Chapter 106
Cheng Feiying quickly ran through a list of potential allies who could be persuaded to pressure the program team into ending this role-swap segment.
Wei Chengli, that doting father who would do anything his little menace asked, was out of the question. He even allowed his daughter to drag him to other people’s houses for meals. Now that the little menace was having so much fun, he definitely wouldn’t call for a stop. He had to choose among the dads who had suffered from this role-swap. CEO Shen was probably not an option either, his life had been quite normal these past few days. Wang Qingchuan… Wang Qingbei wasn’t bad-looking, he gained a pretty younger sister for free, although they seemed to bicker, he probably didn’t want to end the role-playing early.
Then there was… Wen Xiang, who had been arguing with Wen Dongyu for days, and Wen Qiming, who failed to finish reciting the scripture yesterday…
Cheng Feiying mentally ranked the dads who might support him, then looked at the half-box of mushy cilantro in front of him.
Even though he had been covering his nose and mouth, the smell of cilantro had permeated every corner of the house, he couldn’t even tell if it was because he was close to it or if the concentration in the surrounding air had already reached its peak due to the excessive amount of cilantro.
Anyway, before finding a way to end the role-swap, he still had to deal with this half-box of cilantro.
Because…
The little menace, staring at him with a beaming smile and full of anticipation, wouldn’t let him off the hook.
A topic he couldn’t avoid, a persistence he couldn’t refuse, other people’s three-year-old child, under the watchful eyes of the live broadcast audience, he couldn’t hit her, he couldn’t scold her, he couldn’t even speak harshly to her… If Cheng Feiying had known he would provoke such a little ancestor, he wouldn’t have listened to Bai Lei and cooked Cheng Tingyan things she didn’t like every meal.
What aloofness, what indifference, it was her nature, it was pointless to try and change her.
What making her eat things she didn’t like so she would throw tantrums, then she would become a foil to Cheng Rongrong’s obedience and cuteness, making their daughter more popular and stand out.
Now what, Cheng Feiying glanced at Cheng Tingyan, did she throw a tantrum? Did she become a foil? No, none of that, she even attracted a troublesome little menace! And… Cheng Feiying glanced at Cheng Rongrong disapprovingly, was she more popular now? Did she stand out? All his efforts were in vain, and now he had to face this cilantro, damn it!
Cheng Rongrong, receiving Cheng Feiying’s glare, was confused, what… What did it have to do with her? If he wanted to glare, shouldn’t he be glaring at the other two?
But Cheng Rongrong didn’t know that Cheng Feiying, almost marinated in the smell of cilantro, was regretting it, Bai Lei wasn’t here, his newfound anger had nowhere to go, it could only be directed at her, his daughter.
Angry as he was, Cheng Feiying knew he still had to make a choice.
Based on the little menace’s persistent attitude, if he didn’t eat it, she might follow him around with the cilantro all day. The image was too horrifying, Cheng Feiying didn’t dare to imagine it.
And if he ate it… Cheng Feiying imagined it, gagging in advance.
Of course… there was one last option. It should also be the little menace’s goal… To force him to admit his past mistakes and promise not to feed Cheng Tingyan things she didn’t like anymore. Then she would probably let him off the hook.
If it were in private, Cheng Feiying would definitely choose this option. But the problem was, they were live broadcasting, he had been so adamant in the past two days, wouldn’t admitting his mistakes now be slapping himself in the face? Besides, it wasn’t entirely his fault, he was also instigated!
Choosing the lesser of three evils, Cheng Feiying, after much hesitation, picked up the spoon.
Century eggs, stinky tofu, durian… There were many things in this world that smelled disgusting but were bearable to eat.
What if…
Cheng Feiying looked at the small sprig of cilantro on the spoon and slowly put it into his mouth.
Ugh!
There were no “what ifs.”
Making a choice was difficult, but giving up was easy.
“Okay, some things are nutritious, but if you don’t like them, you don’t like them.” Cheng Feiying looked at Wei Maomao, trying to smile kindly and magnanimously. “Maomao has also taught Uncle Cheng a lesson. Uncle Cheng understands, I won’t feed Yan Yan things she doesn’t like anymore.”
That should be enough, right!
A wise man knows when to bend and when to stand firm!
Giving in after just one sprig of cilantro? Wei Maomao found it amusing.
Cheng Feiying, seeing the unfriendly smile on the little menace’s face, quickly added before she could speak, “Not just here, I won’t let her eat things she doesn’t like at home either, don’t worry.”
Wasn’t it just standing up for Cheng Tingyan, let her! A three-year-old child with five hundred schemes!
“Mmm.” Wei Maomao nodded.
