Chapter 117
“This one is cute, chubby, I like to eat chubby ones, Yan Yan, have one.” Wei Chengli said, throwing a round bunny cookie into his mouth, then pointing at another one on the plate.
Cheng Tingyan picked it up and pointed at a small one in the corner. “The small bunny is also delicious, crispy.”
“Right, the small ones are crispier, with a hint of burnt aroma.” Wei Chengli grabbed the small bunny, then picked up a standing one and showed it to Cheng Tingyan with a chuckle. “Hahaha, this one was already bizarre when it was raw, and even more so after baking, do you really think it’s cute?”
“Cute.” Cheng Tingyan nodded firmly.
“You and Maomao are truly… No wonder you’re good friends.” Wei Chengli said, stuffing the standing, wonky bunny cookie into his mouth. “After the show, you should watch that cartoon too, just based on your love for bunnies that look like this, you’ll definitely enjoy it.”
After the show…
The smile on Cheng Tingyan’s face gradually faded, she put the round bunny cookie into her mouth and hummed softly.
“Maomao, eat, you worked so hard to make these butter cookies. Why did you stop after just one?” Wei Chengli nudged the little chubby dumpling who was slumped in the chair next to him with his foot.
Why did she only eat! One! And then stopped!
Why! Tell me why!
The hard texture, the rough mouthfeel, and the greasiness…
You call this a butter cookie!
If she had sold these in her previous life, forget about paying off her debts, she would be lucky not to increase them!
Wei Maomao, slumped in the chair, clutching her chest, was so angry that she could barely breathe.
Heaven pitied her, after so many years, after a lifetime, she could finally bake cookies for Yan Yan, and this was the result…
All thanks to!
Wei Chengli!
“How can a three-year-old baby use an electric mixer! Move aside! I’ll do it!”
The butter was over-whipped…
“With your little strength, how long will it take you to knead the dough! Move aside! I’ll do it!”
The dough was over-kneaded…
The most infuriating thing was! They were already in the oven, she just went to the bathroom, and when she came back, she saw…
“Let me see how they’re doing~~ The color is still a bit light, it’ll take a while longer.”
Ahhh! Why did he open the oven midway! They had to be baked for the designated time!!!
Wei Maomao was utterly defeated by Wei Chengli’s enthusiasm. The key was… she couldn’t say anything.
The recipe only had the steps, no notes, even if she knew, she couldn’t say it…
After all, how could a three-year-old baby know how to make butter cookies, hehehe.
Forget it, let the world burn!
Wei Maomao slumped in the chair, ignoring Wei Chengli, she just stared blankly at the sky, pretending she wasn’t even on this planet.
Her lips were gently nudged.
Wei Maomao, her gaze refocusing, turned to her left.
“Maomao, eat this small one, one bite at a time.” Cheng Tingyan said with a soft smile, gently nudging the small bunny cookie against the little chubby bunny’s mouth.
The setting sun shone from behind Cheng Tingyan, casting a soft halo around her, Wei Maomao’s eyes softened, she opened her mouth and took the cookie, the dejection from her failure gradually fading.
“Delicious, right? So crispy.” Cheng Tingyan said, her eyes sparkling with laughter.
Wei Maomao: “… “ It was hard, right?
“Right, the small ones are delicious.” Wei Chengli nodded in agreement and nudged the little chubby dumpling with his foot. “Sit up and eat, don’t choke.”
Wei Maomao sighed, sat up, and looked at Cheng Tingyan. “Yan Yan, do you… think they’re delicious?”
“Yes, they’re delicious.” Cheng Tingyan said with a smile. “So many little bunnies, they’re all delicious. These are the best cookies I’ve ever had!”
“Maomao did a good job, these are also the best cookies I’ve ever had!” Wei Chengli added, touched by the memory of the little chubby paws working hard to shape the bunnies.
“No… You made them…” Wei Maomao said coldly, rejecting the praise, but her voice softened when she turned to Cheng Tingyan. “I’ll make them for you next time.” Normal butter cookies!
“Bunny cookies again?” Cheng Tingyan asked, her voice filled with anticipation, even though she knew the future wasn’t bright.
