Chapter 43: Jack and Elina turned young again! Ethan dropped Rose off, and she smiled, waving as she said goodbye. He watched her disappear into the house before turning back toward the street. Without lingering, he made his way home. When he stepped through the door, he found Jack and Elina sitting together in the living room. Jack looked up from the holo-screen, his face brightening. "How was your hunt, son?" Ethan set his pack down by the wall. "It went well. I made some money." Then his gaze softened as it shifted to Elina. "Mom, I missed your cooking. Could you make me something?" Elina’s smile lit up the room. Praise from her son always brought her the simplest, purest joy. "Go wash your hands," she said warmly. "I’ve already made your favorite dishes." "Okay, Mom." Ethan grinned. He disappeared into the washroom. When he came back, the dining table was filled with steaming plates. He ate with the appetite of a starving man, and when he finally leaned back, he patted his stomach with a satisfied sigh. "Mom, you’re the best." He turned to Jack, his tone suddenly mock-serious. "I still don’t understand how someone like you managed to catch Mom." He shook his head in exaggerated disappointment. Jack’s face darkened. "You brat, I was handsome when I was young—more handsome than you! What do you know?" Elina burst out laughing, rolling her eyes. "What nonsense. You were never half as handsome as my boy." Ethan regarded his father with theatrical disdain. "You really think you were more handsome than me in your prime?" Jack lifted his chin, as if stating a solemn truth. "Fine," Ethan said, arching an eyebrow. "Let’s test that." Jack grew wary. "Those old photos don’t do me justice. They couldn’t possibly capture my heroic aura." Ethan rolled his eyes. "Who needs photos when I can make you young myself?" Jack blinked. "What in the world are you talking about?" "You’ll see." Ethan gestured for him to sit. "Just stay still. You’ll feel some warmth." Jack and Elina exchanged a bewildered glance, but Jack sat down obediently. Ethan placed his hand on his father’s back. A soft glow began to emanate from his palm, growing into a radiant cascade of light. Jack stiffened, but as the warmth spread, his breathing eased. Light Force poured into his body, seeping into every cell. The vitality of youth stirred deep within him—wrinkles faded, hair darkened, his skin regained elasticity. Decades of accumulated toxins dissolved. Fat deposits in his arteries broke apart and vanished. Bone density increased. Organs rejuvenated. Extra body fat disappeared where they were not need. His some what plumped body started to shrank a little. Became more compact. An hour passed. The light slowly receded. Where Jack had sat as a weathered man of forty, now stood a striking young figure, no older than twenty-five. But even that wasn’t accurate—he looked better than he ever had in his youth, almost like a star in a holovid drama. Elina stood there, tears streaming down her cheeks. Jack opened his eyes. For the entire hour, it had felt like resting in the arms of a benevolent goddess. He flexed his hands, feeling the effortless strength in his body. When he looked up and saw Elina crying, he hurried over to hug her. "Why are you crying?" "Look in the mirror," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Jack walked to the mirror on the wall. For a moment, he couldn’t comprehend the reflection staring back at him. It was him, but young—so young it looked like the version of himself he’d imagined at twenty-five, the one he’d always wished he’d been. He touched his own cheek. The reflection did the same. When he turned, he didn’t need words. Elina nodded to him through her tears, and something unspoken passed between them. A single tear welled in the corner of Jack’s eye. Then the dam broke, and he began to cry in earnest, shoulders shaking. He’d never been able to cultivate. Never been able to preserve his youth as martial artists did. He’d accepted it, convinced himself that growing old with his wife and seeing his son succeed was enough. But now—he could be young again. He turned to Ethan and pulled him into a tight embrace. Ethan didn’t resist. He patted his father’s back and let the moment stretch out. When Jack finally pulled away, he glanced shyly at Elina, then cleared his throat. "Can you...uh..." "You think I’d make you young and leave Mom looking older?" Ethan scoffed. "And your brain better not be imagining running off after younger women." Jack brightened at the first part but looked instantly mortified by the second. He shot Elina a panicked look. "Pervert," Elina said dryly, crossing her arms. Jack wilted. "I swear, honey, I wasn’t thinking any such thing..." Both Ethan and Elina eyed him with matching suspicion. "All right, Mom," Ethan said, gesturing to the chair. "Your turn." Elina sat down, still sniffling. A moment later, light enveloped her in a soft cocoon. An hour later, when the glow finally dissipated, a breathtaking young woman stood up. She looked about twenty-three, her features delicate and luminous—so beautiful she could have walked onto any starship and left every man speechless. Jack’s jaw fell open. He