Chapter 85
Jiang Heye knew she was supposed to be a “good daughter” and cooperate fully with Wang Zhizhi’s performance.
But… a reality show wasn’t a movie, even if she had a script, she couldn’t escape the “reality” part of it.
“Zhizhi…” Jiang Heye placed the glass of warm water she had just poured in front of Wang Zhizhi. “Don’t you want to take a nap?”
Wang Zhizhi shook his head.
“Then… do you want to go out and play?” Jiang Heye pulled over a stool and sat next to Wang Zhizhi. “Didn’t Dongdong come to invite you to play earlier? You can go, your brother and I can take a nap at home.”
“He wasn’t inviting me to play, he was asking if I wanted to go dig for Baby Coins with them.” Wang Zhizhi glanced at Jiang Heye and said listlessly, “I should have gone with them, but I don’t want to.”
Jiang Heye, seeing the lingering gloom on Wang Zhizhi’s face, said softly, “If you don’t want to go, then don’t, it’s hot at noon anyway.”
“It’s not because of the heat.” Wang Zhizhi slumped on the table, looking dejected.
“Then why?” Jiang Heye’s voice remained soft.
She wasn’t sure how to approach a child.
But children, they should be similar to small animals, right? Alert and sensitive, needing gentleness and patience, a slow and gentle approach, to avoid scaring them away. Jiang Heye was doing well, the Wang Zhizhi slumped on the table, although he seemed listless, didn’t show any signs of vigilance.
Jiang Heye’s question didn’t receive an immediate answer, but she wasn’t anxious, she just gently pushed the glass of water towards Wang Zhizhi. “You went out this morning, drink more water, it’s easy to get dehydrated in the summer.”
As long as certain keywords weren’t triggered, Wang Zhizhi was a very easygoing child.
Gulp, gulp, gulp, over half of the water was gone. Wang Zhizhi wiped his mouth and looked at Jiang Heye, a bit embarrassed. “Beibei, I’m the parent today, I should be working hard to earn money, but I didn’t go dig for Baby Coins with Shen Zilin and Wen Dongyu, am I a bad parent?”
“No, Zhizhi, you’re already a very good parent. Look, even adults, they don’t work all day, every day. People need to earn money, but they also need to rest. You went to pick and sell vegetables this morning, and you even used the money you earned to arrange a delicious lunch for me and Brother, you’ve already worked very hard, it’s only right for you to rest at noon.” Jiang Heye said sincerely.
Hearing Jiang Heye’s words, Wang Zhizhi’s face flushed slightly.
“I… I wasn’t tired.” Wang Zhizhi didn’t dare to look at Jiang Heye, he just stared at the glass he was fiddling with, after a while, he finally spoke again softly, “I set up my stall at the market, and then Cheng Rongrong next to me quickly sold out her vegetables, she even sold mine for me. I wasn’t tired at all selling vegetables…”
Jiang Heye: “Sold out… Isn’t that good?”
Wang Zhizhi slumped back on the table, not looking at Jiang Heye, he started talking, as if to himself, about what happened at the market, starting from when they arrived with the vegetables.
Bought out, and bought out again.
The tanghulu stall, candied tomatoes, candied cucumbers…
And so, Jiang Heye, who had finally managed to get close to Wang Zhizhi, finally understood the reason for his unhappiness from his rambling.
Jiang Heye listened patiently, thinking, until Wang Zhizhi finished talking about buying lunch and fell silent. After a long pause, she asked tentatively, “Zhizhi, are you regretting selling all your vegetables at once, not getting to sell candied tomatoes with the other babies?”
Wang Zhizhi nodded, then shook his head. “I don’t know. Cheng Rongrong helped me sell my vegetables, I thanked her. I just… feel a bit…”
He touched his chest. “… heavy?”
There was a kind of discomfort that Wang Zhizhi couldn’t describe with his limited vocabulary and experience.
“Then… If you feel heavy, why did you agree to… well, sell your vegetables like that? Was it to buy food for me and Brother?” Jiang Heye regretted a little, maybe she should have just casually distracted him and made him feel better, instead of trying to address the root of his unhappiness.
