"Little Juan, Little Shu, elder brother is really leaving. Remember to miss me, and remember to contact me!"
Mo Rongwen held the two children's chubby little hands, his face full of sorrow as he said goodbye to them for what felt like the umpteenth time.
His assistant, worn down by his nagging, mechanically and soullessly reminded him, “Elder Brother Mo, if we don't leave soon, we'll be spending the night on the highway."
He had initially thought that getting his boss's furry kids into the car would be the most tiring and time-consuming part of the mission, but who would have thought the furry kids would be so well-behaved and obedient, taking only half an hour from leaving the house to getting into the car.
However, waiting for Mo Rongwen and the two children to say goodbye took a full two and a half hours!
Yun Juan, with a serious little face, said solemnly, “Elder Brother Mo, you shouldn't do things that make it difficult for others."
With her chubby little hand, Yun Shu squeezed Mo Rongwen's hand back, softly saying, “Elder Brother Mo, traveling at night is dangerous. You should go with that elder brother quickly, and remember to tell us when you get home."
Hearing the two children's words, the assistant almost burst into tears. They were truly little angels descended from heaven. The netizens hadn't lied to him! From now on, these two children were his younger siblings!
“Nephew, if you keep this up, your social anxiety persona will crumble,” Leaning on a large suitcase, Yun Chuman said with slight annoyance.
Mo Rongwen looked at her resentfully. “You’re really not going to the airport? I’m going that way.”
“Really not. Even if you ask a hundred and eight times, we’re not going.”
Yun Chuman said helplessly, “We’re not like you, a busy person. We don’t have much work to do, so of course we want to stay here a couple more days and enjoy the scenery.”
Mo Rongwen sighed and muttered softly, “Staying here is fine, but at least find a hotel in the same direction as the highway exit. Why did you have to choose the opposite direction?”
“Actually, with the time you’ve spent dawdling with Little Juan and Little Shu here, you could have already given a lift there and might already be on the highway.”
Yun Chuman really hadn’t expected Mo Rongwen to become so clingy after shedding his social anxiety facade—of course, the only people he was clingy to were the two children.
Mo Rongwen's eyes lit up: "Now is not..."
"No, no, no, it's definitely too late now, because the car I called has arrived."
Yun Chuman interrupted him, waving to the two children, "Little Juan, Little Shu, we should go now. Say goodbye to your Elder Brother Mo."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu ran to her side with their short legs, obediently waving and smiling, "Goodbye, Elder Brother Mo, be careful on the road!"
Mo Rongwen waved dejectedly, but because he was told to be careful on the road, he couldn't help but smile, making him look strangely contradictory.
Yun Chuman couldn't resist saying in amusement, "Goodbye, nephew!"
Seeing Mo Rongwen's face stiffening instantly, she cheerfully led the two children out of the villa. The taxi was already waiting outside and the driver very kindly helped her put her luggage in the trunk.
Mo Rongwen put on his sunglasses and his assistant silently followed.
He gently said goodbye to the two children, walked to Yun Chuman's side, and said in a light tone, "Then I'll be going too. Don't forget to ask Little Shu."
"Nephew, stop nagging. I know you're a very good elder brother," Yun Chuman patted his shoulder.
Mo Rongwen was silent for a moment before snorting, "Don't even think about making me call you aunt."
He turned and left, not giving Yun Chuman any chance to argue.
"Elder Brother Mo is so stubborn," Yun Juan sighed, watching his retreating figure.
"Isn't being Mommy's nephew and me and elder brother's elder brother good enough?" Perplexed, Yun Shu blinked. She thought it was great.
“Your Elder Brother Mo is just a little shy,” Yun Chuman patted their heads with a smile. “Alright, we should go to the hotel now. I booked a super awesome room, the kind where Little Juan and Little Shu can see the sea every time they open their eyes.”
“The sea?”
The two children exchanged a surprised look and cheered in unison, “Awesome!”
Yun Chuman opened the car door, and the two children hurriedly scurried in with their short legs.
Mo Rongwen’s car didn’t move.
After getting in, he huddled in the back seat with a bunch of furry kids. Through the rear window, he unblinkingly watched Yun Chuman’s taxi through the rear until it started moving.
“Elder Brother Mo, I’ll start driving?” The assistant glanced at him in the rearview mirror, somewhat surprised. He had never seen Mo Rongwen so reluctant to leave anyone before.
Mo Rongwen didn't speak until even the taxi's exhaust fumes were out of sight. Only then did he sit up straight, listlessly saying, "Let's go."
