VFGRC Chapter 82

China is vast, and touring from south to north and from west to east across China within a week is clearly impossible.

A week of rest might seem long, but for traveling, it’s not that much time.

This was an impromptu trip, and the destinations were decided by Yu Bai on the spot.

Xing Xing had never been to other cities before. No matter which city they went to, he was looking forward to it.

So, Yu Bai took Xing Xing to the northernmost city in China – City H.

City H is one of the northern cities in China. Yu Bai chose it because City H, known for being a famous northern tourist city, was far enough away from City J, located in the south. It would be hard for Ji Rongyu to think that he would be in City H.

In addition to this, there was another reason.

The university Yu Bai had attended was located not far from City H in a city called City G.

When Yu Bai was in university, whenever he had no classes on Friday afternoons, he would take a small train from City G to City H.

City H was more prosperous than City G, and it was easier to find internships here. This city had carried Yu Bai through the challenging yet fulfilling four years of his university life.

As they alighted from the high-speed train, the weather outside turned notably colder.

Five years had passed in a hurry, and the H city train station that Yu Bai had entered countless times had undergone earth-shattering changes.

Skyscrapers stood in rows, and there was a constant stream of people entering and leaving the station.

The only constant was the snack vendors who had set up their stalls at the entrance of the station, as they had for years.

“Feeling hungry?”

Yu Bai picked up Xing Xing.

Even though it was already mid-May, the southern cities were already scorching hot, but H city, as a northern city, still maintained its chilly weather.

Xing Xing was wearing a thin down jacket, and a faint and pretty blush appeared on his soft cheeks.

He nodded slightly, “A little bit…”

After a long journey, traveling all the way from City J to City H, it took Yu Bai and Xing Xing nearly a whole day.

Holding Xing Xing in his arms, Yu Bai walked up to a small stall.

“Boss, give me a roasted sweet potato.”

Xing Xing’s small hand grabbed onto Yu Bai’s arm, “Dad, isn’t one roasted sweet potato a bit too little? Your tummy is hungry too! We should get two!”

Before Yu Bai could say anything, the roasted sweet potato vendor at the stall chuckled.

“You have a little belly, can you eat that much roasted sweet potato?”

Xing Xing wrinkled his nose, slightly disgruntled.

Xing Xing had been taken care of by Yu Bai, and his appetite had visibly increased.

Recently, Xing Xing had been eating too much, and Yu Bai had been forcefully controlling his portion sizes.

This was the first time Xing Xing had encountered someone questioning his appetite!

He wasn’t a stranger to sweet potatoes. When Dad bought sweet potatoes, they were small, and he could eat three in one sitting!

Xing Xing was about to retort when, unexpectedly, the next moment, the roasted sweet potato vendor took out a piping-hot roasted sweet potato from the stove.

The sweet potato was unbelievably massive, almost as big as Xing Xing’s little head!

Staring at the unexpectedly large roasted sweet potato in front of him, Xing Xing’s ink-black eyes widened even more, and his little mouth formed an “O” shape.

Oh my! How could there be such a monstrously huge sweet potato in the world? Aren’t sweet potatoes supposed to be small?

Even if he had two stomachs, he couldn’t finish a sweet potato!

Seeing the look of wonder in the eyes of the young one before him, the sweet potato vendor’s eyes curved with a smile.

He had been running his stall in front of the train station for years, and he had seen many first-time tourists to the northern cities react similarly to Xing Xing when they encountered northern food.

“Both snacks and restaurant meals in the north are hearty because only by eating a lot can you grow strong.” The vendor handed the roasted sweet potato to Xing Xing, “Good little one, hold it carefully, it’s hot.”

Xing Xing clutched the roasted sweet potato tightly.

The warm roasted sweet potato felt pleasantly warm in his hands.

Indeed, eating a lot was the key to growing tall and strong, right?

Xing Xing compared the vendor at the roasted sweet potato stall – sturdy and robust – with the woman selling honey-glazed roasted chicken – broad-shouldered and well-fed. Then he looked at his lean dad, deep in thought.

It seems like Uncle Stall Owner was right.

Dad eats less than him every day, that’s why he’s thin and not very tall.

It looks like he should eat more of the meals Dad makes every day to grow taller and stronger – ideally as sturdy as Uncle Stall Owner who just sold the sweet potato.

Uncle Stall Owner’s arm is thicker than his own arms and legs combined!

If he could grow so strong in the future, he could definitely knock down anyone who bullies Dad with just one punch!

“Roasted sweet potatoes should be eaten while they’re hot,” Yu Bai said, “If you’re thirsty, let me know, and I’ll get you some water.”

Xing Xing nodded his little head.

