Chapter 68 The Empress's Demeanor
After getting ashore, Ji Zhiqi found his three eldest sons fighting.
The way the minor villains interacted was quite strange. This was their first time fighting, and Ji Zhi Qiu was really surprised, so she couldn't help but take a few more glances.
Ji Zishen originally planned to lie on the beach, enjoy the sea breeze, and have a nice nap, but Ji Sicheng and Ji Yanyan took the opportunity to bury him in the sand.
When he woke up, he found his body incredibly heavy, unable to even lift his hands, only his head could move. He turned his gaze around and met two pairs of eyes that were shining with excitement from the prank.
When Ji Sicheng and Ji Yan realized they had been discovered, they quickly ran away. Ji Zishen used all his strength to finally pull himself out of the sand, and without even bothering to straighten his clothes, he chased after them.
Ji Sicheng, who used to prefer staying indoors reading, is now the fastest runner, circling around and around. Ji Yanyan, being the most cunning, immediately climbs onto Lu Yu Nian, seeking his protection.
Ji Yanyan's little hands and feet were covered in sand as she stepped on Lu Yu Nian's clean clothes. Ji Zhi Qiu frowned as she watched, reaching out to pick up the little girl.
Lu Yunian smiled, blocked his hand first, and directly hugged Ji Yanyan to his neck.
Ji Yanyan took good care of herself. Although she was still small, she was a real little dumpling. Ji Zhiqi had never dared to do this before. Seeing this, he gasped and worried that Lu Yunian was unaware of the danger. He advised, "Don't underestimate Yanyan just because she's small. She's actually quite heavy."
Before he could finish speaking, he realized he had been overthinking it.
Lu Yu Nian was taller and bigger than he had imagined, with broad arms. Ji Yan Yan, sitting on his shoulders, looked tiny in comparison, and her weight was negligible.
Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't help but glance at him enviously, then lowered her voice and asked, "Do you work out often?"
I'll go when I have time.
"My dream is to be a muscular man..." Ji Zhi Qiu hadn't finished speaking when he caught a glimpse of his eldest son covering his mouth and chuckling.
Ji Zhi Qiu's eyes narrowed dangerously, "Ji Yan Yan!"
Ji Yanyan couldn't help but shiver. Without turning around, she could feel her father's presence getting closer and closer. Without any hesitation, she grabbed two tufts of hair on Lu Yu Nian's head, her voice trembling with nervousness, "Uncle, run! Uncle, save me! Giddy up!"
Lu Yu Nian was willing to play along with his antics, and Ji Zhi Qiu wasn't really angry. He pretended to chase after him, but always stayed three steps behind.
Five people were playing around on the beach. The afterglow of the setting sun filled the entire sky, dyeing their silhouettes in a warm orange hue. Their shadows stretched and converged at a single point, as if they were a perfect whole.
Ji Zhi Qiu was too exhausted to run anymore and sat down on the beach, panting. Lu Yu Nian held the exhausted and drowsy Ji Yan Yan in his arms and sat down next to Ji Zhi Qiu.
"Look, the sunset is so beautiful!" Ji Zhi Qiu exclaimed.
He could feel Lu Yu Nian's gaze, but waited for a long time without getting a response. He couldn't help but turn his head in confusion and accidentally met Lu Yu Nian's eyes.
Lu Yu Nian's gaze was as deep as the sea, so deep that even the afterglow of the setting sun could not illuminate it, but Ji Zhi Qiu saw an orange dot in it—his hair.
"What's wrong with you? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Lu Yu Nian turned to look at the horizon and said softly, "I made an appointment with... a friend to come to the beach to watch the sunset together."
Ji Zhi Qiu casually asked, "Is the sunset you see this beautiful too?"
Lu Yu Nian nodded: "Exactly the same."
Ji Zhi Qiu didn't think much of it and smiled, "We're going to be filming a variety show here for a week. We can come and watch the sunset every day from now on. Consider this an employee perk."
Lu Yunian raised an eyebrow. "Such unique employee benefits."
Ji Zhi Qiu joked, "Employee benefits don't stop there. Come on, I'll treat you to dinner."
He turned to the three children and called out, "Alright, stop fooling around. Let's go back and change into clean clothes, and then..."
He deliberately dragged out his words, building up the anticipation before saying, "Let's go eat barbecue, and while we're at it, let's see some pretty ladies, okay?"
Ji Yanyan immediately realized what was happening and jumped up happily, "Is that Sister Qianhua?"
Ji Zhi Qiu smiled and nodded. He first helped the three children change into clean clothes before the five of them continued their journey and soon arrived at Wen Qi Zheng's shop.