“I’ll make whatever you like.” Wei Maomao said, her mood improving as she saw the clear anticipation in Cheng Tingyan’s eyes.
“I like bunny cookies. Make these again.” Cheng Tingyan said, showing her devotion.
“You still like these?” Wei Chengli asked, holding up another bizarre-looking standing bunny cookie. “There’s no need for these, right?”
“I like these too.” Cheng Tingyan reached out, took all the bizarre-looking bunnies from the plate, and placed them in front of her. “All bunnies are cute. Uncle Wei, if you don’t like these, I’ll eat them.”
Wei Chengli: “… “ Mmm, they all tasted the same, there was no need to be so protective of the bunnies.
Speaking of which… Wei Chengli glanced at the little chubby dumpling, who was now eating cookies under Cheng Tingyan’s coaxing. The program team only provided the ingredients, no molds, he had initially thought the little chubby dumpling saying she wanted to make bunny cookies was just a casual remark. But she actually managed to shape them into bunnies using just a scraper, chopsticks, and toothpicks. It’s just… they looked too much like the Tutu from that cartoon, he was starting to have PTSD from that cartoon, he couldn’t help but comment, “Don’t these look a bit like that ugly Tutu?” And the little chubby dumpling, quite spirited, immediately squished the bunny back into dough…
But Yan Yan… she was praising Maomao a bit too unconditionally. The bunnies the little chubby dumpling made later, whether they were chubby or small, they were all quite cute. But Yan Yan insisted on praising the first one, which was squished back into dough, saying that all the bunnies the little chubby dumpling made were cute, she liked them all. And then… this little chubby dumpling, she actually made a few more Tutu for her.
Sigh, thinking about it, it was another day of him being the odd one out.
Wei Chengli hummed and threw two cookies into his mouth.
Mmm, the cookies his baby made were truly delicious. It was just a pity that homemade cookies had a short shelf life, and it was summer, he couldn’t take them home for his wife to try.
Although Wei Maomao felt that the butter cookies she baked this time were hard and rough, not at all her usual standard, but clearly, Cheng Tingyan and Wei Chengli were very supportive, so supportive that they were still eating them even as dinner time approached.
“I can’t eat anymore, I’m skipping dinner. Maomao, you can order whatever you want for dinner tonight, just tell Sister Mingming, they’ll give you a single serving.” Wei Chengli said, rubbing his stomach after taking a sip of digestive tea.
“Then… Should I go and eat at Yan Yan’s house?” Wei Maomao asked, looking at Cheng Tingyan, she could also bring some cilantro over.
Cheng Tingyan pursed her lips and shook her head. “I’ll go home and eat by myself, then come back.”
“Mmm?” Wei Maomao was a bit surprised.
“I have to go back and play the role of Dad, you won’t be able to eat properly if you go. You eat here.” Cheng Tingyan said, squeezing the little chubby bunny’s paw. “It’s not that I don’t want to eat with you.”
Wei Chengli put down his glass and cleared his throat. “Yan Yan, are you still… going to add cilantro tonight?”
Honestly, after hearing all those secrets about Yan Yan from the little chubby dumpling last night, and thinking about Cheng Feiying, who cooked mushrooms for Cheng Tingyan every meal, Wei Chengli truly felt that this guy was crazy.
So hearing that the two little ones had already given Cheng Feiying two cilantro meals, Wei Chengli felt it was acceptable. The program team’s arrangement, it was called “role-playing” for a good reason, to put it bluntly… it was also an opportunity for revenge. But it was fine to do it once or twice, but to do it three times like Cheng Feiying… After all, the mainstream values in society were still filial piety, repaying kindness with kindness, and valuing harmony. Wei Chengli was a bit worried that if Cheng Tingyan went too far, public opinion might turn against her.
If the goal was to expose Cheng Feiying’s true nature towards her and gain public support, then every action should be subtle and impactful. After all, the weak were more likely to gain sympathy.
But these were things Wei Chengli couldn’t say in front of the camera.
Now, he couldn’t help but regret it. If he had known these two little ones were so determined, that they couldn’t be persuaded, he shouldn’t have held back yesterday, he should have at least offered some advice to the little chubby dumpling.