The roasted sweet potato, larger than his head, was definitely too much for Xing Xing to finish.

He thought for a moment, mustered all his strength, and broke the roasted sweet potato in half.

“Dad! You have half, I have half!” Xing Xing said, “Let’s eat the roasted sweet potato together while it’s still hot!”

Beside the flowerbed at the train station, Yu Bai and Xing Xing sat on the marble-fenced flowerbed, eating the piping-hot roasted sweet potato.

The long roasting process had brought out the honey juice from the high-quality sweet potato.

Xing Xing couldn’t detect any fibrous texture; the sweet potato was soft, sweet, and starchy, like a hot and steamy ice cream, smooth and melting in the mouth.

The caramelized honey juice that had been roasted out of the sweet potato clung to its surface, giving it a crispiness. With each bite, you could taste the sweet aroma of caramel.

Amidst the alternating cold gusts, when hunger gnaws at you, taking a bite of such a hot roasted sweet potato is enough to soothe every part of your insides.

Summing it up in two words: “comfortable.”

After eating the roasted sweet potato, both Yu Bai’s and Xing Xing’s slightly chilly hands and feet grew warmer.

As a tourist city, H City boasts a rich culture and historical heritage. However, its local snacks are equally sought after by visitors from other cities.

Southern tourists who have never tasted northern snacks are curious about them.

Xing Xing is no exception.

When he saw restaurants filling every street and alley, and smelled the delicious aromas wafting from them, Xing Xing’s mouthwatering action hardly stopped.

Northern cuisine has substantial portions, and locals enjoy hearty meat dishes.

Xing Xing has a big appetite. As soon as he sees “meat,” his eyes light up like two illuminated light bulbs, astonishingly bright.

The sky had just brightened.

Xing Xing, who had been craving meat all night, woke up still reminiscing about the meats he had encountered in his dream.

Seeing Xing Xing’s gluttonous appearance, Yu Bai couldn’t help but feel speechless and amused.

While Yu Bai was holding Xing Xing and waiting for the elevator, Xing Xing couldn’t wait any longer and asked, “Dad, what are we having for breakfast?”

“Ding—”, the elevator door opened.

As Yu Bai led Xing Xing into the elevator, he explained, “We’ll have beef buns and beef soup for breakfast, along with some meat-filled pastries and side dishes… You can also choose some dumplings.”

Xing Xing asked, “Are we eating here?”

He saw yesterday that the hotel they were staying in also had a lot of delicious food!

“No,” Yu Bai said with a smiling squint, “There’s a nearby shop that makes really good breakfast. When I was studying around here, I used to go there often. The beef buns there are larger than my fist, but the beef is solid and the broth is rich. If you’re not careful, the juice from the meat often spills all over your hand…”

The elevator went all the way down to the first floor, and Yu Bai continued to introduce Xing Xing to a breakfast place he used to frequent.

Yu Bai’s vivid and descriptive storytelling had Xing Xing salivating.

As Yu Bai walked out of the elevator carrying Xing Xing, someone called out to him from behind.

“Hello…”

Yu Bai turned around and found that the two strangers calling him were a middle-aged couple.

Rong An was somewhat embarrassed as she spoke, “My husband and I are here on a self-driving tour for the first time in H City. We’re not very familiar with the local snacks around here… The breakfast place you just mentioned sounds good. We’d like to ask, where is that breakfast place?”

Listening to Yu Bai’s colorful description of the breakfast place in the elevator, Rong An also became tempted.

This private trip was just for her and her husband, and they had control over their time. What to eat was up to Rong An and her husband’s preferences.

Therefore, Rong An stopped Yu Bai and asked about the breakfast place he had mentioned earlier.

Yu Bai smiled and said, “It’s nearby. Just walk ahead… and go through that alley.”

However, when Rong An left the hotel, she realized that there were rows of alleys in front of the hotel.

She and her husband couldn’t really distinguish which alley Yu Bai was referring to.

Fortunately, Yu Bai and Xing Xing hadn’t gone far.

Rong An grabbed her husband’s arm and followed Yu Bai’s footsteps.

The observant Yu Bai quickly noticed someone trailing behind him.

When he realized that the couple following him were Rong An and her husband, Yu Bai didn’t speed up his pace, but let them follow.

Rong An and her husband were staying at the same hotel as him, and they didn’t look like bad people.

Yu Bai took a few turns and led them out of the alley, arriving in front of a breakfast shop named “Li Ji Breakfast.”

Although it was only 7:30 in the morning, the shop was already crowded.

As Yu Bai was choosing his breakfast, the couple also followed him into “Li Ji Breakfast.”

The breakfast at “Li Ji Breakfast” was like Chinese-style fast food, with a semi-self-service setup—some breakfast items could be taken directly, while others were served by the staff behind the counter. After selecting the items, customers would settle the payment at the cashier.