As he expected, there were very few customers at this time, so he went over and greeted them.
"Are there any seats left for the five of us?"
Wen Qizheng's eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up to greet them, "Of course, please make yourselves at home."
Ji Zhi Qiu originally wanted to choose a window seat, but then she remembered that there would be other customers in Wen Qi Zheng's shop, so she asked, "Are there any seats in the back? We don't want to disturb your business."
Wen Qizheng was stunned for a moment, his expression stiffening. "How could that be? Please sit here. What would you like to eat?"
"Do you have a menu?" Ji Zhi Qiu asked.
This is the most basic preparation for opening a store, but Wen Qizheng was stunned and looked blank: "No, I forgot."
...It's already the second day, and they still haven't prepared anything. Oh well, maybe that's just the nature of this restaurant.
"Just serve whatever you've prepared; we don't have any dietary restrictions."
Wen Qizheng breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and turned to walk towards the kitchen. Wen Qianhua was carrying a tray with at least three cups on it, but she walked very steadily and carefully, and even helped them arrange the cups.
Ji Zhi Qiu looked at the top human cub and her heart almost melted. "Qian Hua is so sensible and knows how to entertain guests so well. Of course, Yan Yan and Si Cheng did a great job too."
Ji Zishen considers himself an adult. If he is praised together with other children, he will feel that it is beneath him and he will be unhappy. Ji Zhiqi usually does not mention him in such situations.
After receiving the praise, Ji Yanyan was all smiles, her chubby body fidgeting and constantly nuzzling towards the pretty older sister.
Wen Qianhua noticed this and asked in a caring tone, "Does Yan Yan like coconut juice?"
Ji Yanyan immediately raised her little hand: "I like it!"
Wen Qianhua then politely inquired about the others, her attitude and tone impeccable, as if she had extensive experience in running a business.
Ji Sicheng also ordered coconut juice. He remembered that Wen Qianhua hadn't truly forgiven him back then. He pursed his lips and awkwardly asked, "Do you want some? I'll buy you one and put it on my dad's tab."
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..." You're so high and mighty, yet you're using me to do favors.
However, he was pleased with Ji Sicheng's change and chimed in, "Yes, Uncle will treat you."
"Thank you for your kindness, Uncle and Sicheng, but you are guests now, so I can't do that." Wen Qianhua smiled and turned to get them drinks.
A stove was set up in front of them, and meat skewers were quickly served. Ji Zhi Qiu looked at the mountain of unidentified objects on the plate, and his lips twitched twice. "Did you skewer these yourself?"
Wen Qizheng scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "I don't have much experience, so I didn't string them together very well."
Ji Zhiqi picked up the top skewer; it was unusually light, and chunks of meat kept falling off until only a bare wooden stick remained. He said speechlessly, "Is this just not very good?"
Wen Qizheng opened his mouth but no sound came out; he was completely withdrawn.
Ji Zhi Qiu sighed inwardly and comforted him, "It's okay, we're all family, there's no need to worry about appearances."
Lu Yunian also smiled and said, "The ingredients are very fresh, so the taste won't be bad."
Wen Qizheng gave him a grateful look.
Ji Zhi Qiu simply asked for an iron mesh, piled all the fallen pieces of meat onto it, stir-fried and roasted them, and sprinkled some seasonings on top. The appearance improved, and the taste became very tempting.
Ji Zhi Qiu ate until she was about 70% full, then stood up and stretched a bit. Looking at the empty hall, she suddenly realized something was wrong.
It's 7 o'clock, which is the peak dining time, why is there still no one here?
He looked at Wen Qizheng with a questioning gaze. Wen Qizheng had only drunk one glass of wine, and his face was flushed. His eyes were glazed, and he sat there in a daze. He didn't know what Ji Zishen had said to him, but he gave a silly smile.
"..."
Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't bear it, so he didn't ask the reason at this time.
It was almost 8 p.m. when they finished eating. Ji Yanyan was reluctant to leave, and Ji Zhiqi, unusually, did not urge him but instead poured Wen Qizheng a cup of tea.
Wen Qizheng thanked him, took small sips of his drink, and met Ji Zhiqi's gaze as he put down his cup.
Ji Zhi Qiu winked at him, signaling him to leave, but Wen Qi Zheng tilted his head in confusion, a question mark appearing above his head.
"..." That look in his eyes was so clear and stupid. Ji Zhi Qiu smiled helplessly and pointed outside. Wen Qi Zheng finally understood.
After the two went outside, the surroundings were quiet. Ji Zhi Qiu was still getting ready to start when Wen Qi Zheng asked without a care in the world, "What do you want from me?"
