Chapter 74
Multiverse Livestream Room.
[Saved my life.]
[Where the hell am I? Is this really the filming set of Genius Baby at Three and a Half???!!!]
[I came here for an adorable baby! I want to see a cute, innocent, and slightly dumb (crossed out) baby with clear, pure eyes! I want cute baby interactions with Ye Qingquan! Who asked for a baby setting up a roast duck stall?! :(((]
[(Deadpan stare) Why? This little one called Lanlan is obviously super cute, but why… why is he using that cute little face to do that kind of thing?]
[Does anyone else understand my pain? In the livestream I was just watching, the baby was bawling his eyes out, saying ‘Duckies are so cute, why do we have to eat them?’ Then I clicked into this one… and saw a fair, chubby baby expertly scalding, brushing, and stuffing ducks into a roasting oven, years ahead of his peers???]
[Wait, hold on.]
[There has to be some expert guiding this kid behind the scenes… Selling roast duck is certainly a unique and eye-catching concept, but how sustainable is it?]
[+1. Do you really think he can make good roast duck?]
[My family has been in the roast duck business for over twenty years. It looks simple, but it actually takes immense skill. You can’t make great roast duck without at least a decade or two of experience.]
[A three-year-old? He’ll probably last half an hour before crying and going home… I feel bad for him already.]
[If he can’t sell the ducks, will he start crying? (Facepalm)]
The Genius Baby at Three and a Half livestream community was, for the most part, a kind and gentle crowd. Watching adorable little kids every day had softened them.
Instead of skepticism or outright denial, most viewers were simply worried about the little one’s future.
Setting up a street stall was brutal business!
Such a tiny child, heading out to face the cutthroat world of street vendors… The chances of him being completely crushed by seasoned professionals were very high.
Poor baby!
*
Genius Baby at Three and a Half – Noon
With Ye Qingquan’s help, Jian Yunlan hung all twenty roast ducks inside the oven. He then carefully placed lychee wood and applewood in the firebox and lit the charcoal.
Using fruitwood to roast the ducks would add a delicate fragrance, making them even more delicious.
Then, the little boy confidently climbed onto a tricycle, gripping the handlebars firmly.
…Although he was only three and a half, everything about him—his skilled way of putting on a little mask, tying his tiny apron, and his determined gaze as he pedaled away—made him look like a seasoned vendor with twenty years of experience.
Ye Qingquan stared at his “genius baby,” his expression dazed and unfocused.
Finally, he couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure you don’t need Daddy to go with you?”
“No need,” the little boy puffed out his fair cheeks and spoke like a miniature adult. “The kindergarten teacher said parents can’t help. We have to complete everything on our own for it to count as a successful social practice!”
Ye Qingquan: “…Alright, alright.”
The tiny tricycle rumbled as it headed down the road.
Ye Qingquan watched his little figure disappear into the distance.
Twenty seconds later—
Ye Qingquan turned around, grabbed a hat and a mask, and quietly followed behind the tricycle.
Even though Lanlan had insisted that parents weren’t allowed to help, Ye Qingquan still couldn’t relax.
That was his three-and-a-half-year-old baby!
What kind of parent could stay calm in this situation?
Unlike other worlds, Genius Baby at Three and a Half was set in the height of summer. It was noon, and the sun was blazing.
In his hurry to follow, Ye Qingquan hadn’t even grabbed a sunhat or an umbrella.
But it didn’t matter.
It wasn’t like Lanlan was actually going to sell any ducks.
At most, he’d last half an hour before breaking down and coming home in tears.
Ye Qingquan figured—without a sunhat, he wouldn’t have to stay out in the sun for too long anyway…
At this moment, Ye Qingquan had no idea how much of a mistake he had just made.
The toddler-sized street vendor tricycle, modified by the God of Cooking System, not only had an autonomous driving cruise system but also came equipped with a sunshade umbrella and a mini air conditioner. The entire tricycle was even painted a soft powder blue. The little boy sat in the driver’s seat, wearing a mask and tiny sunglasses, looking both confident and at ease, drawing countless curious glances from passersby.
