Free Web NovelChapter 9: A Reason Tomorrow
Lucas stopped halfway through a sentence.
In his head, he said, "System, that’s too vague. Give me a scale I can actually understand."
Cici was still waiting for the story to continue, one small hand resting on the page, while half of Lucas’s attention had already shifted to the system.
"Let’s use five basic ranks," he said. "Beginner, Skilled, Expert, Master, and Grandmaster. Where would I be after ten hours?"
The system replied quickly.
[After ten hours, the host’s storytelling ability will reach Master level.]
[After twenty hours, it will reach Grandmaster level.]
Lucas felt a faint stir in his chest.
"Grandmaster is the highest level a normal person can reach, right?"
[Correct. However, with the system’s assistance, the host may eventually surpass normal human limits. Additional tiers are recommended.]
Lucas thought for a moment.
"Then add Legendary and Mythic above Grandmaster."
[Confirmed. From now on, all skills will follow the host’s chosen seven-tier ranking system.]
For once, the system was surprisingly cooperative.
Cici waited a little longer, then finally tilted her small face up at him.
"Daddy, why’d you stop? Are you tired?"
Lucas lowered his gaze and saw the worry in her eyes. He smiled right away.
"No, sweetheart. Daddy was just thinking about something."
He bent down and kissed the top of her head.
"Alright. Let’s keep going."
Lucas turned back to the picture book and continued reading The Ugly Duckling to Cici.
This time, he noticed the change very quickly.
It was not some messy flood of information. Little pieces of storytelling instinct came to him as he read, one after another.
Normally, he would have read straight through the line and moved on. This time, when the ugly duckling was driven away, his voice slowed before he could think about it. He left a small pause there, then softened his tone.
He let the words sit for a second.
Cici went still.
Lucas glanced down. Her fingers curled over the edge of the book, and her eyes stayed on the picture, as if the little duck might really waddle out from between the drawings.
So he kept reading.
When the duck was alone, his voice dropped. When the story turned gentle again, his voice eased with it.
The page had not changed, and neither had the words. But now, it sounded like someone was telling a story, not just reading one.
While he read, another thought slipped into his mind.
Parents spent money on their kids like it was nothing, especially when it came to books, classes, and anything that sounded good for development.
If he could write a children’s book kids begged to hear again, the income probably would not be small.
But that was for later. First, he had to get good enough.
After reading with Cici for another half hour, Lucas finally remembered that dinner still was not done.
He closed the book and smiled at her.
"Cici, can you look through this by yourself for a bit? Daddy needs to cook. I’m making meat tonight. The kind you like."
"Mm-hmm."
Cici nodded obediently, hugged the book to her chest, and started turning the pages on her own. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Lucas went into the kitchen.
Half an hour later, dinner was ready.
Compared with lunch, this meal had improved again. The pasta came out right this time, not hard and not mushy. The meat smelled good with the sauce, and he had cooked the greens softer so they were easier for Cici to eat.
By the time Lucas brought the plates over, Cici was already at the table, almost unable to wait.
"Daddy, it’s sooo good."
She took one bite, and her eyes immediately curved with happiness.
"Even better than lunch-lunch."
Lucas felt his chest loosen a little. He picked up a few greens and put them on her plate.
"Have some greens too, okay? We can’t be picky."
Cici lowered her head and stared at the greens. The hesitation on her little face was obvious.
Lucas did not rush her. He only smiled and waited.
After a while, Cici looked as if she had made a very serious decision.
"Daddy..." she said in a tiny voice. "Then I’ll eat a little bit."
Then she added very seriously, "Just a little bit, okay?"
And she meant it.
She picked up the smallest piece she could find, put it in her mouth, and chewed with great seriousness.
Lucas watched her swallow it, and a smile came to his face.
Compared with lunchtime, this was already progress.
At noon, she had barely touched the greens at all.
After dinner, Lucas gave Cici a bath and helped her into her pajamas.
The little pajama top looked soft on her, the sleeves slightly loose around her hands. She sat on the bed with her storybook in her lap, quiet and well-behaved.
Lucas took a quick shower too.
But when he came out of the bathroom, he stopped.
Cici was sitting on the edge of the bed, crying.
Her head was lowered. Two tears hung on her cheeks, and one small hand was twisted in the blanket.
She was not crying loudly, just sitting there and letting the tears fall.
That hurt more than loud sobbing.
"Cici... what’s wrong?"
Lucas hurried over and crouched in front of her.
Cici raised her wet eyes.
"Daddy..."
Her voice was so small he almost missed it.
"I miss Mommy."
Lucas’s chest tightened.
He pulled her into his arms.
"Mommy will come see you in a few days, okay? She’s working right now. Let’s not bother her while she’s busy."
Cici leaned against his chest and did not answer right away.
Lucas patted her back gently.
"I’ll tell you another story."
He held her closer and let her settle into his arms.
Evelyn had given him a phone number, but nothing more.
No FaceTime, no casual messages, no "call me if Cici needs anything."
Even with Cici here, Evelyn was still keeping a wall between them.
Lucas understood that much.
So he swallowed the urge to call her and held Cici a little tighter.
It was normal for Cici to miss her mom.
But since Evelyn had not offered open contact, he could not break the boundary she had left just because the child cried once.
So he picked up the storybook again and read to her.
This time, he read slowly and steadily.
Outside the window, the sky darkened bit by bit. The bedside lamp threw a soft yellow patch across the blanket, and the pages rustled under his fingers.
At first, Cici still sniffled now and then. Later, the hand clutching his shirt slowly loosened.
An hour later, she fell asleep to the sound of his story.
Lucas looked down at her.
Her small face had gone peaceful again, but her lashes were still damp. He tucked the blanket around her and sat beside the bed for a while longer.
Only after he was sure she would not wake up did he stand and leave the room without making a sound.
Lucas rubbed his face and smiled.
In one day, he had somehow become someone’s dad, awakened a system, improved his cooking, stamina, and storytelling, and started seriously thinking about how he was supposed to buy a 1.5-million-dollar condo and make it a real home for Cici.
Yesterday, he had been divorced and freshly unemployed.
Tonight, he had a daughter, a new rental, and a reason to start planning past next week.
His life had gone completely off the rails.
Somehow, he was not that mad about it.
"System," Lucas asked in his head. "If I go practice something else right now, will another skill show up?"
The system answered.
[Intentional grinding will not unlock new skills. Already awakened skills may still improve through use. As the host accompanies and cares for the child, needed skills will appear naturally.]
Lucas nodded slightly.
"Okay."
That was fine.
He did not need to rack his brain over how to level up.
Tomorrow, Cici would still need breakfast, clean clothes, and another story before bed. There would probably be another negotiation over vegetables too.
As long as he stayed with her and took care of her, he would figure out the rest when it came.
