DLRC – Chapter 87 Driving Me Up the Wall

Since things had already been made clear, Yu Wei stopped hiding her feelings. It was better to lay everything out in the open—it was good for everyone.

“It’s alright. I can wait,” Huo Mingwang smiled as he looked at Yu Wei’s overly defensive stance. He found it secretly amusing, and at the same time, he felt more confident in their relationship—sooner or later, she would fall for him again.

Besides, Yu Hui liked him so much. That would inevitably influence Yu Wei’s judgment—especially considering how much she doted on the child, to the point of it being carved into her bones.

With that in mind, he felt his spirits lift. If his son could be a good wingman, how hard could it be to win over the child’s mother?

“Ah! Uncle Huo!”

Just as the two were “facing off,” Yu Hui came shuffling to the doorway in his fuzzy slippers. He rubbed his eyes, and lo and behold—he saw Huo Mingwang.

The little guy immediately perked up. Dressed in a plush pajama set, he skipped over excitedly and hugged the man’s leg, tilting up his head, his messy black hair sticking out in all directions, and grinning like a fool.

“Uncle Huo, you’re here again!” Yu Hui’s smile was borderline exaggerated, and the little rascal hadn’t even noticed his mother standing right there. Yu Wei’s heart sank a little.

He turned his head and saw the golden sunlight spilling in from the balcony, feeling instantly warm and cozy.

“Huh? It’s not raining today…” Yu Hui mumbled to himself, then noticed his mother’s “resentful” gaze fixed on him. “Mom, why aren’t you wearing your pretty clothes?”

Yu Wei smiled faintly. “You’ll have to ask Uncle Huo.”

This man had come unusually early today—so early that she hadn’t even had a chance to freshen up or change clothes!

Huo Mingwang chuckled as he watched the mother and son interact. He picked up Yu Hui and kissed his rosy cheek before raising the paper bag in his hand. “I brought pan-fried buns for you and your mom. Happy now?”

“Pan-fried buns?” Yu Hui, oblivious to his mother’s darkening expression, started flailing his limbs in excitement. “Uncle Huo, you brought pan-fried buns? You mean the kind that are fried in oil?!”

“More or less.”

“Ah!” Yu Hui jolted in excitement, wriggling in Huo Mingwang’s arms. “I know those! My mom makes them too. They’re sooo tasty!”

Huo Mingwang suppressed a laugh and glanced at Yu Wei—only to find her glaring at him before stomping off to the bathroom to wash up in a huff.

Yu Hui had become awfully chummy with Huo Mingwang. Being carried and kissed didn’t even bother him anymore. Just a while ago, he only let his mom kiss him!

Yu Wei aggressively scrubbed her teeth and shouted, “You little rascal, come in and brush your teeth!”

“Okay!” Yu Hui wiggled his pale little feet—the slippers had fallen off when Huo Mingwang picked him up earlier. “Uncle Huo, I have to go brush my teeth now. Put me down.”

Huo Mingwang set him down and waited for him to put his slippers back on. Then the boy ran off to the bathroom, shouting, “Mommy, I’m coming!”

Yu Wei ignored him and splashed cold water on her face a couple of times. She felt much more awake afterward.

“Huh? Mommy, you didn’t put toothpaste on my brush?”

Yu Hui stared at his empty toothbrush head in confusion.

He looked up, holding the little brush beside Yu Wei, but she didn’t respond. Only after she finished washing her face did she glance at him.

“Do it yourself.”

“Alright then.”

Still unfazed, Yu Hui cheerfully squeezed out a little dab of toothpaste and began brushing in every direction—up, down, left, right.

“Mom, I’m done brushing!”

Yu Wei headed into the kitchen to make breakfast. She kept it simple today: three boiled eggs and a plate of egg fried rice made from yesterday’s leftovers.

Wait a second—why did she cook three eggs?

Was she losing it?

“Mommy! Mommy, did you hear me?” Yu Hui tugged at the hem of her shirt. Seeing her dazedly staring at the three eggs in the pot, he asked curiously.

“Huh? What did you say?”

Yu Wei pouted and glanced at Huo Mingwang, who was sitting at the table. Yu Hui continued, “I finished brushing, but the kettle is too heavy. I can’t lift it. Can you help me?”

