Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

Alina propped her chin up, smiling warmly as she reached for the medical kit to tend to Tina's face.

Tina's lips curled faintly. "This coat of mine hasn't even taken shape-it's not even drafty. Might as well just give up on it entirely."

Alina frowned slightly, her hand applying the ointment a bit heavier than intended. Tina hissed in pain, teasing, "You're really my mom, huh? Got yourself a husband and no room left for your daughter~" "Shut up. Or I'll slip and make it hurt even more." Alina grabbed Tina's chin with a light pinch.

The mother and daughter bickered back and forth in their usual playful banter. Occasionally, Tina would slip in updates regarding her latest investigations.

"Remember the case I mentioned before-the one about a woman's heart being removed? It wasn't a coincidence. There've been more disappearances in other places. Yesterday, Uncle and I tracked it to a village. If my instincts are right, that place is crawling with snipers."

"And here's the strange part. When Uncle and I entered, no one fired at us. Normally, they'd have taken us out immediately."

Alina's brow furrowed deeply. After a moment of silence, she spoke gravely. "There's a strong chance that you and Jared are carrying something they need."

Tina nodded in agreement, though the question lingered-what exactly could they possibly have that was so important?

She dipped a fingertip into a glass of water and began sketching symbols on the dining table-three of them, etched from memory.

"These symbols," Tina said, her tone serious. "I saw them in the village yesterday. They're simple but strangely difficult to replicate. This is the best I could manage."

Alina tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as she studied the symbols. A flicker of recognition crossed her face. She murmured, "I've seen these symbols before. They weren't in any domestic texts-I think they came from a book published abroad."

"I didn't study them in detail back then," she continued. "It might take me some time to figure it out."

Tina nodded in understanding. "Mom, I'll have to trouble you with this. I need to know what's behind all of this-it'll help us plan our next move."

"What move?" Ruud asked, stepping into the room with two trays in hand.

Tina fell silent, refusing to answer. Her clear eyes glanced at the trays he carried.

Ruud placed the breakfasts in front of Tina and Alina. Each plate held two thick slices of toast, topped with fried eggs and ketchup. To add a touch of charm, Ruud had drawn two large smiley faces on the toast with the ketchup, hoping to please his daughter.

Tina stared blankly at the smiling faces for a moment, her expression unreadable. Without a word, she shoved a piece of toast into her mouth. The taste didn't particularly impress her-she preferred more traditional breakfasts.

Ruud watched her eagerly, searching her face for any sign of approval. But Tina remained silent, eating mechanically, her emotions hidden.

Unable to hold back, Ruud rubbed his hands nervously. "Sweetheart, how does it taste? If it's not good, I'll make something else next time."

Alina also looked at Tina expectantly, her gaze practically demanding an honest critique.

Tina sighed inwardly, thinking it'd be better if he spent this effort trying to win over her mom instead. She chewed thoughtfully and finally spoke. "I'm not picky about food. It's fine. But I prefer pasta."

Ruud lit up with excitement. His daughter had actually spoken more than a few words to him! Overwhelmed, he blurted, "I made pasta too-it's in the kitchen..."

The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted it. He remembered the mess he'd left in the kitchen, the pasta that hadn't turned out right. His excitement deflated as he realized his mistake.

Tina glanced at him briefly before finishing her first piece of toast and starting on the second. Her gaze shifted, and she paused for a moment.

On the second slice, Ruud had drawn a strawberry cake using red salad dressing. It was a crude attempt, but the design was recognizable. Tina used her fork to cut out the strawberry pattern and popped it into her mouth. "If you've made it, then bring it out. Don't waste food. Wasting food is shameful."

Ruud perked up at her words, hurrying back to the kitchen. He returned with the remaining food and a pitcher of freshly blended soy milk, though his movements were slightly awkward.

Tina eyed the food he placed on the table and frowned. She picked up her fork and stabbed at the unrecognizable, charred lump. "Did you burn the sausage?"

Ruud scratched his nose awkwardly and shook his head. "It's... the pasta."

Alina couldn't help but glance at the disaster on the plate, her expression strained. Despite that, she patted Ruud on the shoulder encouragingly. "You've just started learning. Keep practicing, and ask the kitchen staff to guide you. You'll get the hang of it!"

Then, with a sly grin, Alina speared a piece of the pasta and placed it on Tina's plate. "You said wasting food is shameful, right? Go on, eat up~"

Tina's mind filled with imaginary black lines as she stared at the blackened pasta. Feeling thirsty, she grabbed the soy milk and took a sip-only to grimace as it scratched her throat.noveldrama

She frowned and said flatly, "You didn't filter the soy milk properly. Also, I think I'll delegate this 'great mission' to Ruud and Mom!"

"I refuse," Alina replied quickly. "Your dad made this especially for you. You ought to finish it!"

Tina didn't respond, instead poking at the scorched mess on her plate. "So, what is this blackened thing made of?"

Ruud mumbled, looking conflicted. "It's... some side dishes, with brown sugar syrup..."

Tina stared at him speechlessly. The so-called "brown sugar syrup" looked nothing like what she knew.

Once again, Ruud managed to baffle her. She grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth. "This syrup is clearly burnt. You used too much sugar."

Tina shook her head, her thoughts drifting to Jared. Uncle's cooking wasn't just delicious-it was visually stunning. She resolved to stick around Uncle more often to enjoy real food.

Suddenly, Alina tapped her on the head with her chopsticks. "It's not the sugar-it's the oil temperature. Even I can see that. Stop pretending to know things you don't!"

Tina blinked. Was it really the oil's fault? Either way, the syrup was still too sweet...

If Jared were here, he'd undoubtedly understand where Tina's lack of culinary skill came from.

Ruud chuckled, trying to diffuse the tension. "Let's not argue about it anymore. This was a failed attempt. But, sweetheart, I'll make you breakfast every morning! I'll keep improving until one day your stomach belongs to me!" Tina, unaware of Ruud's hidden agenda, stood up and headed upstairs. "No need to cook for me every day. Good luck-you've got a long road ahead."