Chapter 384

Luna Whitaker stood at the post office counter, her fingers trembling slightly as she filled out the parcel form with the address Ethan had left behind. She double-checked every character, afraid of making even a single mistake.

"Ma'am, are you sending all of these?" The clerk eyed the small mountain of packages with surprise.

Luna nodded. "Yes, all of them." She had carefully selected long-lasting local specialties—freshly milled millet from the village, homemade pickled radish, the region’s famous smoked sausage, and wood ear mushrooms. Every item was Luna’s favorite.

Ever since her younger sister had been transferred to that remote region, it was as if she had vanished. Aside from a brief letter confirming her safe arrival, there had been no news. Stranger still, Andrew Smith had also disappeared without a trace.

At first, Luna thought the newlyweds had quarreled. But when Ethan visited, she learned Andrew had been sent on a classified mission. The realization left her unsettled—how cruel that the couple had to separate so soon after their wedding, without even a word from each other.

"That’ll be twenty-eight pounds in total. Postage comes to twelve dollars and fifty cents." The clerk’s voice pulled her back to the present.

After paying, Luna watched blankly as the parcels were labeled and taken away. She desperately hoped her sister could taste even a spoonful of home—perhaps a simple bowl of millet porridge.

When she returned to the restaurant, Ryan Wallace was directing the staff to unload fresh ingredients. Business had boomed since opening their second location, and "The Whitaker’s" had become synonymous with hotpot in the city.

"Welcome back, boss!" Old Zhang, their produce supplier, greeted her warmly. Thanks to their partnership, he no longer had to hawk his goods at the market.

Ryan approached, noticing his wife’s somber expression. "Did you send the package?"

Luna nodded, her eyes glistening. "Do you think Luna will get it? That place is so isolated, even letters barely make it..."

Ryan wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "The post office will deliver it. When Luna gets that box, she’ll be over the moon."

The rich aroma of spicy broth wafted from the kitchen, but Luna had no appetite. She gazed out the window at the bustling crowd, envying ordinary people who could see their loved ones every day.

"By the way, we got some fresh tripe today—want to try it?" Ryan tried to distract her.

Luna forced a smile. She remembered how her sister could devour two full plates of tripe in one sitting. But now... did that place even have hotpot?

Waiters hurried between tables, the restaurant packed to capacity. None of them knew that behind their cheerful boss’s smile was a heart aching for a sister thousands of miles away.