Chapter 74
The maple trees in front of YOOFO dessert shop have turned yellow and green again. This street, covered with fallen maple leaves, seems to have frozen time. Everything is just like it was five years ago, both lively and romantic.
Xiaoruo's YOOFO dessert shop only does private customization, and she only accepts orders based on her interests. Moreover, she does not accept rush orders. In the process of doing this, she has built up the reputation of the dessert shop. Now, when people mention YOOFO, it is a symbol of quality, high-end and expensive.
Today I received a wedding cake order with the Chinese character "囍" (double happiness). In addition to the three-tiered red velvet main cake, I also need to make some matching cupcakes for the guests.
Du Xiaoruo timed it perfectly and put the cake base into the oven.
Fan Yingjiao was ordering ingredients online for tomorrow when she saw Du Xiaoruo start baking a cake. She looked up at the old-fashioned wall clock and realized it was almost time for the kids to get out of school.
She smiled and shook her head, "These little ones just love to eat the scraps right out of the oven. They've been eating them for years and they never get tired of them."
After Fan Yingjiao stopped playing the villainous supporting character, she actually chose to work at YOOFO, diligently learning how to make desserts from Du Xiaoruo. Now she's a capable head chef in the shop. Fan Yue has asked her to come back to Xiyou to help out several times, but she refuses, preferring to stay here.
Having given up the supporting role role, Fan Yingjiao's real personality is actually quite outgoing and lively, though sometimes a little dull, making her much more adorable than when she played a supporting role.
Just at 5:30, a top-of-the-line Alphard minivan pulled up in front of the store. The tutor got out of the passenger seat, opened the back door, and took a soft, cuddly little baby out of the car seat.
The little dumpling has clear, grayish-blue pupils, but the shape of her eyes is very similar to Du Xiaoruo's, with round, almond-shaped eyes. Her skin inherited her father's fair complexion, which is soft, chewy, and bouncy, like a mochi displayed in a dessert cabinet.
She struggled to jump down from the teacher's arms and walked into the store on her own with her two chubby little legs.
The teacher followed behind, reminding her, "Momo, slow down, watch your step."
But the little dumpling, who looked as delicate and noble as a princess, was not afraid at all. She frowned, took steps, and when she encountered a step, she would lie down and wiggle her chubby little bottom to climb up. When she couldn't push open the glass door of the dessert shop, she would pound on the glass door.
Du Xiaoruo got a headache as soon as she heard that unique knocking sound. When Xiao Mo was born, the Jin family was overjoyed. Zhang Yanshu even declared that he would raise Xiao Mo to be the most noble rich girl.
But as they raised her, something went wrong. Despite her looks and family background being those of a proper heiress, Jin Qiemo's personality was something else entirely. In her father's words, she had "social thug syndrome."
After banging on the door, Xiao Mo turned her head to look at the side in confusion.
I don't know who parked the electric bike on the sidewalk. The electric bikes parked here are affecting everyone's walking. Du Xiaoruo has said it several times and even posted a "No Parking Here" sign at the entrance, but some people just don't listen to her.
Xiao Mo frowned, lifted her short legs and walked over to the electric scooter. Pointing at the haphazardly parked vehicle with her lotus-root-like little arms, she shouted loudly and clearly.
"Who parked this car? Don't you know parking is prohibited here? Hurry up and ride your bike back to your own home, or I'll have to take action."
Hearing the childish, swearing voice, the shop owners nearby knew it was Jin Qiemo. They all came out to tease her; everyone wanted to play with this pretty, delicate, yet fierce little dumpling.
Mr. Liu, the owner of the handmade leather boots shop, asked, "Momo, how are you planning to sell them?"
Jin Qiemo pouted and huffed angrily, "I'll smash his head in!"
Du Xiaoru rushed out of the dessert shop, grabbed Jin Qiemo and tucked him under her elbow, blushed and gave the neighbors an apologetic smile before fleeing back to her own shop.
Jin Qiemo struggled to peek out from under his mother's armpit, determined not to give up, and shouted loudly.
"Ride your electric scooter away right now, and I, Jin Qiemo, will keep my word!"
Du Xiaoruo pushed her head back under her armpit and warned in a low voice, "Shut up."
Back in the shop, Fan Yingjiao was already laughing uncontrollably. "Momo went to swear again?"
Du Xiaoruo sighed helplessly, "She's only three years old and already has such a big temper. Who knows what she'll become when she grows up?"
Jin Qiemo paid no attention to her mother's complaints. With her hands behind her back, she surveyed the small dessert shop, walked over to the oven, wrinkled her delicate little nose, sniffed it, and turned back confidently.
"This chiffon cake was only put in for about ten minutes, right? If you want to eat the scraps, you'll probably have to wait another half hour. I'm going upstairs to take a nap. Remember to wake me up later."
Fan Yingjiao cooperated and replied with a smile, "I understand, Miss. Please rest first."
Du Xiaoruo struck Jin Qiemo on the back of the head with a palm strike.
"How rude!"
Jin Qiemo's expression changed instantly, and he bowed respectfully and humbly to Fan Yingjiao at a 90-degree angle, saying, "Thank you, Aunt Fan."
Xiao Mo took a nap on her small bed on the second floor. When she heard voices coming from downstairs, she jumped up and climbed backwards down the stairs. She put her short legs down first and then writhed down the stairs slowly and clumsily.
Halfway up the stairs, Xiao Mo turned around and called out loudly to the people below.
"Brother, Xiao Mo is in the mail."
Lele put down his schoolbag and strode towards Xiao Mo. Lele's height had increased dramatically after entering high school. Now, at only 14 years old, he was already close to 1.75 meters tall. Standing at the bottom of the stairs, he easily picked up Xiao Mo.
