Jun Qingmeng shot Jiang Liu a reproachful look and personally fed Tongtong the congee.

’Dads really aren’t suited for taking care of daughters.’

"Thanks, Mommy, you’re the best! My mouth is all greasy." Tongtong pouted, wanting Jun Qingmeng to wipe her little, greasy mouth.

Jiang Liu gave a helpless smile.

He was indeed forgetful and careless at times, but thankfully, his daughter had never held it against him.

「A short while later.」

The three of them were stuffed.

Jun Qingmeng clutched her stomach, a blissful look on her face. "Jiang Liu, do you think I’ll get fat in the future?"

Her boyfriend’s cooking was just too good; she had to eat until she was stuffed every time.

Tongtong grew worried too.

"I don’t want to get fat! Daddy, you should make less food from now on. We can eat more ice cream instead."

BONK.

A crisp thwack echoed off a little head.

Jiang Liu had flicked Tongtong on the forehead.

"Waaah!"

Tongtong clutched her head, looking utterly aggrieved.

"Daddy, I was wrong! I won’t do it again!"

She was a pro at backing down.

Jiang Liu said seriously, "What did I tell you? Three ice creams a week. You want to eat it for every meal? Are you trying to get a stomachache?"

"Waaah!"

’Daddy’s being mean.’

The little cutie cried.

"Tongtong, come on, let’s play. Don’t mind him."

"Waaah, Mommy, I feel so wronged."

"There, there, don’t feel wronged. He’s just a big meanie."

Jun Qingmeng hugged Tongtong, and the two of them secretly muttered bad things about Jiang Liu.

Before long, Tongtong was all smiles again.

Jiang Liu took the kitchen trash from the shop out to the dumpster.

If he forgot to throw it out, the shop would stink by the next day.

「8:30 PM.」

The sky had darkened, and the evening wind whistled by.

Jiang Liu habitually stuffed a few bundles of small bills into Tongtong’s backpack, locked up the shop, and headed home.

Because Jiang Liu’s shop offered more and more delicious food, and also because of the freebies he had given out that morning,

the neighbors in the area had become even more enthusiastic.

When they saw Jiang Liu coming out, they all pretended to run into him by chance.

"Getting off work, Boss Jiang? You’d better get some good rest when you get home; we’re all counting on you from now on. Oh, I almost forgot! These are Asian pears, a specialty from my hometown. We grew too many, and they’re about to go bad. Take them back for Tongtong to make soup with." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Brother Jiang, the Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here. My company gave out a box of pomegranates early—the soft-seed kind. Take them home and eat them. Don’t refuse, or I’ll be upset!"

"Hey, what a coincidence, Xiao Jiang! Out for a walk? No? I know, just hold this for me. We dug up too many purple sweet potatoes at home. Help me get rid of some."

More and more people started "feeding" Jiang Liu.

The things they gave him were all sorts of strange and wonderful.

Everyone had come to see Jiang Liu as Yangzhai Street’s treasure.

And they were all happy to spoil him.

As long as Boss Jiang was around, Yangzhai Street would be lively.

Jiang Liu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was hard to keep refusing when they were all so incredibly enthusiastic.

By the time the three of them reached their parking spot, they were laden with bags.

Jiang Liu was hauling a large sack of purple sweet potatoes on his shoulder and balancing a box of pomegranates in his right hand.

On top of the box was a bag of figs.

Tongtong had a lollipop hanging around her neck and a pile of little snacks cradled in her arms.

Tongtong giggled happily.

’My little stash is getting pretty full.’

When it was Daddy’s birthday, she would take it all out to celebrate!

Jun Qingmeng wasn’t having an easy time either, her hands completely full with bags.

Jiang Liu opened the trunk, pushed the small cart further inside, and stuffed the various bags in.

Tongtong hugged the purple sweet potatoes, unwilling to let go.

She had never eaten a purple sweet potato before!

"Daddy! I want to eat it!"

"Honey, I want to eat purple sweet potatoes too," Jun Qingmeng deliberately chimed in.

Jiang Liu expressionlessly forced the purple sweet potatoes into the trunk.

Tongtong pouted, aggrieved.

Jiang Liu explained helplessly,

"Be good. Purple sweet potatoes don’t taste good raw. I’ll roast them for you when we get home."

"But I want to eat it now! I want it now!"

Tongtong started throwing a tantrum, pounding on Jiang Liu’s leg.

"Alright, alright, I’ll let you eat it."

He couldn’t resist his daughter’s wheedling.

Jiang Liu tore open the mesh bag, pulled out a dirt-covered purple sweet potato, and placed it in Tongtong’s small hands.

"Go on, eat. It’s all yours. I’ll watch you."

"Yuck, how am I supposed to eat it with all this dirt?"

"Waaah, Daddy, you’re bullying me."

Tongtong wiped her eyes and started to cry.

