Chapter 79
As soon as he entered the Genius Baby at Three and a Half section, Yu Ming froze.
He let out a self-deprecating chuckle. “I must be losing it…”
“This is a baby-showcasing section. How could Boss Jian possibly be here?”
Because the Multiverse official platform had yet to announce Boss Jian’s whereabouts, fans had taken it upon themselves to search through every dog-blood novel, even delving into the male-oriented fiction sections.
But everyone had simply assumed that Genius Baby at Three and a Half was purely a baby-showcasing category. It was filled with actual three- and four-year-old kids, most of whom had been registered by their parents—just a fun, paid experience to enrich their childhood.
Their career-obsessed, street-vendor-maniac Boss Jian? How could he possibly end up in a baby-showcasing section?
Yu Ming was just about to click out when—
He suddenly stopped.
Because right at that moment, the system had pushed the fastest-rising livestream in Genius Baby at Three and a Half directly to his screen.
“Happy Little Lan…”
Others might not recognize this name.
But Yu Ming?
Not long ago, during the epic spicy hotpot vs. fried chicken showdown, Boss Jian had trolled everyone under this exact WeChat username. Yu Ming could never forget it.
Yu Ming’s pupils dilated, his gaze bursting with excitement.
“Holy sh—could it be???”
He clicked into the livestream without hesitation.
And the scene that greeted him—
A small boy with a familiar face, working diligently under the scorching sun, was earnestly blowing air into a roast duck before stuffing it with filling. He wiped his sweat away, his fair little face showing the pure and honest smile of a hardworking laborer.
“One, two, three… twenty roast ducks. Mm.” The little boy counted the ducks and poured boiling water over them one by one. As the steaming water cascaded down, the duck skin instantly tightened and smoothed. “After brushing on the crispy skin glaze, we just need to let them dry overnight.”
Beside him, Ye Qingquan gently patted the little boy’s head, his soft apricot-shaped eyes filled with a deep yearning for roast duck. “Lanlan, what can Daddy help with?”
Without hesitation, the little boy pointed and commanded, “I’m about to make the braising sauce. Daddy, you roll out the spring pancake wrappers.”
Ye Qingquan’s face radiated pure joy, the epitome of a lovestruck fool completely captivated by his child’s cuteness. “Of course, baby~”
Yu Ming: “……”
Yu Ming’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
This scene was both familiar and foreign.
Familiar because…
Boss Jian was still Boss Jian. Even after turning into a three-year-old child, nothing could dampen his unwavering ambition to run a street food stall.
It took me exactly 0.000001 seconds to recognize Boss Jian. Try it yourself!
But foreign because…
Yu Ming silently stared at the screen.
After a long pause, he slowly squatted down, curled up against the screen, and then—
His trembling hands shot out, waving wildly like seaweed. His mouth rounded into an ‘O’ shape, contorting and writhing in a grotesque, Munch’s The Scream-like fashion.
Trying to suppress his voice, he clutched his head and let out several silent screams before ultimately failing to hold back his excitement. His voice wavered uncontrollably:
“AAAAAHHHHHHHHH—WHY IS BOSS JIAN SO TINY AND SO CUTE AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!”
Seriously.
As someone who had seen Boss Jian’s usual street vendor form, Yu Ming had witnessed the man’s perfection—his calm, competent, and effortlessly skilled demeanor as a snack stall master.
But now, seeing this version of Boss Jian—
A tiny, soft little boy, dressed in overalls, with chubby baby cheeks and naturally curled hair;
Busy and focused, running around preparing roast duck; so short that he couldn’t even reach past someone’s knees, his voice still adorably childish;
And yet, his big, round eyes still held that same sharp wit and deep-rooted passion for street vending…
It was too. Freaking. Cute.
Yu Ming clutched his head and started rolling back and forth on the open-air balcony, silently screaming and crawling around like a man possessed.
Outside the room, Song Lanzhen pushed the door open, holding something in her hands.
“Xiao Ming, Auntie got y—”
She froze.
Song Lanzhen: “……”
Expressionlessly, she backed out, closed the door, and walked away.
Forget it.
Better to give the kid some space.
