In the private room, Shu Yi had totally forgotten her consciousness of being a female star, wishing she could devour all the dishes on the table.
"Qi Ji, the little one, is definitely missing out big time by not coming. Sending these pictures to her, she's going to be drooling," Shu Yi finished saying and grabbed her phone to feverishly snap photos of the delicious food on the table.
"You're letting her see it but not taste it, even after she calls you elder sister. That's quite harsh, isn't it?" Shen Yin joked.
"I can't help it. She's in the hospital now, with her mother-in-law watching her. Being a week away from her due date, they'd never let her come out. Imagine if her water broke while she was outside, how dangerous that would be—there are two tiny lives inside her," Shu Yi reasoned as she peeled a tangerine and popped it into her mouth.
"Once we're done with the restaurant stuff, let's find some time to go visit her in the hospital, and bring her some delicious food."
"I like that idea. She'd be moved to tears, and then she would say: 'Indeed, my mother-in-law treats me much better.'"
"Wouldn't she think that I'm not coming to see her, but my daughter-in-law instead?"
As they were discussing all this, Xu Yunzheng overheard them. The little one continued in the conversation, "You mean going to see Auntie Qi Ji and Yunzheng's two soon-to-be wives, right?"
"Godson, it's fiancée, not soon-to-be wife, and it's one, not two. The other one is not for you."
Hearing this, Xu Yunzheng bit his own finger, not bothered at all, thinking—one is good enough, Humph!
"Yinyin, I can't control my appetite. I'm going to gain another two pounds after this meal," Shu Yi complained.
"You're aware you will put on two pounds, but you still can't resist."
"Can't help it." And with that, Shu Yi reached for the meat dish on the table.
Shen Yin quickly grabbed the meat dish before Shu Yi could reach it.
Shu Yi's hand fell into thin air, she pouted and withdrew her hand.
"Yinyin, can I have just one more piece, please?"
"Where's that diligence of a female star? Be careful, or I'll snap a picture of you right now and send it to your fans. Let them see what their precious idol is like."
Shen Yin was joking about it.
But it sure worked as a warning, and Shu Yi sat up straight immediately.
She has an image to uphold in front of her fans, after all.
At night, Qingfan Tower was even busier than during the day. Music floated down from the upper floor, customers below sipped wine, nibbling on delicacies, and enjoyed the tunes—a heavenly pleasure.
"Bang! Bang!" Fireworks were lit outside, colorful and grand, it attracted many guests outside mid-meal.
"Beautiful, was this your idea too? Is this how you do it where you come from?" Xu Xiuhe asked Shen Yin.
"Our grand opening back home was even more lively than this, but this particular idea was not mine, it was probably Chen Siming’s. The fireworks cover the entire sky, so beautiful."
"New sounds and laughter fill the streets with willow trees and flowers, tuning the strings to the sound of the pipes in the tea and wine houses."
"Getting cultural, aren't we?"
"Of course, my wife, so cultured, I must read more books, learn some phrases, in order to be worthy of you." Xu Xiuhe boasted about himself, not forgetting to compliment his wife.
"Daddy, stepmom said, Uncle Siming also said."
The little one paused here, it seemed that he felt that what he was about to say might upset Xu Xiuhe.
"What did they say?"
"They said, Daddy, you saved Earth in your previous life, that's why you could marry Mom in this life."
Upon hearing this, Xu Xiuhe was taken aback for a moment, but then it seemed to make sense.
"Hahaha, Yunzheng, they're not entirely right in what they said. Daddy might have saved not just Earth in his past life, but the Universe, in order to be able to marry your mother."
"What's the Universe?"
The little one, still not fully understanding, heard a new term, and couldn't help but get curious.
"Yunzheng, Universe is, nevermind, you're already three years old, when it gets to September, you'll start school, and then there will be a teacher to tell you what the Universe is.”
Xu Xiuhe realized he couldn't adequately explain the term "Universe", a term which encompasses all space, time, matter, and everything that derives from it, to Yunzheng. If he went along those lines, the little one would inevitably continue questioning.
Shen Yin listened to the father and son's conversation, finding it quite interesting. Xu Yunzheng always found ways to render Xu Xiuhe speechless.
"Going to school? What’s that for?"
"Indeed, going to school is about learning knowledge, learning about culture."
"Yunzheng has already learned, Yunzheng can learn at home as well, why do I have to go to school?"
The little one's big eyes were full of confusion about why he needed to go to school. He feared school meant that he wouldn’t be able to stay at home anymore.
"Because school is school and home is home."
Xu Xiuhe explained.
"Yunzheng, your dad thinks you're too carefree and wants you to go to school so you can learn some discipline."
Shen Yin added, at least in her view, that was what Xu Xiuhe intended.
"Daddy, is that what you think? Yunzheng needs to hear the truth."
The little one looked up, the voices from the surrounding firecrackers started to die down. The family of three was standing at the bridge behind the Qingfan Tower, Yunzheng’s voice in the quiet night was especially clear.
"Daddy doesn't think that. Once Yunzheng starts school, you will meet a lot of little friends there. They are all about the same age as Yunzheng, and you can play with them."
Upon hearing this, Yunzheng nodded.
"Who are all these people? Have I met them before?"
"..."
"Daddy doesn't know who they are either, but once you meet them, it's all destiny."
"Understood, then Yunzheng will go to school starting tomorrow."
"..."
"You'll have to wait a few months, will Yunzheng go with Mommy to visit Aunt Qi Ji tomorrow?"
"Yes."
The next morning, Shen Yin took Yunzheng to Qi Ji's hospital room.
Qi Ji's room was spacious. Ye Rong was sitting by the bedside peeling grapes for Qi Ji.
"Yinyin, dear son-in-law, how come you are here?" When Qi Ji looked up, she just happened to see Shen Yin leading Yunzheng into the room.
Ye Rong, upon hearing the news, looked up. This time, she truly saw the Shen Yin and her grandson-in-law that Qi Ji always talked about.
Ye Rong stood up, welcoming Shen Yin and the little one warmly, without a hint of a leader's wife's attitude.
"So this is my grandson-in-law. He is really handsome."
As Xu Yunzheng grew up, his features became more exquisite, his skin extraordinarily fair, and his eyes sparkled like stars.
Ye Rong had seen this little one on TV before, but now seeing him in person, she was incredibly fond of him.
"Darling, I'm your future grandmother."
Xu Yunzheng scrutinized Ye Rong for a moment, his voice childishly pitched, "Are you really my future wife's grandmother?"
Ye Rong burst into laughter, "This child is really delightful."
Shen Yin rubbed her forehead, who asks upon meeting someone, "Are you my future wife's grandmother?"
Was the little one confused? His fiancee isn't even born yet.
