The worse you are, the stronger you become: My summoned beast is a photographer.

"I've always wanted to tell you that you bring me unexpected joy, like an oasis in the desert..."

The wilderness was silent, with only starlight for company. Aura carried the completely drunk Ming Luochen on her back on the way home, his cheerful humming of a song that didn't belong to this world filling her ears. The tune was wildly off-key, and the lyrics were indistinct, but the joy emanating from the melody, like dandelions drifting in the night breeze, gently landed on her heart.

Through his memory, she knew it was a love song, and sweetness lingered in her heart. Feeling the weight and warmth on his back, it seemed to soften even the night. He lay on her back, his face buried in the crook of her neck, his breath carrying a faint scent of wine and the lingering aroma of roasted meat, making her neck tickle.

The road was difficult to traverse at night. Moonlight shone on the gravel path, casting a cold, silvery-white glow. Although it was already late at night, one could still occasionally encounter small adventure teams hurrying towards the market. They carried huge packs on their backs, their steps hurried, occasionally casting a curious glance before quickly disappearing into the darkness.

Back at the manor, Aura carefully carried Ming Luochen to the bed to rest. He was as limp as a ball of cotton, muttering "one more string," his hands flailing haphazardly in the air before he drifted off to sleep. She changed into her nightgown—she had just gotten a tattoo and couldn't shower that day—and lay down directly, pulling little Ming Luochen into her arms. His body heat seeped through the thin fabric, warm and comforting, like holding a hot water bottle.

The following morning, Raven Crest Manor was in chaos...

"Ouch, it hurts so much—" Ming Luochen curled up in pain, his face pale and his forehead covered in a fine layer of cold sweat. He rolled around on the bed, clutching his stomach, like a boiled shrimp.

Valerius rushed anxiously to Aura's bedroom with Dr. Goat Horn. He didn't even have time to button up his coat before shouting as he entered, "Please take a look! He's been having a stomachache and has vomited several times. Could it be food poisoning?" His voice was unusually panicked, and his four hooves pounded restlessly on the wooden floor.

"Alright." Dr. Yangjiao didn't dare delay, quickly walked to the bedside, put down his medicine box, and began to examine the patient. He pressed on the fat man's bulging belly—hard as a ball—then opened his eyelids to look, pressed his tongue down with a small stick, and then solemnly asked, "What have you eaten?"

"I forgot..." Ming Luochen said uncomfortably, his voice as weak as a mosquito's buzz. He felt nauseous and weak all over, as if he were about to die. His stomach was churning, and every breath was accompanied by a greasy acid reflux.

"Last night he ate two roast chickens, a black pepper steak, a skewer of beef tendon, a hamburger, a honey-grilled eel, two glasses of cider, a glass of rye, and a piece of syrup bread..."

Aura stood to the side, counting on her fingers one by one, her voice getting softer and softer as she counted, as if she had done something wrong.

Valerius and Marina frowned as they listened to the long list of dishes. They exchanged a glance and saw the same expression in each other's eyes—was this child a reincarnation of a starving ghost?

"He has such a good appetite?" Marina couldn't help but ask, her tone tinged with disbelief. Ming Luochen used to be full after just two apples, how could he have eaten so much yesterday?

Aura nodded worriedly, twisting the hem of her skirt with her fingers: "Yes, and smoked chicken legs, dada grass flavored jerky..."

"He's like this because he ate too much." The doctor couldn't stand it anymore. He stood up, closed his medical kit, and gave his prescription with a blank expression, his tone full of disdain. "It's nothing serious. He'll be fine once he digests it. Or you can induce vomiting to reduce the burden on his body."

"It's good that you're alright." Aura breathed a sigh of relief, feeling both annoyed and amused. She glanced at Ming Luochen, who was curled up in discomfort, and her heartache turned into helplessness—who told you to eat so much? She couldn't stop him.

"Thank you, doctor. What medicine do I need?" Valerius asked quickly, his hand already reaching into his pocket to take out money.

"Still eating?" the old goat doctor asked strangely, his eyebrows almost reaching his hairline.

Valerius was momentarily speechless, then gave an awkward laugh and scratched the back of his head: "It seems... he really can't eat anymore."

"Give him some water, you can add some sour fruit juice to the water, he'll be fine in a couple of days," the doctor added, slinging his medicine kit over his shoulder and heading out. This was a minor illness that didn't even require medication; he was in a hurry to get back to the clinic to see other patients. "I have things to do at the clinic, so I'll be going now."

"I'll see you off." Valerius apologetically escorted the doctor to his carriage, turning back to glare at Ming Luochen before leaving—his eyes clearly saying: You've embarrassed yourself in front of the doctor.

"You two are really something, why did you let him eat so much last night? You didn't even try to stop him." Marina complained to her daughter after seeing that her son-in-law was alright, putting her hands on her hips with an expression that said, "You young people are really insensible."

"It's just..." Aura stammered, her voice barely audible, as if she were talking to herself, "Ming Luochen doesn't like vegetarian food, so he ate too much yesterday..."

"He can just say he doesn't like it," Marina said, somewhat speechless, as if her family was abusing him. She began to wonder—was the food at home so bad that she was starving her child?

"He was busy the past few days and wasn't in the mood to talk," Aura explained, her voice tinged with grievance. The point is, they had so much fun yesterday, who knew it would turn out like this? He ate like a whirlwind, impossible to stop.

