House Dad's Literary Life

Chapter 267 – I Can’t Bear To Scold

The coffee shop on the weekend was filled with laughter and chatter because Xixi was on vacation. With the presence of the little girl, it felt as if the shop had gained an extra vitality, and the early winter in Jiangcheng didn’t seem so cold anymore.

“Giggles, giggles!”

Yang Yi sat quietly in his booth, reading a book. Two small figures ran past him with a patter, leaving behind a series of silver bell-like laughter, pulling Yang Yi back to his senses. He looked at Xixi and Lan Xin and shook his head with a smile.

Lan Xin was the one who came to play with Xixi most often among her little friends.

Lan Zhoukai was also very relieved of Yang Yi. After several exchanges, they had developed a sense of mutual understanding. Therefore, as a busy person who couldn’t accompany his daughter, instead of leaving Lan Xin at home to cry and make a fuss, it was better to leave his daughter with Yang Yi. After all, there was someone taking care of her and serving her with good food and drink. The plan seemed to work out perfectly.

In a short while, the two little girls giggled again, chasing after the poor Xiao Hui, who was running away in panic, and past Yang Yi again.

Yang Yi reached out and caught both little girls around the waist. He smiled and said, “Slow down, don’t trip and fall!”

“Giggles!” At the moment Xixi and Lan Xin were caught, they pressed on Yang Yi’s big arms, looked at each other and laughed. They laughed so hard that their little bodies went soft, not knowing what they were laughing about.

When Xixi didn’t have her little friends around, Xixi behaved like a little lady. However, when her little friends were with her… she turned into an energetic little girl playing to her heart’s content.

“I know, I know!” The little girl couldn’t stay still by her father’s side, she pushed her father’s hand away with Lan Xin. The two little girls held hands and ran off, giggling happily.

Yang Yi watched them run off to play before withdrawing his gaze and resumed reading his book.

“Welcome!” Another customer walked in. The coffee shop has been doing better recently, probably because it was winter, and drinking a warm hot drink was also a very enjoyable thing to do.

Ding Xiang greeted the new customer, who was a student wearing glasses, but the lenses were almost as thick as the bottom of a beer bottle. His clothes were also slightly old-fashioned, with a coarse-textured plaid shirt and gray-blue loose cotton pants, looking just like a person from a photo from over 30 years ago.

But if someone called him poor, Ding Xiang would definitely disagree. The wristwatch he wore and the leather shoes on his feet were not cheap. He couldn’t be considered particularly wealthy, but he should be at the level of the middle class, much better off than Ding Xiang in the past. It was just that his sense of aesthetics was probably on par with the mother of a certain young actress who has participated in the Beijing Olympics…

Ding Xiang introduced the coffee in the shop to him, but the young man frowned. He pushed his glasses up and squinted at the menu for a while before expressing his displeasure, saying, “Why are the coffees in your shop so expensive? They’re much more expensive than the ones in the east gate!”

Ding Xiang has encountered this question many times. She smiled and patiently explained, “It’s like this, our shop sells freshly ground coffee. We hand grind the coffee beans and go through a roasting process…”

Before Ding Xiang could finish, the young man interrupted, “I’m talking about the price. Why are you telling me about freshly ground coffee? Tell me, there usually few customers in the shop, right?”

Ding Xiang was somewhat taken aback.

“That’s right!” The young man didn’t wait for Ding Xiang’s response. He had a proud expression on his face and continued speaking to on his own, “Let me analyze the reasons for you. No need to thank me, just buy me a cup of coffee later!”

He couldn’t see Ding Xiang’s speechless expression at all. “According to the Bourbon Water Theorem, forget it, it seems you don’t understand these professional economics terms. Anyway, all you need to know is that you’re running a student business now, but what are you selling? Freshly ground coffee?”

“Of course, it doesn’t matter what freshly ground coffee you sell, but within the price range of 10 to 20 yuan, what kind of products can you offer to compete with your competitors for customers whose purchasing power is only in this range? None!”

The commotion over there also caught Yang Yi’s attention, but he had no intention of interfering. It wasn’t a big deal, just leave it to Ding Xiang to handle!

“We have cupcakes.” Ding Xiang couldn’t help but say.

“I’m talking about coffee, why are you bringing up cupcakes?” The young man had an exasperated look on his face. “I came to buy coffee, and you recommend cupcakes to me. Are you stupid or am I foolish to buy your cupcakes?”

Today, this young man put on an expert look, trying to persuade Ding Xiang to sell instant coffee. He talked for a long time. It was fortunate that Ding Xiang had a good temperament. If it were someone else…

“Although what you said makes some sense, I’m sorry, but our shop only sells instant, uh, I mean, only sell freshly ground coffee,” Ding Xiang was dizzy from his talking and almost got confused. “This is the rule set by our boss.”

