For nearly half a month, the Sanjiaokou incident had been causing a stir. The saga concluded with the closure of the “Qiaozi Snack Store” due to suspected food safety issues, which also had a ripple effect on other branches of “Qiaozi Snack Store” in J City.
As the daily business of various branches of “Qiaozi Snack Store” plummeted, many businesses united to report alleged unfair competition. They accused the shop of hiring online trolls to smear competitors, plagiarizing signature snacks from fellow vendors, and employing scalpers to artificially create long queues for attention…
Witnessing the shameless attempts of “Qiaozi Snack Store” to garner attention through sensationalism, netizens who had been previously misled by the shop’s fabricated narratives were shocked. In response, they took to the internet to denounce “Qiaozi Snack Store” even more vehemently.
[I can’t believe I fell for the marketing of Qiaozi Snack Store and even recommended their teppanyaki tofu to my friends… It turns out their teppanyaki tofu is a deliberate imitation of the teppanyaki tofu from the shop in Sanjiaokou!]
[A while ago, the line outside the Qiaozi Snack Store near my house stretched across the street. Now, there’s not even a stray dog in front of their door. It’s like karma coming back to bite them.]
[As someone in the snack business like me, I’m utterly disgusted by the despicable actions of Qiaozi Snack Store. I can truly empathize with my fellow vendors who were deliberately suppressed and forced to shut down by them. They’ve had such a miserable fate!]
Four to five days later, just when netizens thought that the full extent of the “Qiaozi Snack Store’s” scandal had been exposed and were getting distracted by various other trending topics, a sudden announcement from the J City police caught fire on social media.
The investment company behind “Qiaozi Snack Store,” Qiao Group, has been found to have a portion of their investment funds from unclear sources and is suspected of serious financial misconduct such as tax evasion… Chairman Qiao Chao has been arrested by the police…
The minor food safety issues and unfair competition problems that “Qiaozi Snack Store” had previously violated were like child’s play compared to the serious financial crimes. After all, the former usually resulted in fines, temporary closures for rectification, or at worst, a year or two of imprisonment. Whereas, in the case of the latter, if the amount involved was substantial, it could lead to a lifetime behind bars!
Seeing this announcement, everyone knew that “Qiaozi Snack Store,” along with its parent company “Qiao Group,” was now in serious trouble!
In the Yu family home.
“J City Police Report: Chairman of Qiao Group… has been arrested…”
It was nine o’clock in the evening, the prime time for the live broadcast of the J City news channel.
The television displayed the news while Xing Xing, with both hands supporting his chin, looked at the newly constructed building blocks in front of him. Yu Bai was beside him, busy sweeping the floor.
Hearing the contents being aired on the television, Yu Bai raised his head to glance at it.
Yu Bai was not unfamiliar with the Qiao Group. When the online commotion involving “Qiaozi Snack Store” had erupted earlier, he had seen internet users mention that Qiao Group was the controlling entity behind “Qiaozi Snack Store”.
With the issues at “Qiaozi Snack Store” upfront and the revelation of Qiao Group’s suspected financial crimes behind the scenes, this was a positive development. At least the stalls and shops in Sanjiaokou would no longer have to worry about the possibility of “Qiaozi Snack Store” making a comeback, as Qiao Group’s influence would dissipate overnight.
However… Yu Bai couldn’t help but wonder if he was overthinking things. He felt that the troubles faced by “Qiaozi Snack Store” and Qiao Group coincidentally aligned in timing.
Yu Bai lowered his head and continued sweeping the floor.
Perhaps, the Chairman of Qiao Group had brought this upon himself in the last couple of days. It was his own fault for getting into such a predicament.
After the crucial news report had concluded, the J City evening news gradually transitioned to lighter content.
As New Year’s approached, every household in J City adorned their doorways with beautiful couplets and the character “福” (fortune), and hung up lanterns.
The silver-clad J City was now bedecked in vibrant and festive red, and the smiles on pedestrians’ faces seemed even brighter than before.
