Seeing Yun Shu run back from the bedroom empty-handed, Yun Chuman smiling asked, "Where did Little Shu put the painting?"
"A secret treasure chest!"
Yun Shu deliberately lowered her voice to be mysterious and tapped her short, chubby index finger in the air with each word.
When Yun Juan heard what she said, his expression subtly changed, looking both happy and a little regretful.
Yun Chuman found it adorable and casually pinched her chubby little face.
She recalled that she also had a habit of collecting things when she was a child. When she found them again after growing up, she realized that the things she thought were treasures when she was a child were actually just ordinary items, including many handicrafts. If it weren't for the childhood filter, they would be considered junk.
Dinner was again prepared in the children's kitchen.
Yun Juan stewed a pot of yam and pork rib soup, while Yun Shu used the leftover rice from lunch to make seafood fried rice.
With the help of the two children, Yun Chuman successfully made a plate of stir-fried romaine lettuce.
She looked at her work from left to right, and finally couldn't resist posting it on her WeChat Moments, but only took a picture and didn't add any text.
She quickly received likes and comments from her friends.
—Let me be in peace (Mo Rongwen): I miss the dishes Little Juan and Little Shu made. The fried rice looks so delicious.
—The ocean is all water (Xiaoxi): The scallion pancake in my hand suddenly doesn't taste good anymore, I want to drink soup.
——Definitely eat rainbow (Xu Qiuhong): Did the two kids underperform? The romaine lettuce looks a bit burnt, hahaha.
—It's Meow Meow (Li Miaomiao): The romaine lettuce is cooked very well, don't make it again next time.
Yun Chuman saw the comment, harrumphed, and turned off her phone. These superficial people only care about appearances! The romaine lettuce might not look very appealing, but it tasted absolutely delicious! The two kids even fought over it for dinner tonight!
However, it couldn’t be ruled out that Yun Juan and Yun Shu did this to comfort her. After all, both children were heartwarming little angels.
Thinking of this, Yun Chuman hugged the two sleeping little angels tightly and drifted off to sleep with them.
The next morning, Yun Chuman woke up early, roused by her biological clock.
When she opened her eyes, she was startled to find Yun Shu sitting in the middle. Her hands supported her cheeks, her eyes closed, and her chubby little body swayed from side to side.
Was she awake or sleepwalking?
Yun Chuman sat up and called softly, "Little Shu".
Hearing the sound, Yun Shu struggled to open her eyes. Looking at her mommy so close by, she seemed bewildered. After almost a minute, she smiled and said softly, "Good morning, Mommy~"
Yun Chuman patted her little head: "Why did you get up so early? Do you want to sleep a little longer?"
Yun Shu had a long sleep duration and was usually the last one to get up every day.
The little girl rubbed her eyes and shook her head.
She glanced at Yun Juan, who was still sleeping beside her, then turned to her and whispered, "Mommy, let's go out."
Seeing that her eyes were darting around, Yun Chuman knew that something was up, so she nodded and quietly left the bedroom with her.
After closing the bedroom door, Yun Chuman squatted down, tidied the little girl's hair, and tapped her little nose, saying, "Tell Mommy why you got up so early."
Yun Shu shrugged and smiled sheepishly, "Qingqing knows I'm leaving home today to film a show and said he'll come to say goodbye to me before going to kindergarten."
"Oh, I see." Yun Chuman nodded in understanding. No wonder she didn't dare to wake Yun Juan.
"Mommy, please don't tell Elder Brother, okay?" Yun Shu blinked. She knew Elder Brother didn't like Qingqing, but Qingqing was so pitiful that she was the only friend he had. She couldn't bring herself to break off their friendship.
"Am I the kind of person ith a loose mouth?" Feigning anger, Yun Chuman said.
"No, Mommy is the most discreet." Yun Shu bounced around and wrapped her arms around her neck.
Yun Chuman patted her back with a smile: "Okay, I'll help you comb your hair. When Qingqing comes and sees your bird nest hair, he'll laugh herself to death."
Yun Shu blushed and obediently turned around to let her comb her hair.
Just as Yun Chuman finished tying up Yun Shu's hair, there was a knock on the door.
The little girl's eyes lit up and she ran off to open the door.
Yang Qingshu was wearing the kindergarten's uniform, carrying a large backpack on his back and two large insulated boxes in his hands. He bowed slightly politely and said, "Good morning, little Shu. Good morning, Auntie. These are tofu pudding and beef potstickers that my dad just bought from the morning market. He asked me to bring them over for you to have for breakfast."
Yun Chuman was stunned for a moment before quickly taking it: "Thank you, Qingqing, and please thank your dad for me too."
Yang Qingshu whispered, "No need to thank."
He took a lollipop out of his pocket and said with a smile, "This is a new flavor, Little Shu, you should try it."
Yun Shu accept it, looked it over, and nodded with a smile: "Okay, I'll eat it slowly! I'll bring you a gift when I come back."
"Okay, I'll wait. Take good care of yourself these next few days," Yang Qingshu said without lingering. "I'm going to school now. Goodbye, little Shu."
He then turned to Yun Chuman and said goodbye: "Goodbye, Auntie. Don't rush to return the insulated box. I'll come and get it when you're done filming the show."
Yun Chuman said "Must trouble you, Qingqing," and then waved with Yun Shu at the same time, saying, "Goodbye, Qingqing."
Yang Qingshu gave them a shy smile before turning and leaving.
Yun Shu continued to wave to his retreating figure. After closing the door, her eyes sparkled, clearly indicating that she was fully awake: "Mommy, I'm going to see Elder Brother!"
"Go."
Upon hearing this, Yun Shu ran back to the bedroom.
Yun Chuman smiled as she watched her small figure disappear into the distance. Then she turned and went to the kitchen to take the breakfast out of the insulated container.
She found that the Yang father and son were very meticulous.
Next to the still-warm beef potstickers was a container about the size of a silver coin containing vinegar.
Next to the large, white, tender pieces of tofu pudding were separately packaged condiments, chili peppers, cilantro, and a packet of sugar and red beans.
Yun Chuman guessed that the other party didn't know whether their family of three preferred sweet or savory tofu pudding, which was why they put all the ingredients in.
As she washed the insulated box, she thought about how she should properly thank them later. The side dishes that Yang Fengnian had given her before were also very delicious and the two children loved them.
On the other side.
Yun Shu peeked into the bedroom and saw that Yun Juan was still sleeping. His belly rose and fell with his breathing.
Smiling, she tiptoed over as quietly as possible. Her chubby little body nimbly climbed onto the bed, sat down beside him, and whispered, "Elder Brother."
Yun Juan rolled over but didn't wake up.
Seeing this, Yun Shu couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. Then she stretched out two chubby fingers and slowly pinched his nose.
Soon after, Yun Juan frowned in discomfort and his mouth opened unconsciously.
Yun Shu looked around and found a strand of long hair on the pillow next to her. She picked it up with her other hand and swept it across Yun Juan's cheek.
Yun Juan scratched himself a couple of times, then scratched himself a couple more times, and finally got annoyed and opened his eyes with a snap.
Yun Shu was startled by his direct gaze, and her movements froze for a second.
After realizing what she had done, she quickly withdrew her mischievous hands and put them behind her back, smiling brightly as she said in a soft voice, "Good morning, Elder Brother~"
Yun Juan's eyebrows twitched slightly and quickly. He rubbed his eyes, sat up, and greeted her in his usual indifferent tone, "Good morning, younger sister."
Elder Brother didn't notice!
Seeing this, Yun Shu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, before she could fully relax, Yun Juan suddenly turned around and pounced on her, swiftly and accurately grabbing her ankle. He also picked up a strand of hair that Yun Shu had just thrown away and started tickling the soles of her feet.
"Elder Brother, Elder Brother, what are you doing!"
Yun Shu instinctively flailed her short legs, but couldn't help but burst out laughing the next second.
She tried to escape, but Yun Juan seemed to anticipate her actions and blocked her path first.
Yun Shu was laughing so hard she was almost hiccuping. She raised her voice and cried out for help, "Mommy, save me!"
Yun Chuman had just put breakfast on the table when she heard the noise and was startled, thinking that something had happened to the two children.
She rushed to the bedroom, only to find Yun Juan tickling Yun Shu with a blank expression.
She looked at the little girl's soles and then took in how she was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe. What kind of torture was this!
Yun Chuman subconsciously said, "I didn't expect that you, little Juan, would have the potential to be a ruthless killer!"
Yun Juan almost burst out laughing. Why were Younger Sister and Mommy both so interesting?
As soon as he released Yun Shu, the little girl nimbly jumped off the bed and pounced on Yun Chuman.
Yun Chuman reached out and caught her, holding her in her arms.
Yun Shu said with an aggrieved expression, "Mommy, Elder Brother is bullying me."
As she spoke, she lifted her chubby little legs and vigorously wiggled her toes.
Yun Juan retorted without any panic, "It was clearly you who pinched my nose and tickled me while I was sleeping."
Yun Shu was taken aback when she heard this. Oh right... she almost forgot that she was the one who started the prank.
She stole a glance at Elder Brother and said softly, "I'm sorry."
Yun Juan laughed smugly: "Silly Little Shu, you still have a long way to go."
Yun Shu pouted, snorted, turned around, and rested her chin on Yun Chuman's shoulder, leaving only around back to Elder Brother.
The sitcom about "plastic siblings" was so entertaining, one never get tired of watching it!
Yun Chuman watched the show from the sidelines before led the two of them in doing radio calisthenics, washing up, and eating.
It was almost 10 o'clock when Xiaoxi and the staff of the "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs" program knocked on the door on time.
Yun Chuman was washing the dishes used for breakfast when she called out, "Little Juan and Little Shu, open the door for your older brother and sister."
The two children responded and sped off.
The moment the door opened, the two looked up, their little heads beamed with identical smiles, and said in unison, "Good morning, Elder Brother and sister!"
Today, Yun Juan and Yun Shu were wearing a white short-sleeved shirt with a sunflower pattern, which matched their smiles that were even brighter than the sunshine.
The camera was already on when they went upstairs, so viewers in the live stream were bombarded with the smiles of the two children at the same time.
—Ahhh, I finally got to see my two little ones again! They seem even cuter than last week!
—I didn't want to follow them either, but they smiled at me.
—Waaaa, getting up early to watch the live stream was definitely the right choice. Seeing my two little ones' smiles gives me so much energy for the whole day!
Yun Chuman came out of the kitchen at this moment, greeted the crew members with a smile, and invited them to come in and sit down. The small room was instantly filled with people.
Xiaoxi had Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu sit on the sofa, while she stood opposite them. Then she took out a simple cardboard box from behind her and placed it on the coffee table.
"Draw lots?" Yun Chuman smiling asked.
Xiaoxi nodded, "Because the guests you chose in the last episode didn't choose you, the team formation is unsuccessful."
"There are two destinations here. You can draw lots to regroup with the remaining guests."
Yun Shu blinked and asked disappointedly, "Little Snake Elder Sister didn’t choose us?"
