Chapter 5: Buying Clothes

She has no commercial promotion in this area, so she can post daily life on Weibo as casual chat. Thinking of that, Ji Yan lifted her phone and took several photos of Su Yu playing wildly with the Samoyed, and also recorded a short video.

The girl in black, watching Ji Yan finish shooting, asked softly, "Big sister, is she your baby?"

"Yes," Ji Yan, recalling she had shared her daughter's daily life, added, "Just got her back, my biological daughter."

The girl in black:???

Her dark, shiny eyes were filled with huge confusion. But the hood covered her eyes, so Ji Yan didn't notice.

"Big sister, may I add you as a friend!"

The girl in black mustered the courage to say that, holding her phone with both hands in front of Ji Yan.

Ji Yan cheerfully added her as a friend.

"Thank you, big sister!"

The girl in black stopped speaking, promptly accepted the friend request, then typed clack-clack.

Shan Shan: Hello big sister, I am Yan Shanjun! You can call me Shan Shan, Xiao Jun or Xiao Yan!

At this moment Su Yu ran back, tugged Ji Yan's hand, and said, "Mom, it's already green light, let's go quickly!"

"Hello Shan Shan, we need to go home first; can we talk with you later?"

Yan Shanjun nodded sharply, the hood swayed, and she quickly covered it.

"Goodbye~"

"Bye~"

Su Yu waved her little hand, hopped and ran away.

"Hey, Kele, home isn't that way!"

Yan Shanjun quickly grabbed the Samoyed that tried to follow. The Samoyed barked "Woof woof" at Yan Shanjun.

Su Yu, hearing the bark, turned around, saw the scene, and unintentionally recalled the content of this novel in her mind.

【She resembles the famous socially anxious writer Yan Shanjun in that storyline, both are socially anxious and each have an e‑dog, a Samoyed named Kele.】

"The sister just now was Yan Shanjun, she's Mom's fan."

"Oh oh! Mom is really awesome!"

【It really is Yan Shanjun! Then isn't Mom about to be swindled by cheap Maternal Grandparents out of all her money to pay gambling debts? I'm about to end up in an orphanage?】

Ji Yan:!!!

【This plot really comes full circle; I'm clearly the new daughter, yet Mom still met Yan Shanjun. The new Mom is actually pretty good now, I don't want to be a child without a mother!】

Ji Yan: Plot?

Her thoughts surged in her mind.

Ji Yan mechanically held her daughter's hand and returned home.

"Are you hungry?"

Su Yu nodded, "Mom, I can eat bread."

【I'm easy to raise!】

Ji Yan took out a bag of wontons, boiled water, and cooked a bowl for Su Yu.

Su Yu had been starving for a while, ate greedily with loud slurps. After finishing, she realized her mother had been spacing out.

【Mom can't get used to me, this cheap daughter?】

Su Yu, while thinking, walked over to the sink to wash dishes. She wants to be a well‑behaved, sensible daughter and soon occupy the place of a daughter in Mom's heart.

Ji Yan quickly grabbed her daughter's hand, took the bowl, "I'll wash, you sit and watch TV?"

Su Yu shook her head, "I'll wash together with Mom!"

Ji Yan couldn't refuse her daughter, gave her a small chair for her to sit on, finished washing, and dried Su Yu.

After both finished the chores, Ji Yan was about to call Su Yu for a bath when she realized her daughter might need new clothes.

"This is the Little Rabbit Sleep Dress I just bought yesterday, never worn before; put it on first, and tomorrow I'll take you to buy new clothes."

Su Yu patted her head and said, "Okay!"

"Mom, can I sleep with you?"

Su Yu looked at Ji Yan expectantly.

【That way I can, while Mom sleeps, block all the cheap Maternal Grandparents' numbers, so I won't have to worry about Mom being scammed! I'm such a little clever ghost!】

Ji Yan nodded, "Baby, you sleep first, Mom is going to take a shower."

Su Yu saw Ji Yan enter the bathroom, water sounds rising. She picked up her phone and tiptoed out of the room.

【Mom's phone surprisingly has no lock!】

Eavesdropping, Ji Yan whispered in her heart, "You little fool, I know you want to use it!"

Su Yu quickly opened the contacts, blocked everyone. To be safe, she originally intended to delete the numbers. In the moment before pressing, she suddenly thought of cheap uncle's gambling, and let out a chuckle.

"System, can you locate places that accept reports and help file a report?"

【Sure!】

As long as it's about getting money for Su Yu, the system is very proactive. The more money Su Yu's mom has, the more money Su Yu will have later to draw cards.

Su Yu had the system send cheap uncle's phone number, some participants' names, the gambling address and amounts from the plot.

Over ten million!

That's definitely enough for a sentence!

Alas! Between the two options—cheap uncle serving a few more years in prison or becoming a 'Traitor' and being retaliated against—she kindly chose the former, mainly fearing it would drag her poor mom into trouble.

Su Yu quickly deleted those numbers.

【Done! Hmph! Let's see how you still try to scam Mom! You claim the gambling loss money is for rescuing Mom's grandmother, but Mom's grandmother died long ago!】

Su Yu marched back to the room with happy little steps.

Ji Yan staggers back to the bathroom, turns the shower to full blast to drown out her crying.