"Okay!" The assistant stepped on the gas and sped off.
The fluffy husky scurried to his side, clearly upset about the separation.
Mo Rongwen casually stroked the husky's head, reflecting on the past two days, and suddenly felt a sense of emptiness.
He tilted his head back and muttered softly, "Xiao Liu, do you think I should get married and have kids?"
With a slight shake of a hand, the assistant, Xiao Liu, nearly drove the car into a pillar. After coughing violently for a while and before he could even calm down, he anxiously said with a flushed face, “Elder Brother Mo, don't blame me for not reminding you, not all children are as cute and heartwarming as Yun Juan and Yun Shu."
Mo Rongwen pursed his lips, immediately losing interest: "That's true..."
Seeing this, Xiao Liu breathed a sigh of relief, but quickly became alert again: “Elder Brother Mo, you wouldn't... Even if you like Yun Juan and Yun Shu, they're someone else's children. Don't you dare make a move on them! And definitely don't make a move on their mother!"
Be careful, the fans will tear you apart!
Mo Rongwen looked at him strangely: "What kind of scary thoughts are you having?"
He turned to the side, shrunk into the corner of the car seat, pulled a blanket over himself, and closed his eyes to rest.
He thought to himself, Xiao Liu's thoughts are so scary. Just thinking about it sent chills down his spine. Who would make a move on Yun Chuman? Why would they? Waiting to be called "nephew" every day?
Xiao Liu glanced at him several times in the rearview mirror, only relaxing completely after confirming that he really had no feelings for Yun Chuman.
Meanwhile, Yun Chuman brought Yun Juan and Yun Shu to their newly booked hotel.
The hotel wasn't far from the art gallery and near the sea. The facilities were brand new and complete.
Normally, the prices here would be very high, but coincidentally, this hotel was newly built.
With too many hotels nearby and intense competition, it could only attract customers and build brand awareness by offering competitive prices.
Therefore, Yun Chuman managed to secure a sea-view room—a one-bedroom suite with a living room and kitchen—at the price of a chain hotel.
The two children were immediately attracted by the hotel's facilities upon entering, rolling around on the soft sofa and playing on the swing in the corner for a while.
The bedroom was simply decorated, with only a large bed covered in white sheets and a projector. While the small balcony that extended out had a table, chairs, and tea set, and faced the sea, where the sound of the waves could even be heard—the view was excellent.
Barefoot, the two children ran and jumped happily on the balcony.
"Mommy, it’s the sea!" Yun Juan exclaimed excitedly. He even took a deep, exaggerated breath. "The smell of the sea!"
"Mommy! Mommy! Can Little Shu and Elder Brother go play in the water?" Yun Shu asked expectantly. She still had two swimsuits given to her by the production crew in her suitcase!
"Sure, I'll take you to play in the sand, have a barbecue, and go swimming in the sea later."
Yun Chuman took out toiletries from her suitcase and sent them a pleading look. "But Mommy can't swim, so when we go into the sea later, can Little Juan and Little Shu stay by my side? I'll be scared by myself."
Hearing this, the two children scrambled to her, patting their chubby little chests and saying in unison, "Don't worry, Mommy, Little Juan/Little Shu will protect you!"
Seeing their serious expressions, Yun Chuman couldn't resist pinching their cheeks. How adorable!
City Z had a thriving tourism industry, attracting a constant stream of tourists. However, it was currently the off-season, and the beaches weren't crowded.
Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu changed back into their matching blue one-piece swimsuits and walked side-by-side on the beach.
Holding her hand, Yun Shu suddenly chuckled.
She lifted her short, chubby legs, revealing her round, white feet. She nimbly moved her plump toes, causing a few yellow pebbles to fall. She wrinkled her little nose: "Mommy, little Shu's feet are ticklish!"
"Little Shu, you haven't practiced enough! I'm not ticklish," Yun Juan said seriously, casually putting his hands on his hips.
Yun Chuman looked down and saw the little boy's toes curled tightly together, leaving several small dents in the sand beneath his feet. He was clearly very ticklish, but trying hard not to show it.
Oblivious to the obvious, Yun Shu exclaimed admiringly, "Elder Brother, you're so amazing!"
Yun Juan proudly raised his chin.
Yun Chuman couldn't help but chuckle. The two children were her daily source of amusement.
She rented three swimming rings, planning to take the children for a stroll in the shallow water. However, it was her first time floating outdoors and she felt a little shy.