"I'll ask the kitchen to make him some juice. Eating so much must be making him feel terrible," Marina muttered, glancing at the weak Ming Luochen—curled up in the blankets like a wounded little animal, looking pitiful. After all, he wasn't a centaur, and he certainly wasn't used to the family's eating habits. With a pang of heartache, she turned and went to the kitchen to prepare some juice to aid digestion, her footsteps quick and firm.

It was an oversight; she hadn't noticed that Ming Luochen didn't like apples at all. Marina thought to herself as she walked, feeling a little guilty. Carrying the juice to her daughter's room, she handed the glass to Aura and then gently said to Ming Luochen, "If you have anything you like to eat, you can tell the housekeeper, and he'll arrange it."

"I understand." Ming Luochen said somewhat shyly, taking the cup and taking a sip. Aura's parents were really good to him, especially Marina, who seemed to treat him like her own child. The concern in her eyes wasn't just politeness; it was genuine.

After drinking the sour fruit juice, the greasiness was relieved quite a bit, and the churning in his stomach gradually subsided. Ming Luochen felt much better and let out a long breath, as if he had just returned from the brink of death.

"Madam, an Elnet ratman has delivered two carts of supplies outside. It says Mr. Luo Chen bought them at the market yesterday." A rabbit-eared maid came to Aura's room to report, her ears twitching, clearly startled by the two carts of goods.

"My order has arrived." Upon hearing this, Ming Luochen immediately got up to receive the goods, his movements so swift that he was completely unlike the sickly person he had been moments before. He threw off the covers and ran barefoot towards the door.

"This child." Marina didn't know what to say—just a moment ago she was curled up in a sickly ball, and now she's jumping around like nothing happened. The speed at which she changed her expression was faster than the speed at which she changed her dress.

Aura didn't want to go to school either, so she followed behind Ming Luochen until she saw the two large carts of grain. Only then did she realize how much she had bought yesterday—the two carts were piled high with grain, and the sacks were stacked higher than a person.

"Sir, I have fulfilled my mission! All your items have been delivered!" The shopkeeper, Huai En, greeted him warmly, rubbing his hands together and smiling so broadly his eyes narrowed into slits. He noticed the two elegantly dressed centaurs following behind Ming Luochen; he recognized one of them from yesterday, while the other possessed an even more refined air—she must be the Countess. He bowed even lower.

Wayne felt that coming to deliver the goods today was the right decision—it was all to make an impression on the aristocracy. Although he didn't get a delivery fee, it was worth it.

"Thank you, boss. I'll definitely buy from you again next time." Ming Luochen immediately checked what he had bought, opened the burlap sack, grabbed a handful of Kuhani, smelled it, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Butler, arrange for someone to help Ming Luochen move his things," Marina instructed, curiously looking to see what he had bought—it seemed to be mostly grains and spices, along with several bags of beans and dried mushrooms. "Ming Luochen, what are you buying all this for?"

"I want to make some dishes from my hometown, and these are the ingredients I need." Ming Luochen didn't hide anything and happily told his mother-in-law, his eyes sparkling like a child showing off a treasure. "Let me research it, and I'll make you dishes you've never eaten before."

"Okay, I'm really looking forward to the food from your hometown." Marina gently agreed, already imagining what it would taste like.

Ming Luochen didn't have any yeast. But for a photographer who had followed craft bloggers for years, this was a piece of cake—back when he was editing videos, he watched them frame by frame and learned many techniques. He knew the process of making dough, proofing, and kneading by heart. However, the yeast needed to ferment, and there wasn't enough time. He planned to make scallion pancakes and vegetarian dumplings for his mother-in-law and father-in-law for lunch.

He decided to test the flour in this world. He picked up a pinch of flour and rubbed it; the texture was quite good, but he would have to wait until he had kneaded the dough to know its elasticity.

I also wanted to show off my skills. I've been eating and drinking at my wife's house for so long, and I wanted to express my appreciation and let them see the rich culinary heritage of China's five thousand years of history. I can't just be a useless person who only knows how to eat, can I?

If the conditions are right, I'll try making some baijiu for my father-in-law later—as a military officer, he should like it; I've seen him drink beer all the time, one glass after another, he has a good tolerance. As for my mother-in-law… I'll give her perfume or lipstick. Ming Luochen pondered the gifts, looking at his beautiful wife, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Aura also became expectant. She felt her husband was very thoughtful—her parents had given her gifts, so hers shouldn't be any less, right? She tilted her head slightly, waiting for him to continue.

"Just give her one child, that'll do." Ming Luochen's smile grew even brighter, her eyes curving into crescents.

The next second, Aura gave him a playful glare—he was always thinking about these things, never serious. That glare carried a hint of anger, but couldn't hide the sweetness in her eyes.

Seeing how beautiful Aura was even when she was angry actually made Ming Luochen happy. He just wanted to tease her; her slightly pouting face was a million times cuter than her usual aristocratic demeanor. As for what to give her, he really didn't know—he felt that many things seemed cheap.

A homemade bracelet, a love letter, a table full of delicious food, a scarf, a piece of chocolate... none of these seem worthy of his wife. Ming Luochen, who is in the throes of new love, wants to give the whole world to Aura.

Or... should I give myself to her?

Aura smiled sweetly without realizing it, a gentle curve forming at the corners of her mouth, and two rosy blushes rising on her cheeks. Although she hadn't received the gift yet, she had already received the sentiment—she thought Ming Luochen's idea of ​​treating her as a gift was truly wonderful. It didn't need to be expensive or exquisite; as long as it was him, that was enough.