Chapter 696 - 692: My Sister’s Idea

That evening, Yvonne Sterling’s house was brightly lit. Ronald was in the living room watching TV while the couple made dinner in the kitchen.

Brendan Harris, wearing an apron, placed pieces of beltfish coated in a light, even batter into the frying pan one by one. A fragrant aroma instantly filled the air.

Yvonne Sterling was at her side, slicing a roast goose. The goose had crispy skin, and the fat beneath it had been rendered down to a thin, perfect layer that added flavor without being greasy.

"How about that? My skills haven’t gotten rusty, have they?" Brendan Harris asked smugly after a glance.

Yvonne Sterling smiled. "Your skills are as good as ever, but Cecilia doesn’t want us doing that for a living anymore. From now on, only the family gets to enjoy this good fortune."

As she spoke, she turned to get the chilled plum sauce from the refrigerator. It took a dozen steps just to get from the counter to the fridge.

"I’m still not used to how big this kitchen is. Back in Veridia, you didn’t even have to move your feet to get something. You could just turn your head or squat down and grab it."

Brendan Harris couldn’t help but laugh at that. "How could our old kitchen have possibly fit the two of us working together? I barely had room to move around in there by myself. A big kitchen is much better. We can cook together—isn’t that great?"

It wasn’t just the kitchen, either; every part of the house was huge. At first, the couple felt it was unsettlingly empty, only feeling a bit better once Ronald returned home.

Just then, the sound of a key turning in the lock came from the front door. Hearing it, Ronald quickly got up to greet the visitor.

The door unlocked and opened, and Lily Sterling walked in, carrying a large, whole durian.

"Sis!"

Ronald quickly reached out to take it. "Why’d you buy a durian?"

"My mom bought it," Lily Sterling said as she changed her shoes. Smelling the delicious aroma of cooking, she headed for the kitchen. "Auntie, Uncle, what are you making that smells so good?"

"Lily, you’re here." Yvonne Sterling washed her hands, then casually picked up a piece of roast goose and popped it into Lily’s mouth. "Your uncle spent all day making this roast goose."

The moment Lily bit down, the crispy skin burst in her mouth, releasing its savory oils. The flavor, combined with the tender goose meat, was so intoxicatingly delicious she felt dazed.

"Uncle, this recipe of yours should be declared a national treasure," Lily praised, giving him a thumbs-up.

"It’s still not quite the same as using a proper roasting oven," Brendan Harris said.

"What? You want to build a roasting oven in the kitchen now?" Yvonne Sterling shot him a glare, then cheerfully ushered Lily out. "Your uncle is frying beltfish. Go wait in the living room, or the smell will cling to your clothes."

Ronald walked in with the durian. "Mom, everything is so fragrant today. And Sis even brought a durian. I want to open it."

Ah, the unique joy of opening a durian with your own two hands.

Ronald eagerly took out the durian, opened up the packaging, spread it out, and then, grabbing the top of the fruit, pried it open with a grimace and all his might.

"Ugh, that smell." Brendan Harris, who didn’t eat durian, couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose at the scent.

"What a huge pod!" Ronald exclaimed, looking at the flesh he had just revealed. He excitedly held it up for his father to see. "Dad, look how big it is!"

"Get that thing away from me! It stinks!" Brendan Harris pushed his son away in disgust.

Ronald just chuckled, opened the rest of the pods, then wrapped them up and put them in the freezer.

Frozen durian had a texture just like ice cream and was especially delicious—a trick he had learned online.

Afterward, Brendan Harris stir-fried a few more dishes and made a special steamed egg custard, Lily’s favorite. Only then did the family sit down at the dining table, ready to eat.

"Lily, isn’t your mom off work yet?" Yvonne Sterling asked, looking at Lily.

Lily shook her head. "No, I was home by myself today, so I came over. Mom’s been really busy since the fifteenth. The new branch store opened, so she doesn’t get home until after nine every night."

"Honey, why don’t you go see your sister? See if there’s anything you can do to help."

Yvonne Sterling held her bowl and thought for a moment before nodding.

’I don’t know what else to do right now, anyway. Helping my sister with odd jobs is better than just sitting at home.’

Then she turned to Brendan Harris and asked, "Is Ethan’s Esports Base almost finished with renovations?"

"Almost. It’s just the finishing touches now."

"Well, after you’re done helping Ethan, you should figure out what you want to do here in Lorcain."

Brendan Harris looked at his wife as she continued, "Don’t we still have some savings? You should use that money to start a business."

"Do what? I don’t have a single clue."

"Think it over. Once you have an idea, you can just go for it."

Brendan Harris knew he couldn’t stay idle forever. He could help Ethan with the base for now, but once that was over, he’d have to find something else to do.

"How about I ask Cecilia for advice later? She could give me some ideas. Otherwise, what do I know about running a business? The only thing I’ve ever run in my life was the Cantonese BBQ Shop."

Yvonne Sterling didn’t object. Cecilia was the backbone of the family now; you couldn’t go wrong by listening to her.

"Auntie, Uncle, you two don’t need to put so much pressure on yourselves, winding yourselves up so tight," Lily couldn’t help but say after hearing them. "Auntie, you just had surgery and are still recovering. Your health is the most important thing."

"And you too, Uncle. If a business opportunity comes up, great. If not, just take your time. Don’t force yourself into something you’re not ready for. That won’t necessarily lead to good results."

"Your uncle and I aren’t the kind of people who can just sit around and do nothing."

"I’m not telling you to do nothing, just that you could find other things to do." Lily blinked and looked at them. "Lorcain is a huge city. Have you two even had a chance to properly explore it since you arrived?"

Yvonne Sterling and Brendan Harris couldn’t help but exchange a look.

’It’s true. We haven’t been anywhere.’

"Relax. You don’t have to rush into everything. There’s nothing that urgently needs you to do it right now." As she spoke, Lily looked over at Ronald and suddenly added, "I also came today to let you know something. Next month, I’m planning to take Ronald abroad."

Yvonne Sterling and Brendan Harris were startled by this.

Ronald, however, broke into an excited grin. "Going abroad, Sis? Where are you taking me?"

"It was Mom’s idea," Lily said. "My next film has a two-month shoot on location overseas. She suggested I take you with me so you can see the world and broaden your horizons. She said it was important, and I thought she had a point, so I agreed."

Ronald nodded excitedly. "I think she has a point, too!"

He was still green with envy that Ethan had gotten to go abroad for the League of Gods Global Finals.

"Lily, you’re going there to work. Won’t taking Ronald with you just be a nuisance?" Yvonne Sterling was a little worried. She trusted Lily, of course, but she had absolutely no confidence in her own son, especially since Ronald had never been abroad before.

Brendan Harris, however, saw it as a rare opportunity. "I actually think we should let Ronald go. We can’t take him abroad to see the world, so it’s great that Lily can take him to see what’s out there!"