PCMWF Chapter 125

Shen Minyan picked up a plump sea bass, made a light cut along the fish, removed the internal organs and gills, rinsed it clean, and set it aside.

A Ming’s father, impressed by his skill, smiled. “I wouldn’t have guessed you could cook.”

He assumed someone as wealthy as Shen Minyan wouldn’t need to cook, with servants for every meal. After cleaning the sea bass, Shen Minyan moved on to the swimming crabs. He used a brush to scrub the shells and legs until they were free of sand.

In response to A Ming’s father’s comment, Shen Minyan said, “I can’t cook. I just learned how to clean fish when I was young.”

He had worked as a helper at a fish stall before. Cleaning fish was part of the job. During winter breaks, he saved enough money for his next semester’s expenses just from the skills he learned at various fish stalls. Shen Minyan’s openness about his past made the villagers feel much closer to him. Soon, they were chatting freely. The aroma of cooking food soon drifted out of the kitchen.

Meanwhile, the children were completely absorbed in the TV. On screen, Ultraman was locked in a fierce battle with a powerful monster. Su Youli’s eyes sparkled. His little hands were tightly clasped. He was the most immersed of all the children. The battle between Ultraman Tiga and the monster had reached its climax. Tiga wore his battle armor, his eyes determined, his movements swift. However, the monster was exceptionally strong. Tiga was gradually losing ground. All the children were tense, their eyes burning, wishing they could jump into the TV to help.

“Go Tiga! Beat the monster!” a child shouted.

The other children joined in. The living room buzzed with tension and excitement. Suddenly, the monster let out a deafening roar. Tiga was struck hard, sent flying, and fell to the ground motionless, as if he had lost all his fighting strength. Su Youli’s gaze froze. The lively room fell silent.

“What happened to Tiga?” Youyou asked, worried, his voice trembling.

The people in the show were also cheering for Tiga, but he couldn’t stand up. He couldn’t even lift his hands.

“Tiga won’t lose! He’ll get back up!”

That line from the TV struck a chord with every child in the room. In their hearts, Tiga was invincible. He couldn’t just fall like that. As the plot continued, people in the show began to give Tiga light, allowing him to draw energy from it.

Mi Le jumped up and shouted, “Tiga needs us! We have to give him light!”

“Yes! Let’s give Tiga light!”

The older children responded enthusiastically. Those with phone watches pointed their screens at the weakened Tiga, just like the children in the show. The living room erupted into chaos. The children began searching for sources of light. The curtains were fully opened, letting sunlight pour in. Mi Le ran to his room, grabbed a flashlight, and aimed its beam at the screen. The girls split up and turned on every light in the living room. The already bright room was filled with dazzling light.

Youyou sat on his soft cushion. He didn’t quite understand what the big kids were doing. Tiga was on TV. The light from their phones couldn’t help him. But he didn’t need to understand. He just needed to follow along. The little guy took Brother Qiqi’s hand, and together they ran to the kitchen door. He tilted his head through the door and saw his father hard at work. He let go of Brother Qiqi’s hand and walked quickly over to Shen Minyan.

“Youyou?” Shen Minyan’s hands weren’t clean. He stepped back and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you hungry?”

The little guy blinked and called out softly, “Dad.”

“Dad, save Tiga.”

Shen Minyan was confused. “Who’s Tiga?”

“Tiga is the Giant of Light!” Pei Qiqi explained from behind.

Shen Minyan thought the name sounded familiar. His two older sons had also been obsessed with Ultraman.

He thought for a moment and remembered. He immediately responded to Youyou’s call: “Alright, Dad will go help Tiga.”

So all the adults in the kitchen washed their hands and came out. Cooking was put on hold. First, they had to save Tiga! The little guy was held in his father’s arms, his small hands clutching his father’s phone. The flashlight was at maximum brightness. With a heave ho, the little guy leaned forward and aimed the light at the upper right corner of the TV. The rest of the screen was already covered by the other children. Every little face was dead serious.

Shen Minyan watched his son so dedicated to saving Tiga, feeling deeply moved. When Youyou had first met him, he would hide behind doors and had to be coaxed out. Later, after returning to Beicheng, he had become even more afraid of him after hearing him scold Shen Lin. Not only was he afraid of him, but he was also afraid of unfamiliar environments. Youyou was three and a half, almost four, old enough for kindergarten.

Now he could get along so well with so many children. While he still wasn’t completely comfortable with strangers, he no longer rejected them. He could blend in and give Tiga light with everyone else. The living room was filled with this innocent, heartwarming scene. Nine children and the adults, every one of them holding something that emitted light, all looking nervously at the screen.

“Tiga, you are the Giant of Light! You can get up!”

Some of the children were shouting, their voices already choked with tears.

The little guy sniffled and whispered, “Go Tiga.”

The monster’s laughter continued, but then it seemed to sense something. The laughter abruptly stopped. The children held their breath. Finally, Tiga’s body began to tremble. The children’s eyes lit up. Su Youli’s hand, holding the phone, shook with excitement. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Tiga finally stood up. His body glowed brighter in the light. The frantic red light on his chest stopped flashing. It seemed the children’s light had really been absorbed.

The little guy watched, unblinking, as Tiga raised his hands, gathering light into a giant sphere. With a shout, he hurled it at the monster. The monster screamed, turning to ash on impact. Justice had prevailed. The children cheered and jumped for joy. Su Youli bounced happily in his father’s arms, raising his hands high.

The adults had participated in this innocent “light-giving” mission, and it felt wonderful. Even their hardened hearts were stirred with emotion. After the show ended, a table full of lunch was brought out by the adults. The younger children were lifted into their high chairs by Mi Huan, holding their own utensils and waiting obediently.