Chapter 110

Chapter 110

After a small interlude, the family of three arrived at the restaurant and officially began eating dumplings.

Since they were homemade, the dumplings tasted even better than usual.

Lin Yi picked up a large dumpling, dipped it in the sauce until it was thoroughly coated, and then popped it into his mouth.

The deliciousness of the dumpling immediately filled his mouth, making it impossible to stop after just one.

While eating, Lin Yi casually glanced across the table.

Their little treasure, Mianmian, didn't seem to be eating?

Upon closer inspection, Lin Yi realized that Huo Mianmian had started to doze off while eating.

At this moment, Huo Mianmian's head was nodding, and his grip on the chopsticks gradually loosened.

The whole child swayed like a bobblehead.

Lin Yi found this amusing and gestured for Huo Jihan to look.

Huo Jihan followed his gaze.

He saw Huo Mianmian looking as if he was about to fall asleep, his beautiful eyes blinking with effort, and his chopsticks about to slip from his grasp.

Suddenly, he seemed to wake up a bit, blinked his sleepy eyes, tightened his grip on the chopsticks again, and continued eating dumplings while leaning on the table.

Lin Yi and Huo Jihan couldn't help but laugh at this sight, clearly charmed by their little one.

However, Huo Mianmian hadn't even finished one dumpling before sleepiness overtook him once more, and his eyes became heavy again, almost closing.

Lin Yi called out to him: "Mianmian? Are you sleepy? Do you want to go to bed?"

Huo Mianmian, upon hearing Lin Yi's voice, tried hard to open his eyes wide: "I'm not sleepy."

After saying this, as if to prove he wasn't sleepy, he started picking up dumplings again, picked one up, and stuffed it into his mouth with a big bite.

Lin Yi smiled: "Alright, alright, you're not sleepy."

Huo Mianmian was momentarily awakened by the deliciousness of the dumpling and managed to finish two dumplings.

Unfortunately, after finishing these two dumplings, he was completely overcome with sleepiness. His chopsticks slipped from his hands, and he leaned back against the chair, falling fast asleep.

This time, he was truly asleep.

Even in his dreams, he smacked his lips a couple of times, as if still savoring the taste.

Lin Yi couldn't help but chuckle at this scene.

He quickly finished his remaining dumplings, then walked over and picked up Huo Mianmian, preparing to take him upstairs for a nap.

As he carried Huo Mianmian out of the restaurant, he said to Huo Jihan: "Mr. Huo, please continue eating. We'll be going now."

With that, he carried Huo Mianmian away.

Huo Jihan called out to him: "Leaving already?"

Lin Yi responded in confusion: "Yes, is there something else?"

Huo Jihan paused before answering: "Nothing."

Lin Yi nodded: "Okay."

However, as soon as Lin Yi left, the temperature in the restaurant dropped several degrees.

It felt chilly, almost matching the icy outdoors.

Huo Jihan's expression remained unchanged as he picked up the last dumpling, put it in his mouth, and wiped his hands with a napkin nearby.

A moment later, things took a turn.

Lin Yi reappeared at the restaurant entrance, smiling broadly and asked: "Hey, do you want to join us for a nap upstairs?"

Huo Jihan didn't usually take naps, but at this moment, he gave an affirmative answer: "Sure."

Instantly, the temperature in the restaurant rose again.

It felt like moving from a freezing hell to a warm world.

The family of three had a lovely afternoon nap together.

In the afternoon, Huo Jihan went out to attend a banquet.

Lin Yi took Huo Mianmian to a nearby park.

Thinking about it, Lin Yi hadn't visited the park in a long time, and he missed it.

The park was quite large, with artificial hills and a scenic lake, but now everything was covered in white snow due to the winter season.

Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian both wore short down jackets and hats, resembling a big and a small penguin, waddling through the park.

They wore snow boots, stepping on the snow with a "crunch" "crunch."

Huo Mianmian loved this feeling and always chose the thickest patches of snow to step on.

"Crunch~" "Crunch~"

The experience was simply delightful.

Because it was snowing, there weren't many people in the park, making it perfect for the father and son to play in the snow.

Lin Yi broke off an icicle from a tree branch and handed it to Huo Mianmian: "Son, here's a crystal wand for you."

"Sure~"

Huo Mianmian reached out with both hands, wearing thick gloves, to hold the icicle.

Seeing how clear and clean it was, he couldn't help but ask Lin Yi, "Can I eat this?"

Lin Yi replied, "No, you can't."

Huo Mianmian, puzzled, asked, "Why not? It looks just like ice cream."

Lin Yi explained, "It hasn't been processed, so it contains bacteria. If you eat it, you'll get sick. Are you scared?"

Huo Mianmian nodded solemnly upon hearing this: "Scared! Then I won't eat it."

