Chapter 128
The program team put a lot of effort into the babies’ styling. The girls’ elegant ruqun were in light colors, their hair was styled with beautiful hair ornaments, they had fragrant pouches, round fans, and a bunch of other pretty little accessories. The three boys were dressed in Feiyu suits, round-necked robes, and short jackets, each with their own unique style. Since it was summer, and they were going outdoors, most of the children’s clothes were slightly modified, made of thin fabric, they looked energetic, cute, and comfortable.
The dads felt that the wait downstairs was worth it.
With all the guests assembled, the host started working.
“This afternoon, we’re going to Shudian Film and Television City. Seeing the babies so beautiful and adorable, don’t the dads want to capture more precious memories? Now, we’ll give each dad a Polaroid camera and an album that can hold thirty photos. Then, our task for this afternoon is, after arriving at Shudian, the dads have to take their babies to the locations corresponding to these thirty photos and take pictures. The deadline for the task is 4:30 PM, which means you have about two and a half hours.” The host said, waving his hand, the staff behind him handed each dad a small cloth bag.
Wei Chengli opened the bag and rummaged through it, inside was a Polaroid camera, an instruction manual, three boxes of photo paper with twenty sheets each, two albums, one full, one empty. Mmm… quite thoughtful.
Wei Chengli, whose heart had been broken by his daughter’s earlier rejection, couldn’t help but look at the little one in the pink ruqun.
Although that little rascal’s mind was only on Yan Yan, but…
She was truly… very cute!
The pink, flowy ruqun fit her perfectly, she even had a half-up hairstyle, adorned with pink and sparkly tassel hair ornaments, she looked elegant, refined, and cute, a completely different style from her usual messy-haired, free-spirited self.
Mmm… Although the little dumpling was mischievous, he would still take many, many beautiful photos of her at Shudian later.
Wei Chengli was happily daydreaming when he was suddenly hit by the host’s supplementary rules.
“Okay, now that the dads have all received their things, we’ll learn how to use the camera later on the bus, now, we’re going to do the most important step before starting the task.” The host said with a smile, taking a transparent bowl with several white balls from a staff member next to him. “So, babies, come and draw lots to determine which dad will be accompanying you for the task this afternoon!”
Wei Chengli: “… “ Are you serious? Do you have any heart! Although the other babies were also cute, who wouldn’t want to take pictures of their own little cutie! He was so angry he wanted to punch a wall!
The little babies, already accustomed to doing tasks, quickly took a ball from the bowl.
“Okay, now that the babies all have their balls, let’s open them and find the dads you’ll be working with this afternoon based on the photos inside.” The host said, shaking the rule card in his hand, he continued reading, “The task this afternoon will be evaluated based on the number of photos successfully taken before 4:30 PM. Since it’s a collaborative task, the points will be calculated as follows: Half of the photos taken by the new team will go to the baby, half to the dad. The final ranking will be based on the original families, which means… For example, for Teacher Wen’s family, it’s the number of photos taken by Teacher Wen plus the number of photos taken by Yueyue, the combined number will be compared with the other families. And lastly, a little sneak peek, we’re going to visit the night market that Little Shen Zilin wanted to go to tonight. The currency at the night market is copper coins, and the amount each family can use will be related to their ranking in this afternoon’s task. So, everyone, work hard~~”
As the host spoke, the babies who had opened their balls were already standing in front of their assigned dads.
Wei Maomao turned to look at Cheng Tingyan and Cheng Rongrong, who were standing in front of Wei Chengli, then looked up at Shen Jianghe, who was smiling at her.
How should she put it… It wasn’t too bad, but it was also a bit bad.
“Uncle Shen, can I take a look?” Wei Maomao asked, pointing at the small cloth bag Shen Jianghe was carrying.
Shen Jianghe squatted down and opened the bag for the little chubby girl.
Wei Maomao took out the two albums from the bag, flipped through the one with photos, then went to find Wei Chengli, tugging at the bag in his hand. “Dad, let me see.”
Wei Chengli grumbled, “Hehe, to Uncle Shen, it’s ‘Uncle Shen, can I take a look?’, to me, it’s ‘Dad, let me see.’”
“Dad!” Wei Maomao, eager to confirm her theory, put her hands on her hips, dissatisfied.
The little princess, with a hint of arrogance, she… seemed even cuter?
Wei Chengli’s heart softened, his voice no longer harsh. “Okay, okay, okay, let you see, see, see.”
Wei Maomao quickly flipped through the album in Wei Chengli’s bag.
Okay, as expected… About eighty percent of the photos were different from the ones in Shen Jianghe’s album.
