The grandfather and grandson had a detailed conversation about how long it would take for Qi Youyu to return and how long Yan Xingli would need to look after the child.
“How will you recharge your spaceship’s energy?”
“How long will it take to recharge?”
With a lollipop in his mouth, Qi Youyu mumbled, “The Little Fish needs lots of happiness and unhappiness.”
Yan Xingli frowned and pulled the lollipop out of the child’s mouth. “Don’t get distracted. I’m asking you a question, and you need to answer properly.”
Qi Youyu snatched the lollipop back, feeling wronged. “I did answer properly.”
The child activated the holographic screen again and pointed to a small, glaring red square at the top, saying:
“As long as the energy block turns green, the Little Fish can restart.”
Yan Xingli guessed it must be something like a battery. He folded his arms and eyed her skeptically: “So how do we make it turn green?”
Qi Youyu held up a finger, shook her little head, and explained earnestly:
“Uncle, the Little Fish’s energy acquisition is a process of emotional siphoning. It has to consume a lot of happiness and sadness; only when it’s full will it turn green.”
The Little Fish was equipped with an emotional crystal designed to collect and absorb spiritual energy derived from human emotions, joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure. When the crystal accumulated enough spiritual energy, it could be converted into the energy needed to power flight.
As Yu Yu explained, a short video was played on the holographic screen.
The combination of text and video made the explanation easy to understand. At first glance, there seemed to be no issues, but upon closer inspection, the problem was huge.
A spaceship that runs without electricity or fuel, he desperately needed such an eco-friendly and cost-effective energy source.
Yan Xingli was green with envy.
He rubbed his chin, feigning composure, his almond-shaped eyes shining brighter than a star, and asked:
“Yuyu, this sounds pretty amazing. If we tweak it a bit, could it work in cars too?”
Seeing how interested Yan Xingli was, Qi Youyu generously shared how she achieved the energy conversion.
An honest and kind little scientist is never stingy with sharing knowledge.
“Uncle, let me tell you, building a time-space spaceship is actually really simple. You just need to do this.”
After being bombarded with a barrage of unfamiliar, obscure, and profound technical terms and concepts, Yan Xingli’s eyes gradually glazed over.
“Oh, right, and there’s also, ”
The little girl grew more and more enthusiastic as she spoke, completely unaware that she was trying to teach a science dunce.
ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ
Yan Xingli: What on earth is she babbling about? Never mind, I’m outta here~
Having lost a month’s worth of vacation time, Yan Xingli wasn’t about to give up.
He needed time to settle down with Qi Youyu, take her around to recharge her emotional batteries, and he also needed time to relax and rest.
After the final promotional tour for the show wrapped up, Yan Xingli began a fierce tug-of-war with the company and managed to wrangle a week’s vacation out of them, as a form of consolation and compensation.
Yan Xingli told Xiao Lin not to bring breakfast during this time and gave him a week off as well.
On the first day of his vacation, Yan Xingli contacted a domestic service agency and began sifting through a stack of resumes to find a nanny. The nature of his work meant he was constantly traveling all over the country.
He couldn’t take Qi Youyu with him every single moment, so having the little girl eat nutritious meals prepared by a nanny at home was definitely better than having her eat his work meals.
After poring over the stack, Yan Xingli felt overwhelmed. He rubbed his eyes and pulled Yuyu, who was fiddling with a tablet, over to him.
“You take a look too. See if there’s a nanny who catches your eye.”
No sooner had he spoken than the tablet in Yuyu’s arms was replaced by a stack of resumes as thick as a brick.
“Uncle, what are you doing?” The little boy was confused.
“What else? Picking out an auntie to take care of you, of course.”
As soon as he heard that, Yu Yu shook his head immediately, puffing out his little chest with great pride: “I don’t need one! Little Scientists don’t need people to take care of them, Little Scientists take care of people.”
Yan Xingli knew this child was extraordinary, but no matter how extraordinary, she was still just a little kid.
“I’ll be traveling all over for shoots and won’t be home all the time. I won’t feel at ease leaving you home alone.” He gave the child’s soft, curly hair a gentle squeeze. “So we have to hire a nanny to come over and cook for you and clean the house.”
Yan Xingli rattled off a long speech, but to Qi Youyu’s ears, only one phrase stuck: “You’ll be home alone.”
The child’s beaming smile instantly fell, and she looked utterly heartbroken. “You’re not taking me with you? You’re actually not taking me?”
Who goes to work dragging their whole family along? Just as Yan Xingli was about to refuse with righteous indignation, Youyu blurted out a statement that rang like a thunderclap:
“Uncle, you can’t just have kids and not take care of them.”
Huh?
Him??
Yan Xingli was stunned. He pointed at himself, speechless.
…Is this the blessing of skipping marriage and childbirth to become a grandparent without any of the hassle?
Yan Xingli felt a deep sense of despair. With a blank expression, he muttered gloomily, “I remember a certain little alien said they’d come to protect me.”