She wiggled her short legs, wanting to play with the little snake.
Yun Juan gave her a quick glance and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He thought for a moment with a serious face and then asked, "Did Elder Brother Mo successfully team up? If we draw Elder Brother Mo, can we play with him this time?"
Upon hearing this, Yun Shu, who was still feeling down, immediately brightened up and added expectantly, "And the dogs, cats, and mice."
Xiaoxi couldn't stand the way the two children looked at her. She turned her head away and coughed awkwardly, "This time, it's a mutual choice for Elder Brother Mo."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yun Chuman's phone received a video request. Looking down, she saw Mo Rongwen, whom the two children had been longing to see.
Yun Chuman waved her phone at the camera: "It's not officially filming yet, is it? Can we accept?"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu blinked their big eyes expectantly.
Xiaoxi couldn't resist any longer and swallowed the words "filming has already started." She nodded with difficulty, expecting to be scolded by Director Li, but instead, she heard "Well done" coming through her earpiece.
She quickly realized that if Yun Chuman's family connect with Mo Rongwen, that would be a huge traffic. Even if they couldn't meet in person this time, a single video would still be worth watching.
Yun Chuman had no idea that her thoughts had taken several turns in a single second because of a video request.
She pressed the green accept button, and a bunch of furry things quickly appeared on her phone screen.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu approached the screen and greeted it warmly. A chorus of "Awooo" and "Meow" erupted from the other side.
After a long while, Mo Rongwen finally managed to peek out from the pile of furry creatures, weakly waving his hand and saying, "Little Juan, Little Shu."
"Elder Brother Mo!" the two children responded at the same time. They moved closer to the camera and basically laid on Yun Chuman.
Mo Rongwen immediately asked with a gentle smile, "Who are you recording the show with today?"
Yun Juan frowned and shook her head: "I don't know, Elder Sister Xiaoxi asked us to draw lots."
Yun Shu blinked curiously: "And Elder Brother, the cats, the dogs, and the mice?"
Yun Chuman, who had been ignored all along, also became a little curious and couldn't help but prick up her ears.
Mo Rongwen patiently replied, "I'm with Director Zhou."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu blinked blankly. Don't recognize.
Yun Chuman was somewhat surprised. Wasn't that the family of the real-life "plastic siblings" who were always putting on a show of domestic infighting?
She remembered that Mo Rongwen was a socially awkward person and had never expected him to choose this family. She couldn't help but say, "Nephew, you are very brave."
Mo Rongwen knew what she meant as soon as he heard this, and harrumphed, "I am not the same as I was in the last week. With the help of Little Juan and Little Shu, I can now communicate with others. Besides, Director Zhou is very capable, and we have common ground."
"Oh, really? Then, do your best." Grinning, Yun Chuman looked at him. Her tone was extremely perfunctory and her face was clearly saying "I want to see some fun."
Her words of encouragement, when heard by Mo Rongwen, automatically came to mean "I don't believe it."
He snorted, ignoring Yun Chuman. He had truly changed under the influence of the two children! Just a few days ago, he even dared to greet the crew members from the same production!
Unlike their mommy, who enjoys watching others have fun, the two children were heartwarming little angels.
Yun Juan clenched his little fist and said earnestly, "Elder Brother Mo, you can do it! Do your best!"
Yun Shu made the same gesture: "Elder Brother and I will give you all our energy!"
Mo Rongwen immediately perked up as if he had been injected with adrenaline, and even thought about what he would say when they met later: "Don't worry, Little Juan and Little Shu, Elder Brother will definitely not let you down! I will definitely become a successful social creature!"
The viewers in the live stream couldn't help but laugh when they saw this.
—Movie Star Mo better remember what he just said, hahaha.
—These two little ones are so heartwarming, I, Mao Rong, am going to climb over the wall!
—I have the same expression as Yun Chuman right now, waiting to see the show, hahaha.
—Pass it down, Mo Rongwen said he's now a social creature.
—Yun Chuman is the definition of show
Mo Rongwen chatted with Yun Juan and Yun Shu for a while before hanging up.
Nearby, Xiaoxi almost fell asleep. She never expected that Movie Star Mo would be so affectionate with the two children.
She yawned, pushed the cardboard box in front of Yun Chuman, and casually said, "Go ahead and draw one."
Yun Chuman smiled and responded, her mind racing as she considered the current situation.
She wasn't automatically paired with another eliminated guest. Instead, she had to draw lots. In other words, only Mo Rongwen and Director Zhou's group had a mutual selection process.
She glanced at the cardboard box. Did that mean she had a chance to draw Yun Xinxin?
Yun Chuman reached out her hand expectantly. There were many things she didn't understand, and if she could really draw Yun Xinxin, meeting her would be the fastest way to solve her problems.
Then, the moment her hand touched the cardboard box, she caught a glimpse of the two children staring intently at it.
She pondered for a moment, then withdrew her hand and said with a smile, "Little Juan and Little Shu, you two draw."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu looked at her with surprise.
The two responded, jumped off the sofa, ran to the cardboard box together, and stretched out their chubby little hands.
The opening on the cardboard box wasn't large, but it was big enough to fit both of their arms.
The two little hands twirled inside the cardboard box for a while before pulling it out at the same time. They actually grabbed the same card.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu exchanged a happy glance and together held the card high: "This one!"
Yun Chuman smiled and said, "Open it and take a look."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu opened the card, which read "City Y" on it, and they even showed it to the camera.
Xiaoxi immediately informed the director, Li Rufei, of the lottery results.
The other party arranged for staff to quickly book tickets, and then sent the flight information to Xiaoxi's mobile phone in less than five minutes. They booked the next available flight to City Y.
Xiaoxi glanced at it, waved her hand, and said, "Let's go, we can still make it to the airport now."
Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu did not hesitate and set off with their luggage.
Having learned from her previous experience, Yun Chuman handed over the task of finding her way entirely to Yun Juan after entering the airport, while she and Yun Shu obediently followed behind him.
She had some expectations for City Y. As far as she knew, it had beautiful scenery, simple folk customs, and many ethnic minorities. If she was lucky, she might be able to catch a festival she had never seen before and eat some different kinds of food.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu were clearly also looking forward to it, as they didn't sleep on the plane and were full of energy looking out the window.
Meanwhile, during their flight to City Y...
Mo Rongwen had arrived at the location designated by the production team. He took a deep breath, forced a polite smile, and got out of the car with his furry friend.
He hadn't walked two steps when he heard arguing in the distance. He instinctively turned around and saw Zhou's two "plastic sibling" putting on a full-blown fight.
Mo Rongwen froze on the spot.
The two brothers caught sight of him and immediately let go of each other. Even though they were injured and their clothes were in disarray, they acted as if nothing had happened and greeted with smiles: "Hello, my father has work and will be back late. Tonight, my clever brother and I will give you a good welcome, Movie Star Mo."
Mo Rongwen shivered on the spot and took a step back to seek protection from the furry children.
In just one minute, his desire to become a social creature was locked away again, and he just wanted to turn around and go home immediately.
The viewers in the live stream sympathized with Mo Rongwen while laughing. Some even threatened to record the moment Mo Rongwen turned cowardly and send it to Yun Juan and Yun Shu, making it as mocking remarks as possible.
On the other side.
It was almost evening when Yun Chuman and Yun Juanyun got off the plane.
The accommodations prepared by the production team were located in a remote area, but they didn't dare to delay and drove straight to their destination.
City Y was located at a high altitude, so it was not as hot in the summer.
But Yun Chuman and her group happened to arrive just before it rained, when the air was stuffy and humid, like a giant steamer.
By the time they arrived at their accommodation, the two children were covered in sweat.
Xiaoxi led the crew to the small house next door. Before leaving, she reminded them, "The other group of guests will arrive in half an hour. You can take the two kids to take a shower and cool off during that time. The bathroom is on the first floor, around the corner."
Yun Chuman thanked them and, with Yun Juan and Yun Shu, pushed open the wooden door of the small courtyard and went inside.
The production team prepared a charming two-story country cottage for them, which was quite characteristic of the local area.
There were warehouses and pavilions in the yard, but the most eye-catching thing was the large vegetable garden opposite the small house, where the lush green vegetables were a sight to behold.
"Mommy, can we eat those vegetables over there?" Yun Shu asked eagerly.
"Mommy, I think I see tomatoes." Yun Juan was already thirsty and he couldn't help but swallow a couple of times as he spoke.
"Go take a shower first. I'll take you to ask Elder Sister Xiaoxi later. If it's allowed, we'll go pick some vegetables together."
Yun Chuman placed her suitcase in the corner of the living room and took out toiletries from it.
Upon hearing this, Yun Juan and Yun Shu's eyes lit up, and they happily ran towards her.
Yun Chuman poured them some more water to drink and then led them to the bathroom.
Although the house was not small, the bathroom was small, so Yun Chuman could only bathe the two children first.
About ten minutes later, Yun Juan and Yun Shu came out of the bathroom looking refreshed, wearing children's bathrobes, one blue and one pink.
"Come, I'll take you to change your clothes and also grab a new set for myself."
Yun Chuman followed them out of the bathroom. Her sportswear was soaked in several places, and her hair was also wet with some foam at the ends. She looked quite disheveled.
Yun Juan quickly tugged at her sleeve, tilted his little head up, and said seriously, "Younger Sister and I can change our clothes by ourselves. Mommy, hurry up and take a shower, or you'll catch a cold."
Yun Shu skipped and hopped, raising her hand: "We can also help Mommy bring new clothes!"
Yun Chuman hesitated for a moment, and then a gust of wind blew in, making her shiver.
She was worried that she might catch a cold and then infect the children, so she said, "Okay, then I'll leave my clothes to Little Juan and Little Shu. You two should be careful when you change your clothes, and remember to cover all the cameras."
Upon hearing this, the two children patted their chests vigorously, promising to complete the task.
They ran to the living room, opened the suitcase lying on the floor, picked out a white tracksuit for Yun Chuman, and took it into the bathroom.
Then they ran back to the living room and squatted down next to the suitcases to choose their own clothes.
"Elder Brother, what should we wear?" Yun Shu asked with a troubled expression. She thought all the clothes her mommy had brought for them were so nice, it was so hard to choose.
Yun Juan glanced outside the door, pointed to one of the items, and asked, "How about this one?"
Yun Shu clapped her hands in delight: "This is great. It goes so well with this place!"
The two children, carrying matching clothes, ran with their short legs to the bedroom with the fewest security cameras.
While covering all the cameras with towels, they said softly, "We're going to change clothes, so don't peek."
When viewers in the live stream saw the two children's faces up close, they were so overloaded by cuteness that they screamed with delight.
After changing their clothes, Yun Juan and Yun Shu wandered around the house with great curiosity.
They were very well-behaved. Even when they were curious about something, they didn't touch it.
Finally, feeling that it was pointless, they squatted in a row in the living room, looking towards the bathroom with their faces in their hands, and waited for Yun Chuman to come out.
At that moment, the guests who were recording with them were less than 100 meters away.
