Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 120


The six adults in the villa worked together to prepare dishes for the party. Karlos and Foster were responsible for the heavy work, such as carrying large pots, trays, sacks of rice, and more, while the three maids and Maya cooked dishes in the spacious, fragrant kitchen, filled with the sound of sizzling oil and the rhythmic chopping of vegetables. The men also set up a cooking stove outside the house.

All the expenses came from Karlos and Maya, and they made sure to prepare hearty meals for the party, food meant to leave everyone full and satisfied. The money was well spent, especially since today was the twins' first birthday. Arabella and Iñigo were officially one year old as of today, a fact that filled the couple with emotion, although the two little kids were still sleeping and had no idea what a birthday meant, nor the attention waiting for them.

Colorful balloons were tied to the railings and taped to the walls, and ribbons fluttered around the surroundings, adding splashes of color.

"Larry and the others eat local cuisine, right?" Maya asked Mrs. Wanda, seeking reassurance. Her tone was hesitant, her brows slightly furrowed as she sliced vegetables. She was not sure if rich people would appreciate normal food made with familiar ingredients.

"Of course, they will eat them," Mrs. Wanda chuckled, amused by the concern. Her laughter was genuine. Rich people were not some kind of alien with different palates, despite common assumptions.

They might prefer expensive meals such as lobsters and steaks, but they would also eat normal dishes such as chicken stew, adobo, and lumpia.

By the way, lumpia was the first dish that quickly disappeared at parties without fail. In their country, lumpia would always be present at parties and fiestas, and people of all ages loved it.

So Maya made sure to cook a lot of lumpia for this day, anticipating the demand. Lumpia was a fried roll filled with ground meat, carrots, and other stuffing depending on the available ingredients.

Around 5 a.m., the first people to arrive were Joseph and his family. They had promised to help with the preparations, and they kept their word. They brought gifts and a cake for the birthday celebrants. The gifts were nothing grand, just simple clothes for the twins, matching outfits for them. Penelope carried the cake carefully while Joseph held a bag of wrapped presents, both smiling as they were greeted by the morning bustle in the kitchen.

"You bought a lot of stuff. Are you sure everything will be eaten? Some of it might spoil," Joseph asked Karlos. He eyed the large table covered with dishes and ingredients with a mix of amusement and worry.

"We can give the guests food to take home," Maya assured her brother. Her lips curving into a knowing smile.

People loved taking food from fiestas and parties to bring back to their families. There were even cases where people would prepare plastic bags for the occasion, ready to ransack food, something completely normal in their country. Maya giggled at the thought, shaking her head as she remembered family gatherings from her childhood filled with laughter.

"Let me help you cut the garlic and onions," Penelope said, rolling up her sleeves as she joined in. She helped Maya with the chopping so things would be finished faster.

Joseph helped as well. There was a makeshift stove in the garden to cook fried chicken. Because they had a lot to prepare, the men built a primitive stove using rocks and firewood, enough to support a large frying pan. However, this kind of stove needed constant supervision to maintain the fire. The smell of smoke and sizzling oil gave the morning air a festive feel.

Karlos, Foster, and Joseph worked on frying chicken. Karlos adjusted the fire by removing a piece of wood to weaken the flames. Foster focused on frying the chicken, while Joseph used ready-mix breading to coat the meat with a batter.

While the adults were busy, Gavin and Venus had nothing to do. They explored the villa with curiosity, their small footsteps echoing on the marble floor. Still, they didn't dare enter the rooms and respected boundaries. Most of the time, they stayed in the annex and wandered around the pool area.

The two kids actually wanted to swim in the pool, tempted by the water. However, their mother, Penelope, had lectured them before coming to the villa and set strict rules. They were there to celebrate their cousins' birthday, not to swim and get dirty.

So they could only stare at the pool longingly. The clear blue water shimmered under the early sunlight.

After exploring the villa for the third time, Venus couldn't take it anymore and headed to the kitchen.

"Auntie, where are Arabella and Iñigo? Are they still sleeping?"

"Let me check," Maya replied, wiping her hands with a towel before glancing at the clock. She realized it was already 6:30 a.m. Most of the dishes were already cooked, and they had made good progress.

She went to the room, followed by Venus and Gavin, who still had nothing to do.