The little one tossed the resume aside, pounced into his arms like a puppy, and rubbed his fuzzy head against him. “Mm-hmm, that’s me.”
This kid’s hair is really prickly.
Yan Xingli pressed his large hand down on the little dog-person’s head. “I still need to choose an auntie. I certainly won’t be cooking or cleaning.”
“Oh, neither will I.”
Qi Youyu seemed to remember something, slapped her forehead, and ran off.
Yan Xingli paid her no mind. After spending a few days with her, he had gradually grown accustomed to the child’s fiery temperament and tendency to jump at the slightest thing.
He stood up, rubbing his aching back, yawned, and headed toward the bedroom. He called out to Yu Yu in a loud voice before closing the door.
Yan Xingli was used to resting in complete darkness. As soon as the curtains closed, he collapsed onto the bed as if drugged and fell into a deep sleep.
He didn’t know how much time had passed when, in the midst of his deep sleep, he felt an uneasy sensation of being watched.
Yan Xingli opened his eyes without warning. Two round, glowing green eyes were hovering by the bed. They were absurdly large, staring unblinkingly, and looked particularly unsettling in the darkness.
“Ghost! Ghost! Ghost!”
Yan Xingli’s drowsiness vanished instantly. He let out a blood-curdling scream, full of lung power, and began writhing and crawling across the bed on all fours.
Thud. He tumbled off the 2.3-meter-wide bed.
“Uncle.”
The green eyes emitted a familiar voice.
Yan Xingli, grimacing and rubbing his butt, froze: “Qi Youyu?”
“Yep, Uncle, you’re awake.”
“Qi Youyu, how did you end up like this?”
Yan Xingli turned on the bedside lamp, revealing the little guy’s full appearance: a small robot somewhat resembling a fat, blue man, short and plump, dressed in a blue suit.
No need to guess, this blue fat man must have been brought by Qi Youyu.
The child’s voice sounded slightly flustered: “I didn’t cause any trouble; I just became even cuter.”
As he spoke, the bedroom curtains opened automatically, and the afternoon sunlight flooded the room.
The kid was being quiet, he must be up to no good.
Yu Yu’s evasive answer, which was as obvious as a bull in a china shop, made Yan Xingli’s gut tell him something was wrong.
He slipped on his slippers and clomped out.
In the living room, the child’s frantic figure cleaning up the mess stood out starkly.
“What are you doing?”
Determined to catch the culprit red-handed, Yan Xingli’s towering shadow loomed over the child, causing Qi Youyu to look up in a hurry.
A deathly pale face, two uneven patches of rosy cheeks, and dark circles under the eyes.
The child, sporting a Big Mouth Monkey face-paint, grinned ingratiatingly: “Uncle, Yu Yu is playing by herself.”
Yan Xingli’s eye twitched. Foundation, cushion compact, blush, contour palette, lipstick, eyebrow pencil, had this little rascal hauled everything from his makeup room over here?
Good thing it was all freebies from brands, he wouldn’t feel a thing if it got used up.
“Can you just give it a rest?” Yan Xingli pointed at the blue-skinned, chubby guy who’d strolled out at a leisurely pace, his face a long, sour expression. “Who is this guy? What were you thinking, letting him into my room?”
Young people just have no sense of restraint.
Don’t they fear they’ll scare the life out of this old patriarch, causing the entire clan to go out with a bang?
Qi Youyu scrambled to her feet and ran over to the blue fat guy. “Uncle, this is Xiao Hua. She’s my best friend.”
“I told her to go in and see if you were awake.”
Yan Xingli took a deep breath. “You shouldn’t just barge into someone’s room without permission. That’s very rude.”
“Okay, Uncle. I’ll scold Xiao Hua right away and teach her some manners.”
After skillfully shifting the blame, Qi Youyu couldn’t help but stick out her little belly proudly and boast:
“Uncle, Xiao Hua is the smartest robot in the world. No lock can stop her. I made her myself, you know.”
Yan Xingli teased, “Well, you’re quite the little genius.”
Kids can’t handle too much praise, so he kept it subtle, but by accident, he hit the nail on the head.
Everyone else called her smart, but only her uncle called her a “little genius.”
Qi Youyu’s eyes sparkled. “Uncle, I want to treat you to some cookies.”
“I don’t want any.”
Just as Yan Xingli’s guard dropped, a sweet, fragrant scent wafted into his nostrils.
His nostrils flared as he inhaled the scent, and a sudden realization struck him.
“Did you turn on the stove?”
Qi Youyu nodded vigorously: “Xiao Hua and I baked some cookies together.”
Ugh, his kitchen.
Yan Xingli spun around in a panic, rushing into the kitchen two steps at a time. The rich, cloying scent of butter and sugar grew even stronger.
The kitchen sink was still spotless and gleaming, the floor was dust-free, and the walls were intact as ever, everything looked perfectly normal.
