Chapter 272: Pseudo-Imported Milk Tea! Annie's New Tea Art!
In apartment 601, where Ren lived, Talulah stood in the kitchen dressed in casual clothes, rinsing dishes and chopsticks.
"Hum hum hum~"
Alina, the little deer girl wearing a gray apron, hummed a cheerful tune, her hands skillfully working a spatula and pan.
Annie, in a white T-shirt, sat expectantly at the dining table. "It smells so good, Alina! What are you making today?"
Alina turned her head and said cheerfully, "I bought beef brisket today!"
"Hoo, it really does smell good."
It was a male voice.
Talulah walked out of the kitchen and bowed her head with extreme respect. "Ren."
Annie also quickly stood up. "Master."
"Ren is here?!" Alina exclaimed from the kitchen.
Ren, dressed in a cool short-sleeved shirt and shorts, replied, "Alina, don't mind me. Just keep cooking."
He waved his hand. "No need to be so nervous. Just relax."
He sat down on the sofa and said, "Annie, come here. Let me take a look at you."
"Yes, Master."
Annie obediently walked in front of Ren, waiting for his instruction.
"Don't be so reserved. Sit down. And you don't need to call me Master; just call me Ren like Talulah and the others," Ren sighed.
"Understood, Ren."
Annie nodded and sat down. Ren reached out and pinched her chin, looking at her from side to side.
"Hmm, your complexion is quite good. Your face has even rounded out a bit."
When he pinched her cheek, it was no longer as bony as before; it was plump and felt quite nice.
Annie's ears felt slightly warm. "It's thanks to Alina."
"I can see that. Alina, you don't mind adding an extra bowl and chopsticks, do you?"
"Eh! Ren wants to eat here? Of course, no problem! But you might have to wait a moment."
"Hmm, I'm not in a hurry."
"I'll go help Alina."
Talulah glanced at Ren, who was properly inspecting Annie. After saying this, she returned to the kitchen.
Ren was truly just examining Annie's body, using the power of Gene Control. He was checking on a genetic level whether Annie's perfect Giant transformation was putting a burden on her.
After his examination, he concluded, "Your current condition is excellent. You don't need to worry about the Giant's power having any adverse effects."
"And you should also feel that your Apostle Body and Temporal Power have become stronger, right?"
Ren was about to withdraw his hand, but Annie unexpectedly grabbed it.
With a flushed face, she guided his hand inside her shirt, placing it over her heart.
"..."
Ren's eyelids twitched. He had long noticed that Annie wasn't wearing anything underneath.
The sensation was exceptionally warm.
"Ren, would you like some tea?"
Annie held up a teacup with her other hand.
"Yes."
Ren had barely nodded when Annie sat on his lap and began to prepare the tea.
With one arm around her and the other hand resting over her heart, Ren looked bewildered. "You are…"
Annie, her face flushed and her eyes darting away, mumbled, "It… it was Echidna who taught me."
Ren made no comment. He only needed to know that he was about to enjoy himself.
Next was the time to taste Annie's "imported tea."
He drank the clear tea she served. He had intended to just swallow it, but Annie suddenly leaned back, revealing her heart.
Ren understood from her gaze. Annie wanted to make milk tea.
Milk tea. A beverage made by mixing tea with sweet, delicious milk, thoroughly blended to create a drink with the fresh fragrance of tea and the mellow richness of milk.
…
Alina secretly peeked out from the kitchen midway through.
She saw Annie standing tall and straight, her body extended. Her snow-white neck was raised, shining under the light.
Ren was freely indulging himself.
Annie poured a lot of effort into making the milk tea, and Ren couldn't bear to waste it. He carefully savored every trace of the milk and tea flavors with the tip of his tongue.
Although there was no actual milk, it was full of a sweet, soft, honey-like flavor.
"Ah!"
Alina was startled by the scene.
Talulah merely glanced over, pulled Alina back, and calmly said, "Don't overthink it."
"Mmm…"
Alina lowered her head bashfully and continued cooking, but the scene she had just witnessed kept replaying in her mind.
Talulah watched Alina's flushed profile and made a firm decision.
I will protect Alina's purity! Even with this sinful body.
Soon, Alina's meal was ready.
Ren also finished his tasting of the pseudo-imported milk tea.
At the dining table, the atmosphere was exceptionally delicate.
Annie was eating heartily, without any reservations. As a warrior, she was always straightforward.
Talulah was silent, seemingly contemplating something.
Alina was shy, her gaze occasionally drifting to the wet mark around the chest area of Annie's T-shirt.
Ren was quite calm. It was just a cup of milk tea. He and Eriri had been caught in far more compromising situations. Talulah and Alina were his people, so it was good for them to adapt.
After eating a piece of moist, delicious beef, Ren praised sincerely, "Alina, your cooking is excellent, comparable to Sayuri's."
"Oh, it's because Big Sister Sayuri taught me well," Alina smiled shyly.
Her cooking skills were indeed learned from Sayuri. In this apartment building, Sayuri was the mentor to many.
"In my opinion, Alina, you are very talented," Ren said.
"Alina, Annie, Talulah, tell me how you feel about living here."
He cared about his people and wanted to ensure they were adapting to this world. Nezuko and Tamayo, for example, had adapted long ago and quite liked this kind of life.
Annie paused her vigorous eating. Her father's image flashed through her mind, but only for an instant.
Just as Echidna said, she only needed to focus on Ren now.
"It's very good here. Alina and the others are very good, and Kie and the others are also very good people."
The repeated use of "very good" was Annie's highest evaluation.
Talulah's expression was complex. "It is indeed wonderful. Much more wonderful than life in Ursus."
Alina also stopped being shy. Her gaze seemed to drift to the past, seeing the Infected who died in the nomadic city, and a sad emotion welled up.
"Yes. Compared to here, that place was like hell."
Ren rubbed the heads of the two girls beside him, gently comforting them. "At least now, everything has changed. So enjoy your life here."
Everything about them had changed.
Their gazes met on Ren.
It was the man before them who had given them a new life, a life free from worry, sorrow, and death.