VFGRC Chapter 25

TL: Moonlit

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These past few days, the other food stall owners in Sanjiaokou were definitely feeling sour. Just like the owner of the roujiamo stall, they thought that Yu Dong’s good business with selling sugar-coated haws¹I shortened the hawthorn was only temporary. However, in just a couple of days, they helplessly witnessed Yu Dong’s business getting better and better, completely unaffected by the neighboring food stall’s equally good business of selling teppanyaki.

How did he manage to do that?

The food stall owners in Sanjiaokou were all smart individuals. They quickly realized that Yu Dong’s good business must be related to the changes he made at his sugar-coated haw stall. There were only two changes at Yu Dong’s stall: he switched from selling large skewers to small ones, and he added two new flavors of sugar-coated haws.

Some of the food stall owners went to Yu Dong’s stall and bought a couple of the new flavored sugar-coated haw skewers to taste and see if they could apply any ideas to their own food stalls.

“The glutinous rice haw and red bean haw flavors are really good,” one food stall owner said. “And these small skewers of sugar-coated haws are so tiny that they don’t make you feel full.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” another food stall owner chimed in. “Yu Dong used to make tasty sugar-coated haws before, but the skewers were too big. People with small appetites would be full after eating just one skewer… Now that he’s selling small skewers, he can attract many customers with small appetites. No wonder his business is getting better and better.”

“I asked Yu Dong before who gave him this idea, but he just played it coy with me and didn’t share any useful information…”

“I wonder if the person who gave Yu Dong the idea could also give some advice to my struggling food stall. I don’t have high expectations, just making my business half as good as Yu Dong’s would be enough.”

“Forget it, the money Yu Dong earns in a day is more than what I earn in a week!”

Several food stall owners looked at Yu Dong with eyes filled with undisguised envy.

How could such a thriving business not make people jealous?

“Dong dong,” “clang clang.”

At that moment, a shop next to Sanjiaokou started making the sound of renovation—jingling and clanging.

The food stall owners looked at the shop being renovated, and their envy turned into worry.

“I heard that the shop being renovated is a branch of a popular internet-famous food store in J City. Do you think it will affect our stall businesses?”

“There are countless internet-famous stores in J City. Which one are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the one that easily appears on Douyin recently, ‘Qiaozi Snacks Store’… It is said that they have six or seven branches in J City, and every branch has exceptionally good business with queues lasting over an hour…”

“What do they sell?”

“Are you kidding? The name is ‘Qiaozi Snacks Store,’ so obviously they sell snacks! I heard they have things like fried chicken fillets, fried pork chops, teppanyaki, fried skewers, sugar-coated haws, wolf teeth potatoes… quite a variety of snacks!”

“Queuing for snacks for over an hour? Geez, are these people idiots?”

The teppanyaki stall in Sanjiaokou, which currently had the best business, didn’t require queuing for more than twenty minutes, definitely not exceeding half an hour.

Of course, it couldn’t be denied that the teppanyaki at this stall was really delicious. After trying it, all the food stall owners in Sanjiaokou were impressed by Yu Bai’s cooking skills. To be able to make ordinary ingredients taste that good, it was no wonder the teppanyaki stall had such good business.

“People nowadays just love following trends, don’t they? This shop’s popularity is also due to good marketing! As for the taste…”

“Why, have you been there too?”

“My daughter bought some and brought them back for me to try. The taste was nothing special, but the prices were ridiculously high. She regretted buying them immediately and said that with that money, she could have bought me two servings of teppanyaki here!”

“From what I gather, the taste of that internet-famous shop isn’t that great.”

“But they know how to market themselves. The shop’s renovation is almost complete, and I guess it will open after New Year’s Day. By then… I’m sure my business selling fried skewers will be affected! Your business selling wolf teeth potatoes probably won’t fare well either. We better prepare in advance.”

“I think the teppanyaki stall will be the only one that won’t be affected by the opening of that snack shop…”

—

Initially, Yu Bai hired a nanny to take care of Xing Xing when he wasn’t home, so the nanny could look after Xing Xing and prevent him from coming out and looking for Yu Bai.

But unexpectedly, Xing Xing would always wake up from his afternoon nap and ask Ji Rongyu to bring him out to find Yu Bai.