Though he was a little warm furnace himself, Yu Hui still needed warm water to wash his face in the morning. Otherwise, he’d be shivering all over.

Resigned, Yu Wei walked out of the kitchen. Just as she was about to pick up the kettle in the corner, Huo Mingwang beat her to it.

“Where do I pour it?”

Yu Hui excitedly grabbed a small enamel basin from the table and placed it in front of him. Then, proudly declared, “My mommy bought this just for me—it’s my special face-washing basin!”

Trying not to laugh, Huo Mingwang glanced up at Yu Wei, who was standing nearby. “It’s pretty cute.”

Yu Wei immediately turned and headed back into the kitchen, silently grumbling in her heart.

It’s just a floral enamel basin. What’s so cute about it? Every household has one…

During breakfast, the shameless Huo Mingwang mooched another meal. Since he had brought the pan-fried buns, and her son was clearly enjoying them with greasy lips and a satisfied grin, Yu Wei didn’t have the heart to kick him out.

Afterward, he dropped them off at the dessert shop. While parking, he casually asked, “Got any plans for today?”

Yu Wei paused while adjusting her son in her arms. “Plans for what?”

Wasn’t the day just going to go on like usual? What plans?

“Mom, it’s New Year’s Day!” the adorable Yu Hui reminded her in his sweet voice.

Only then did it hit Yu Wei. She had just been thinking about it last night—how did she already forget this morning?

After getting out of the car, she carried Yu Hui out and stood by the window to say goodbye to him.

“There’s really nothing special about New Year’s Day. As long as I’m with my son, every day feels like a holiday.”

“What time will you be home tonight? Will it be earlier?” Huo Mingwang sat in the driver’s seat and didn’t get out. He looked up at Yu Wei, who was standing against the light. Her face was bathed in sunlight, making it hard to see clearly, only her rosy little mouth opening and closing.

“We’ll see. You don’t need to pick us up, I’ll ride the bike home.”

Huo Mingwang was silent for two seconds before he reached out to gently touch Yu Hui’s small hand.

“Alright then, we’re off.”

“Bye-bye, Uncle Huo!”

The car engine started, and the mother and son watched him leave before heading inside to open the shop.

Yu Wei went into the kitchen to make pastries, while Yu Hui stayed out front reading or drawing. Occasionally, if a customer came in, he would call for her.

When the third batch of pastries came out of the oven, a young boy’s excited, crisp voice rang out from outside.

“Yu Hui! We haven’t seen each other in so long!”

Yu Hui looked up from his book and gave Ma Xiangdong a glance. “We just saw each other the day before yesterday.”

The chubby boy laughed heartily. “Today’s my birthday! My mom brought me to buy something yummy! Yu Hui, which of your mom’s pastries is the best?”

“They’re all delicious,” Yu Hui said proudly, tilting his head back with confidence—showing off his mom with full enthusiasm.

“But I can’t buy them all…” The chubby boy took a deep breath of the sweet scent in the air and turned to his mother. “Mom, it’s my birthday today. Can I buy a bit of everything?”

“What nonsense are you talking about? It’s already good enough to have something to eat. You think you can have it all?”

Ma Xiangdong’s mom was short and looked kind. Her monolid eyes weren’t small, and she smiled warmly when she looked at Yu Hui. Clicking her tongue in admiration, she said, “Oh wow, Xiangdong, is this the new classmate you’re always talking about? He really is fair-skinned!”

“That’s right! Yu Hui is the fairest boy in our class!” Ma Xiangdong, though a bit chubby, was also fair himself.

He used to be the fairest kid in class—until Yu Hui arrived and took the crown.

Yu Hui was very polite with adults. He put down his book, stood up, and looked at Ma Xiangdong’s mom seriously.

“Auntie, would you like to buy a cake?”

“Yes, my Xiangdong said he wanted to try the cake from your shop!” she said with a smile. “Is your mom not here?”

“My mom’s in the back!” Yu Hui said, then quickly ran into the kitchen. “Mom! My classmate is here to buy a cake!”

“Classmate?” Yu Wei put down her work, washed her hands, and walked out. Her apron was still tied around her waist. As soon as she stepped into the front, she saw Ma Xiangdong happily chatting away with her son at the counter.

“Oh, little Xiangdong.” Yu Wei remembered this chubby boy. Every time they ate together, he liked to crowd around Yu Hui, watching him eat and swallowing his own saliva, always throwing in a few compliments about her cooking.

