DLRC – Chapter 47 Can I Have a Pair of Fluffy Little Bear Shoes?

At noon, when Yu Wei opened the shop, she didn’t expect to find several people gathered outside, all peering curiously through the glass window. After she unlocked the door with her key, they exchanged looks for a moment before finally coming in.

“Are you the owner? What does this shop sell?”

“Yes, I’m the owner. We sell desserts and pastries here—please feel free to look around and see if there’s anything you like.”

Yu Wei placed her son behind the counter and pulled out a picture book from a cabinet below. It had been given to her by the lady who ran the neighboring fruit shop. She said it was something her kid used to read when he was little, and since she thought Yu Hui was so adorable, she brought it over as a gift to keep him entertained.

She felt quite lucky. Since moving, all her new neighbors had been friendly.

Those few people wandered around the shop for a bit but didn’t buy anything and soon left.

Yu Wei didn’t mind. Her morning had already been delayed, and she had to restock the desserts that were running low.

The sweets in her shop could generally be stored for three to four days—especially now in the colder winter months, when it was less likely for them to spoil. It made things much easier.

Her Jiumei livestream account had a few thousand yuan in it already. A couple more streams, and she’d hit five thousand. So, with a bit more cash on hand, she indulged herself a little—swiping her card without hesitation and boldly installing a new mini fridge in the kitchen.

Of course, a converter plug was essential. After all, the kitchen didn’t have that many sockets. Thankfully, the space was fairly large—though not exactly spacious—but it could fit a good number of appliances without feeling too cramped.

Once in the kitchen, Yu Wei told Yu Hui to sit outside and read while helping her keep an eye on the shop. Then she logged into her Jiumei livestream account and posted a message in the community:

“Yu’s Dessert House still needs a brand logo. Dear friends and fans of Little Mermaid Streamer, please help come up with a design. Much appreciated!”

The image she attached was a goofy meme she’d stolen from an internet friend—a derpy-looking little Shiba Inu with a dopey grin. Super cute and full of joy.

After posting, she headed to the rewards mall and bought a new batch of baking supplies.

By 4:30 in the afternoon, she wrapped up and prepared to take her obedient son home for dinner—but first, she needed to buy some millet for Gugu Jiji.

The millet was sold at the same shop as rice. Yu Wei led Yu Hui to the grain store and stood outside. Originally, she planned to just quickly buy it and head home, but then an idea struck her. She bent down and said to Yu Hui:

“Huihui, today you’ll buy Gugu Jiji’s millet.”

“Mama…?” Yu Hui looked up at her, confused. He didn’t understand why his mom suddenly wanted him to buy millet when she usually did it herself.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to help Mama with things?”

“Yeah! I want to help Mama!” The little one nodded firmly.

Yu Wei smiled and said, “Well, now’s your chance to show your talents. Go ask the shop owner to weigh out some millet for Gugu Jiji.”

Yu Hui had never bought anything by himself before—he always just tagged along and watched. So being asked to do it all of a sudden made him a little scared.

“It’s okay, Huihui. You’re amazing. Go ahead. Or should I call the shopkeeper for you?”

Saying that, Yu Wei straightened up and peered into the shop. Not seeing anyone, she raised her voice and called, “Boss, are you there?”

“Yeah—” came a reply, accompanied by the sound of cooking. A lady came out from a side room, beaming as she saw Yu Wei and Yu Hui.

“What would you like to buy?” she asked.

“Huihui.” Yu Wei looked down at her son, who was also looking up at her. His deer-like eyes were misty with confusion and fear—so pitiful it made Yu Wei’s heart melt.

“Come on, tell the auntie what we want to buy, hmm?”

Yu Hui pressed his rosy lips together, his baby teeth gently biting down on his lower lip. It was like he’d made a huge decision. He took a deep breath, raised his little white finger to point at the golden millet on display, and shouted boldly:

“Auntie! I want to buy some millet!”

Yu Wei almost laughed out loud.

She couldn’t help it—her little one was just too adorable. He looked like the kind of sweet bun you’d want to squish with both hands. That baby voice could probably melt anyone’s heart.

Well, “anyone”—there were only the three of them here.

Even the rice shop lady was amused by how cute Yu Hui was. She glanced at Yu Wei, then bent down and asked him, “Little guy, you want to buy millet? How much do you need?”

This question stumped Yu Hui. He had been so focused on mustering the courage to speak that he had no idea what to say next.

He looked helplessly at Yu Wei, who winked at him. “What do you think?”

Yu Hui scrunched up his little face. “Hmm… this much?”

He raised his arms, cupping his tiny palms together. “Mama, Gugu Jiji doesn’t eat as much as me!”

Gugu Jiji was about the size of his fist, and its tummy was definitely smaller, so two palmfuls of millet should be enough, right?

Yu Wei and the shop lady couldn’t hold back their laughter. She patted her son’s head, thinking what a funny little brain you have.

When he didn’t get an answer, Yu Hui held his panda plush in one hand and tugged at Yu Wei’s shirt with the other. He tilted his head up and softly asked the lady, “Auntie… I want to buy millet for Gugu Jiji. How much can I buy?”