Wei Chengli specifically asked about the cilantro, hoping to have a chance to hint that too much was as bad as too little, she should maintain a weak image.
But to his surprise, Cheng Tingyan shook her head without hesitation.
“No, no cilantro tonight.” Cheng Tingyan replied softly.
Wei Chengli was greatly relieved, he even glanced at the little chubby dumpling next to him. See, Yan Yan was clearly smarter than his impulsive little chubby dumpling!
“Why are you looking at me?” Wei Maomao glared back, alert.
“What if I am?” Wei Chengli chuckled smugly. “What, are you going to hit me?”
“… “ Wei Maomao thought about the hard, rough cookies and smiled. “Dad, I’m not going to hit you, I’m going to play your role.”
Wei Chengli raised his chin proudly. “But I’m not eating dinner.”
“Baby playing the role of Dad… it doesn’t end until after lunch tomorrow.” Wei Maomao said, blinking in confusion. “Didn’t anyone tell you, Dad?”
“Didn’t it end after one day? Who told me, it was one day!” Wei Chengli said, startled, he turned to look at the group of staff in the distance.
From the cameraman to the other staff members, they all silently took two steps back.
The viewers in the live broadcast room watched as Wei Chengli, who was staring straight at the camera, gradually became smaller and smaller on the screen.
“Hahaha, I’m dying of laughter, just from the change in the camera angle, I can imagine the staff’s ‘It wasn’t me’ expressions as they slowly backed away.”
“It’s pointless to ask who told you at this point, Director Wei, you better think about how to survive tomorrow’s two meals!”
“Hehe, a bowl of fishy mush, a ginger feast, it’s all arranged for Director Wei, you’re welcome.”
“Director Wei, who thought he could escape being dominated, how happy he was before, how miserable he is now, hanging on for dear life, hahaha~~~”
“No cilantro for Cheng Feiying tonight? Did they run out of cilantro! I don’t believe it! They’re in a village, can’t they even find a few baskets of cilantro! If they’re out, I’ll donate! I’ll donate a truckload of cilantro, bury Cheng Feiying in it!”
“It’s because Yan Yan is too kind. Yan Yan, why are you so kind! Have you forgotten the days when every meal, every bowl had mushrooms! Yan Yan, you’re truly hopeless! Step aside! Let our CEO Mao come and fight for you!”
“Speaking of which, did Yan Yan order anything? I was working while watching, since she’s not giving Cheng Feiying cilantro, what did she order?”
“Earlier, when they were baking cookies, CEO Mao went to the bathroom, and Su Li came over. Yan Yan ordered a whole stewed chicken, the kind with soup.”
“Cheng Feiying seems to like eating chicken, right? I’m so angry… Yan Yan, step aside! Pick up CEO Mao, charge!”
…
Dinner time was approaching.
Cheng Tingyan left the Wei family’s house early.
As soon as she left, Wei Maomao went and slumped in the recliner.
Actually, she didn’t care whether she could eat a good dinner or not, even if she couldn’t eat a single bite, she wanted to go and protect Yan Yan.
But Yan Yan firmly refused this time… Was she useless…
Was she already useless… Sadness…
Wei Chengli went to pick up the dinner boxes, and when he turned around, he saw a deflated little dumpling lying limply in the recliner.
“Maomao, it’s dinner time.” Wei Chengli said, placing the boxes on the table. “Let me see, there’s your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs, and lots of shrimp, should Dad peel them for you?”
“No.” Wei Maomao sat up and said, stopping him. “I want to wait for Yan Yan to come back and eat together.”
Yan Yan was at Cheng Feiying’s house, she definitely couldn’t eat properly, she wanted to wait for Yan Yan and eat together.
Sob~~~ Although she was useless, she could still wait for Yan Yan and eat together.
Thinking of this, Wei Maomao, dejected, slumped back into the recliner with a thud.
Wei Chengli, closing the lunchboxes: “… “ Sigh, he couldn’t win over the little chubby dumpling with peeled shrimp, he had to think of another way.