“Auntie Yu Wei!” Ma Xiangdong lit up when he saw her and quickly dragged his mom over. “It’s my birthday today!”

“Your birthday? Then happy birthday!” Yu Wei smiled warmly and reached out to pat his cheek. “So you’re here to buy a birthday cake?”

“Mhm! Auntie, I want to buy the yummiest cake you’ve made!”

Yu Wei smiled and glanced at his mom, and then suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

“Oh!” Yu Wei exclaimed, “Since it’s your birthday, how about I make a special birthday cake for you?”

Now that she thought about it, despite livestreaming for so long, the pastries she made were mostly the kind you don’t often see in daily life. She’d never thought about showcasing something as common in the modern world as a birthday cake.

Even though the shop had been open for quite a while, Yu Wei hadn’t made a single cake yet.

Yu Hui’s birthday was recorded as the 7th of May on the household register, and hers was the 16th of July. By the time she transmigrated, both dates had already passed, so she hadn’t really thought about it.

Ma Xiangdong looked very surprised. “Auntie Yu Wei, what’s a birthday cake?”

“It’s a special cake made just for kids celebrating their birthday—delicious and beautiful!”

“Is it prettier than this?” He pointed at a boxed cake in the display window.

“Of course, it’s way prettier than this.” That little boxed cake was nothing—so small that even if Yu Wei wanted to show off her skills, there was no room to do so.

“Then…” Ma Xiangdong glanced at his mother. “Auntie, how much is a birthday cake?”

“Hmm…” Yu Wei thought for a moment before saying, “Xiangdong is today’s little birthday star and also my son’s classmate, so Auntie will give you a special price.”

Hearing that, Ma Xiangdong and his mom lit up, listening intently to Yu Wei’s pricing.

Yu Wei gestured with her hands. “How big do you want it? This big? Or this big? The price depends on the size—the bigger, the more expensive; the smaller, the cheaper.”

“I…” Ma Xiangdong’s eyes turned thoughtfully. “I want… Mom, how big should we get?”

His mom thought for a while, then uncertainly copied Yu Wei’s gestures. “This big?”

“Okay! That’s about eight inches—let’s call it a friendly price: eight yuan.”

Eight yuan wasn’t exactly cheap, but an eight-inch cake was huge. It would take quite a few people to finish it, so it was actually a great deal.

Since no one had ever seen a real birthday cake before, Ma Xiangdong and his mom waited outside while Yu Wei made it. Later, Yu Hui got curious and went into the back to see his mom baking, and Ma Xiangdong couldn’t help but follow.

They ended up watching for half an hour, completely absorbed, standing silently and forgetting to even speak…

When the cake was finally done, the two little guys clapped and cheered excitedly!

“Mama! Mama!” Ma Xiangdong shouted loudly, following Yu Wei as she carried the cake out.

Yu Wei had placed the cake on a clean cardboard base lined with oil-absorbing paper and carried it out from the kitchen.

Ma Xiangdong’s mother had been chatting with Zhao Shufang outside the shop, but hearing her son shouting in excitement, she quickly rushed in. Zhao Shufang, having nothing else to do, followed her.

As soon as they stepped inside, they saw the birthday cake in Yu Wei’s hands.

“Oh my…”

The two women covered their mouths in surprise, eyes wide. It was Zhao Shufang who reacted first.

“This is a cake?”

“Yes, this is a birthday cake made especially for little Xiangdong.”

“It’s my cake! My cake! Yu Hui’s mama made it just for me!” Ma Xiangdong was overjoyed, bouncing as he clutched his mother’s hand. “Mama, mama! The cake is so pretty! I love it!”

“Yes, yes, it really is beautiful! As long as you like it!” His mom said this, but the way her lips curled up as she looked at the cake made it clear she was quite pleased too.

The cake was golden yellow overall, topped with many little cream flowers. The variety of bright colors Yu Wei combined looked stunning.

In the center of the cake, a few big characters were written. Ma Xiangdong couldn’t read them yet, but his mom could.

They read: Happy Birthday to the Cutest Little Ma Xiangdong!

“I’m so happy! I must be the happiest kid today!”