The tension in Cheng Feiying’s body eased, he immediately put down the spoon.
But as soon as the spoon landed, that little menace spoke again.
“Uncle Cheng, the cilantro is best eaten hot.” Wei Maomao glanced at the spoon and said, offering friendly advice.
Hot? What was there to eat hot about this! And… Cheng Feiying looked at the little menace, her tone so natural as she urged him to eat, in surprise. “Didn’t I already say I won’t feed Cheng Tingyan things she doesn’t like anymore? Why are you still making me eat cilantro when I don’t like it!”
The shock and grievance in his voice were unmistakable.
Wei Maomao, standing on the stool, leaned forward slightly, looking down at Cheng Feiying, and chuckled. “Before today, Yan Yan, she ate… many, many, many meals with mushrooms.”
Cheng Feiying: “… “ Damn it, he had already apologized, he had already promised, did she want him to eat the equivalent of all those mushrooms in cilantro? Was she crazy… Was this a parenting variety show or eighteen levels of torture?
“I’m going to the bathroom.” Cheng Feiying, not even touching the only uncontaminated potato pancakes on the table, immediately stood up and walked towards the gate.
Cheng Feiying was truly scared, scared that the little menace would realize there was also a bathroom in the house, so he walked very quickly, hoping to catch her off guard.
Thankfully, he had already reached the gate, and there were no sounds behind him.
Heh, just a three-year-old child, her cleverness was limited.
So now… Cheng Feiying slowed down, who should he approach first…
“Maomao, come down.” Cheng Tingyan said, looking at Cheng Feiying walking away with a group of staff, she reached out to the little chubby bunny on the stool. “Be careful.”
“Older sister, why didn’t you say anything earlier? You just watched as Dad was forced to eat his most hated cilantro…” Cheng Rongrong said weakly, her voice laced with a hint of filial complaint. “Dad left, and you’re only speaking now.”
Wei Maomao, her chubby paw already reaching for Cheng Tingyan’s hand, hearing Cheng Rongrong’s words, didn’t get down immediately.
“Sister Rongrong, did you say anything earlier?” Wei Maomao asked, her face full of confusion. “You just watched as your dad was forced to eat cilantro?”
Cheng Rongrong: “… “ Damn it, with the intense back-and-forth between you two earlier, was there even a chance for her to interject!
Cheng Rongrong, hit by a counterattack, could only follow Cheng Feiying’s example and escape to the bathroom.
The irrelevant people were finally gone, Wei Maomao got down from the stool with Cheng Tingyan’s help.
Wei Maomao also didn’t like cilantro, but the smell in the courtyard today was truly fragrant, she took a deep breath, feeling refreshed~~~
“Yan Yan, no one’s at your house, come and play at mine.” Wei Maomao said, grabbing Cheng Tingyan’s hand.
Cheng Tingyan glanced at the direction Cheng Rongrong had just run into the house, there was still someone there, right?
But…
“Mmm.” Cheng Tingyan held the little chubby bunny’s soft paw.
Wei Maomao felt refreshed, and the viewers in the live broadcast room also let out a sigh of relief.
“As expected of CEO Mao, a three-year-old carrying the weight of two!”
“I hope Cheng Feiying remembers what he said today and stops feeding Yan Yan those things! He gagged after eating just one sprig of cilantro he didn’t like, does he still have the nerve to cook mushrooms for Yan Yan every day!”
“Sigh, I actually hope Cheng Feiying forgets about today’s incident. Remember what the comments said a few days ago, about what happens behind closed doors being a secret that outsiders can’t see? I’m truly afraid that Cheng Feiying will remember it too clearly and take it out on Yan Yan later.”
“Honestly, after watching the live broadcast for a few days, Cheng Feiying, this person, he’s truly putting on an act. No matter how kind he appears, his bad temper, it’s truly… It’s not impossible for him to take it out on others.”
“Even our three-year-old CEO Mao can see through Cheng Feiying’s temper. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have come over early this morning and told Yan Yan not to say anything, she took care of everything herself. I can only say, thankfully, Yan Yan listened and didn’t get involved.”
“CEO Mao even said, ‘I’ll do it, he can’t come to my house and hit me if he’s angry. If you do it, he’ll close the door and hit you, and I won’t even know.’ Yan Yan isn’t stupid, of course, she would listen.”
“Hahaha, I think the reason Yan Yan listened and didn’t say anything wasn’t because of what CEO Mao said, but because our CEO Mao, she… acted cute! Hahahahaha, who can resist a cute little chubby bunny acting cute and clinging to them, I can’t!”