This wasn’t Xing Xing’s first New Year, but it was the most lively and joyous one he had experienced since becoming conscious.
During previous New Year celebrations, Xing Xing had been too young, and he didn’t quite understand many things, spending the holiday in a daze.
Now, Xing Xing was three years old. Although he was as tall as Yu Bai’s thigh, resembling a short and chubby little bean, Xing Xing not only understood many things but also could assist Yu Bai with various tasks!
For instance, wiping the coffee table that was as short as Xing Xing, cleaning the floor, helping Yu Bai fetch lightweight objects…
On New Year’s Eve, Xing Xing had risen early with Yu Bai, and they had been busy decorating the house all morning to make it look splendid.
Xing Xing had no time to maintain his “handsome” puppy-like appearance. He sat on the floor with his little legs splayed out, looking exhausted.
Xing Xing’s fair cheeks turned rosy, his plump little mouth was slightly open as he panted, and his tiny arms wiped away the beads of sweat that trickled down his forehead.
No more! He was so tired! He was so tired that he couldn’t even eat his food!
Xing Xing was as worn out as a chubby puppy that had run around a flowerbed twenty times. If Xing Xing had dog ears and a tail, they would surely be drooping, devoid of any energy.
Xing Xing pouted his little mouth.
During the New Year, he and Dad had to do so many activities. The New Year was exhausting, and he didn’t really like it that much anymore.
“Xing Xing, you’re amazing and really capable. If it weren’t for you helping, I’d probably be busy until the afternoon getting all these tasks done…”
Xing Xing’s little ears, drooping due to exhaustion, perked up.
Xing Xing turned his head, looking at Yu Bai with his round, watery ink-black eyes shining brightly.
Xing Xing pressed his lips together, and the little hands behind his back pulled at his clothes with a touch of excitement.
Dad praised him! Dad said he was capable!
He knew it, he was the best in Dad’s heart. Hehe.
Xing Xing barely restrained the urge to let his lips curl up into a wide smile. He raised his chin slightly, his little face serious. “I just helped Dad a little bit, no need to praise me, Dad!”
Yu Bai looked at Xing Xing’s delighted appearance, pretending to be indifferent while a smile curved his lips.
Yu Bai reached out and pinched Xing Xing’s soft, water-like cheek. “Really, no need for praise? Then I won’t praise you anymore in the future.”
Hearing Yu Bai’s words, Xing Xing’s ink-black eyes widened slightly, and the hint of a smile on his face turned into surprise, resembling someone who had accidentally dropped a stone on their own foot.
Xing Xing’s small expression seemed to say, ‘I was just being modest, Dad! How could you actually believe I don’t want to be praised for being great? That’s not allowed!’
Xing Xing’s rich variety of expressions almost made Yu Bai burst out laughing.
“I was just teasing you earlier.” Yu Bai rubbed Xing Xing’s cheek, which was as soft as dough. “In the future, when you help me, I will still praise you.”
The glistening petals of Xing Xing’s lips pouted slightly, and his round eyes held a trace of skepticism.
Really?
“Really,” Yu Bai said. “I’m not lying to you.”
Only then did Xing Xing’s nervous little heart relax.
“I’ve already prepared lunch.” Yu Bai stood up and said, “Wash your hands and sit at the coffee table. I’ll bring your lunch over.”
Xing Xing, sitting on the floor: Hungry, tired, doesn’t want to move.
Xing Xing’s stubby little legs twitched symbolically. He was about to rest on the floor for a while longer when a rich aroma of cream wafted from the kitchen.
Xing Xing’s two round eyes instantly brightened.
Although Xing Xing was already three years old, he hadn’t been weaned yet. Xing Xing’s sleep wasn’t always sound; he would often wake up from his dreams.
During those moments, Yu Bai would make him a cup of milk. After sucking on the bottle, Xing Xing would fall asleep peacefully again.