Ji Zhi Qiu paused for a moment, then asked, "How's business been these past two days?"
Although Wen Qizheng had a cold expression, the only person he was familiar with here was Ji Zhi Qiu. He felt a sense of security when he was close to Ji Zhi Qiu. In addition, he was unguarded after drinking, and when he heard this, his nose tingled and he couldn't help but pour out his grievances.
"I don't have any silver coins. I can only afford an oven. I rarely have customers, and when they do come, they're not satisfied with my service and get angry while waiting. The ingredients are so expensive, I can't make any money and can't afford to eat. I can only think about the scraps..."
These words were halting and illogical. After pondering for a while, Ji Zhi Qiu roughly understood them and patted Wen Qi Zheng on the shoulder with mixed feelings.
"You're not going to starve to death like you did in the last episode of the variety show, are you?"
Wen Qizheng sniffed, "If you don't come today, you'll be starving tomorrow."
Ji Zhi Qiu paused for a moment, then said with difficulty, "So I am your only guest today?"
There was only one stove, no wonder Wen Qizheng let them sit in the best view spot without worrying about disturbing other guests' dining.
Wen Qizheng rubbed her eyes, which were red from the sea breeze, and looked at him with pleading eyes, like a pitiful little dog that had been abandoned. "Am I particularly useless?"
"No..." Ji Zhi Qiu really couldn't bring himself to say anything comforting against his conscience.
“You’re not alone. What about your sister? She’s still so young and growing.”
Upon hearing this, Wen Qizheng almost burst into tears, burying his head in the sand like an ostrich.
Ji Zhi Qiu quickly grabbed him, a dark glint in his eyes, and smiled meaningfully, "I have an idea that will guarantee you good food and drink for the next few days."
Wen Qizheng: ? ? ? !
Five minutes later, they returned from outside together. Wen Qizheng was in much better condition, but he seemed to be in a huge shock and couldn't fully process it. He was in a daze.
"Zishen, could you please look after your younger siblings? We're going out for a bit."
They returned to the shop together, packed up their luggage upstairs, rearranged the shop's layout, and then dragged their suitcases back to Wen Qizheng's shop.
Ji Yanyan looked at the toy in her father's hand and tilted her head in confusion. "This is my frog. How did the frog get here?"
Ji Zhi Qiu smiled and pinched his cheek, "We'll sleep here from now on."
All the children looked over in unison, their faces full of confusion. Ji Zhi Qiu smiled mysteriously and offered no explanation.
The two groups of guests stayed in a spacious room, one upstairs and one downstairs. The three villainous kids didn't mind the beds and got a good rest.
When they woke up the next day, they went back to their little shop together.
Ji Yanyan stared in astonishment at the completely new layout, her eyes widening in surprise.
Ji Zhi Qiu stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for praise. "We have a lot of customers but a low table turnover rate. Many people have to wait in line outside. This way, the second floor is also freed up, and there are quieter private rooms that can provide customers with a better experience. Uncle Qi Zheng will bring his sister to help. Their business problems will also be solved. We can rest at his place at night. It's a win-win situation!"
Ji Yanyan was the best at flattering, softly hugging her father's leg and holding up five fingers, "It's clearly three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine! So many!"
Ji Zhi Qiu pinched his cheek. "Yan Yan is so smart, he can count so many numbers."
When Ji Yanyan received the praise, she subconsciously adopted Ji Zhi Qiu's mannerisms, placing her hands on her hips, squinting her eyes, and tilting her head back.
The two of them looked like they were copied and pasted, which charmed the viewers in the live stream.
"Can't I join this family? I want both a dad and a son!"
[Do you even have a chance? Don't even think about stealing my beautiful wife and handsome son away!]
[Hahaha, the same ending again. It's true what they say, you have to rely on friends when you're out in the world; otherwise, Wen Qizheng would have starved.]
Qiuqiu is so smart! A mind like that is perfect for business.
[Hahaha, the production team must be dumbfounded.]
The production team was not just dumbfounded, they were completely petrified.
Each family runs their own shop, creating an inherent competitive element. The production team designed various segments to encourage competition and rank the participants, setting the stage for the next episode. However, Ji Zhi Qiu quietly acquired one of the families' shops, effectively taking over half the business and disrupting the fair competition, thus undermining the production team's original design.
The production team of the show is very prestigious, but no matter how experienced they are, they have never encountered a guest who is so good at undermining the show's success, so they can only smile wryly.
Ji Zhi Qiu probably guessed the program team's intentions. He kept silent yesterday, but the next day he took the initiative and informed them later, leaving the program team no time to prepare a backup plan.
