"You want me...to buy cosmetics for Mazu?"
Yu Xueqing looked puzzled as she stared at the 5,000 yuan transfer on WeChat, typing out a question mark.
"Your dad is really trendy, huh?" Yu Xueqing didn’t shy away when she called her dad, and Ansheng and Mo Yiqing were eavesdropping the whole time.
Mo Yiqing couldn’t resist chiming in with a quip.
"This feels like a déjà vu. I’ve seen this move before on Old Deng’s circle. There’s a rich old man who donated a huge amount for Mazu Temple’s renovation and brags about it every day in front of Old Deng..."
"Old Deng, unable to counter that, just played the filial piety card, using moral coercion to claim he was being dutiful to Mazu!" Ansheng said confidently to Yu Xueqing with a look of certainty.
To Ansheng, Old Deng’s seemingly ridiculous actions were still within the realm of understanding.
Because here, the culture of comparison is heavy, and they’ll grit their teeth to show off anything displayed outwardly.
If you don’t showcase your wealth and character, how can you earn people’s respect?
Without the aid of benefactors, how can one become rich?
Of course.
These matters, generally speaking, are not discussed openly among the Xia Dong locals, while Ansheng from a previous life was simply an outsider. Some Xia Dong friends fondly shared grievances with him.
Damn it, I’ve been working hard all year, eating meagerly, saving thousands, and then during the New Year, it’s all wrapped in red envelopes and given away.
Here, red envelopes must be an odd number — even a casual acquaintance gets 300 yuan, closer friends around 1,000, and some regions are even more outrageous.
When Ansheng first heard this, he was shocked.
Moreover, aside from daily expenses, Xia Dong families spend an average of 30,000 yuan yearly on incense and offerings.
Knowing Xia Dong customs, Ansheng wasn’t surprised by Yu Zhenghong’s actions. Even if Old Deng danced in a cabaret one day, it wouldn’t be unusual.
With such high daily expenses and preparations for Yu Xueqing’s dowry.
If Old Deng isn’t ambitious, how can he brag in front of other Old Dengs about his happy and harmonious family?
...
Even though Yu Xueqing received her dad’s task to buy high-end genuine products at the mall counter as offerings to Mazu for sunscreen, there’s still time. Yu Xueqing led the little fox and Mo Yiqing to an old-looking restaurant with visible signs of history.
"Deng deng — East Jia Restaurant, the absolute top spot in my heart. Back in the day, my dad took my mom here for a date, which led to me..."
With confidence, Yu Xueqing introduced Dong Jia Restaurant to Mo Yiqing:
"If their dishes weren’t good, I wouldn’t be here today. Everything at Dong Jia Restaurant is great, just that the seafood is slightly expensive because most are selected from cold-water areas, making them especially flavorful..."
Listening to Yu Xueqing’s introduction, Mo Yiqing’s eyes lit up, and she quickly pulled Yu Xueqing towards the restaurant.
An expert can tell right away, cold current areas usually have high salinity and low temperatures. Seafood growing in such an environment has very firm flesh.
Similarly, due to the influence of cold currents, the seafood grows very slowly, making it particularly sweet and rich in flavor.
Hearing Yu Xueqing mention cold-water areas, Mo Yiqing immediately knew Yu Xueqing was truly a good friend, bringing her to such a hidden gem of a restaurant.
Once inside the restaurant, on the left is a fish tank shaped like a large ship. Due to the temperature difference, a layer of condensation formed on the glass fish tank.
"Welcome, how many guests?" The hostess at the right-side cash register stepped forward with a smile and asked.
"Two, serve chrysanthemum tea, and get us a quiet, pet-friendly private room."
Mo Yiqing told the hostess, then happily grabbed a net, heading straight for the fish tank. The hostess was startled, hurriedly caught up, and exclaimed in shock:
"Sir, you can’t! The Dragon Grouper and Aji in that tank are our managers and are not for sale!"
"That Dragon Grouper and Aji have been here for sixteen years, raised by our boss as pets..."
Mo Yiqing, looking disappointed, said, "Why keep them at the entrance if you’re not selling? It gets me all excited and then tells me it’s unavailable. Isn’t that forcing someone down the red-light district?"
The grouper in the fish tank was huge, nearly a meter in size, but Mo Yiqing’s target wasn’t the fierce black-skinned giant but the bright red, goldfish-like bream next to it.
"...I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience." Mo Yiqing’s crude words made the hostess’s face turn red as she said, "I’ll apply a discount for you later."
All the fish tank seafood had prices except for the Dragon Grouper and Red Sea Bream.
This guest didn’t even glance at the prices and rolled up her sleeves, ready to scoop out the ’Fengshui Fish Manager’.
"Ah Qing... I think I know who you learned those outrageous words from." Ansheng sat squatting on the cash register, looking at Yu Xueqing with black lines and an awkward face.
"When it comes to being outrageous, Mo Yiqing is the pro."
The little fox yipped non-stop, mocking Mo Yiqing, and then its yips reached Yu Xueqing’s mind:
’Wow! Master, look, Aunt Momo truly is a hunter with a scar on her belly, going straight for the strongest fish. Momo the fox fights all alone.’
"Not only fighting alone, but seeing the prices above the fish tank also made my wallet hurt..." Yu Xueqing looked at the menu Mo Yiqing ordered, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead.
taels of abalone, one costs 98 yuan.
Sashimi-grade oysters, each 39 yuan.
Giant Arctic scallops, one costs 69 yuan.
Selected swimming crab, each costs 238 yuan.
And there’s sea intestines and sea fish priced per jin, with Mo Yiqing ordering three servings of each item sold individually, and ordering per jin for the rest after glancing at Yu Xueqing.
After ordering, as she approached the private room’s door, Mo Yiqing subtly opened the payment page on her phone, slipped it into the basket held by the hostess, and winked at her.
The hostess was stunned, seemingly understood, and nodded.
"Wow..."
Yu Xueqing sat in the chair enjoying the air conditioning in the private room, instinctively pulled her collar, and then looked at the little fox on the table, saying:
"I almost got heatstroke in the Celestial Empress Palace just now..."
While speaking, Yu Xueqing took out a packet of wet wipes from her small backpack, lifted her shirt, and wiped the sweat from her chest. The little fox was caught off guard.
"I finally discovered a drawback of our little fox: in hot weather, you can’t be held in arms, or else I almost got heat rash." Yu Xueqing snarked.
Entering the Celestial Empress Palace went smoothly, but leaving was a different story. Some tourists asked Yu Xueqing if they could take photos with the fox.
Although people liked her little fox, making Yu Xueqing very happy.
But without air conditioning in the scorching summer, holding the fluffy little fox and taking photos for over ten minutes in the shade, Yu Xueqing experienced what truly delightful troubles are.
The fox is too cute, what can I do.jpg
"Xiaolan, you’re too hot, how about letting Sister Chen Zhiyu give you a trim later?"
Yu Xueqing set down her shirt and looked warmly at the little fox.
But facing Yu Xueqing’s teasing, the little fox pondered, then stood up on the table, turned its back on her, and raised its hind leg.
With a shocked expression, Yu Xueqing swiftly grabbed a teacup to cover the little fox’s vital spot.
"Xiaolan, if you dare! I’ll have all your eggs cut off!"