Before leaving, Ma Xiangdong couldn’t stop bouncing with excitement. His mom, afraid the little rascal would bump into her, playfully and annoyedly nudged him away with her foot. “Get away from me!”

“Mama! When are we going to eat it? It’s too pretty!” Then he added, “No no, I have to call Niuzi, Dashuan, Xiaoshuang, and Xiaoluo over to my house so they can all see my exclusive birthday cake!”

He had learned the word “exclusive” from Yu Wei and was now proudly flaunting it.

This was Yu Wei’s first time making an eight-inch birthday cake in the 1980s. The shop didn’t have a proper box big enough to contain it, so it couldn’t be covered.

But the cake was just too beautiful and novel. Though Ma Xiangdong’s mom didn’t bounce around like her son, when she learned there was no box, she cheerfully picked up the cake, paid, and left without complaint.

As they walked down the street, Ma Xiangdong trotted next to his mother, who carried the big eight-inch cake. The delicate cake gleamed under the sunlight like it was gilded in gold—radiant and eye-catching!

Today, little birthday star Ma Xiangdong and his mom were the most dazzling pair on Boxue Road. Anyone who saw them pass by couldn’t help but look.

People who recognized them came up to ask questions, their eyes filled with amazement. The admiration made Ma Xiangdong’s mom feel very proud. And when she generously shared that the cake had been made at her son’s classmate’s mom’s dessert shop, Yu Wei’s bakery became the talk of the neighborhood.

And that wasn’t all. When Ma Xiangdong got home, lots of kids from the housing complex came over. Everyone got a small piece on the paper plates Yu Wei had given him, and after eating, they all begged their parents to go buy one just like it!

Ma Xiangdong, proud and smug, said, “This is a special exclusive birthday cake made by Yu Hui’s mom just for me. Exclusive, you know what that means?”

The kids all looked up and licked the sweet cream from their spoons.

“‘Exclusive’ means this cake was made just for me! Nobody else’s cake will be like mine! Auntie Yu Wei also said that if I go next year, she can make me a different one! With fruit inside too—canned yellow peaches! But you guys didn’t get to eat those—they were deep inside!”

Truth was, he had eaten all the fruit himself. The taste—combined with the cream cake—was just perfect!

Meanwhile, back at the dessert shop, Yu Wei had no idea what was happening with Ma Xiangdong. She was feeling a bit anxious—because Huo Mingwang had shown up again, and it wasn’t even 2 PM yet.

She and her son had just woken from their nap on the shop’s lounge chair—a bit expensive, but totally worth it. She’d gone all the way to the furniture store to buy it so they wouldn’t need to go home for afternoon naps anymore.

“It’s a holiday today, so I’m giving my employees a little treat.” Huo Mingwang said as he glanced around at the display cabinets in her shop.

“So you’re just going to buy all my pastries?”

Is this big boss for real?

Yu Wei looked around at her counter. All those treats added up to at least several hundred yuan—was he really planning to buy them all?

“What, you don’t want my money?” Huo Mingwang teased, watching her with amusement.

Yu Wei: “…” This man—doesn’t he have anything better to do? Why is he always hanging around her shop? And now he was even making jokes with her.

What Yu Wei didn’t realize was that Huo Mingwang constantly showing up in front of her had gradually changed the way she spoke to him and how she behaved around him. The previous distance and indifference were long gone.

The familiarity between them… even she hadn’t noticed it.

“Of course not,” Yu Wei said immediately, pulling out all the boxes and bags from under the counter and starting to pack the desserts one by one. “Who’d say no to money?”

Only a fool would! Besides, she was saving up for a big house—every extra coin counted.

Huo Mingwang didn’t say anything more. He stood with Yu Hui, watching as the kid’s mom packed each cake. Then she suddenly turned around—

“What are you staring at? Come help me!”

So many pastries—how long would it take her to pack them all?

Huo Mingwang suppressed a laugh and walked over. As he reached her, he bent down and, in one smooth motion, wrapped his long arms around her, taking the tongs and boxes right out of her hands.

His voice was low and husky, almost brushing against her ear.

“You’ve worked hard. Let me do it.”

Yu Wei flinched and backed away, nearly slipping on the smooth wooden floor.

If he wanted to take the stuff, fine—but why one hand on each side like that? Anyone watching would think he was hugging her!

Seriously!

He’s driving her nuts!