The live broadcast has officially started, and the production team certainly won't stop it to save face, so his plan can proceed smoothly.
Ji Zhi Qiu smiled shrewdly, and Wen Qi Zheng looked at him with a strange sense of foreboding.
"Uncle Qizheng carried all the new tables and chairs here, making trip after trip. He worked so hard, and we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to him!"
Ji Yanyan was good at providing emotional value, thanking him and patting his shoulder. Wen Qizheng was completely charmed. Looking into the children's clear eyes, he felt a sense of responsibility and was full of energy.
Ji Zhi Qiu pressed on, saying, "Don't worry, I won't treat you unfairly. It's just that I'm not familiar enough with you yet. Consider today your internship, so you can get a feel for various aspects of the work and I can find out what you're good at."
Wen Qizheng thought this made a lot of sense. In order to earn enough food for himself and his sister, he nodded repeatedly, "I will definitely work hard!"
Ji Zhi Qiu patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction, his face very polite, but he made the man run around like a headless chicken.
After finishing the preparations, Ji Zhiqi said, "I don't need you to solicit customers, but could you interact with them briefly while serving the food, or give candy to those waiting in line? Ideally, you could play the violin to distract them when they get impatient."
Wen Qizheng's heart skipped a beat. He realized that Ji Zhi Qiu was very understanding of his personality flaws and helped him avoid the parts that would make him uncomfortable. He was very touched and quickly wrote a guarantee, "No problem, as long as I don't have to have deep conversations with people or do anything particularly attention-grabbing, I'm fine with it!"
Ji Zhi Qiu nodded, "Tell me if you feel unwell, and I'll help you."
Wen Qizheng was almost moved to tears. Although he was there to work, he found a sense of belonging and was determined to make the store even better.
But his ambitions were soon shattered by the constant stream of customers.
How can there be so many people?!
Wen Qizheng was so busy he was dizzy, and Ji Zhiqi didn't hold back either, dumping all the chores on him.
He spent the whole day moving back and forth between the kitchen and the front desk, occasionally taking care of the customers queuing outside. He played the violin three times, and prepared boxes and boxes of ingredients. In the end, he was so busy that he was dizzy and disoriented. Although he could still barely maintain his standing posture, his soul had already floated to the sky.
After opening the second floor, both sales and customer satisfaction increased, but we still had to see off the last customer early, just before evening.
Ji Zhi Qiu was still somewhat dissatisfied and was thinking about ways to improve the situation. In the meantime, his takeout arrived.
"Everyone has worked hard today, so please eat more and don't be shy with me."
The fatigue vanished the moment they saw the delicious food, especially for Wen Qizheng and his sister. Every time they came to record the show, it was like fleeing a famine, and they were prepared to go hungry. Now, they were so excited by the food that they almost burst into tears. They felt more at ease and realized that they had really followed the right people.
After finishing their meal, Ji Zhi Qiu wanted to go out for a walk to digest, but Wen Qi Zheng immediately stood up, squeezed past Lu Yu Nian, and took the initiative to report on his work.
Ji Zhi Qiu nodded. "You had too much work today. Let's cut it in half tomorrow."
That being said, there was enough work to keep Wen Qizheng spinning like a top, but Ji Zhi Qiu was certain that Wen Qizheng wouldn't be angry and would even come to thank him.
Sure enough, the next second, Wen Qizheng looked at him with bright eyes and sincerely thanked him: "Zhi Qiu, thanks to you, otherwise I don't know what to do."
Ji Zhi Qiu tried hard to suppress her laughter.
On the first day, he made outrageous demands, proposing many unreasonable conditions, which also tested Wen Qizheng's limits.
After that, Wen Qizheng worked at his limit every day, earning money through sheer hard work. But it was much easier than the first day. Wen Qizheng couldn't figure out the difference and just felt like he had gotten a good deal.
However, Ji Zhi Qiu was very generous with the money, which was completely commensurate with Wen Qi Zheng's hard work. Compared to his previous poverty, it was a lifesaver for him.
Wen Qizheng not only thanked him sincerely, but also felt a little guilty. "But I'm really useless. I can't even take care of my own sister. I need your help. Don't worry, besides these things, I can do some other things within my ability. For example, I'll wash the dishes when we get back tonight. You guys can just rest here!"
Ji Zhi Qiu's eyes widened slowly as she looked him up and down. "I've decided. From now on, I'll take you with me wherever I go. I may not become rich and powerful, but I'll definitely share some of the profits with you!"
Wen Qizheng was completely infatuated; Ji Zhi Qiu's image had become infinitely lofty in his mind. "You're so kind."
