VFGRC Chapter 34

TL: Moonlit

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Pinky promise?

Looking at the serious and earnest expression on Xing Xing’s face, Yu Bai’s lips curled up.

“Okay, let’s hold hands,” Yu Bai replied after making a pinky promise to Xing Xing.

After the promise, before Xing Xing could relax his serious expression, Yu Bai’s warm hands lightly pinched Star’s chubby cheeks.

Xing Xing’s round little face turned into an oval shape, and his round eyes squinted into a narrow slit.

Yu Bai chuckled, “Don’t frown too much, or you’ll become a little old man.”

Although he loved everything about his child, he wished Xing Xing wouldn’t think too much like an adult, keep things to himself, and furrow his brow often. Those habits were not that great.

Yu Bai preferred to see Xing Xing living happily and carefree like other kids, rather than constantly pondering this and that with a wrinkled brow.

Is it true what Dad said? Will I become a little old man if I frown too much?

The thought of the community grandpa, with a wrinkled face, gray hair, and messy beard, filled Xing Xing’s round eyes with panic.

He definitely didn’t want to become a little old man!

As Yu Bai released his chubby cheecks, Xing Xing’s tiny hands clung tightly to his chubby cheeks, patting and feeling around.

His face was smooth and tender, without a single wrinkle, as soft as a peeled pudding.

Finally, Xing Xing let out a small sigh of relief.

On the other side, Wang Mei lifted the golden-brown fried chicken. After draining the excess oil, she put the chicken pieces into three small paper bags, sprinkling them with salt and pepper, sweet plum seasoning, and cumin, respectively.

Wang Mei asked, “Do you want some spicy flavor?”

“No, thank you,” Xing Xing shook his little head, “I’m still young and can’t eat spicy food.”

Spicy flavors can provide stimulation, but for young children with delicate stomachs, it’s best to avoid or minimize the consumption of heavily seasoned food.

Especially spicy food should be avoided as it can have a strong impact on their delicate digestive systems.

“Okay.”

Wang Mei put the three small bags of fried chicken into a larger paper bag that was easy to carry.

Xing Xing immediately held up the ten yuan bill in his hand and handed it to Wang Mei.

“Grandma, here’s the money!”

Wang Mei waved her hand, “The fried chicken is ten yuan per serving, and I’m giving it to you directly…”

“No, it’s not right!” Xing Xing pouted, “I came to buy fried chicken, so I should pay for it…”

When Xing Xing said the word “buy,” he deliberately emphasized it.

Even though Yu Bai was busy with his business today, he still noticed that on the other side of Sanjiaokou, the grandma selling fried chicken was greatly affected by “Qiaozi Snacks Store.” Her business became very slow, not to mention having time to play with Xing Xing while sitting on a small stool, shuttling between the teppanyaki stall and the candied hawthorn stall.

At first, Xing Xing didn’t intend to buy fried chicken.

However, more than ten minutes ago, when Xing Xing was sitting on the food cart, passing by the small stall selling fried chicken, he saw the grandma shivering in the cold with a pale face.

Xing Xing had followed Yu Bai to the stall for several days and knew that after the grandma sold a certain number of servings of fried chicken, she would go home. In the past, when the fried chicken business was thriving, Wang Mei was always the first among the snack stall owners to leave.

However, today, due to the impact of “Qiaozi Snacks Store,” Wang Mei’s fried chicken was hardly selling, and she had to stand next to the food cart in the cold.

“Dad, if I buy all of Grandma’s fried chicken, will she be able to go home earlier?”

Hearing Xing Xing’s words, Yu Bai felt a warm sensation in his heart.

Yu Bai replied, “That’s right. However, if you buy so much fried chicken and can’t finish it, what will you do?”

Xing Xing hesitated for a moment, “Then I’ll just buy one serving! Is that okay? I’m a bit hungry…”

Every time Yu Bai finished his stall, he would make a scallion pancake for Xing Xing or prepare other snacks.

But today, Yu Bai sold all the ingredients on the stall and didn’t have any leftovers to make a snack for Xing Xing, so Xing Xing’s little belly had been empty for a while.

“Okay.” Yu Bai agreed, “I’ll give you the money, and you can go there and buy it yourself. I’ll wait for you here.”

—

After seeing off Yu Bai and Xing Xing, Wang Mei continued to stand in the same spot, beginning a long wait.