Look at him—driven to insanity just because he hadn’t been able to find Boss Jian’s livestream.
“……”
Still twisting around like a deranged octopus, Yu Ming finally managed to regain some composure.
Taking out a magnifying glass, he began scrutinizing the screen, closely examining this miniaturized version of Boss Jian.
The more he looked, the cuter it became!
Of course, his assessment was somewhat biased—after all, he had already been thoroughly won over by Boss Jian’s spicy hotpot and fried chicken. As a devoted former customer, he, along with Fu Changfeng, Ning Sheng, Gu Xingzhou, and the others, had long since developed an almost religious admiration for Boss Jian’s every move.
He was, after all, their divine street food master.
That said, even setting aside his personal bias, objectively speaking—mini Boss Jian, now known as Lanlan, was undeniably adorable.
The proof?
Despite the viewers in the livestream constantly mocking Lanlan’s actions and predicting his inevitable elimination, not a single person had ever questioned his cuteness.
[Wuwuwu, he looks so good and so cute, yet he’s gone astray.]
[If Lanlan just obediently acted cute like the other streamers, he might’ve already fixed a few bugs. Instead, here he is with a 0% bug-fix progress.]
[(Worried) This is his last chance to interact with Mu Mingqiu—he has to seize it!]
[I don’t even know where this kid learned it from, but I just have to say—what’s with this obsession with setting up a food stall?! Who the heck is the mastermind behind this?!!! Learn something better, for goodness’ sake!!!]
Seeing these bullet comments, Yu Ming realized something.
—It seemed that Boss Jian’s account in Genius Baby at Three and a Half was brand new, and the audience in this section naturally assumed he was just like all the other contestants—a genuine three-year-old child.
And in this section, the dominant trend was cuteness.
Yu Ming pondered for a moment.
Just then, Fu Changfeng walked onto the open-air balcony, holding a cup of hot milk tea.
He was wearing a simple white button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
“Xiao Ming.” Fu Changfeng greeted him, his gaze warm. “Try this hot milk tea I made. Everyone’s been busy looking for Boss Jian these past few days—you must be exhausted too. Take a break.”
Yu Ming shut off the holographic screen in an instant, smiled, and accepted the milk tea. “Alright. Thanks, bro.”
The two leaned against the railing, sipping their drinks.
After a brief pause, Fu Changfeng looked at Yu Ming meaningfully, then casually asked, “Xiao Ming, about Boss Jian’s whereabouts… Have you found any new leads?”
Yu Ming’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
Faced with the older brother he had grown up with, his family who had always stood by him, he should have answered honestly. He should have told the truth—that he had found Boss Jian, and that he was currently in the Genius Baby section.
But when the words left his mouth, as if possessed by some mischievous force, they turned into—
Yu Ming pursed his lips, his gaze dropping, looking dejected.
“Bro… I haven’t found him either. Sigh, the Multiverse officials are really being jerks about this!”
The moment he said this, his heartbeat quickened. He stole a glance at Fu Changfeng’s expression. Fortunately, Fu Changfeng didn’t seem to notice anything amiss and simply nodded.
Yu Ming had never told such a big lie in his entire life.
But.
Boss Jian—so tiny, so soft and adorable!!!
A little guy who can’t even reach past someone’s knee, setting up a food stall to sell roast duck—AAHHHHH!!!
He had to keep this a secret and enjoy it all by himself.
Hehehe.
*
The Next Day, 12:00 Noon
“Baby, are you sure you don’t need Daddy to go with you?”
“You’re so small, setting up a stall all by yourself outside—Daddy is really worried. Let me go with you, I can even help out, okay?”
Ye Qingquan looked at the fully-prepared Lanlan, the worry in his eyes almost tangible. His beautiful eyes even shimmered as if he were about to cry.
…Of course, not for the reasons he claimed.
It wasn’t about being worried for Lanlan’s safety.
After all, whether Lanlan agreed or not, he was going to secretly follow him anyway.
But if Lanlan actually let him come along, he could justifiably buy roast duck from him without competing with other customers.
The little boy, however, firmly shook his head. His big round eyes blinked as he said, “The kindergarten teacher said we have to do things ourselves. Parents aren’t allowed to help.”