The sweet and rich milk formula was a presence that all young ones loved and couldn’t do without.
Xing Xing, who also enjoyed drinking from the bottle, smelled the rich aroma of milk wafting through the air, and his saliva was about to drip from the corner of his mouth!
Despite having no strength to walk just a moment ago, Xing Xing immediately crawled off the floor and hurried towards the direction of the bathroom.
He wanted to wash his hands quickly so he could eat!
Considering Xing Xing’s appetite, Yu Bai had prepared a creamy mushroom bacon pasta and a creamy mushroom soup for lunch.
Both the creamy mushroom soup and the creamy mushroom bacon pasta were quick and convenient to make. When Yu Bai had a spare moment, he managed to prepare the pasta and the soup.
The lunch, infused with the aroma of milk, delighted Xing Xing’s heart. While savoring the delicious pasta, Xing Xing was too engrossed to even lift his little head.
If Yu Bai hadn’t been concerned that Xing Xing might eat too quickly and choke, continuously advising him to “eat slower,” Xing Xing’s speed in consuming the pasta and soup could have been even faster.
Having eaten to his heart’s content, Xing Xing leaned back on the sofa. His soft and tender little tongue licked the traces of creamy sauce from the corners of his mouth, resembling a contented kitten grooming itself after a hearty meal.
By mid-morning, Yu Bai and Xing Xing had almost finished preparing everything they needed for the New Year celebrations.
In Yu Bai’s life, the liveliest New Year was the one he spent with his grandmother and the swaddled Xing Xing. That one New Year’s celebration, which was both before and after, stood out amidst every other year Yu Bai had experienced, which had been shared only between two people.
However, having two people had its own advantages.
Yu Bai didn’t need to exhaust himself preparing an elaborate New Year’s Eve feast. Celebrating the New Year with Xing Xing was comfortable and enjoyable.
In the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, the streets of J City grew quieter as pedestrians hurried back to their homes.
Yu Bai idly scrolled through his phone.
His social media feed was filled with updates from familiar customers who had added him on WeChat. They were sharing pictures of their abundant New Year’s Eve feasts, family reunions, group photos, and short videos capturing greetings exchanged with relatives and friends…
Sitting alone in his quiet home, Yu Bai looked at the lively scenes in other people’s feeds.
Even though those festivities weren’t his own, as he looked at them, he couldn’t help but be influenced by their joy.
Yu Bai’s index finger glided across the phone screen, liking these posts.
After Yu Bai had liked a few, his regular customers who noticed his likes started to message him privately.
[Vendor Yu, when are you going to set up your stall next?]
[Vendor Yu, are you going to come to Sanjiaokou to set up your stall after the New Year?]
[Vendor Yu, they’re saying online that you’re not going to open your stall anymore, is that true or false? Your snack stall must keep going! I’ve been waiting every week to go to your stall and enjoy your snacks!]
Amidst the turmoil in Sanjiaokou, while “Qiaozi Snack Store” closed down, Yu Bai’s teppanyaki stall became extremely popular online.
In addition to Yu Bai’s regular customers, there was a large group of internet users eagerly awaiting Yu Bai’s reopening due to this incident and also because of several previous videos and live streams from food bloggers.
Now, online users knew that even with the excessive “additives” used by “Qiaozi Snack Store” in their snacks, they still couldn’t compare to Yu Bai’s authentic teppanyaki dishes, which met all the regulations.
According to descriptions from customers who had tasted Yu Bai’s teppanyaki dishes, after trying them once, they wanted to have them a second and third time… The taste of the teppanyaki dishes couldn’t be described in words. But the one thing they could ascertain was that Yu Bai’s teppanyaki dishes were the best snacks they had ever eaten in their lives.
A serving of Yu Bai’s teppanyaki dish cost just a little over ten yuan per person, making it affordable for everyone.
So, when internet users read descriptions of the taste of Yu Bai’s teppanyaki dishes online, their mouths were watering even more eagerly.
