Signing-In: The Lazy Moon Goddess

After tidying up in her own room, Yue Xuexia descended to the kitchen in search of food. However, she was shocked to see her parents and younger sister, Yue Ruxia, covered in flour and white, sugary icing, as well as a half-made reddish chiffon cake on the table, where she saw cut strawberries in the hands of her parents and sister, indicating that they were preparing a cake. Yue Xuexia stared in shock for a brief moment, taking in the strange-colored chiffon cake and the wine in her father's hand.

"Did you put wine in the cake?" asked Yue Xuexia.

Mama Yue said, "Well~ by accident. While I was stirring all the ingredients for the chiffon cake, your papa slipped on the floor and poured a bit on the bowl. It's a waste to throw it away so we still put it in the oven and ended up having this reddish chiffon cake."

"Hm~ it does not look bad. It looks a bit pretty. But if there's wine on the bread the icing should be made of more sugar. No, let's use white chocolate to cover the wine taste or it wouldn't be sweet," said Yue Xuexia.

Yue Ruxia's eyes brightened when she heard what her sister had said, "Wine, White chocolate, and strawberries. Gulps it sounds delicious."

"By the way, why are you making cakes so early in the morning? Where's lunch?" asked Yue Xuexia, who was making white chocolate icing on another pot, stirring it slowly until the chocolate melted.

Papa Yue said, "Your mom hasn't made lunch yet. We want to practice how to make the cake according to your recipes, but it took a long time to make all those measurements. We made only this one with wine."

"Practice? You want to make a cake. I can make it for you guys. What do you want to eat?" asked Yue Xuexia.

Yue Ruxia said, "No, Dajie. It's for grandma's birthday tomorrow. Ma promised that our family will bring cakes and desserts for tomorrow's party."

"Cakes and desserts for everyone in the Xia Family? If so, then we need to make a lot. There are a lot of children on that side. Let's make it tonight and put it in the fridge. I have a meeting tomorrow and could only go in the afternoon," said Yue Xuexia.

Mama Yue asked, "Can't you postpone it, Xue'er?"

"I wanted to when I remembered Granny's birthday, but... The other side is from Japan. They've already made preparations. So... I can't send them away. Don't worry. I will make sure to arrive in the afternoon. You guys can go ahead and wait for me there," said Yue Xuexia.

Papa Yue said, "If it's like that then there is no need to postpone your meeting, just come as soon as you finish it. Your grandmother will definitely look for you tomorrow."

"I know, Pa. While I'm at it, I'll buy some gifts for granny too," said Yue Xuexia.

Mama Yue said, "Then... I'd make lunch for now. What do you guys want to eat?"

"Hotpot," Papa Yue, Yue Xuexia, and Yue Ruxia collectively answered.

Mama Yue said, "Then I'll make two pots. One for meat and one for seafood."

"I will help you prepare the ingredients," said Papa Yue.

"Ma, give me a non-spicy one. Just a quarter would do," said Yue Xuexia. "Well~ I'll invite Yangyang to eat lunch with us then and ask him to help us with baking at night. We need to make a lot after all."

"What should we do for dinner?" asked Yue Ruxia.

Yue Xuexia said, "Takeouts?"

"Let's get some lasagna and pizza," Yue Ruxia said.

"Then order later and eat together when Xiao Ji comes home. For now, help me spread and stir the white chocolate icing. I need to cut the cake in half and add fillings to it," said Yue Xuexia.

The work in the kitchen was divided equally; the old Yue couple was busy preparing a late lunch for the family, while their daughters continued to work on the half-done cake on the table. Yue Ruxia complied with her sister's command and took over the pot-stirring chore.

After a while, the family enjoyed the late lunch and cake they'd made as a family and spent the rest of the day watching movies while waiting for the second daughter to come home.

---

In the evening...

They placed their planned takeout order, Yue Jixia came home on time, had dinner with them, and then relaxed for a while until Little Taiyang showed up. Taiyang had snuck out and pretended to be a newcomer to the subdivision gate, where the on-duty guard had let him in because he was the owner of the biggest mansion in the center area. He proceeded straight to the Moonlight Lake Mansion, where the Yue family had welcomed him.

Still, a little worn out from her schoolwork and the long drive back, Yue Jixia took a nap in the living room as Little Taiyang and the rest of the family gathered in the kitchen to begin preparing the desserts they would be bringing over for the banquet tomorrow.

As the Yue family was preparing desserts, they became aware of Assistant Taiyang's passion for food. Mama Yue was happy to share with him some specialties that were only found in her hometown. Assistant Taiyang could not stop drooling as he imagined the taste of every dish that Mama Yue mentioned. His reaction made everyone laugh, as he appeared to be a gluttonous ghost.

Yue Ruxia said, "Hahaha~ Yang-ge watch your drool. It's about to fall on the mixture of brownies. Dajie would beat you up if it got wasted."

"Let him be. Once his drool fell in, once that set of brownies was made, all of it would end up in his stomach anyway," said Yue Xuexia.