Lin Yi ruffled his hair through his hat: "Mianmian is such a good boy."

And so, Huo Mianmian didn't eat the icicle, but since it was given to him by Lin Yi, he cherished it for a long time until it started to melt, then carefully placed it on a nearby flower bed.

The father and son leisurely strolled through the park.

Soon, the aroma of grilled food wafted over with the wind.

Lin Yi immediately became excited: "Mianmian, do you want some barbecue?"

Huo Mianmian eagerly nodded: "Yes, I want some."

"Let's go check it out then."

After turning two corners, they arrived at a barbecue stall.

The stall owner looked like an experienced master, skillfully flipping skewers and quickly sprinkling various seasonings.

The spicy oil mixed with the seasonings dripped onto the red-hot charcoal below, sizzling and releasing a fragrant aroma.

On such a cold day, watching the barbecue being cooked was a delightful experience in itself.

Noticing their interest, the stall owner warmly greeted them: "What would you like? Guaranteed to be delicious and affordable."

Lin Yi smiled: "Since you put it that way, we have to try some. Two chicken legs, please. One is for the child, so use fewer seasonings."

"Coming right up!"

The stall owner placed two pre-marinated chicken legs on the grill.

With the charcoal fire blazing, the skin of the chicken legs began to sizzle almost immediately.

Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian watched the chicken legs being grilled for a while, then went to a nearby shop to each buy a warm cup of milk tea.

By the time they returned to the barbecue stall, the chicken legs were nearly done.

The stall owner quickly sprinkled seasonings on Lin Yi's chicken leg, and soon it turned into a crispy, spicy, and aromatic leg.

Once fully cooked, the stall owner packed both chicken legs and handed them over: "Enjoy them while they're hot. If you like them, come back again."

Lin Yi smiled: "Sure thing."

He paid and took the chicken legs from the stall owner.

Then, Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian each carried a cup of milk tea and held their chicken legs as they walked forward.

Lin Yi took a bite of his chicken leg and quickly understood why the stall owner was so confident.

The chicken leg was incredibly delicious, having been marinated beforehand, which made it very flavorful. After being grilled over the charcoal, the skin was crispy and golden, while the meat inside was tender and juicy.

The seasonings sprinkled on top added even more flavor, making every bite a delight.

After taking a couple of bites, Lin Yi looked down and asked Huo Mianmian: "Sweetheart, do you like it?"

Huo Mianmian nodded: "Yes."

To prove his point, he took a big bite and chewed with his little mouth moving.

Lin Yi continued eating his chicken leg, thoroughly enjoying it.

After all, his life now revolved around eating, drinking, and having fun.

After finishing their food, they approached a grove of trees.

Several birds were flying around and occasionally landing on the snowy ground, as if searching for something to eat.

Huo Mianmian stopped in his tracks and asked Lin Yi: "Dad, are these birds lost?"

Lin Yi replied, "No, they're just playing here."

Feeling energetic after eating and drinking, Huo Mianmian said enthusiastically: "Then I want to play with them too."

Lin Yi nodded: "Go ahead, play with them. I'll wait here."

He crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby tree trunk, feeling relaxed.

With permission, Huo Mianmian ran over to play with the birds.

Unfortunately, as soon as he approached, the birds flew up and perched on the branches.

Huo Mianmian looked up at the birds and pleaded: "Don't fly away, let's play together."

But it was clear that the little birds wouldn't listen to him.

Huo Mianmian pouted sadly, "Let's play together."

The little birds still didn’t fly down.

Huo Mianmian felt even more dejected.

But soon, he had a flash of inspiration and came up with a good idea.

He took off his gloves and rummaged in the pocket of his down jacket, pulling out a small pack of bread he had put there earlier.

Huo Mianmian’s eyes curved into a smile as he held up the bread to show the birds, "I have bread. Do you want some?"

After saying this, he squatted down, tore open the bread bag, broke off a tiny piece, and threw it onto the snow in front of him, "Are you really not going to eat it?"

Lin Yi leaned against a tree trunk nearby, almost melting from how adorable his little one was.

Huo Mianmian’s method quickly worked. One of the birds cautiously flew down from the branch, took a few steps forward, and started eating the crumbs of bread.

Seeing this, the other birds also flapped their wings and flew down.

On one hand, they were hungry; on the other, they probably sensed that Huo Mianmian, this little one, posed no threat.

Seeing the birds flying down, Huo Mianmian became delighted and threw out more bread crumbs.

The birds immediately began fighting over the food.

Huo Mianmian squatted on the ground, smiling as he watched the birds.

After a while, he got hungry for the bread too and broke off a piece to eat.

Surprised, he found the bread quite delicious, with just the right amount of milk flavor and a coconut filling inside.