Then, he skillfully hung up twenty roast ducks on the grill and lit the charcoal beneath them.
Having learned from yesterday—when Xu Shishi bought out seventeen whole roast ducks in one go—Jian Yunlan had wised up.
This time, he had prepared a wooden sign in advance.
It read:
[Roast Duck: Limit One Per Person!]
Although he was only three years old, the premise of Genius Baby at Three and a Half was that the children were all geniuses, so being able to read and write wasn’t anything surprising. However, since he was still in a child’s body, his handwriting was crooked and wobbly—a little embarrassing, to be honest.
But hey, embarrassment was a small price to pay if it meant he wouldn’t be sold out in twenty minutes again.
The charcoal fire in the grill gradually grew stronger, and the temperature began to rise. The ducks, which had been air-dried overnight, were neatly lined up inside, ready to roast.
The little boy, full of determination, hopped onto his tricycle.
Time to set up shop!
Ye Qingquan stood behind him, watching with a melancholic gaze.
“Lanlan, be sure to stay safe…”
The moment the tricycle rounded the corner—
Ye Qingquan immediately turned around, rushed back inside, threw on a trench coat and sunglasses, and stealthily followed after him.
This was just a parent’s love and protection for his three-year-old child.
It definitely wasn’t because he was craving roast duck!
*
The conspicuous little tricycle followed the same route as yesterday, heading toward Zhu Yuan Private Cuisine.
Along the way, pedestrians and shop owners had already formed an impression of this little roast duck stall owner, who had packed up in just twenty minutes the day before. Now, seeing the small boy setting up shop again, at the exact same time, they were all slightly surprised.
They thought that after yesterday’s “blow,” he wouldn’t dare come out again today.
Many people greeted him with amused smiles:
“Yo, little boss, you’ve got perseverance! Back again today?”
“So hardworking at such a young age! He got knocked down but got right back up—this kid is going places.”
“What’s written on that sign? ‘One per customer’…?”
The little boy prominently displayed the sign in front, making sure everyone could see it.
Yesterday, he had to close early because he sold out. Today, he was implementing a purchase limit?!
Uncle Li, who ran the liquor and tobacco shop, lit a cigarette. “Confidence is good in a kid, but isn’t this a little too confident?”
Sister Zhang, who sold desserts nearby, chuckled. “Oh, I get it! This is called hunger marketing. This little boss has a business mind!”
“Hunger marketing only works if people actually want to buy your stuff…” someone muttered skeptically.
But the little boy paid no attention to their doubts.
—Running a food stall meant facing all sorts of comments. And to be honest, if he saw a three-year-old selling roast duck on the street, he’d be skeptical too.
With a bright smile, the little boy called out in a crisp voice, “Big brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunties! I’ll be selling roast duck again today, across from Zhu Yuan. If you’re interested, come buy one!”
Uncle Li scoffed inwardly.
Who’s gonna buy from a three-year-old?
They weren’t fools.
And then—
A shadow whizzed past him like a tornado.
BAM!
Uncle Li was knocked off his chair and landed squarely on the ground. He sat there, dazed, rubbing his backside.
“Wh-what the hell just blew past me…?”
A shrill voice rang out—
“LITTLE BOSS! You’re finally selling again!!!”
The “tornado” turned out to be Auntie Wang, charging forward with a bowl of rice in her hand, clearly having prepared in advance. She was thrilled.
“Ahhh! I want to buy, I want to buy! However many roast ducks you have, I’ll take them ALL!”
Then, her eyes landed on that dreaded sign.
[One per customer.]
The joyful smile on Auntie Wang’s face froze.
Damn it.
One?! How was one going to be enough?!
Yesterday, she had missed out on the roast duck entirely. She had been so desperate that she just sat next to the grill, inhaling the smell of the roasting duck while eating plain white rice.
For an entire day afterward, she couldn’t stop thinking about that unattainable roast duck. She could still smell it in her mind. The craving was so intense that while riding her scooter, while cooking, even while sleeping, she dreamt about eating roast duck.
But in the dream, no matter how much she chewed, something felt off.
Then she woke up.
And realized.
She had been chewing on her blanket.
