The ex-wife of a former CEO regrets resigning to raise her child and retire from public life.

Chapter 23 A stroke of incredible luck

If we rewind a little, it's 10:30 in the morning in the old street. The sunlight has completely covered the bluestone pavement, and the air is a little hot.

A black SUV slowly glided around the street corner and finally stopped in a temporary parking space on the side of the road.

The car door opened, and a young man who looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old stepped out.

His name was Lin Muyuan, and he was wearing a plain cotton-linen T-shirt and casual shoes. Lin Muyuan was quite a unique figure in the city's culinary scene.

He's a blogger, but not entirely. A few years ago, he caught the tail end of the e-commerce and self-media transition, and with his exceptional insight and a bit of luck, he earned his first pot of gold early on, achieving a degree of financial freedom.

The world has changed, opportunities have dwindled, and many of his peers are anxiously searching for the next big thing, but Lin Muyuan has chosen to "stay put and do nothing."

In his words, "In the current market, taking money to start a business isn't called hard work; it's called trying to 'take off.' Rather than becoming cannon fodder in the capital market, it's better to save the money and enjoy some good food."

Because he has plenty of money, he doesn't accept gigs; because he's been picky about food since childhood, he never trusts those "internet celebrity shops" that have been marketed.

His restaurant reviews are all about spontaneity—driving around aimlessly and eating wherever he happens to stop. His posts on social media are also extremely laid-back, never piling up fancy words, usually just a few words: "pretty good," "not bad," "okay."

But it is precisely this extreme authenticity and uncompromising attitude that has earned him a group of die-hard fans in the local area.

Everyone knows that a restaurant that Lin Muyuan says "it's okay" is a sure thing; you can go there even with your eyes closed and not go wrong. In the eyes of his fans, he is the most authoritative and discerning "food judge" in the city.

Lin Muyuan slammed the car door shut. He had originally planned to grab a bite at the noodle shop ahead, but when he looked up, he was drawn to a newly opened shop sign.

"The everyday life of ordinary people".

"The name is both elegant and commonplace, exuding a sense of tranquility." He took a few steps closer and peeked through the open door. In that instant, even the well-traveled Lin Muyuan couldn't help but widen his eyes and utter four words:

Wow, that's impressive.

What greets the eye is an entire wall covered with a "rabbit army." Those hand-painted rabbits, each with its own unique shape and endearing charm, seem to instantly transport the once quiet old street into a whimsical, childlike space.

This style of shop is not uncommon in bustling commercial districts, but when it is opened in an old street full of life and even a bit old, it creates a wonderful chemical reaction that is both incongruous and has a strange sense of healing.

Lin Muyuan pushed open the door.

There weren't many people in the shop at the moment. Chen Feng was busy in the kitchen, while Zhang Qiang was sitting near the door chatting with him. Seeing someone come in, Zhang Qiang immediately stood up, his face beaming with genuine enthusiasm.

"Hey handsome, take a seat! Want to try our signature dish today?" Zhang Qiang pointed to the neat handwriting on the small blackboard next to him.

Lin Muyuan didn't sit down immediately. He put his hands behind his back, first looked around the rabbit wall, and then looked at the clean and shiny decoration of the entire store.

He nodded to himself, thinking the shop owner was a discerning person. Finally, he slowly walked to the counter, his gaze landing on the simple "menu".

"Is this the only 'Little Rabbit Bun' you have today?" Lin Muyuan raised an eyebrow, his voice clear and bright.

"Hey, handsome, you have a good eye. Our boss Chen is all about perfection, and this is our main product right now. Don't underestimate this one kind; everyone who's tried it comes back for more." Zhang Qiang patted his chest, his tone full of pride.

Lin Muyuan couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Could this shop owner be a rabbit who has transformed into a human? The walls, the menu, the shop name... everything's rabbit-themed. This isn't a steamed bun shop; it's like walking into a rabbit's den! How much must they love rabbits!"

But he didn't say anything, just nodded: "Okay, give me one."

"Alright! Twelve yuan a serving, three in total. You pay here first, then we'll steam them to order, it'll take a while." Zhang Qiang said, gesturing towards the cashier, "Just ask our 'financial director' to pay."

Lin Muyuan followed Zhang Qiang's gesture and looked over, then froze again.

Behind the specially raised cashier counter sat a little dumpling who looked like she'd stepped out of a painting. Mengmeng wore a pink bunny apron, her tiny body nestled in the large swivel chair, making her appear even more petite. She was fiddling with a small bunny doll in her hands, and when she heard someone approaching, she immediately looked up, revealing a round, chubby, rosy face.

Lin Muyuan exclaimed in his heart again, "Good heavens, this little rabbit has really become a spirit! From the renovation to the employees, it's all done!"

Mengmeng had completely adapted to the job of "cashier" by now. She blinked her big eyes at Lin Muyuan, still a little shy in front of a stranger, but her voice was clear and sweet:

"Uncle, you can scan this side. Thank you for visiting our home."

The word "uncle" made Lin Muyuan, a usually aloof young master, feel a tremor in his heart. His previously nonchalant gaze softened instantly, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his lips as he dutifully took out his phone.

"Okay, little bunny, oh no, little director, uncle has scanned it."

After paying with the code, Lin Muyuan put away his phone and sat down in an empty seat on the corner of the table.

Hearing the commotion in the kitchen, Chen Feng quickly got to work.

For someone like Lin Muyuan, who was used to eating delicacies, the wait itself was a test of the restaurant's quality. He didn't look at his phone, but quietly leaned back in his chair, continuing to observe the restaurant.

Sunlight streamed through the windows of the old street, illuminating the hand-painted rabbit designs. There was no pop music playing in the shop, only the occasional clatter of pots and pans from the kitchen, and the soft whispers of Zhang Qiang and Mengmeng. This tranquil and warm atmosphere gradually lifted Lin Muyuan's spirits.

He thought to himself that even if the buns tasted so-so, the decor, the little rabbit, and the tranquility made it worthwhile to sit here.

A few minutes later, an extremely unique aroma, as if it had a spirit, slowly drifted out from behind the curtain of the kitchen, swirled in the air, and then precisely entered Lin Muyuan's nostrils.

My nose twitched slightly. What I smelled was a fresh and refined aroma, with the unique sweetness of wheat flour, and a meaty aroma with extremely rich layers, even carrying a certain exotic fragrance.

"This smell..." Lin Muyuan was secretly astonished. He was an expert; he could tell from the aroma that the meat in the filling was of the finest quality, and the cooking time was exquisite. Was it because he was in such a good mood that even his sense of smell was heightened?

He glanced at Mengmeng, who was resting her chin on her hand and looking at him behind the cashier, and then at Zhang Qiang, who was all smiles and whose eyes seemed to say, "You just wait and see."

Lin Muyuan tapped his fingers lightly on the wooden tabletop. His eyes, usually so accustomed to all sorts of sights, finally revealed a genuine curiosity and anticipation. He knew that this random stroll today had probably just been a stroke of incredible luck.