So, Huo Mianmian focused on eating the bread, forgetting about feeding the birds.

Without any food, the birds cautiously approached him, circling around him, clearly waiting for more from Huo Mianmian.

However, Huo Mianmian had forgotten about them and finished most of the bread by himself.

Lin Yi found this amusing and reminded him, "Mianmian, aren’t you going to feed the birds anymore?"

Huo Mianmian was reminded and realized, "Right, I came here to feed the birds!"

So, he broke off more bread and threw it to the birds.

The birds eagerly ate it up.

After eating what Huo Mianmian gave them, the birds no longer feared him and walked around him, searching for food in the snow.

Surrounded by the birds, Huo Mianmian was thrilled and chattered away at them.

Lin Yi stood aside, watching this scene with a good mood.

After leaving the park, Lin Yi took Huo Mianmian for a stroll around the city.

They ended up near the mall Lin Yi had bought.

Lin Yi hadn’t visited this mall in a long time, so he took Huo Mianmian inside for a walk.

Compared to when Lin Yi had taken over the mall, which was desolate, it now thrived with various luxury brands and a bustling crowd every day.

Looking at the current state of the mall, Lin Yi felt gratified, sensing a steady stream of income without much effort.

He didn’t go upstairs but instead walked around the first floor with Huo Mianmian.

The first floor was filled with counters of international cosmetic brands.

Lin Yi casually looked around and eventually noticed a domestic cosmetic brand.

His steps paused slightly.

He remembered there wasn’t this store last time he came. Was it new?

At that moment, Cheng Siyao and a few others walked out of the store.

This product belonged to Cheng Siyao’s family.

They saw the potential of the mall’s foot traffic and thus moved in at a high price.

Cheng Siyao happened to pass by today and took a look around.

He was very satisfied with the mall, thinking the person who bought it had great business acumen, given the incredible foot traffic.

The people with him also praised it.

"This mall is great; the foot traffic is amazing."

"Who bought this mall? They must be quite business-savvy."

"Putting Siyao’s products here should significantly boost sales, right?"

Cheng Siyao listened to their comments as they walked.

Unexpectedly, he ran into Lin Yi as soon as he stepped out.

Cheng Siyao always considered Lin Yi his competitor and immediately went on high alert upon seeing him.

The people behind him also spotted Lin Yi and, to curry favor with Cheng Siyao, began making sarcastic remarks.

"Why is someone always staring at our Siyao family's products?"

"Envy, I guess. The Siyao family's cosmetics and skincare products are selling the best right now, far ahead of everyone else."

"Indeed, the gap between people can be greater than the gap between a person and a dog."

Cheng Siyao felt much better hearing these words.

It made him feel like he had the upper hand over Lin Yi.

However, just then, an agent from the mall hurried over.

Cheng Siyao was somewhat puzzled.

He hadn't notified the mall that he would be coming today, so why were they specially coming to greet him?

At this moment, someone beside him said, "Siyao, Manager Huang is here. He must have heard you arrived and came to welcome you."

Cheng Siyao thought as much, and now that someone confirmed it, he stepped forward and said, "Manager Huang, there's no need for such formality..."

But Manager Huang seemed not to recognize him at all, walking past him directly toward Lin Yi: "Mr. Lin, why did you come personally? Is there something you need?"

Cheng Siyao froze on the spot, his face instantly turning pale.

They weren't here to greet him but to greet Lin Yi?

Lin Yi glanced indifferently at Cheng Siyao and then said, "In the future, when brands apply to enter the mall, remember to review them carefully. Don't bring in anything haphazard."

The mall manager nodded repeatedly.

Lin Yi didn't bother saying more and soon left with Huo Mianmian.

Throughout the encounter, he remained calm and composed, showing no intention of arguing with Cheng Siyao, as he didn't consider Cheng Siyao worth his time.

After Lin Yi left, the remaining few exchanged glances, looking bewildered.

Cheng Siyao's face turned even uglier.

Why did Lin Yi always seem so indifferent, as if he didn't care about comparing himself with others?

What gave Lin Yi the right to act so arrogantly?

At this moment, one of the people, seeing Cheng Siyao's sullen face, asked the mall manager, "Manager Huang, who was that guy? Why were you so polite to him?"

Manager Huang, no longer courteous, replied matter-of-factly, "That gentleman owns this mall."

"What?!"

Cheng Siyao and the others were stunned.

This mall was actually owned by Lin Yi?

And they had just been praising it, inadvertently boosting their enemy's morale.

Manager Huang, following Lin Yi's orders to re-evaluate the brands, quickly excused himself and left.

Cheng Siyao frowned deeply.

Why did this particular mall have to belong to Lin Yi?

It made him look like a fool.