“Cheng Feiying, be a decent human being, he’s even making a three-year-old child be so wary of him! But we still have to thank Director Wei, he reminded CEO Mao several times these past few days not to provoke Cheng Feiying, it must have made her more cautious.”
“Director Wei, well done! You’re worthy of the delicious mush CEO Mao prepared for you early this morning! CEO Mao even brought it over for Yan Yan to drink, it must be delicious! Director Wei, eat more!”
…
Delicious?
It truly… was delicious!
No fishy smell at all, perfectly seasoned with salt, he could taste the minced meat, shrimp, and shredded chicken, they were all pre-seasoned.
Although it was mush, it tasted a bit like a stew?
From carefully taking a small bite to confidently eating large mouthfuls.
From the joy of receiving love from the little chubby dumpling to the guilt over his earlier mistake.
Wait…
Was it love, or a bribe?
Wei Chengli thought about their conversation the night before, his hand holding the spoon hesitated.
One bowl of mush, Wei Chengli tasted a thousand different emotions.
But the answer wasn’t complicated.
As Wei Chengli was pacing in the courtyard, digesting his food and pondering, his baby, who had disappeared early this morning, came back.
Looking at Cheng Tingyan, who was walking into the courtyard with his little chubby dumpling, Wei Chengli felt a familiar twinge of jealousy.
The mush this morning was indeed filled with love, but it was probably the little chubby dumpling’s love for Cheng Tingyan.
Sigh, she liked that little sister so much…
“Baby…” Wei Chengli looked at the little chubby dumpling walking towards him, he reached out, wanting to pick her up and swing her around.
But his outstretched hand was stopped by a raised chubby paw.
“Dad, squat down.” Wei Maomao, seeing what Wei Chengli was about to do, pressed her paw down.
Wei Chengli: ???
Although he didn’t understand, he obediently squatted down.
Then he saw the little chubby dumpling lean closer, her chubby paw reaching under his armpit, she used a bit of force… Was she lifting him?
“Sway.” Wei Maomao said.
Wei Chengli: ???
He cooperated, swaying back and forth with the weak force of the little chubby paw, then the paw retreated.
“So, what was that about?” Wei Chengli asked, bewildered.
“Has anyone talked to you yet?” Wei Maomao glanced at the group of staff and received a unanimous shake of their heads. “Oh, maybe later.”
Wei Chengli: ???
“Dad.” Wei Maomao said seriously, “I went to Uncle Cheng’s house earlier and cooked him a pot of his most hated cilantro.”
“What?” Wei Chengli was stunned. “Didn’t you cook tomato and egg noodles?”
“Mmm, noodles. I put a whole basket of cilantro in the noodles.” Wei Maomao gestured the size of the basket, then added, “Uncle Cheng didn’t eat it, he gagged. Yan Yan ate mushrooms so many times, Uncle Cheng wouldn’t even eat one bite of cilantro.”
Wei Chengli: “… “
As expected, the plan devised by two nine-year-olds combined wouldn’t stop just because he wasn’t participating.
Wei Maomao stopped there, she knew Wei Chengli understood. She was just telling him what she had done. As long as she kept doing it, based on Wei Chengli’s attitude last night, he would eventually realize he had to help.
“Yan Yan, let’s go inside.” Wei Maomao said, pulling Cheng Tingyan’s hand.
Cheng Tingyan obediently followed the small force, but she couldn’t help but glance at the little chubby bunny’s dad.
The things Cheng Feiying said last night, Cheng Tingyan… couldn’t pretend she hadn’t heard them.
Even though she firmly believed that the little chubby bunny wouldn’t lie to her, but…
What was she like when she was three years old? Where did she go? Who did she meet? What did she say?
Lying in bed late at night, unable to sleep, Cheng Tingyan tried hard to recall, but no matter how hard she tried, only fragmented and blurry memories remained, she couldn’t remember anything more. The earliest clear memory she could recall was from the last time she was on this show. At that time, she… was four years old.
In the darkness, Cheng Tingyan thought about many things, as she became increasingly anxious, she realized that she wasn’t afraid of the three-year-old little chubby bunny not being able to help her, nor was she afraid of not being able to live with her mom, nor was she afraid of continuing to live at the Cheng family’s house after angering them.
She was afraid… that the three-year-old little chubby bunny would soon forget about her, just like she couldn’t remember the people and events from when she was three years old. She would also become a blurry shadow in the little chubby bunny’s memory.
With no one to talk to, no one to comfort her, Cheng Tingyan finally fell asleep, resorting to a self-deceiving comfort: “If she forgets, I’ll remember.”
Cheng Feiying said a lot late at night, telling Cheng Tingyan to be obedient and give up her unrealistic ideas, telling her to stay away from unreliable people, telling her what was right and what was wrong.
