Chapter 63: Katerina's Resolve

"This is a pot of braised beef, a classic Russian dish, and I made it myself." With nimble movements, Katerina lifted the lid of the lunch box, releasing a rich aroma of meat that instantly filled the air.

Though the beef before him looked truly appetizing, at this moment it could not hold Chang Yu's attention.

All his focus was centered on the last words Katerina had spoken.

"What!" Chang Yu jolted, exclaiming in surprise. "You said you made this yourself?"

"Didn't you say yesterday that you wanted to taste a dish made by me? Why, are you not satisfied?" As she spoke, a rosy blush crept across Katerina's delicate features, adding a gentle softness to her usual composure.

Chang Yu stared at her in a daze, nodding fervently like a silly goose. "Willing, I'm absolutely willing! If anyone says otherwise, I'll argue with them!"

His mind trembled as he gazed at the lunch box in Katerina's hands, overcome by a sensation of transcendence.

"I thought you wouldn't want to cook for me, especially since yesterday you seemed a bit reluctant."

Breathing in the fragrance drifting from the lunch box and gazing at the mouthwatering beef, Chang Yu felt tears of gratitude well up in his eyes.

Happiness had come so suddenly!

He'd only said it offhand yesterday; he truly hadn't expected Katerina to actually cook for him.

This wasn't just a takeaway ordered carelessly from a restaurant—this was a sumptuous meal prepared by an exceptionally beautiful young woman.

The very thought was enough to make his heart race with excitement!

"There happened to be some ingredients in the fridge—it would be a waste to let them sit there," Katerina said, her tone anything but forthright. "Then I remembered you were in the hospital, and that you'd asked to taste my cooking, so I made you a little something while I was at it."

She paused, her eyelashes lowering halfway. "But don't get the wrong idea—it really was just something I did in passing!"

"Mhm… I won't misunderstand, certainly not." Chang Yu's face blossomed into a grin as radiant as a chrysanthemum.

"The other box contains rice. I can't just let you eat only the meat, right? A proper meal needs a staple."

She opened the other lunch box from the plastic bag and held it out for him to see.

Inside was a perfectly pressed mound of white rice, topped with a golden fried egg.

"As usual, you'll have to feed me. After all, I'm the patient here." His words rang out with mock solemnity, his attitude as fearless as a pig in hot water.

Katerina didn't reply with words; her actions spoke for her.

She took an iron spoon, scooped a piece of beef from the box, and held it to Chang Yu's lips, gesturing with her eyes for him to eat.

Heaven help me, I must be the happiest man alive. Chang Yu's heart danced with joy.

Unable to wait, he swallowed the beef, savoring the rich, savory flavor that danced across his tongue.

The tender beef was springy and soft, blending with the delicious sauce, leaving a lingering fragrance in his mouth and making him feel as if he were floating above the clouds.

"This beef… it's incredible. I've never tasted anything so delicious." Chang Yu chewed contentedly, his speech muffled by the food.

At that moment, his life felt complete.

What should have been a thirty-minute meal stretched to nearly an hour, all because Chang Yu deliberately slowed his pace.

After all, being fed by Katerina was a feast for both the eyes and the palate.

With such a rare opportunity, Chang Yu could hardly let it pass uncherished.

So, he chewed slowly, swallowing with leisure, just so she would feed him a little longer.

Even when the food grew cold from the delay, Chang Yu was happily content.

"I'm so full," he said, patting his belly and letting out a satisfied burp.

"As long as you're full. I was worried you might not eat enough," Katerina replied, her back to him as she deftly cleaned up the lunch boxes.

Watching her busy figure, a sweet warmth filled Chang Yu's heart.

The sight of her doing household chores was exactly that of a gentle, caring wife.

She was nothing like her usual serious and stern self.

"You'll make a good woman," Chang Yu said involuntarily.

"I never imagined your cooking could be so delicious," he praised, holding nothing back.

"I used to cook often, so I naturally became quite skilled," Katerina replied without turning.

"Oh? I wonder who was lucky enough to enjoy your food so often," Chang Yu said, his tone tinged with jealousy.

Though their relationship was far from settled, that didn't stop Chang Yu's envy from flaring.

Men, after all, are possessive creatures.

"It was Zhen Youcai. I often cooked for him in the past," Katerina said calmly, seemingly oblivious to Chang Yu's reaction.

"Besides Zhen Youcai, you're the first outsider to taste my cooking. No one else has had that privilege."

That simple statement instantly lifted Chang Yu's spirits.

Such is the power of words.

"By the way, is that kid Zhen Youcai really your biological brother?" Chang Yu's ears perked up, his expression tense.

"Of course he is. Why do you ask?" Katerina looked at him in confusion.

