“Why did you have to bring that up before dinner?!”
Li Sheng shot a glare at the tactless Li Ting.
He then picked up Feng Yuan and comforted him gently, “Yuan Yuan, don’t cry. Grandpa and Grandma will come to see you.”
“If Yuan Yuan misses them, they’ll come to see you.”
“I miss them now!”
Feng Yuan hiccupped between sobs, insisting he missed his grandparents right away.
Unable to bear his crying, Li Sheng carried him around, pacing back and forth to soothe him.
Seeing this, Li Ting sheepishly rubbed his nose.
“How about… how about we video call for Yuan Yuan? Let him see Grandpa and Grandma.”
“Not now. If we call now, he’ll only get more worked up.”
Feng Qi had anticipated this crying fit.
He placed a chicken drumstick in Qin Xun’s bowl and urged him to eat. “Xun, have a proper meal. Once you’re full, you can help comfort Yuan Yuan later.”
Qin Xun, who had lost his appetite earlier, immediately picked up his bowl and started eating upon hearing this.
Feng Qi, however, had no appetite left.
He stood up and took Feng Yuan into his arms. Both dads tried to soothe him together. But this time, the little one was putting up quite a scene.
Half an hour later.
Feng Qi video-called Li Heng.
As soon as the call connected, Feng Yuan stretched out his little arms toward the screen.
“Grandpa, hold Yuan Yuan.”
Li Heng wished he could hold him. But with the screen between them, it was impossible.
“Yuan Yuan, be good.”
Li Heng’s brows furrowed tightly as he watched the little one’s swollen eyes and heard his hoarse, tearful voice. It felt like needles were pricking his heart.
Frida was equally heartbroken.
“Why haven’t you managed to calm him down yet? How long has he been crying?”
Feng Qi was growing anxious. “He’s been crying for half an hour. He won’t eat or drink. His voice is almost gone.”
Hearing this, the already worried grandparents could no longer sit still.
“What about his little friends? Have them come over to keep him company.”
“The mall hasn’t closed yet. Take him to the playground there for a bit.”
“Oh, and let him play with the game console for a while.”
Li Heng offered suggestions from the other side of the screen.
But Feng Yuan kept shaking his little head. “Yuan Yuan doesn’t want to go out! Not to the mall.”
Seeing how hard he was crying, Li Ting quietly handed him the game console.
The next second.
Thud!
The little one threw the game console to the floor.
Li Ting: “…”
Oh no.
This time, he really couldn’t be soothed.
Everyone in the family knew how much Feng Yuan loved that game console.
He had even been spanked many times because of it.
Now, even this precious game console has been discarded.
After throwing it, the little one was both heartbroken and furious.
“Grandpa and Grandma are bad! They don’t want Yuan Yuan!”
Overwhelmed with anger and sadness, he slid off his dad’s lap and toddled off to the bedroom on his short little legs.
He locked the bedroom door from the inside and leaned against it, continuing to cry.
On the other end of the video call, Li Heng stood up as soon as he saw the child run off.
“Frida and I are coming back now.”
Li Heng instructed the butler to pack their bags.
He and Frida had been about to leave, but now he gave instructions to the rest of the family.
“Li Wei, Li Si, Li Wang, sort out your schedules and try to visit Yuan Yuan as much as possible.”
“He’s throwing a tantrum now. He’s not eating, not drinking, and he’s locking himself in the bedroom and crying.”
Li Heng and Frida had many children and grandchildren, but this was the first time they had encountered such a tricky situation.
The little one was too dependent on others, so he had no choice but to go and accompany him.
The couple left immediately, taking the earliest available flight.
Due to the rush, the business class seats on their flight were already full.
As a result, they had to travel in economy class.
The flight would take several hours.
Feng Qi informed Feng Yuan that his grandparents were coming.
Feng Yuan still refused to come out.
The little one insisted that he would only open the door when his grandparents knocked.
There was a surveillance camera in the bedroom.
Ever since they had a child, Li Sheng had installed cameras all over the house.
At that moment, he and Feng Qi were watching the surveillance feed from the bedroom.
The little one, sitting against the door, was wiping his tears with his chubby hands.
After wiping his tears, he buried his face in his plump, bent legs.
Feng Qi and Li Sheng could no longer see his little face.
After some time had passed.
Feng Qi noticed the little one shift positions, pressing half of his face against his arm.
He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
“Li Sheng, open the door.”
They had the key to the bedroom lock.
Earlier, when Feng Yuan was upset, they had chosen not to force their way in.
Now that the little one had cried himself to sleep, they gently opened the door.
Li Sheng carried him to the bed and said softly, “He hasn’t eaten yet.”
“Forget it. Let him eat when his grandparents arrive.”
Feng Qi knew that even if they woke the little one, he wouldn’t eat.
At this point, aside from letting him continue sleeping, there was no better option.
The adults tucked him in. Li Sheng then accompanied Feng Qi to have a bite to eat.