But he didn’t know that these words only made Cheng Tingyan more determined.
Even… success or failure, it was all up to fate. And the process was what she wanted to experience.
Compared to the unknown future, the little chubby bunny at this moment, the little chubby bunny who was working hard and being brave for her, was what she wanted to remember the most.
Cilantro, the little chubby bunny could add as much as she wanted.
Dad, the little chubby bunny could anger him as much as she wanted.
Sister, the little chubby bunny could retort as much as she wanted.
Cheng Feiying had personally eliminated Cheng Tingyan’s last hesitation.
Someone who no longer cared about the future would act more freely in the present.
Cheng Tingyan secretly glanced at the helpless expression on the little chubby bunny’s dad’s face. The little chubby bunny had pulled her to the bathroom early this morning and told her that her dad knew everything, he would keep it a secret, he promised to help after the show, as for helping during the show, they still had to work hard.
People outside were much better than Cheng Feiying described.
Although she didn’t have much hope, Cheng Tingyan was still grateful.
Wei Chengli also saw the look Cheng Tingyan gave him as she walked past. Thinking about the things the little chubby dumpling said last night, his heart ached.
There were all kinds of people in the world, parents who mistreated their children were not uncommon.
He himself…
Wei Chengli thought about the things he didn’t want to recall, then couldn’t help but think, if there had been someone back then…
There wasn’t back then, but he could be that someone now.
Anyway… After that pot of cilantro, he probably already had a grudge with Cheng Feiying.
Cheng Feiying, who had just knocked on the Wen family’s door, didn’t know how far the ripples from the cilantro had spread, he was now focused on reversing this unfavorable situation for the dads, like a warrior upholding justice.
“Where’s Wen Dongyu?” Cheng Feiying asked, glancing at the lifeless courtyard, knowing the answer.
“Not at home.” Wen Xiang said listlessly.
Cheng Feiying cheered inwardly.
“I think this role-swap segment between the babies and dads is a bit too long.” Cheng Feiying said, getting straight to the point. “The babies are still young, how would they know how to be parents? If they play pretend for too long, their hearts will become wild. If we truly treat them as the ones in charge, they’ll become disobedient and troublesome.”
Cheng Feiying paused, not receiving Wen Xiang’s agreement, he even used his own family as an example. “Like our family, this morning, Cheng Tingyan cooked me a whole pot of cilantro, which I don’t eat, isn’t that ridiculous?”
“Don’t you know?” Wen Xiang said slowly, under Cheng Feiying’s expectant gaze. “The babies are playing the role of their parents today. Yan Yan is probably playing the role of a parent who feeds their child things they don’t like.”
Cheng Feiying was stunned, he finally understood, he turned to look at the staff behind the camera.
He quickly received confirmation.
“Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Cheng Feiying asked, suppressing his anger. “Did you deliberately want to film our reactions when we were clueless?”
The staff member backed away timidly.
Cheng Feiying looked at Wen Xiang again, his hand twisting slightly on the table. “I think we need to flip the token and turn things back to the right direction.”
“Flipping the token” was a code phrase the program team gave the dads to communicate with them off-camera. Just like how Shi Dingshan had contacted Cheng Feiying before, having someone hold up a sign in the camera’s blind spot, asking him to meet at the bathroom.
If the dads had something to discuss with the program team privately before the cameras and microphones were turned off at night, they could also go to one of the designated public restrooms in the village and flip the token inside. After each dad left, a staff member would go in and check, if they saw the token flipped, they would inform the director team, who would then hold up a sign for the dad, arranging a meeting at the public restroom.
Wen Xiang immediately understood, Cheng Feiying was asking him to join forces and pressure the program team to end the baby-dad role swap.
He didn’t know what was going on with the Cheng family, nor did he care, anyway, the issues in his family couldn’t be resolved by ending this segment.
And the program team had already given him a solution for Wen Dongyu giving himself away. He could get his child back today by completing the special task assigned by the program team.
Wen Xiang shook his head, rejecting Cheng Feiying.
Cheng Feiying’s first attempt was unsuccessful, but his fighting spirit remained strong.
After all, his trip wasn’t entirely fruitless, at least he knew that the children were imitating their dads today. He couldn’t be the only one suffering from this imitation, right?
Next stop, Wen Qiming!
After being implicitly rejected by Wen Qiming, who was so busy doing math problems that his breakfast had gone cold, Cheng Feiying arrived at the Wang family’s courtyard, filled with anger.
He didn’t believe there could be another idiot who was willing to cooperate after being deprived of breakfast by his child!
Before even entering the courtyard, Cheng Feiying heard the commotion inside, his heart leaping with joy.
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