Chapter 138 Flavors of parenting

"Mm..." Elara groaned softly as she leaned against Kai.

Everyone around the table had fallen rather silent. Partly because the little girl was still irritable after waking up, but mostly because they were curious to see whether Kai would fail to feed her as well.

After all, Jean had already lost her patience with Elara, scolding the little girl so severely that she had nearly brought her to tears. Kai had eventually stepped in, taking over the responsibility of feeding her while also soothing Jean.

And now...

"Baby, just one bite? Your favourite pudding."

Kai knew exactly what his little princess liked, even when she wasn’t in the mood to eat. That was why he had prepared the pudding beforehand, anticipating that she might refuse her usual meals after waking up.

Elara stared at the spoon for a moment before turning her head away.

"This girl..." Jean let out a long sigh.

Kai gave her a sheepish smile and silently gestured for her to be patient.

He then placed the spoon back in the bowl and picked Elara up, settling her directly in front of him so she could see his face.

"If you don’t want to eat, Papa will finish it."

He scooped up a little pudding and ate it himself.

"Mm... This is great."

His shoulders relaxed as he savoured the taste, his eyes closing in satisfaction.

When he slowly opened them again, he found the little girl staring at him, her lips slightly parted.

He took another spoonful and placed it between his lips.

"Ah, it’s so sweet. I wish Elli could have some too."

He picked up the entire bowl and shrugged.

"But well..."

His words abruptly came to a halt when a pair of tiny fingers reached for his hand.

Elara grabbed his finger and called out, "Papa."

She then pointed at the bowl with her other hand before pointing towards her mouth.

Kai chuckled, as did Mark.

Mia, meanwhile, felt her heart finally settle at the sight of Elara eating again.

Jean shook her head. "Told you. She’s fine. She’s just being dramatic."

She was well aware of the little drama queen’s habit of finding every possible excuse to get her father’s attention. And now that her favourite person and favourite food were right in front of her, Elara seemed to have suddenly remembered how hungry she was.

"Still... I never realised having a child could bring so much heartache. When I heard her crying, I felt as though my heart was shattering into pieces," Mia admitted, tilting her head slightly.

Jean smiled at her. "Parenting comes with all kinds of emotions. Though, I’ve recently learned from Kai that patience needs to be prioritised above everything else."

Kai continued feeding his little princess, who now seemed more than eager to have another bite. A little food was often enough to stimulate one’s appetite, so he decided to give her some vegetable rice as well. He had prepared it beforehand, just in case she wanted something more substantial.

As he was about to get up and bring it, Mark stopped him.

"You sit there. Just tell me what you need."

Jean started to rise as well, but Mark assured her that he could manage.

"Just some rice. Thank you."

Mark nodded before Kai turned his attention to Mia.

"You’ve been sounding rather excited about having a baby recently, but I must warn you that while there are plenty of wonderful things about raising a child, it also comes with a great deal of responsibility."

He gestured towards Jean.

"She managed to raise Elara all by herself for an entire year. My experience is rather limited in comparison to hers. Perhaps you should consult Jean before making such a big decision."

Mia nodded twice, while Jean gave Kai a look that seemed to say, You’re scaring her now.

Kai simply shrugged. Well, he wasn’t wrong.

"Jean, I’d like to know more about childbirth and the things we should be aware of before planning for a baby."

Jean chuckled softly. "Of course. You can text me anytime."

Mia felt somewhat relieved knowing she had someone so mature and experienced to guide her through the process.

Truthfully, meeting Elara had filled Mia with an entirely new enthusiasm for motherhood, but it had also made her realise just how much uncertainty came with the decision. As wonderful as having a child could be, she and Mark needed to think it through carefully before taking that step.

...

After dinner, Kai insisted that they stay the night, considering how late it had already gotten. With plenty of spare rooms available, Mark didn’t take long to agree.

Given everything that had happened that day, Kai decided to sleep in the same room as his family.

The bed was spacious, so he didn’t think much of it before settling on one side, with Elara sleeping between him and Jean.

Pale moonlight streamed into the room, slipping through the curtains and casting a gentle glow over the bed.

Jean softly ran her fingers through Elara’s hair. The little girl was fast asleep, one tiny hand still wrapped around her father’s.

Having slept so much during the day, Jean wasn’t particularly sleepy yet. She continued watching Elara for a while before glancing up and finding Kai’s eyes open as well.

In a gentle voice, she asked, "We both worried you quite a bit, didn’t we?"

Kai shook his head. "It’s not something either of you could have prevented."

He released a soft breath before continuing, "Perhaps I’ll find out tomorrow what exactly happened to the two of you."

Jean looked at him and said, "Don’t rush yourself over it. What matters is that we’re both fine."

Kai nodded, but a part of him remained uneasy.

The strange engravings that had appeared on both Jean and Elara were still a mystery. Anything unusual involving his family would continue gnawing at him until he understood its origins.

He wouldn’t be able to rest easy until he knew exactly what they were and whether they posed any danger.

’Let’s hope tomorrow I can discern something about it.’