Concerned about Xing Xing’s delicate body being exposed to the cold wind, Yu Bai repeatedly instructed Ji Rongyu to make sure Xing Xing stayed at home and not to let him come out or even call him.

But…

Every time Yu Bai set up his stall in Sanjiaokou, within an hour, he would receive a call from Xing Xing, who had just woken up from his nap.

“Daddy, I want to come see you! Don’t you want to see me?”

Xing Xing’s soft and sweet voice effortlessly made Yu Bai surrender.

Moments later, Ji Rongyu appeared in front of Yu Bai’s stall, carrying the chubby little child.

As the wave of customers had already passed, there weren’t many people in front of Yu Bai’s teppanyaki stall.

When Ji Rongyu put Xing Xing down, Yu Bai smiled and said, “Xing Xing, go to the neighboring sugar-coated haw stall and find Uncle Yu. Thank him for the sticky rice haw skewer he gave you yesterday.”

Once Xing Xing left, Yu Bai reached out and hooked his arm around Ji Rongyu’s neck, exerting a bit of force.

Caught off guard, Ji Rongyu suddenly leaned to the side.

Ji Rongyu: ?

The next second, Yu Bai’s voice, mixed with moist breath, resounded in Ji Rongyu’s ear.

Through gritted teeth, Yu Bai said, “Ji-Rong-Yu! Do you remember what I told you? Don’t call me, got it?”

Yu Bai was well aware of himself. Every time he heard Xing Xing’s sweet voice on the phone, he would easily give in to Xing Xing’s requests.

And Xing Xing’s sole purpose in calling after his afternoon nap was to come out and find Yu Bai.

That’s why Yu Bai wanted Ji Rongyu not to let Xing Xing call him.

Ji Rongyu turned his head.

Normally, Yu Bai’s gentle and smiling eyes were round, but now they became a menacing half-circle, just like the expression of that mischievous little child when he turned aggressive. It was quite amusing.

Of course, after spending a few days with Yu Bai, Ji Rongyu had come to understand Yu Bai’s personality better.

The little child’s personality was like a round and smooth white sticky rice dumpling. On the outside, it appeared to be a soft and sweet white rice, but once you cut it open, you would find a belly full of black sesame filling—a mischievous one.

But Yu Bai was different. He was like a solid and reliable white steamed bun from Northeast China, appearing soft and white on the outside and inside.

But if you tried to squeeze him, you couldn’t.

It was quite amusing. A white steamed bun dad who brought up a sticky rice dumpling child with sesame filling.

No one knew who this child really resembled, but he was mischievous indeed.

Yu Bai, displeased, said, “I’m talking to you!”

Ji Rongyu’s thoughts floated away, and he blinked his long and thick eyelashes. His eyes revealed a hint of innocence.

“I know, and I have indeed obstructed, but…” Ji Rongyu paused, wearing a slightly helpless and frustrated expression on his face.

The breeze brushed Ji Rongyu’s smooth hair, giving his deep eyes a touch of youthful softness, making him look like a pitiful Samoyed with droopy, soft ears.

Particularly susceptible to softness, Yu Bai was struck by Ji Rongyu’s expression. He softened his tone and said, “But what?”

Seeing Yu Bai’s voice no longer cold and harsh, Ji Rongyu’s eyes suddenly deepened, and a subtle curve appeared on the corner of his lips.

“But, if I don’t give him the phone, he will cry. I’m afraid that when you come back, you’ll think I bullied him…”

Yu Bai: …

How could his son who is cute, well-behaved, and kind be as what Ji Rongyu claimed?

At that moment, Ji Rongyu happened to look up, and his long and upturned lashes fluttered gently. His eyes showed a touch of disappointment.

“Sigh, I knew you wouldn’t believe me… Never mind.” Ji Rongyu spoke softly, “If only I had recorded it then…”

Yu Bai realized something and quietly took out his phone, opening the remote home surveillance app.

The surveillance footage didn’t have audio, but it would be enough.

Just as Ji Rongyu had said.

In the afternoon, after Xing Xing woke up from his nap, he ran to the living room and asked Ji Rongyu for the phone. When Ji Rongyu refused, Xing Xing stood in place, lowered his head, and wiped his eyes as if he was drying tears.