He! Truly didn’t want to eat those terrifying breakfasts and lunches!
“Baby, have some grapes, peeled grapes, so sweet~~~”
“Watermelon, delicious watermelon, seedless watermelon, so juicy~~~”
“Look, what’s this! Seaweed rice rolls! With cucumber, diced mushrooms, luncheon meat, and mayonnaise! No baby wouldn’t love it! And this, sweet and not spicy fish cakes! Sweet and not spicy at all! And…”
…
Liu Ming, while eating a seaweed rice roll from her lunchbox, looked at her colleague’s lunchbox. “What did he take from yours?”
“Sweet and not spicy fish cakes.”
“Crab sticks…”
“My five-spice rolls… It’s okay… Director Wei said he’ll repay us tenfold.”
The staff members, whose lunchboxes had been raided by Wei Chengli, sighed, they all glared at a young man hiding behind them. It was him! He was the one who told Director Wei the wrong ending time for this segment! Now they were too embarrassed to refuse his raid!
The young man lowered his head, looking at his potato bun… Sob~~~
Wei Chengli tried his best.
If he had another chance, he would tell the little chubby dumpling, “Look at me, look at me, I dare you to look back!”
Sadly, there were no ifs.
And at the Cheng family’s courtyard, Cheng Tingyan was also trying her best.
Because there were two activities in the afternoon and everyone worked hard, the program team allowed the babies, playing the role of parents, to order the dishes for dinner.
The three dishes and one soup on the Cheng family’s table now, the three dishes were ordered by Cheng Rongrong, the chicken soup was ordered by Cheng Tingyan.
The staff member who delivered the food removed the lids from the insulated containers, and almost at the same time, Cheng Tingyan stood up and grabbed the large ladle from the chicken soup pot.
Cheng Feiying, still a bit traumatized, was startled by his elder daughter’s sudden movement, he instinctively looked at her hands and the things around her.
Oh, no cilantro.
It was fine…
Cheng Feiying slowly exhaled the breath he had been holding.
As per Cheng Tingyan’s request, the chicken in the soup was a whole one.
It was stewed until very tender, Cheng Tingyan, holding the ladle in one hand and chopsticks in the other, quickly removed the two legs and two wings from the chicken.
Cheng Rongrong felt something was wrong with Cheng Tingyan, she wasn’t usually this proactive at the dinner table, at home, let alone taking the initiative to serve such a large dish, she barely even reached for the dishes that were far away. Something unusual must be going on… Cheng Rongrong tensed up.
Cheng Tingyan put one chicken wing into her own bowl, then the other one.
Cheng Rongrong, who had been staring at the chicken soup pot, widened her eyes slightly, mmm? Did she just want to eat chicken wings?
Of course… not.
With her third move, Cheng Tingyan put a chicken leg into Cheng Rongrong’s bowl.
Then, she put the other chicken leg into Cheng Rongrong’s bowl as well.
Cheng Rongrong, looking at the two chicken wings in her bowl and the two chicken legs in Cheng Tingyan’s bowl, understood her intention.
“Thank you, Older sister…” Cheng Rongrong said with a sweet smile, subtly trying to give Cheng Feiying a look.
Since Cheng Tingyan only divided the chicken and didn’t say anything explicitly, it was best for them to just go along with it and gloss over it.
Sadly, Cheng Feiying wasn’t even looking at Cheng Rongrong.
“She knows how to eat.” Cheng Feiying said, glancing at them, he couldn’t help but mutter under his breath.
Cheng Rongrong’s mind went blank, she quickly tried to think of something to say to smooth things over.
But it was too late.
“Me, Dad.” Cheng Tingyan said, pointing at herself, then pointing at Cheng Rongrong. “Her, Cheng Rongrong.”
Cheng Rongrong said weakly, “Older sister…”
But Cheng Tingyan, hearing her voice, didn’t react at all, she just turned her finger and pointed at Cheng Feiying, then said, “You, me.”
Cheng Rongrong: “… “
Cheng Feiying: “… “
After just those nine words, Cheng Tingyan started eating, as if she didn’t even see their darkened expressions.
This was what she wanted to do, it was very unfriendly.
