Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation-Chapter 1612 - 881: The Art of Hospitality

Urban area, Mingya City District.

The living room was filled with various kinds of gifts, making the space appear a bit cluttered. Yao Yiyao squatted on the floor, meticulously taking stock.

Suddenly, there was a noise at the door. Yao Haikuo walked into the living room carrying a red gift box, his voice booming: "Hairy crabs, all four or five liang female crabs!"

Before Yao Yiyao could reply, her mom frowned sternly: "Change your shoes first when you come in, the floor was just mopped!"

Yao Haikuo’s smile did not fade as he flipped off his leather shoes in two swipes.

Yao Yiyao: "Dad, not cheap, right?"

Yao Haikuo was indifferent: "Eight crabs, four hundred yuan, let it be a little expensive."

This year, he took on the job with Evergreen Liquid. His construction team worked overtime. Initially, he thought he’d earn only two or three hundred, because in their line of work, being owed project payments was common. Who knew the payment from Evergreen Liquid came before the work was even finished!

Yao Haikuo finally understood the strength of a big company!

With money flowing in, spending a little didn’t matter. Looking at the gifts on the ground, Yao Haikuo said: "Yao Yao, how much in total? I’ll reimburse you!"

"Over six thousand, give me eight thousand then," Yao Yiyao took the opportunity to ask for more.

Yao Haikuo waved a large hand: "I’ll give you ten thousand later!"

The father and daughter chatted happily. All these gifts were prepared for Jiang Ning, with a visit planned for noon.

Mrs. Yao furrowed her brows deeper, her clothes a deep tone, with the aura of a mid-level leader within the system: "Didn’t you already go once before? Going again?"

Yao Yiyao didn’t speak. Her mother was particularly strong-willed at home, what she said went, and since childhood, her life was under her mother’s control.

Yao Haikuo also said nothing. Although he worked in construction and could make some money before, it wasn’t much. In terms of social status, he was actually not as good as his wife, a mid-level leader within the system.

Mrs. Yao continued: "You need to maintain my dad’s network of connections, it’s good for your projects. The other day, Director Li planned to invite you, saying you’ve been doing well recently, his son was mentioning Yao Yao..."

Yao Haikuo gave a dry laugh. Director Li was a former subordinate of his father-in-law. To get projects in the past, he gave Director Li many benefits and laughed along during drinks, but it was not fruitful.

Due to her mother’s system background, Yao Yiyao mingled with similar-background peers, and not everyone was as easy-going as Lou Keke. Many relationships were intertwined, and there were numerous conflicts when she was young.

Some children with lower parental status tried to please those with higher parental status, even competing with each other.

At that time, many positions earned only a fixed salary, and living conditions weren’t all that good. In the Yao family, the mother was within the system and the father earned money through construction, making their conditions quite decent.

Once she wore a beautiful dress and was sarcastically remarked upon by the ’big sister’ of that circle. When she ran away from home, many people laughed, truly wishing you well were very few.

Rather than attending those banquets, Yao Yiyao preferred to go to the river dam and play with Jiang Ning and the others. She genuinely thought they were so talented, whether it was the handsome Jiang Ning or the cooking-skilled Xue Yuantong.

Mrs. Yao reprimanded: "You bought so many things earlier, it’s enough. You even sent a bunch at New Year..."

Originally, Yao Yiyao thought her dad would, as usual, let her mom scold him, but the next second, Yao Haikuo suddenly shouted: "Shut up now!"

Mrs. Yao’s expression instantly froze, completely unexpected he dared to retort.

Yao Haikuo was extremely furious, an eruption on the spot: "Damn it, are you making your brain useless by working? Can you open your eyes and look at the world outside? Jiang Ning saved my and Yao Yao’s lives! That’s my life!"

Years of suppressed anger poured out in a moment: "That’s a life-saving grace!"

Yao Haikuo: "Yao Yao, listen to me. Jiang Ning saved both our lives, there’s no overpaying him back. We must go every year, we must!"

Yao Yiyao nodded.

Yao Haikuo left with: "Take the things, we’re leaving now!"

Then, under Mrs. Yao’s incredulous gaze, the two resolutely left the house.

In the car.

Yao Yiyao looked at her dad, as if seeing him in a new light.

Yao Haikuo had calmed down, speaking softly: "Yao Yao, mind if I smoke?"

"Open the window," Yao Yiyao said.

Yao Haikuo smiled as he lit a cigarette.

"Dad, you were really cool just now!" Yao Yiyao admired. Before, her mom seemed like an unstoppable tigress in her eyes, yet she was just scolded into silence by her dad.

Yao Haikuo started the Range Rover, holding the steering wheel with one hand, cigarette clamped in the other, dangling outside the car window.

He had been oppressed for a long time. Things were different now. He contracted Evergreen Liquid’s project and even signed follow-up cooperation agreements. With a yearly income of several million, there was no need to live at someone else’s mercy.

Would anyone in Yuzhou’s officialdom dare to hinder Evergreen Liquid’s project progress? Damn risking their lives! So what the hell was a small leader in front of him?

The rise in social status inevitably leads to a shift in family discourse rights.

Yao Haikuo: "From now on, I’ll have the final say at home."

Yao Yiyao was happy for a while before asking, "So how are you going to handle my mom?"

She thought her dad would stay tough to the end.

In the end, Yao Haikuo flicked ash from his cigarette, then smiled slyly: "Easy to handle, I’ll get her a big gold bracelet later."

Yao Yiyao: "..."

...

River dam, bungalow.

Jiang Ning and Tong, along with Chu, returned home. After kicking the old man in the street, they leisurely bought beef and vegetables, with no awareness of needing to lay low.

After getting off the car, Xue Chuchu went to Tongtong’s house to help with the ingredients, simultaneously routinely summarizing the recent incident.