There was even a hole in it.
So today, she got up at the crack of dawn, waiting for the little boss to appear so she could buy out all his stock immediately.
Just in case, she even went to the bank and withdrew 30,000 yuan in cash. Then she thought, “What if it’s not enough?” and withdrew another 10,000.
This level of determination was truly unmatched.
But now, standing in front of the stall, she clutched her wallet and felt despair.
“One isn’t enough!” Auntie Wang wailed, nearly clinging to the tricycle in desperation. “Little boss, have mercy! Sell me three—no, five! Just five! I’ll pay you double the market price!”
The other onlookers stared, stunned.
Just moments ago, they had been mocking the purchase limit.
And now, standing before them was a living example of someone being limited.
And not just anyone—this was Auntie Wang, who was notoriously picky about street food.
Auntie, you’re really that desperate, huh?!
But the little boy firmly shook his head. “Sorry, Auntie, but I really can only sell one per person. Also, my stall isn’t here—it’s up ahead. If you want to buy, just follow me!”
Auntie Wang’s sorrow deepened.
But she didn’t allow herself to dwell on it.
The moment the little tricycle started moving, she snapped into action.
She hopped onto her electric scooter, revved the engine, and zoomed after him.
—One is better than none.
She never wanted to experience the agony of chewing on her blanket again.
The bystanders tried to reason with her.
“Auntie Wang, think about this again! He’s just a little kid—he can barely walk properly, how can he make good roast duck?”
But Auntie Wang, racing ahead on her scooter, had an expression of absolute confidence.
“Heh.”
“Just wait until you smell that roast duck. You’ll all be begging to trade places with me!”
*
Behind the little boy’s tricycle was Auntie Wang’s electric scooter.
And not far behind them, hiding in the shadows, was Ye Qingquan—disguised in full gear, secretly tailing them.
Soon, the little tricycle stopped across from Zhu Yuan.
There, Xu Shishi was already waiting.
Her Lamborghini was parked at the curb, standing out like a sore thumb, attracting countless curious gazes.
The moment she saw Jian Yunlan, her eyes lit up.
Practically drooling, she rushed over.
“Little Lan Boss! You’re finally here! I’ve been waiting forever!”
Jian Yunlan: “……”
Didn’t she already buy seventeen ducks yesterday?!
Why the heck was she back again today?!
Could it be that she actually finished all seventeen roast ducks?
Seeing the expression on the little boy’s face, Xu Shishi seemed to understand something. She waved her hand nonchalantly and said, “With roast duck this delicious, of course, the more, the better… Unlike some private restaurants, whose roast duck not only tastes bad but also comes with an arrogant attitude, hmph.”
As she spoke, Xu Shishi cast a sidelong glance at Zhu Yuan, the private restaurant across the street, her face full of disdain.
—Not long ago, when she had just parked her car here to wait for Little Lan Boss, the lobby manager of Zhu Yuan had walked over. His attitude appeared respectful, but in reality, it was filled with arrogance as he said:
“Miss Xu, I’m sorry, but since you just dined at Zhu Yuan yesterday, if you wish to dine here again, you will need to make another reservation in advance. We do not accept walk-in customers. Currently, the earliest available reservation is in April… of the year after next.”
Of course, at that time, Xu Shishi had immediately cut him off: “Who cares about your Zhu Yuan? I didn’t plan on eating there. I’m waiting for Little Lan Boss. Mind your own business.”
The lobby manager’s expression had instantly become quite spectacular.
Who knew whether he believed her or not, but after leaving behind a stiff “Well then, I wish you a pleasant day,” he walked away with a sour face. He was probably grumbling behind her back, saying she had no taste.
Recalling the roast duck she had at Zhu Yuan yesterday, Xu Shishi couldn’t even remember what it tasted like. She only remembered that it had a big name but was actually just average, and the service attitude was even worse.
She really wanted to go back in time and slap herself.
Why did she waste money on a place like that? Wouldn’t it have been better spent on more of Little Lan Boss’s roast duck?
From the moment Little Lan Boss parked his tricycle, Xu Shishi’s eyes were glued to that roasting oven. Just like yesterday, she made an outrageous demand: “Little Lan Boss, I want twenty ducks!”