But when Ji Rongyu finally gave in and handed him the phone, Xing Xing’s face lit up with a smile.

“Do you believe me now?”

At some point, Ji Rongyu stood behind Yu Bai, his chin lightly resting on Yu Bai’s shoulder, his gaze fixed on Yu Bai’s phone screen.

While everyone else thought that Xing Xing was an adorable and well-behaved child, Ji Rongyu was the only one who saw through Xing Xing’s true nature early on.

Xing Xing was a cunning little troublemaker, using his cute appearance to win the favor of others from a young age. Since Xing Xing had mostly been with Yu Bai and had limited exposure to outsiders for extended periods of time, and there weren’t naturally any people who disliked adorable children, the hidden scheming side of Xing Xing remained concealed.

Until Ji Rongyu appeared.

As Xing Xing didn’t like anyone disturbing his and Yu Bai’s life, he showed his true colors to Ji Rongyu on the first day they interacted. Xing Xing thought that a few tricks would be enough to drive Ji Rongyu away.

But the higher the wall, the more challenging it is to climb.

Ji Rongyu countered Xing Xing’s moves and took advantage of the situation, creating an atmosphere in front of Yu Bai that suggested he and Xing Xing had a great relationship.

Unable to drive Ji Rongyu away, Xing Xing could only watch helplessly as Ji Rongyu became the “third person” in his and his father’s happy life!

However, since Xing Xing had already exposed his true nature in front of Ji Rongyu, he no longer hid anything from him.

Unfortunately, Xing Xing’s three-year-old tricks were still too naive.

Xing Xing knew that Yu Bai had installed surveillance cameras at home.

So when Xing Xing woke up from his nap this afternoon, he deliberately wiped “tears” in front of Ji Rongyu, indicating his intention to go out and see Yu Bai.

Yu Bai’s home had simple decorations, so how could Ji Rongyu not notice the surveillance cameras Yu Bai had installed?

Ji Rongyu, who accurately guessed Xing Xing’s thoughts, took the initiative to report to Yu Bai.

Watching Xing Xing in the video, Ji Rongyu’s eyebrow twitched slightly, and a fleeting smile appeared in his eyes.

Little troublemaker, did he think he could chase him away so easily?

He hadn’t had enough of their family dinners yet!

Suddenly, Ji Rongyu’s smile faded slightly.

Qingqiao Middle School had finished classes.

Not far from the teppanyaki stall, Zhao Miaomiao stared in astonishment as Ji Rongyu leaned on the teppanyaki stall owner’s shoulder in a “familiar” manner.

Oh my god, was her eyes playing tricks on her?

She, she, what did she see?!!

On the days when she had her family driver pick her up, Zhao Miaomiao wouldn’t come to Sanjiaokou for teppanyaki. That’s because the driver who usually picked her up was a longtime employee of her family, and Zhao Miaomiao was afraid he would tell her parents, who didn’t allow her to eat at street food stalls.

Furthermore, only a few people in the car at the time knew about Ji Rongyu’s intention to invest in street food stalls, and Ji Rongyu had even made them sign confidentiality agreements. Even Zhao Miaomiao’s parents were not supposed to know about it.

These past two days, Zhao Miaomiao heard from Ling Zi and Ning Ning that the teppanyaki stall owner is still selling at Sanjiaokou. Zhao Miaomiao could guess that the teppanyaki stall owner probably hasn’t finished discussing the contract and other matters with Ji Rongyu.

Zhao Miaomiao knew that Ji Rongyu was the genius gourmet investor her parents often mentioned—the projects he invested in would always become popular in China. The lines at his shops were countless.

If the teppanyaki stall owner accepted Ji Rongyu’s investment, Zhao Miaomiao wouldn’t be able to buy teppanyaki as easily as she could now.

Even the “Qiaozi Snacks Store,” a project that Zhao Miaomiao’s parents’ arch-rivals, the Hu family, recently invested in and had a very average taste, had lines that lasted over an hour. If it were the teppanyaki stall owner, wouldn’t people have to wait for two or three hours?

So, after waiting so long for this day, when her driver couldn’t pick her up from school, Zhao Miaomiao immediately rushed towards the teppanyaki stall.