This was a live broadcast, with this conversation, would the viewers think Wang Zhizhi was being ungrateful, feeling unhappy even after being helped?
Of course, Jiang Heye wouldn’t think of Wang Zhizhi that way, in fact, after hearing about what happened at the market, she also felt something was strange. If it weren’t for Wei Maomao and the others setting up the candied tomato stall later, then the only ones who sold out their vegetables would have been Cheng Rongrong and Wang Zhizhi… No, to be precise, Wang Zhizhi’s vegetables were also sold by Cheng Rongrong, was the program team being this biased?
Jiang Heye thought of this, but she wasn’t sure what the viewers watching the live broadcast were thinking, and she couldn’t abruptly end the conversation…
Wang Zhizhi didn’t let Jiang Heye struggle for too long, he quickly nodded, his face flushed, then asked softly, “Is it strange of me to feel this way? I sold everything, I should be happy, but I’m not. I earned money, I bought things back… But I’m not happy, and… I don’t want to dig for Baby Coins. I… It’s strange, I should be earning money, but I don’t want to anymore.”
“It’s okay, Zhizhi, it’s okay.” Jiang Heye reached out and patted Wang Zhizhi’s head, interrupting the little one’s deep contemplation. “It’s normal, Zhizhi, it’s not like you’re supposed to earn money and then be happy. Sometimes, we’re happy when we earn money, and sometimes, we’re unhappy when we earn money…”
“Ah?” Wang Zhizhi was confused.
“That’s just how the world is, but…” Jiang Heye smiled gently. “But you’re still far from truly earning money, don’t worry about figuring it out now. Just remember, if something makes you unhappy, don’t do it, as long as it doesn’t hurt others. Although you’re the parent, you’re a baby parent, baby parents should also be happy, don’t force yourself.”
Going against one’s heart was a big topic, a child under five years old, with limited experience, couldn’t understand it, blindly instilling her own views might do more harm than good.
Real life was still far away for these adorable babies.
All Jiang Heye could do was, starting now, make more chicken soup for the soul, to dilute Wang Zhizhi’s prematurely awakened deep thoughts.
“If I don’t do things that make me unhappy, I won’t have money. I won’t be able to buy things back…” Wang Zhizhi tried to explain.
“Zhizhi, as long as you’re happy, Brother and I can just drink porridge, we can even drink water if there’s no porridge.” Jiang Heye patted Wang Zhizhi’s head again.
“Ah?” Wang Zhizhi was confused again. “Only water, won’t you be unhappy…”
“No, we won’t.” Jiang Heye smiled. “If your parents work hard outside but don’t earn any money, and you can only drink water, will you be unhappy?”
Wang Zhizhi shook his head.
“So, we won’t be unhappy either.” Jiang Heye continued her soul-soothing speech.
Wang Zhizhi: “… “
“What’s past is past. From now on, Zhizhi, don’t think too much, think more about yourself, okay?” Jiang Heye’s hand, rubbing Wang Zhizhi’s head, was already very practiced. “Our best Zhizhi, don’t force yourself to do things that make you unhappy, be a happy baby~~~”
Wang Zhizhi, his head being rubbed by Jiang Heye, smiled shyly.
“What happy baby?” Wang Qingchuan, who had just finished showering and was drying his hair, came out of the room and looked at the two smiling foolishly in the courtyard, confused.
Wang Zhizhi’s smile gradually faded.
At this moment, the courtyard gate was knocked on. Everyone looked towards the sound and saw Cheng Rongrong standing outside, smiling sweetly at them.
Wang Zhizhi’s smile completely vanished.
“Brother Zhizhi, I’m here to play with you~~” Cheng Rongrong strode into the courtyard, then smiled at Wang Qingchuan and Jiang Heye. “Uncle Wang, Sister Beibei, hello.”
Wang Zhizhi: “… “
Mmm… Why was he here… He should be in the field!
From relaxed, to subdued, then to a lifeless mask of pain, Wang Zhizhi’s emotional changes were very obvious. Jiang Heye glanced at Cheng Rongrong, who was approaching happily, she suspected that Wang Zhizhi’s unhappiness might not be because he didn’t get to sell candied tomatoes with the other babies, but… because he was unhappy about accepting Cheng Rongrong’s help to support the family?