Rong An and her husband were visiting this kind of down-to-earth breakfast shop for the first time. They stood at the entrance of the shop, seeming a bit uncertain.

“It’s crowded now. One of you can find a seat, and the other can get the breakfast here,” Yu Bai advised kindly, holding an empty tray as he approached Rong An and her husband.

“Thank you, young man,” Rong An immediately urged her husband to find a seat, and she grabbed a clean empty tray and followed Yu Bai. “Young man, you said you used to come to this shop often… So, what are some recommended breakfast items from this place?”

Yu Bai smiled and said, “The snacks here are quite delicious…”

Seeing Rong An’s hesitation, Yu Bai continued, “But since you both have limited appetite, I can help you choose.”

Rong An expressed her gratitude, “Thank you.”

After Yu Bai and Rong An selected their breakfast and paid, they began looking for a seat.

Since the place was crowded, Yu Bai didn’t dare to let Xing Xing find a seat alone. Instead, he had Xing Xing choose breakfast with him.

As a result, when Yu Bai tried to find a seat, he couldn’t find an empty one for quite some time.

“My husband found a seat for four people,” Rong An said proactively, “You can sit with us.”

Yu Bai replied, “Thank you.”

“Why ‘thank you’? You’ve helped me so much, so I should be the one thanking you,” Rong An said gratefully.

The four of them gathered around a small square table—although it could seat four people, it still felt a bit crowded.

Xing Xing obediently put on his gloves, grabbed a beef bun, and stuffed it into his mouth.

The bun’s skin was soft and slightly chewy, soaked in the delicious beef broth.

The rich aroma of the beef broth combined with the hearty texture of the handmade beef filling, complemented by the tender and sweet bun skin… Xing Xing was thoroughly delighted with the taste.

After finishing the bun, he had a couple sips of the beef broth that contained large pieces of beef, and then he took a few bites of the meat pie.

When there’s good food in front of you, who has time to talk?

It wasn’t until they had eaten quite a bit that Xing Xing wiped his mouth with a napkin, and leaned back against the chair with his slightly protruding belly, when Yu Bai asked, “How does it taste?”

Xing Xing’s tender pink tongue gently licked his lips as he replied, “Hmm… it tastes pretty good!”

“But still, I think Dad’s breakfast is the most delicious!”

He was a loyal fan of his dad’s cooking. No matter how delicious the food from other places was, it couldn’t take away his heart from the delicious food his dad made!

Rong An and her husband didn’t know how skilled Yu Bai was in cooking. Hearing Xing Xing’s words, they thought he was just flattering Yu Bai.

After a meal, the atmosphere among the four became harmonious and relaxed.

Rong An chuckled, “Your child has such a sweet mouth.”

Xing Xing blinked his watery round eyes, and a hint of pride appeared on his little face.

During the kindergarten interview a few weeks ago, the teachers also praised him for being a clever and eloquent child!

With that proud expression on his little face, Xing Xing looked even cuter.

Rong An smiled at Yu Bai and said, “What grade is Xing Xing in? He’s raised so clever and bright, that’s really impressive.”

Yu Bai replied, “Xing Xing just turned three years old, and he’ll officially start kindergarten in the second half of the year.”

“Only three years old?” Rong An was slightly surprised.

Rong An had also been a grandmother and taken care of several children. But to have a child as clever and articulate as Xing Xing at just three years old was truly rare.

At least in her family… they hadn’t produced such a talented young one.

“Yeah! I just turned three last year!” Xing Xing scratched his little head, “Grandma Rong, I look big because I’ve gained weight recently! Wait a while, when I lose some weight, I’ll become small again!”

The innocent words of a young child were endearing.

The corner of Rong An’s lips curled up, “Xing Xing, are you chubby? I don’t think you’re chubby. Your current figure seems just right to me. Round and fair, isn’t that adorable? I think you don’t need to lose weight at all!”

Xing Xing immediately nodded in agreement, “Grandma Rong and I think exactly the same! I also think I don’t need to lose weight! But, it’s because Dad…”

Xing Xing’s peripheral vision kept glancing at Yu Bai.

Yu Bai gently tapped Xing Xing’s forehead, “If you keep eating like this, you’ll become overweight sooner or later. Being overweight isn’t healthy.”

Xing Xing pouted his lips and didn’t dare to argue.

Rong An smiled, “Kids, it’s alright if they gain a bit of weight from eating. Like my younger son, when he was little, he could eat a lot and he’d always choose the good stuff. He became chubby like a ball…”

“…But kids won’t stay chubby for long. When they grow up, the energy they consumed during the early years will turn into nutrients for growth, and they’ll slim down. As long as it’s within a healthy range, eating more and getting plenty of exercise is fine.”