The viewers in the live stream were happy but also a little worried when they saw who had arrived.
—The most conflicting and funniest combination! Did the production team really not rig the show?
—Although Little Juan and Little Shu are cute, imagining myself in their shoes makes me feel terrible.
—I feel sorry for them. They were already in a terrible situation last time, and this time… well, we're just saying, are they here to film a show or to suffer?
The visitors were a DINK couple, Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran, one a singer who swept the Golden Melody Awards and the other a genius composer with countless works.
They debuted together and have never separated. They share similar interests and work together seamlessly, having countless fans who ship them as a couple. This was quite an exception in the entertainment industry, and fans hoped that they could get married and have a happy ending.
However, whenever the two were asked when they will get married, they always said very seriously that they will never get married and will not have children.
Fans thought the two weren't serious about their relationship, and for a time even turned against them because of this.
However, Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran did not change their minds or their stance. Even now, as they were both approaching thirty, they were still as sweet as when they first fell in love, and often traveled together to find inspiration.
Only then did the fans realize that they were serious about their relationship and their commitment to being childless, and they reluctantly became fans again.
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran both chose the sweet young actress for two consecutive episodes, resulting in them having to draw lots to re-form teams for both episodes.
They felt so constrained and awkward being with Yun Xinxin in the last episode. Those were the three most difficult days ever.
They didn't have any expectations this time and just hoped that they wouldn't draw Yun Chuman and the two children.
It was already dark when they arrived at their lodgings.
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran held each other's hands and encouraged each other before slowly pushing open the courtyard gate.
Upon seeing the lush green vegetable garden and the uniquely styled small building, their eyes lit up, and their mood lightened.
Seeing that there was no one in the courtyard, they dragged their luggage toward the small building.
At the same time, Yun Chuman also came out of the bathroom.
When Yun Juan and Yun Shu saw her, they stood up at once, raised their arms, and cried out in a childish voice, "Awoo~"
The two children were wearing orange tiger onesies with black stripes and their round little bodies trailing long tails.
To scare Yun Chuman, they even put on hats, and the tiger ears swayed back and forth with their movements.
Yun Chuman stopped drying her hair, staring blankly at the two children in front of her and then at the man and woman standing in the doorway. Oh no… something's wrong…
Yun Juan and Yun Shu also noticed something was wrong. They subconsciously turned around, still maintaining their previous posture and expressions - arms raised to the sides of his round head, their chubby little hands were outstretched and bent into the shape of claws, their little noses were wrinkled, and their mouths were open.
Feng Yan and Cheng Yaran were stunned, and suddenly felt utterly hopeless. Was this Murphy's Law, where whatever you don't want to happen, happens to you?
The two children noticed that their expressions were not good, exchanged a glance, slowly lowered their arms, and took off their hats in unison.
With her innocent and adorable puppy eyes, Yun Shu said in a soft voice with a sincere expression, "Elder Brother and Elder Sister, don't be afraid, we're not real little tigers."
Yun Juan bowed slightly in agreement and apologized obediently, "I'm sorry, Younger Sister and I scared you."
A note from the author:
Yun Juan and Yun Shu: We're really not little tigers, we're just kids that little tigers like to eat! [Serious.jpg]
They left home at six o'clock in the evening and arrived home at around ten o'clock. Halfway there, little Chengjia started rubbing his eyes, wanting to sleep. He usually went to bed around eight o'clock, and now it was just his bedtime.
Nanny Wang sat in the front row, prepared his milk with warm water, and said, "Drink the milk before going to sleep."
Luo Zhengzheng took the milk bottle and handed it to her son.
Little Chengjia nestled in his mom's arms, holding his milk bottle, and drank the milk with his eyes closed. After finishing the milk, he fell asleep.
Luo Zhengzheng held him in her arms, took away his milk bottle, and his little hands immediately and unconsciously hugged his mother's arm. He smacked his lips and dozed off again.
The weather had gotten cooler. She touched his rosy little face, then draped a small blanket over him so he could sleep peacefully.
Luo Zhengzheng had regular eating habits. Around 8 o'clock, she was starving and looked at Gu Shi: "I'm hungry."
Seeing her pitiful look, Gu Shi was about to speak when Nanny Wang said from the front, "The kitchen made matcha cake today. Considering the long journey, I brought a few pieces. Would you like a piece?"
Luo Zhengzheng: "I want to eat."
Gu Shi looked at the son in her arms: "Let me hold him?"
Luo Zhengzheng hummed in agreement: "Be gentle, so as not to wake him."
Gu Shi held little Jiajia. The homemade matcha cake they made had less sugar in it. After Luo Zhengzheng ate a piece and drank half a cup of warm water, her stomach felt much better.
She looked at Gu Shi: "Do you want some?"
Gu Shi looked at her and said, "Yes."
She blinked and asked, "How will you eat?"
Gu Shi looked at her hand, and Luo Zhengzheng looked at the son in his arms, gritted her teeth, picked up a piece of cake, and fed it to him with a fork.
Gu Shi smiled and opened his mouth to eat.
After finishing a piece of cake, he said, "It's a bit too sweet."
Luo Zhengzheng glanced at him, took out his thermos, opened it, and held it to his lips.
After serving him the cake and water, she couldn't help but say, "You really know how to enjoy yourself."
Gu Shi glanced at his son, implying that he was holding his son.
Luo Zhengzheng glanced at the driver and Nanny Wang in the front, and whispered, "I can hold my son too."
Gu Shi also asked her softly, "Do you want me to feed you?"
Luo Zhengzheng lowered her voice: "Forget it, I can't enjoy it with ease mind."
Gu Shi leaned slightly towards her and whispered in her ear, "You can totally enjoy it."
Luo Zhengzheng nudged him: "Sit properly, don't press down on our son."
Gu Shi sat up straight.
Seeing the couple whispering to each other, Nanny Wang smiled and shook her head.
Young couple, ah. Fine today, but mad tomorrow. The weather had been up and down, but right now it looked like a bright sunny day."
Luo Zhengzheng took a piece of chewing gum, ate it, and asked him, "Do you want some?"
Gu Shi shook his head: "I wouldn't dare trouble you, I'm afraid of getting disdained."
Luo Zhengzheng chuckled and nudged his arm: "Seriously?"
Gu Shi looked at her, letting her figure it out herself.
Luo Zhengzheng simply poured one out and fed it to him. He opened his mouth and ate it.
Chewing gum and leaning back in the chair, he gazed at the twinkling lights outside the window. His thoughts drifted.
Gu Shi was very perceptive. He may have already noticed the change in her mindset.
But he didn't show it. He continued to calmly and methodically arrange everything in her life. He still took good care of her, her parents and younger brother, and her career.
She thought that even without Su Zhilan's involvement, her mindset would still change after her rebirth. After all, more than ten years had passed, and her son had grown from a babbling toddler into a handsome young man taller than his mother. Even if she had feelings for Gu Shi back then, they had faded day by day and year by year.
She'd heard that in the end, the love between couples fades, and they become like family. She felt that was quite true for them now. They'd moved beyond their youth and entered the lifestyle of an old married couple. She didn't know what the future held, but she was adapting very well for now.
Of course, these were all her own assumptions, and she had no idea what Gu Shi thought.
Just as Luo Zhengzheng was dozing off, they arrived at the Luo family home.
Luo Yongsheng had already turned on the streetlights outside the courtyard, and Yuan Mei ran out and took her grandson from son-in-law's arms.
Luo Zhengzheng yawned, got out of the car, and asked as she walked into the house, "Mom, what did you make?"
Yuan Mei, holding Jiajia, said, "Your dad killed a chicken and stewed it. I also bought some beef and cooked half a pot of beef."
Seeing that his parents were only busy receiving Elder Brother-in-law and nephew, Luo Can had no choice but to open the trunk and carry things into the house with the driver and Nanny Wang.
Everyone was hungry, so they each drank a bowl of hot chicken soup. Yuan Mei and Luo Yongsheng cooked noodles that had already been rolled out, with beef as the topping, and each person ate a bowl of beef noodles.
Luo Zhengzheng patted her belly: "It's so delicious. Every time I go home and eat Mom's hand-pulled noodles, I always eat until I'm stuffed. It's past ten o'clock now and it's almost bed time. I'm sure I'll gain weight."
Yuan Mei glanced at her and said, "You young people are so afraid of gaining even a little weight. With your build, gaining ten pounds wouldn't be a problem. Gu Shi, don't you think so?"
Gu Shi glanced at Luo Zhengzheng: "Not fat at all and can eat more."
Luo Zhengzheng thought to herself, "Let me off the hook. It's easy to gain weight, but losing it is so painful."
Luo Can wasn't afraid of gaining weight. At eighteen-nineteen, he had a big appetite. He finished one bowl of beef noodles and was already getting a second one.
Gu Shi usually doesn't eat much in the evening. A bowl of chicken soup and a bowl of beef noodles were enough to satisfy him.
Yuan Mei looked at him: "Gu Shi, would you like some more?"
Gu Shi: "That's enough."
Luo Zhengzheng said from the side, "He doesn't eat much at night."
Yuan Mei stopped trying to persuade him.
After they finished eating, Luo Yongsheng looked at the large box and asked, "What's this?"
Luo Zhengzheng turned around: "Your son-in-law bought you a massage chair."
Luo Yongsheng looked at Gu Shi and asked politely, as usual, "Why are you buying this?"
Gu Shi said, "Zhengzheng said your lower back is uncomfortable. You can massage it when you have time. It should make you feel better."
Since Son-in-law had said so, he asked Luo Can to carry the massage chair into the house, install it, and plug it in. Luo Can then told him to lie down and try it out.
Luo Yongsheng found it very interesting. He lay down on it and said after a while, "This is very comfortable. This thing is good."
Luo Zhengzheng stood to the side with a smile and said, "It seems that Gu Shi's gift has really won you over."
Luo Yongsheng smiled broadly: "That's for sure."
Seeing how much he enjoyed it, Yuan Mei couldn't resist trying it herself and patted his arm: "Get up, I'll give it a try too."
Luo Yongsheng stood up, and Yuan Mei lay down. A few minutes later, she said, "This massage is really comfortable. If you are tired from work, you can lie down on it to relax your muscles and bones."
Luo Zhengzheng said, "You two relax here, we'll go upstairs to wash up."
Jiajia slept the whole way and didn't wake up. After a long evening on the road, she was exhausted and all she wanted to do was lie down and sleep.
Yuan Mei waved her hand: "Go to sleep, I'll arrange rooms for them."
Once upstairs, Gu Shi took the clothes from the suitcases and hung them in the closet.
Luo Zhengzheng took her pajamas to the bathroom. After showering, she ignored Gu Shi and went straight to bed.
Gu Shi glanced at her, unpacked his suitcase, took his toiletries, and went to the bathroom.
Luo Zhengzheng woke up groggily after a dreamless night. Not seeing Gu Shi, she yawned, changed into a dark tracksuit, and went downstairs.
Yuan Mei saw her and said, "It's already nine o'clock. Go and have breakfast. I've saved some steamed buns and soy milk for you."