When Maya opened the door, she smiled at the sight of the twins sleeping peacefully. They were tucked under the bedsheet, looking extremely adorable. Soft sunlight filtered through the curtains, making the scene heavenly.

Venus and Gavin approached quietly. Their cousins were really cute. They exchanged delighted looks, suppressing the urge to pinch the babies' chubby cheeks. A little girl and a little boy, melting their hearts instantly.

Just as Maya was about to return to the kitchen, Arabella, who had a strong sense of smell, suddenly caught the scent of food lingering on Maya's hands.

She groggily woke up, still half asleep, but food was something that always made her happy, no exception.

"Mama..." Arabella said sleepily, her voice soft as her eyelids fluttered open.

"Foohd."

Maya was speechless and caught completely off guard.

"Early in the morning, and you're already looking for food?"

"Hm." Arabella nodded weakly.

"Don't tell me you woke up because you smelled food?"

"Hm." Arabella nodded again.

Maya couldn't help but laugh. She scooped up the little girl, who was still drowsy. Arabella's small arms instinctively wrapped around Maya's neck as she buried her face against her mother's shoulder, seeking warmth.

"You're really a glutton, do you know that? All you ever want is food, food, and food."

---

[You can read more on my Patreon. This novel has 57 chapters there.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 121


Arabella yawned and hugged Maya. Of course, she wanted food, especially delicious food. She was just a simple girl. She still didn't know how the world worked, nor did she understand the worries of adults. For her, as long as she could eat and play all day, then everything was alright, her peaceful understanding of life.

Maya kissed her cheek. "Such a glutton." Her voice was filled with affection as she gently rubbed her daughter's back.

Right then, Iñigo also woke up, his rest disturbed. But he didn't wake up because of food, he woke up because they were making noise. He weakly opened his eyes and frowned at the people who had interrupted his sleep, his tiny brows furrowing in adorable irritation. This little boy was always grumpy for some reason, even as a baby.

Laughing helplessly, Maya had no choice but to entertain them as a mother.

"Venus, carry Iñigo to the dining room. I'll take care of Arabella."

Venus happily agreed, eager to help. Carrying such an adorable baby was not a problem for her, she knew what to do.

The twins were brought to the dining room and became confused at the sight of adults busy cooking, a strange scene to them. The smell of fried chicken, adobo, and lumpia filled the air, making their little noses twitch. 'Was there an event or something?' The twins thought.

It didn't matter, because the villa looked colorful, unlike any other day. Their sleepiness gradually vanished as they noticed balloons floating near the ceiling, colorful ribbons, and bright decorations on the walls. There were even letters they couldn't recognize.

The words read, "Happy Birthday Arabella Alejandro and Iñigo Alejandro."

They were shocked, their drowsiness completely gone. Last night, the house had looked plain and familiar. Yet today, so many things had changed. It felt like magic to their young minds.

Arabella squealed in delight. She liked whatever this was, no questions asked. She clapped her hands in excitement, and the people in the kitchen and dining room laughed at her happiness.

Even Iñigo was pleased, his grumpy expression long gone, replaced with curiosity.

"Kids, happy birthday."

Maya affectionately kissed their cheeks one after the other, greeting them with another "Happy birthday." The twins giggled, and the lively atmosphere positively affected their mood.

Mrs. Wanda prepared dishes for them to eat, including portions for Venus, Gavin, and Penelope. Penelope said they had already eaten before leaving the house early in the morning, but they accepted the food anyway out of courtesy.

Penelope and Maya, being mothers, took responsibility for feeding the cute little babies.

"I'm really impressed. They have a strong appetite for children their age. I remember when Gavin was still a baby, it was very hard to feed him."

Gavin, who was eating meat, heard his name and felt embarrassed, even though he didn't remember his baby days.

"Ma, I'm not that bad," he said defensively.

"You are," Penelope replied sternly. "You grew up being fed, clothed, and bathed by me every single day. You've been troublesome since birth. You cried a lot, moved around too much, and couldn't stay still even when getting fed."

Gavin shut his mouth and continued eating, lowering his head so he wouldn't have to look at the others.

"What about me, Ma? I'm a good girl, right?" Venus asked curiously.

