Chapter 249 | Preparations

"Then why are you smiling?"

"I wasn’t."

"You were."

"You’re imagining things."

Dexter stopped beside her again. His presence was warm, familiar, and entirely too close.

For a few seconds, neither spoke. The playful atmosphere slowly settled into something quieter. Something more real.

Mira looked toward the repaired wall.

Then toward Dexter.

"Dexter."

"Hmm?"

The teasing light in her eyes faded and her expression became more serious.

"Do you really mean that?"

"Mean what?"

"What you said earlier."

Dexter knew exactly what she meant.

Still, he waited.

Mira hesitated like she didn’t want to ask but still, she continued.

"That we’re your future."

The teasing disappeared from Dexter’s face.

He looked at her properly.

"Yes."

Mira’s eyes narrowed as she stared deeply into his eyes and she immediately saw that he wasn’t joking and extremely serious too.

Mira’s eyes remained on him for a moment before she looked away.

"Idiot."

Dexter smiled.

"That sounded suspiciously affectionate."

"It wasn’t."

"Of course."

"And stop smiling."

"I’m not smiling."

"You clearly are."

Dexter’s smile only widened.

Mira sighed and turned her wheelchair back toward the window.

"You’re irritating."

"And I still have a month."

Mira closed her eyes again.

"You’ll need more than a month."

Dexter raised an eyebrow.

That wasn’t the same as saying he would never succeed.

Interesting, very interesting, Dexter decided not to point that out, Dexter turned toward the repaired wall, then looked at Mira one final time.

Later that night, he was just done washing the plates when a knock came from the front gate.

Dexter’s eyes shifted toward the sound. He didn’t immediately move. Instead, he focused his enhanced hearing, letting the sounds of the night sharpen around him. The faint rustling of leaves. Distant voices from neighboring houses. The soft hum of insects in the cool air.

And finally, the steady heartbeat of the person standing outside his gate.

Dexter recognized it immediately.

"Tessa."

He got up and headed outside, his footsteps quiet against the floorboards. The house was still, everyone else asleep or cultivating. He opened the front door and walked to the gate, the night air cool against his skin.

When Dexter opened the gate, Tessa was standing there waiting for him. The moonlight caught her features, highlighting the smile that always seemed to hover at the corners of her lips.

"There you are."

"As if you haven’t been knocking for less than a minute," Dexter replied.

Tessa ignored that. As usual, she had come to settle the money from the meals Dexter had prepared and supplied to her father’s bakery. After accounting for her own agreed cut, she transferred Dexter’s share of the day’s earnings.

Dexter checked the transaction and nodded. Everything was correct.

Normally, they would also discuss how many meals he needed to prepare for the next day. Tonight, however, there was no need. Tomorrow was the neighborhood festival, and most businesses in the area would be closed, including Tessa’s father’s bakery.

For once, Dexter didn’t have a mountain of meals waiting to be cooked before sunrise.

"Alright, Tessa. Goodnight."

He was about to close the gate when Tessa suddenly stopped him.

"Wait."

Dexter raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You’re preparing for tomorrow, right?"

Dexter gave her a strange look. "I already told you I’m coming."

"I know that."

"Then what preparations are you talking about?"

Tessa blinked. Then realization appeared on her face. "You seriously don’t know?"

"Know what?"

"About the food."

"What food?"

Tessa stared at him for several seconds. Then she sighed, the sound heavy with exaggerated patience. "You really don’t know."

Dexter folded his arms. "That’s why I’m asking."

Tessa stepped a little closer. The smell of bread and sugar clung to her clothes—the familiar scent of the bakery she worked at every day. "Everyone calls it a festival, but it’s actually more like a huge neighborhood picnic."

Dexter nodded slowly. "Okay..."

"Families come out, people sit together, talk, eat, and enjoy themselves. Most importantly, everyone brings food."

"That makes sense."

"I’m not finished."

Dexter gestured for her to continue.

"We exchange meals."

Dexter raised an eyebrow. "Exchange?"

"Yeah. It’s a tradition around here. You cook something, someone else cooks something, then everyone shares. You give people some of your food and they’ll give you some of theirs."

Dexter finally understood. "So basically, I need to cook enough food to share."

"Exactly!"

Tessa smiled brightly. A small dimple appeared on her cheek, softening her features. It was a smile that made her look younger, more carefree.

"And I’ll be expecting yours tomorrow."

Dexter narrowed his eyes playfully. "Now I understand why you came all the way here to explain the tradition."

"What?"

"You just want free food."

Tessa placed a hand against her chest, feigning offense. "Free food? It’s a cultural exchange."

Dexter almost laughed. "Of course."

"A very important cultural exchange."

"Right."

Tessa pointed at him. "So make sure you save some for me. I want to taste more of your cooking."

Dexter smiled. "If you’re late, it won’t be my fault if everything finishes."

Tessa’s mouth immediately fell open. Then she pouted. "You’re trying to bully me."

"I’m warning you."

"That’s bullying."

Dexter chuckled and waved his hand. "Goodnight, Tessa."

Tessa continued pouting for another second before eventually smiling. "Goodnight, Dexter. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

She waved before turning away. Dexter watched her leave, her figure growing smaller as she walked down the quiet street. Then he closed and locked the gate.

He returned inside.

The house was quiet again. Everyone had already eaten. Selene and Lyra had woken up earlier in the evening, and Lyra had returned to the girls’ room after eating. Mira had eaten as well. By now, everyone had retired for the night.

Dexter entered his bedroom and sat on the edge of his bed.

Tomorrow.

He leaned backward slightly and thought about it. Tomorrow would be the first time in quite a while that he was taking all three girls outside simply to enjoy themselves.

No fighting. No cultivation emergency. No business. No thugs smashing through walls.

At least, Dexter hoped so.

He wasn’t entirely sure whether he should be nervous about taking all three of his wives to a neighborhood festival at once. Still...

Dexter smiled.

He was looking forward to it. The girls had spent far too much time inside the house recently. A change of scenery would be good for them.

Especially Mira.