Su Yu's little head nods, her eyelids droop; the moment she closes them, she suddenly opens them again. Only when, in her drowsy haze, she sees Ji Yan open the bathroom door does she feel safe enough to close her eyes and fall asleep.

Ji Yan, seeing her daughter fall asleep, pays a private detective a sum of money to have them investigate matters at her home. If it's true, that whole family won't have a good life!

Kyoto SKP

"Mom, I want the strawberry pajamas and the Little Bear Bag."

Su Yu refuses to change back into yesterday's little dress, so she goes out wearing her nightgown.

The sales clerk, with keen insight, says, "We have a children's washroom, washing machines and drying equipment here; the clothes you try on, we can have you put them on right away."

Their brand prices are high, but the service is excellent.

Su Yu looks at Ji Yan, who nods, "Go pick them out quickly!"

Su Yu takes several outfits into the fitting room.

【Sss! So pricey! One set is over ten thousand, it's a money grab!】

Ji Yan is surprised; Su Yu's family clearly isn't short of money, so why is the little one so sensitive to price?

【Ah, I also don't know how much money Mom has in her pocket; buying two or three sets is enough to change, but still need to figure out how to get money.】

Ji Yan opens her mouth, hesitates for a moment, but says nothing. It now seems only she can hear her daughter's thoughts. If she were to pry, would the daughter be upset? They've only spent one night together; she still needs this channel to understand her daughter's inner thoughts. She fears making a mistake and upsetting her daughter.

Su Yu changes into a set with a Little Bear theme, and also receives a cute Little Backpack.

"Mom, I want this set!"

"Okay!"

Ji Yan nods, and the sales clerk swiftly processes the order, sending the clothes to the laundry area.

Su Yu later asks for two more outfits, then says she doesn't like them.

Ji Yan knows in her heart that her daughter wants to save money. She plans to tell her daughter at home about her financial situation. The family has money, and she can still earn, so there's no need for her to earn.

Su Yu changes out of her clothes, about to go shopping with Mom for other daily items, when she hears Mom on the phone.

"Why does she have to go?"

"She just got back; the live stream needs a face, I only need to post a Weibo to explain, no need for a live introduction; it's not good for a child."

"If she doesn't go, then she doesn't go!"

Ji Yan hangs up. Su Yu looks at her puzzled.

"Mom, am I disturbing your work?"

【What work does Mom have today, should I go see it together? Mom's Agent isn't a good person, a profit‑first representative. Later they'll push Mom into a deep pit, stepping on Mom to climb up!】

Ji Yan internally agrees; the new agent the company assigned her is overly profit‑driven. Unfortunately her previous agent was poached by other artists, otherwise her current situation might be better.

"What? They actually dare hurt her! Change the agent, immediately change!"

"It's fine, Mom has no work today, let's go shopping quickly."

The opening ceremony of the capital's escape‑room headquarters was scheduled, but the original guest Ji Yan was replaced by someone else; Ji Yan's fans refused, and the dispute spilled online. As the two fan groups were about to clash, Ji Yan posted her call recording online!

After hearing the recording, the senior fans immediately led the junior fans to shift focus and tear into Ji Yan's agent and the company. Bystanders also thought the escape‑room manager's actions were excessive. Conditions previously agreed upon were suddenly changed with demands no one could accept; the agent even helped pressure, instantly pitting the workers against the "dog" client and "dog" company. Bystanders also joined the commotion.

Led by the senior fans, the junior fans, after the company shut down the comment section, turned curious and commented under Ji Yan's Weibo: what does Ji Yan's new daughter look like?

Su Yu stays close the whole time, smiling, "Mom, are we taking photos now?"

Ji Yan, surprised, asks, "Do you understand all these characters?"

Su Yu's little head nods, in a babyish voice says, "I get it, I get it. so easy!"

Hmm, seems her IQ isn't like her dad's. That thought flashes, and Ji Yan thinks of the junior fan she met last night, Yan Shanjun. She sent many messages to her, but she only gave a perfunctory reply because of last night's excitement.

Ji Yan V: Biological daughter and a very cute fan @ShanShan arriving late dog. Image*9

ShanShan arriving late is Yan Shanjun's author account.

【Wow, sister's daughter is so lively!】

【The little cutie seems a bit skinny!】

【Dog + human infant, three times the cuteness!】

【I know this author, her books are super great! She's actually our Yan Yan's fan? Going to reward them now!】

……

Yan Shanjun sees the book's data surge, excitedly sends Ji Yan a message.

ShanShan: Thanks sister!

Ji Yan: You're welcome! Your book was already great, keep it up!

ShanShan: Mm mm!

Receiving the idol's approval, Yan Shanjun's inspiration explodes, posting ten thousand words daily. Readers comment in the comment section crying.

【What a great day, we actually get to eat a full meal!】

【Not enough to read, not enough, can we have it again?】

……

Some book fans also start following Ji Yan because Yan Shanjun began paying attention. They think it's smart. If Ji Yan has any good news, their author‑fan should add chapters to celebrate, right?

Seeing public opinion turn favorable, Ji Yan goes to cook. Su Yu is left alone on the sofa watching TV.

She glances at the kitchen; Mom is simmering rice.

(End of chapter)