Perhaps because last night’s meal had been too satisfying, the next morning, all four children except Yi Zichu slept in without exception.

Normally they would have woken up early from hunger.

Yi Zichu washed up quickly and began quietly packing his belongings. They couldn’t stay here any longer. Those men had suffered a serious loss — retaliation was certain. He had to find somewhere safe to settle the younger children.

He opened the door. His rented motorcycle was leaning against a tree nearby. Thinking of the gasoline Bai Youwei had used up, he felt a pang of worry — he had no idea how to explain it to the rental owner.

He’d just return the bike first and figure it out later.

Then — the neighboring room’s door snapped open.

Bai Youwei walked out, stretching lazily in the sunlight, her skin fair and luminous, her long hair slightly disheveled, her delicate features still soft with drowsiness — none of the sharp fierceness from the day before. She looked gentle, almost endearing.

Yi Zichu looked for a moment too long, then pulled his gaze away with a touch of embarrassment.

To enter the livestream world and remain this serene and untroubled — Bai Youwei was the first person he had ever seen manage it.

“Going out?” Bai Youwei noticed him and said casually, “Good timing. Go to the service station and get a carton of milk. Also oatmeal and bread, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, essence masks, sunscreen… I’ll transfer you the points.”

She pulled up her interface, selected the in-person transaction option, and 5,000 points transferred over instantly.

Yi Zichu stared at the number and froze. After a long moment, he managed to stammer: “That… that’s too much…”

“The rest is for groceries.” Bai Youwei said. “Today I want mushroom tofu, cucumber salad, garlic broccoli, salt-and-pepper chicken, sweet-and-sour ribs, and tomato beef brisket soup.”

Yi Zichu: “…”

After a moment of internal struggle, he said bluntly: “Groceries still don’t need that much…”

Bai Youwei raised an eyebrow at him. “Do you think you’ll get it right on the first try?”

Yi Zichu: “…”

So the cost of failed attempts was already factored in…

His feelings were deeply complicated. Just how bad had yesterday’s dishes been? Yaoyao, Youyou, Diandian, Jiujiu — everyone had said it was delicious!

And cooking this many dishes would take a very long time. With that kind of delay, they wouldn’t be able to move out today either.

Yi Zichu looked at Bai Youwei and hesitantly opened his mouth again: “But…”

“Hurry up and go.” Bai Youwei looked thoroughly puzzled. “What are you still waiting for? I’m practically dying of hunger.”

Yi Zichu: “…”

Fine…

He turned and walked toward the gate.

Bai Youwei’s voice rang out from behind him: “Don’t forget to pay the water and electricity bill! And buy light bulbs! All the bulbs here are burnt out! At night you have to feel your way to the bathroom in the dark!!!”

Yi Zichu walked away, at a complete loss for words.

……

There was so much to buy that the inventory slots in his personal interface weren’t sufficient — Yi Zichu stored what he could and lugged the rest back by hand, in large and small bags, before he finally got everything.

The moment he returned to the orphanage, Yi Zichu stopped dead in the gateway.

The courtyard was hung with row upon row of small colorful pennants, with balloons of every color dangling among them. Wherever you looked, pennants and balloons fluttered above — it looked exactly like… a festival.

Was there some holiday recently?

…Wait, that wasn’t the point. Even if there was a holiday, there was nothing here worth celebrating!

Ning Yao had her bow and was patrolling the third floor of the residence building. When she spotted Yi Zichu returning, she waved furiously at him: “Brother Zichu! Careful — don’t touch those balloons!”

Bewildered, Yi Zichu walked inside and saw Bai Youwei leading several children down the corridor, pumping up balloons with a hand pump.

Diandian held each balloon in place while Jiujiu operated the pump; Youyou tied them off; and Bai Youwei carried them out to the courtyard one by one, picking spots to hang them up. It was a smooth and harmonious operation.

“Youyou found a whole box of balloons in the teaching building. Might as well use them — no point in wasting them.” Bai Youwei gave him a glance. “Why are you just standing there? Go make food.”

—