“Ignorant and stubborn, impossible to teach, impossible!” The young man looked at Ding Xiang with disdain and shook his head, but he still took out his money, “Forget it, give me a 30-yuan mocha. I don’t have time to run to the east gate. By the way, after telling you so much, did you get inspired… ouch!”

The young man who still wanted to take the opportunity to ask for a discount, suddenly shouted as if he had been stepped on. He turned around, lowered his head, and through his thick glasses, he glared angrily at Xixi, who was sitting on the ground, still a little dizzy.

It turned out that Xixi and Lan Xin were chasing and playing around when they ran past him. In a moment of carelessness, Xixi accidentally bumped into his leg.

“Ah, sorry, sorry. Did Xixi get hurt from the fall?” Ding Xiang hurriedly ran out, squatted down to pick up Xixi from the ground, and apologized to the young man.

“Is saying sorry enough? I almost had a leg cramp from the bump!” The young man’s “fierce” expression made Xixi and Lan Xin a little scared, and Lan Xin even nervously clung to Xixi, who was leaning against Ding Xiang’s arms.

“I’m sorry…” Xixi murmured softly, feeling that she had caused trouble. But she also felt a little wronged in her heart by the other party’s fierceness. Moreover, the little girl had originally fallen and her bottom hurt, and now she was scared, nervous, and worried. She pouted her little mouth and was about to cry.

Yang Yi originally didn’t intend to pay attention to the situation here. He thought the young man was just a joke and didn’t bother to pay attention. But Ding Xiang’s call caught his attention once again, interrupting his reading.

Did Xixi fall?

“Where did this little girl come from? Doesn’t she have any manners?”1 The boy was somewhat unreasonable, pointing his fingers and scolding Xixi, then turned his attention to Ding Xiang, “What kind of place is a coffee shop? A quiet, elegant, healthy, and hygienic place. How can you allow these ill-mannered little girls and these smelly cats to come in? I don’t think your shop will last long.”

“Xiao Guai is not smelly!” Xixi had already started to sob softly. She turned her head with a look of grievances and explained to Sister Ding Xiang.

“You keep talking about lacking manners. Have you spent your whole life living as a dog? No, I can’t insult dogs…” Yang Yi’s voice came over, cold and even though he was telling a cold joke, it wasn’t funny at all. His tone carried a murderous intent, ““If you scold again, see if I won’t tear your mouth apart!”

My daughter, I can’t even bear to scold her, and yet you’re lecturing her for me?

Thinking of this, Yang Yi became furious. When he stood up, he slammed his fist hard on the table, and a thin crack appeared on the solid wood table.

Seeing Yang Yi’s burly figure, the young man swallowed back the rest of his curses and became as silent as a cicada in the cold.

Yang Yi walked over, ignoring him for now. He squatted down and held Xixi in his arms. When he looked at his daughter, the icy expression on his face melted, and he smiled gently, asking softly, “Where did Xixi hurt herself?”

With the support of her father’s arms, the little girl felt much more at ease. She pouted her lips, touched her bottom and said, “My bottom hurts.”

Yang Yi gently rubbed his daughter’s backside, then kissed her on the cheek, smiling as he whispered words only she could hear. “Don’t be afraid. Papa will stand up for you. There’s no one in this world who can bully our Xixi.”

While Yang Yi was showing affection to his daughter, the young man let out a sigh of relief. However, he didn’t dare provoke Yang Yi anymore, as the two of them were on completely different levels in terms of height and build.

“Forget it, I won’t argue with you!” As he turned around and walked towards the door, he muttered under his breath, still reluctant to admit his mistake. “This kind of broken shop will close sooner or later!”

However, Yang Yi’s ears were very sharp, and he heard everything clearly. But he wasn’t in a hurry to stop him. He let him go, letting the guy run 39 meters first.

The young man had already slipped out, but Yang Yi still looked unconcerned as he pulled Lan Xin over to comfort her. Then he handed the two little girls over to Ding Xiang and said, “Ding Xiang, please help me take care of Xixi and Xin’er.”

“Big Brother Yang, what are you going to do?” Ding Xiang anxiously pulled Yang Yi’s hand.

“Don’t worry, some people’s brains get hot in the cold weather. I’ll let him soak in some soup to calm down.” Yang Yi smiled and patted Ding Xiang’s hand, then winked at the little girl who had stopped crying but still had tears in her eye. “Xixi, cover your eyes and count 1 to 30. Papa will be back soon.”

Xixi has learned to count from 1 to 30 at kindergarten. The little girl wiped her tears and nodded in confusion.

“Xin’er, you too. Cover your eyes!” The scene might be cruel later and not suitable for children. Yang Yi also patted Lan Xin’s head and instructed her before leaving.