Time flew, the years raced by, and in the blink of an eye, those seven Calabash Brothers I owed back then had...
Not grown up, because I hadn't given birth yet...
I always felt like my last thank-you to all you grannies was just a little while ago, but I checked just now, and the last one was April 23?? Had I been heartless, ungrateful, and shameless ever since?
Sorry, grannies. You kept supporting and encouraging me, and I kept being unfilial... Let me count these family ties, then work out how many Minions those seven Calabash Brothers I owed have turned into today. Don't turn the page just because it's a thank-you chapter. What if your name gets called!
Haven't I been running around away from home lately? I reckon that as long as I'm not home, I can't properly pay off my debts. Fortunately, this stretch of running around is finally nearing its last leg. Shanghai is the last stop, and once I get home, I really don't want to go anywhere again this year. I love writing, writing loves me, and no one can tear us apart.
(Unless someone enthusiastically invites me to New York to gather material for Phantasm Report)(I could leave right now, seriously)(So what if the novel flopped? All the more reason to work hard, right?)
The crowd waiting to pick up their babies outside the obstetrics and gynecology department at SZ Second People's Hospital has grown a lot:
Well now, Bohemia's Xiang (I dare not examine that name too closely) came to support the opening. I think quite a few people should remember this big spender... I don't even remember how many children I owe you... Can we count it as one for now...
A new big spender, Gunsmith Rousseau, has arrived. You alone added two children to the tally, and to be honest, my legs are trembling a little... The ID feels familiar, but I dare not assume I know you. Are you a new reader lured in by Phantasm Report? Or an ancestral blessing Doomsday left me (?)
Granny b111111111, I refuse to believe you got the number of 1s right the first time you entered your username after registering! I'm sure you wouldn't notice if I typed too many or too few either (not really), but anyway, I owe you a child now (.
Thank you to Yaoyao and Linlin for the KFC (yes, I've abandoned McDonald's, because the way the Golden Arches is run has disappointed me. Even the ketchup isn't Heinz anymore, did you know?), to Tiejia Baitang for buying me dessert (desserts are so expensive now. I looked, and even an egg tart costs over twenty), and to Chushi Qingzichan, Moyuan Pronounced Black Bird, and Yingyou for each pressing a cup of milk tea into my hands (there are so many milk tea flavors these days. How do they come up with them?). Haines even treated me to dinner. Between you, you had my whole day covered!
How many children is that? Oh, another five owed-what's there to fear!
With enough persimmons, your mouth stops puckering!
Thank you to Twenty-Four's QD for buying me a DQ (DQ really is delicious, and what you bought was so auspicious), vitang (you've bought me two mouthwashes already, the Shanghai kind), Fengyin (didn't I still owe you from last time?), and Joiiiii for sending an opening-day flower basket...
And Libabaobao's Baobao (oh my, I don't even know where this name came from, honestly. Tell everyone about it), The Tall Fish (this fish really is tall. I've been feeding off you since my last book), Junmi xi (all longtime readers), Dongxie (oh, you shouldn't have, hehehe), Aaa, What's the Matter (what's the matter)
And Kafka of the Village (no imperial consort beside you this time), Sanxiyi (I think I saw your comment), CIel Mo (what was I saying? I only fleece these few sheep), One Hundred Thousand Volts (were you the one who recommended those big northeastern bathhouses?)
Thank you to Chen Chengye (a new reader?), Little Sun Takes You Flying (not a new reader), Liu Jinqi (very familiar), Parsons Applicant, Emmy-chan, whhit, MARGINAL Fish, Ya'er (we meet again), Book Friend 20240202130643416 (typing those numbers killed me), Book Friend 20230109114807508 (I'm begging you, please change your names)
Let me catch my breath before I continue:
Sanjiu's Exclusive Bandage (fine, you don't bathe), Meitounao Diudiu, Whirlwind Fat Pill who uses tips as daily check-ins, Yuezhuo Likes Adventure Stories, Mia'ao, Lin Sanjiu's Dog (?), Fish, Shrimp, and Crab Are Everywhere, You Always Owe the Sun, mocaozy, yoleen Fish...
And everyone who cast monthly votes. I can see pretty much all of them; I really just can't fit any more in here. I'm very grateful that you're willing to cast your monthly votes for such an obscure novel. I'm actually starting to worry a little about the stats now, and seeing monthly votes and people keeping up with updates is always reassuring.
I've realized that saving up tips and thanking everyone all at once makes it look like business is especially good (not really)... It's only twelve children, right? Come on, let's get the twelve zodiac animals lined up (.
(End of chapter)