Yan Xingli let out a heavy sigh of relief.
He turned back, his expression stern: “Kids shouldn’t play with fire. If you want something to eat, just tell me, and I’ll buy it for you.”
Our ancestor lived in such a tiny place, so poor, and yet he was thinking about spending money, how could that be right?
Qi Youyu copied Yan Xingli’s stern expression: “Uncle, Xiao Hua can cook. Don’t waste money; you have to listen.”
Yan Xingli: “…You’re the one who needs to listen. Stop messing around.”
For next month’s variety show recording, the program didn’t allow guests to order takeout or bring in outside help. Since he happened to have some free time these past few days, he decided to put cooking on his to-do list.
The ingredients in the fridge were only enough for a simple sandwich, so Yan Xingli changed his clothes, put on a mask, and took Qi Youyu out to shop.
City S was also a cybercity, with robots visible everywhere, so he didn’t object when Xiao Hua insisted on tagging along.
Yan Xingli observed Xiao Hua the entire way.
He noticed that its agility in dodging obstacles surpassed that of any robot on the market; it lacked the stiff joints and mechanical, lifeless movements typical of robots.
Its leisurely, unhurried gait was so lifelike it could easily pass for the real thing.
Its biggest flaw was its dazed, simple appearance, it didn’t look like a robot from another high-tech planet at all.
Xiao Hua seemed to really enjoy browsing the supermarket, especially the seafood section. Just like Qi Youyu, the two little ones could spend ages wandering around there.
Xiao Hua’s chubby belly serves as a storage compartment; they stuffed all the ingredients they bought into it. Surprisingly, despite its small size, it could hold quite a lot.
Yan Xingli bought a pound and a half of half-dead shrimp.
These shrimp weren’t fresh, but they weren’t spoiled either, and they were cheap, perfect for a kitchen novice to practice with.
Back home, before Yan Xingli could even lift a finger, Xiao Hua’s two little Doraemon-like hands had already taken out all the ingredients and neatly arranged them in the fridge.
“Wow,” Yan Xingli praised, “You’re quite the little genius.”
He then turned around, found a basin, filled it with water, and dumped the shrimp inside.
The moment the large shrimp hit the water, they splashed Yan Xingli in the face. One by one, they seemed to experience a last burst of energy, becoming lively and energetic.
How strange.
Yan Xingli didn’t think much of it. He rolled up his sleeves, found a video tutorial on how to prepare shrimp, and picked up a pair of scissors, ready for action.
“Uncle, what are you doing with those scissors?”
“I’m going to peel the shrimp and remove the veins,” Yan Xingli said. “You’re in for a treat, you’ll be the first to taste the braised shrimp I’ve made myself.”
Qi Youyu’s eyes lit up with anticipation: “Oh, then I’ll be so happy.”
“Uncle, let me help.”
Yan Xingli handed her a head of garlic: “Then peel this for me.”
Feeling she’d been entrusted with an important task, the little girl held the garlic head and nodded earnestly: “Okay, I’ll peel it all the way.”
Grandfather and granddaughter bustled about the kitchen with great enthusiasm, finally managing to stir-fry the much-anticipated oil-braised shrimp just before sunset.
Yan Xingli carried the braised shrimp to the table with almost reverent care.
He looked at Qi Youyu: “You first, or me?”
Qi Youyu raised her hand: “Me first, me first.”
“Alright, then let’s eat together.”
The small fork and chopsticks were lifted simultaneously.
Chew, chew.
Too much salt, the shrimp was overcooked, and all the freshness and aroma were gone.
Yan Xingli took a bite and set it down: “It doesn’t taste very good, does it?”
Qi Youyu: “Uncle, you really shouldn’t cook anymore.”
She was saying his cooking was terrible.
Yan Xingli admitted this attempt was a failure, but he wasn’t giving up: “No way. I’m not the type to let a little difficulty get me down. Don’t underestimate me.”
Qi Youyu shook her head: “That’s not it, Uncle.”
Sitting in her high chair, Youyu folded her little hands neatly on the table: “I’m worried about you.”
“Cooking fumes can damage your skin and accelerate aging. ” Yu Yu spoke with genuine sincerity, “Uncle is so handsome; you’ll definitely be sad if you get old.”
Those words were incredibly flattering, showering Yan Xingli with praise.
Come to think of it, after all, his looks were his bread and butter.
Qi Youyu spoke again: “So let’s just leave the cooking to Xiao Hua.”
“Uncle, you don’t need to hire a cook; Xiao Hua can do everything Auntie can.”
Yan Xingli: “…With those Doraemon-style round hands? Can it even hold a spatula?”
Just as Qi Youyu was wondering what on earth Doraemon was, Xiao Hua, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, slowly stirred.
“Ancient people, please do not worry. Although these kitchen tools are quite archaic, I have already mastered how to use them through my database.”