However, it was a pity that after the results of the food safety inspection in Sanjiaokou were released by the regulatory authorities, Yu Bai’s snack stall had yet to appear there.
According to Yu Dong, the owner of a candied hawthorn stall who had a good relationship with Yu Bai, Yu Bai’s teppanyaki stall would only open after the New Year, once the students were back in school.
The winter break for J City students was relatively short, lasting about three weeks to a month.
Only one week had passed, so people would have to wait at least two more weeks before they had a chance to taste Yu Bai’s teppanyaki dishes!
Not to mention the internet users, even Yu Bai’s regular customers were finding it hard to wait.
Yu Bai’s regular customers, as if forming a group, would message Yu Bai every now and then, urging him to open his stall quickly.
Yu Bai was the first among the businesses being pressured by customers to open as soon as possible.
It wasn’t until some regular customers hounded Yu Bai a bit too frequently, leading to him removing them as friends, that they became more subdued. They now only occasionally reached out to Yu Bai, asking when he would be opening.
However, due to various reasons, Yu Bai had not provided customers with a definitive answer. He simply replied that he would open after the New Year.
“Daddy, what are you looking at?”
Xing Xing, who had just woken up from a nap, walked over to the sofa, extending his little head.
Yu Bai: “Nothing. Are you awake?”
Xing Xing’s chubby hands rubbed his drowsy eyes, and he nodded his head, followed by a small yawn.
With a voice as soft and sweet as a glutinous rice cake, Xing Xing said, “I’m awake…”
“Then let’s change into our new clothes and get ready for the New Year in a little while.”
“Daddy, what are we going to do for the New Year?”
Yu Bai replied, “For the New Year, we’ll have a New Year’s Eve dinner, watch the Spring Festival Gala, and go outside to set off fireworks in the evening…”
In his past life, Yu Bai had been alone without any family, so his memories of the New Year’s atmosphere were always faint.
This year marked the first New Year Yu Bai was spending after recovering his memories from his previous life and entering the book world.
Now he had Xing Xing, and the urban area of J City didn’t have the same restrictions on fireworks as his previous life…
Yu Bai thought that this year’s New Year’s atmosphere should be even stronger than before.
A gentle smile played on his lips.
“Sure, sure!” Xing Xing grabbed Yu Bai’s sleeve with his small hand, unable to contain his excitement. “Daddy, let’s go change into new clothes quickly! Can I pick my own new clothes?”
Yu Bai, a while ago, took Xing Xing out and bought quite a few beautiful new clothes for him.
Yu Bai: “Of course you can.”
“Then I want to wear that red one with three cat patterns on it!” Xing Xing added, “Daddy, you have the same outfit too… It’s, it’s what the clothes-selling sister called ‘parent-child matching outfits’! Shall we wear them together?”
“Sure.”
Xing Xing blinked his eyes and said, “There are three cats on the clothes. The little cat is me, the two big cats are you and Mom… When we wear the same clothes, Mom and Grandma in the sky can recognize us when we go out to set off fireworks at night!”
“Yeah, Xing Xing is right.”
Yu Bai tightened his grip on Xing Xing’s small hand.
—
Capital City, Ji Mansion.
Ji Rongyu sat on the sofa, holding a frisbee in his right hand, swaying it slowly from side to side.
Would the current Yu Bai find the New Year boring, just like him?
Ji Rongyu shook his head again.
Yu Bai probably wouldn’t find it boring. That little troublemaker Xing Xing would always manage to keep him entertained.
Ji Rongyu wondered who Yu Bai was spending the New Year with this year. Yu Bai probably wouldn’t be celebrating with others since he didn’t have friends close enough to celebrate the New Year together.
So… was Yu Bai spending the New Year at home with that little troublemaker?
What’s the point of just the two of them celebrating the New Year? It’s more lively with three people.
Beside Ji Rongyu’s leg, a shiny and imposing black German Shepherd sat on the floor, its two dark eyes fixed on the frisbee Ji Rongyu was swaying, its head swaying slowly from side to side as well.
