Chapter 44
After the celebration that night, Anxius left the estate again, while Yomi continued going to work at his little “Empire’s Precious Baby Office” as usual.
But now the study basically had only him in it. Anxius could stay home at most one day a week. Even Yomi had grown curious about such an intense schedule, but after all, the other party was the Crown Prince of the Empire. His itinerary was confidential, so Yomi would not ask around.
Now that his body had fully recovered, Yomi—who was full of ambition—planned to continue his livestreaming side job. He even posted a message announcing that he would be returning to stream soon.
Within one day, the comments passed ten thousand. His fans reacted intensely, and some even posted a picture of the little dance ant trainer, asking whether it had been him.
Yomi replied:
Yes, that was me. Big Eye is very cute. Please continue supporting Big Eye and all the dance ants.
That very day, countless related hot posts appeared on entertainment forums:
[Shock! So the little trainer from a while ago really was Yomi!]
[Good news: Daily Mi is coming back to stream!]
[Counting just how many jobs Yomi actually has]
[Ahhh, could that lifelike doll in my house also have been Yomi in disguise?!]
…
Since Anxius was never home these days, Karl noticed that Yomi had started “going to work” alone in the study and kindly went over to remind him, “His Highness Anxius said you can move about freely. There’s no need to stay in the study all the time.”
Yomi paused at that, looked up at Karl, and took the chance to ask something he had wanted to ask for a long time: “Mr. Karl, why aren’t you by the Crown Prince’s side?” If the Crown Prince was so busy, shouldn’t his secretary be going along too?
Karl choked on his words. To be honest, he was not entirely sure himself what had been going on with the Crown Prince lately.
But from his earlier observations, he did have a tiny bit of a guess. Only, that was something he absolutely did not dare say aloud.
Seeing Karl’s awkwardness, Yomi immediately changed the subject. “Mr. Karl, you should have a house on Snar, right?”
Of course he did, and not just one. Karl smiled and nodded.
“That’s great. I’m planning to go look at houses today,” Yomi said with a smile. He now had a decent amount of savings and could start familiarizing himself with housing prices in different areas. “Um… which district is your house in?”
Karl answered on instinct with the address of one of the properties in his name. It was in the wealthy district of the main city, where houses were incredibly sought after. Even if one had money, one still needed the right connections or power to buy there.
Yomi, who had originally wanted to go see Karl’s neighborhood, slowly hunched down the moment he heard the address.
Even if he saved enough money, he still would not be able to buy a house there.
The moment Karl saw his expression, he panicked at once. In order to cheer Yomi up, he quickly opened a holographic software program on his optical brain. This software could let them view houses as though they were physically there.
Yomi was immediately drawn to the software unfolding before his eyes. In truth, he had not become dispirited because of the district where Karl’s house was. He was only a little regretful that in this lifetime, he might never get to be Karl’s neighbor.
With this software, they could tour houses in full panorama without leaving home. Karl led him into the holographic scene in front of them and said enthusiastically, “Yomi, what kind of area do you want to buy a house in? We can look at everything here.”
Yomi thought carefully. “In the main city, preferably close to a hospital, so it’ll be convenient for medical care, groceries, and shopping. Public safety is also very important.” He was so small that safety really mattered. As for schools and things like that… Yomi had already let go of such thoughts. In this world, with his body size, he probably would never find someone who liked him, so children were out of the question. But once he settled down in the future, maybe he could try pursuing further studies at the Imperial Academy. He should qualify for admission now.
The moment Karl heard this, he immediately filtered out several suitable neighborhoods for him. Though he had never worked as a real estate agent, at that moment Karl was practically a professional property broker, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself. He led Yomi through several houses. While checking some other properties, he suddenly found a special house thumbnail. When he opened it, Karl brightened in delight. “This little house is especially suitable for you, and it’s not expensive either. You could consider it.”
It was a small duplex house. For a Snar native, both the floor area and the ceiling height would feel narrow and cramped. But by Yomi’s standards, the height was just right—better than right, it would actually feel very comfortable. The space was also fully adequate. In fact, it was enough for him to turn it into a beautiful little house of his own. There was a shopping center nearby, and the public security was good too. It suited Yomi very well.