Wei Chengli, watching the little chubby princess finish flipping through Shen Jianghe’s album, then come back to flip through his, his eyes darted around, he glanced at Cheng Tingyan next to him. Tsk, he seemed to have guessed what this little chubby princess was looking for.
“Baby, go back quickly, you have to go take pictures with Uncle Shen this afternoon. Your dad, I… will be taking Yan Yan… oh, and Rongrong to take pictures.” Wei Chengli said, turning the little chubby princess around and gently pushing her towards Shen Jianghe.
If they were still in the village, it would be fine to be separated for tasks. But this was Shudian, the place where Cheng Tingyan mysteriously injured her ankle in her previous life, causing her years of suffering. Wei Maomao didn’t want Cheng Tingyan to leave her sight. And… there was also Cheng Rongrong.
But…
Wei Maomao, forced to turn around by Wei Chengli, looked at Shen Jianghe in front of her.
The problem now was… the person she had to work with was CEO Shen, a businessman. Completing Yan Yan’s tasks first, then theirs, they definitely wouldn’t have enough time, it would be like giving up on the task, CEO Shen wouldn’t agree, right… And tonight, they were going to the night market that Shen Zilin wanted to go to, CEO Shen definitely wanted to win more copper coins for Shen Zilin to spend.
Wei Maomao’s worry was a secret she couldn’t share, a secret she couldn’t put into words. What should she do, to avoid being separated from Yan Yan…
“Hey, where are you going?” Wei Chengli asked, reaching out to grab her, but he couldn’t catch the runaway little dumpling, he could only watch as she ran towards… Wen Qiming?
Wei Chengli had explicitly urged Wei Maomao to go to Shen Jianghe, but he had also subtly hinted that he was taking Cheng Tingyan, his little scheme was obvious, but the little dumpling didn’t follow his plan at all… What was wrong with this girl… Didn’t she usually like Yan Yan the most, why wasn’t she clinging to her now! Come on, cling to her! Cling to her for a bit so he could take some pictures!
Wei Maomao, oblivious to Wei Chengli’s thoughts, was focused on finding a solution.
“Uncle Wen, can you let me see?”
“Uncle Wang, can I look at your bag?”
…
In the end, Wei Maomao didn’t even spare Cheng Feiying. In the short time before everyone finished packing and got on the bus, she flipped through all six families’ albums, then returned to Wei Chengli’s side.
“Dad, I want to be with you guys.” Wei Maomao said, patting Wei Chengli’s leg.
Finally… He finally heard those words.
Wei Chengli glanced at Cheng Tingyan next to him with a sigh, as expected, there was a fish if there was bait.
“Dad, I’m talking to you, why are you looking at Yan Yan!” Wei Maomao said, a bit anxious, she knocked on Wei Chengli’s knee.
Wei Chengli, almost having a knee-jerk reaction, dodged the next attack and pinched the little chubby dumpling’s cheek. “You can be with us if you want to be with us.”
“Then Dad, go and ask if we can switch albums. Many of the photos in Uncle Wen’s album are the same as the ones in Uncle Shen’s, yours is different.” Wei Maomao said, grabbing Wei Chengli’s pants and shaking them. “Dad, we have to have the same ones as Uncle Shen to be together.”
“You just glanced at them and you know? Can you remember so many pictures?” Wei Chengli asked, looking at the little chubby dumpling suspiciously.
“Uncle Wen is leaving!” Wei Maomao said, looking at Wen Xiang, who was already walking towards the door with Wang Zhizhi, she tugged at Wei Chengli anxiously. “Dad! I, the baby, am going to be angry!”
Going to be angry? That wouldn’t do… An angry little chubby princess, wouldn’t she look like a pufferfish in the photos? Then she wouldn’t be cute anymore.
The little chubby dumpling had already done the reconnaissance work, Wei Chengli naturally didn’t mind asking, after all, there were no names on the bags, it would be best if they could switch. The task could be completed, and he could film the clever little chubby princess~~~
But before Wei Chengli could even move, Cheng Rongrong, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.
“Little Sister Maomao, we’re all separated from our dads, we’re all doing the task with other dads, you should also do your task properly. You’re a big girl now, don’t throw tantrums, don’t cause trouble for Uncle Wei.” Cheng Rongrong said earnestly, her gaze sweeping past Shen Jianghe, who was approaching, she added, “Little Sister Maomao, think about it carefully, shouldn’t you be considerate of Uncle Wen and Uncle Shen? Go and do the task with Uncle Shen, if you don’t take enough photos, Uncle Shen won’t have any copper coins to use tonight.”
