My brother entrusted his child to me, and I livestreamed raising the baby, making the Empress cry wi

Shu Jingwei tilted her head back, her Adam's apple bobbing up and down. A sour, bitter taste welled up in her throat, making her face scrunch up.

If, if only she had been kinder to that daughter back then, visited her in the cold palace, and hugged her…

Or, be kinder to Ye Fan, don't dismiss him from his post, ignore that bastard Yao Jingyuan's instigation, and go visit him and his daughter...

So, is she the one that Xiao Douzi is currently caring about so much?

She was still sitting on the dragon throne in the palace.

She can also use a fierce general like Wang Meng, and Lin Ye, as Ye Fan's brother, will also give her advice.

Her great flame will eventually dominate all nations, enjoy the tribute of all peoples, and it is even possible that it will last for thousands of generations...

Regret surged up from all directions like a tide, more piercing than the spring chill at the back gate of the villa that night, and every rise and fall of my chest was accompanied by a cramping pain.

Shu Jingwei huddled against the wall, trembling more violently than ever before she had been beaten, her broken leg rubbing unconsciously against the stone slab.

Why...

Why did it turn out like this...?

……

The two people on the sky were unaware that in another time and space, in the Great Flame Kingdom, someone was watching their lives, and they were filled with regret and remorse.

But even if I knew, I wouldn't care.

As for Lin Ye, he was content to wait for Shu Jingwei to suffer endless torment and die in agony; he no longer needed to pay any attention to what happened next.

Yu Xiaodouzi, Shu Jingwei, is no longer the mother she acknowledges.

This person is no longer a part of their lives.

After Lin Ye and Xiao Douzi decided to go out for hot pot, Lin Ye sent a message to ask Mu Chenfeng if he wanted to come along.

They quickly gave a positive reply.

So, the two cars headed one after the other towards the hot pot restaurant that Lin Ye had booked.

Before long, the two cars stopped in the most bustling commercial district in the center of Jiangcheng City.

As soon as the car door opened, the cold winter wind, carrying the hustle and bustle of the city, rushed towards us.

Little Douzi looked up and saw a building with a glass curtain wall in front of her. Sunlight shone on it, reflecting a shimmering golden light that made her squint.

Lin Ye adjusted her hat, took her hand, and walked into the revolving door with Mu Chenfeng and his daughter.

That hot pot restaurant is on the top floor of the building, occupying an entire floor by itself.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, a warm breeze, carrying the rich aroma of butter and a hint of Sichuan peppercorns, gently swept over them, instantly dispelling the chill that had enveloped them.

The corridor in front of me is paved with dark gray matte marble, and the wall lamps emit a warm orange light that diffuses and casts shadows on the exquisite wood carvings on the walls.

There was none of the usual hustle and bustle of a hot pot restaurant, only the faint sound of a guqin flowing in the air, occasionally mixed with the diners' low laughter.

Xiao Douzi slowed her pace, and Duo Duo quieted down as well. The two little girls looked around curiously.

The waiter led them through a moon gate into a semi-open private room.

The private room is separated by a hollowed-out copper screen, which is both breathable and private. In the center is a large solid wood table with four pure copper pots ready on it.

The seats are large leather sofas, with snow-white hot towels draped over the armrests.

Lin Ye took off Xiao Douzi's down jacket and handed it to the waiter to hang it up. He then rolled up the sleeves of her sweater before carrying her to sit on the sofa by the window.

Outside the window, half of the city can be seen, and the afternoon sun in winter casts a pale golden light on the staggered buildings.

Mu Chenfeng had also settled Duoduo down and sat down opposite them. The two of them simultaneously set out their daughters' small bowls and plates.

The menu was handed over, and Lin Ye spread the heavy leather-covered booklet out in front of Xiao Douzi and Duo Duo, turning the pages one by one for them to see.

Xiao Douzi and Duo Duo across from her were kneeling on the sofa in similar positions, leaning forward, their heads almost disappearing into the menu.

Each dish is accompanied by an exquisite picture. The marbling of the snowflake beef is bright and clear, the bristles of the tripe are distinct, and the shrimp paste is served in a bright green bamboo tube, topped with glistening fish roe...

Little Douzi stared wide-eyed, and couldn't help but swallow hard.

Lin Ye pointed to the pictures one by one and asked questions. The two girls either nodded or shook their heads, and occasionally huddled together to whisper and discuss.

His earnest little expression amused Mu Chenfeng, who immediately snapped several photos with his phone.

While waiting for the food to be served, Lin Ye picked up the tablet on the table, tapped it a few times, and the huge LCD screen on the wall of the private room lit up.

He handed the tablet to Xiaodouzi and Duoduo, and the two of them chose an episode of "Peppa Pig" and watched it with great interest.

……

Under the sky above the Great Flame Kingdom, the people were already completely absorbed in watching.

When the dishes of delicacies were served one after another, the comments section exploded.

[Commoner Zhao Daniu: My goodness! What's that? That plate of red and white slices of meat, cut thinner than paper, laid out on an ice platter, looks like jade, and it's even translucent!]

[Commoner Li Dachui: What's in that bamboo tube? It's sprinkled with red beads, it looks like a painting, how can anyone bear to eat it!]

[Commoner Qian Laosan: That pot! How was that pot made? It's golden yellow, and divided into four compartments! Inside, red and white broths are bubbling together, and just looking at the steam makes me feel how delicious it smells!]

……

Lin Ye had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, holding long chopsticks in one hand and a slotted spoon in the other, looking ready for battle.

As soon as the tomato broth started to bubble, he scooped out half a bowl of thick soup, added celery and beef cubes, and placed it in front of Xiao Douzi to cool.

Then, I took out a few pieces of bamboo fungus and termite mushroom from the mushroom pot and carefully cut them into small pieces on a small plate.

Then, he started to scald the tripe with a stopwatch, going up and down several times, taking it out and rolling it in the oil dish, blowing on it until it was cool enough to drink before putting it into the bowl in his little bag.

"Eat slowly, chew thoroughly before swallowing," Lin Ye instructed, while quickly adding a few more shrimp balls to the bowl.

Xiao Douzi sat next to him. Having already witnessed Lin Ye's demeanor during a hot pot dinner, she was much more at ease this time.

She was still a little embarrassed, and kept urging Lin Ye to eat quickly while she ate.

Seeing that Lin Ye had also started eating, she picked up a piece of pork rib that Lin Ye had just given her and took a bite.

The ribs were stewed in the tomato broth until they were so tender they fell off the bone; the meat melted in your mouth with just a gentle touch.

The sweet and sour taste melted on her tongue, and Xiao Douzi hummed contentedly twice before turning to Lin Ye: "Godfather, Godfather! Eat this rib, it's super delicious!"

Lin Ye smiled and nodded: "Okay, okay, then Godfather, you should try some too."

Then Xiaodouzi started recommending delicious pork ribs to Duoduo across from her. The two little girls took turns eating, enjoying their meal immensely.

In the scene depicted on the screen, the steam from the hot pot billowed into a white mist, enveloping the people in the private room and creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Under the sky, the Great Flame Kingdom was quiet, interspersed with sounds of hissing, slurping, and swallowing.

Just then, a barrage of comments suddenly appeared in the bottom right corner.

[Chen Laogen, a local resident: Wait a minute! I suddenly remembered! I was wondering why the tomato in the picture on the tomato hot pot page looked so familiar... wasn't it just our tomato?!]