Li Ting, knowing his father was coming, left without even having dinner.
Li Sheng stared coldly at him, not bothering to see him off.
Once Li Ting and Su Miao left, only a few of them remained in the house.
Qin Xun wanted to return to his own villa to sleep.
But Feng Qi stopped him: “Xiao Xun, I’m worried about you staying alone.”
“From now on, stay with Yuan Yuan. You can stay as long as you like.”
“I know how clingy Yuan Yuan can be. I’m grateful that you’ve been so patient with him.”
Under Feng Qi’s gentle tone, Qin Xun pursed his lips and nodded.
He preferred to stay here rather than in his empty, lonely home.
“Okay. I’ll stay with Yuan Yuan forever and ever.”
“Good. Once you’ve washed up, get some rest. Tomorrow, you and Yuan Yuan are going out to play.”
After settling Qin Xun, Feng Qi and Li Sheng also went to wash up and rest.
They set an alarm.
At three in the morning, they had to get up to pick up the guests.
A few hours later, at three in the morning.
When Feng Qi got up, he deliberately pressed his lips against Feng Yuan’s forehead.
Thankfully, it wasn’t hot.
Feng Qi was genuinely afraid the little one might have cried himself into a fever.
“Feng Qi, stay home and watch over Yuan Yuan. I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay.”
The two shared a kiss.
The big kissing monster, satisfied with his kiss, went out to drive and pick up the guests.
Around 4:30 a.m. local time, Li Heng and Frida rode in their son’s car back to his home.
In the car.
After discussing Feng Yuan’s situation, Li Heng and Frida shifted the topic to Li Sheng and Feng Qi.
They were still urging them to get their marriage certificate.
Listening to their urging, Li Sheng let out an “Mm,” indicating he understood.
“We’re working on it.”
“If you want something, just say it directly. By the way, I’ll set aside a share of the Li family’s assets for Feng Qi.”
“That way, he won’t have to work and will still have his own income.”
Li Heng knew that Feng Qi often worked on film sets.
He didn’t have a favorable impression of the entertainment industry, whether domestic or international. It was just too chaotic.
There were too many messy people in that circle. With Feng Qi’s striking looks, the thought of him entering that world felt dangerous.
“I understand.”
Li Sheng responded to his father.
Before Feng Qi and Feng Yuan came into their lives, he and Li Heng hadn’t had such a peaceful conversation in a long time.
Now, it seemed as though their family was gradually becoming more normal.
Time passed slowly.
A short while later, they arrived home.
Li Sheng brought the two to the bedroom and then headed to the kitchen to prepare a meal.
“Uncle Li, you’re here.”
Feng Qi propped himself up and sat up gently.
In his arms, Feng Yuan’s tear-streaked face had already been wiped clean, but his eyelids were still red and slightly swollen.
“He cried himself to sleep.”
“He hasn’t eaten since dinner yesterday.”
Feng Qi spoke softly, then made room for Li Heng and Frida.
The two looked at the little one on the bed, their voices filled with regret and self-reproach.
“We should have talked to Yuan Yuan earlier.”
The little one only found out after returning home and arriving that his grandparents weren’t coming back with them.
For a child, it was too sudden.
“I’m the one who should apologize.”
Feng Qi said, “I’ve made you go through all this trouble to come here.”
The adults spoke quietly among themselves.
Whether Feng Yuan heard them or was simply sensitive to his grandparents’ voices, with his eyes still closed, his hoarse little voice began calling for his grandparents.
Frida’s heart ached at the sound.
“Water. Give Yuan Yuan some water.”
“It’s always ready for him.”
The water in the thermos was right by the bedside. Feng Qi quickly poured a cup and handed it over.
Li Heng took the cup, lifted his grandson with one hand, and carefully brought it to his lips.
Feng Yuan didn’t rush to drink.
He opened his round eyes, looked at his grandpa for a few seconds, and then began gulping down the water.
After finishing the entire cup,
Feng Yuan stretched out his little hands and threw himself into his grandpa’s arms, burying his face in the crook of his neck.
Before long, Li Heng felt the warmth of dampness against his skin.
In all his years, this was the first time Li Heng had felt so deeply relied upon by a little one.
His large hand supported the child’s back. In that moment, he wanted to give this little one everything good he had.
“Grandpa, won’t go?”
“I won’t go. Grandpa won’t go.”
Li Heng held him close and promised softly, “Grandpa and Grandma will never leave again. We’ll stay here with Yuan Yuan, okay?”
“Okay.”
Feng Yuan sniffled, his damp little face looking utterly pitiful.
He stretched out his chubby little hand and made pinky promises with his grandparents one by one.
In the bedroom, the adults and the little one huddled together.
Li Sheng, who had finished preparing the meal, called from the doorway, “Come and eat something. Dad, Mom, after you eat, rest a bit. But don’t sleep too long, or you won’t adjust to the time difference.”
