The last bottle of juice was snatched up.
By a little after 7:30, most of the custors were gone. They didn’t want to linger for too long.
If Boss Jiang rested earlier, he could open up earlier.
He might even make more buns for them to eat!
Jiang Liu was at the counter, counting the day’s earnings.
[Current Praise Points: 30,850.]
Net profit for August 17th was 289,855 yuan.
Jiang Liu had bundled the cash and change with rubber bands into two thick stacks. Each was over ten centiters thick, and he still had two more stacks under his bed at ho that he hadn’t had ti to deposit yet.
Jun Qingng quietly walked up behind Jiang Liu. She poked him with a delicate, fair finger and said with a smile in her eyes,
"Counting your money, handso? Happy?"
"Mhm, I’m just thinking about how much to pay you," Jiang Liu said, rubbing his chin and playing along.
Jun Qingng shook her head seriously. "I don’t want your money. You should save it."
Jiang Liu didn’t think much of it and nodded. "Whatever you say. What’s mine is yours, and what’s yours is mine."
Jun Qingng fidgeted for a mont, then called out softly, "Jiang Liu?"
"Hm? What’s wrong, Qingng?" Jiang Liu put down the cash, looking up at her with a smile.
"Just now... I was really happy. Thank you for caring about my feelings!"
"It’s nothing. You do so much for , so what’s the big deal about sticking up for you? Don’t worry about it. I’ll treat you even better from now on."
Jun Qingng bit her lower lip, then mustered up her courage and said, "If you have any... ideas, you can tell . I’m willing to satisfy you."
Hiding nearby, Tongtong felt her position was being threatened. She chid in with her childish voice, "Daddy, Tongtong can satisfy you too."
Jiang Liu froze for a second, not knowing whether to laugh or cry at this pair of cuties, one big and one small.
"Let’s not talk about satisfying anyone. Love is a two-way street. As long as we’re happy together, that’s all that matters. We’ll let everything else take its natural course."
’SOB... Daddy’s ignoring . The adorable pillar of the family is unloved...’
"I’ll listen to you."
Jun Qingng nodded obediently. Then, to Jiang Liu’s astonishnt, she plopped right down onto his lap.
It was perky, warm, and soft with a bit of a bounce.
Before Jiang Liu could even process the feeling, Jun Qingng, her face flushed, boldly wrapped her arms gently around his neck.
"Jiang Liu..."
"Ah! Naughty, naughty! Daddy, Tongtong is going to the bathroom. I’ll be back in a long, long ti."
As she spoke, she pretended to leave, only to stick her butt out, bend over, and creep back to peek.
’Hehe, this little cutie is already done.’
At the counter, Jun Qingng had already hugged Jiang Liu’s waist, resting her head against his neck.
"Jiang Liu, I miss you so much."
Jiang Liu took a deep breath, nervously stroking Jun Qingng’s hair.
"But I’m right here beside you...? Is sothing on your mind?"
"No, I’m fine."
Jun Qingng wasn’t telling the truth. She didn’t want to worry Jiang Liu.
She was also afraid of problems arising in their relationship.
Jun Qingng’s body was warm and soft, and the pleasant scent of gardenias from her was even richer now.
Jiang Liu suppressed the stirring in his heart. Recalling what had just happened, he asked, "Do you get jealous easily? If you do, I’ll be more careful in the future."
Jun Qingng rubbed her head against his neck and shook it, saying softly, "No, not at all. I’m very magnanimous. You don’t have to worry."
Tongtong twisted the knife. "Mommy, I saw you looking all sad just now, just like when Tongtong can’t have ice cream."
Exposed, Jun Qingng sat up awkwardly and tucked her hair back, trying to cover it up. "Tongtong, don’t talk nonsense... Okay, fine. Well, maybe just a tiny, tiny bit."
Tongtong rolled her eyes, looking impossibly cute.
"Hmph, you were clearly on the verge of tears."
"I was not," Jun Qingng insisted stubbornly.
"Don’t worry, actually, Tongtong gets jealous too, hehe."
