Chapter 87: Placed on the Shelf for Sale

“Honey, look!” Qin Haiyu’s delighted voice drew Yu Zhile’s attention away from his phone, where he had been discussing book publishing details with his editor.

He looked up just in time to see their baby, with trembling little legs and outstretched hands, taking her very first step toward her mother!

Unfortunately, as soon as she took that step, her legs wobbled uncontrollably, and she lost her balance, tumbling forward onto the floor.

Yet that single step was enough to fill their hearts with excitement!

Counting the days, their baby was now ten months old. Taking her first step at this age was no small feat. Some babies, it was said, could walk as early as nine months, while others still couldn’t walk by their first birthday. All of this was perfectly normal.

Regrettably, after that initial step and fall, the baby reverted to her old ways—she still couldn’t lift her foot to walk and relied on crawling to get around, and she crawled with impressive speed!

Yu Zhile watched as his mother and wife tried to tempt the baby into walking with books, smiling helplessly. “She’s still just a baby! Don’t make it so hard for her.”

“You little dunce,” Qin Haiyu laughed, giving the baby’s bottom a gentle pat. “One second you learn how to walk, and the next, you forget all about it!” Predictably, the little one flopped down again and scampered forward on all fours.

Watching the baby grab at the corner of a book, Yu Zhile had a sudden thought and messaged Zhang Xue: “Are the paper and inks used in these books safe and non-toxic? Is there any chance they might contain harmful chemicals for children?”

Zhang Xue replied quickly and assured him, “Don’t worry, all of our children’s books at the publishing house meet safety standards.”

“That’s good,” Yu Zhile replied, though he couldn’t help feeling skeptical. Every businessperson claims their product is flawless, but inspections always seem to turn up some problem or another.

To be sure, he said, “Honey, could you call Xu Ling over? I need her to help run an errand.”

Qin Haiyu was curious. “What is it?”

“I want to have this book tested for any harmful substances,” Yu Zhile replied.

Qin Haiyu immediately understood, gave her husband a thumbs-up, and sent a voice message to Xu Ling, asking her to come by when she had time.

Although Xu Ling was nominally her assistant and agent, since Qin Haiyu wasn’t accepting any endorsements or bookings lately, Xu Ling mostly managed the day-to-day affairs of their hot pot restaurant.

An hour later, Xu Ling arrived in a hurry, bringing a bag of fresh jujubes from the restaurant. When she learned about the task ahead, she stared at the book in disbelief. “This whole book is your work?”

Yu Zhile nodded offhandedly. “Yes.”

Xu Ling was impressed. “Amazing! The king of romance writing children’s literature? Are you aiming to become the godfather of kids’ books now? Maybe you should consider targeting the elderly next—become the godfather of seniors while you’re at it!”

Yu Zhile was speechless.

After washing the jujubes, Qin Haiyu laughed, “Give it a few years, who knows?”

Xu Ling snatched a jujube and dangled it in front of the baby, only to pull it away and take a bite herself just as the little hands reached for it. “Nope, not for you! Mad yet?” she teased.

Qin Haiyu looked away, Yu Zhile pitied the baby for a moment, and Xu Ling, after a bit more playful teasing, reluctantly left to get the book tested as requested.

Three days later, Xu Ling returned with the inspection report. “Every test came back clean. The paper and inks all meet standards—it’s safe for kids and toddlers to handle. Just don’t let them chew or eat it!”

That last bit was particularly apt. If you didn’t keep an eye on her, the baby might really try to gnaw on the book. Those little baby teeth were always itching for something to bite.

Yu Zhile took back the book, now missing a few pieces snipped out for sampling.

Soon, the Spring Festival arrived.

Yu Zhile’s family chose to spend the New Year in their hometown, since his father’s chess and card room had just finished renovations and would open for business on the second day of the new year. He needed to be there to supervise.

On New Year’s Eve, Zhang Xue sent a message wishing them a happy new year and reporting on the progress of the book’s publication.

Before the holiday, the publisher had already printed one hundred thousand copies, with plans to print another hundred thousand after the break.

These two hundred thousand books would form the first batch that Yu Zhile would donate to elementary schools in impoverished regions. Over the past few days, the subscription revenue from his four children’s song videos had nearly covered the cost of the books.

If sales of the book went well, the number of donated books would only grow.

That night, the family watched the Spring Festival Gala on television. The Oriental TV gala was rather ordinary this year, noticeably frugal compared to the opulent New Year’s Eve shows. So they switched to the CCTV gala, where all the biggest stars performed. Every year, there were always one or two skits worth watching.

As an arts and music graduate, Yu Zhile had always dreamed of performing on the CCTV stage. In this world, he felt his chances of making it there were quite high. After all, he was a positive role model, focused on children’s education, writing and publishing children’s books, and donating all the proceeds to rural schools.

A person so admirable was bound to be invited to the Spring Festival Gala sooner or later! The thought filled Yu Zhile with anticipation.

From New Year’s Eve to the second day of the new year, the family enjoyed a rare peace—there were no relatives to visit, saving them much trouble.

The happiest event was that their daughter finally learned to walk. Although her steps were still shaky and she couldn’t turn corners yet, it was the best New Year’s gift she could give to her grandparents and parents.

On the second day of the new year, the “Inheritance Chess Room,” named by Yu Zhile’s father, had its grand opening. Yu Zhile wanted to mock the rather plain name, but since games like chess and Go truly are passed down from generation to generation, he kept his thoughts to himself.

Life passed in warmth and contentment.

After staying in their hometown until the seventh day of the new year, the family of three returned to the city. Living with his parents had too many inconveniences, the greatest of which was the lack of privacy for the couple.

With the new semester about to begin, Yu Zhile’s mother needed to prepare for school and help manage the chess room. So they left their hometown to avoid being a burden.

As the publisher’s holiday ended, Yu Zhile’s first children’s book officially went on sale, marking his debut in children’s literature.