Steamed egg custard was easy to make, and in no time at all, Jiang Liu placed a large, full bowl of it on the table.

Tongtong leaned over it, sniffing with her little nose.

"Wow, the egg custard is so soft! It smells so good."

Jun Qingmeng and Tongtong hadn’t eaten much for lunch. The kindergarten didn’t provide dinner, and after they got back and did some chores, they were both starving.

Jiang Liu smiled and said, "Let’s eat a little lighter tonight. We can’t always have meat for dinner."

"Okaaay~"

Tongtong agreed in her sweet, childish voice.

"We’ll listen to the boyfriend. Shall we eat?"

"Dig in. Don’t be polite."

"Oh, wait, I haven’t gotten the bowls yet."

"I’ll get them!"

Jun Qingmeng trotted over with three small bowls and placed one in front of each of them.

She started by scooping some into Jiang Liu’s bowl.

"You worked hard cooking for us. You eat first."

Tongtong was not to be outdone.

"Daddy, open wide! Tongtong will feed you."

Jiang Liu chuckled, opened his mouth, and accepted the spoonful from Tongtong.

"Daddy, is there anything you want to say?" Tongtong blinked her small eyes expectantly.

She was fishing for a compliment.

Jiang Liu smacked his lips, a puzzled look on his face. "Hmm? Why is the steamed egg custard so delicious tonight? Have my cooking skills leveled up?"

"Hehe, that’s because *I* fed it to you, silly Daddy."

Tongtong was so happy her eyes crinkled into crescents, and she kicked her little feet with glee.

Then, comprehension dawned on Jiang Liu.

"Ohh~ so that’s why."

"Hehe, Daddy, you look so silly."

Jiang Liu casually gave her a flick on the forehead.

IQ -1

"Waaah, my clever little head."

After dinner.

8:50 PM.

The sky was a deep blue-black, and a round, white moon hung high above the tall buildings.

Jiang Liu did a quick check of the apartment’s utilities.

His place used the residential complex’s piped gas. Even though it had a safety valve, he still made sure it was shut off tight.

Once they were outside.

Tongtong walked in the middle, happily letting her mom and dad swing her by the arms.

At that moment, many of the neighbors, whether by coincidence or design, were chatting and strolling along Yangzhai Street.

And they just so happened to run into Jiang Liu.

Uncle Liu called out, "Done for the day, Xiao Jiang? I tell you, you youngsters need to pace yourselves when you get home. Don’t stay up all night playing around. You need to save your energy so you can make more food for all of us."

"Here, take these. A relative of mine in the mountains gave them to me. I have way too many duck eggs and nowhere to put them. Take them home and build up your strength."

"Tongtong, want some gummy bears? They’re really yummy."

"Brother Jiang, I painted a picture for you. It’s all framed, so take it home and display it."

"Yo, Boss Jiang! Come on, swing by my boxing gym sometime. I’ll show you a thing or two."

The neighbors were overwhelmingly enthusiastic.

Jiang Liu smiled politely and waved his hand. "Thank you, but you should keep these for yourselves. My house is already full, I can’t fit anything else."

"I appreciate everyone’s kindness."

His words made everyone unhappy.

They all chimed in, feigning anger:

"Now you’re just being difficult, Boss Jiang! Hurry up and take them. If you refuse again, I’ll have to use force!"

"I really can’t eat all these duck eggs, and they won’t sell. Just think of it as doing me a favor, alright?"

"Just take it, Brother Jiang. You bring us such delicious and inexpensive food. Honestly, I bet even the rich and powerful have never eaten food as top-tier as yours."

"That’s right, Boss Jiang! Not only did you bring business to Yangzhai Street, but you also let us taste such incredible food. We all want to spoil you, so don’t resist."

"Just accept it graciously. Be good now!"

Jiang Liu was helpless.

He could only accept the gifts one by one.

"Alright then, I’ll take them all. Thank you, everyone, for taking care of me."

"Hahaha, see? That’s better. I almost pulled out my forty-meter-long broadsword."

"No, it’s you who takes care of us."

Laden with bags of all sizes, Jiang Liu returned to his parking spot.

The haul included fifteen duck eggs, five bags of gummy bears, a framed painting of Jiang Liu selling his steamed buns, and a couple of pounds of large winter jujubes.

He put the items in the trunk.

The three of them got back in the car.

Tongtong lay down on the back seat, hugging the gummy bears and staring at the different flavors. Her mouth began to water.

"Daddy, my tummy is full. When will it be not full again?"

Jiang Liu glanced back at his daughter. "What’s the matter? Eager to get into your gummy bears? You’re so full right now; you can have them after you wake up."

Tongtong pouted. "But in the morning, Tongtong has to save room in her tummy for Daddy’s buns and Daddy’s meat! There’s no room in my tummy for gummy bears."

"Ugh, and there’s juice, and tuna, and Di San Xian... Daddy’s food is all so yummy. Sigh... when will my tummy get bigger?"

Jun Qingmeng and Jiang Liu were both amused.

The little one didn’t have a big stomach, but she certainly had a big appetite.

Jun Qingmeng smiled and offered an idea. "Tongtong, how about this? Tomorrow, after you have your daddy’s breakfast, you can take the gummy bears to kindergarten and share them with your friends."

She was subtly trying to teach Tongtong the habit of sharing.

"Yay! Okay, Mama!"

Less than eight minutes later.

Jiang Liu pulled into the underground garage of their residential complex.

The three of them got into the elevator, pulling a small utility cart.

"Jiang Liu, I need to go feed the little piggy at my place first. I’ll come over right after."

"Sounds good. Tongtong and I will wait for you."

"Mama, hurry back! And remember to wear your Crab Boss outfit!"

"Okay."

Jun Qingmeng went back to her apartment.

After feeding the ’little piggy’—who was already dizzy with hunger—she returned to her bedroom and changed into the matching T-shirt and shoes for their family outfit.

Guo Jia was completely absorbed in shoveling down her food. When she saw Jun Qingmeng emerge looking lovely, she asked, puzzled, "Qingmeng, how are you looking more and more radiant lately? Have you been secretly eating something good without me?"

She’d noticed Jun Qingmeng’s skin was even better than before. It had always been fair, supple, and smooth.

But now, it looked like it was literally glowing.

Jun Qingmeng lifted her lovely chin with a smug air. "It’s called being nourished by love. You wouldn’t understand. Go eat your dog food."

"Tsk, tsk." Guo Jia shook her head. "Women in love... their IQs just plummet."

But Jun Qingmeng didn’t hear her.

She was already out the door.

Just then, her phone chimed.

Jun Xinghe had sent her another message: "How are the preparations going? Has your boyfriend agreed to meet me yet? If he has, I’m free tomorrow."

The beautiful smile on Jun Qingmeng’s face instantly turned cold.

She replied: "Could you please stop bothering me? I already said two months. It hasn’t even been a full day."

Seeing the message from his daughter, Jun Xinghe sighed in his study. Although he had been anxious before, it was nothing like the urgency he felt today.

Jun Xinghe had gone and observed Jiang Liu again that afternoon, which only made him more pleased.

Most importantly, he had just returned to Jing City and was already craving Jiang Liu’s food again.

After thinking it over, he concluded that his only path forward was through his daughter.

Jun Xinghe replied: "When are you going to stop procrastinating? What’s the difference between meeting in two months and meeting today? We have to do it eventually. If you two are ready, we should get this over with as soon as possible."

"’Get this over with?’" Jun Qingmeng’s cool, beautiful eyes turned icy. "What exactly is ’this’ that you want to get over with?"

When it came to Jiang Liu, she was extremely sensitive.