Outside the villa, the sounds of children playing could be heard.
Ji Rongyu listened to the sounds of their play, staring absentmindedly at the door, lost in thought.
“Xiao Yu, if you’re going to throw the frisbee, throw it. Don’t keep swaying it. If you keep swaying like that, even Wei Feng will be swayed silly by you.”
Ji Rongling squatted down, patting the head of the black German Shepherd that was dumbly swaying its head along with Ji Rongyu’s swaying frisbee.
“Wei Feng, come here, let big brother hold you.”
Hearing his name being called, Wei Feng turned his head, his round eyes looking at Ji Rongling for a moment before quickly turning his head back.
Wei Feng lay on the floor, resting his chin on his forelimbs, his eyes still fixed on the frisbee in Ji Rongyu’s hand.
Ji Rongling, feeling neglected, couldn’t help but show a helpless expression on his baby-faced appearance.
As the eldest of the Ji family, how could even a dog not pay him any attention? Wei Feng had been raised by him since he was a puppy!
Ji Rongling sat on another sofa, waving his hand in front of Ji Rongyu.
“Ji Rongyu?”
“Big brother, don’t try to gain attention from Xiao Yu.” A tall woman with a high ponytail, wearing a thin sportswear, walked into the room. Her slender phoenix eyes swept over Ji Rongyu, “Tsk. Look at him, he’s clearly been enchanted by some little demon outside.”
Ji Rongling blinked his round eyes, “Really? Does Xiao Yu have a crush?”
Ji Rongyu: “Second sister.”
Ji Rongyou1Tl’s note:I’m doubting about this name 🤔 I wonder if this is correct 😂 raised an eyebrow, “What’s wrong? Can’t I even say that?”
“I went to J City to meet a friend…” Ji Rongyu’s face turned cold.
Ji Rongyou interrupted, “Ah, yes, of course. You went to J City to meet your friend, and you stayed there for one or two months just to see them. You even neglected your work…”
“Who said I neglected my work? I closed several contracts in J City…”
Ji Rongyou chuckled.
Ji Rongyu lowered his head, coughed to cover his inexplicable guilt. Before meeting Yu Bai, Ji Rongyu had been a true workaholic, sealing several contracts every week. But since meeting Yu Bai, he had only sealed a few contracts in one or two months. So, what his second sister said did make some sense. However, he and Yu Bai were truly just friends.
At that moment, Ji Rongyu’s third brother’s voice echoed through the dining room, “Big brother, second sister, Xiao Yu, dinner is ready. Come to the dining room—”
Ji Rongling stood up, “I’ll go outside and bring those brats in.”
After Ji Rongling left, Ji Rongyou teased, “Seeing your distracted look, are you still thinking about that… friend from J City? Could it be that you’re planning to fly back to J City overnight to see him, just like last New Year’s Eve?”
To Ji Rongyou’s surprise, her usually cunning little brother seemed to be unusually dense this time, not picking up on her teasing.
Ji Rongyu furrowed his brows, seriously pondering for a moment.
“Uh…”
Ji Rongyou nearly dropped her jaw, “What? Is that really what you’re thinking? If you run off before dinner like you did on New Year’s Eve last time, Mom and Dad might lose their temper…”
“So, I’ll head back after dinner tonight.”
Ji Rongyu casually tossed the frisbee aside, and Wei Feng, who had been lying on the floor, immediately jumped up.
“Woof!”
Ji Rongyu took out his phone, dialing his assistant Hang Yuanshu’s number.
“Immediately book a flight to J City for me. I’ll take a private jet there after dinner.”
Wei Feng held the frisbee in its mouth, wagging its tail excitedly and looking at Ji Rongyu.
Ji Rongyu rubbed Wei Feng’s head, and in the face of Ji Rongyou’s terrified gaze, a faint elusive smile appeared on Ji Rongyu’s lips.
