Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Braised Potatoes
Jun Qingmeng was clearly a bit unhappy, but she still snuggled up to Jiang Liu and fell into a blissful sleep.
As long as her boyfriend cared about her, she was content.
The three of them slept huddled together until five.
The room was warm in the early morning, while a chill breeze blew in from the window.
Jiang Liu, still groggy, felt something on his face that didn’t feel like a hand.
He opened his eyes and looked.
A pair of small feet was propped on his chin.
They had that milky baby smell!
Tongtong was burrowed under the covers, hugging his leg upside down.
On his other side, Jun Qingmeng was just as restless.
Her head was pillowed on Jiang Liu’s shoulder, her legs tightly wrapped around his right leg.
"Ahem, time to get up. Do you two want to sleep in a bit?"
Hearing his voice, they both opened their eyes at the same time.
Tongtong wriggled out from under the covers, rubbing her eyes.
"Mmm, Daddy, why did you kick me down there?"
Turning the tables on him.
"You went down there yourself."
"Hmph, no I didn’t! Tongtong is a very good sleeper!"
"And your girlfriend is a very good sleeper, too!"
Jun Qingmeng secretly retracted her restless leg and ran her fingers through her hair.
Jiang Liu glanced at his shoulder.
A wet patch.
He didn’t have to guess whose it was.
Jun Qingmeng looked embarrassed. "I was having a sweet dream last night and couldn’t help drooling. It was an accident!"
Jiang Liu rolled his eyes.
’I’m just a human plush toy.’
’Just have to get used to it.’
Jiang Tongtong knelt beside Jiang Liu, wrapping her arms around his head and nuzzling him.
"Daddy, I haven’t seen you all night! Tongtong missed you so much. Quick, say you missed me too!"
"Honey, me too!"
With that, the two of them flopped onto Jiang Liu, snuggling and whining playfully.
Jiang Liu said exasperatedly, "Alright, I missed you both. Happy now?"
"Daddy, you’re just going through the motions!"
"Honey, you’re just going through the motions!"
Jiang Liu: ...
The three of them lazed about in bed for a while longer before getting up to wash.
Jiang Liu went to check the fridge. He saw the strawberries were all gone, and some of the grapes and pistachios were missing, too.
He smiled, gratified.
Strawberries and pistachios were relatively expensive. His parents had never been willing to buy them before, and even when they did, they would save them for him.
Now that he was earning money, his parents were no longer reluctant to eat nice things.
Perhaps this was one of the reasons Jiang Liu worked so hard to make money.
Protecting his family was his goal.
At 3:30, Yue Longfan sent a message: "Master, we’ve set off. Getting on the highway now."
Jiang Liu: "Okay, drive safely. Let me know if you run into any problems."
Turning off his phone, Jiang Liu suddenly thought of his third uncle, Jiang Daifu.
He wanted to get in touch but didn’t have his contact information.
’Whatever, I’ll have my dad contact Third Uncle later.’
Once they were down in the garage, the two of them got in the car and immediately fell back asleep.
They felt completely safe with Jiang Liu; it was so comfortable they couldn’t help but doze off.
「At the wet market.」
An old woman greeted Jiang Liu enthusiastically.
"Boss Jiang, you need to take care of your health. My son brought me some oatmeal. Take it home and cook it up. It’s a whole grain, very healthy."
"There’s no need, Granny. This is a gift from your son; you should keep it for yourself. I can buy my own if I need some."
"Sigh, alright then."
"Are you coming over for a meal today? I can let you cut the line."
The old woman was ecstatic. "Really? If it’s not too much trouble, I have time at noon. I haven’t had your buns in several meals, and with these old bones, I can’t manage waiting in line."
"Just come over whenever you feel like eating."
"Thank you, Boss Jiang! You’re truly a blessing to our Yangzhao Street!"
The old woman happily chatted with Jiang Liu for a bit, then secretly hid her payment QR code in a pile of vegetables.
When Jiang Liu tried to pay, he couldn’t find the QR code.
In the end, he didn’t manage to spend any money, saving himself a few dozen yuan.
「Back at the shop.」
Jiang Liu got to work.
