Novel Bin Chapter 18 - VIP5
Yao Yao’s dad’s stir-fried noodles had won over the entire class of kids. In all fairness, thinking back to the taste of the noodles, they really were amazing.
“Alright, kids, it’s time to go home. Your parents are waiting at the gate!” Teacher Li clapped her hands to maintain order during dismissal.
Under the watchful eyes of many parents, Lu Xiyao came out carrying a pile of goodies.
“Daddy~!”
As soon as the little one spotted Lu Qin, she ran over quickly.
“Yao Yao, did you rob the other kids?”
Lu Qin checked and saw there was nothing too valuable in the pile, so he let it slide. Kids often exchanged gifts with each other. There was even a time in kindergarten when a little boy gave Lu Xiyao a toy worth over two thousand yuan, which she brought home. Lu Qin had to teach her a lesson, and the next day she returned it.
Lu Xiyao gave a helpless yet proud look, “Daddy~! They insisted on giving it to me, there was nothing I could do~!”
She playfully blinked, as if to say, I can’t help it, your little cutie is just too charming.
Parents picking up their children couldn’t help but glance at Lu Qin and Lu Xiyao. This high-appeal father-daughter duo was the object of envy. The father was young, handsome, and warm, while the daughter was beautiful, adorable, and well-behaved. Their bond was clearly strong.
Unlike their own kids, who were either mischievous or disobedient, constantly whining for snacks or toys after school, making them want to hide them in a trash can.
Lu Xiyao nimbly climbed into the passenger seat of Lu Qin’s tricycle food cart. The seat at the front was wide enough for two people to sit comfortably.
“Daddy~! For dinner, I want stir-fried noodles.”
“Nope, rice for dinner.”
The little one was still growing, and Lu Qin had a well-structured meal plan for her three meals a day. Stir-fried noodles were fine as an occasional treat, but the main meals had to be balanced, with meat for protein and vegetables for vitamins.
With a pouty face, Lu Xiyao looked disappointed. Her dad’s stir-fried noodles were just too good, and she could never get enough. She wished she could eat them every day.
“If I eat rice, can I have an ice cream for dessert?” She bargained.
“I’ll give you your favorite brain-flick,” Lu Qin teased with a smile.
Feigning tears, the little one cried out, “Waaah~! Yao Yao is no longer Daddy’s favorite baby!”
…
Meanwhile, at the Swarovski Crystal Restaurant.
Inside the Rose Hall private room.
“Running a food stall with a kid!”
Fang Ya stared at Shen Muyan in disbelief.
“I don’t know what he’s thinking.”
Shen Muyan gently shook her head.
After all, Lu Qin had graduated from a prestigious university. Even though he’d been out of the workforce for years, it shouldn’t have come to running a street stall.
Shen Muyan figured he probably had little money left after leaving their marriage empty-handed, and raising a kid required money in every aspect of life. Life wasn’t easy.
When they divorced, pride should’ve been the least of his concerns. If he’d taken those millions from their joint accounts, at least he wouldn’t be struggling financially, let alone reduced to running a street stall.
The thought made Shen Muyan’s headache.
Lu Qin’s current situation led to a stern lecture from Chairman Shen and his wife, with Shen Muyan caught in the middle, treated like the villain in the story.
“What’s there to think about? He was forced into it by you, Shen CEO!” Fang Ya said, taking a bite of pineapple shrimp.
“Lu Qin quit his job to take care of your daughter, became a stay-at-home dad, and then you dumped him. Now he can’t find a job and has to resort to running a street stall…”
“Watch your words,” Shen Muyan said, a bit exasperated. “We broke up amicably, and it was his decision to refuse the divorce settlement. How is that my fault?”
Shen Muyan was speechless. Why was Lu Qin being portrayed as the victim, and herself as some kind of heartless woman who abandoned her husband and child?
“What are you planning to do about this?” Fang Ya asked.
“My father doesn’t want me to get involved. He said he’ll handle it.”
“Have you gone to see him?”
“No. What would I even say if I did?”
“You’re not the right person to approach. Let me go. I miss little Yao Yao. I haven’t seen that cute little one in so long.”
“You can’t go either,” Shen Muyan shook her head, savoring a bite of the bamboo duck stew. The rich flavor was undeniable. Fang Ya, being a foodie, really knew how to pick good spots.
Sigh…
Fang Ya let out a soft sigh. Things had reached this point, which only meant that Lu Qin and Shen Muyan were simply not meant to be. It was the little one she felt bad for—having to help her dad at the stall, out in the wind and rain, enduring the hardships of a tough life.
“By the way, where is Lu Qin running his stall?”
“I don’t know.”
“What does he sell?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where do they live now?”
“I don’t know.”
Fang Ya bit down hard on her sweet-and-sour ribs, glaring at Shen Muyan.
“Shen Muyan, I think the ‘abandoning-husband-and-child’ persona suits you perfectly.”
Shen Muyan was speechless.
…
Lu Qin passed through the farmers’ market, buying half an old hen, some celery, and tomatoes.
Back at the entrance to their house, Grandpa Ge and a few neighbors were relaxing in the shade of a tree.
“Hi, Grandpa Ge! Hi, Grandma Wang… Hello, uncles and aunts!”
Lu Xiyao was always sweet-talking and outgoing, waving her little hand to greet everyone.
“Yao Yao’s back from school, huh?”
“Oh wow, Yao Yao is such a good girl, and so polite!”
“Little Lu is really lucky to have such a cute daughter. I want one too.”
Seeing that some of the neighbors had their own kids with them, Lu Xiyao happily shared her snacks and toys. She didn’t need that many things for herself. Her generous gesture earned more nods of approval from the adults.
Such a well-behaved little girl—how many good deeds must she have done in her past life?
Lu Qin rode his tricycle food cart into the courtyard and took the groceries inside to prepare dinner.
“Daddy, do you need any help?”
“Aren’t you going to watch cartoons? Balala Little Magic Fairy is on today.”
“I can watch it later. Right now, I want to help Daddy make dinner.”
“Alright, wash the tomatoes and celery, then.”
“Got it.”
“Remember to remove the tomato stems and the celery leaves.”
“I know, Daddy. I’ve done this before. Stop nagging me—I’m not three years old anymore!”
Lu Qin laughed and playfully flicked his daughter’s nose. He then started preparing the chicken.
First, he chopped the half chicken into pieces, blanched them, and then simmered it in a pot. He used the simplest method—no braising, no frying, just a slow simmer. While it cooked, he added dates, ginger, and scallions for flavor, which ensured the chicken came out tender and juicy, retaining its natural taste. The other dishes were stir-fried celery with dried tofu and a tomato-egg soup.
Lu Qin was careful to cook just the right amount, so it wasn’t too much or too little. Both he and his daughter ate until they were just full, with no leftovers for the next day, which helped avoid waste. While washing the dishes, Lu Qin checked his system.
That afternoon at the food street, foot traffic had been heavy, and both his stir-fried noodles and mung bean soup had sold out. He had sold nearly 270 portions of noodles and 500 cups of mung bean soup, netting a profit of over 3,900 yuan. Combined with the 1,500 he earned that morning, it was a pretty solid income. The system points showed 834.
With a thought, Lu Qin decided to draw the lottery eight times.