Luo Zhengzheng yawned again, looking like she hadn't slept well: "Where are they?"
Yuan Mei smiled and said, "Gu Shi wants to eat stewed goose in an iron pot, so your dad led them outside to kill a goose."
Luo Zhengzheng went to the kitchen, quickly finished her soy milk, ate a steamed bun, and went outside to watch them kill the goose.
A large crowd had gathered around the hand pump well. The villagers had come to see Gu Shi after hearing that he was there. Some had even brought their own farm produce as a gift for him.
It was dark last night, so she didn't pay attention to the road conditions. Now, looking around, she saw that it was all concrete road. There were even streetlights installed. It was quite nice.
"Mom!"
As she was thinking about something, little Chengjia saw his mommy, broke free from maternal uncle's hand and ran over. His eyes were red.
Luo Zhengzheng squatted down, looked at his red and swollen eyes, and asked, "Did you cry?"
Little Chengjia sobbed as he complained to his mother, "Maternal Grandfather bad, killed the goose."
Luo Zhengzheng held his hand. With a quick sweep, she saw Gu Shi, dressed in a tracksuit and squatting on the ground helping his father-in-law kill a goose. She asked her son, "Who wants to eat the goose?"
It was your dad who wanted to eat it, how come your maternal grandfather is the bad one?
With tears welling up in his eyes, Chengjia asked his mother, "Who eat?"
Luo Zhengzheng told him, "Your dad wants to eat it."
Chengjia pouted and said, "Dad bad. Goose play with me."
He thought maternal grandfather had caught a goose to play with, but in the blink of an eye, he was going to kill it. He was so aggrieved.
Luo Zhengzheng grinned at him, "Yes, it's your dad who's bad. The big white goose is so cute, how could he eat it?"
Chengjia choked up, feeling very aggrieved: "No eat goose, Dad bad egg."
Luo Can walked over and said with a smile, "There are a few geese over there. How about Maternal Uncle takes you over to catch some geese?"
Chengjia thought he was going to kill the goose too and became panicked: "No catch, no kill the goose."
"Alright, alright, we'll just watch, we won't catch them."
Luo Can carried his nephew to the goose pen.
Luo Zhengzheng walked up to Gu Shi and asked him with amusement, "Your son is crying so hard, and you still want to kill the goose?"
Gu Shi said, "How can a boy cry so hard over a goose? That's too deliciate."
Luo Yongsheng said, "There are still several geese in the pen. We'll catch another one later."
Luo Zhengzheng teased him, "No wonder you care so much about the chickens, ducks and geese that Dad and Mom raise. So you were waiting for here."
Gu Shi: "......"
She was overthinking it.
Luo Yongsheng cleaned and chopped the goose. Then Yuan Mei began to stew the goose.
Gu Shi stayed in the kitchen, watching Mother-in-law stew goose in an iron pot while helping her.
Luo Meng knew that Luo Zhengzheng had returned, so she ran over.
Seeing Gu Shi handing plates to Eldest Aunt in the kitchen, she widened her eyes, looked at Luo Zhengzheng, and whispered, "Is he really that down-to-earth? He's here and still helping with the cooking?"
Luo Zhengzheng glanced at her. Her expression was also complicated: "He was helping my dad kill a goose earlier. He isn't helping with the cooking. More like, he is just craving an iron pot stewed goose and that is why he is so diligent."
Luo Meng thought to herself, "He's so rich, how could he lack geese to eat?" He laughed and said, "I think he gets along quite well with eldest uncle, eldest aunt, and the villagers. I had thought he would be difficult to get along with."
After all, he seemed aloof and unapproachable, yet he got along very well with eldest uncle, eldest aunt, and the villagers, which was quite unexpected.
Luo Zhengzheng didn't find Gu Shi difficult to get along with. Although he didn't talk much, he was always approachable. It was just that he looked aloof, which made people mistakenly think that he was hard to approach.
Luo Meng could tell what she was thinking from her expression, and said with disagreement, "That's only true for you guys. To outsiders, he's definitely not easy to approach. You can ask his partner companies if you don't believe me."
Luo Zhengzheng naturally wouldn't ask those pointless questions, and instead said to her, "Have goose for lunch here. Invite uncle and aunt over?"
Dad didn't invite anyone else for his birthday. He said it was enough for the family to have fun together.
Luo Meng, of course, didn't stand on ceremony. "Fine, then I won't cook lunch."
When Tang Yao returned, she saw the
short-haired girl she had seen before standing in the garden, taking
pictures of flowers AND looking very focused.
She was about to
walk over when she saw a strange man already behind the girl, seemingly
saying something.
"Ah!" A short scream rang out in the guesthouse
garden.
Tang Yao quickly took a few steps forward, pulling the
girl who had run out of the garden behind her.
"What happened to
you?" Tang Yao asked, frowning.
Seeing more people, the man
hurriedly raised his hand: "I didn't touch her. I just said one sentence to
her and she suddenly screamed."
Zhang Ru rushed out of the
restaurant, hugging her daughter with heartache and whispering reassuringly,
"It's okay, it's okay, it's alright now."
Li Yuanyuan huddled in
Zhang Ru's arms, still trembling slightly.
"Are you alright?
Let's take her to the hospital immediately." Tang Yao was about to dial an
ambulance.
“I don’t want to go to the hospital,” Li Yuanyuan
struggled in Zhang Ru’s arms.
“Okay, okay, no hospital.” Zhang Ru
thanked Tang Yao for her kindness and half-carried her daughter back to the
room.
The man was still muttering, “What is she pretending for?
Nothing happened, who is she trying to extort? Look so average-looking…”
“Sir,
please leave the guesthouse, or we will call the police.” At this moment,
Xiao Yue stood in front of him with a serious expression.
Xiao
Yue had always been smiling gently. It seemed no one had ever seen her lose
her temper.
“Why are you kicking me out? I paid! Be careful, I’ll
tell the boss to fire you!” The man hesitated for a moment before shouting
loudly.
"She's right. Please leave. I'll refund your money and
the guesthouse will never welcome you again," Tang Yao said coldly.
"Verbally insulting women and you think it's something to be proud of? Also,
if anything happens to this girl in my establishment, you'll be legally
responsible."
Seeing that the other person was just a young
woman, the man raised his hand to slap her.
But the next second,
his wrist was grabbed and a piercing pain shot through him.
"What
do you want to do?" Lu Bei stood in front of him. A head taller and with
deep dark eyes, he was imposing.
The man, who had been so
arrogant just moments before, instantly cowered.
The onlookers
began to criticize him.
"Pah, what a lousy guesthouse! I wouldn't
come here again even if you invited me!" Seeing the growing number of people
criticizing him, the man turned and left.
"Thank you," Tang Yao
said, turning back to the suddenly appearing Lu Bei.
After
calming the remaining guests and diners, Tang Yao went to the mother and
daughter's room.
"Are you alright?" Zhang Ru opened the door and
Tang Yao quickly asked. "This was due to our guesthouse's inadequate
screening, allowing such a scumbag to mingle in. If you need to go to the
hospital, I'll cooperate."
"What does this have to do with you?
You can only know a person's face, not their heart. Boss, you don't need to
take all the blame. I bear responsibility. I shouldn't have listened to her
and let her go clear her head." Zhang Ru said softly and her eyes
reddening.
It was clear that there was some unspeakable matter
between the mother and daughter, and Tang Yao naturally couldn't pry. After
comforting her, she left the room.
The guesthouse had returned to
its previous liveliness. Some people were discussing what had just happened,
and some even said that the police should have been called.
However,
whether it was what she witnessed herself or what she saw on the security
camera, the man hadn't done anything. He had only said one sentence. Tang
Yao could only kick him out for now.
When Tang Yao returned to
her small building through the garden, she noticed a long scratch on her
arm, probably from someone's fingernail during the struggle.
She
hadn't felt anything before, but now it burned with pain.
Blood
was oozing from the wound.
Tang Yao frowned, preparing to go back
to her room to disinfect it with alcohol.
"How did you get hurt?"
Tang Yao looked up and saw Lu Bei approaching with a frown.
"It's
nothing, just a small injury. Why did you come over? There are so many
people now. Someone might recognize you," Tang Yao said with a smile.
"So
what if they recognize me? It doesn't matter," Lu Bei said casually, but his
hand holding Tang Yao's was very careful.
The red, swollen wound
was still quite noticeable on her fair skin.
"Do you have any
alcohol or iodine swabs? If not, I'll go buy some. A scratch from a
fingernail can be quite irritating," Lu Bei said.
"Yes, I have
some at home," Tang Yao said quickly.
Tang Yao sat on the living
room sofa. Under her direction, Lu Bei rummaged through the drawers for
alcohol and swabs.
He wore a black shirt, sleeves rolled up to
reveal the toned, smooth muscles of his forearms.
His black,
tousled hair fell down, obscuring his eyes.
Indeed, a focused man
exuded a unique charm.
Quite pleasing to the eye.
Soon,
he found everything he needed. Lu Bei sat beside Tang Yao and carefully
applied iodine to her wound.
Tang Yao hissed softly when the
iodine first touched the wound.
Lu Bei quickly removed the cotton
swab: "Does it hurt a lot?"
"It doesn't hurt anymore, just a
little when first applied. Actually, I can do it myself."
"It’s
good that it doesn't hurt. Just bear with it a little longer, there's just a
little more left." Lu Bei subconsciously ignored Tang Yao's last
sentence.
Tang Yao could only helplessly hold up her arm for Lu
Bei to apply the medicine.
After the medicine was applied, Tang
Yao found her arm was wrapped in gauze like a dumpling.
"There's
no need to wrap it up like that. It's not that serious. It should heal on
its own soon."
This appearance was indeed a bit funny. Lu Bei
lowered his head and coughed lightly,, "It's fine, just to avoid
infection."
Tang Yao rolled her eyes at him and removed the gauze
from her hand.
Lu Bei quietly put away his phone. A satisfied
smile played on his face.
Tang Yao did know about Li Yuanyuan's
situation, but only from a police report posted online.
By then,
Li Yuanyuan and her daughter had already left the guesthouse.
Tang
Yao had stumbled upon the police report by chance.
The report
concerned a university professor who had abused his position to sexually
assault a female student. The students had jointly filed a lawsuit against
him, listing a series of his crimes.
The comments section was
filled with disbelief.
"You can know a person's face but not
their heart. I even took his class."
"He's almost seventy, how
could he have the nerve? It's disgusting."
"I haven't told
anyone. It was this same professor who called me to his office before and he
kept his hand on my shoulder. I felt uncomfortable."
"He was
rehired by our school, highly qualified, and had many students. I never
expected him to be this kind of person."
...
After the
professor was arrested, interviews were released.
Although her
face was blurred, Tang Yao immediately recognized the somewhat strange girl
that had stayed at her guesthouse. She calmly recounted her emotional
journey.
"...I had nightmares every night, dreams filled with the
professor covering my mouth, preventing me from saying anything. During that
time, I developed severe depression... Later, my mother took me to a
guesthouse, where I met a very kind neighbor, a warm-hearted owner and
staff. Gradually, I recovered and dared to face my inner self."
