Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Going Back with a Load on the Back
The rest of the competition seemed dull and flavorless.
After all, they were just five or six years old, and at that age, dancing relied purely on talent.
Compared with Tuan Tuan, the other children either had uncoordinated body shapes or simply danced terribly.
Chen Yu watched until he even fell asleep.
10 p.m.
Tong Ya shook the sleeping Chen Yu.
"The competition's over, get up, we should head back!"
Chen Yu then came to his senses and noticed that Tuan Tuan had changed clothes and was sleeping soundly in Tong Ya's arms.
Thinking about it, Tuan Tuan had been following him day and night; how could she not be tired?
In Chen Yu's heart, the determination to buy a house grew stronger—to at least give Tuan Tuan a proper place to sleep.
"Give the child to me!"
Chen Yu quickly extended his hands to take Tuan Tuan from Tong Ya's arms.
It was not until that moment that Chen Yu realized Tong Ya's arms and legs were trembling slightly.
It looked like Tuan Tuan had been sleeping in Tong Ya's arms for quite some time.
"Are you okay?" Chen Yu asked with concern.
Tong Ya didn't answer immediately, but shifted her body with difficulty.
"Ouch! My arms and legs are numb!"
Just then, Tuan Tuan suddenly woke up.
"Daddy, you're awake!"
Chen Yu quickly set Tuan Tuan down and steadied Tong Ya with his hand.
"What's wrong with Miss Tong Ya?" Tuan Tuan also looked worried.
Chen Yu scolded impatiently, "It's all because of you, little girl, for falling asleep in your teacher's arms, you've made her arms and legs go numb!"
Tuan Tuan's face showed regret, "Then, Teacher, can you walk? If not, let my dad carry you!"
Chen Yu was taken aback for a moment, then turned his head to see a mischievous smile flash across Tuan Tuan's face.
Tong Ya went along with it, "I really can't walk! It hurts so much!"
"Daddy, hurry up and carry Miss Tong Ya, look how much pain she is in!"
Chen Yu had no choice; he couldn't just leave Tong Ya there.
"You don't mind me carrying you, do you?" Chen Yu asked uncertainly.
"Of course not!"
Tong Ya casually draped her arm over Chen Yu's neck.
"Then hold on tight!" Chen Yu held onto Tong Ya's legs and lifted her up on his back.
But when Tong Ya's softness touched Chen Yu's back, his body involuntarily stiffened for a moment.
By this time, the visitors at the youth center had already dispersed, leaving only those who had come to watch the dance competition and couples watching movies.
As Chen Yu walked past them with Tong Ya on his back and Tuan Tuan by his side, he immediately received envious glances.
"Look, they already have a child and still so affectionate!"
"These days, the children are the accident, and the parents are true love!"
"Should I say it or not, their family of three has such high attractiveness!"
...
Chen Yu felt helpless, not knowing how to explain.
Hearing these comments, Tong Ya subconsciously tightened her arms around him.
All the way to the underground parking garage, she remained tightly pressed against Chen Yu's back, reluctant to let go.
Chen Yu also went straight to opening the car door, placing Tong Ya on the passenger seat.
"You look uncomfortable, should I take you home first?"
"No need!" Tong Ya waved her hand: "It's just numbness in my hands and feet, I should feel better once we get to the food truck!"
In fact, she was already feeling better, but Chen Yu's broad and comfortable back made her reluctant to leave.
Chen Yu didn't say much more and drove straight back to the food truck.
When he returned, he actually saw Zhang Fan sitting at the entrance of the food truck, with several cigarette butts already on the ground.
"Oh, Old Chen, you're finally back!"
Chen Yu approached somewhat sheepishly: "I went out for a bit today, is there an emergency?"
Zhang Fan quickly took out his phone: "It's about the shop next to mine I told you about. Their rent expires the day after tomorrow, and they're moving out tomorrow. Here's the landlord's number, I'll send it to you!"
Chen Yu hadn't expected Zhang Fan to be waiting there just to help him secure a shop.
"That's really so kind of you!"
"What's there to thank for!" Zhang Fan casually sent over pictures of the interior of the shop.
"Old Chen, this shop isn't just big, it's enormous. The previous tenants ran a restaurant but didn't manage it well and couldn't keep going after a month."
Chen Yu nodded continuously, flipping through the pictures in his hands.
He suddenly discovered that the shop had three floors, the bottom two were commercial halls, and to his surprise, the third floor was a separate residential area.
Three bedrooms and a living room, a kitchen and two bathrooms, nearly two hundred square meters of huge space.
"Old Zhang, are they renting out all three floors together?"
"Yeah! This entire area is mixed-use, residential and commercial together. This shop is all three floors connected, they only rent it out as a whole! And I've noticed you and the child have been sleeping in the food truck, what if something happens someday?"
Chen Yu became immediately excited, especially when he saw that the rent was only twelve thousand. He made up his mind on the spot.
Real estate prices in Suzhou City aren't low, a two hundred square meter residential space alone would go for at least seven or eight thousand a month, not to mention with the two commercial floors, this price is quite a bargain.
It would at least give Tuan Tuan a peaceful place to sleep.
"Okay, I'll take it! Tomorrow at noon, I'll arrange to meet with the landlord!"
"Since you've decided, I'll talk to the landlord for you, maybe I can even get you a discount!"
After confirming with Chen Yu, Zhang Fan gave his phone a shake and headed back to the garage.
Tong Ya at that moment was putting the replaced battery into the car trunk.
"Dad, does that mean we can have our own shop now?"
Chen Yu rubbed Tuan Tuan's little head: "Yes! Once we have the shop, Dad can expand the business."
Tuan Tuan cheered instantly, hugging Chen Yu tightly.
Tong Ya was also happy for Chen Yu, though she maintained her composure.
"Then I'll head back first! See you tomorrow!"
After giving a greeting, Tong Ya got into the car.
When she drove around a street corner, she suddenly stopped the car.
Her hands clenched into fists, and her feet rapidly tapped back and forth inside the car.
"I just knew it, he definitely could do it!"
Trying to calm her excited heart, Tong Ya started the car again.
Tang Xiaowei seemed to have gotten used to Tong Ya bringing her food at night, so she didn't eat the whole day again.
But when she eagerly waited for Tong Ya to enter, she found that Tong Ya hadn't brought anything this time.
"Tong Ya, where are the veggie buns? The fried cakes? Don't tell me you didn't bring anything for me?"
Tong Ya huffed: "Always eating and drinking for free, and now you have demands!"
Tang Xiaowei's mouth instantly formed an 'o': "Tong Ya, you really are heartless when it comes to the opposite sex! Do you know I've been waiting for you all day, and I haven't eaten a single thing?"
Tong Ya couldn't bear to let her best friend stay hungry, and still showed concern: "Really? You've been starving all day? I remember there were still some veggie buns left from yesterday, weren't there?"