But when they arrived, she saw many people lazily floating on the surface.
Seeing this, Yun Chuman relaxed and joined the group of salted fish, drifting with the current.
After playing enough, they rented a barbecue grill and enjoyed a small barbecue on the beach before returning to the hotel.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu were covered in sand from top to bottom, so she had to give them another wash with clean water.
After the two clean, fragrant little gas canisters emerged, Yun Chuman changed their pajamas while smiling and asking, "Mommy's painting is available to view in the exhibition! Do you want to go see it?"
Actually, this was her main reason for staying a few more days. She wanted to see how the exhibition went.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu's eyes lit up at the suggestion, and they replied without hesitation, "Yes!"
This answer was exactly what Yun Chuman had expected. She took out a hairdryer and smiled, "Dry your hair first, and I'll take you after your nap."
The two children sat on the bed, obediently turning around so she could dry their hair.
Under the gentle, comfortable warm air and the mother's tender touch, Yun Juan and Yun Shu quickly became sleepy. Their eyelids drooped and their little bodies swayed from side to side.
Yun Chuman carefully carried them to the pillows. The two children, half-asleep, grabbed her hands and mumbled, "Mommy, together..."
She smiled, just about to hold them and take a nap, when her phone vibrated.
Yun Chuman picked up the phone, raising an eyebrow at the caller ID.
She didn't rush to answer, leisurely tucking the two children in before going to the balcony. She closed the door and casually pulled out a chair to sit down, leisurely enjoying the sea breeze and gazing at the distant scenery.
Only after everything was settled did she press the answer button.
“You think you're all grown up now! Taking so long to answer the phone, why don't you just block your mother?”
Li Yanzhen's angry voice came through the phone, “Yun Chuman, Yun Chuman, you truly are an actress, even trying to fool your own mother!”
Yun Chuman didn't respond, simply holding the phone a little further away from her ear.
Exhausted from shouting, Li Yanzhen panted heavily and said impatiently, "Where are you? Come back right now! I'm your mother, why won't you let me into your neighborhood!"
Yun Chuman smiled upon hearing this, knowing she'd have to thank the security guard and Aunt Sun properly when she got back.
She yawned and said slowly, "Our neighborhood was burgled a couple of days ago. They probably thought you were too suspicious."
Without giving her time to react, she continued, "My two children and I are out of town and can't come back anytime soon. You'd better go home quickly. Even if you get into the neighborhood, you can't get into my house. You can't sleep on the streets, can you?"
Li Yanzhen gritted her teeth. So this was what she was waiting for when she took the key back last time. She glanced at the security guard who was treating her like a thief. Forget about getting Yun Chuman's key, if she stayed any longer, they might arrest her as a suspicious person.
She thought for a moment and decided to go home. As she hurried towards the station, she couldn't help but fume, "Yun Chuman, you unfilial daughter! You not only kicked me out, you didn't even give me my money!"
Yun Chuman slammed her phone on the table, carefully examining her fingers. Those full, healthy nails!
Li Yanzhen continued her nagging on the other end: "Don't try to fool me this time. I saw you trending on that social media. The show you recorded didn't even require you to pay breach of contract fees."
She softened her voice all of a sudden: "If you ask me, you should just quit that show. I don't want the money. You can use it to pay the breach of contract fees."
Yun Chuman finally showed an expression. She raised an eyebrow, increasingly suspicious. Who was Li Yanzhen? A vampire who wanted to drain all the original owner's money! And now she was giving up a huge sum just to get her to quit the variety show?
She thought for a moment and said, "Why? Little Juan, Little Shu, and I are very popular now. When we become famous, we can earn even more money. Isn't that great?"
"You think you can become famous?" Li Yanzhen habitually mocked. Realizing her tone was inappropriate, she patiently added, "I'm doing this for your own good. Look at Xin Xin, and look at you. It's a world of difference. People don't know about your past yet. If they dig it up later, they'll laugh at you to death!"
It was Yun Xinxin again. Did any biological mother really think her daughter was inferior to others? And even if they dig it up, so what? She didn't cheat or deceive anyone. Why would she be laughed at?
Yun Chuman couldn't help but ask, "Are you really my mother?"
Li Yanzhen was stunned for a moment and stammered, "I...I...how could I not be your mother! Yun Chuman, stop daydreaming and thinking you're the richest family's child! Look at yourself! It's for your own good that you don't hang out with Xinxin anymore. Okay, that's it, hurry up and quit that variety show!"