Excited, Assistant Taiyang asked, "Really!?"

"Of course not! If you waste even one mixture, I will starve you!" warned Yue Xuexia.

"No! Anything but that, ah!!" said Little Taiyang the foodie.

Yue Xuexia said, "If you do it right, I will give you a whole cake to eat on your own."

"I will do my best to help!" said Little Taiyang while wiping his imaginary drool.

After waking up from her nap, Yue Jixia joined them halfway through. A few hours passed before everyone finished preparing a variety of desserts, including at least two enormous cakes, several boxes of brownies and cupcakes, small bags of cookies and biscuits, etc. Everyone's only task was to tidy up the mess they had made while putting the cakes in the refrigerator.

Papa Yue said, "Okay. You girls go to sleep early. Leave the cleanup to me and Xiao Yang here. Mama should also rest early."

"Okay, good night," said Mama Yue and his three daughters.

Papa Yue and Little Taiyang, "Good night!"

After working so hard in the kitchen, the four of them went back to their rooms exhausted, leaving Papa Yue and Little Taiyang in the kitchen alone. Papa Yue stared at the young man who was holding a large platter of whole cakes and scooping at them as if he could not get enough.

"Is cake enough for you, Xiao Yang?" asked Papa Yue.

With his mouth full of cake and icing, Little Taiyang nods his head.

Papa Yue asked, "Are you going tomorrow with Xue'er?"

After hearing Mama Yue's remarks about the delicacies of her hometown, Little Taiyang nods his head once more. He knows he cannot possibly miss all the delicious food, and he would ask Xuexue to bring him some. However, when Little Taiyang nodded, Papa Yue could not help but laugh at his amusing appearance. Eventually, he escorted Little Taiyang to the kitchen to clean and eat some snacks, even pulling out a bottle of wine.

Since Mama and Papa Yue always woke up early, it was not difficult for them to prepare a pair of early meals for Yue Xuexia and Little Taiyang. The following morning, Yue Xuexia left the house with Little Taiyang.

Little Taiyang was dressed in the spare charcoal gray suit he brought with him last night, while Yue Xuexia was dressed in a white Korean-style casual temperament cape blazer coat and pants set. It was sleeve clothing with an attached cape paired with long white suit pants with a small slit at the front edge. The Yue couple sends the two out. This time, Yue Xiajie decided not to use her Rolls-Royce Dawn and instead chose to travel in her new Bugatti La Voiture Noire, reasoning that she would need speed to follow the rest of the family to the countryside following her meeting.

While Yue Xuexia was bidding farewell to her parents from the passenger seat of the Bugatti La Voiture Noire, Little Taiyang was in the driver's seat.

Yue Xuexia said, "We will get going now, Ma, Pa. I promise I will definitely be there before or after lunch."

"Um, Xiao Yang, be careful on the road," said Papa Yue.

Little Taiyang said, "I will be, Sir Yue."

"There is no need to come over in a hurry. Don't step on the gas just so you can come soon. Drive normally on the road. We will wait for you," said Mama Yue.

Only then did the two drive away. At this time, the two other daughters of the Yue family are still asleep.

Papa Yue said, "Shall we go back in? I am actually feeling hungry now. Ma, what's for breakfast?"

"Breakfast your ass! Hmp! What do you want to eat?" said Mama Yue as they went back inside the mansion.

---

On the other hand, at the countryside...

Currently caring for Grandma Xia Hialun, Madam Su Surui, the eldest of all the sisters and the second of the twelve siblings, owns a small mansion. Her husband died in battle, and all of her children are grown and on their own, so Madam Su has all the time necessary to take care of Grandma Hialun. Grandma Hialun was relaxing in the fresh air of the house's vegetable garden, while Madam Su, her eldest daughter, used to be a professor at a university.

Madam Su smiled at Grandma Hialun and said, "Mother, are you excited? Your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will all see you today for your 83rd birthday. Suli and her family would be coming over as well."

Suli. Xia Suli is Mama Yue's maiden name before she married Papa Yue. She is the youngest of the 12 siblings, and the late Madam Xing Suya is the 8th among the 12 children of Grandma Hialun.

Grandma Hialun spoke, "Lili? That's good. I haven't seen her and her daughters for years. How about Suya?"

As expected, Madam Su did not know what to say when she was asked about Xing Suya's death—she just chose to smile and change the subject. Xing Suya passed away from breast cancer two years ago, and none of her siblings dared to tell Grandma about it. Xing Suya was the child who looked after her the most before she decided to go back to her hometown.

Madam Su said, "Mother, Yaya is not feeling well lately. You know that, right? But her children will be coming, except for the eldest to look after her."

"Hm~ if she is not feeling... It is better if she... stayed home and rested," said Grandma Hialun, but her eyes were dazed and no one knew what she was thinking about.

Madam Su said, "It would be a bit too noisy around the house later. I hope Mother will enjoy herself on her birthday."