Netizens
speculated about which guesthouse it was, with many even trying to claim
credit.
However, Tang Yao didn't come forward to clarify. After
all, she wasn't the only one who saw Li Yuanyuan acting strangely that day.
If she spoke out, these people might recognize her.
...
The
elderly man who had previously bought huanghuali wood from Tang Yao had a
set of tables and chairs made from it. He didn't waste the leftover scraps.
He made beads to have around his wrist and wore them every day.
A
person from a villa area saw this and gathered around, asking where he
bought the items.
Tang Yao was unaware that her guesthouse had
become popular again because of the elderly man's recommendation.
She
was on the phone with Xu Haocheng, who had just arrived abroad a few days
ago and was complaining on the phone about not being used to the food.
Listening
to his wailing, Tang Yao hung up expressionlessly.
However, the
stubborn but soft-hearted Tang Yao still had Xiao Li pack a large bag of
snacks to send to Xu Haocheng.
After sending the snacks, she
sowed some seasonal vegetable seeds in the garden. The weather was getting
hotter. Summer had arrived a few days ago and fewer tourists were visiting
Wanhua Town.
Xiao Li brought over iced drinks, one for Tang Yao
and one for Lu Bei, who had joined them midway.
Lu Bei had
completely abandoned his actor persona, standing in the field with his
trousers rolled up, helping to sow the seeds, and looking very down-to-earth
with the straw hat.
Tang Yao knew this man was pursuing her, but
he always maintained a leisurely pace and a comfortable distance, often
making Tang Yao forget she had a suitor.
However, some small
gestures could indeed be quite captivating.
For example, right
now, a tall, long-legged man stood before her, brushing pebbles from her
hair and casually inserting a straw into her drink before handing it over.
His gaze was so intensely fixed on her and his eyes filled with a dramatic
intensity, as if he were acting in a television drama.
Meanwhile,
Xu Haocheng, far away abroad, heard Lu Bei's voice when Tang Yao hung up the
phone. He immediately became displeased and started typing furiously on his
phone.
Soon after, Lu Bei received a long text message with harsh
words like, "Don't think you can win over my elder sister so easily. You
haven't gotten past me yet."
Before going abroad, Xu Haocheng had
added Lu Bei on WeChat. They rarely chatted, and when they did, the tension
was palpable.
However, it was usually Xu Haocheng rambling on and
on, with Lu Bei occasionally replying with a few words.
"Be
sensible, I'll buy you the sneakers you like."
Upon receiving the
reply, Xu Haocheng was torn between his favorite elder sister and his
favorite sneakers.
Lu Bei put his phone back in his pocket and
his gaze fell on Tang Yao.
Tang Yao was drinking a beverage. The
cold drink relieved the heat of the day.
That evening, Tang Yao
was relaxing on the rooftop when she received a call from Cheng An.
"Yao
Yao!" Her voice sounded excited, "He confessed to me!"
This time it was quite a big commotion. Gu Xian's face was scratched all over.
Gu Boyuan was furious. He dragged Gu Xian to the study and gave him a severe scolding.
When his son and daughter-in-law quarrel, regardless of who WAs right or wrong, as the father-in-law, he could only discipline his son first.
Besides, he watched his second daughter-in-law and the others grow up. Although she was spoiled, he didn't see her as an unreasonable child. Why would she scratch Gu Xian's face for no reason?
He knew his son's personality very well. Why would a girl scratch a man's face? He could guess without even thinking that he must have provoked some people he shouldn't have.
He couldn't build a solid fence himself and let others slip in. He shouldn't blame others for that.
As for his daughter-in-law going into acting, he neither commented nor denied it. He believed that young people should be allowed to choose the kind of life they want. The world changed too fast and as the chairman of a company, he sometimes struggled to keep up. He often had to try to consider things from the perspective of young people, otherwise, they would fall behind and the company would be difficult to run.
Gu Xian left his father's study dejectedly and headed home. As he walked along the garden path, he caught a glimpse of Gu Shi out of the corner of his eye. Face full of resentment, Gu Xian couldn't help but go over and complain to him: "Why did you give money to fourth younger sister-in-law to film a TV series? If it weren't for fourth younger sister-in-law filming a TV series, why would your second elder sister-in-law have thought of acting? Fourth younger brother, don't spoil fourth younger sister-in-law too much and let her have her way with everything, or she'll start causing trouble for you sooner or later."
"Is that so?" Luo Zhengzheng's voice rang out softly from the side.
Gu Xian was startled when he saw her: "What are you doing here?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him sullenly, her tone icy and somewhat intimidating: "If I weren't here, how would I know that second elder brother had such a big problem with me?"
Gu Xian glanced awkwardly at Gu Shi, gesturing for his help, but Gu Shi pretended not to see his look.
Gu Xian laughed, no longer intending to hold back: "What I said is true. If you hadn't invested in making TV dramas, would your second elder sister-in-law have thought of acting? You've been spoiled rotten by fourth younger brother."
Luo Zhengzheng naturally wouldn't tolerate him either: "The reason second elder sister-in-law went to act is because you're too much of a playboy and she feels insecure."
Second elder sister-in-law might try to save face for him and cover it up for him, but she wouldn't. When she got angry, she was ruthless and didn't care about family ties.
Gu Xian looked around hurriedly and didn't see anyone else. He said through gritted teeth in a low voice, "You can't just say things like that."
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him and said, "I'm not making this up. You are a womanizer."
Gu Xian was both angry and guilty after being rebuked by her. He said angrily, "Anyway, i don’t care. You’re not allowed to let your second elder sister-in-law act in your film production and this matter can be dropped."
Luo Zhengzheng snorted: "You can drop it, but I don't want to. Second Elder Sister-in-law's acting skills are amazing. I plan to wait until she finishes this production and recommend her for auditions if there are any good roles in the future. Maybe second elder sister-in-law can even win a Best Actress award or something. She'll become more and more outstanding, while you'll gradually become an ordinary man with no special characteristics. Just wait to be disliked by second elder sister-in-law."
Gu Shi glanced at second elder brother, then gently patted Luo Zhengzheng's shoulder. These two were in their twenties-thirties, why were they arguing like children?
Luo Zhengzheng glared at him and said with displeasure, "Don't interrupt me, you're affecting my performance."
Gu Shi: "......"
Gu Xian scoffed: "You and your second sister-in-law? It's not that I look down on you, but this TV series might turn out to be a terrible show. Forget about winning Best Actress or Best TV Actress awards, you'll be lucky if you don't get attacked online. You must have invested a lot of money in this TV series, right? Don't cry when it loses money."
Luo Zhengzheng retorted, "Anyway, I'm better than you. At least we dare to challenge things we've never done before. What about you? You only dare to challenge your wife's bottom line."
Gu Xian glared at her: "You're spoiled by fourth younger brother, have no respect for your elders."
Luo Zhengzheng: "It's still better than you being a womanizer."
Gu Xian: "You and your younger brother are both reckless and unruly."
Luo Zhengzheng: "It's still better than you being a womanizer."
Gu Xian: "......"
Exasperated, he glared at Gu Shi and harshly threw out, "You'd better keep an eye on her, otherwise you'll be stuck with a wife and brother-in-law and sooner or later, they'll cause trouble."
After saying that, he strode away. If he didn't leave, Luo Zhengzheng would drive him crazy.
Luo Zhengzheng watched his retreating figure with a face full of anger: "He's a womanizer himself, yet he still tries to control his wife going into acting. It's absurd."
Gu Shi looked at him and tactfully asked, "You won the argument. Are you still angry?"
Luo Zhengzheng glared at him, somewhat dissatisfied: "You should have joined me in arguing with him just now."
Gu Shi said with a mocking smile, "How about I scold him for you next time?"
It wasn't that Luo Zhengzheng looked down on him. She simply couldn't imagine Gu Shi scolding.
Thinking of this, Luo Zhengzheng said, "Forget it, just stand to the side and don't get in the way."
Gu Shi joked, "Okay, I won't affect your performance."
Luo Zhengzheng: "......"
That evening, after washing up, Luo Zhengzheng called Chen Hui and asked her to help find a teacher. She wanted to personally find a teacher for second elder sister-in-law to teach her acting, preferably someone who could teach her on set. It was just acting, how difficult could it be? Second elder sister-in-law had talent. No matter how difficult it was, with more learning and practice, plus one-on-one guidance from a renowned teacher, she didn't believe she couldn't produce a bright student.
Gu Shi came out of the bathroom and saw Luo Zhengzheng lying on the bed making a phone call. She intermittently spoke, "It has to be a teacher who knows how to teach students, who can see the problems in students at a glance... Hmm, I'll wait for your message. Tomorrow I'll have second elder sister-in-law go to Wanhua Entertainment, and you can have the teacher go directly to teach her... Second elder sister-in-law isn't afraid of hardship. If she's afraid of hardship, tell me. How can acting not be hard? Since she wants to act, she must have considered this. Don't worry."
After hanging up the phone, she saw Gu Shi sitting on the edge of the bed. She glanced at him, ignored him, and sat on the bed in a daze.
Gu Shi asked her with a smile, "Are you planning to go against second elder brother?"
Luo Zhengzheng sat up straight: "What are you talking about? What do you mean by 'going against him'? I won't stoop to his level at all."
Gu Shi asked doubtfully, "Really?"
“Of course.” Luo Zhengzheng said seriously, “Second elder brother has a misunderstanding. What’s wrong with acting? Why does he forbid second elder sister-in-law from acting and look down on filming? I used to think second elder sister-in-law was spoiled and couldn’t endure hardship, but I think she’s serious about doing something this time. She not only stayed up all night to finish reading the whole novel, but also studied the characters in it. Director Lu, who is such a strict person, is very satisfied with her. You know, she never used to read novels.”
Seeing her serious expression, Gu Shi chuckled and sat up straight to listen attentively to what she had to say.
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him and said, "Since second elder sister-in-law is so serious about acting in the TV series I invested in, as an investor, I will naturally support her. Supporting her is supporting myself. We are both people who are serious about our careers and don't have the mental capacity to be petty with him."
Gu Shi ruffled her hair and said with a smile, "Okay, I understand."
Luo Zhengzheng yawned and rubbed her eyes: "I'm sleepy, I'm going to sleep."
Gu Shi chuckled softly when he saw her close her eyes and fall asleep.
In the following days, Gu Xian pretended not to see Luo Zhengzheng.
Luo Zhengzheng thought to herself, "You're such a petty older brother. Just pretend you didn't see it. I'm not angry. I don't know who will be the one who gets angry in the end."
Liu Hanyue also knew that fourth younger sister-in-law had argued with that scoundrel Gu Xian because of her, and she felt very bad, so she went to apologize to Luo Zhengzheng.
Luo Zhengzheng grabbed her arm: "You're my second sister-in-law. What he's like has nothing to do with you. Why apologize for him? Ignore him. Focus on your studies, focus on your acting, and win a Best Actress award to show him. Who told him to look down on us women."