A ridiculously good-looking little kid riding such an adorable tricycle was practically a moving scenery on the streets. Many pedestrians couldn’t help but whisper among themselves:
“Oh my god, this is too cute! Is this part of some parenting reality show?”
“Looks like one of those viral influencer babies… Maybe there’s a hidden camera somewhere.”
“Wait, why does this tricycle look kind of like a street vendor’s setup? Am I imagining things??”
The little boy, completely unshy, pedaled along as he announced in a crisp and clear voice:
“Uncles and aunties, my name is Lanlan! I’m three and a half years old! I’m selling roast duck! If you like roast duck, come buy some~”
The crowd was immediately amused.
“Alright, baby, good luck!”
“Hahaha, we’re cheering for you~”
“Wishing you great business, little boss!”
They said it, but none of the adults actually believed him.
After all, how could such a tiny child be selling roast duck alone?
That roast duck is either disgustingly bad or simply not made by him at all. Who knows, maybe his manager or parents are filming behind the scenes? With the way short-form content and child showcase videos dominate social media these days, nothing is surprising anymore.
The house Ye Qingquan rented was very close to a private dining restaurant called “Zhu Yuan.” Just five minutes later, Jian Yunlan arrived at the location.
Zhu Yuan Private Dining, known as the most expensive and prestigious private restaurant in all of Beijing, was extraordinary even in appearance. Unlike the ostentatious gold-and-glitter decor of nouveau riche establishments, Zhu Yuan exuded an air of classical elegance—gray walls, white tiles, redwood doorways, and koi fish swimming in small, pebble-lined ponds, resembling a living ink painting.
Jian Yunlan parked his tricycle on the street opposite Zhu Yuan.
After securing the tricycle, he skillfully arranged boxes containing shredded scallions, cucumber strips, and thin pancakes, placing a QR code for WeChat and Alipay payments in the center. He also set up a small pot to simmer duck sauce.
There was a particular art to making this sauce. It used sweet bean paste as a base, but only with a precise blend of scallion oil and spices, slow-cooked to perfection, could it fully enhance the fresh flavor of roast duck.
Soon, the thick sauce in the small pot turned a beautiful reddish-brown, bubbling gently.
From the moment the tricycle stopped, the security guards, doormen, and lobby manager of Zhu Yuan had been eyeing the peculiar sight of a little boy setting up a street stall.
“There’s a strict no-street-vending policy within a hundred-mile radius of Zhu Yuan!” Upon hearing the news, the lobby manager huffed in anger. “Who’s so ignorant of the rules?”
Zhu Yuan only served five tables a day, with reservations fully booked until July two years from now. Its clientele consisted exclusively of high-profile figures and industry elites.
If those VIPs saw an unlicensed street vendor selling food right across from their exclusive dining spot, wouldn’t that cheapen the restaurant’s image?
Zhu Yuan had even spent money each year to lease the surrounding area to prevent any form of street vending or commercial activity.
However, when the furious lobby manager stormed up to the tricycle, he was instantly dumbfounded.
…A little child.
The kid barely reached his knees when he stood up, with a chubby, baby-like face and naturally curly hair. His expression, however, was surprisingly serious.
A little boy running a street stall?!
Manager Lao Hu rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
“Uncle, this is a social practice activity assigned by my kindergarten,” the boy tugged at his pants, looking pitiful. “Our teacher told us to come to the streets and sell roast duck to experience different jobs.”
“It’s non-profit—everything we earn will be donated to children in impoverished mountain regions.”
“…Do you believe me?”
Boom.
A critical hit.
Lao Hu was too stunned to even question how a three-year-old could have such an extensive vocabulary. Faced with the boy’s clear, innocent eyes, he instinctively believed him.
While Zhu Yuan prohibited street vending…
They strongly supported social welfare initiatives.