Since she had decided to let everyone see the real Cheng Feiying, to let everyone see that her life with him wasn’t good, then she would do it properly. She couldn’t always hide behind the little chubby bunny, she had to do it herself.
“You, what do you mean?” Without cilantro, Cheng Feiying’s voice hardened again, he sneered. “Are you saying I don’t give you chicken legs and wings? Don’t you have hands? If you want to eat them, can’t you just take them yourself? You never seemed to like eating chicken legs before. Why bring it up now?”
Cheng Tingyan took a bite of the chicken wing in her bowl and didn’t answer.
“Why aren’t you speaking? Feeling guilty?” Cheng Feiying asked, just as he finished, he suddenly felt a kick on his leg. He looked under the table, then looked up at Cheng Rongrong and said angrily, “Why did you kick me? You’re causing trouble too?”
Cheng Rongrong: “… “ Do whatever you want!
Cheng Feiying, frustrated after an unsuccessful day, his anger growing, slammed his chopsticks on the table. “Don’t think that just because you’re on a show, doing some role-playing, you can twist the truth, you…”
“Dad, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cheng Tingyan said, putting down her chopsticks and looking up, her brows furrowed in confusion. “I’m just playing your role. I’m imitating how you usually are. I don’t know why you’re acting like this, and I don’t want to know. Isn’t this how you usually act?”
Cheng Feiying was speechless.
What do you mean you don’t want to know why I’m acting like this, you clearly know!
“I’m full.” Cheng Tingyan said, getting down from her stool, turning around, and leaving.
The favoritism, the neglect, she had never wanted to talk about it, she hadn’t even told her mom… She felt a bit embarrassed. She always felt that maybe it was because she wasn’t good enough, it was her own fault that she was treated that way.
In fact, Cheng Tingyan still thought that way now.
So she… didn’t want the little chubby bunny to come over and see her like this, to think of her at home.
But… this incident, it should make others think that her life with Cheng Feiying wasn’t good, right? Then… Cheng Tingyan, walking towards the Cheng family’s gate, her back to the dining table, clenched her fists tightly. Then… she would tell them.
Exposing her wounds and vulnerabilities for others to see was a very difficult thing to do. At least for the six-year-old Cheng Tingyan, it was.
The tension in her body didn’t ease until she stepped back into the Wei family’s courtyard and saw the little chubby bunny, who was lying on the recliner, sit up abruptly.
Thankfully, she wasn’t alone.
“Yan Yan, you’re back so soon? Did you eat your fill?” Wei Maomao asked, rushing towards the gate.
“Full…” Cheng Tingyan, habitually, wanted to hide the truth, but as she reached out and caught the little chubby bunny who was running towards her like a cannonball, the soft warmth, the unconcealed worry on her chubby face, she didn’t want to lie anymore. “No…”
“I knew you couldn’t eat your fill! I ordered the dishes for dinner, they’re all your favorites, there are pork ribs, shrimp, and eggs! We can eat together.” Wei Maomao said, pulling her to the table and pointing at the plates. “There are also peeled grapes and seedless watermelon. Mmm… And these, some seaweed rice rolls, crab sticks, sweet and not spicy fish cakes… Will they be cold? Should we reheat them?”
“No need.” Cheng Tingyan said, gripping the little chubby paw in her hand tightly. “This is good enough.”
No matter what they ate, whether it was cold or hot, as long as she was with the little chubby bunny, it was already good enough.
The two little babies, standing by the table hand in hand, both with happy smiles, a gentle warmth flowing between them.
Wei Chengli, watching from the side, although a bit embarrassed, he knew there was no better opportunity than now.
“Ahem… I prepared the fruit. I snatched the snacks.” Wei Chengli said weakly, approaching the two. “Yan Yan, if you like them, can you help me persuade Maomao not to be angry with me anymore? Tomorrow, tomorrow can Maomao be a forgiving parent like today? I’ll snatch more food for you guys~~~”
Wei Maomao: “… “
The staff: “… “
It was fine for today, but tomorrow… there was no need, right!
If this continued, they would all be drinking plain porridge tomorrow!
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