Wang Yaning wanted to remind Luo Zhengzheng that she called her 'Second Elder Sister-in-law' because she married Gu Xian. They were a married couple, how could they have nothing to do with each other?
However, in Luo Zhengzheng's heart, she acknowledged Liu Hanyue but not Gu Xian, her second brother-in-law. Naturally, she wouldn't consider the two of them together. Clearly, in her heart, her second elder sister-in-law was her second sister-in-law, and Gu Xian was Gu Xian.
On Friday evening, Luo Can arrived at the Gu family's house ahead of schedule.
Gu Shi and Luo Zhengzheng had the gifts they had prepared loaded into the vehicle. And because there were large gifts, they even called a truck.
Luo Can glanced at the huge thing and asked his elder brother-in-law, "What is this?"
Gu Shi carried the suitcase and put it in the trunk: "Automatic massage chair."
Luo Can touched the cardboard box containing the massage chair: "Is this bought for my dad?"
Gu Shi nodded. "Your elder sister said his back is uncomfortable."
Luo Can glanced at him and gave him a thumbs up: "Not bad, not bad, you know how to please Father-in-law."
Gu Shi glanced at him: "This isn't about pleasing. It's about genuinely caring for father-in-law."
Luo Can: "Your awareness is truly high."
Luo Zhengzheng led Jiajia out of the house: "If you don't have high awareness, you won't be able to find a wife."
Gu Shi glanced at her with a smile. He didn't marry a wife based on his high level of enlightenment.
Upon hearing his mom's words, little Chengjia suddenly blurted out, "I'll never be able to find a wife."
Luo Can burst into laughter, ran over, picked him up, hugged him tightly, and pinched his little nose: "Who can't find a wife?"
Little Chengjia didn't know what "getting married" meant, but he vaguely thought it meant: "Maternal uncle find wife."
Gu Shi looked at him: "He's telling you to get married."
"What find wife?" Luo Can said with a smile, "This kid's speech has become much clearer in just a few days."
As they were talking, Ye Li arrived, carrying two bags. She handed them to Luo Zhengzheng: "These are gifts for your parents. It's your dad's birthday and I won’t go over. Please apologize to your parents."
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and took the bag: "It's okay. The company is quite busy, and it's not a big birthday. It's the same with Gu Shi coming back with me."
Ye Li nodded and looked at her grandson in Luo Can's arms: "Grandma hug you okay?"
Little Chengjia immediately reached out his hand. Ye Li hugged him, kissed his little face, and then handed him to Luo Can.
The group got into the car. Luo Zhengzheng looked at Ye Li: "Mom, we're leaving."
Ye Li waved and said, "Be careful on the road."
Luo Zhengzheng: "Okay."
She looked at her son and said, "Say goodbye to Grandma."
Little Chengjia waved his little hand repeatedly, saying goodbye to his grandma.
Luo Can took the car keys, opened his car, and looked excited.
Luo Zhengzheng couldn't help but say to him through the car window, "Drive carefully."
Luo Can gave him an OK sign and asked loudly with a smile, "Elder Sis, want to ride in my car?"
Luo Zhengzheng immediately shook her head. Her driver was from the military and had very steady driving skills, which Luo Can, a novice, couldn't match. She wouldn't dare ride in his car.
After Gu Shi died in a car accident in her previous life, she had always had a psychological shadow. She was afraid to drive herself and had high requirements for her driver.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu didn't take Gu Jijing's appearance to heart. From birth until now, their lives had only consisted of their mommy.
The title "daddy" was as foreign to them as Gu Jijing himself. They didn't envy other children for having daddies. instead, they found it strange that other children would like someone who was competing with them for their mommy's affections. So, knowing that Gu Jijing wouldn't bother them anymore, the two children felt the matter was over.
Yun Chuman, however, was still somewhat concerned, not about Gu Jijing himself, but because she felt there was more to the story than met the eye.
Gu Jijing's proposal for her and the children seemed too perfect. Judging from his attitude, perhaps Yun Xinxin and the yet-to-be-seen male lead both had issues.
But she didn't want to question Gu Jijing about it. Accidentally getting involved would be troublesome. It was best to minimize contact.
Therefore, after leaving the coffee shop, despite their differing thoughts, one big and two small were in good spirits.
Seeing it was getting late, Yun Chuman took the two children straight to a nearby shopping mall for lunch. Afterward, they would go to the supermarket inside to buy some fresh fruits, vegetables, and snacks to stock up at home.
Lunch was simple: pan-fried buns.
Yun Juan loved stuffed foods like buns and dumplings, and unusually ate a little more than usual.
Yun Shu's little cat tongue was very sensitive to heat, but happened to like hot food and wouldn't eat it cold. So, she ate her meal with a long face, quite conflicted, and only cheered up again after being fed by Yun Chuman.
After lunch, the two children strolled around the mall again.
Yun Chuman wandered around excitedly, wanting to try everything. She took the two children to try out VR and even took them to a closed, soundproof karaoke room.
Yun Chuman was a terrible singer and usually didn't dare to sing, but thinking that only her two children were with her, she confidently went in and sang a song first.
The machine actually had a scoring system. out of 100, she only got 30 after one song.
"Mommy, why did that song you sing sounded weird," Yun Shu asked innocently, blinking her eyes.
Yun Juan coughed, feeling guilty, and said, "What Mommy did is called an adaptation."
Yun Shu exclaimed admiringly, "Mom, you're so amazing!"
Yun Chuman scratched her head, awkwardly turning her head away to avoid eye contact, and gave a dry laugh, "Haha, it's nothing special."
She stole a glance at the innocent little girl. If the girl had even a kindergarten diploma, she wouldn't have been fooled like this by her and Yun Juan.
After that, she didn't touch the microphone again, spending half an hour listening to the two children sing.
She was surprised to find that Yun Shu's pitch was excellent, and her voice was also pleasant.
Yun Juan, on the other hand, was exactly like herself, completely out of tune. No wonder Yun Juan had been so quick to help her out earlier. they were in the same boat! She hadn't even noticed before that he only hummed and didn't sing!
The one adult and two children played in the mall all afternoon before heading to the supermarket to buy groceries. Afterward, they would go home.
As they passed the third floor, they encountered a mall promotion. A young boy in a light blue T-shirt was enthusiastically shouting through a megaphone, "Kids' Kitchen! Kids' Kitchen! Let your children experience the joy of cooking in a safe environment. It's easy to operate, even kitchen novices can easily get started! Everything is 50% off now, don't miss it!"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu stopped when they heard the words "easy to operate," and their big eyes gazed over curiously.
Yun Chuman also stopped, but she heard the words "safe environment."
"Little Juan, Little Shu, shall we go take a look?" she asked the two children, looking down at them.
The two children's eyes lit up, and they nodded simultaneously, drawing out their "Okay~"
Yun Chuman smiled, took their hands, one on each side, and walked towards the promotion.
When they were about a hundred meters away, the salesman's sharp eyes locked onto them. He darted forward and eagerly said, "This lady looks like a loving mommy. How about a children's kitchen set? It can help develop your child's hands-on skills."
He then looked at the two children and added, "Your two children are so adorable. If they could also be good cooks at such a young age, wouldn't that be the icing on the cake?"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu blushed shyly at the compliment. They tilted their heads, looked at each other mischievously, and winked at each other. This elder brother didn't know they could cook!
Yun Chuman had the same reaction, smiling as she asked, "You don't watch variety shows, do you?"
The salesman shook his head. "I've heard that variety shows are scripted. Since they're all scripted, it's better to watch TV dramas. at least they're more detailed."
"That makes sense," Yun Chuman said, nodding in agreement.
The two children looked up at her, blinking in confusion, wanting to say, "Mommy, we don't have scripts!"
The children's kitchen was a miniature version of the family kitchen, complete with stoves, pots, pans, and various small appliances. It was finely crafted and looks adorable.
But the fact that it was being promoted suggested it wasn't selling well. Besides taking up space and being largely useless, another major reason was its high price.
With their little hands gripping the edge of the table, Yun Juan and Yun Shu stood on tiptoe, tilted their heads back, and blinked their bright puppy eyes, exclaiming in unison, "Wow!"
"Are you sure these are safe?" Yun Chuman asked.
The two children love to cook. Although she usually supervises the fire and knives, the household utensils were too big for them, making injuries a real possibility.
Looking at their adoring gazes, she was interested in buying a children's kitchen. The thought of the two children playing in their miniature kitchen was incredibly cute.
"Of course! All the tools meet safety standards, and stoves like this, being so small, don't need gas. Alcohol blocks will suffice," the salesperson said with a bright smile.
"Little Juan and Little Shu, do you want them?" Yun Chuman asked.
The two children nodded repeatedly. These little tools looked easy to use. Mommy could learn to cook!
Yun Juan mentally compared the prices, looked up and said, "Mom, let's buy them with Little Juan's money!"
Bouncing, Yun Shu raised her hand, "And Little Shu's too! Little Shu has money now!"
The saleswoman assumed they were talking about their New Year's money and smiled foolishly, thinking how well-behaved these two children were, even knowing to use their own savings to buy toys.
Yun Chuman paused, "Little Juan and Little Shu’s money got to be properly saved. I have it here."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu disagreed. This kitchenware set was a gift for their mommy, who was a complete novice in the kitchen. If they used Yun Chuman's money, would it still be a gift?
The two children exchanged a glance and grabbed Yun Chuman's hands. One on each side, they shook her hands back and forth: "Mommy, let's use ours!"
Yun Chuman couldn't resist their pleading and pinched their cheeks, smiling, "Okay, okay, we'll use yours."
Though she said that, she definitely wouldn't touch the two children's money.
A few days ago, Xu Qiuhong from the gallery had happened to get her an illustration job. The workload wasn't heavy, and the price was good. After seeing the painting she had drawn for Yun Shu, the client immediately paid her a deposit.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu watched her pay with sparkling eyes, secretly gave each other a high five, and whispered a "Yay!" Now Mommy wouldn't be unhappy anymore because she couldn't cook!
Yun Chuman was also very satisfied. With a children's kitchen, the two children could play to their hearts' content, so she generously bought the most complete set.
The sales clerk beamed, "Madam, we also offer home delivery! Could you please tell me your home address and contact information? We guarantee this children's kitchen set will be delivered to your doorstep when you arrive."
Yun Chuman readily agreed. carrying the children's kitchen set home would probably exhaust her.
Afterwards, Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu, both happy about buying kitchenware for each other, walked briskly downstairs to the supermarket.
The sales clerk watched their backs as they occasionally skipped along, thinking that if only a few more customers with such generous spending habits came along, his commission for the month would be more than enough.
At this time, a group of people suddenly gathered in the television section behind him.
The sales clerk, still in a good mood after selling a large item, couldn't resist peeking to see what was going on.
Neatly arranged high-definition televisions of varying sizes were playing the same image, looking rather mesmerizing.
