Er Ya eagerly peeled a crayfish for Lin Hai and handed it to him, saying, "Uncle, try it. It'll taste even better if you dip it in the broth."

Lin Hai took the lobster meat, broke the crayfish open, revealing the tender shrimp meat. Paired with the spicy broth, one bite was tender in texture and stimulating in taste, making it irresistible.

His eyes lit up immediately: "This is really good, it's flavorful, I like it."

He prefers strong flavors, like spicy food, and these crayfish are exactly his taste. Following Er Ya's example, he peeled another one and chewed it carefully.

I said I was full, but when I saw this delicious food, I couldn't help but want to put it in my mouth. In no time, I had a pile of lobster shells in front of me.

He patted his belly with satisfaction and gave Er Ya a thumbs up: "The food here is all very good. I'm so full. If I didn't have to work and couldn't leave for too long, I would really like to stay here for a few days and indulge in some delicious food."

"Uncle, you don't know, this chef is actually my mother's apprentice. My mother cooks even better. But you came in a hurry, and my mother had to take care of her little brother. Otherwise, next time you could tell me in advance, and my mother would cook for you herself to show off her skills."

Lin Hai's eyes sparkled as he asked, "Really? Then I'll have to try it. It's getting late, we have to go, I have an important meeting tonight."

Most people who know him well know that he's a hidden foodie; he can't resist delicious food, which is why he has such a round belly over time.

Seeing that Lin Xiao was about to leave, Er Ya called out Jiang's mother.

Jiang's mother asked reluctantly, "Lin Xiao, aren't you going to stay here a few more days?"

Lin Xiao shook his head and said, "Godmother, no, I'd better go early so I can learn something sooner."

Even if I stay a few more days, I'll still have to leave eventually. Since we'll have to part sooner or later, I might as well leave sooner and stay together properly when I'm ready.

Jiang's mother hurriedly packed some food and drinks for Lin Xiao, saying, "Eat on the way, take good care of yourself there, and come back to visit when you have time. We will all miss you."

Lin Xiao nodded with tears in his eyes, choking back sobs and unable to speak.

When Lin Xiao got into the car, Er Ya finally realized that Brother Lin Xiao was really leaving. She became depressed and grabbed Lin Xiao's clothes, refusing to let him go: "Brother Lin Xiao, please don't go. I won't be used to you leaving."

Hearing Er Ya's soft, sweet voice, Lin Xiao really didn't want to leave, but for the sake of the future, he had no choice but to go.

He stroked Er Ya's soft hair and said with a hardened heart, "I have to leave. There are too few opportunities here. I should go to a big city to try my luck. You study hard and get into B City in the future. I'll throw you a welcome party."

Er Ya nodded with tears in her eyes, waved her hand and said, "Don't worry, wait for me for a few years, and I will go to B City with our own efforts."

Although they hadn't known each other for long, Lin Hai really liked this girl. He said with a smile, "Girl, when you get to B City, give me a call, and Uncle will take you to a five-star hotel. Although I don't think the taste is much better than what you have here."

"Okay, Uncle, it's a deal then, you can't go back on your word."

"Alright, girl, we should go now. Sister-in-law, don't see us off. You're still holding a baby, and it's windy outside."

The wind was indeed quite strong today, so Jiang's mother had no choice but to take Xiaobao back inside.

Lin Xiao hugged Er Ya reluctantly: "I'll be back by winter break at the latest. While I'm gone, don't keep running off to dangerous places. Now that you have a stable income, don't push yourselves so hard. Kids, it's most important to have fun."

Let me bear the hardships of life for you; you just need to be happy.

"Is it really not possible to stay?"

Lin Xiao shook his head: "School is about to start soon, and it will take some time to adjust after I get there. There isn't enough time. Can you wait a few months for me?"

“Okay, then it’s settled. You have to come home to see me and write to me. We’ve moved to town now, so call me when you have time. There’s a phone in the restaurant; I’ll give you the number.”

Lin Xiao kept nodding, watching with doting eyes as Er Ya wrote down his phone number. The driver honked the horn, and Er Ya forced a smile: "Have a safe trip and drive carefully."

The car sputtered away, and Er Ya felt an emptiness in her heart. This feeling was even more painful than when Liu Jingyu left. Thinking of how good Lin Xiao had been to her in the past, Er Ya really wanted to rush out and stop him from leaving.

However, she suppressed the thought. Lin Xiao was right. Although she had a golden finger, it was only for small-scale operations. She might not necessarily achieve the same level of success as her father. A man's ambition should be to explore the world and not always stay confined to this small plot of land.

After Lin Xiao left, Er Ya was so sad that she couldn't eat or sleep well, and this depressed mood lasted until the start of the new school term.

Er Ya is almost six years old. After discussing it, Jiang's mother and Lin Jianguo decided to let her go to school early. At school, she can make new friends and learn knowledge. They can't always make her do things for the family like an adult.

Er Ya didn't want to go at all. Just kidding, as a college student who has studied for so many years, she knows all the theoretical knowledge. How could she learn from a bunch of little kids?

However, she couldn't resist the repeated persuasion from Jiang's mother and Lin Jianguo. When she had no other choice, she reluctantly nodded and let her go bully those elementary school students.

On the first day of school, it took Jiang's mother a long time to coax Er Ya, who was fast asleep, to get up. She put on her new schoolbag, dressed in new clothes, ate a few bites of food quickly, and then followed Lin Jianguo to school to report.

Lin Jianguo had never stepped into a school in his life. Looking at the rows of houses arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, he saw a constant stream of students and parents coming and going.

In his memory, the classroom was in an abandoned temple, with three or four classrooms without doors or windows, a respected old man in the village, and wooden floors that creaked when stepped on.

Even under these conditions, Grandma Shen only allowed him to attend school for half a year. Because it was harvest time and there wasn't enough labor, she forcibly stopped him from going, and his student life ended.

Seeing Lin Jianguo's hesitant look, Er Ya said with a laugh, "Dad, are you afraid to go over there?"

"What do I have to be afraid of? Come on, let's hurry up, it wouldn't be good to keep the teacher waiting."

Er Ya chuckled to herself. She was clearly scared; look how nervous she was, she even took the wrong steps.

To be continued!