Even Ji Zhi Qiu, with his thick skin, felt a little embarrassed. "It's okay, we're friends."
At first, the viewers in the live stream were moved by their brotherhood, but those with more experience gradually realized something was amiss.
[Hmm, that smile looks a bit wicked...]
[Qi Zheng, you'd better be more careful! You've been sold out and you're still helping them count the money!]
[Hahaha, congratulations Qiuqiu on getting the most obedient little brother!]
[When Wen Qizheng first appeared, he was a cool and aloof artist, but now his eyes are sparkling, like a silly, clumsy big dog. Ji Zhi Qiu's dog-training skills are top-notch.]
Ji Zhi Qiu was unaware of the direction the comments were taking. Looking at the dazed and clumsy Wen Qi Zheng, who could be teased at will, she suddenly felt playful: "Speaking of which, I seem to be older than you."
Wen Qizheng immediately pledged his loyalty, "Then you'll be my Brother Ji from now on!"
"Brother Chicken?" Ji Zhi Qiu pondered for a moment, then frowned slightly. "It doesn't sound very good."
Wen Qizheng tilted his head: "Then I'll call you Brother Zhi Qiu?"
"It would be better to just call them by their names."
Wen Qizheng was unknowingly led astray, "That's Brother Qiu?"
Ji Zhi Qiu tried hard to suppress the upturned corners of his mouth, but his expression was still dissatisfied: "Brother Qiu seems a bit too formal. Our relationship shouldn't be that bad."
Wen Qizheng vaguely sensed Ji Zhiqi's hint, but he was too shy to say those three words. However, he still stared at Ji Zhiqi without blinking, his ears turning red as he forced himself to speak: "Qiu... Brother".
Ji Zhi Qiu got her wish and patted his head, saying, "Good boy."
No one in the live stream defended Wen Qizheng, who was taken advantage of; everyone was just shipping them as a couple.
[Even though it's a cult, I'll bow down as a sign of respect!]
[I was already shipping them in the last episode, but I didn't expect the main character's dog-like attributes to be so strong in this one!]
【What about Lu Yu Nian? They're supposed to be wearing see-through suits together!】
[I reject the main couple pairing; Lu Yu Nian is the true love!]
Just as the barrage of comments was in full swing, Lu Yu Nian seemed to be summoned and walked out from the darkness.
Wen Qizheng wasn't familiar with him, so he avoided him and went back to cleaning with great enthusiasm.
Ji Zhi Qiu and Lu Yu Nian exchanged a smile, everything was understood without words, and the atmosphere immediately changed.
"How about it? My idea is pretty good, isn't it? Qi Zheng is a great assistant."
Lu Yunian understood his implication: "Indeed, you are very smart."
Lu Yu Nian's expression and tone gave him a sense of sincerity. Ji Zhi Qiu was flattered by the praise and couldn't help but hum twice.
“I just overheard your conversation,” Lu Yu Nian said again.
Ji Zhi Qiu looked up at him, not minding at all: "Which sentence did you hear?"
“You’re talking about age, and he calls you Brother Qiu.”
Just as Ji Zhi Qiu was about to speak, Lu Yu Nian suddenly turned to face him, her tone somewhat disappointed, "You two met first, I'm just a newcomer, I don't know if I can be considered your friend?"
"Of course it counts!" Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't help but comfort Lu Yu Nian because she couldn't stand his expression and tone.
Lu Yu Nian then smiled and asked, "So, between the two of us, who is older and who is younger?"
“You’re definitely older.” Ji Zhi Qiu didn’t mind calling me that at all: “Then in that case, I should call you Brother Nian.”
He muttered it to himself several times, frowning slightly, "But this name is so strange, it sounds like rice cake."
He chuckled at himself and looked Lu Yunian up and down: "Rice cakes are usually soft and chewy, but you're rock hard. You don't look like a giant rice cake at all."
Lu Yu Nian smiled and naturally helped him remove the fallen leaves from his hair. "You should just call me by my name. With our relationship, there's no need to be so particular."
"Okay, then I'll call you Yu Nian from now on."
"I heard you, Zhi Qiu."
Fans in the live stream who were happily shipping the main couple and their dog were taken aback.
[...Is this what it feels like to be instantly defeated? Suddenly, even younger, dumb, older men don't seem so appealing anymore.]
Look, we don't care about titles at all; that's the attitude of the rightful wife!
[Tsk tsk tsk, every move they make seems to say, "You demons and monsters, stay away!" I'm shipping them, I'm shipping them, okay? lol]
[Waaaaah, I was wrong. I'll get back to the right path and never ship any more cult-like couples again.]
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