"Oh, it's nothing. It's just that Feng Sanpao said you weren't real siblings." When it mattered most, Chang Yu didn't hesitate to sell out his friend.

"Feng Sanpao said your surname is Wang, and his is Zhen. Since you don't share a surname, you can't possibly be family."

Katerina laughed. She turned and looked at Chang Yu deeply. "One of us took our father's surname, the other our mother's. What's so strange about that?"

"Is that possible?" Chang Yu was stunned, but after thinking it over, he realized Katerina made perfect sense.

Yet after a long moment, he snapped back, protesting, "You're lying!"

"You're half Russian—how could both your parents be Chinese?"

Letting out a barely perceptible sigh, Katerina patiently explained, "My Russian name is Katerina Alexeyevna Ostrovsky."

She sat down slowly, her eyes clouded with reminiscence.

"Alexeyevna Ostrovsky is my father's Russian surname. He's Russian."

"My mother’s surname is Wang, and she’s fully Chinese. My Chinese surname comes from her."

"Wait… but what does that have to do with the surname Zhen?" Chang Yu was clearly muddled.

"My father's Chinese surname is Zhen. He has a Russian name, but he also gave himself a Chinese name."

"So he has two surnames—one Russian, one Chinese—and I don't see any conflict there," Katerina said as if it were only natural.

"Hold on, I'm getting confused," Chang Yu admitted, nearly exasperated.

"Look," Katerina began patiently, "my father's Russian surname is Alexeyevna Ostrovsky, and his Chinese surname is Zhen."

"My brother took my father's Chinese surname, not his Russian one, so my brother's surname is Zhen—Zhen Youcai."

"That makes perfect sense," Chang Yu sighed with relief, finally untangling the family web.

Fortunately, Zhen Youcai was indeed Katerina's biological brother; otherwise, Chang Yu might have been tempted to toss him in a sack and sink him in the river.

If he weren't her real brother, how dare he eat Katerina's cooking?

He must have a death wish!

"There's no contradiction between the surnames, wouldn't you agree?"

"If you insist on knowing my brother's full name, it's Youcai Alexeyevich Ostrovsky."

Chang Yu wiped the cold sweat from his brow, steadying himself. "Good grief, your family's surnames are quite a tangle."

"Good thing your mother doesn't have a Russian surname, otherwise your family tree would be even more complicated."

"So, Zhen Youcai really is your brother, your parents’ biological son?"

"Of course he is," Katerina replied with certainty.

"That's good, that's good," Chang Yu muttered under his breath. "Now I don't have to drown him in the river."

"By the way, your family sure has a casual way of naming people," he chuckled. "Wang Guihua and Zhen Youcai—the country flavor is a bit strong, isn't it?"

"By the way, where do your parents work? You've never mentioned them before."

It was an offhand question, but unexpectedly it struck a painful chord in Katerina.

"My parents are gone. They gave their lives for the country." Her expression dimmed, a flash of grief passing through her eyes.

In that moment, she was like a forlorn little kitten, awakening a deep urge to protect her in Chang Yu's heart.

Seeing her so saddened, Chang Yu wanted nothing more than to slap himself for his thoughtlessness.

Why did he have to bring up such a painful topic?

Now Katerina was upset, and Chang Yu himself felt miserable.

"It's all right. We're the same; I'm an orphan too. I've never even seen what my parents looked like." It was all he could say to comfort her.

There is a kind of sentiment in this world: when you are unhappy, I cannot be happy either.

"It's been many years now. It's nothing much," Katerina tried to force a smile, though it wouldn't come. "When they were alive, my parents were both investigators for our organization."

"Ten years ago, in a battle against the Calamities, they both died, leaving only me and my brother to live on together."

Chang Yu was deeply moved.

Orphaned, a young sister caring for her even younger brother, struggling to survive in a cold, indifferent city—the thought alone was heartbreaking.

Katerina must have endured unimaginable hardship all these years. He couldn't fathom how they had managed to survive.

"I hate the Calamities. If not for them, my parents would still be alive," Katerina said with quiet intensity. "I joined the Disaster Investigation Bureau to avenge them!"

"Unfortunately, all these years, I've never found the one that killed my parents."

"It's all right." Though Chang Yu's tone was light, his heart was steely with resolve. "I'll help you. Together, we'll have our revenge."

"I may not know exactly which Calamity killed your parents, but I'll stay by your side and help you destroy every last one of them."

"I figure, if all the Calamities in the world are dead, then surely the one that killed your parents will be among them."

He meant every word.

Perhaps, in the past, he hadn't found the idea of Calamities particularly hateful.

But now, he loathed them with all his heart.

Simply because, in this world, there was a girl who hated them just as much.