“Big sister, only one per person,” the little boy tapped on the signboard and gave her a sweet smile.
Boom.
A thunderbolt from a clear sky.
Xu Shishi staggered, clutching her chest. It took her a while to recover before she finally compromised, “Alright, just one… Wuwuwu.”
At the same time, Auntie Wang, who had chased after Jian Yunlan all the way on her electric scooter, also stopped. “I’ll take one roast duck, too.”
“Alright~”
The little boy skillfully unfolded the side panel of his stall, started simmering the special duck sauce, and prepared the pancakes, sliced scallions, cucumber strips, and today’s new addition—marinated braised vegetables. After finishing the prep, he glanced at the clock:
“The roast duck will be ready in about five more minutes.”
Before leaving home, he had placed the duck into the roasting oven ten minutes in advance. It usually took around forty minutes to roast to perfection.
At this moment, as the temperature of the charcoal fire in the oven rose further, the ducks hanging on the oven walls started sizzling, with golden oil dripping down, releasing an incredibly rich aroma.
Yes, that aroma!
Xu Shishi and Auntie Wang were both staring excitedly at the oven, swallowing their saliva, their anticipation palpable…
Meanwhile, on the other side of the street.
Wu Weiguo pulled over a luxurious Maybach and sighed.
“Young Master, you have to believe me,” Wu Weiguo said bitterly, glancing at his watch. “The one selling roast duck is really Little Lan Boss. If you take a look, you’ll know. By now, he should already be set up.”
…From yesterday until today, Wu Weiguo had endured inhumane torment.
It wasn’t physical torture, but rather, a combination of both mental and physical temptation.
Mu Mingqiu was absolutely convinced that Wu Weiguo was the hidden master behind the delicious roast duck. No matter how much Wu Weiguo explained otherwise, Mu Mingqiu stubbornly clung to his own belief. He had even come up with an entire backstory for him:
As the sole heir to the once-renowned, top-tier roast duck recipe that had taken the nation by storm, Wu Weiguo had endured countless storms of bloodshed in his youth. Too many people had fought and schemed just to get a taste of his roast duck. Out of compassion, Wu Weiguo had chosen to leave the conflicts behind, retiring from the culinary world and settling down as an ordinary chauffeur in the Mu family.
“Old Wu,” Mu Mingqiu had even tried to persuade him earnestly yesterday, “I understand your predicament. But if you’re willing to make that roast duck just one more time, I’ll buy you a villa inside Beijing’s Third Ring Road, add an eight-figure bank deposit to your name, and enroll your daughter in the prestigious private kindergarten under the Mu family’s name…”
Wu Weiguo felt utterly dizzy.
For a few fleeting moments, he was seriously tempted to just admit it.
But—he really wasn’t the one making the roast duck!
No matter how much he forced himself, he could never make roast duck as delicious as Little Lan Boss’s!
However, Mu Mingqiu remained convinced that Wu Weiguo was merely playing the fool, hiding his true skills on purpose to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Wu Weiguo: “…”
Finally, after much persuasion, Mu Mingqiu reluctantly agreed to come to the entrance of Zhu Yuan to take a look—to see if there truly was, as Wu Weiguo claimed, a three-and-a-half-year-old genius selling top-tier roast duck.
…Although, deep down, Mu Mingqiu absolutely did not believe it.
He had come here only to expose Wu Weiguo’s ‘lie’ and force him to cook roast duck himself.
Little Lan Boss, I beg you, please be here! Wu Weiguo prayed fervently in his heart.
At this moment, Mu Mingqiu rested an arm on the car window and glanced outside.
His striking red hair was gently tousled by the wind. Unlike yesterday, today he was dressed more casually, with a silver necklace around his neck that accentuated his bold and handsome features.
It was already noon.
Yet, they didn’t see the familiar tricycle.
“Old Wu, where’s that little boy you spoke so confidently about?” Mu Mingqiu smirked. “I don’t think there’s any such thing as a three-year-old roast duck prodigy—”
Suddenly, a familiar aroma wafted through the air.
Mu Mingqiu’s words came to an abrupt halt.
I have waiting for you everyday