But unexpectedly, what she witnessed before her eyes was no less than a horrifying horror movie scene.

Ji Rongyu, who used to emit an icy aura in the car, as if a mobile refrigerator, had transformed into a large dog pendant!

“Hanging” on Yu Bai, Ji Rongyu noticed Zhao Miaomiao’s gaze. He gave Zhao Miaomiao a fleeting glance and then looked away.

Taking advantage of Yu Bai’s focus on the surveillance footage on his phone, Ji Rongyu casually rubbed his chin against Yu Bai’s neck.

Ji Rongyu’s glance was a warning, cautioning Zhao Miaomiao not to speak recklessly.

And Zhao Miaomiao, standing in place, was so shocked that she couldn’t utter a word.

Her strong sixth sense told her that she seemed to have sensed something very dangerous and terrifying.

“Miaomiao, why are you just standing there like a fool? Let’s hurry up and line up in front of the teppanyaki stall! If we’re too slow and the line gets longer, we’ll have to wait a long time to get our order!” Ling Zi said, reaching out to grab Zhao Miaomiao’s hand.

Zhao Miaomiao’s feet seemed to be stuck to the ground, unmoving. When Ling Zi suddenly pulled her, she stumbled a bit.

Following Zhao Miaomiao’s gaze, Ling Zi said, “Oh, do you like the one next to the teppanyaki stall owner? The handsome and muscular dog type? Can’t tell, huh?”

Choking on her saliva, Zhao Miaomiao asked, “Cough, Ling Zi, do you know him?”

By “him,” Zhao Miaomiao naturally referred to Ji Rongyu.

“Of course,” Ling Zi said, “Since the teppanyaki stall owner started selling these past few days, this person comes every day to walk with Xing Xing… I told you and Ning Ning a few days ago! This person is the nanny hired by the teppanyaki stall owner to take care of Xing Xing!”

“Wasn’t Xing Xing sick a few days ago? That’s why the stall owner hired a nanny to take care of him,” Ning Ning said.

Zhao Miaomiao: …

She couldn’t believe it as she looked at Ji Rongyu again.

When did Ji Rongyu become a nanny? Did she see it wrong?!

Ji Rongyu was exceptionally handsome, standing out in a crowd.

No, she didn’t see it wrong! This person was Ji Rongyu!

Since when did Ji Rongyu change careers and become a nanny?!

“Oh, forget about all that, let’s hurry and line up!” Ling Zi urged, “There are already several people in line now! Ning Ning, I’ll buy teppanyaki for you, and you help me line up for candied haw!”

Ning Ning: “Alright!”

Before Zhao Miaomiao could recover, Ling Zi had already dragged her to join the queue next to the teppanyaki stall.

When it was Zhao Miaomiao’s turn to order teppanyaki, Yu Bai was cooking on the iron plate, Xing Xing sat on a stool, lowering his head to play with his little hands, and Ji Rongyu…

Ji Rongyu was assisting Yu Bai on the side, packaging the cooked teppanyaki.

“20 in total, WeChat Pay or cash?” The familiar voice rang out.

However, unlike the cold and indifferent voice she heard the first time, Ji Rongyu’s voice now carried a hint of warmth.

But Zhao Miaomiao couldn’t help but feel a chill.

Ji Rongyu smiled. “Hmm?”

Zhao Miaomiao shivered. “WeChat, WeChat Pay…”

After hastily paying, she grabbed Ling Zi and Ning Ning and quickly left Sanjiaokou.

Shortly after, Zhao Miaomiao received a WeChat message from Assistant Hang Yuanshu.

[Hang Yuanshu: The boss wants me to tell you: Shh.]

Zhao Miaomiao’s hand holding the phone trembled slightly.

Even delicious teppanyaki couldn’t soothe her frightened heart.

The scene she had witnessed was truly terrifying!

—

At the end of another day of selling, as usual, Yu Bai put Xing Xing on the snack cart. He was about to push the cart when Ji Rongyu’s hands reached the handle of the cart before him.

Ji Rongyu: “You’ve been working all day. Let me push it for you.”

Yu Bai: “No need…”

When Yu Bai looked up, he met Ji Rongyu’s dog-like gaze.

