OFTLHFRO C48

Chapter 48: A New Money-Making Plan

After the three kids left, Luo Mingchen looked at Huo Yan, feeling a bit awkward.

But remembering what Huo Yan had promised, Luo felt a heavy sense of responsibility, took the initiative to hold Huo Yan’s hand, and said, “Then let’s go rest.”

“Alright.”

Seeing Huo Yan so obediently follow him back into the room plastered with Double Happiness characters, Luo felt something was off and double-checked, “Do you still remember what you agreed to?”

Huo paused. “I remember.”

It was a bit challenging, but not impossible…

Delighted, Luo wrapped his arms around Huo Yan’s waist.

Because of their height difference, Luo had to stand on tiptoe to kiss him.

Helpless, Huo lowered his head and bent slightly so his spouse could kiss more comfortably.

Perhaps because the kiss went on too long, when Luo tried to undo the belt his hands had gone a little weak and failed for a while—so Huo undid it himself.

Seeing how considerate Huo was, Luo said solemnly, “Don’t worry. I’ll treat you well.”

Huo blinked and smiled slightly, dangerously alluring.

Luo, never very steadfast, pounced again.

Sinking into the soft bedding, Luo suddenly felt something was off. Cupping Huo’s face, he parted slightly, breathless. “Didn’t we say I’d be on top?”

Huo paused, slid an arm around his waist, and flipped positions.

At first Luo was secretly pleased; later he was not.

Was this what “on top” meant?!

When he tried to counterattack, his whole body turned to jelly. He could only bite Huo’s shoulder hard—only to be punished even more fiercely…

In the morning, after practice, Huo Yuhui didn’t want to disturb the pair, so he cooked porridge and fried flatbreads himself. The taste was ordinary, but better than Big Daddy’s cooking.

On the way to the academy, the brothers finally saw Little Daddy awake—his face looked terrible—while Daddy seemed perfectly fine.

Huo Xiang whispered, “Brother, doesn’t Little Daddy look like Scholar Gao Jiabao’s story of a scholar drained by a goblin?”

Yuhui, who had kind of thought the same thing, still warned, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Since both dads were up, they didn’t need to take little sister to school.

Delighted, Yueyue waddled like a little penguin toward Luo. “Daddy!”

Seeing her wobble, Luo felt much better. He reached to pick her up, but as he bent, his movements froze for a second. He glared at Huo in frustration, silently vowing to make him suffer the same fate next time.

“Daddy, are you hungry?”

“A little. Have you eaten?” Luo looked toward the brothers heading for class.

Yuhui nodded. “I cooked white porridge and fried a few flatbreads. They’re all in the pot.”

Luo sighed in relief. “Alright, head to school first.”

“Okay.”

After the brothers left, Luo carried Yueyue off to eat porridge.

Huo followed, ladling out two bowls.

Eyeing the chair, Luo pulled a soft cushion from his space and sat down—much better.

After finishing a big bowl of porridge, Luo said glumly, “How about you deliver the tofu today?”

“Alright.”

Huo agreed and gave him a small smile.

Luo, originally sulking, took one look at that face—which ticked every box for him—and decided not to dwell on it.

After breakfast, Huo went to deliver tofu to the restaurant; Luo took Yueyue and opened the shop.

Most tofu went to the restaurant; on a given day, retail didn’t move that much.

Luo started thinking about making more money so he could retire early.

If so, he couldn’t rely on tofu and bowl puddings alone.

And now that the hottest days had passed, bowl puddings weren’t selling as well.

After some thought, Luo decided milk tea and spicy skewers would be the most profitable.

But their current location wasn’t ideal. Taohua Town was big for a town, but foot traffic was still limited.

Sketching and calculating on scrap paper, Luo concluded that saving a large sum and opening a shop in the county would be best.

Maybe in two or three years…

By then, Huo Yuhui could study in the county too.

For now—what about making some braised snacks to sell?

Actually, if he could use the plastic and paper cups from his space, milk tea would be the top earner.

Just as Luo was fretting, he saw Yueyue rolling a sheet of paper into a tube.

His eyes lit up—he suddenly remembered a mutated plant in a corner of his space. He quickly took out two semi-transparent leaves veined with pale gold.

Reportedly, this had originally been bamboo sheathing leaves used for wrapping rice dumplings, but mutation had enlarged and transformed them.

Luo had kept a plant because it looked pretty, but he’d never found a use for it.

Now…

Perfect for making cups.

This fully mutated plant had leaves with the needed toughness and rigidity—the only problem was what to use to glue it.

Since this would be a drinking cup, toxic adhesives like ordinary glues were out.

As he pondered, he noticed thick sap beading at the base of the leaf. Touching it, he found it sticky…

A light went on in his head. Using his ability, he cut the leaf and rolled it together; before long it bonded seamlessly—held up to light, there was almost no visible seam.

It actually worked?

Excited, Luo made a cup about the size of a standard medium milk tea cup and poured in hot water—insulated!

Beautiful, heat-proof, and sturdy—an excellent cup.

Maybe it would sell well just like this?

Usually mutated plants had some toxicity, but this bamboo sheathing leaf had tested clean.

A researcher had specifically told him it might be a new variant; of three plants, he’d left one for Luo to keep.

Yueyue watched with bright eyes, not understanding why Daddy was smiling. “Daddy, Yueyue wants one too.”

At that, Luo poured out the hot water and handed her the cup to play with.

Seeing her raise it to her lips, Luo noticed the sharp edge of the rim and quickly stopped her. “Sweetheart, let Daddy fix it first, okay? Then it’s yours.”

Obedient as ever, Yueyue handed it back.

Luo used a small knife to score a ring one centimeter below the rim and folded it over so the edge wouldn’t cut the mouth.

But now there was a ring inside that needed sealing.

He sliced a small strip of leaf and glued it with the sap.

Now it was an excellent disposable cup—one that wouldn’t pollute the environment when thrown away.

When Huo returned, he found Luo carefully making cups while Yueyue played with a pretty one by his side.

“What leaf is this?”

Huo picked one up and didn’t recognize it.

Seeing him, Luo had a great idea and smiled. “It’s a mutated bamboo sheathing leaf. You’re free, right?”

“Free.”

Luo handed him a cup to use as a mold. “Then let’s make cups together.”

It was rare for Luo to be this straightforward about asking him for help, and Huo felt gratified. “Alright.”

Footnotes:

 

 

• Bamboo sheathing leaves (箬葉): Traditionally used to wrap zongzi (rice dumplings). Here, a mutated form provides tough, food-safe, heat-resistant leaves ideal for biodegradable cups.