Dad, Please Try a Little Harder

Yushan Imperial House was one of the most upscale restaurants in Minhua District, even across the entirety of Azure Bay. Established during the Late Qing Dynasty, it was truly a century-old brand. Rumor had it that the restaurant founder’s father had once prepared postnatal meals for Empress Dowager Cixi.

The restaurant was known for its elegant atmosphere, attentive service, and notably, the “high-quality ingredients, meticulous preparation, and steep prices” of its cuisine.

Lin Xiaohuang had booked a private dining room here to have dinner with Qian Quan.

“Mr. Qian, you’re from Xin’an, right?” asked Lin Xiaohuang.

“Yes.”

“I heard people from Xin’an like spicy food and are fond of noodles,” Lin Xiaohuang added, revealing he had done some homework.

“Yes, we could eat noodles for all three meals,” Qian Quan laughed.

Lin Xiaohuang also chuckled, “Indeed, we have a manager from Xin’an in our company. He told me you guys can even have flour soup for breakfast.”

“That’s something we often had as kids.”

The two started chatting casually, using local cuisines as an icebreaker.

Tan Qinqin, who was in a linguistically impressionable phase, occasionally chimed in with some kiddish comments, further easing the awkwardness.

Employing a nifty social tactic, Qian Quan interacted with the child when in unfamiliar settings. It made him appear congenial and friendly without having to force conversation with adults.

The dishes Lin Xiaohuang had ordered were quite appropriate, not overly extravagant: Braised Shark’s Fin, Blueberry Chinese Yam, Barbecue Ribs,

Stir-fried Choy Sum, and Hot and Sour Sea Cucumber Soup.

Midway through the meal, noticing the friendly interaction between Qian Quan and Qinqin, Lin Xiaohuang ventured, “Qinqin’s father passed away years ago. Also, her father and 1 don’t have any brothers, so she’s never had a close father figure in her life.

“You’re saving us felt like fate, so 1 have a rather audacious idea. Please don’t take offense…”

“Go ahead.”

“I would like Qinqin to consider you as her uncle.”

Caught off guard, Qian Quan had never heard of someone becoming an “adopted” uncle before.

Qinqin, old enough to understand the adult conversation, swiftly called out, “Uncle!”

Before Qian Quan could decline, he could only respond with a smile, “Oh.”

“So from now on, we’re like siblings,” Lin Xiaohuang smiled.

Then, she took out an exquisite blue origami package from her bag and pushed it in front of Qian Quan, “This is a gift from Qinqin to her uncle. You can’t refuse.”

“I can’t possibly accept this. 1 haven’t even prepared a gift,” Qian Quan glanced and guessed what was wrapped in the paper.

“Don’t refuse just yet; listen to me,” Lin Xiaohuang had clearly prepared for this, “Qinqin is my only daughter, and she’s the only family I have in this world. My love for her surpasses everything else.”

“After that accident yesterday, I still get chills thinking about it. 1 can’t imagine what would have happened if you hadn’t been there.”

“You might not know how grateful 1 am to you, words can’t express…”

Qian Quan replied, “You’ve already expressed your gratitude.”

“That was for saving me. Now, it’s to thank you on behalf of Qinqin. So, if you don’t accept this, 1 think I’ll be restless for a long time. Do you understand that feeling?”

Qian Quan remained silent, his demeanor still refusing.

“Consider it a safeguard for your niece. When she turns 18 years old, you can take care of her college tuition!”

“Please, grant this one wish for both of us, will you?”

Lin Xiaohuang’s attitude was sincere. “If you truly consider Qinqin your niece and me as your sister, then accept it. Otherwise, I’ll have to think of another way.”

Qian Quan felt that the woman in front of him was very persuasive and determined. He had an idea, nodded, and said, “Alright, I accept.”

Lin Xiaohuang seemed relieved, “From now on, call me ‘Xiaohuang’, and I’ll call you Xiao Quan.”

“Call me Rocky; that’s my nickname.”

“Okay, Rocky,” Lin Xiaohuang was happy, “Now, 1 also have a younger brother…”

“By the way, Rocky, if you’re planning to visit Cloud City during your vacation, let me know. I’ll arrange it for you.”

“Okay.”

Qian Quan nodded, suddenly had a thought, and looked at Lin Xiaohuang intently. After a few seconds, he was in shock.

Beneath her gentle appearance, he felt a strong murderous intent.

Did she just kill someone, or is she planning to?

Or both?

What did she do for a living?

Doubts filled Qian Quan’s mind, and he began to question the earlier incident.

“Ms…. Xiaohuang,” Qian Quan was still getting used to the new title.

Lin Xiaohuang laughed it off, “Calling me ‘Ms. Xiaohuang’ makes me feel at least eight years older.”

Qian Quan smiled, “Xiaohuang, after dinner, I’ll take Qinqin to buy a gift. Does she like any animals?”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaohuang chuckled, “She loves animals the most. We have a lot at home. Qinqin, tell your uncle what animals you have.”

