"Your great-great-grandfather's background wasn't good, does that count too?" Qin Xiaoyu was stunned, but she could only accept it.

"Give the child a good talking-to; she's really outstanding," Zhou Xing's mother sighed deeply.

The house was just starting to get lively, but this incident ruined everyone's mood. Qin Xiaoyu noticed that Commander Zhou hadn't watched TV with everyone; he'd gone upstairs after dinner, without even taking his daughter Hanhan with him, which she found unusual.

"Hanhan, did you make Grandpa angry?"

"No, Grandpa is very sad for some reason. I saw him wiping away tears in the study. I didn't want to disturb him, so I let him be alone." Hanhan was very sensible.

Captain Chen worked very efficiently; the pastry shop was already tidied up, and Qin Xiaoyu registered the shop name as "Liunian Xiaozhu" (meaning "The Cottage of Fleeting Years"). It's right next to Riyue Clothing Store, and the two are connected by a sliding door in the middle.

Looking at clothes and trying them on here, while the aroma of fresh coffee and milk wafts over there—what woman could resist such temptation?

Qin Xiaoyu printed a large batch of discount cards and asked Commander Wang to distribute them. These were for the women of high society in the city, and also the precise target group of Liunian Xiaozhu.

On the first day of opening, the second floor was packed with people, many of whom were just there to watch the excitement.

Qin Xiaoyu was initially worried that the mixed crowd might make some customers feel the environment was too chaotic. However, the envious glances she received greatly stimulated her desire to spend money.

On the first day, the clothing sales were astonishing. Zhou Yue didn't even have time to go home before rushing to the factory to place additional orders.

Originally, Liu Nian Xiao Zhu was supposed to draw staff from Qi Si's shop, but after some consideration, Qin Xiaoyu decided to bring in chefs and pastry chefs instead. They also needed someone who could lead them and whose words carried weight. These people were mostly trained by Cheng Fuxing, who called him "Master," so it was most suitable to entrust the shop to Ding Xiaojie.

Mr. and Mrs. Ding also came to visit once, and they were already very accommodating to Qin Xiaoyu, so happy that they couldn't stop smiling.

The first day's sales at Liunian Xiaozhu exceeded their expectations, and all the goods were eventually sold out before they finally closed the door.

The original plan was to have the dim sum prepared at a Cantonese teahouse and delivered, but Qin Xiaoyu decided to set up an open kitchen at Liunian Xiaozhu.

She called Captain Chen to come and work overnight, but it was tough on her cousin's family who couldn't get enough rest.

"Go back and get some sleep. You don't know how busy you'll be tomorrow. I'll keep an eye on things here." Her cousin-in-law pushed Qin Xiaoyu downstairs.

"How is Fengqin?" Qin Xiaoyu asked, remembering that she hadn't seen her in a while.

"She's buried in her studies, saying she wants to get into a good university. Sigh, it's all my fault, she's really upset." My cousin-in-law lowered her head.

"What setback? I think it's good to gain some experience. You don't know how well Fengqin performed. There must have been some behind-the-scenes manipulation if she wasn't selected. Don't worry, she'll shine sooner or later!" Qin Xiaoyu gave her cousin-in-law a few more instructions before driving back.

There wasn't a single car on the road, and the streetlights were sparse. Qin Xiaoyu drove very slowly. At this time, small animals would occasionally dart out onto the road, so she had to be extra careful.

Her mind, which had been in turmoil all day, slowly began to clear. She remembered a name, and suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

A relationship ended without a trace; perhaps it truly wasn't meant to be. She wanted to love wholeheartedly, but he wouldn't give her the chance.

She slammed on the brakes, and in the headlights' view, a tiny kitten was slowly crawling forward, seemingly meowing as it crawled.

Qin Xiaoyu hurriedly opened the car door and got out. Only when she got closer could she see that it was a little black cat, completely black. It looked like it was less than a month old, weak, and kept meowing at her desperately.