He planned to make braised potato chunks for his customers today.
Tender and fragrant, anyone who loved potatoes would go absolutely wild for it.
Jiang Liu was slicing the tender, red tuna for sashimi.
Tongtong was pouting beside him.
’I’ve been playing with Daddy for two days, what do I do if I don’t want to go to kindergarten anymore?’
’This little cutie needs advice, and it’s urgent!’
"Dada?"
"What’s wrong?"
Drama Queen Tongtong was on in a split second. Her eyes turned red, and tears streamed down her face as if they were free.
"WAAAH, TONGTONG IS SO PITIFUL!"
"What’s wrong? What’s wrong?"
Jiang Liu’s head was already starting to ache. He wiped his hands and picked up his daughter.
Tongtong wrapped her arms around Jiang Liu’s neck, sobbing pitifully.
"Daddy, your little sweetheart has to go to kindergarten soon. She doesn’t want to go. Please, please, please call her in sick."
"WAAAH."
Of course, Jiang Liu wasn’t going to indulge her.
"Fifty spankings, or kindergarten. You choose."
"Waaah, I’ll go to kindergarten then."
Amused, Jun Qingmeng giggled from the side.
She took Tongtong from him and shot Jiang Liu a playful glare. "Why do you always scare Tongtong?"
"Hmph, yeah!" Tongtong pouted.
The little sweetheart protests!
Jiang Liu glanced at the pouting Tongtong and said, "What do you want to eat tonight? I’ll make it for you."
"Ooh, Daddy, you’re the best! You’re not tricking me?"
"No tricks. Go ahead, tell me."
Jiang Liu chuckled.
Tongtong tapped her lips with her index finger. "Umm... how about we have shrimp noodles! Daddy."
"Shrimp noodles?" Jiang Liu nodded.
"Sure. Qingmeng, what do you want to eat?"
"I’ll have shrimp noodles too. They’re so delicious."
"Daddy, besides the shrimp noodles, when Tongtong gets back from kindergarten, you have to give her a hug. We have to hug for three whole minutes, and you have to give her lots and lots of kisses!"
"Deal. No problem."
Jiang Liu grinned and readily agreed.
’First, I have to trick my daughter into going to kindergarten.’
"Wow! Daddy, I love you so much!"
Jiang Tongtong was now full of anticipation, guzzling her juice with extra gusto.
At 6:10, Hu Yongfa sent a photo as usual.
"Master, this is today’s dish. Master, I’ve noticed the seasonings you gave me are really different. The flavor is completely different from what I get using store-bought seasonings. The gap is huge!"
’He’s both curious and amazed. Master is truly incredible. Where does he get such good seasonings?’
Jiang Liu: "Okay, I see. The seasonings are supplied through a special channel. They’re made with all-natural, ancient brewing methods, so it’s normal for them to be different."
Jiang Liu: "Yue Longfan isn’t there today, so you can make a bit less food. Don’t wear yourself out."
Hu Yongfa’s heart warmed.
’Master is always thinking of me. Working for Master... it actually gives me a feeling of happiness...’
Hu Yongfa: "Got it, Master. I’ll see how it goes. If I get tired, I’ll make a bit less."
Just then, Yue Longfan sent Jiang Liu a message.
"[4 Photos]"
"Master, I’ve arrived in Ba District. The roads here were just cleared, so they’re not bad to drive on, just a bit dirty."
"I’m setting up the stall now. I see a lot of vendors out selling things early in the morning. I checked out what they’re selling—it’s mostly instant food, and the prices are outrageous. A flatbread with bean jelly costs thirty yuan. It’s insane!"
"Should we stick to our original prices?"
Jiang Liu opened the pictures and took a look.
Yue Longfan’s stall was at a crossroads, near a school, a hospital, and a residential complex.
There were at least ten other vendors around. Wisps of cooking smoke curled into the air, and even this early, many residents were already out in groups to buy things.
It really felt like they were refugees fleeing a famine.
Jiang Liu thought for a moment and replied casually, "You can decide the prices. Just follow the market. Let me know immediately if you run into any trouble."
He put away his phone.
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