And because it was not suitable for Snar physiques, it had not sold for some time, so the price was very low. If he had not been afraid of scaring Yomi, Karl would even have wanted to buy it outright and give it to him.
Karl had assumed Yomi would definitely be pleased with the house. But after Yomi carefully looked around inside it once, he frowned at the height and space, then shook his head. “I want to buy a bigger house.”
Karl was a little surprised, and also apologetic. “Do you want to buy a villa? That’s true, this house is a bit small…” Yomi had limitless potential. He could absolutely afford something better and bigger.
“No need for a villa,” Yomi said, shaking his head shyly. “This house would be enough for me to live in. It’s just that if friends came over in the future, I’m afraid it wouldn’t be spacious enough.” Back when he had no money, all he had wanted was a small house that he alone could fit in. But now he had friends, and his work seemed to have a bright future. Of course Yomi wanted a home where he could invite friends over to visit and even stay the night.
…So that was it?
Karl nearly teared up.
People online said that the number of Snar natives who wanted to adopt Yomi could circle Snar three times. That was truly not an exaggeration. If he were not afraid of the Crown Prince beating him up, childless-and-unmarried Karl really would have adopted Yomi as his own child!
Doing his utmost to suppress the urge to melt into a puddle, Karl continued taking Yomi through different houses in various areas with the holographic software. These were all large homes with normal layouts. Yomi was extremely satisfied with several of them, even sitting down inside them to imagine what it would look like when he worked there… After they closed the software, he had already started fantasizing about how he would decorate and arrange his future house.
Karl, looking at that little back view of his: he was already looking forward to it too!
With several good houses selected, Yomi now had a clearer idea of housing prices and the kind of home he dreamed of. He was not in a hurry to buy. Although he had money now, he was still not at the point where he could casually buy a house on impulse. He still needed to look around more. Buying a house was definitely not something he could rush.
After viewing houses, Yomi was full of motivation. That very day, he poured all his thoughts into making money.
Sitting at the desk, he began carefully considering his return to livestreaming.
Tea eggs had already become an internet-famous food on Snar. Yomi decided it was time to put stinky tofu on the agenda.
But this time, he was not planning to use the original model.
Yomi checked the calendar. There just happened to be a small holiday this week, so the flow of people outdoors would definitely be much larger. It was perfect for setting up a street stall.
That same day, he contacted Meikai, who had experience running stalls.
When Meikai learned that Yomi wanted to cooperate with him to set up a stall and sell a new product, he was so shocked he could barely speak properly. He even asked whether it really was Yomi, afraid that he had been scammed.
Yomi asked in confusion, “It’s me. After the tunnel competition ended, when your friend Harvey was sent to the hospital, you gave me this number.”
Meikai was not truly questioning him. He simply could not believe Yomi would take the initiative to contact him. For a long time, he had thought Yomi must hate him very much.
Was this not a dream?
As for partnering with Meikai to sell stinky tofu, Yomi had thought it over very carefully and felt this was the most suitable method.
Unlike tea eggs, stinky tofu was the kind of food that produced sharply divided opinions. It could not rely on livestreaming alone. It would be better if people could get a more direct and realistic impression right from the start. Promoting it through physical sales was the only method Yomi could think of.
They would sell from a stall while streaming at the same time. What he wanted was to show how the exact same food could provoke two completely opposite reactions from customers—love and hate. That way, at the very least, it would spark curiosity and attention online, and at minimum attract people to come try it… After spending a short while as a streamer, Yomi was now a professional new media content creator himself!
Although Meikai did not fully understand the plan after hearing it, in his eyes there was no way Yomi’s food could possibly taste bad! So that very same day, he dragged Harvey into a video call with Yomi as well.
Meikai looked rather restrained on video, completely different from how he had been backstage at the tunnel competition. He seemed extremely nervous.
Yomi noticed something was off and asked, “What’s wrong with you?” Surely no one had bullied him, right?
Harvey had once told Yomi about Meikai’s past, and he seemed to have guessed what Yomi was thinking. He hurriedly smoothed things over for Meikai. “Meikai is doing really well now! He’s just super embarrassed. He’s always felt really sorry about what happened at the tunnel competition.” As for the fact that Meikai had now become the head of Yomi’s fan support station, of course Harvey was not about to say that.