Second child, little girl…
Jiang Heye thought about the keywords from the information she had read, then looked at Wang Zhizhi, who was quietly moving away from Cheng Rongrong.
Quiet, not arguing, silently enduring.
Ah…
If that was the case, Parent Zhizhi’s sacrifice for this family was even greater than she had imagined.
Jiang Heye maintained her polite smile while brainstorming.
Wang Qingchuan, on the other hand, was much more natural, he squatted down with a smile, asking Cheng Rongrong if she wanted water or fruit, he was so kind compared to his behavior at the lunch table earlier, he was practically a different person.
Cheng Rongrong politely declined Wang Qingchuan’s kindness, saying she was just here to play with Brother Zhizhi and Sister Beibei. Wang Qingchuan, not being mentioned, glanced at the three of them in the courtyard, then forced a smile and went back to his room for a nap.
After being in this house for so long, Jiang Heye, for the first time, felt that Wang Qingchuan was actually somewhat useful.
As soon as the enthusiastic Wang Qingchuan went back to his room, the courtyard instantly became quiet, awkwardly quiet.
As the only adult present, Jiang Heye had to take the lead.
“Rongrong, why are you here alone? Where’s your sister?” Jiang Heye started the conversation amicably.
“My sister… My sister went to play with Maomao. She… doesn’t like playing with me.” The smile on Cheng Rongrong’s face was replaced by a look of grievance, she lowered her head slightly, fiddling with the corner of her clothes.
Jiang Heye felt awkward. “Ah, ah, ah… Is that so… Then you can play here. By the way, you coming here, does your dad know?”
“My dad… He doesn’t like me today…” Cheng Rongrong mumbled, her eyes reddening.
Jiang Heye was speechless: “… “
Look at her damn mouth, she was so good at stepping on landmines…
What was going on? She had spent all her time catching up on the Wang family’s information, she would have to stay up all night to finish reading the other families’ information!
“Then you can play here, play with…” Jiang Heye said, looking at Wang Zhizhi.
Her words stopped there.
“Zhizhi?” Jiang Heye, a bit worried, reached out and touched Wang Zhizhi’s flushed face. “Are you okay?”
Wang Zhizhi clenched his fists and shook his head stiffly.
“You look tired, Zhizhi, why don’t you go inside and take a nap, I’ll play with Rongrong.” Jiang Heye said, patting Wang Zhizhi’s back reassuringly, then looked at Cheng Rongrong. “Rongrong, Brother Zhizhi is going to take a nap, can I play with you?”
“Mmm…” Cheng Rongrong nodded obediently, looking at Jiang Heye with tears in her eyes. “Sister Beibei, you’re so kind, Rongrong likes playing with Sister Beibei.”
She knew it, she knew no one could resist a pitiful, aggrieved, helpless little girl.
Jiang Heye: “… “ She didn’t know why it felt so awkward, but it didn’t matter, she was an adult baby.
“Sister Beibei, this is for you.” Cheng Rongrong said, taking out a brooch from her pocket.
The brooch, made of patchwork fabric, was simple yet unique.
Jiang Heye, not expecting a gift, was stunned for a moment before taking it. “Thank you… Thank you, Rongrong.”
“You’re welcome.” Unlike Jiang Heye, whose attention was on the brooch, Cheng Rongrong’s gaze was fixed on the ground.
What was that?
A small square, like a piece of paper, folded several times.
When did she get this in her pocket? It wasn’t there when she got dressed this morning, right?
“What’s this? Is it yours, Rongrong?” Jiang Heye, noticing Cheng Rongrong’s strange behavior, followed her gaze and also saw the folded paper on the ground.
“Mine!” Cheng Rongrong snatched the paper before Jiang Heye, who had squatted down, could reach it and stuffed it into her pocket.
She didn’t know what it was, but she had a feeling she shouldn’t let anyone else see it first. Cheng Rongrong suppressed her curiosity for now, she would go to the bathroom later and see what this mysterious object was.
Jiang Heye, who had already half-squatted, stood up and smiled. “Rongrong, don’t be nervous, I just wanted to help you pick it up.”
