Volume 1 Chapter 112

Volume 1 + Chapter 112: Helping Mom Out

After leaving the Reynolds residence, Umi and her mother were still in a daze.

Stepping down from the carriage that had brought them back and feeling the familiar cobblestone of the commercial street under their feet, they finally started to come back to their senses.

Seeing the Reynolds family servants bustling about, helping them carry out the gifts packed from the Reynolds estate, Umi and her mother were momentarily speechless, even though they had plenty to say in their hearts…

The Reynolds family had gone far beyond being courteous. Not only had the current head of the Reynolds personally entertained them, but he also brought out numerous precious teas and snacks. The aroma of the tea alone revealed its high value.

Some of it might even be impossible to purchase with money.

And their treatment of Umi herself was exceptionally considerate. Perhaps it was because Eve had comforted the frightened Umi in front of them, so Umi naturally became regarded as the person closest to Eve.

And of course, they lavished attention on her.

To what extent? Well… when Umi took an extra bite of a certain pastry, they immediately packed two entire boxes of them and had the current head of the Reynolds personally load them onto the carriage.

The entire Reynolds family hustled tirelessly for Umi and her mother, showing the utmost sincerity.

They didn’t just introduce Umi’s mother to the person responsible for handling the meat trade with them, they also offered a price so appealing that even Umi’s mother felt a thrill of temptation.

To give them peace of mind, they even signed an agreement on the spot.

The terms were similar to their prior discussion, but one thing surprised Umi’s mother, if the Reynolds family breached the contract… they would owe compensation.

Even if Umi’s mother broke the agreement, it would disadvantage the Reynolds family.

She had seen oppressive clauses before, but never one written to benefit herself.

“Do… we… have money now?”

Umi looked at the freshly renovated store, the entire interior had been updated.

Polished marble floor tiles had been laid, each one costing a small fortune.

It was clear that all of this had been done by the Reynolds family.

“Yes… we have money now.”

Umi’s mother finally caught her breath. She felt as if she were in a dream, surrounded by a world that seemed unreal.

She inhaled deeply, savoring the familiar scents of the commercial street, and felt, for the first time, that she was truly alive.

The Reynolds family’s renovation of the shop undoubtedly doubled its value.

In the prime real estate of the Imperial Capital’s commercial street, purchasing a small shop alone could take an ordinary family generations to achieve.

Now, a previously unfinished shop had been transformed into a finely decorated store.

Though the space was small, the upgrade significantly enhanced its appeal.

Compared to a plain shop, a luxurious interior drew more attention and built customer trust.

It even allowed for higher pricing.

And all of this was thanks to Eve. Umi’s mother felt deep gratitude for Eve, but also unease.

Having received so much help, she had no way to repay her.

After all, she was just a single mother with no support, owning only her precious daughter, a small stock of meat, and a meager savings.

The shop was what her late husband had left them, the one thing sustaining their livelihood.

Thinking it through, there was truly no way for her to repay Eve.

She could barely avoid being a burden—how could she possibly repay her kindness?

The debt was so immense that even handing over the shop wouldn’t suffice… not that she could offer herself in exchange, of course.

Despite this windfall, Umi’s mother felt no peace of mind.

—

Meanwhile, Eve returned home. Even before reaching her apartment door, she smelled a strong odor of burning.

She inwardly chuckled, thinking someone must be so inept at cooking to burn food. Yet as she approached her front door, the smell intensified.

Her smile began to freeze.

She hurriedly opened the door and, indeed, the burnt smell emanated from her apartment.

Just a slight opening of the door allowed a thick wisp of black smoke to escape.

And then she saw Pipim and Qianzhi collapse near the sofa.

The worst part? Qianzhi’s white stockings had turned black… oh wait, today she had actually worn black stockings.

Well… they still looked nice.

No, this wasn’t the time to focus on stockings, food came first.

Eve’s heart tightened. Could someone be seeking revenge and set fire to her apartment? Who would do such a thing… Could it be a Dragon Overlord?

Before she could think further, Eve hurried over to Pipim and Qianzhi.

“What happened? Pipim? Qianzhi? What’s going on?”

The smoke was so thick in the room that Eve had to get close to even see their faces.

Qianzhi, still semi-conscious, slowly opened her eyes and coughed violently before saying anything.

“Uh…”

Pipim let out a pitiful whimper, pointing toward the kitchen, his delicate brows filled with terror.

“The kitchen? What happened in the kitchen?”

Eve looked puzzled. A strong, strange smell lingered—something unfamiliar even to her senses.

It smelled… like a new substance.

“Mom? You’re home! Great, dinner’s ready. I made a whole table of food.”

From the smoke emerged a small figure, roughly the same age as Leah, dark-skinned and tiny in stature.

Eve froze. Who was this little dark-skinned child?

After a moment, she realized—it wasn’t a stranger, it was her daughter, Leah.

But why had she gotten herself into such a state? Her entire face was blackened, like she’d been inside a soot-filled pot.

“You cooked?”

Eve’s worry rose, just as Qianzhi grabbed her arm with all her strength.

Instinctively, Eve looked down, seeing Qianzhi shake her head as hard as possible, as if trying to silently write: “Run!”

“Yes, I wanted to help Mom a bit. Let’s wash our hands and eat first. Let me see… the bathroom should be this way, right?”

The dense smoke made it hard for Leah to orient herself.

In this compact space of under 200 square meters, it felt like a maze.

Eve sighed in exasperation, trying to calm herself, but a lungful of black smoke nearly choked her.

“Leave this to me. Sweetheart, if possible, try to stay out of the kitchen next time.”

She looked at Qianzhi, realizing the poor girl had almost suffocated, and even her stockings had changed color.

Ah… today she was wearing black stockings. Looks tasty…