Yomi did not think much of it. “He already apologized to me.”
Meikai trembled all over and slowly raised his eyes. “…Yomi, thank you.”
Seeing that he seemed a little better, Yomi smiled and took out his plan, then explained the general arrangement.
During the holiday, they would set up the stall and livestream in high-traffic locations. Once stinky tofu gained some fame, they would rent a storefront and sell it there.
Meikai listened with his blood boiling in excitement. Even though he did not know what kind of thing stinky tofu actually was, he kept nodding and saying yes. He was obedient like an excellent student. Though Meikai had a very good business mind, at that moment he could not be bothered to calculate anything. By instinct, he believed that Yomi’s food would certainly be just as likable as Yomi himself.
That same day, Meikai and Harvey went out together to scout locations. By the next morning, they had already rented a stall space in a city shopping district. Their efficiency was astonishingly high.
Over the following two days, Yomi went out with them to buy ingredients and teach them how to make stinky tofu.
At first Meikai was almost knocked unconscious by the smell. He even thought they must have made a mistake somewhere in the process. But then he saw Yomi personally eat a piece and nod over and over in satisfaction, leaving him dumbfounded.
Meikai’s fanboy mentality took over. Not caring whether it would upset his stomach or not, he stared at the stinky tofu, shut his eyes like a martyr going to his death, and stuffed a big bite into his mouth. He had even clenched his fist, fully prepared not to spit it out no matter what. But after he started chewing, his expression slowly changed.
Harvey watched his eyes go from tense to content and instantly suspected a scam. He still did not dare try it, only to get chased down by Meikai and force-fed a bite!
Unlike Meikai, Harvey did not think it tasted especially good. But it did taste very different from what he had imagined. It really was not actually smelly once you ate it. Just average, he thought.
However, that evaluation did not last long.
That evening, while eating a bland dinner, Harvey suddenly remembered the rich flavor of that piece of stinky tofu… and inexplicably started craving it. Like an old smoker hit by a nicotine craving and desperately wanting a cigarette, Harvey now desperately wanted another bite of stinky tofu. Unfortunately, there was none to buy. He had no choice but to go into the kitchen and quickly make himself a bowl. This time, when he ate it again, he found himself getting more and more hooked… Ah, what a magical food!
The day before they set up the stall, Yomi was afraid they would not have enough staff, but recruiting online and screening people would be too troublesome, especially since it was urgent. So that very day, he made recruitment flyers, tiptoed over to rent an electronic billboard outside the shopping mall, and scanned his little flyer into it.
Just as he was paying, a teenage boy walked over suspiciously. He stared at Yomi and the flyer for a long time, his eyes flickering.
“Are you recruiting?” the boy asked cautiously.
Hearing that, Yomi turned to look at him and felt the boy looked a little familiar. But he had seen too many people at the zoo recently, so it was not strange for someone to seem familiar. Yomi nodded. “Yes. We’re selling snacks at a stall tomorrow, and it may be quite busy, so we’re hiring someone to help. The wages will be paid daily. Oh, and because there will be livestreaming, you may have to appear on camera too…” It was Yomi’s first time recruiting someone. He straightened his back and tucked his hands behind him, trying his best to look mature.
Arlo could hardly believe his luck could be this good. Ever since joining one of Yomi’s fan groups, he had gotten to know quite a few local boys and girls, and naturally all they talked about was Yomi. Having the same idol really did make it easy to become friends… And sure enough, he had just been eating at the mall with a few friends he had met up with in person. Once the gathering ended, everyone went home separately. He had never imagined he would run into Yomi himself!
“May I try?” Arlo eagerly volunteered, trying to suppress his excitement. “My eyesight is very good. I’ve often done odd jobs for people before. And I’m really short on money lately too. My dad’s birthday is coming soon, and I want to buy him a watch, but I don’t have enough money, so I’ve been looking for part-time work…” In order to get the job, he did not hesitate to lie.
Yomi saw that the boy was tall, fresh-faced, and handsome, and looked like an efficient person. Plus, he wanted a part-time job in order to buy a gift for a family member. That sounded exactly like a good kid. Satisfied, Yomi nodded, exchanged contact information with Arlo, and carefully explained the specific work schedule and responsibilities for the next few days. Then the two of them parted ways.