Many of their regular patrons—those high-ranking business tycoons and industry leaders—were also devoted philanthropists, frequently attending charity galas and donating to underprivileged regions. Allowing this child to engage in “charity” here wouldn’t really harm their reputation, would it?
Besides, a three-year-old selling roast duck probably wouldn’t make anything decent anyway.
Zhu Yuan prided itself on serving the best roast duck in Beijing—perhaps even the best in the country. This kid was out of his depth trying to compete with them right at their doorstep.
Most likely, he’d give up in no time and go home crying to his mother.
With that thought, Lao Hu’s stance wavered.
He cleared his throat and glanced away. “Well… this is a special case. I’ll have to check with the team and get back to you.”
“Oh, by the way, kid,” his gaze fell on the roasting duck, and curiosity sparked in his mind. “How much is your roast duck per piece?”
Not that Lao Hu was seriously considering buying one.
Looking at this adorable child with his big, watery eyes, Lao Hu thought of his own little daughter and felt a pang of sympathy. If this boy was about to face the harsh reality of the world, Lao Hu didn’t mind spending a little to comfort him.
But the next second, the little boy smiled and chirped in his childish voice, “Uncle, one hundred yuan per duck! All profits will be donated to poor mountain children!”
Lao Hu’s eyes widened. “…How much???”
The boy held up two fingers. “One hundred.”
Lao Hu: “…”
A random three-year-old kid selling roast duck… at 100 yuan per duck?!
Lao Hu was dumbfounded.
Who would buy that?!
This was daylight robbery!
Forget reporting to the team.
At this rate, the market itself would take care of the problem.
“Uh… never mind.” Lao Hu hurriedly walked away, his steps unsteady.
In the corner, hidden behind the wall and silently observing everything, Ye Qingquan finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the lobby manager did not make things more difficult for Lanlan.
At the same time, watching Lao Hu’s retreating figure, Jian Yunlan not only remained undeterred but even revealed a mysterious smile.
The lobby manager probably wouldn’t come back.
In cases like this, “if no one reports it, no one investigates it”—which was basically tacit approval.
The “one sentence that makes anyone believe without question” tool gifted by the God of Cooking System was simply too useful!
Now, all he had to do was wait for customers.
Jian Yunlan had already placed the roast duck in the oven and started the fire before heading out with his tricycle. It would take about 30 to 40 minutes to roast. Now, the fruitwood in the oven was crackling, the temperature was rising, and the timing and heat control were just right.
The little boy pulled out a small folding chair and, from who-knows-where, took out a woven fan. Sitting comfortably, he leisurely fanned himself while keeping an eye on the fire.
One had to admit, his posture truly had the air of a seasoned master.
Inside the iron-barrel oven, the fat beneath the duck’s skin began to sizzle under the intense heat, gradually releasing an enticing aroma.
The fragrance drifted from the exhaust vent of the tricycle’s oven, spreading with the breeze…
Not far away, Ye Qingquan, baking under the scorching sun, absentmindedly fanned himself while lost in thought.
“It’s so hot—Baby will definitely get tired of this quickly, plus he won’t be able to sell anything,” Ye Qingquan muttered. “When that happens, I’ll have to comfort him properly so his little heart isn’t crushed.”
Soon, he’d be taking the baby home to enjoy the air conditioning.
Definitely…
Suddenly, an incredibly rich aroma wafted over from the tricycle’s oven.
Ye Qingquan froze mid-fan.
W-What kind of smell is that?!
*
As the mouthwatering scent of roast duck spread, many passersby paused in surprise.
Instinctively, people twitched their noses, trying to locate the source of the fragrance.
A little girl with a backpack was walking hand-in-hand with her grandmother, heading toward her school. Lunchtime at kindergarten had ended, and after eating at Grandma’s house, she needed to return for afternoon classes.
But as soon as she smelled the aroma, even though she had just eaten, her stomach inexplicably started grumbling again.