almost started drooling. "Elina...is that you?" Her cheeks turned bright pink at the look he was giving her. "Old man, stop staring at me like that." Jack burst out laughing, unable to help himself. "I’ve hit the jackpot!" Elina snorted, but she was smiling too. Ethan watched them with a quiet contentment. He wanted them to stay with him forever. Though healing can’t make them live longer but they could be looked young Someday, when he was strong enough to leave Earth, he would find a way to let them cultivate alongside him. He also thought of Elizabeth—Rose’s mother. Maybe she, too, could regain her youth. And who knew? One day, perhaps he could even reverse time itself and bring Rose’s father back. When the euphoria finally settled, Ethan cleared his throat. "Mom, Dad...I wanted to tell you something." They turned to him expectantly. "I love a girl named Rose," he said softly. "I want you to come with me tonight to formally meet her family and put a ring on her finger. Tomorrow, I’ll host a farewell party and announce everything." Elina clapped her hands in delight. "Oh, my goodness! Of course! When are we going? We’ll need to prepare gifts." Ethan handed her a comm-code. "This is Rose’s mom’s number. You can coordinate with her. I think evening would be best." "Don’t worry," Elina said, already brimming with excitement. "We’ll handle everything. Go get some rest." She called immediately. The line connected with a soft chime. "Hello, who is this?" Elizabeth’s warm voice came through. "I’m Elina—Ethan’s mother," she replied gently. "Are you Ms. Elizabeth, Rose’s mom?" "Yes," Elizabeth said, sounding pleased. "Hello, Ms. Elina. How are you?" "I’m well, thank you. And you?" "Also well. Is there something you’d like to discuss?" Elizabeth had a guess. Rose told her what Ethan said in the car. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦 Elina took a breath. "Ethan told us he loves Rose. We’d like to visit tonight to formally complete the engagement process, if you agree." Elizabeth laughed lightly, sounding genuinely happy. "Yes—come any time. I think it’s wonderful. The sooner, the better." "Then we’ll come tonight." "Perfect." When the call ended, Jack looked at her expectantly. "How was she?" "I like her," Elina said with conviction. "Kind and gracious. She’ll be good family." Jack grinned. "Great. Let’s go shopping." Elina’s eyes lit up. She loved shopping more than almost anything. Jack pulled out his comm and dialed. "Dad, Ethan’s getting engaged tonight. We’ll announce it officially tomorrow." "You bastard," James grumbled. "Trying to sneak an engagement without telling the family again?" Jack scratched his head. "Didn’t I just tell you now?" James sighed. "Fine. I’ll inform your Grandfather." When Alexander heard the news, he looked up from his documents. "You and Ryder will go with gifts worthy of the Hunt family," he said calmly. "We didn’t accept Jack properly back then. We won’t make the same mistake now." James and Ryder exchanged a nod. "Understood." Minutes later, a sleek fighter jet lifted off from the Hunt estate, slicing through the sky toward the base city 5. Ethan returned to his room, closing the door behind him. Though he’d left the living room, he could still hear their conversation drifting up through the air—his parents making plans, the excited tones of his mother, and the mention that his grandfather might come too. A small smile tugged at his lips. Tonight would be important. He picked up his communicator and tapped out a message: My lady, be prepared. I’ll officially make you mine tonight. He set the device down and stretched out on the bed, staring at the ceiling. — Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Rose sat frozen on the edge of her bed, staring at the message glowing on her screen. Her heart thumped so loudly she was sure it would burst. I’ll officially make you mine tonight. She swallowed hard. Her mother had already spoken to her about it—calm, supportive words that did nothing to soothe her nervousness. Would Ethan’s mom and dad like me? What if they didn’t? What if they thought she wasn’t good enough and persuaded him to leave her? She squeezed her phone, anxiety swirling in her chest. And then came the next crisis—What should I wear? The elegant gown Ethan had given her yesterday? Or something more traditional and formal to show respect? Her thoughts chased each other in frantic circles. From the doorway, Zara was peeking in, her small face pinched with worry. She had been watching her sister pace and mutter to herself for nearly fifteen minutes. "Sis...are you okay?" Zara finally asked, her voice tentative. "Do you feel sick? Should I call Mom?" Rose’s cheeks flamed bright red. She clutched her phone to her chest like a lifeline. "No, Zara, I’m fine," she said quickly. "You don’t need to call Mom." Zara tilted her head, studying her for a second longer. "Oh...okay then." Satisfied—or at least willing to pretend she was—Zara plopped down onto the rug with her tablet and resumed her game, occasionally sneaking curious glances up at her sister, who now stood rooted in place, still imagining a thousand ways tonight could go wrong...or perfectly right.