The salesperson, seeing Mo Rongwen on TV, exclaimed in surprise. No wonder so many people were attracted. It was Movie Star Mo! After watching for a while, he chuckled, "This movie star is a real warrior! He actually keeps so many pets!"
The TV was showing the opening sequence of the first episode of "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs," a significantly more polished version than the rough preview.
The opening sequence featured short, interesting clips of each guest, interspersed with small animations.
Mo Rongwen's scene involved being tormented by his furry friends to the point of almost vomiting.
The images on the TV screen changed continuously. A beautiful woman stood in a kitchen, diligently wielding a spatula. Soon, her hair animatedly transformed into an afro, and two children beside her took over the spatula, creating delicious dishes.
"This...this..."
The salesperson's eyes widened in astonishment. Wasn't this the customer who had just come to buy something from him?!
He glanced at the children's kitchen set beside him with a complicated expression, wondering who it was really for. "No wonder they asked if I watched variety shows..."
Yun Chuman and Yun Juan and Yun Shu were unaware that the salesperson had discovered the truth shortly after they left.
When they returned home carrying their bags, the mall staff were already waiting at the entrance, with the large children's kitchen set beside them.
Yun Chuman quickly thanked them and even gave them a bottle of water.
After the staff left, she laboriously carried the kitchenware into the living room. Just as she was about to unpack and set it up with the two children, Xiao Xi called.
"The first episode of 'Every Family Has Its Own Affairs' has premiered! Did you watch it? Did you all forget it officially aired today?!"
Xiao Xi raised her voice, "The second episode is filming the day after tomorrow, you didn't forget that too, did you?"
Yun Chuman scratched her head, remembering their plans for the day after tomorrow: "No, no, Little Juan, Little Shu, and I just got back and were about to turn on the TV."
The two children immediately seconded.
Yun Juan turned on the TV, while Yun Shu waited nearby with the remote, constantly changing channels and turning up the volume.
Xiao Xi, hearing the familiar voice, grumbled twice and let her go: "We'll pick you and the two kids up at 10 a.m. the day after tomorrow. Pack your luggage in advance tomorrow."
Yun Chuman repeatedly assured her before the other party hung up.
"Mommy, come quick! So Elder Brother Mo was injured by Haha before he came to find us!"
Yun Chuman heard Yun Shu's voice and turned to see the two children already sitting obediently on the sofa, swinging their little legs, and watching TV intently.
She checked the time. It was already dinnertime.
After the show ended, it would be time for them to go to bed, so she grabbed some snacks and small cakes they had just bought and went over.
The family of three squeezed onto the sofa, eating snacks and watching TV.
The two children giggled occasionally. When Yun Shu saw herself in the screen, would shyly hide behind Yun Chuman, peeking out with her eyes.
Yun Juan, used to appearing on TV, would tease Yun Shu, "Little Shu's legs are so short!"
Yun Shu poked her head out from under Yun Chuman's arm, pouting, "Elder Brother's legs are short too!"
"But yours look fatter than mine," Yun Juan said, swinging his legs and finishing the last bit of his cheese stick.
Yun Shu retreated back behind Yun Chuman, secretly measuring her legs with her little hands, and sadly realized that they were indeed a little bit short.
Yun Chuman found the siblings even more entertaining than the variety show, and laughed heartily.
Although her attention wasn't on the show, she still noticed the difference between this episode and the pilot episode.
The pilot episode was an hour long, with each of the six guests averaging ten minutes.
The first episode was nearly two hours long, with her and Mo Rongwen's group clearly taking up the majority of the screen time, leaving only a small portion for the other two groups.
She was curious to see what Yun Xinxin was up to, but she only had about ten minutes of screen time, either explaining antiques to the DINK couple or drinking coffee—it was incredibly boring.
Yun Chuman could understand why the production team did this. The other two groups required the post-production to work hard to create humor before piecing together a segment of less than an hour.
After the show ended, it was already quite late.
The two children, though still somewhat buzzing, were yawning constantly. And after having just eaten small cakes, their tummy bulged and they felt even sleepier.
Yun Chuman helped them brush their teeth, gave them a bath, and dressed them in cute bear pajamas.
The two children couldn't stay awake any longer and fell asleep while having their hair dried. Yun Chuman carried them one by one to the bed. She laid on the edge and easily embraced them both.
This close proximity instantly gave her a great sense of security.
Yun Juan instinctively grasped her fingers with his small hands.
Yun Shu, like a kitten, rolled over and rubbed her cheek against her shoulder.
Yun Chuman softly said goodnight and quickly fell asleep.
The next morning, she woke up and, as usual, tiptoed out to do her morning exercises.
As soon as she turned on her phone, she found many missed calls and messages from the previous night.
She habitually put her phone on silent when the two children were sleeping, so she hadn't seen any of them.
Yun Chuman frowned in confusion, starting with the most familiar messages from Xiao Xi and Mo Rongwen.
She opened her chat with Xiao Xi, and immediately saw it filled with exclamation marks. She could feel the other person's excitement even through the screen.
Yun Chuman did a quick sweep and learned that the gist of it. She was saying yesterday's variety show had gone well, even trending on social media. Gaining a huge following overnight, it led to numerous collaboration offers—from variety shows to TV dramas and movies.
However, neither Yun Chuman nor Yun Juan and Yun Shu had an agency or a Weibo account, so many people didn't know how to contact them and instead called Li Rufei, the director of "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs."
Li Rufei worked through the night to select several promising offers and had Xiao Xi forward them to Yun Chuman.
Yun Chuman skimmed through the form and discovered that quite a few were for her, not any less than for her two children.
But she wasn't the original owner of this body, so she crossed off the acting offers without a second thought. She found a few variety shows quite interesting and thought she might look into them later.
There were even more offers for Yun Juan and Yun Shu, including the "Little Chef" competition variety show that Mo Rongwen had mentioned before.
Yun Chuman saved the form and sent a voice message to Xiao Xi: "Thank you, Xiao Xi. Please also thank Director Li for me. Little Juan and little Shu will seriously consider these invitations."
Then she switched the chat interface to Mo Rongwen, expecting a similar message, but the other party only sent three sentences.
【What's going on between you and Gu Jijing? Why are you trending?】
【It's not good to have a scandal at this time. it could easily affect little Juan and little Shu.】
【Gone? Gone! Gone…】
The three messages were sent less than a minute apart.
Yun Chuman thought for a moment and checked Weibo. It was possible for her and Gu Jijing to be trending, after all, their blind date yesterday was so high-profile, many people had seen them.
The trending topic about her and little Juan and little Shu was still there, with related hashtags like #WhatShouldIDoWhenMyKidCanSwimButICan't?#, #Yun Juan&Yun Shu: OurDailyLifeWithOurUselessOldMommy#, and #TheBestExampleOfApproachingSocialAnxiety#. She didn't click on it. Judging by the title, she knew it would definitely contain clips of her being taken care of by the two kids! The comments would probably be mostly just laughter at her.
Yun Chuman tried searching for Gu Jijing, but only business reports popped up.
She didn't even need to think. Gu Jijing was definitely suppressing the trending topics, otherwise they wouldn't have disappeared so quickly and completely.
Yun Chuman felt a little grateful. After all, just as Mo Rongwen said, if she were to be associated with Gu Jijing now, many people would definitely investigate Little Juan and Little Shu's background, which might hurt them.
At this time, Mo Rongwen sent a message: "Am I seeing things? Or am I dreaming from drinking too much last night? But why would I connect you with Gu Jijing?" Yun Chuman scratched her head, remembering that Mo Rongwen genuinely cared for the two children, so she didn't hide anything from him and replied directly: "It's true, Gu Jijing is little Juan and little Shu's biological father, but they're strangers now."
She waited a while, only seeing Mo Rongwen's end repeatedly displaying "typing," but no word came for a long time.
Yun Chuman stopped worrying about it, guessing that Mo Rongwen was imagining a whole drama. Following her usual routine, she found the broadcast exercises and started doing them.
Halfway through, the two children woke up and groggily joined in.
Yun Juan occasionally yawned secretly and his eyes were watery. Still clutching her small blanket, Yun Shu waved her limbs instinctively with her eyes closed.
When it came to making breakfast, it went without saying the children's kitchen she had just bought the night before was used.
Yun Chuman meticulously cleaned and disinfected each kitchen utensil. Two children, wearing pink aprons, stood eagerly beside her.
"Mommy, are you done yet?" Yun Shu had clenched her little chubby hands fists, tiptoed a couple of times, and asked softly.
"Mommy, shall we make some pancakes in a bit?" Yun Juan had already planned out the menu.
"Okay, whatever you want to make."
Yun Chuman responded, speeding up her work. After finishing the last palm-sized frying pan, she said, "Little Juan and Little Shu, come and let’s cook together!"
The two children rushed over, offering her tissues to wipe her sweat.
Yun Chuman sat on the floor, tilting her head slightly to enjoy their service, and asked with a smile, "What should I do in a bit?"
"Mommy will fry pancakes."
Yun Juan washed his hands again, placed the carrots he had already washed on the cutting board, took out the special children's knife, and skillfully shredded them.
"Me? Fry?" Yun Chuman pointed to herself in surprise. Wasn't he afraid she'd turn the pancake into a rock?
"Mom is already tired from sterilizing the kitchen utensils, so elder brother and I will prepare everything. Mommy just needs to fry it."
Yun Shu smilingly took out a large bowl, poured in some flour, added a pinch of salt and an egg, added water, and stirred constantly until it became a batter.
Seeing that the batter was the right consistency, Yun Juan added shredded carrots and some chopped scallions.
The two children walked to Yun Chuman's side, one on each side.
Yun Juan pointed to the small stove: "Mom, light this."
Yun Chuman habitually followed his instructions, placing the alcohol flask under the stove and lighting it with a lighter. The fire quickly grew strong.
Yun Juan placed a small frying pan on it, picked up a small piece of fatty meat and coated the entire pan with the rendered fat.
Yun Chuman humbly asked, "Little Juan, what are you doing?"
"Mommy, this is called seasoning the pan. Then the bottom won't burn," Yun Juan earnestly explained.
Yun Chuman exclaimed "Wow!" and clapped her hands sincerely. She hadn't known any of this. Where did the little kid learn it?
After the little fatty meat was dried and golden brown, Yun Juan took it out.
Yun Shu, who had been waiting nearby, scooped out a small spoonful of batter and poured it evenly onto the pan, saying softly, "Mommy, gently shake the pan."
Yun Chuman obediently pinched the handle of the pan with her fingers and gently shook the palm-sized pan. The batter quickly set, emitting a faint aroma.
Her eyes lit up. At this time, Yun Juan handed her a small spatula. She held the spatula with her other hand, held her breath, and flipped the pancake over, revealing a golden-brown side.
"I...I'm going to succeed?" Yun Chuman was excited. Although it was just a simple pancake, it was the first time she had ever made something edible!
"Mom, you're so amazing!"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu clapped enthusiastically.
With their prompting, Yun Chuman took the pancake out. The outside was slightly browned, the sides crispy, and the inside soft and savory.
