At that moment, Matilda served ire some steamed fish drizzled with vinegar sauce, smiling as she said, “ire, why don’t you give the fish a try? This is one of my special dishes, although I haven’t made it in a while, so I hope it suits your taste.”


    ire noticed Matilda’s enthusiasm as she ced the fish in her bowl. To avoid hurting her feelings, ire nodded slightly and replied, “Thank you, Aunt Matilda, but you don’t have to keep serving me. You should eat first.”


    Matilda nodded, still smiling, and said, “Alright then. Just make sure you eat plenty today. If you can’t reach any dishes, ask Charlie to help you out.”


    ire agreed immediately. She then sampled the fish Matilda had prepared and was taken aback by the delightful vor.


    Matilda’s cooking was truly exceptional. The fish was tender, vorful, and aromatic.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Jacob was equally astonished.


    He had never tasted such delicious home-cooked food in his entire life. There was a profound difference between enjoying a meal at home and dining out at a restaurant.<fnf557> Readplete version only at ?ovelFind</fnf557>


    There was aforting warmth that came with home-cooked meals, a feeling that lingered long after thest bite.


    This was why the saying exists: “To win a man’s heart, first fill his stomach.”


    At that moment, Jacob felt utterly captivated by Matilda’s culinary skills.


    He looked at Paul with envy and remarked, “You’re really lucky, Paul! Your mother’s cooking is simply incredible.”


    Paul smiled and replied earnestly, “Uncle Wilson, it all depends on your perspective.”


    “For example, when I was in college, I suffered because my mother wasn’t there to cook for me. Everything I ate seemed nd and unappetizing.”


    “Later, I had to travel a lot for work, frequently flying back and forth to the United States, which meant I rarely got to enjoy my mother’s cooking.”


    “I’ve be so ustomed to her vors that I find it difficult to enjoy eating out. That’s a painful realization too.”


    Jacob sighed and said, “That’s true. It’s easy for someone to shift from a modest lifestyle to a luxurious one, but it’s hard to go from luxury back to frugality. Your mother’s cooking is genuinely delicious. If I were you, I’d lose interest in any food outside.”


    Upon hearing the underlying message in her father’s words, ire felt a bit discontented. She raised her wine ss and said, “Aunt Matilda, let me toast to you. It must have been quite a journey for you to return from the United States, and I want to warmly wee you back home.”


    Matilda quickly picked up her wine ss, smiling as she replied, “Thank you, ire! Let’s enjoy this drink together!”


    ire clinked her ss gently with Matilda’s. She then sighed and said, “It’s such a pity that my mother isn’t here right now. She’s spoken about you for so many years, and she would be thrilled to know you’re back in Aurous Hill.”


    At the mention of ine, both Jacob and Matilda’s expressions shifted noticeably.


    They understood that ire was intentionally bringing up ine to remind them that this was her mother’s family home. Even in her absence, ine remained the heart of the household!


    Matilda felt a bit embarrassed and smiled awkwardly as she replied, “I haven’t seen your mother in ages, and I really want to catch up with her.”


    Then, turning to Jacob, Matilda asked, “By the way, where is ine? Why isn’t she here?”


    Jacob quickly responded, “She’s been visiting her mother for the past few days. She’ll be back soon.”