Five years ago, Lele and Xiaotong agreed to donate their hair to cancer patients and started growing it out. The two kids have been doing this for five years. Now Lele usually wears a ponytail. When it gets long enough, she cuts it short all at once and donates it, and then grows her hair out again.
Lele is starting to look more and more like his father, with deep, three-dimensional features, fair skin, dark brown curly hair tied in a ponytail, and a tall, slender figure. He looks like a noble prince.
Du Xiaoruo often heard Mrs. Huang mention that Huang Longyu had said when he got home that more than half of the girls at their school liked Lele.
Jin Qiemo was held in Lele's arms, and he rubbed affectionately against his brother's shoulder. He picked up Lele's name tag with his little hand, and when he saw the name on the name tag, he giggled.
"Brother, what were you thinking? Naming me Jin Yi? Hahahaha."
Lele patted her head affectionately, "Jin Yi is so good, he can save a lot of time writing his name during exams."
Du Xiaoruo looked at Lele's name tag and felt a headache coming on.
Previously, Lele was unwilling to use the name Pei Jiayi that Pei Ye had given him, saying that it had too many strokes. He chose a name called Jin Yi instead. Qiao An indulged him and actually changed his name to Jin Yi on his household registration book, treating the name change like a joke.
Du Xiaoruo gets angry whenever she thinks of this nonsensical name. Fortunately, her nickname is Lele. Except when she goes to school for parent-teacher meetings, Du Xiaoruo deliberately avoids this bizarre formal name.
Xiao Mo snuggled in her brother's arms for a while, and then the wind chimes at the door rang out with a clear, ethereal sound.
At this point in time, Du Xiaoruo knew who had arrived without even looking.
Sure enough, after the doorbell rang, a chubby little boy skipped in, threw his schoolbag on the ground, wrinkled his round, chubby nose, sniffed hard a few times, and asked loudly,
"Mom, the cake base is ready."
Fan Yingjiao pinched Xiao Shu's chubby face, "Dog nose, huh?"
Xiao Shu scratched his head and chuckled.
Du Xiaoruo took the cake out of the oven, inverted the cake base onto a baking tray, and after unmolding the cake, used a spatula to trim off the warm scraps.
The three little ones had already bent over by the kitchen counter, their mouths wide open, waiting to be fed.
Fan Yingjiao checked the time and glanced towards the door again, as if waiting for someone to appear.
Du Xiaoruo picked up a piece of cake, preparing to feed Xiao Mo in order, when she heard the welcoming wind chimes at the door ring again.
Fan Yingjiao smiled knowingly and said that the man who came to eat the scraps every day was never absent.
A dark figure flashed past the glass door, and Joan, dressed in a vintage suit from D, pushed the door open and entered.
Qiao An belongs to the "Qi" generation in the Jin family. When he changed his name, Jin Jin considered that everyone was familiar with his previous name, so he only added the generation name to his name. Now he is called Jin Qi'an, but everyone is still used to calling him President Ha.
Now past thirty, his youthful naiveté has faded, replaced by a more composed and commanding presence. His well-maintained physique is toned and upright, and his face has become increasingly deep and captivating. Since taking over the Jin family business before the new year, he has been crowned the richest man, and his outward air of nobility has grown ever more superior. But in reality…
You can tell from how he rushed over and grabbed the scraps from the kids that it's the same old recipe, the same flavor as Mr. Ha.
Jin Qiemo watched helplessly as his father snatched the cake from his mouth, and in anger, he put his hands on his hips and glared at his dad.
"I'll go home and run you over with my little horse-drawn carriage."
Qi An stretched out his excessively beautiful hands, his thin palms covering Jin Qiemo's eyes, and lowered his head to capture Du Xiaoruo's lips.
Married for five years, he seems to be in love every day, and the first thing he does when he sees her is to give her a passionate kiss.
Others are already used to the couple's behavior of showing affection anytime, anywhere, regardless of the lives of others.
Fan Yingjiao went about her business, while Lele and Xiaoshu took away the scraps of cake. Lele also shoved the sulking Xiao Mo aside to eat her cake.
Du Xiaoruo was breathless from the kiss, so she pushed him away and whispered, "That's enough."
Qi An embraced her waist, rested his chin on her slender shoulder, and nibbled on her earlobe, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Is that enough? I'll deal with you tonight."
Du Xiaoruo's face instantly flushed red, the blush spreading from her cheeks to her ears. She mischievously blew a breath into Qi An's ear.
"It's still uncertain who will take care of whom."
Qi An awkwardly released Du Xiaoruo, cursing her under his breath as a vixen. Some people may seem shy, but they are actually quite passionate. In flirting, Qi An has repeatedly failed, but he will still try again next time.
Having lost to Du Xiaoruo, he had no choice but to steal cakes from the children.
Qi An grabbed a large piece of cake and put it in his mouth, then reached out and poked Xiao Shu's chubby cheeks. "Have you gone to the mountains to see your dad recently?"
Xiao Shu was chewing on the soft cake when she heard Qi An's words. Suddenly, her eyes welled up with tears, and she looked a little sad.
With cake in his mouth, he shook his head and mumbled, "School hasn't let out for holiday yet, I haven't gone."
Du Xiaoruo brought out some more cakes and placed them on the small round table. She nudged Qi An's shoe under the table with her toe, signaling him not to keep mentioning Mu Hua to Xiao Shu.
Qi An reached out and patted Xiao Shu's head. "It's okay. Just stay at home. You, Lele, and Xiao Mo are all the same at home."
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