“I’m not nervous!” Cheng Rongrong instinctively retorted, then remembered that the person in front of her was Jiang Heye, whom she wanted to befriend, she quickly put on a sweet smile. “Sister Beibei, is the brooch pretty? I went to several stalls to choose it, welcome to our show~~~ Are we friends now?”
“It’s pretty…” Jiang Heye nodded, smiling, but she couldn’t answer the last question immediately.
She had always responded positively to children’s good intentions. But this… was too fast, truly too fast. Cheng Rongrong in front of her was clearly an adorable little girl, but why did she feel a bit…
Aggressive?
No… she couldn’t describe a little baby like that, maybe overly enthusiastic?
Jiang Heye, for some reason, instinctively looked back at Wang Zhizhi.
Huh?
Zhizhi… Why was his face even redder?
Why else? He was holding back.
He was about to explode!
Just as Cheng Rongrong had predicted earlier, after being helped by her, Wang Zhizhi felt restrained.
But…
He was truly about to be driven mad.
As Cheng Rongrong kept talking, Wang Zhizhi pursed his lips, holding back his words again and again, until his vision darkened.
At this moment, he met Wang Qingbei’s gaze.
Confused, helpless, pleading…
Wang Zhizhi interpreted this eye contact, then considered it the last straw.
“Cheng Rongrong, thank you for helping me sell my vegetables this morning! I’ll definitely help you next time!” Wang Zhizhi strode to Wang Qingbei, shielding her behind him as he had done in the morning, separating her from Cheng Rongrong. After saying that, Wang Zhizhi bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle to Cheng Rongrong.
Cheng Rongrong: “… “
Jiang Heye: “… “
Wang Zhizhi’s actions were smooth and fluid, this bow, no one expected it, no one could stop it.
And that wasn’t all.
After speaking to Cheng Rongrong, Wang Zhizhi turned to Wang Qingbei and started talking rapidly, “Cheng Rongrong’s sister is Cheng Tingyan, Yan Yan is very nice, she just doesn’t play with Cheng Rongrong, she plays with all of us, she even shares her popcorn with us. Cheng Rongrong’s dad, he only likes Cheng Rongrong, he doesn’t like Yan Yan. Dongdong said, Yan Yan doesn’t like mushrooms, but Cheng Rongrong’s dad cooks mushrooms for her every day!”
“Brother Zhizhi… Don’t misunderstand…” Cheng Rongrong interrupted, looking aggrieved.
Cheng Rongrong was truly furious, this Wang Zhizhi, no wonder he suddenly bowed and thanked her, he was waiting for this! He wanted to ruin her image in front of Jiang Heye, he was so mean!
“I didn’t misunderstand.” Wang Zhizhi turned to Cheng Rongrong and retorted, then continued to look at Wang Qingbei, reiterating, “I didn’t misunderstand! Cheng Rongrong’s dad truly doesn’t like Yan Yan, he only likes Cheng Rongrong. Yan Yan only has thirty-one yuan in savings, she eats expired snacks, oh, and compressed biscuits! Cheng Rongrong has 2.3 million yuan!”
Jiang Heye: ??? Did she have to catch up on a lot of information tonight…
Cheng Rongrong: ???????? When did Cheng Tingyan tell Wang Zhizhi so much? Had she forgotten her promise before coming to the show? Didn’t she need her mom’s medical expenses anymore?
Wang Zhizhi, truly worried that Wang Qingbei would befriend someone two-faced, added, “Beibei, everything I said is true, Maomao, Wen Jiangyue, Shen Zilin, Wen Dongyu, they all know! Don’t believe Cheng Rongrong! She’s not as… as…”
Wang Zhizhi racked his brains for an adjective.
Jiang Heye, overwhelmed by the information overload, subconsciously supplied, “Pitiful?”
“Yes… Pitiful!” Wang Zhizhi said anxiously, “Beibei, Cheng Rongrong isn’t as pitiful as she says she is.”
“Sister Beibei, I’m not, I didn’t.” Cheng Rongrong’s eyes reddened.
Jiang Heye: “… “
“Beibei, you can choose not to believe me, but before you befriend her, go ask the other babies, okay!” Wang Zhizhi’s eyes also reddened.
