Chapter 42: Ring Toss Plushies

He hadn’t expected Wanning to respond, but then she raised a hand and pointed at a plush dog not far away.

Zhou Chengdong looked in the direction she was pointing, assuming she meant the little teddy bear next to the puppy. “Is it the teddy bear?”

Wanning shook her head. Zhou Chengdong asked several more times until he finally asked if it was the puppy, and only then did Wanning nod.

Once he confirmed which plushie his little sister wanted, Zhou Chengdong gently patted her back. “Wait here, little sister. Big Brother will get it for you right now.”

With that, he straightened up and threw a ring toward the plush dog from behind the boundary line.

The ring landed straight over the plush dog’s head, a perfect hit.

Seeing this, Zhou Chengbei nearly leaped into the air with excitement. “You got it! You got it! Big Brother, you’re amazing!”

Zhou Chengdong didn’t show much emotion, looking as if he had expected nothing less. He then asked Wanning what else she liked.

Next, all three remaining rings hit their targets with complete precision.

“Bro, how are you so good at this? You literally didn’t miss a single shot!” Zhou Chengbei held his toys in one hand and gave a big thumbs-up with the other.

Even Chen Liyang couldn’t help but praise him. “Chengdong, your aim is so sharp. If you ever joined the military, wouldn’t you become a sharpshooter?”

He had guessed the eldest brother would land a ring, but he hadn’t expected his accuracy to be this high.

Flustered by the praise, Zhou Chengdong scratched his neck sheepishly. “I just got lucky, like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse^[1]!”

Hearing this, the stall owner bringing the plushies over voiced his disagreement. “That’s definitely not just dumb luck. I haven’t been running this stall for just a day or two, and people who hit four in a row like you are practically unheard of. If everyone was like you, I’d go bankrupt!”

Wanning already held one plushie in her arms, while the eldest and second brothers helped carry the rest.

One of the plushies was half a meter tall, a cute giant panda doll that would fit perfectly on Wanning’s bed to serve as a body pillow.

“Wanning, Big Brother won so many plushies for you. Shouldn’t you say thank you?” Chen Liyang guided her patiently.

But Wanning merely glanced at her eldest brother, remaining silent without uttering a single word.

Zhou Chengdong patted Wanning’s head fondly, not minding at all. “As long as Wanning is happy, Big Brother is willing to do anything for you.”

By the time they left the park, it was already eight o’clock. The streets were still crowded, and the nightlife was only just beginning.

Next, Chen Liyang led them to the main plaza. The lights here were brighter, and many people were still selling toys or helium balloons outside.

There was a large shopping mall by the plaza filled with all kinds of goods, alongside a lively food street.

Chen Liyang checked the prices of toys first before taking the kids over to the food stalls.

Speaking of which, in all his time since coming to this world, he had never tried late-night barbecue. Today was a good chance to give the kids a taste.

“Dad’s treating you to barbecue tonight. Order whatever you want,” he said, taking a seat at a bustling, popular shop.

He hadn’t eaten late-night snacks here before, but a place packed with customers was bound to taste good.

Looking at the wide variety of barbecue listed on the menu, it would be a lie to say their mouths weren’t watering.

However, the prices written there were intimidating.

Five skewers of pork belly cost twenty Yuan, and a single skewer of chicken feet cost five Yuan. How was that any different from highway robbery?

After taking one look at the prices, Zhou Chengdong immediately claimed that he had just eaten dinner and wasn’t hungry at all.

Hearing the eldest brother’s words, the other three chimed in one after another, declaring that they weren’t hungry either.

Yet their eyes betrayed a deep longing. Chen Liyang felt a pang of heartache at how sensible they were trying to be.

It wasn’t that they weren’t hungry; they were simply afraid of spending money. But no matter how tight money was, one meal wouldn’t break them.

Life was meant to be enjoyed in the moment. After all, no one ever knew whether tomorrow or unexpected misfortune would arrive first.

So, with a generous wave of his hand, he declared, “I’ll order then. None of you are going home until every bite is finished.”

With that, he turned to the boss lady standing by with a notepad and pen. “Give us two portions of pork belly, two small orders of beef skewers, one order of corn kernels, two portions of beef fat skewers, five chicken wings, five ham sausages, two eggplants, two portions each of enoki mushrooms and Chinese chives… and finally, a large bowl of century egg and lean pork porridge. Make everything mild spice.”

Even down to the final item, he made sure to accommodate the children’s palates.

The boss lady brought over six glasses of iced lemonade, which Chen Liyang had also ordered.

Eating barbecue on such a hot day demanded something cold to wash it down.

Although not as sugary as soft drinks, lemonade was far better for their health.

“We ordered so much food… isn’t this going to cost a lot of money?” Zhou Chengdong was still mostly concerned about the price.

Chen Liyang had just poked a straw into Wanning’s mung bean smoothie. Hearing the eldest’s concern, he waved it off nonchalantly. “When we come out to eat, don’t worry about the prices. Dad might not be able to treat you to delicacies from land and sea, but a bit of barbecue is well within my budget.

In fact, I’m worried this won’t even be enough for all of you. If you’re still hungry later, we’ll just order more.”

“You’re so good to us now… will you stay like this forever?” Zhou Chengbei looked at Chen Liyang earnestly, terrified that one day he might revert to his old self.

If he went back to treating them like he used to, Zhou Chengbei would rather he had never changed at all.

Chen Liyang chuckled and gave the back of his head a light tap. “Silly kid, how many times does Dad have to say it before you believe I truly realize my mistakes?”

His words implicitly promised that he would not change back, and that he would remain this good to them from now on.

Before Zhou Chengbei could speak, Zhou Chengxi scoffed. “You talk a good game, but who knows what wicked schemes you’re cooking up inside that head of yours.”

“What wicked schemes could I possibly have against my own kids? No one is a saint; everyone makes mistakes^[2]. Can’t a man be allowed to turn over a new leaf?” Chen Liyang felt helpless; this kid harbored far too much hostility toward him.

The barbecue arrived quickly. Before long, everything Chen Liyang had ordered was served one after another, nearly filling the entire table.

Knowing they couldn’t handle much heat, he had asked for just a touch of spice on everything, as a completely mild grill wouldn’t taste as good.

Chen Liyang handed a skewer of chicken wings to Wanning before picking up a skewer of grilled pork belly for himself. Alternating layers of lean meat and fat sizzled with rich juices. It smelled amazing and tasted even better.

Seeing Chen Liyang start eating, the other children finally joined in.

Chen Liyang pointed at the chicken wings and ham sausages. “I ordered these especially for you. Make sure everyone gets a skewer.”

Truth be told, the food here was actually quite tasty, even if it wasn’t spicy enough for him.

But as the adult, he naturally had to accommodate the kids’ tastes.

The children ate quietly. They never fought over food, and the older ones always yielded to the younger ones, saving Chen Liyang a lot of trouble.

Luckily, the five siblings weren’t the type to turn the house upside down, or he probably would have broken down long ago.

This late-night meal lasted from eight-thirty to nine-thirty. Everything Chen Liyang ordered was completely finished, right down to the last drop of porridge. Everyone ate until their bellies were round, their faces full of satisfaction.

Once he confirmed that none of them could eat another bite, Chen Liyang went over to settle the bill. The meal came to two hundred and sixty-five Yuan, but the owner rounded it down, so Chen Liyang paid two hundred and sixty.