’Stupid Daddy!’

Jun Qingmeng picked up Tongtong in exasperation and said, "Jiang Liu, how could you bully your own daughter again? You’re so mean."

"Yeah, Daddy’s a meanie!"

Tongtong provided backup from Jun Qingmeng’s arms.

Jiang Liu’s head was starting to hurt.

He hadn’t even done anything! His daughter wanted to eat a purple sweet potato, it was covered in dirt, and he told her she couldn’t eat it. What was wrong with that?

"Fine, let’s just go home first."

"Hmph!" Tongtong turned her head away, refusing to look at him. Her little eyes darted about as she hatched a little scheme.

Jiang Liu understood instantly. He rolled his eyes at Tongtong and said,

"You want ice cream, don’t you? We’ll pass by a convenience store in a bit. I’ll buy you some."

Tongtong immediately whipped her head back around, her eyes sparkling.

"Really?"

"I’ll buy it for you!"

Jiang Liu said, exasperated.

’Ice cream every day.’

’It’s like she can’t live without it.’

"Hee hee, Daddy, give me a hug! I forgive you!"

He started the car.

Jun Qingmeng asked, "Roasted or steamed purple sweet potatoes are both good. Should we roast some corn too? I was thinking of inviting Guo Jia over to eat with us, is that okay?"

"Whatever you want is fine. No problem."

Jiang Liu nodded.

When his girlfriend made a small request, he had to satisfy it.

"Mhm, love you, Jiang Liu."

Jun Qingmeng happily ruffled Jiang Liu’s hair.

「Back at the apartment complex.」

Having gotten the message, an excited Guo Jia was already waiting in the parking lot.

As soon as she saw Jiang Liu’s car, she rushed over.

"You guys are finally back! I’ve been waiting all day... uh!"

As Guo Jia spoke, she saw Jiang Liu open the trunk, and a huge pile of things came into view.

She was dumbfounded.

"Mengmeng, you’ve got some nerve! I see right through you now. So you invited me over just to make me do manual labor for your boyfriend, is that it?"

"You sure know how to dote on your boyfriend!"

Guo Jia clutched her heart in mock pain.

Jun Qingmeng raised an eyebrow and lifted the bag in her hand. "My boyfriend made stir-fried pork, and there’s juice. And later, Jiang Liu is going to make roasted corn and roasted purple sweet potatoes. You don’t want any?"

"If you don’t want any, that’s fine."

Guo Jia said with a completely straight face, "Whether I eat or not is unimportant. It must be tiring for you to carry all this stuff. I should be helping you."

Jiang Liu waved his hand.

"It’s not that much trouble. I’ll use the cart to pull the heavy things up. You guys can just carry the rest."

"No way, Jiang Liu! You’ve had a long day. Let me do it."

At that moment, Guo Jia turned into a sycophantic puppy. Without another word, she excitedly piled the goods onto the cart and took the initiative to pull it for Jiang Liu.

Jiang Liu was left completely empty-handed.

The three of them had taken everything from him.

The four of them returned to Jiang Liu’s home together.

Guo Jia opened the container and sniffed the aroma.

"It’s still warm! This pork is so fragrant and peppery."

She popped a piece of glistening stir-fried pork and a green pepper into her mouth.

"Delicious, delicious! It would be even better if Jiang Liu made some steamed buns!"

The stir-fried pork was rich but not greasy. The outside was seared dry, making it more fragrant the more you chewed!

In no time at all, Guo Jia had devoured the entire half-pound of stir-fried pork, not even sparing the small chili peppers.

’Spicy and fragrant, this is the best!’

She drank all the rice soup too.

"Jiang Liu, this stir-fried pork is the most fragrant I’ve ever had. How much do you sell a portion for at your shop?"

Jiang Liu was in the kitchen washing the purple sweet potatoes.

Jun Qingmeng answered for Jiang Liu with a smile, "Jiang Liu said this stir-fried pork isn’t up to snuff. It doesn’t meet the standards for his restaurant, so he’s not planning to sell it."

"Holy shit, no way?!"

Guo Jia’s eyes went wide with astonishment.

"Stir-fried pork this delicious doesn’t qualify? Your boyfriend’s standards are way too high."

But then she thought about it and understood.

"I get it. The four items Jiang Liu is selling now are indeed a cut above this stir-fried pork. They’re classics."

"But this stir-fried pork is amazing too! I think it’s good enough for a state banquet. Even if you sold it for a thousand a plate, people would still buy it."

Hearing her best friend’s praise and admiration, Jun Qingmeng let out a proud "ahem."

She was proud on Jiang Liu’s behalf.

At that moment, Jiang Liu had already placed the purple sweet potatoes into the air fryer.

He set it for thirty-five minutes, and soon they would be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

As for the corn, he would put it in later after slathering it with barbecue sauce; otherwise, it would dry out.