Wei Chengli frowned slightly, he hesitated. Cheng Rongrong’s words… How did they sound… Tsk, logically, there seemed to be nothing wrong with them, but why did they feel so…
“I think it’s fine for them to be together.” Wei Chengli said instinctively, unable to pinpoint what made him uncomfortable about Cheng Rongrong’s words.
Shen Jianghe, however, glanced at Cheng Rongrong meaningfully, then looked at Wei Maomao and said with a gentle smile, “It’s okay, Maomao can be with her dad if she wants to, we’ll just move a bit faster.” Although it wasn’t economically efficient to walk together, he couldn’t let his son’s favorite little girl be sad just for the sake of copper coins. And this little Maomao, although young, she had a good mind, she even thought of flipping through every family’s album. Just for this, he had to cooperate, right?
How could something a smart person did be considered troublesome?
“I heard Shudian is very big, Maomao and I made a promise to stay together. We can do Maomao and Uncle Shen’s task first, then ours.” Cheng Tingyan said, looking at the two adults, then turned to Cheng Rongrong, and before she could speak, added, “If we’re slow with our task and don’t get enough copper coins, I can give all my copper coins to you and Dad.”
“Mmm, I’ll also give all mine to Dad.” Wei Maomao said, agreeing, after quickly calculating in her mind. She held Cheng Tingyan’s slightly cold hand.
“There’s no need for that, I don’t need… I’ll go and ask, if we can switch to albums with more overlapping locations, then we can be together.” Wei Chengli said, chasing after Wen Xiang, who was about to leave.
Cheng Rongrong, clenching the small round fan in her hand, was furious: “… “
That little stinky fatty was clearly breaking the rules, and they not only didn’t object, they even helped her! Okay, they were all family, and she was the outsider!
“Yan Yan doesn’t want copper coins, Maomao doesn’t want copper coins either, then isn’t this afternoon’s task pointless for you?” Shen Jianghe asked, squatting down and looking at the two little babies with amusement.
“It’s not pointless, after doing the task, my dad, Sister Rongrong, Uncle Cheng, and you, Uncle Shen, will all have copper coins.” Wei Maomao said, counting on her fingers.
“Mmm.” Cheng Tingyan nodded in agreement.
Wei Maomao gently squeezed Cheng Tingyan’s slightly cold hand, leaned closer, and whispered, “Even without copper coins, it’s good enough that Yan Yan and I can take beautiful pictures together~~~”
“Mmm!” Cheng Tingyan nodded firmly.
The two little ones, snuggled together, saying it was okay even without copper coins, they were happy just being able to take pictures together, they looked adorable and a bit pitiful.
Shen Jianghe chuckled, stroking the two little babies’ heads, he seemed to understand more and more why Shen Zilin liked these two little girls so much.
And at this moment, the viewers in the live broadcast room wished they could be Shen Jianghe’s hand.
“I’m jealous! I never thought that one day, I wouldn’t be jealous of CEO Shen’s wealth, but of him being able to touch Yan Yan and CEO Mao’s little heads! Sob, sob, sob, so jealous! I want to touch them too!”
“Hahaha, CEO Shen is probably afraid of messing up their hairstyles, he’s touching them so carefully~~”
“So the kind of children in stories who keep their promises… they truly exist in real life. On the last day in the village, CEO Mao said she was afraid of getting lost because Shudian was so big, Yan Yan said they could stay together, they even said they could do one person’s task first, then the other’s, it sounded childish and cute. And they actually kept their promise!”
“Our CEO Mao is truly smart, she first looked at two families’ albums, realized they were different, then went and looked at the other families’ albums, I never thought of that! If the two families had many overlapping photo locations, then they could indeed be together! Completing the task and keeping their promise!”
“I don’t know if I have a negative filter towards Cheng Rongrong now, her words advising CEO Mao, they didn’t seem wrong, but why did they sound so uncomfortable?”
“??? How are they not wrong? ‘You’re a big girl now, don’t throw tantrums,’ ‘Think about it carefully,’ don’t these words sound familiar, like the condescending words parents say when they don’t understand the situation? Where did CEO Mao throw a tantrum? She didn’t lie down and roll around, she didn’t cry or make a fuss, she was clearly trying to find a solution.”
“Right! I felt like I was being manipulated just now. Speaking of which, I was browsing other websites earlier, and it seems like there are online trolls causing trouble again. Some are saying Wen Xiang is lying, some are saying Wang Zhizhi is being ungrateful, and there are many criticizing Yan Yan, but the incident about Cheng Rongrong asking Yan Yan to dry her hair at noon and her attempt to turn Wen Jiangyue against the others were all suppressed. Tsk, tsk, tsk, this family is truly good at manipulating public opinion, treating the public like fools.”