Speaking of this, Rong An seemed to drift off in thought for a moment.

She let out a soft sigh, “While they can still eat so much now, they should eat more. Kids change every day, and when they grow up, they might not enjoy eating as much anymore.”

After finishing breakfast, Rong An learned from Yu Bai that he planned to travel to H City for a few days. She immediately exchanged contact information with him, making sure that he and his son would join them for meals.

Rong An and her husband had retired just a couple of years ago. They had both time and money, so they took advantage of their good health to travel all over the country, encountering quite a few misadventures.

For a satisfying and non-deceptive travel experience, you’d be hard-pressed to find one.

They had finally made a well-connected acquaintance in Yu Bai—a person who had spent a few years in H City—so they naturally wouldn’t let him go easily.

“As compensation, I can treat you every meal.” Rong An spoke generously.

“No need for that,” Yu Bai replied. “Xing Xing and I are here for personal travel, and we can easily take you around H City for some sightseeing and food.”

H City, with its rich historical heritage, boasted a wide variety of snacks.

One week was too short, even if Yu Bai and Xing Xing explored and ate their way through H City every day, they couldn’t possibly visit every delicious eatery tucked away in the city’s streets and alleys.

Over the course of the week, Rong An and her husband, who “arranged meals” with Yu Bai daily, grew closer to him. Their relationship with him became more intimate.

They also grew fonder of Yu Bai and Xing Xing.

Yu Bai’s gentle and polite nature, combined with Xing Xing’s cleverness and obedience, left a deep impression on them.

This made Rong An and her husband marvel countless times. If their own children or grandchildren could be half as good as Yu Bai, they would have woken up from their dreams with laughter.

A week passed in the blink of an eye. As Rong An and her husband learned that Yu Bai would soon leave H City, they couldn’t bear to part with him and his son.

“If only you could stay for another week…” Rong An’s eyes welled up with tears. “There’s still half of H City’s dining establishments we haven’t explored together.”

“I’ve only taken a week off,” Yu Bai said helplessly. “But when you come to J City next time, I can take you around the entire city.”

Rong An immediately held back her tears, and her eyes widened. “Really?”

Yu Bai replied, “Really.”

Rong An smiled playfully, “Well, you said it. But… Yu Bai, where are you currently working? How come your company only allows employees to take a week off? That doesn’t sound like good benefits. Do you have any thoughts about switching jobs?”

“Dad doesn’t work at a company!” Xing Xing puffed out his little chest. “Dad runs a snack shop! Our family’s snack shop is really big, and there are lots of snacks inside. They’re very famous and incredibly delicious! Everyone loves the snacks Dad makes!”

Rong An’s smile turned into a thoughtful expression as she considered “recruiting” Yu Bai to her company.

Surprised, Rong An asked, “Yu Bai, so you run a snack shop? No wonder you’re so familiar with the food industry… What’s the name of your snack shop? When my husband and I visit J City in a while, we’ll definitely stop by your snack shop!”

Yu Bai humbly replied, “It’s not a very famous snack shop… My snack shop is called ‘Galaxy Snack Shop’. If you come, I’ll give you a discount.”

Galaxy Snack Shop?

Rong An silently repeated the name of this snack shop in her mind. She felt like she had heard the name somewhere before, but she couldn’t quite place it.

However, Rong An didn’t show anything on her face and continued to chat with Yu Bai with a smile.

After sending Yu Bai and his son onto the high-speed train, Rong An took out her phone and made a call.

“Hello? Xiao Hang, can you do me a favor?” Rong An said, “Is there a ‘Galaxy Snack Shop’ in J City? In the name of Rongyu’s Company, I want to invest fully in this shop and provide it with the best benefits and treatment…”

Halfway through the conversation, after hearing a few sentences from the other end of the call, Rong An’s expression changed dramatically.

Rong An: “Xiao Hang, what did you say?!”

“What’s wrong?”

Rong An hung up the phone in shock and looked at her husband, Ji Cheng.

“Xiao Hang said that a few months ago, Rongyu invested fully in ‘Galaxy Snack Shop’ with the company’s best treatment…?”

God knows.

After her son, Ji Rongyu, grew up, he not only lost his childhood cuteness but also became cold and picky about food.

In Rong An’s memory, Ji Rongyu had never given full investment with the best treatment to any restaurant — except for “Galaxy Snack Shop”.

“Galaxy Snack Shop” was the first and only one!

 

Author’s Note:

PS: Because I have an antigen test at six, I decided to stay up all night and write.

After finishing the antigen test, I’ll go to sleep!

Hey, this is a scheduled post!