down and scooped her up. "You little rascal, what are you up to now?"
Gwen cupped Mike's face in her hands, asking seriously, "Is Fox-sis pretty?"
"Of course she's pretty."
Gwen beamed with joy, squeezing Mike's cheeks hard. "Then are you gonna chase after her?"
"Nope!"
"Whaaat!"
Gwen's face fell.
"Why would I chase after her?" Mike asked.
Gwen released him and started ticking off her fingers. "Fox-sis is pretty, we get along super well, I like her, and she's really cool…"
Mike gave Gwen a strange look and suddenly asked, "You've met Clark, haven't you?"
Why did this sound exactly like Clark?
"Clark? Who's that?"
Gwen blinked her big eyes, full of question marks.
"A punk who never comes home," Mike muttered.
(End of Chapter)