Bringing a cat over without the Zhou family's consent seemed inappropriate, but there was no reason to abandon it now. Qin Xiaoyu picked it up and held it in her arms.

Let's leave it for one night. If that doesn't work, we'll take it to my cousin's house tomorrow. The Zhou family has all high-end furniture; it can't withstand the damage from these little hands.

Most of the lights in the Zhou family's small building were off, and Zhou Xing's room was also pitch black. Qin Xiaoyu looked up for a long time, her eyes stinging, before reluctantly walking up the steps.

Commander Zhou was waiting for her in the living room.

He wasn't asleep; his eyes were staring blankly into space.

Qin Xiaoyu mentally drew a question mark. Last time, Commander Zhou waited for her to get a haircut, but she had just gotten a haircut a few days ago. What was the reason? She was a little panicked.

"Master." She called softly twice before Commander Zhou came to his senses.

"You're back. It must have been tough."

"It's opening day, and Sister Xiaoyue is working even harder than me. She's probably still working overtime at the garment factory. Why isn't Dada asleep yet?"

"I can't sleep, I want to talk to you."

"Are you too tired from work during the day? Let me wash your hair." Qin Xiaoyu did as she said, running to fetch a basin of water. Commander Zhou was like an obedient child in front of her.

She helped Commander Zhou lie down on the recliner, carefully wrapped a towel around his neck, tested the water temperature, and began massaging him while wetting his hair.

"Little Fish, I want to retire."

"Huh?" Qin Xiaoyu was taken aback. She remembered that when Commander Zhou hosted a dinner on the first day of the Lunar New Year, he was full of ambition and wanted to implement a series of measures. Why did he suddenly say that he wanted to back down? Could it be that he was facing obstacles in the officialdom?

“I do want to retire. I’m getting old, and your mother is getting old too. We don’t have much time left. Let’s spend more time with her and the children,” Commander Zhou said softly.

Qin Xiaoyu's hand brushed against his temple; it was wet, whether from freshly splashed water or tears, she couldn't tell.

"Big Brother, do whatever makes you happy, I support you." Qin Xiaoyu pressed down hard on his head, row by row, hoping to relax his nerves and help him get a good night's sleep.

"I knew you would say that, good boy, it's so good to have you." After saying this, Commander Zhou refused to speak again.

Qin Xiaoyu dried his hair, intending to use a hairdryer, but he had already gone upstairs by the time she got the hairdryer.

Back in her room, Qin Xiaoyu felt something was off. Commander Zhou had a good grasp of his emotions, and seemed to be quite sentimental today.

Also, Zhou Xing's mother always waits for her when she comes home late, but she's not here today. Could something have happened at home that she doesn't know about?

Qin Xiaoyu suddenly remembered that she had casually left the little black cat in the kitchen when she came in. What if it ran around and got stepped on?

She hurriedly tiptoed downstairs, only to find the kitchen light on, Zhou Xing's mother sitting in a chair, and the little black cat drinking milk from a small dish.

"Mom, aren't you asleep?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I came downstairs for a drink of water and saw this little guy. Did you bring him back?" Zhou Xing's mother turned her face away, but you could still see the tear stains on her face.

"I found it on the street, can I keep it as a pet?"

"Why not? I've always wanted to have a cat." Zhou Xing's mother affectionately stroked the little black kitten's head. "What should we name it?"

"How's the cake?" Qin Xiaoyu asked casually, still thinking about the Liunian Xiaozhu incident.

"Great name, Cake. Our family has a new member, that's wonderful." Zhou Xing's mother picked up Cake and kissed it on the head.

"Mom, you should go to sleep early. I'm going upstairs." Qin Xiaoyu noticed it was getting late.

"Hmm, go to sleep. I'll take it upstairs. It's too small, so it won't get stepped on tomorrow morning." Zhou Xing's mother carried the little cake upstairs.