“I saw it too! I was so angry! Thankfully, I came back and saw the little babies in ancient costumes, otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to calm down. The program team is still decent, they didn’t stop Director Wei from switching albums, hehehe~~~”
“Hahaha, Wen Xiang is also a good person! He agreed to switch albums with Director Wei! Sob, sob, sob, just for this, I’m a fan of Wen Xiang again!”
“We can finally see photos of CEO Mao and Yan Yan together~~~ Sending hearts~~~ Today’s happiness is here~”
…
Happy?
Not at all!
Cheng Rongrong, looking at Wei Chengli, who was running back with a silly grin, holding an album, felt no happiness, only annoyance!
And to Cheng Rongrong’s dismay, a few minutes later, something even more annoying happened.
Two teams, five people, because of two certain individuals who didn’t want to be separated, were merging into one car.
This was Cheng Rongrong’s first chance to interact with Shen Jianghe up close. If it were the Cheng Rongrong from the beginning of the show, who was obsessed with winning over the two most useful families, the Shen and Wen families, she would be ecstatic.
But after so many days, after Cheng Tingyan’s rebellion, Cheng Feiying’s mistakes and apathy, the repeated attacks from Wang Zhizhi, Wei Maomao, and even Wen Jiangyue, plus the impenetrable Jiang Heye and the unexpected Ni Jinyan… Cheng Rongrong, looking at Shen Jianghe, who seemed to have become the little chubby menace’s supporter, felt no excitement.
They were all blind fools!
Cheng Rongrong, her heart filled with despair, had no expectations for the afternoon’s task, she followed the group towards the van with a sullen expression.
Then, she saw it.
That was!
By the window on the first floor of the villa next door, the half-hidden head, who else could it be but Qin Sichao!
Cheng Rongrong, who had been casually looking around, suddenly widened her eyes, then quickly looked away, pretending to be looking at something else.
Her heart was pounding like a drum, but only she could hear it.
Qin Sichao! Qin Sichao was actually here, so close!
What should she do! What should she do!
Wait…
Cheng Rongrong thought about Qin Sichao’s expression when she saw him earlier, she unconsciously slowed down.
He was looking at…
Cheng Rongrong stopped, using the excuse of fixing her hair, she naturally turned her head and glanced at the window again.
Qin Sichao’s head, already turned to the side, was still moving, he was looking at…
Cheng Rongrong looked ahead, it was them… no, it was Cheng Tingyan, right?
Was this fate?
His approving gaze always landed on the female lead, no matter how hard others tried, they couldn’t get a single chance? No! She refused to be a dusty, rough woman, carrying one, holding another, and leading another, with three children!
The radiance that belonged to the female lead in the original novel, Cheng Rongrong wanted it all.
She was the one with foreknowledge, the chosen one, those opportunities, they were all hers!
Qin Sichao was a start, he had to be a start!
As for Cheng Tingyan… Cheng Rongrong lowered her head, a vicious resentment flashed in her eyes, hidden from the camera.
Wei Maomao couldn’t help but feel that Cheng Rongrong’s expression when she got into the car was a bit sinister. She didn’t have that expression when they left the room earlier…
“Yan Yan, sit over there.” Wei Maomao said, glancing at Wei Chengli, who had already sat in the front row, she switched from Cheng Tingyan’s left side to her right, separating her from Cheng Rongrong, who had just gotten into the car.
“Everyone, sit down and buckle your seat belts.” Wei Chengli said, turning to Cheng Rongrong. “Rongrong, do you know how to buckle it? Do you need help?”
“I know how to.” Cheng Rongrong said, forcing a smile.
Wei Maomao glanced at Cheng Rongrong from the corner of her eye.
Mmm, why did her smile look so fake…
“Yan Yan, let’s hold hands, okay?” Wei Maomao said, leaning closer to Cheng Tingyan and taking her hand.
Although she didn’t know the truth behind Cheng Tingyan’s injury in her previous life, but… the one sitting on her right was also one of her suspects. Having witnessed all kinds of mischievous children in her previous life, Wei Maomao never underestimated any child.
Cheng Tingyan always readily accepted the little chubby bunny’s requests, she naturally held her hand properly.
Wei Chengli, who was still watching Cheng Rongrong buckle her seat belt: “… “
Who wouldn’t want to hold hands with the little chubby princess! He also wanted to! Sob!
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