Look at that! The little guy even knew to pass the question back to the shopkeeper. Yu Wei silently gave him a thumbs-up in her heart.

Kid, you’re doing great. Your mom wasn’t even this clever at your age.

This kid really was lovable—the shopkeeper’s eyes practically disappeared into crescents as she smiled. “What’s Gugu Jiji?” she asked.

Yu Hui responded immediately, without any hesitation, his voice filled with pride:

“Auntie, Gugu Jiji is the pearl bird my mom bought for me!”

Yu Wei and the shopkeeper shared a smile—who could resist such a sweet little dumpling?

The lady reached into an empty basket, grabbed a plastic bag, and scooped some millet for him.

“Oh, so you’re buying bird food. Then you don’t need that much.” She handed the bag over. “Here, little one. This should be enough for your birdie.”

Yu Hui took it politely, bursting with pride, and gave the auntie a sweet smile: “Thank you, Auntie.” Turns out buying things wasn’t scary at all—especially when the auntie smiled back. It was an unusual but wonderful experience.

“Oh, you’re such a polite one!” The lady laughed heartily at his thank-you. Yu Wei watched her clever son with eyes full of pride and warmth.

Yu Hui wasn’t the only one feeling proud—so was she. She was proud to have such a well-behaved son.

While they were at it, Yu Wei bought some rice too. They were nearly out at home.

As the shopkeeper weighed it, she asked, “You’re new around here? You look unfamiliar.”

“I moved here not long ago,” Yu Wei replied with a smile. “I came once before to buy rice, but I think someone else helped me last time.”

“Oh, that must’ve been my husband.”

Yu Wei thought back. It had been a middle-aged man. She nodded. “Yes, probably.”

“All right, all done. That’ll be 3 yuan. Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Take care!”

“Mm.”

Though buying millet was just a small detour on their way home, Yu Hui’s mood visibly brightened afterward—ecstatic would not be an exaggeration.

“Mama! I bought the millet all by myself!”

“Mhm. My son is amazing.”

Yu Hui giggled and happily stuffed big spoonfuls of red-braised potato and beef rice into his mouth.

Dinner was rich and flavorful. He silently jotted down the dishes in the little notebook in his head: red-braised potato beef, stir-fried mushrooms with greens and shredded pork.

The potatoes Yu Wei had bought were super starchy—soft and fluffy when cooked. Once soaked in the beef broth, they were incredibly tender and rich.

The aroma of the potatoes mixed with the soft, juicy beef created a perfect blend of meaty and sweet flavors.

But the best part was definitely the braised beef—lean, yet not dry, and incredibly tender from the long simmer. Even the bits with some fat became extra tasty after stewing, irresistibly moreish.

Yu Hui hadn’t eaten many gourmet dishes in his life, so this felt like an incredible treat. His big eyes half-closed in bliss, and his little mouth turned red from the food. He even swayed his head with joy.

Yu Wei thought: If my son had a sprout growing on his head like in cartoons, it’d be swaying like crazy right now from how happy he is.

Thanks to her daily feeding, the little guy had grown—not just heavier but taller, too.

She had marked his height on the wall beside the door when they first moved in. It had only been two months, but he’d already grown two centimeters.

He definitely inherited my excellent genes!

“Eat more meat, sweetie—and the mushrooms and greens too. They’re really nutritious.”

Yu Wei kept putting food on his plate. “Oh, and the milk I give you every morning—you’re used to it now, right? Starting tomorrow, you’ll drink a full cup! Mama believes you’ll be even taller in two months!”

Yu Hui was savoring the beef when he heard that and pouted a little, about to protest—until he heard she said he’d grow taller.

In that case…

“All right then. But Mama, you have to make me a fried egg every day too! Then I’ll drink a whole cup of milk!”

“Deal, deal, I’ll fry you eggs every day—until you get sick of them!” She wanted to see how long this enthusiasm would last. He’d probably end up begging her to change dishes soon enough.

Yu Wei chuckled to herself.

After dinner, about an hour later, Yu Hui ran off to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. Soon, the sound of little footsteps echoed through the room.

He came running up to her, his little head wobbling with excitement, and opened his mouth to show off his freshly brushed white teeth.

The yellow lightbulb in their home wasn’t the brightest, and it could sometimes make things hard to see—but she could clearly see the proud expression on his face. She chuckled and scratched his chin like a kitten.

“Good job, sweetie! So clean!”

Yu Hui was overjoyed. Nothing made him happier than being praised by his mom—as if all the happiness in the world came from her words.

Being with Mom was just the best. He wished he could always stay by her side. He loved this gentle Mama.

Yu Wei helped him sit on the bed, started taking off his coat, and he chattered nonstop:

“Mama, I can help you buy other things in the future too!”

“My little one is so capable—already helping me with chores. Impressive!”

Yu Hui giggled and covered his mouth. Yu Wei took off his panda sneakers and gently reminded him:

“Huihui, it’s getting cold lately. You shouldn’t wear these anymore. Mama will take you to buy some warm, fuzzy shoes in a few days.”

Yu Hui froze for a moment and stared at his blue panda sneakers. He looked a little down and reluctant.

“Mama… then can I have a pair of fuzzy little bear shoes?”