292: A soul comforted by warmth

Lu Chuan looked at the middle-aged man before him, whose face was etched with fatigue but still radiated integrity and gravitas, then glanced at the family members immersed in grief, and gently shook his head.

Under the man's astonished gaze, he quickly served three portions of the "morning dew consolation meal," including porridge, steamed egg, and floral dew, carefully placed them in an insulated bag, and handed it over.

"It's free," Lu Chuan's voice was soft yet remarkably clear, "Please give it to the elderly lady, the child, and that woman. At a time like this, they need something warm in their stomachs."

The middle-aged man was stunned, looking at Lu Chuan's clear and peaceful eyes, then at the exquisite yet thoughtfully prepared meal boxes, and his lips moved.

He hesitated for two seconds, ultimately said nothing, just nodded heavily.

"Thank you."

He took the insulated bag as if holding something precious, and quickly returned to the family members, explaining a few words in a low voice.

Initially, the martyr's wife was a bit resistant, shaking her head, wondering how she could eat anything now.

But seeing her daughter's emaciated face and her mother-in-law's frail, almost unsteady appearance, she knew that if she didn't eat, neither of them would.

Supported by relatives and friends, they were helped to a bench in the nearby rest area.

The middle-aged man opened the porridge bowls and food containers one by one.

When the soft, warm color and inviting aroma of the "warm jade peace of mind porridge", the smooth, mirror-like appearance of the golden calendula steamed egg, and the serene, tranquil scent of the clear heart floral dew were fully revealed, everyone around couldn't help but secretly marvel at their presentation and fragrance.

The little girl looked at the golden steamed egg and swallowed.

The elderly lady's hands, covered in age spots, trembled as she picked up a spoon, scooped a small mouthful of porridge, blew on it, and reluctantly brought it to her mouth.

The warm porridge melted in her mouth, its incredibly gentle and soft texture seemingly instantly soothing the dryness in her throat and the spasms in her stomach.

An indescribable warm current, accompanied by the sweet aroma of rice and the calming, warm fragrance, slid down her esophagus into her stomach, then gently spread throughout her body.

The chest tightness and shortness of breath she had experienced for days due to crying and sorrow seemed to be somewhat alleviated by this comforting warmth.

A faint spark of life seemed to be injected into her once lifeless, pain-filled eyes.

She paused for a moment, then scooped another spoonful; this time, her movements were slightly quicker.

The wife watched her mother-in-law's change, then looked at her daughter, who was eagerly eyeing the steamed egg, and finally picked up a spoon herself.

She first fed her daughter a mouthful of steamed egg.

The custard was tender and smooth, rich with a milky fragrance, and mixed with a hint of crisp, savory choi sum bits, making it so delicious that the little girl's eyes widened slightly, momentarily forgetting her sadness, and she whispered:

"Mama, it's so good."

The wife also tasted a mouthful of porridge.

The taste of the porridge strangely relaxed her taut nerves a little, and the warm sensation seemed to restore some feeling to her cold fingertips.

As she ate small mouthfuls, her tears flowed even more profusely, but this time, in addition to sadness, there seemed to be something new mixed in with the tears.

She couldn't quite say what it was, but she could vaguely sense that it was a feeling akin to being understood, being cared for in a subtle way, a complex emotion of finding hope still present in the world amidst the deepest despair.

As she ate, she subconsciously reached out and tightly grasped her mother-in-law's withered hand.

Her mother-in-law also clasped her hand back, and the two, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, continued to eat this special meal, tearfully and silently, mouthful after mouthful.

The middle-aged man watched this scene, seeing a different kind of vitality finally emerge amidst the unyielding sorrow on their faces, and then watching the still innocent little girl begin to actively scoop steamed egg with her small spoon, he let out a long, silent sigh of relief, turned to look at Lu Chuan's stall again, his eyes filled with deep gratitude.

He walked to the food truck, first glanced at the truck's sign, then looked at Lu Chuan, and said with gratitude and emotion:

"Little brother, thanks to your..."

He paused, then looked up at the food truck sign again before continuing:

"...your 'morning dew consolation meal,' it opened their appetites, otherwise their bodies might have had problems; they haven't eaten much for days..."

Lu Chuan nodded.

"As long as you're alive, there's hope. Putting everything else aside, there are still so many delicious foods in the world to try."

The middle-aged man was taken aback for a moment, and a faint smile finally appeared on his face.

He nodded in agreement, then pulled out his phone, ready to scan the QR code to pay, emphasizing:

"I was in a hurry just now, but now I have time, little brother, let me transfer the money for those three meals. You're running a small business after all, please don't refuse."

Lu Chuan still shook his head, refusing.

"No need, I treated them. I hope it can give them a little comfort. Besides... in this situation, no one would be unwilling to lend a hand within their capabilities, after all..."

Lu Chuan glanced at the uniform the middle-aged man was wearing; everything was understood without words.

The middle-aged man paused, looked down at his uniform, was silent for a moment, then adjusted the brim of his cap and said to Lu Chuan:

"The one who sacrificed his life was my good subordinate, their good husband, good son, good father, and a good public servant of the people."

His voice was somewhat choked, but still firm and steady.

"So, I am very grateful for your kind act, and it is because there are people like you, little brother, that he... and thousands upon thousands of soldiers, will bravely sacrifice themselves regardless of the cost."

Lu Chuan nodded silently.

The middle-aged man put his phone back in his pocket, looked deeply at Lu Chuan again, as if to remember his appearance, and then turned to return to the family members.

"Ding! Have at least ten deceased relatives provide clear feedback of 'spiritual comfort' after tasting the set meal... Current mission progress: 4/10."

The system's prompt sounded in Lu Chuan's mind.

He looked at the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, supporting each other and drawing a glimmer of strength from the food, and at the child, whose attention was temporarily captivated by the delicious meal; the awkward feeling he had experienced due to the system's mission location finally dissipated.

The power of food, perhaps, can truly become a tiny glimmer in the darkest hour, illuminating cold hearts and giving the living the courage to continue moving forward.

He gently exhaled, continuing to quietly stand by his stall.

Like a silent lighthouse, waiting for the next soul in need of this warm comfort.

The morning light gradually brightened, spilling over this land filled with farewells and sorrow, and also over the small food truck, adding a subtle touch of warmth to the solemn scene.