One of the people tried to comfort Cheng Siyao, "Don't worry, Brother Cheng. Lin Yi only has this one mall. You're the sole heir to the Cheng family fortune, which is a hundred times better than what Lin Yi has."

Hearing this, Cheng Siyao felt a bit better.

True, why should he compare himself with someone like Lin Yi? No matter what, Lin Yi was still a lower-class figure, never able to surpass him.

But then, someone in the crowd recalled something and said, "But I heard that Lin Yi has already received half of Mr. Huo's shares?"

Cheng Siyao couldn't maintain his composure anymore and turned abruptly to face the speaker. "What did you say?"

At that moment, Cheng Siyao looked almost menacing.

The person was startled, regretting speaking up, but could only continue, "I heard from others that Mr. Huo recently transferred half of his shares in the company to Lin Yi."

Cheng Siyao was struck hard, his head buzzing.

Half of Huo Jihan's shares meant Lin Yi's net worth had multiplied exponentially, as the value of those shares was immeasurable.

Now, he was a hundred times inferior to Lin Yi.

Another person added, "Moreover, I checked, and Lin Yi is also the second-largest shareholder in Zhuang Entertainment. It seems Lin Yi's status and position cannot be underestimated. Siyao, you need to seriously consider your next move."

Cheng Siyao was now ashen-faced.

He had always believed he was of higher birth than Lin Yi, which is why he had always looked down on him.

In the end, he was the one with the lower net worth.

Cheng Siyao stood there for a long time, his worldview shattered.

Still, he didn't want to give up on Huo Jihan, whom he had always admired, so he decided to use every trick in the book to win. Only then could he truly defeat Lin Yi.

Meanwhile, Lin Yi, acting as if nothing had happened, returned home with Huo Mianmian.

After a long day out, they immediately lay on the sofa and turned on the TV.

The cartoon playing on the TV was full of childlike fun, perfect for relaxing.

However, after just a short while, Lin Yi saw Xu Zheng walk in carrying a box.

Xu Zheng was their family doctor and usually wouldn't come unless there was something important.

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to give Mianmian a shot, for vaccination." Xu Zheng, as always, couldn't help but tease, then stared at Huo Mianmian, saying casually, "There will be a little kid crying soon."

Lin Yi: "…"

He immediately picked up an apple from the coffee table and threw it at him. "I'll replace you as our family doctor sooner or later."

Xu Zheng caught the apple and pleaded, "No, no, I'm sorry. It's just how I am; I can't help being snarky."

Lin Yi ignored him and turned to look at his little one.

A vaccine shot?

Maybe he really would cry?

Huo Mianmian had been watching cartoons on TV intently, but when he noticed both adults staring at him, he realized something was about to happen.

At this moment, Xu Zheng placed the medical kit on the coffee table, opened it, and took out a needle.

Huo Mianmian had received vaccinations before, and seeing this scene brought back memories instantly.

He felt a bit scared and moved closer to Lin Yi, seeking comfort from him.

Seeing this, Lin Yi picked him up and comforted him, "It's okay, baby. It's just a quick prick, and it'll be over soon."

Huo Mianmian's voice was already trembling. "R-really?"

Lin Yi gently patted his back, reassuring him, "Really. When has Little Dad ever lied to you?"

Huo Mianmian was still a bit scared but calmed down a little after hearing Lin Yi's words.

At this point, Xu Zheng was ready and said to Lin Yi, "Help expose Mianmian's arm."

Inside, Huo Mianmian was only wearing a sweater.

Lin Yi pulled down his sweater, revealing part of his arm.

A child's arm is soft and plump, like a white lotus root.

Looking at this adorable little treasure, Lin Yi almost didn't want to let him get the shot.

But despite his reluctance, it had to be done.

Lin Yi held Huo Mianmian tightly and fixed his arm. "Don't be afraid, it'll be over in a second."

Huo Mianmian watched as Xu Zheng approached with the syringe and simply laid on Lin Yi's chest, refusing to look.

Soon, Xu Zheng gave him the shot, pulled out the needle, and pressed a cotton swab on the spot. "Okay, it's done!"

Lin Yi took the cotton swab and gently pressed it on Huo Mianmian's arm, saying, "It's okay, baby. It's all done."

Huo Mianmian finally lifted his head.

But now, his beautiful big eyes were filled with tears, and his little mouth was quivering, on the verge of crying.

Lin Yi teased him, "Do you want to cry? If you do, cry a little in Little Dad's arms."

Huo Mianmian's body trembled slightly, as if he was about to cry, but he held back and said, "I want to cry, but I won't."

Lin Yi couldn't help but laugh. "Why not?"

Huo Mianmian, with tears welling up, said, "B-because Mianmian wants to be brave."

Hearing this, Lin Yi's paternal love overflowed.

Why is my little treasure so obedient and understanding?