Plopping onto the ground, she threw a tantrum:
“Grandma, Grandma, I don’t want to go to kindergarten—I want roast duck!”
Grandma Liu had also caught the scent.
It wasn’t just the little girl—Grandma Liu, who had lived for over seventy years, had never smelled roast duck this delicious.
“This duck really does smell amazing,” Grandma Liu gulped, scanning the area. “Let me find out where it’s coming from…”
If it wasn’t too expensive, she wouldn’t mind buying one—both to treat her granddaughter and to satisfy her own cravings.
Following the scent, Grandma Liu quickly spotted the elegant “Zhu Yuan” signboard.
The aroma was coming from there.
Her face changed instantly. She scooped up her granddaughter and held her tightly: “Forget about roast duck! Street food isn’t clean—Grandma will roast some for you at home!”
Grandma Liu’s eyesight wasn’t the best, so she hadn’t noticed what was in front of Zhu Yuan. But since the fragrance was coming from that direction, she immediately jumped to a conclusion—
This roast duck must be the legendary Zhu Yuan roast duck!
No wonder it smelled so heavenly.
Though she had walked past this street many times before when picking up her granddaughter, she had never smelled anything this tempting. But she didn’t dwell on it.
“Uwaaah! Roast duck, I want roast duck!!!” Realizing she wouldn’t get any, the little girl burst into wails, crying uncontrollably as Grandma Liu carried her toward the kindergarten. “Grandma, pleeease!”
Passersby couldn’t help but chime in:
“Come on, Granny, if your granddaughter wants roast duck, why not just buy her one?”
“Yeah, it really does smell amazing—I kind of want one myself.”
“Poor kid, look how heartbroken she is… tsk tsk tsk.”
Many of the onlookers were tourists unfamiliar with Beijing’s local dining scene, and several were already getting tempted.
Everyone knew that Beijing’s roast duck was world-famous.
And now, smelling this divine aroma from a street vendor—it seemed the reputation was well-deserved!
Grandma Liu, however, sighed. “That Zhu Yuan roast duck costs two to three thousand yuan per duck. Ordinary folks like us could never afford it.”
With that, she quickened her pace, carrying the still-crying little girl away.
The crowd followed her gaze toward Zhu Yuan’s direction.
Instantly, their excitement died down.
…Even though they were tourists, they had heard of Zhu Yuan Private Dining—a legendary establishment in Beijing.
Not only did their roast duck cost thousands of yuan per piece, but it was so exclusive that even with money, reservations were booked until the following year.
Many wealthy second-generation heirs had to pull serious strings just to get a table.
With that level of prestige, how could ordinary people like them even dream of tasting it?
“Sigh… In my next life, I’m definitely being born rich.”
“Yeah… Just one whiff of that roast duck makes me realize the kind of happiness rich people experience is beyond our imagination…”
“It smells so good, I need to eat it. Damn it, I’m going to fight the rich for this!!!”
The crowd let out dramatic sighs, shaking their heads.
Smelling a roast duck they could never afford only added to their sorrow.
Resolving to resist temptation, they pulled up their masks, raised their collars, and forced themselves to leave.
—Meanwhile, at the entrance of Zhu Yuan…
The rich aroma of roast duck hit Xu Shishi as soon as she stepped out of Zhu Yuan, leaving her momentarily dazed.
This roast duck… smelled way too good!
Xu Shishi couldn’t help but twitch her nose. The duck’s scent carried a hint of fruitwood’s freshness, and just from the smell alone, she found herself tempted.
“Miss, your Lamborghini has been brought around,” the doorman said respectfully, handing her the keys. “Please take care.”
Xu Shishi absentmindedly took the keys.
At the same time, a clear and crisp growl came from her stomach.
Doorman: “…”
Xu Shishi: “……”
Well, this was awkward!
As the eldest daughter of the Xu family and the future heir, Xu Shishi had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Even so, she had waited half a year, spent a whole year on the waiting list, and pulled various strings just to finally taste Zhu Yuan’s legendary roast duck.
