The Duck

On the weekend break, Ye Shuang drove the two girls around to see the sights.

Speaking of which, Haizhu City is a tourist destination known for its ecological civilization, but Ye Shuang didn't really know where the fun places were. Like most people, his usual routine only took him to a handful of familiar spots.

The sea near the shore only looked blue on clear days; to see the truly azure ocean, you had to take a boat out to the other islands.

As Ye Shuang stared blankly at the traffic light, he noticed the girl beside him seemed to be playing a mobile game.

"What game are you playing?" Ye Shuang asked.

"A tower defense game," Bai Yuyou said, showing him her phone. "Keke asked me to play with her."

"Brother, do you want to play? It's a casual game," Tang Keke said with a grin. "And it's their fifth anniversary right now, they're giving out a monthly card. You can get like a hundred pulls in one go."

"What's a monthly card?"

"It's thirty yuan, and you get daily gacha resources from it," Tang Keke explained.

Hearing this, Ye Shuang had a moment of realization. It seemed many products from his group's companies had similar paid items, though their pricing was much higher.

Thirty yuan...

Wouldn't it be better to just buy the resources directly?

"You can just buy them directly, right?"

"Brother, you don't get it," Tang Keke said with a profound look, making a 'tsk tsk tsk' sound and wagging her finger. "Even though you can buy them, the free ones are the sweetest. Some games only give out a few pulls for their anniversaries, and if you complain, you get called an ungrateful wolf."

Ye Shuang really didn't understand, as he didn't play mobile games much. The mobile game he played the longest during his student days was on a keypad phone. He had a lot of fun back then with that turn-based game where you could freely PK and farm monsters. It was pixel art, but he found it utterly engrossing.

But thinking about it now, he couldn't even remember the game's name anymore.

"Is it fun?" Ye Shuang asked Bai Yuyou beside him.

"Mhm, the little characters are cute," Bai Yuyou said.

"Is that so." Ye Shuang continued driving, but then a thought occurred to him—

Maybe he should download it and play too, so he wouldn't run out of things to talk about with the girls.

But on second thought, he probably didn't have time for games.

It was true; once you started working, you got busy and couldn't settle your mind enough to play games properly. That was why many big bosses loved those browser games where you could just pay to get stronger. For them, there was simply no time to slowly grind for equipment and build up characters. The most satisfying thing was to just top up and dominate the entire server.

After all, time was more valuable.

Arriving at a nearby commercial plaza, Ye Shuang parked the car.

"Alright, let's go. We'll have lunch here today," Ye Shuang said with a smile.

"Okay."

Bai Yuyou hooked her arm around Ye Shuang's, while Tang Keke hooked hers around Bai Yuyou's. The sight of the three of them walking side by side immediately attracted quite a few glances.

Especially Bai Yuyou, with her adorable looks bundled up in a down jacket, she looked just like a little penguin.

As for Tang Keke, her natural assets were suppressed by the puffy down jacket, so she was far less eye-catching than Bai Yuyou.

"Should I buy you guys bags or something as gifts?" Ye Shuang asked, noticing a luxury brand boutique not far away.

He didn't know why, but he always felt girls really liked bags.

"Bags? Not interested," Tang Keke said, clearly having no enthusiasm for the idea.

She'd rather buy some figurines or merch.

Bai Yuyou tilted her head. "I already have a schoolbag."

"Is that so? Then we won't go." Ye Shuang couldn't help but chuckle. Both girls were still at an age where they were studying. Combined with their well-off backgrounds and small social circles, they genuinely didn't have any desire to keep up with the Joneses.

Even though Ye Shuang had a bit of money now, he still couldn't understand people who would take out loans to buy luxury goods for the sake of comparison, completely trapped by consumerism.

It was a common sight: assembly-line products being imbued with so-called meaning and then used to harvest customers. Even things like trash bags or tape with a logo printed on them had people lining up overnight to buy.

"Ye Shuang, a really big duck."

"Duck?"

Ye Shuang looked in the direction Bai Yuyou was pointing and indeed noticed a store decorated with a yellow duck logo, filled with products featuring various duck elements.

"Seems like a general store selling all sorts of daily necessities?" Ye Shuang led the two girls over. The store was a bit like a Miniso or similar variety shop, selling everything, all unified with the duck icon.

"I want this," Bai Yuyou pointed at a plush toy on the shelf—a large yellow duck.

And it was huge, a good meter or so wide.

"Sorry, everyone, that's a non-sale display item for our store," a sales clerk said with a smile, noticing Ye Shuang and the girls examining the duck.

"Non-sale item." Bai Yuyou seemed a bit disappointed. It looked like she really liked it.

"Can we discuss it? Price is negotiable," Ye Shuang asked the clerk, noticing the girl's dejected expression.

"Um, in that case, I'd have to ask our store manager," the clerk said, looking a bit troubled.

After all, this thing was basically a store mascot. Most people wouldn't think to buy it, and as a mere sales clerk, she couldn't make that decision.

"Alright." Ye Shuang nodded, and the clerk left.

"That duck is indeed pretty big."

If the price was reasonable, he was willing to buy it for Bai Yuyou. It would look nice in her room too.

After a while, the clerk returned with a man who appeared to be the store manager.

"Sorry, this isn't for sale," the manager said, refusing outright.

"Well, that's that then." Ye Shuang could only comfort the girl beside him. "It's okay, I'll find a factory to custom-make a new one for you."

Bai Yuyou nodded.

"Really not for sale?" Ye Shuang tried asking the manager one more time.

The manager hadn't expected Ye Shuang to be so persistent. He thought for a moment and finally said, "If you really want it, sir, the price for this item might be a bit steep."

"Our cost for this duck is five thousand one hundred."

"That is quite expensive," Ye Shuang admitted, surprised such a plush toy cost five thousand one hundred. But since Yuyou liked it, buying one wouldn't hurt.

He had a bit of spare cash now.

"Daddy, I want that duck too!" A voice came from behind them.

It looked like a family of three—a man, a woman, and a little boy.

Huh?

Ye Shuang was slightly taken aback because the man looked very familiar. Not only did Ye Shuang have this reaction, but the man opposite him also froze for a second.

"President Xu, what a coincidence," Ye Shuang said with a faint smile, not expecting to run into Xu Yitian here.

A flicker of discomfort passed over Xu Yitian's face.

"Honey, a friend of yours?" the woman beside Xu Yitian asked.

"Oh, your wife," Ye Shuang raised an eyebrow.

So Xu Yitian was already married?

[Character: Zou Xue

Xu Yitian's mistress from his university days, with whom he has a son.]

Well, well...

And this guy had the nerve to criticize me?