Jiang Heye: “… “
“Well…” Jiang Heye patted Wang Zhizhi’s head and said to them both weakly, “Can we change the subject for now?”
Cheng Rongrong saw Jiang Heye’s hand resting on Wang Zhizhi’s head.
People had to make choices.
Jiang Heye’s choice was silent, Cheng Rongrong saw it.
No! She couldn’t lose!
But in the current situation…
“Sister Beibei, I need to go to the bathroom, can you take me there?” Cheng Rongrong, following Jiang Heye’s lead, changed the subject.
Jiang Heye, relieved, quickly took Cheng Rongrong to the bathroom.
Cheng Rongrong didn’t actually need to go to the bathroom, she just couldn’t think of how to defeat Wang Zhizhi, so she used going to the bathroom as an excuse to separate Jiang Heye and Wang Zhizhi, buying herself some time to think.
But she didn’t expect that after entering the bathroom, she wouldn’t have the brainpower to think about defeating Wang Zhizhi anymore.
In the bathroom, alone, Cheng Rongrong took out the piece of paper that had been bothering her from her pocket.
She unfolded it, the handwriting was messy, but the content… made Cheng Rongrong’s eyes widen.
Jiang Heye, waiting outside the bathroom, hadn’t heard any sound from inside for a while, she finally knocked on the door, a bit worried. “Rongrong? Do you need me to come in and help?”
“No, I’m coming out!”
Cheng Rongrong’s response was quick, and she came out quickly too.
But Jiang Heye didn’t hear any flushing sounds the entire time.
Jiang Heye kindly went inside to check, but the toilet was clean, there was no need to flush.
What was Cheng Rongrong doing inside for so long?
Jiang Heye, confused, came out.
The three met again in the courtyard, the battle resumed, but one was still fierce, while the other had lost their fighting spirit.
“Sister Beibei, Brother Zhizhi, I’ll come and play with you again next time.” Cheng Rongrong said, looking at Jiang Heye. “Sister Beibei, I like you very much, you… Do you also like me?”
After saying that, without waiting for Jiang Heye’s answer, Cheng Rongrong ran off, her eyes red.
Jiang Heye: “… “ Ah, so the role she was playing now was the heartbreaker?
“Zhizhi.” Jiang Heye turned to look at Wang Zhizhi.
He clenched his fists and quickly turned his back to her.
Oh, the role she was playing was indeed the heartbreaker, the kind who broke two hearts at once.
“Zhizhi, I didn’t disbelieve you. It’s just… You know, Cheng Rongrong looks so young, and I’m already this old. Regardless of her family situation, I truly couldn’t directly tell her that I didn’t want to be friends with her. For me, it was truly a very difficult thing to do.” Jiang Heye squatted down and explained honestly, then gently poked Wang Zhizhi’s back. “I know you said those things to protect me. You accepted Cheng Rongrong’s help, but you were still willing to tell me those things for my sake, our Zhizhi, you’re truly, truly a good person. I’m the bad one, I’m useless…”
“You’re not bad…” Wang Zhizhi, his face flushed, turned back. “You’re good. You’re good to not reject her directly.”
“But, I didn’t reject her, did I… hurt you…” Jiang Heye felt a pang of guilt as she spoke.
With the situation like this, even Jiang Heye couldn’t please everyone.
“No.” Wang Zhizhi shook his head. “I won’t do things that make me unhappy. You shouldn’t either. It’s okay. Just believe me.”
Jiang Heye’s eyes stung, she smiled. “I’ve never encountered this kind of situation before, I didn’t handle it well. I’ll do better next time, and I’ll also try my best to protect the best Zhizhi in the world… But now you have to do me a favor…”
“A favor?” Wang Zhizhi blinked.
“Mmm, a favor.” Jiang Heye glanced at the brooch in her hand. “You mentioned earlier, where did Shen Zilin and Wen Dongyu invite you to dig for Baby Coins?”
Wang Zhizhi: ???
Nap time (X)
Money-making time (√)
Some people, to repay their debts, to make a living, to return a favor, were busy on the front lines of making money.
And some people, after a hot and tiring morning, decided to have a good rest at noon.