“Mm.”
The whole family gathered in the dining room. Feng Yuan’s stomach had long been empty.
Even while eating, he insisted on staying close to his grandparents.
Li Heng held him, feeding him porridge, while Frida offered him small steamed buns.
The little one didn’t have to lift a finger himself.
He took a sip of the porridge fed by his grandpa and then a bite of the bun fed by his grandma. His chubby little face radiated pure contentment.
By the time breakfast was over, the sky outside had fully brightened.
Feng Yuan thoughtfully urged his grandparents to go to sleep.
Tilting his little face upward, he gave them goodnight kisses.
Frida adored him beyond words.
After the little one had scampered off, she lay in bed and said to Li Heng, “Li Heng, perhaps the Li family’s curse is gone.”
They had Yuan Yuan now. Their home would be filled with more and more love.
Li Heng didn’t say anything, merely patting Frida’s hand gently.
With his belly full, Feng Yuan was now driving his little car.
His miniature car had a passenger seat.
Qin Xun sat beside him as they headed out.
The night before, on their way home, they had already asked for the address of the shop owner sister.
They were now on their way to find her.
Along the road, Feng Yuan frequently stepped on the brakes and got out of the car.
In the back seat of his little car lay his fertilizer bag.
Whenever he spotted bottles, cardboard, or similar items along the way, he would hop out to collect them.
Qin Xun watched him laboriously picking up scraps and felt it was too much effort.
So, sitting in the car, he offered a suggestion.
“Yuan Yuan, you don’t have to collect everything yourself.”
“Now that you have a car, you can start a scrap collection business. Others can bring their collected scraps to you, you pay them for it, and then haul the scraps to the larger recycling center. That way, you can earn the price difference.”
As Qin Xun explained in detail, Feng Yuan’s little face grew increasingly serious.
“That makes sense!”
After visiting the Veteran’s Barbecue the day before, Feng Yuan had been thinking about starting a small business.
He had initially considered opening a “Little Soldier Barbecue”.
But for a barbecue stand, he would need to know how to grill meat.
Feng Yuan hadn’t learned that yet.
Now, Qin Xun’s suggestion gave him a new idea.
“But Yuan Yuan has no money for collecting scraps.”
Feng Yuan was not one to save money. He spent it as soon as he got any.
At the moment, he was broke again.
Just as Qin Xun was about to offer his own money, Feng Yuan came up with a plan.
“Yuan Yuan will borrow money!”
Qin Xun asked, “Who are you going to borrow from?”
Qin Xun added, “I have money.”
Feng Yuan didn’t want to borrow from Qin Xun.
Worried that he might borrow recklessly from others, Qin Xun proposed a partnership instead.
“I’ll provide the funds, and we’ll split the profits evenly from whatever you earn. How does that sound?”
Feng Yuan thought it over.
After a while, he nodded.
Having decided to start their business, the two little ones pulled over on the roadside.
They used some cardboard they had picked up to make a sign.
Feng Yuan had also found a nearly dried-out thick marker near a trash can earlier.
He shook it vigorously until the ink started flowing, then handed it to Qin Xun to write the words.
Soon, a piece of cardboard from a dismantled box of instant noodles bore the bold characters:
“Little Soldier Yuan Yuan’s Scrap Recycling!”
The characters for “Yuan Yuan” were written by Feng Yuan himself, taking the pen with great care, stroke by stroke.
Qin Xun set up the sign in the car and then went to a store to buy an electronic scale.
With everything ready, they continued driving.
They collected scraps along the way while heading to find the shop owner sister.
“Yuan Yuan, we still need a loudspeaker, a calculator, and we should exchange some money for small change.”
“Oh, and we need to remember the recycling prices at the scrap yard.”
“Yuan Yuan, how much lower do you think we should set our buying price compared to the scrap yard?”
Qin Xun wasn’t solely managing all matters regarding Little Soldier Yuan Yuan’s scrap recycling business. He also posed questions to Feng Yuan, discussing things together with him.
Feng Yuan drove the car, his chubby face tense as he carefully pondered.
“Qin Xun, we can charge a ten-cent service fee!”
Earning ten cents per jin of scrap made Feng Yuan feel a bit like a petty profiteer.
A few minutes later.
Feeling slightly guilty, the little profiteer Yuan Yuan changed the price again.
“Let’s just charge five cents! Ten cents is too much.”
Qin Xun: “…”
The profits generated from Qin Xun’s assets amounted to who-knows-how-many tens of thousands daily.
Yet, even with all those tens of thousands, Qin Xun still earnestly discussed the five- and ten-cent business with Feng Yuan.
“Let’s base it on quantity. If they’re selling very little, we’ll take a ten-cent margin.”
“If they’re selling a lot, we can afford to be a bit more flexible.”
“Okay!”
Having settled on the pricing, the two little ones continued driving their toy car, puttering along.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152