Looking at her battle prize, Yun Chuman couldn't resist making two more. She got so carried away that she turned the entire bowl of batter into pancakes.
Yun Shu whispered to Yun Juan, "Elder Brother, Mom's so happy!"
Yun Juan smiled and nodded, replying softly, "Looks like we didn't make a mistake buying this kitchen set. Even Mommy can easily grasp it now."
Yun Chuman, who was about to show off her creation to the two children, froze upon hearing their words. Her lips twitched slightly, and she silently turned and put the stack of small pancakes back.
Only then did she understand why Yun Juan and Yun Shu insisted on buying this children's kitchen set with their own money—it was for her to play with! While feeling heartwarming, she also felt a pang of guilt.
Afterwards, Yun Juan and Yun Shu cooked a small pot of vegetable porridge, which they ate with the vegetable pancakes.
The children's kitchen set wasn't large, just enough for the three of them to eat their fill without feeling overwhelmed.
After breakfast, Yun Chuman helped Yun Juan and Yun Shu pack their luggage for tomorrow.
Having learned from their previous experience, the two children helped even more efficiently, and in no time, Yun Chuman had packed the suitcase.
The two children and the adult lay on the sofa. The sun was blazing outside, while the air conditioner blew cool air into the room.
Bored, Yun Juan and Yun Shu stretched out their chubby little arms. Yun Chuman was almost dozed off when they suddenly said, "Mommy, let's go for a walk."
Yun Chuman snapped out of it. She glanced out the window. It was incredibly hot today. The scenery outside looked distorted by the heat. If she took the two children out, they'd get sunburned!
She pondered for a moment, sat up, took out her sketchbook and pencil from the bedroom, and said, "Little Juan, Little Shu, how about we draw? We won't go out today, we need to rest up for recording the show tomorrow."
Yun Juan's eyes lit up instantly. He jumped off the sofa with a spring in his step, nodding repeatedly, "Okay, okay!"
Yun Shu didn't react as strongly. She yawned, turned around, and lay on the sofa with her chubby little legs dangling in the air and her cheek pressed against her arm. She lazily smiled, "Okay~"
Seeing that she wasn't very interested, Yun Chuman thought for a moment and said, "I said before that I would teach Little Juan to paint, right?"
Yun Juan nodded expectantly, "Yes! I want to learn to paint with Mom!"
"But Mommy won't teach you today. Little Juan, just draw whatever you want, and Mommy will see your skill level," Yun Chuman added. "Can Little Shu be elder brother's model?"
Yun Shu raised her little head and rolled over to the side of the sofa while still lying down. Before Yun Chuman could reach out to catch her, she was already standing steadily on the ground.
She even raised her short, chubby arms high, tilted her chin up, and proudly struck a gymnastic landing pose.
Yun Chuman couldn't resist patting her little head and said, "Little Shu is so amazing. Let's go change our clothes first, and then you can be Elder Brother's model in a little while."
Yun Shu excitedly nodded and ran barefoot to the bedroom.
Yun Chuman stood up. Before following, she recalled to tell Yun Juan to wait a bit.
Turning around, she saw him with a serious expression, staring intently at the sketchbook in front of him, as if the notebook owed him a huge amount of snacks. His chubby little hands gripping the pencil were so tight that his fingertips had turned white.
She paused for a moment, squatted down, and leaned closer to Yun Juan, cheerfully dais, "Oh, what's wrong? Our little Juan can be nervous too."
Yun Shu stopped after taking only a couple of steps, turned around, and raised her voice in surprise, "Elder Brother is nervous? Why are you nervous? Elder Brother is actually nervous!"
Yun Juan blushed and said fiercely, "I’m not!"
However, because the voice was too immature, it lacked a bit of imposing presence, making it look rather fierce in a cute way.
He wrinkled his nose, explaining that he just felt he needed to take his first drawing seriously, not that he was nervous. He told Little Shu and Mommy they were just making things up.
Yun Shu ran back, like a smug little kitten, and stuck her head from Yun Juan's left and right sides.
Yun Juan held back for a long time before his two chubby little hands firmly and accurately pinched his plump cheeks. She frowned and said, "If you don't go change your clothes, I won't use you as a model anymore."
Yun Shu's cheeks were pinched so hard that the flesh on her cheeks gathered together, and her mouth pouted. She said indistinctly, "Gl, glo, hm, num."
It took Yun Chuman a moment to realize that she meant "Going now."
As soon as Yun Juan released her cheek, she ran away on her short legs, afraid that her brother would not let her be a model.
Yun Chuman didn't follow. She patted Yun Juan's little head and asked, "Little Juan, didn't you choose to paint because it is fun? Why do you look so bitter and resentful now?"
Seeing that the little boy looked a bit dazed, she smiled and said, "I'll go help Little Shu change her clothes. Little Juan, can you get ready?"
Yun Juan pursed his lips, looked at her, and nodded vigorously: "En!"
Mommy was right, painting was a fun thing!
He took a deep breath, and his expression visibly relaxed.
Seeing this, Yun Chuman felt relieved and went to the bedroom to find Yun Shu.
"Mom, what should I wear?"
Yun Shu tilted her head back, looking at the colorful clothes in the wardrobe with a puzzled expression.
Considering that this was Yun Juan's first time drawing, Yun Chuman thought it would be better to let Yun Shu do a simpler design. She looked through it and took out an overall short .
When she took Yun Shu out, Yun Juan was already sitting on a stool on the small balcony, holding a pencil and notebook in a very serious manner.
Yun Shu went straight to the white wall of the balcony, sat down on the ground, crossed her short legs, rested her small hands on her cheeks, half-closed her eyes, and tilted her head slightly to face the sunlight outside. Her long eyelashes casted a shadow on the red clouds.
She wore a simple white short-sleeved top and shorts that looked exactly like a pumpkin. She had two little braids in her hair, and she looked like a little pumpkin hiding from the sun under the clouds. She was so cute.
Yun Chuman's eyes lit up, thinking to herself that Yun Shu's expressiveness was indeed very good. She didn't need to be taught at all. She knew how to express herself and her clothes.
Her fingers twitched, wanting to draw her too, but ultimately refrained.
Yun Juan looked at Younger Sister, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes, and isr last bit of nervousness subsided.
He observed Yun Shu for a while before slowly beginning to move the pencil.
Afraid of disturbing him, Yun Chuman quietly sat down in a place a little further away.
Looking at Yun Shu, who remained in the same position, and then at Yun Juan, who was very serious, it turned out that the perspective of an observer was quite interesting.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the adult and two children. The room was quiet except for the soft breathing and the soft scratching of pencil on paper.
Time passed second by second.
Yun Shu had a strong will. Even when her hands and feet were numb, she could endure it and remained still.
Yun Chuman felt distressed for her and would occasionally let her rest for a while when she had the chance, and would also massage her limbs.
Yun Juan remained focused. It took him about two hours before he finally put down his pencil.
He stared blankly at his work, head down, and after a long while, he stammered, "It's...it's finished..."
Yun Shu was relaxing in Yun Chuman's arms when she heard this. She immediately stood up and ran excitedly towards him, saying, "Elder Brother, I want to see!"
Yun Juan subconsciously wanted to hide the drawing behind his back, but after glancing at Yun Shu's expectant face, he held back and handed the drawing over with a less-than-pleasant expression.
The little girl peeked out, and her expression froze the moment she saw the drawing. Her big eyes were filled with disbelief, as if to say, "Is this me?"
Yun Juan stole a glance at her with his face turning bright red.
Yun Chuman looked at the two children with a puzzled expression.
She got up and walked over. As soon as she got close, she could feel Yun Juan's tension. The child's movements were stiff, and he kept glancing at her with his head down.
Yun Chuman became even more curious. She bent down slightly and saw a little girl wearing pumpkin pants drawn in the center of the white paper. Although the lines were messy, the details were very accurate, especially the expression.
However, the proportions were a bit off. The little hands and feet were chubby like steamed buns, and the shading was not done well, making the otherwise well-drawn features looked dirty, especially the red marks on the face, which were originally carefully drawn, but now looked very abrupt.
“I…” Yun Juan pursed his lips and squeezed out a single word.
"Elder Brother, your drawing is amazing! My eyelashes are so long!"
Yun Shu interrupted him, looking at him with surprise and delight. She even brushed her eyelashes with her little hand, then shyly hugged the painting. "Elder Brother, you drew Little Shu so cutely! I love it!"
Yun Juan was stunned. He hadn't expected her to say that.
"Elder Brother, Elder Brother, this is the first drawing you've ever done for me. Can I keep it?" Yun Shu asked expectantly.
Yun Juan was in a dilemma. He felt that his drawing was not good and might become a black mark on his past.
"Elder Brother~ Elder Brother~" Yun Shu pouted and shook his hand, speaking in a soft and coquettish tone.
"All right……"
Yun Juan had no choice but to nod, but seeing how much she cherished it instead of disliking it, he felt a little happy.
"Elder Brother is the best! Little Shu will definitely treasure this painting like a precious gem!" Yun Shu jumped up and down, hugged him, grabbed the drawing, and ran off.
As Yun Juan watched her retreating figure, his gaze gradually fell into sadness. He knew that Little Shu was trying to comfort him, and his nose began to sting.
"You drew very well." Yun Chuman squatted down, leveled with his eyes and patted his little head.
Yun Juan looked at her anxiously yet expectantly: "Really?"
But the next second he said dejectedly, "But my drawing doesn't look like Younger Sister at all. It's not cute at all."
“Isn’t the little pumpkin cute? I think it’s very cute,” Yun Chuman smiled. “Little Juan, do you trust Mommy?”
“Yes.” Yun Juan nodded without hesitation. Of course he believed her.
"Then I can tell you very seriously that you are very talented in drawing. That drawing is not very good because of a lack of technique, but you have captured Little Shu's expression. It is already very impressive for your first drawing."
Yun Chuman wasn't lying. She squeezed Yun Juan's chubby little hand and smiled, "Mommy will teach you a lot of techniques in the future, and then Little Juan will draw an even prettier picture for Little Shu, okay?"
Yun Juan became much more confident after receiving her affirmation.
Yes, he hadn't started learning yet! He'll definitely get better and better in the future!
Yun Juan's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously to Yun Chuman: "Yes! I will try my best to learn with Mommy!"
He wanted to draw the cutest Little Shu, and then switch back to that drawing!
During a break in their conversation, Yun Shu ran into her and Yun Juan's bedroom.
She hid under the table between the two small beds, reached her chubby little hands behind the table, felt around a couple of times, and then pulled out a small wooden box.
Yun Shu skillfully opened the combination lock on top, put the drawing in her hand inside, and it was placed on a thick notebook. Scattered around were odds and ends, such as old origami cranes and plastic tube stars.
She swayed her little head as she carefully closed the wooden box and hummed as she put it back in its place, "Treasure, treasure, Little Shu's treasure, it'll be put into the secret treasure chest along with Mommy's and Brother's~"
A note from the author:
Yun Juan and Yun Shu: Today we bought a toy for Mommy with our own money! [Proud.jpg]