"You're not that good either. You were also hard to feed, and you always crawled everywhere in the house. You explored every nook and cranny, nothing escaped you," Penelope recalled the days when her children were still young. She had suffered countless headaches taking care of them. Even now, her children were still troublesome in different ways.

"That's not true, right, Auntie?"

Venus asked Maya, and the woman chuckled. She remembered the time when Venus disappeared, only to be found under the bed, covered in dust, playing hide-and-seek.

"Everything Penelope said is true," Maya smiled at her niece.

Venus was left speechless and returned to eating. There were so many dishes that they didn't even bother touching their rice.

"Don't waste food. If you can't finish it, then give it to us," Penelope reminded her children.

"Look at your cousins, they eat almost everything without complaint."

Arabella and Iñigo had strong appetites, but their stomachs could only hold so much. In the end, the two women ate the leftovers. The food was delicious, so Maya and Penelope ate with satisfaction.

After eating, the children soon realized they were bored again.

"You can take Arabella and Iñigo outside and let them bathe in sunlight. I'll prepare the strollers," Maya said.

"Take care of your cousins," Penelope added.

With that, Venus and Gavin pushed the strollers outside.

They decided to visit the men frying lumpia, drawn by the smell. Karlos and the others had just finished cooking fried chicken. They decided to do a taste test, biting into the crispy chicken to check the quality.

When the children saw their fathers eating greasy yet juicy chicken, they instinctively licked their lips.

"You can have one each. The rest are for later," Karlos said.

As the strollers approached, the twins extended their arms, asking to be carried.

"Pa!"

"Papa!"

They called out to Karlos, believing his name was Pa or Papa.

"You guys woke up quite early today," Karlos said as he carried both of them without difficulty. He kissed their cheeks and greeted them. "Happy birthday."

"My cute little kids are one year old now," he added, making them giggle.

Venus and Gavin quickly finished their fried chicken, then stayed to watch the men fry the lumpia.

Arabella and Iñigo watched as well, soaking in the morning sunlight. They had no idea what was happening, but they could instinctively feel that today was special. That feeling made them laugh and clap their hands in joy.

When 8 a.m. arrived, Maya called out to Karlos and the children. It was time for them to take a shower and change clothes.

"Karlos, leave this to us. Foster and I will handle it," Joseph assured him. Joseph and Foster quickly took over, chatting about different topics to pass the time. Joseph and his family had spare clothes to change into for the party later.

Maya and Karlos worked together to wash the twins and dress them nicely. The couple then left the twins with Penelope while they took a shower together, no snu snu this time, purely practical.

"When's the priest going to arrive?" Karlos asked.

"About 9:00 to 9:30 a.m.," Maya answered.

"Okay. Things should be done around that time."

Author's Note: I have a favor to ask. I want to know what plot points or elements you're eager to see in this novel. I want to know if it's in my writing list or not, so that I can prepare and write about it. Thank you, and please continue to support this novel. You can support this novel by subscribing to Patreon.

Click to shrink...

 

[Pujimaki]

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 122


In their tradition, a priest must baptize children once they turn one year old. It was considered a sacred milestone, marking the child's official welcome into the faith, a symbolic step meant to bring spiritual protection and blessings.

Instead of going to the church, however, in their county, parents would invite the priest to their home to perform the baptism. It felt more personal and festive that way, surrounded by family and neighbors.

When the couple left the room, the annex area was already prepared with tables and chairs neatly arranged in rows, leaving enough space for people to move around comfortably. The food section and utensils were also set up and ready. The aroma of freshly cooked dishes filled the air, blending with the faint scent of flowers placed as decorations on each table.

Soon after, the second batch of guests arrived. They were Karlos's friends and their families, showing up almost all at once. Brandon, Andres, Domingo, Jerry, and their families came, some carrying gifts. Their laughter and chatter instantly brought life to the atmosphere.

Just as Jerry had promised, he didn't bring his younger brother. As for Domingo's parents, they were present as well. His mother even had a couple of plastic bags tucked into her pockets. She inspected the food prepared for the party and grew visibly pleased when she saw how plentiful it was and how delicious everything looked. Her face lit up with genuine satisfaction as she quietly planned which dishes she would take home later.

