VESSEL - Extinction Countdown 981: Fooled by Their Own Game

As the sun set, crowds streamed out of the amusement park’s exit.

Among them, a man with two girls caught eyes.

No surprise—it was Ye Shisan and his crew.

Wherever Ye Shisan passed, women of all ages shouted:

“What’re you looking at? She your wife? Think I’m ugly?”

“Old man, staring at a young girl? Look again, and I’ll pluck your eyes out!”

“You creep! She passes for a second, and you ‘drop’ your wallet three times? Don’t play dumb! We’re through!”

Amid the noisy scolding, the crowd parted.

Ye Shisan held little fairy Vanilla’s hand on his left, his right arm gripped by little minx You Long’er. Flanked by a loli and a maiden, he earned nods and stares from men.

Their trio—too young for lovers, too close for family—sparked gossip.

“Bet he’s their sugar daddy…”

“Pfft, you pervert! An eight- or nine-year-old sugar baby? That’s five years, got it?”

A young man burst through, holding roses, kneeling before You Long’er.

“Miss, you’re gorgeous! I’m the heir of Jinzhou’s second-richest family—soon the richest. If you’d—”

You Long’er cut him off. “Jinzhou? Richest? Hah, know who he is?”

She pointed at Ye Shisan. The man shook his head.

“If he wanted, he’d be top ten worldwide tomorrow! You’re far behind, kid.”

The suitor glanced at Ye Shisan and slipped away.

Ye Shisan cringed. “You Long’er, don’t curse me. We made fifty thousand last month. Forget world’s richest—king of this street would be a dream!”

Before You Long’er could reply, Vanilla chimed in. “Uncle Shisan, rich or poor, I’ll stick with you! Some folks only care about money, huh?”

You Long’er was about to retort when someone rushed at Ye Shisan.

“Bro! It’s A-Qiang! We’ve been looking for you!”

Vanilla and You Long’er froze. Ye Shisan, quick on his feet, kicked the man’s face.

“Ow!” The man rolled, wailing.

It was the short creep who’d bothered You Long’er on the subway.

Then, an old beggar pushed a wheelchair with a beggar woman right at Ye Shisan.

The woman sobbed, tears and snot flowing. “Shisan, it’s me! Your mom!”

The beggar man, He Dali, faked tears. “Shisan, I’m your stepdad, He Dali. This is your brother, He Qiang. Remember? I got you candy as a kid! We’ve searched twenty years to find you!”

You Long’er scoffed. “A subway creep and two ad-pushing beggars? Tired of living? Messing with me again?”

She grabbed her phone to call her crew.

Ye Shisan stopped her. “The woman in the wheelchair is my mom, Li Fang.”

“What?!” You Long’er and Vanilla stared.

The contrast was stark. Even if they were mother and son, who were the old beggar and the creep?

Ye Shisan explained his past briefly. The girls understood.

Vanilla cried, tears falling. She hadn’t thought anyone could have it worse than her—yet here was Ye Shisan.

You Long’er frowned. Her bad hunch was right. She asked Ye Shisan, “What now?”

Li Fang, hearing him confirm her, shook with emotion. “Shisan, I failed you! I’ll make it up to you. We’ll never part!”

Ye sighed. “You’re my mom, but you left when I was three months old. Grandpa raised me.”

He Dali jumped in. “Shisan, that’s not right. Your dad died on duty. Your mom struggled alone. What mother doesn’t love her child? After your grandpa passed, didn’t we do our best for you?”

Ye Shisan smirked. “Your best? Hah, what a fine ‘best’! A bite of food to not starve, a blanket to not freeze—that’s your ‘best’?”

He Qiang, sensing trouble, cut in. “Bro, it’s old news! We’ve been searching for you. Mom… her legs got crushed by a car looking for you! That’s why they beg!”

Ye Shisan didn’t know the truth, but two old folks begging seemed desperate enough.

Only You Long’er, raised around crooks, saw through it. She snapped at He Qiang. “Your parents beg, but you’re all dressed up. Got a job? Why aren’t they better off? No job? You’re living off their begging? That’s low.”

He Qiang’s face reddened, tongue-tied.

Li Fang spoke. “Miss, my son has a heart condition, no schooling. He can’t do hard work or find steady jobs. But he tries odd jobs, right, A-Qiang?”

He Qiang gave Li Fang a look of awe. Mom’s a master liar, outsmarting loan sharks!

He nodded fast. “Yeah! I’m no good, but I want to earn for them. Now with Bro, we’ll help get Mom and Dad off the streets, right?”

That cornered Ye Shisan. This family left him in an asylum, and now they begged for help.

Vanilla tugged his sleeve. “Uncle Shisan, I can give my room to Auntie.”

Her soft voice touched Ye Shisan’s heart. He knew Vanilla stayed at the bakery for a reason—some past trouble. This must’ve hit her.

Everyone has a tender spot, sacred and private. Vanilla never shared her story, but Ye Shisan felt her quiet sadness.

Fine. They want money, but maybe for Vanilla’s sake…

He sighed. “Mom, I’m not as rich as you think.”

At “Mom,” Li Fang, He Dali, and He Qiang’s eyes sparkled. Success!

Ye Shisan shared his post-asylum life, skipping Dragon Gate Inn. The car crash and bakery tales stunned them.

He Qiang nearly burst when he heard Ye Shisan knew Lin Changrong, a top executive at Xiehe Medical Group, a global giant.

This guy saved a big shot and only asked for a bakery? I’d have demanded ten million!

Hah! Getting Ye Shisan was the right call!

From now on, I, He Qiang, will take it all—the bakery, the chicks, everything!