For most snack stall owners, there was never an easy day of setting up their stalls outside.

Even if there were strong winds, scorching sun, or heavy rain, they still had to come out and set up their stalls, let alone during the cold winter.

Winter wasn’t the most challenging time for the stall owners because after they started arranging their business and got busy, their bodies would naturally warm up.

Moreover, middle-aged men had a strong internal fire. Even if their business was slow sometimes, being outside in the wind wouldn’t affect their bodies.

But Wang Mei was different.

As a woman and older in age, her body was weaker. She had been setting up stalls outside for many years and had even developed chronic illnesses.

However, when she kept herself busy, her body warmed up, and the cold winter wind had less impact on her.

But today, Wang Mei’s fried chicken couldn’t sell.

From the start of her stall until now, Wang Mei had been standing almost still, feeling the cold wind seeping into the gaps of her neck and clothes, making her body shiver.

No matter how cold the weather or how dark the night was, Wang Mei didn’t leave.

Because she needed money – selling fried chicken was her only source of income.

Many years ago, Wang Mei had borrowed a lot of money to treat her husband’s illness, leaving their already not well-off family deeply in debt.

After that, Wang Mei started selling fried chicken. Her fried chicken was priced cheaply and tasted great, becoming popular among the students in the surrounding area.

With a small profit but high sales, Wang Mei spent several years paying off the debts, but she still continued her business of selling fried chicken.

In these two years, Wang Mei managed to buy a small apartment in the increasingly expensive real estate market of J City – the apartment wasn’t big, but it was enough for Wang Mei and her two sons to live in.

Just as she thought her life was getting better and she could start saving money for her retirement, “Qiaozi Snacks Store” opened.

Wang Mei’s smooth life came to a sudden halt.

The night was draped in star-studded dark blue like silk, and dim streetlights illuminated the ground.

The lights in Qingqiao Elementary School, Middle School, and High School… went out one after another and lights in the neighboring residential buildings lit up.

The night grew colder.

Wang Mei stamped her feet to get some feeling back into her numb feet, and when they finally regained some sensation, she closed her food cart.

Today, Wang Mei earned less than one-tenth of what she used to earn on a regular day.

She pushed the food cart back to the building where she lived, and she lifted a heavy bucket – the bucket was filled with unsold raw chicken.

There was no elevator in the old building, only layers of stairs.

Wang Mei slowly climbed the stairs.

One floor, two floors… until she reached the fifth floor, Wang Mei stopped.

She gently placed the bucket of chicken on the landing and stood in the dark stairwell, breathing softly.

Her sweaty heat dissipated, her hands and feet regained strength, and with one hand, Wang Mei lifted the bucket of chicken as if nothing had happened and quietly opened the door to her home.

“Mom, you’re back? Why are you back so late today?”

Wang Mei remained calm, “I had something to do today. Have you had dinner?”

“Big brother already made dinner and put it on the table… After finishing dinner, he went out for tutoring.” Wang Mei’s younger son approached her, “Mom, let me carry it for you.”

Wang Mei stepped aside, “An empty bucket, what’s there to carry? Go, go, go, you have the weekly exam coming up, quickly go back to your room to review!”

Chasing away her younger son, Wang Mei finally put down the heavy bucket in her hand.

“Dong.”

The sound of the bucket hitting the ground was both light and loud.

 

Author’s Note:

Interviewer: Where does Xing Xing’s pocket money come from?

Grandma Yu in the sky: I saved a small amount of money for my grandson as a dowry…

[Small gold lock x1]

Yu Bai: Deducted from the New Year’s money!

[Three years of New Year’s money: Less than one thousand… (Yu Bai: We used to be poor!)]

Top: I gave him a bribe…

[Bribe for a child: The price varies from a thousand to tens of thousands.]

[Bribe’s purpose: Making the child obediently sleep in the next room and not disturb the two dads…]

Xing Xing: Hush hush hush hush!!!

Yu Bai [with a stern face]: A bribe?

Xing Xing [defensive]: I-I haven’t been bribed! I don’t like money at all!

Author [friendly reminder]: In the original novel, the child eventually builds his own business empire and will do anything to make money…

Xing Xing blushingly points to his own finger [ ]: Now, I won’t do anything for money! Spending time together with my dads is something a good child does! Right?

Yu Bai: Hmph.