"Dad, I don't even have a girlfriend, and you're already talking about a second child. You've really jumped ahead, haven't you?" Liu Yifeng had never considered having another child.
He felt that having Tong Tong in his life was already heaven's extraordinary care for him.
And to have a child like Tong Tong in this lifetime was more than enough to make him content.
What had he given Tong Tong? The only thing he could give was fatherly love.
If he were to have another child in the future, his thoughts and energy would have to be divided in half, which would be very unfair to Tong Tong.
Therefore, even if he got married in the future, he wouldn't consider having more children.
If the woman agreed, he would marry her. If she didn't, he wouldn't force her, as he couldn't take away anyone's right to be a mother.
Liu Chunsheng didn't want to dwell on the sensitive topic, fearing Tong Tong might overthink it. He smiled and said, "Alright, Dad won't bring this up anymore. Whether you get married or have children, Dad won't interfere. You make your own decisions. Anyway, I already have a grandson like Tong Tong, and I have no other desires."
Tong Tong hugged Liu Chunsheng's neck tightly, resting his head on his shoulder. "Grandpa, having you and Dad is enough for Tong Tong in this life."
Knowing Tong Tong's childhood hadn't been happy, Liu Chunsheng felt a pang in his heart. "Tong Tong, from now on, if you want anything, if you want to do anything, just say it. Grandpa will satisfy you and make you happy every day."
"I don't want anything, I just want our family to never be separated," Tong Tong said earnestly.
Liu Yifeng met his father's eyes in the rearview mirror, and they both saw the concern in each other's gaze.
They also inwardly vowed to be good to Tong Tong their entire lives and to give him a happy and joyful childhood.
Soon, they arrived at the Quan Jufu Roast Duck restaurant. While it wasn't CEO Zheng's Beijing roast duck, it was a very famous roast duck restaurant locally with a unique flavor.
Of course, it wasn't cheap. Ordinary families would only eat here when they wanted to treat themselves to something good.
Even so, the restaurant was packed every day. If you came late, you had to queue and wait for a number, and even later, there would be no seats.
Fortunately, Xu Muqing knew the owner of the restaurant, which allowed her to cut the line. No one would know if she didn't mention it.
After finishing her call with Liu Yifeng, she immediately called the owner and asked him to reserve a private room.
The owner agreed without hesitation, saying he'd have a room ready once the current patrons finished their meals.
She arrived a bit earlier than Liu Yifeng and, afraid he wouldn't know where to find them, waited for him at the entrance.
As Liu Yifeng got out of the car, he saw Xu Muqing and her daughter. Yao Yao still had a naive and innocent look, completely unaware of the adults' worries.
Although Xu Muqing wore a smile, Liu Yifeng could clearly see the worry behind it.
"Uncle Liu, Mr. Liu, you're here!" Xu Muqing greeted them proactively.
Liu Chunsheng nodded politely.
Liu Yifeng looked at the people queuing outside and immediately said, "Did we come too late? Who knows how long we'll have to wait to eat if we queue. How about we go somewhere else? We can come here another time when it's less crowded!"
Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, Xu Muqing smiled and whispered, "I'm treating you to dinner, so I've naturally arranged everything. Just follow me, and I guarantee you'll get your roast duck!"
With that, she led the way. Tong Tong and Yao Yao held hands, skipping happily behind her, looking incredibly cute.
"Dad, let's go in then!" Liu Yifeng knew Xu Muqing must have already booked a table, and he couldn't help but marvel at the advantage of having connections.
Otherwise, if he had come alone, he would have had to queue honestly.
As for the other people waiting, they saw them go in but mistakenly assumed they had a reservation, so they didn't say much.
If they had known they were openly skipping the line, things might not have been so smooth.
The group entered the hall, and the restaurant owner personally greeted them and led them to a private room upstairs. "Ms. Xu, this is our restaurant's waitress. Just tell her whatever you'd like to eat. I have other matters to attend to, so I won't be able to serve you. I'll come to apologize once I'm done."
Xu Muqing smiled dismissively. "Boss Wu, you go ahead and tend to your business. Thank you for reserving a private room for me today; otherwise, I truly wouldn't have had a place to eat!"
"Don't be so formal. We're practically half-friends. If you need anything in the future, just ask," Boss Wu said heartily.
Liu Yifeng also took a liking to the owner, who seemed honest and sincere, with a prosperous demeanor.
After speaking, Boss Wu turned to Liu Yifeng. "Brother, have a cigarette."
"You're the first man Ms. Xu has brought here for a meal in all the time I've known her. That means you're quite special to her. Let's have a drink sometime; I enjoy making friends." He then offered a pack of soft Zhonghua cigarettes.
"No thank you, I've quit smoking." Although Liu Yifeng used to smoke, his addiction was never strong.
After Tong Tong came into his life, he gradually quit, simply because secondhand smoke is bad for children's health.
Boss Wu didn't press further. "Alright then, enjoy your meal. I'll be going now."
"Boss Wu's wife owns a clothing store, and we have a long-term cooperative relationship, which is how I know Boss Wu. We have a friendly relationship, you know," Xu Muqing explained after Boss Wu left, as if afraid Liu Yifeng might misunderstand.
In reality, Liu Yifeng didn't think there was anything ambiguous between them.
He was just curious why Xu Muqing felt the need to explain. It was unnecessary, really. Whatever she did was none of his business; they weren't a couple, so why worry about misunderstandings?
This was also something Xu Muqing found puzzling. Ever since she met Liu Yifeng, many of her actions seemed beyond her control.
However, she didn't overthink it, as she didn't resent this feeling. Otherwise, when her ex-husband came looking for trouble, her first thought wouldn't have been of Liu Yifeng, who had no connection to her, but rather her father or siblings.
Sitting in the private room, Xu Muqing took the menu from the waitress and handed it to Liu Yifeng. "Mr. Liu, please order whatever you'd like. This restaurant is famous not only for its roast duck but also for its excellent stir-fried dishes."
Liu Yifeng ordered a roast duck set meal, which included side dishes and dipping sauce with wraps, and then ordered a cuttlefish and pork rib soup before returning the menu to Xu Muqing.
Seeing that he hadn't ordered much, Xu Muqing added four more dishes.
"This is too much, will we be able to finish it all?" Liu Yifeng asked.
"We'll definitely finish it. If there's any leftover, you can pack it up for dinner, and you won't have to cook," Xu Muqing said with a smile.
After the waitress left, Liu Yifeng immediately asked, "Xu Muqing, besides threatening and coercing you, did your ex-husband ever lay a hand on you?"
"No, he just kept pestering me, disturbing my peace. If I don't deal with him, I'm seriously considering taking Yao Yao and moving to another city," Xu Muqing said with a helpless expression.
"You're just too kind. Ordinary methods won't work against a scoundrel like that."
Xu Muqing's eyes lit up instantly. "Mr. Liu, have you thought of another solution?"