Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1652 - 901: Dog Owner

City district.

Curled up on the couch under a cozy blanket, Chen Siyu clutches her phone, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she scrolls through her messages with Xue Yuantong.

To her right sits her clever yet not overly astute sister.

To her left lounges her attractive mother, Mother Chen, shelling edamame beans to fry up for midday meal.

She sneaks peeks at her daughter, sharing concerned looks with her spouse.

Her girl had gone out for fun the previous night and returned super late. Upon questioning, she admitted heading to a net cafe for gaming.

Folks of Mother Chen's age view internet cafes poorly, picturing them as hangouts for troublemakers. Should her twin girls run into issues there, the damage would be permanent.

A coworker mentioned a 16-year-old lass in her area who flunked into high school and lacked job options due to poverty. The teen roamed streets daily, shooting pool and boozing with hoodlums, winding up pregnant—family discovered only when her stomach swelled huge.

Mother Chen feels genuinely terrified!

Father Chen grasps his wife's fears yet remains powerless. These are adolescents, and locking down their liberty isn't feasible. Over-strictness often backfires, as the proverb warns.

After pondering briefly, Mother Chen signaled her husband with a glance; Father Chen got the hint, rose, entered the bedroom, and shut the door.

Just the trio of females remained in the living room.

"Ahem, ahem, you girls spend all day glued to phones—done with winter break assignments?" Mother Chen inquired.

Chen Siyu protested, "I’ve busted my butt lately; check my bags under eyes, check my vibe!"

Chen Siqing bobbed her head, "Mm-hmm."

Mother Chen: "So that means late nights cramming for studies?"

Chen Siyu: "Yep, Mom!"

Mother Chen: "Then what portion of winter homework is finished?"

Chen Siyu grinned awkwardly, "Not a ton."

"..." Mother Chen skipped beating that dead horse. Using it as an opener, she added, "Winter homework? Done or not, no biggie. Don’t aim for elite colleges—just stay out of harm’s way."

The sisters nodded, "Mm-hmm," lacking grand dreams, merely hoping adulthood brings a super impressive hubby!

Mother Chen pressed on, "Promise Mom you’ll keep safe. Like last night’s net cafe trip—Dad and I fretted heaps, especially as you’re maturing now."

Mother Chen hesitated before adding, "Schools skip certain boy-girl matters, but Mom must cover them to steer you clear of future pitfalls."

Here, Mother Chen geared up for grown-up chat, cheeks flushing slightly.

While gathering thoughts, she spotted Siyu thumping her chest confidently, "No worries, Mom! Puzzle over anything? Hit me up!"

Those words left Mother Chen dumbfounded, sensing something amiss.

…

Riverside embankment.

Director Han and family entered the countryside resort lobby.

Cozy warmth filled the space, heater blasting full; owner Yang Fei didn’t idle but handled front desk service himself.

"Little Yang," Director Han called out.

Yang Fei flashed a grin, tone lively and big-hearted: "Director Han, that missed dish from before? I remembered—today’s complimentary for you."

"Oh?" A delightful shock, though the sum meant zilch to Director Han; sincerity counted most.

Wealthy Mrs. Chen eyed the rustic resort setup; being countryside style, furnishings fell short of luxury hotels. Disdain flickered across Mrs. Chen’s face now and then.

Yang Fei stayed unfazed—his spot marketed upscale, drawing officials often. Experience taught him such guests’ haughty airs, acting superior to common folk.

No sweat though; Yang Fei’s venture thrived on cuisine conquering palates.

"This way!" Yang Fei ushered them into a private room.

He passed the tabletop menu, "Skip the mushroom soup for now—pick other faves. Every item’s unique here."

He lingered nearby, poised to elaborate.

Mrs. Chen snatched the menu, gaze landing on star mushroom soup. Price hit her: eyes squinted, "6666 yuan a bowl?"

She verified twice, then challenged, "More than 6k? That’s Nan City seafood banquet level!"

Her expression screamed rip-off suspicion.

Yang Fei smiled steadily, "Genuine stuff in our soup. Sis, bet you’ve tasted or know wild True Red Mushroom. Wuyi Mountain premium reds fetch thousands per jin. Its broth? Insanely flavorful. Guests who’ve had the mushroom rave more about our soup."

"Usually reservations required—top brass love it—but dislike it? Full refund on the spot."

Yang Fei clarified effortlessly.

That quelled Mrs. Chen’s doubts. Bossy by nature, inner annoyance brewed, but she held back for now.

Yang Fei noted her vibe, amused by such types: airs of elitism, yet worldly enough to haggle luxury prices.

Mrs. Chen shifted to Earth Pot Chicken listing: 666 yuan.

She griped, "Matches old goose rates, huh? Regular range chickens go for just above 300."

Yang Fei reiterated: chickens from expert trainers, flyers spanning 100 meters, yielding superbly tender meat.

Mrs. Chen kept probing, "And bread? Folks peddle at 10 yuan pot, yours 38?"