"You get jealous too? Tell Daddy. When do you get jealous?"
Jiang Liu’s interest was piqued. He pulled Tongtong over to his leg, and the three of them snuggled together.
At the ntion of this, Tongtong’s nose tingled, and a wave of boundless grievance instantly welled up in her eyes.
"Waaah! It’s when... it’s when... SOB! When Daddy looks at other little kids on his phone, Tongtong gets sad."
Tears stread traitorously down her cheeks.
Jun Qingng’s heart ached for her. She grabbed Tongtong’s small hand as she wiped her tears. "Oh, Tongtong, don’t cry. How about Teacher stands up for you, okay?"
"SOB, Mommy, I feel so wronged!!"
Tongtong threw herself into Jun Qingng’s arms.
Jun Qingng deliberately put on a stern face and looked at Jiang Liu, interrogating him seriously,
"Jiang Liu! Have you been looking at other people’s kids behind Tongtong’s back? Confess right now!"
Jiang Liu was still completely bewildered.
’How did she end up crying...?’
"I did look, but the thing is..."
"Bad Daddy! Mommy, he admitted it! He admitted it, WAAAH! Can you hit him, please??"
Tongtong poked Jiang Liu nonstop with her finger.
’So mad!!’
’Daddy cheated! It’s confird, and I’m his own daughter!’
Jiang Liu raised his hand, wanting to give his daughter a flick on the forehead, but stopped himself. He patted Tongtong’s hair and explained exasperatedly,
"Can you not let your imagination run wild? That was your daddy learning parenting skills from other people! It’s not ’looking at other kids,’ you silly girl."
Was it easy for him, a full-ti stay-at-ho dad?
He didn’t know anything, so his only option was to watch how other people raised their kids online.
As soon as she heard the explanation, Tongtong wasn’t sad anymore. She wiped her tears and said, "Are you telling the truth? Swear it."
"It’s true. Daddy was really learning parenting skills. If I’m lying, then may I..."
Tongtong reached out with her small, ice-cream-scented hand and covered Jiang Liu’s mouth.
"Daddy, don’t say it. Tongtong believes you."
Jiang Liu: "..."
’Why do I feel like I’m being played?’
’It feels like it, but I have no proof.’
The three of them sat at the table, eating dinner.
"Daddy’s buns are so yummy! I’ll love them forever!"
"My boyfriend’s stead corn slls amazing. Is it seasoned with love?"
Jiang Liu shot the two flatterers a look. "School starts tomorrow. Stop laying it on so thick. Finish up and go ho. You two need to go to bed early tonight."
The bun in Tongtong’s hand suddenly lost its appeal.
She looked at Jiang Liu pitifully. "Daddy, can we not go? Tongtong wants to stay here at the shop and help you."
She wanted to be with her dad; it made her whole day happy.
Jiang Liu blew on his hands.
Before he could even speak, Tongtong employed her amnesia technique. "Huh? What did Jiang Guaiguai just say? She doesn’t seem to rember!"
"Daddy, don’t forget to take to kindergarten tomorrow, okay?"
"Alright."
Jiang Liu silently put away his "big knife."
「Just after eight o’clock.」
The three of them had eaten until their bellies were full.
Jiang Liu turned off everything that needed to be turned off in the shop, then did one final check before locking the door, satisfied.
It had just rained, so the air outside slled of earth and leaves. A cool breeze blew past.
In front of the knife-cut noodle shop, a few people were bent over, setting up tents.
Jiang Liu’s mouth twitched. He didn’t dare to strike up a conversation.
The custors these days were too crazy.
Xue Guang was at his entrance slurping noodles. Seeing Jiang Liu co out, he called out a greeting, "Boss Jiang, all done for the night?"
Jiang Liu paused for a second.
’Boss Jiang?’
’I haven’t been very friendly with this guy the last couple of days, and now he’s getting all sulky, is he?’
"Just finished. Uncle Xue, when are you heading ho?"
Xue Guang waved his hand. "Probably around ten. Business at my shop has been exploding these past two days, and it’s all thanks to you, Jiang Liu."
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