Proudly, Qinqin began listing, “I have a pony, goldfish, peacock, turtle, parrot, goat, rabbit, and…”

The little girl couldn’t remember, so Lin Xiaohuang hinted, “Cat?”

“Oh yes! 1 also have a cat!” Qinqin remembered.

Qian Quan thought, “She already has a zoo. Maybe 1 should consider a different gift.”

After dinner, Qian Quan, Lin Xiaohuang, and Qinqin visited a jade store and bought two jade rings, one large and one small.

“I get one too!” Lin Xiaohuang feigned surprise.

Qian Quan smiled and said, “Two small gifts. This one is for Qinqin; she can carry it with her, ideally until she’s eight.

“As for you, I thought it might be helpful to have something in hand to distract you when you’re extremely angry or lose control of your emotions. Once you’ve calmed down, you can make your decision.”

Lin Xiaohuang initially thought that Qian Quan was simply reciprocating a gift.

After hearing his explanation, her expression slightly changed, and then she smiled and said, “Rocky, you’re thoughtful. I’ll remember this.”

Her voice contained a sense of sincerity.

Having purchased the gifts, Qian Quan returned to school without letting Lin Xiaohuang accompany him.

As soon as he got back to his dormitory, his three roommates immediately surrounded him, their faces filled with question marks and exclamation points.

Qian Quan briefly recounted the events of the previous day.

“Really? Wait, aren’t you being sponsored?” Guo Hongyi was skeptical.

“What are you guys thinking? I’m a man of honor; there’s no way 1 would do something like that!

“The upbringing I’ve received doesn’t support me doing that either!”

Qian Quan said this aloud but thought to himself that he must never let them find out about the bank card, or else he’d never be able to clear his name.

“We were joking about the sponsorship; we thought you might be a closeted super-rich second generation,” Shen Fei revealed the truth.

“That’s even more absurd,” Qian Quan laughed.

Two days later, the truth came out.

Lin Xiaohuang sent Tan Tuhu and police officers to deliver a “Bravery in the Face of Justice” banner to Qian Quan, while the college also announced a scholarship plan for him.

Later, the school’s official website featured news about Qian Quan’s brave act along with the school’s reward plan.

By evening, the news started to trend online, especially as the video was released. More and more online influencers began to notice, share, and comment:

“Great martial arts skills!”

“He saved a family; there was a little girl in the car!”

“His running form was really cool!”

“Racing with the Grim Reaper!”

“Great karma! Hope good deeds get rewarded!”

The heated discussions once again pushed Qian Quan to the trending topics.

The surge in attention attracted various media outlets. Many official and individual media came to Seacoast Normal University hoping to interview Qian Quan but were politely declined by the school on his behalf.

Some individual media were not satisfied and tried to sneak into the school to interview Qian Quan. However, how could they possibly ambush a martial arts grandmaster?

Instead, the next day, an initiative called “Daily Positive Energy” led by Ali sent Qian Quan a reward of 10,000 through Minhua Daily. Qian Quan accepted a brief interview.

He agreed to the interview not for the reward but because he found the project meaningful after looking it up online.

“Daily Positive Energy” aimed to discover, disseminate, and reward positive influences in society, promoting goodness and positivity.

The current online environment is flooded with negative information, which could be oppressive when people are just looking to unwind.

People are like this; despite being battered by harsh realities themselves, they can’t stand to see others suffer.

Reading such uplifting news once in a while could be soul-soothing.

His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ding, as well as numerous relatives and friends, had all seen the news, and various chat groups buzzed once again because of Qian Quan.

Compared to the last time he became popular, his parents were more proud this time around for his recognition. Naturally, they were also a bit relieved after the initial fear had passed.

Especially his mother, who had made a special call to Qian Quan, chatting for over 10 minutes.

Qian Quan also confirmed with his parents about the scholarship, eliminating the need to worry about his tuition in the family’s future budget.

As netizens were heaping praise and admiration on Qian Quan’s good deeds, some experts in martial arts saw more in the video.

Qian Quan’s series of movements from running to dodging the forklift were definitely beyond what could be explained by simply being “good at sports and sprinting.”

Li Zihe had seen the video, and after discussing it with his junior schoolmate Zhao Baiyu, they both agreed that Qian Quan was exceptional.

At the least, they couldn’t guarantee they would be able to do the same.

“What?”

A Taoist traveling in a European country had also seen the news and was utterly shocked.

On one hand, he recognized Qian Quan and gained further insight into his skills, intensifying his desire to take him as a disciple.

On the other hand, he recognized Tan Tuhu, the bodyguard of the woman in Cloud City who had hurt his feelings.

He had made inquiries and obtained some definite news:

During that period, Lin Xiaohuang was indeed negotiating an investment in Azure Bay. She and her daughter were in that black Mercedes-Benz;

Phoenix Group announced that their General Manager, Xun Bailiang, had died suddenly from a heart condition due to overwork.

He decided that after breaking up with the girl he was with in Denmark, he would immediately return to his home country..