Till The End Of The Moon [SEASON- 2]

17. Begining and progress.

antai Jiang eagerly followed Miang Tao into the kitchen. Well, to say she helped would be generous—she mostly stood around, asking questions, watching closely, and occasionally stirring a pot when he handed her a spoon. But Miang Tao didn’t mind.

He already knew how to cook—he was no amateur. With practiced ease, he chopped, stirred, tasted, and adjusted. In no time, the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the small mountain house.

Miang Tao prepared two sets of meals: one for himself and little Jiang, and a separate, milder one for Li Susu.

Soon the food was ready. He served his and Jiang’s plates on the wooden table, and carried Li Susu’s portion to her bed, where she was still recovering from the herbal decoction. Its full effects would take a little time to set in, but the pain was already stirring again in her leg.

What she didn’t know was—this was only the beginning.

The moment she saw the plate placed before her, her eyebrows drew together suspiciously. She didn’t say anything at first. Miang Tao was standing right in front of her, arms crossed, watching.

Trying to be subtle, Li Susu tilted her head and peered over to get a glimpse of Tantai Jiang’s plate at the table.

The moment she saw it, her eyes widened.

She looked back at her own food, then back at Miang Tao’s face in disbelief.

Miang Tao was watching her like a hawk, reading every twitch of her expression. Raising a single brow, he said:

Miang Tao: “What are you looking at like that? I don’t get it. You have to eat that—not me. Understood?”

Li Susu: “What is this?” she asked, eyeing the contents of her bowl as though it might crawl out on its own.

Miang Tao: “I don’t think your eyesight’s that bad.”

Li Susu: “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Miang Tao: “It means I thought only your brain was broken. But now I’m starting to think your eyes are, too.”

Li Susu (with a teasing pout): “Are you trying to say I’m dumb?”

Miang Tao (mildly exasperated): “Miss Susu, are you a child? Can’t you understand that you’re not supposed to eat fried or oily food right now? Your leg might look better, but the poison hasn’t fully left your body yet. The decoction’s effects haven’t even started.”

Li Susu: “But—”

Miang Tao: “No ‘but’! Right now, you’ll only eat Khichdi.”

(Yes, yes—our narrator apologizes again for not knowing the Chinese equivalent. Just know that it’s soft, bland food meant for people who are sick and not allowed to eat anything fun.)

Miang Tao lifted the plate closer to her and, without waiting for protest, began feeding her with his own hands.

Li Susu blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected that. But the moment his hand brought the first spoonful to her lips, she said nothing. Quietly, she began eating, letting him feed her like a child.

And Miang Tao? His focus was fully on her—not the world, not the food, not even the faint fever starting to rise on her skin. Just her.

But don’t you worry—Miang Tao hadn’t forgotten Tantai Jiang in the middle of their soft, quiet moment. Our hero, after all, was not only responsible, he was thoughtful. He’d already served Jiang’s food—something mild, warm, and cooked just the way she liked it—and the little one was happily eating away at the table.

Meanwhile, Li Susu tried to keep her gaze anywhere but Miang Tao’s face. And yet, again and again, her eyes wandered back to him—his hands, his brow furrowed in gentle concern, the way he lifted each bite to her lips with care.

She didn’t want to look. But she couldn’t stop.

After a while, Miang Tao gave her the last bite and looked up. That’s when he caught her staring—openly, completely, hopelessly staring at his face.

He narrowed his eyes, waved his hand in front of her face, and said dryly:

Miang Tao: “Hello? Earth to Miss Susu.”

Startled, she blinked and looked away. There was an awkward silence for a moment—until Tantai Jiang broke it cheerfully:

Tantai Jiang: “Uncle! The food you made is very, very tasty! I’ve never eaten food this good before!”

Li Susu’s eyes narrowed at her daughter.

Li Susu: “Wow. Just wow. One day away from home, and you're already changing sides. You used to say I made the best food. Now suddenly he does?”

Jiang squirmed, a little shy now.

Tantai Jiang: “Mumma, even today you make the best food…”

Li Susu: “But?”

Tantai Jiang (grinning): “…But not better than uncle.”

That made Miang Tao laugh—and Jiang joined in, giggling happily.

And as Li Susu watched the two of them, father and daughter laughing together so easily, a small, reluctant smile curved her lips too.

In that brief, glowing moment, the pain in her body dulled… just a little.

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Chapter ended.
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