Zhu Yuan was expensive, but its roast duck was undeniably delicious—flawless in color, aroma, and taste, living up to its reputation.
And the portion was generous. Xu Shishi had eaten until she was stuffed, and just before stepping out of Zhu Yuan, she had thought she wouldn’t want roast duck again for months.
Yet now, smelling this scent, she was… hungry again?!
How was that possible?!
While others assumed the aroma was coming from Zhu Yuan, Xu Shishi knew better. She had just eaten their roast duck, and while it certainly smelled amazing, it wasn’t this rich, this mouthwatering, this tempting.
Where was this roast duck from? How could it smell even better than Zhu Yuan’s famous dish?
Meanwhile, murmurs from the distant crowd floated over on the breeze.
Standing directly in the path of the wind, and blessed with sharper hearing than most since childhood, Xu Shishi caught most of what the tourists were saying:
“Rich people have it so good—they get to eat such fragrant roast duck.”
“I’m going to fight these rich folks for it!”
Xu Shishi: “…”
Even rich people hadn’t eaten this duck!
Thinking of her year-long waitlist struggle and the nearly six-figure bill she had just paid at Zhu Yuan, Xu Shishi suddenly felt like a complete fool.
A gust of wind blew past, carrying that tantalizing aroma once more.
Without even realizing it, Xu Shishi let her instincts take control and wandered toward the source of the scent.
Soon, she found herself stopping in front of a three-wheeled cart across the street.
The closer she got, the stronger the aroma became.
It was enough to steal a person’s soul!
Xu Shishi spoke urgently, “Boss, how much for a roast duck?”
A soft, childlike voice answered, “One hundred per duck.”
Xu Shishi’s eyes were practically glued to the roasting duck.
Through the transparent cover, she could see the duck sizzling inside the oven, its crispy skin glistening under the light, glowing a deep red, plump and glossy. Oil dripped steadily, sizzling as it hit the hot surface…
How could anyone not want to eat this?!
To be able to make such a fragrant and visually stunning roast duck, this stall owner had to have at least twenty years of experience. Maybe he was a hidden master!
This wasn’t something you could eat just anywhere.
“I’ll take one!” Xu Shishi immediately pulled out her phone to scan the payment code.
One hundred per duck wasn’t exactly cheap, but to someone of her status, it was no different from spending ten bucks.
“Okay, big sister,” the little boy replied sweetly.
It was only then that Xu Shishi registered something.
“Big sister”…?
She finally looked up at the “seasoned stall owner” she had imagined had decades of experience.
—The person in front of her was a small boy, wearing a face mask and a little apron. His big, bright eyes were clear and innocent, and his cheeks were still round with baby fat, making him look soft and absolutely adorable.
The little boy leaned over the cart and skillfully lifted an entire roasted duck from the oven.
With a beaming smile, he asked, “Big sister, would you like to take it whole, or should I slice it and pack it for you?”
Xu Shishi: “…”
…Huh????
*
Meanwhile, in the Multiverse Livestream.
Viewers in the Genius Baby at Three and a Half section were utterly floored.
This little cub named “Lanlan” kept acting in ways that completely defied logic, repeatedly shocking them to their core. Yet despite their confusion, they couldn’t stop watching—curious to see what would happen next.
At the same time, Lanlan’s fans were frantically searching for him.
Hours ago, when Jian Yunlan had jumped off the Multiverse Transit Train, his livestream had been abruptly cut off.
As for where Boss Jian had gone, the Multiverse officials still hadn’t given an answer.
Fans across different dimensions were in full panic mode!
Some impatient viewers had started combing through different drama-filled sections, hoping to find any trace of him.
Many eyes briefly skimmed over the Genius Baby at Three and a Half category but chose not to click in.
After all, their beloved Boss Jian was a foodie stall owner—what could he possibly have to do with some baby-raising livestream category?!