As Arlo left, he kept turning back every few steps, while Yomi had already run off to meet up with Meikai and the others.
That evening, the exhausted Yexi came home and the moment he walked in, he saw a brand-new watch on the table. At the same time, strange cries and rolling noises once again came from his son’s room.
?
His wife walked over smiling and hugged him, her tone full of happiness. “Your son bought it. He bought me a gift too. He said he’s been very happy lately and wanted to thank Mom and Dad.”
“Really?” Yexi raised a brow while holding his wife. “What a huge change. He hasn’t been possessed, has he?” He said it with his mouth, but in his heart he felt much lighter. His son was happy, so naturally he was happy too.
…
At eight o’clock the next morning, Yomi’s stall officially opened for business!
In front of the bustling shopping mall stood a stall with the words “Mimi Stinky Tofu” written on it. Behind it stood four apron-wearing figures.
Standing in the middle, Yomi did not look short at all—
because he was standing on a tall stool, both hands busily at work.
Yomi’s newly purchased device, the “Little Butterfly Camera,” floated in front of the stall, livestreaming through the air.
[Daily Mi] is now live—
The comments were instantly filled with question marks.
[Where’s my Mi? What is this? Strolling around the mall?]
[The tiny one in the middle is Mi, probably standing on a stool. If the camera gets closer it’ll be clearer.]
[Stinky tofu, what is that? Is it really that stinky?]
[Guys, I just went to the stall and bought a serving. The smell is really… listen, Yomi is a streamer with over a million followers, but first thing in the morning absolutely nobody dared go near his stall! Just imagine how strong that smell is.]
[No way? Did Yomi’s sense of taste go wrong after getting sick?]
[Don’t talk nonsense. It only smells bad, but tastes amazing! Anyone who eats it will know. I’m planning to buy several portions and bring them back for my roommates to try.]
[Are you sure you’re not just setting up your roommates?]
[He actually made something this smelly? Could it be he’s been quiet for too long and is just stirring up attention for his comeback?]
[Anti-fans get lost. Yomi’s real active fans are beyond your imagination! He doesn’t need to stir up attention! [throws stinky tofu at you]]
[…]
Still, the idea of setting up a stall to sell something smelly was something most Snar natives simply could not accept.
Countless people were full of doubt. Even the fans felt a little guilty and had no idea what Yomi was trying to do. But the more baffling it was, the more curious they became. Before they realized it, even random passersby who had clicked in just to see how the people eating it would react had stayed in the livestream…
Then at noon, the stall—which had originally had almost no customers—gradually began to grow crowded.
Inside the Little Butterfly Camera’s shot—
one customer was eating stinky tofu while loudly yelling for three more portions; beside him, a girl who had only wanted to get close to Yomi had nearly rolled her eyes back from the smell. In order to support her idol, she bought a bowl with tears in her eyes, but after cautiously taking one bite, her eyes widened. “Oh my god, is this really the same thing I smelled?”
Of course, right beside her there was also a boy who took one bite, ran disgustedly to a trash can to spit it out, then pinched his nose and fled…
At the same time, there were also people eating until sauce was all over their mouths, hissing from the heat while still continuing to eat, giving a thumbs-up every now and then.
Some people not far away watched curiously, tempted to try it. Some even treated the little stall like a challenge involving bizarre cuisine and came over laughing to give it a shot.
Most people’s reaction was the same: before eating, they wrinkled their brows and looked miserable from the smell; after eating, they stood there looking blank—Who am I? Where am I? What exactly did I just eat? How could it be both smelly and delicious and so addictive?
By the afternoon, a long queue had already formed in front of what had originally been the quietest stall of all.
After getting past their shock, the netizens watching the stream became full of curiosity and playful excitement. The moment they were able to leave the house, they dragged friends and family straight to Yomi’s stall! Who cared whether it tasted good or not? It looked fun! They could just treat it like a paid experience!
That very day, countless hot-topic tags about stinky tofu appeared on the trending list.
#TerrifyingStinkyTofu#
#DidYouEatStinkyTofuToday#
#TheFanWarOverStinkyTofu#