However, what truly shocked everyone was how magnificent the villa was, far beyond what they had imagined. The elegant white walls, the wide annex, and the neatly pruned garden gave off a strong sense of luxury.

"When you said you were living in a villa, I didn't expect something like this," Domingo said as he looked around. His mouth was slightly open in awe. This wasn't just rich, it was rich-rich.

"A friend invited me to live here," Karlos replied simply. He didn't explain further, offering only a faint smile to avoid drawing too much attention.

"Be honest with me. Are you sure you're not from a rich family?" Jerry asked. He spoke half-jokingly, but his eyes were filled with curiosity. He remembered the gossip about a sports car parked in front of Karlos's kubo, and how people in the neighborhood believed it belonged to his relatives. They had even seen two well-dressed men talking to Karlos, which became quite the topic back then.

"Do I look like a rich person to you?" Karlos chuckled, shaking his head.

"If we didn't know your story, we might think so. You have fair skin, you're tall, and you don't look poor at all," Andres said teasingly, raising an eyebrow.

"If I hadn't worked with you fishing, I might believe you're from a rich family too," Brandon added with a laugh, giving Karlos a friendly pat on the back.

The men continued chatting as more guests arrived, gradually filling the annex. Their conversation shifted from jokes to lighthearted stories. Maya firmly reminded Karlos that there would be no alcohol at the party. She crossed her arms and gave him a serious look. Today was for the children, not for the adults to drink and have fun. Her tone left no room for argument, and Karlos could only smile helplessly.

Meanwhile, the children played as they waited for the baptism to begin. Their giggles echoed throughout the annex as they chased each other and played with small toys. Some of them glanced longingly at the swimming pool, but none dared to go in. The clear blue water shimmered invitingly under the sunlight, yet they knew their parents would scold them if they caused trouble.

To them, the swimming pool felt more exciting than the sea. At least the pool looked elegant, clean, and calm. They had grown tired of swimming in the ocean.

No one dared to enter the main house. Everyone stayed within the annex, which had become the heart of the celebration. All the rooms were locked anyway, leaving only access to the living room, dining room, and kitchen. Even then, the guests remained careful and respectful, mindful of the beautiful home they were in.

The third group to arrive consisted of Engineer Montoya, Franco, and the others.

The fourth group was made up of Maya's college friends. Although adulthood had separated them and given each of them their own lives, they still considered one another friends. Maya occasionally visited them or sent letters to keep in touch.

The three women squealed as they spotted Maya and rushed over to hug her tightly.

"Maya!"

"Luz, Vin, Minda!"

Maya smiled warmly and hugged them back, feeling a wave of nostalgia. They were acting like playful young women again.

"The others couldn't attend because they're in other cities," one of them said apologetically.

"It's alright. I'm already happy that you're here," Maya replied sincerely.

They giggled and settled at a table, immediately diving into gossip. They talked about their former classmates and shared updates about their lives.

All of them had graduated with education degrees. Luz and Vin worked at private schools, while Minda had been hired as an English teacher at a public school. Overall, they had stable careers and were working in the fields they had studied.

"You know Laura? She went overseas and married a man from Burger country. I heard she struck it rich."

"Good for her," Maya replied without envy.

"Maya, you didn't tell us you were living in such a nice place. So tell me, did Karlos win the lottery or something?"

They knew about Karlos. Back in their final months of college, he had been quite a sight, the poor but handsome man who waited outside their school just to see someone.

"This villa isn't ours. We're just renting it," Maya explained. "Karlos has a good friend who let us stay here while our house is under construction."

She didn't elaborate further, especially about the fact that they weren't paying rent. It would have been too troublesome to explain.

"So Karlos has a rich friend?"

"Let's not talk about that. You already have money to build a house? I thought Karlos was just a fisherman?"

Maya sensed something behind Luz's words, but she only smiled and nodded.

"My husband has earned quite a lot these past few months," Maya replied calmly, once again keeping her explanation vague.

Luz fell silent, momentarily stunned. She wasn't sure whether Maya was telling the truth or not. The main reason Luz had come today was to see Maya's situation, driven by comparison.

Luz had always been smarter than Maya. She had better grades and believed her future held greater potential, at least in her own eyes. She attended today hoping to confirm that her life was better than Maya's and to seek validation for herself.

---

[Thank you for reading this novel.]