Yu Bai silently swallowed the words stuck in his throat.

Ji Rongyu’s lips curved up as he pushed the cart.

Yu Bai walked ahead, with Ji Rongyu following behind, pushing the cart.

The sky had already darkened, and dim streetlights lit up, casting a soft light on Yu Bai. The dim light softened Yu Bai’s figure, making him appear thinner.

Since being discharged from the hospital, Yu Bai had been busy with the stall almost non-stop. Although he only set up the stall in the afternoon, he had to take care of Xing Xing during the rest of his time, prepare three meals a day, and go to the market to buy ingredients for the stall and process them… At the end of each day, Yu Bai had hardly had a moment’s rest.

Since leaving the hospital, Yu Bai had actually become even thinner.

When Ji Rongyu’s chin leaned against Yu Bai’s shoulder in the afternoon, he could clearly feel the protrusion of Yu Bai’s bones beneath his thin and tender skin.

Luckily, he hadn’t let Hang Yuanshu contact Yu Bai these past two days to discuss investment matters.

Ji Rongyu thought that if Yu Bai continued to be busy with the stall and planning its development, his already thin body would surely become even thinner.

He told Hang Yuanshu to wait a little longer.

Starting from today, with the New Year’s holiday, the students weren’t at school. Yu Bai could rest at home for three days. During these three days, Yu Bai should be able to rest well… and hopefully gain some weight.

Thinking of the word “weight,” Ji Rongyu glanced at Xing Xing sitting on the snack cart, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Hmm, Yu Bai was so focused on raising this little brat, he didn’t even know how to take care of his own body.

Sensing a cool gaze coming from behind, Xing Xing’s small body trembled, and he turned his head, his gaze turning fierce.

Xing Xing’s gaze seemed to say, ‘What are you looking at?’

As if intentionally teasing the chubby brat on the cart, Ji Rongyu raised his eyebrow even more.

Oh, that’s right, he had something to tell Hang Yuanshu.

The owner of the pancake stall that they couldn’t find anywhere, the one who sold scallion pancakes, was actually Yu Bai.

Ji Rongyu withdrew his gaze, his lips curling up.

Whether it was snacks, home-cooked dishes, or pastries, Yu Bai seemed to excel at everything.

During the days he had dinner at Yu Bai’s place, Ji Rongyu hardly had the same dish twice, and they were all delicious.

To be able to meet Ji Rongyu’s standards of “delicious” was a rare occurrence in all of China.

Ji Rongyu’s gaze deepened.

When Yu Bai cooked, his strategic and decisive demeanor made it seem like there was no dish he couldn’t prepare.

If Yu Bai didn’t sell snacks, based on his current culinary skills, he could open a restaurant and become just as popular.

And this outstanding chef, who was still just a snack stall owner, had been discovered by Ji Rongyu unintentionally…

Ji Rongyu felt a strange sense of delight at this moment.

He thought, this must be the feeling people often talk about when they find a treasure.

Not bad at all.

Xing Xing, annoyed, turned his body back around and continued nibbling on his scallion pancake.

If it weren’t for that wicked nanny uncle who went to tattle on Dad, Dad wouldn’t have known what happened this afternoon!

And that wicked nanny uncle definitely exaggerated and told Dad everything. Otherwise, Dad, who had always been kind to him, wouldn’t be so angry!

If he had known that this nanny uncle was so wicked, he should have driven him away earlier!

“Xing Xing.”

Upon hearing Yu Bai calling his name, Xing Xing, with a pouty face, immediately showed a pitiful and obedient expression.

Setting down the scallion pancake in his hand, he swallowed what was in his mouth.

Xing Xing’s watery and adorable round eyes looked at Yu Bai, and his long, curled eyelashes blinked.

Knowing that he had done something wrong, Xing Xing timidly said, “Dad…”

Xing Xing looked like a little puppy with its tail and ears drooping, waiting for its owner’s punishment, appearing exceptionally pitiful.

 

Author’s note:

On Lantern Festival, I present to you all a picture of Xing Xing wearing a sesame glutinous rice ball doll outfit~

[Please imagine it yourself]

Xing Xing: I can’t give it to you! I can only show it to you! Of course, you can’t touch it either!

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  I shortened the hawthorn