Wei Chengli lay in the courtyard, enjoying the cool breeze, his eyes drooping, almost falling asleep, as he looked at the courtyard gate.
Ah, his baby, his chubby, white baby, his chubby, white baby who was always out and about, would she come back for a nap today…
Probably not, after all, she ran off with Yan Yan, with Yan Yan around, why would she come back, to visit him, her empty-nest old father?
Come…
She’s coming?
Wei Chengli sat up abruptly, watching as a little chubby dumpling rolled in, followed by, unsurprisingly, Cheng Tingyan.
But what was surprising was…
Wei Chengli glanced at the familiar small suitcase in Cheng Tingyan’s hand.
“It’s so hot, Yan Yan, you go take a shower first, I’ll ask Dad to turn on the air conditioner for us.” Wei Maomao started giving orders as soon as she entered the courtyard.
“Uncle Wei.” Cheng Tingyan smiled at Wei Chengli shyly.
“Go ahead, you worked hard this morning. Remember to change in the bathroom, the camera in the bedroom is still on, I’ll ask them to turn it off.” What else could Wei Chengli do, he could only welcome them with a smile, otherwise, should he let his chubby baby go sleep at the Cheng family’s house?
After Cheng Tingyan went inside with her suitcase, Wei Chengli greeted the staff, grabbed his little chubby dumpling, lifted her up, and shook her. “What’s going on, you little rascal? Why did you bring Yan Yan back again?”
“Her dad is acting strange today, he’s very nice to Yan Yan, but not to Cheng Rongrong.” Wei Maomao answered evasively.
“Ah?” Wei Chengli was stunned, but he quickly said, “Don’t say that about Uncle Cheng, they’re both his daughters, he…”
“He loves them both?” Wei Maomao finished his sentence.
Wei Chengli: “… “ Okay, he couldn’t say that.
But.
“Don’t change the subject, I’m asking you why you brought Yan Yan back.” Wei Chengli shook the little chubby dumpling, dissatisfied.
“I like being with Yan Yan, so I want to be with her!” Wei Maomao said, pressing her right hand against Wei Chengli’s face.
“You like sleeping with Yan Yan that much? Even risking being discovered by Yan Yan if you wet the bed again, you still want to bring her back?” Wei Chengli retorted, his face contorted.
“… “ Wei Maomao was stunned, she subconsciously thought about the food she had eaten this morning and at noon, then said angrily, pressing both her hands against Wei Chengli’s cheeks, “Yes! I do! I like sleeping with Yan Yan! I want to bring Yan Yan back!”
“What did your Uncle Cheng say? Did he agree?” Wei Chengli asked, his mouth forced into an “O” shape.
“I’m telling you, he’s acting strange today, he’s very nice to Yan Yan, but not to Cheng Rongrong. I casually asked him if I could bring Yan Yan back, and he immediately said yes.” Wei Maomao was also confused about Cheng Feiying’s behavior. “I just casually asked, who knew he would immediately agree with a smile, I didn’t expect it either.”
Wei Chengli thought about it, it did seem a bit strange…
Cheng Feiying’s strangeness occupied both their minds, neither of them noticed that Cheng Tingyan had come out of the house for a moment, then retreated back inside.
Wei Chengli and Wei Maomao didn’t see it, but Wei Maomao’s second cameraman steadily captured the entire process of Cheng Tingyan coming out, freezing, then quietly going back inside. It was a very brief moment, it happened when Wei Maomao was saying, “I’m telling you, he’s acting strange today, he’s very nice to Yan Yan, but not to Cheng Rongrong. I casually asked him if I could bring Yan Yan back, and he immediately said yes. I just casually asked, who knew he would immediately agree with a smile, I didn’t expect it either.” Cheng Tingyan came out at the beginning of the sentence, listened to the whole thing, then went back inside at the end.
Even though it was a brief moment, the second cameraman still gave Cheng Tingyan a close-up.
The viewers in the live broadcast room saw it.
They saw how the faint smile on her face vanished, how lonely and dejected she looked as she retreated back inside.
Did she hear it?
Did she misunderstand?
The camera in the bedroom was already turned off, the viewers couldn’t see anything more, and so they felt an unbearable itch…
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