She then hurriedly hung up the phone.
Yun Chuman narrowed her eyes, listening to the busy tone on the phone. Judging from Li Yanzhen's tone, even a fool would know something was amiss. The original owner's background was definitely not simple.
Speaking of which, she had read quite a few novels and her first thought was about the real and fake heiresses. But what did the richest family look like? She wondered if they resembled the original owner.
While thinking, she opened her phone and searched online for a long time, but couldn't find a single front-facing photo.
Except for Yun Xinxin, none of the richest family members had ever shown their faces!
Even in the variety show "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs," they only appeared briefly in the preview episode and their backs were to the camera.
Yun Chuman's fingers tapped lightly on the table beside her, making a soft, rhythmic sound.
She glanced back at the two sleeping children, considering whether to meet with Yun Xinxin and the richest family. Perhaps she could find out what was amiss with the original owner.
If only Li Yanzhen had made that call sooner, she could have listed Yun Xinxin as the guest for the next episode. Now, she could only wait until the episode after that.
Yun Chuman wasn't one to overthink things. Having a general plan, she relaxed. Stretching and feeling a bit sleepy, she went back to the bedroom, cuddling the two children and preparing for a nap.
Yun Juan was a light sleeper. Sensing her return, he squinted his eyes and his chubby little hand grasped hers before peacefully drifting back to sleep.
Half asleep, Yun Shu clung to her arm, nuzzling her shoulder like a kitten and smacking her lips.
Yun Chuman quickly fell asleep in the children's arms.
Two hours later, she took the awakened Yun Juan and Yun Shu to the art gallery.
The gallery was crowded today. All the entries were displayed in one hall. As soon as Yun Chuman and the two children entered, Xu Qiuhong spotted her—she was simply too conspicuous to be missed.
Xu Qiuhong quickly walked up to her and greeted her softly, "Ms. Yun."
Yun Chuman politely returned the greeting.
Seeing that she remembered her, Xu Qiuhong's smile widened. She then bent down to greet the two children, "Little Juan, Little Shu, do you remember elder sister?"
Knowing the children's names was purely coincidental.
She was a fan of Mo Rongwen and having finally gotten a break a couple of days ago, she excitedly watched the live stream of "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs," only to be surprised to discover that Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu were actually Mo Rongwen's partners for that episode and the gallery where she used to work even appeared on screen!
She already had a good impression of Yun Chuman's family, and after watching the show, she became a huge fan of the two children. Now, to her, Mo Rongwen wasn't as charming as the two children.
Yun Juan blinked blankly. The last time he came, he was so focused on looking at the paintings that he hadn't even noticed Xu Qiuhong.
He lowered his head, somewhat apologetic, and said, "Elder Sister, I'm sorry, I don't remember."
Seeing how obedient he was, Xu Qiuhong couldn't possibly say anything to scold him. She quickly said, "It's okay, it's okay. My name is Xu Qiuhong, you can call me Elder Sister Hong. Remember me from now on!"
"Okay!" Yun Juan nodded with a smile, "Elder Sister Hong sounds so cute, I'll definitely remember."
Xu Qiuhong blushed at his words. Yun Juan was too good at flattery!
She quickly stood up, resuming her professional smile, "The art exhibition area is in that direction, let me take you there for a visit."
Yun Juan's eyes lit up immediately and he eagerly walked in the direction she indicated.
Yun Chuman thanked her and followed behind.
Yun Shu, who hadn't spoken until now, didn't move. She quietly tugged at Xu Qiuhong's sleeve.
Xu Qiuhong looked down and saw the little girl looking up at her with a smile.
She glanced at Yun Chuman and Yun Juan in front of her, hesitated for a moment before squatting down, and asked, "What's wrong, Little Shu?"
Yun Shu was wearing a floral dress and her hair was in a bun. She looked especially cute.
She tiptoed and whispered in Xu Qiuhong's ear, "Elder Sister Hong, was the candy last time yummy?"
Xu Qiuhong was taken aback and then realized that Yun Shu had remembered her all along and was probably waiting until now to say it so as not to embarrass Yun Juan.
She was so excited she almost hugged the little girl in front of her, nodding vigorously, Yummy! I love it!"
Yun Shu took two candies from her small white handbag and stuffed them into Xu Qiuhong's hand, saying, "These are for Elder Sister!"
She then ran off to catch up with Yun Chuman and Yun Juan.
Xu Qiuhong looked at the two candies in her hand and the little girl's breath was still warm in her ear. She carefully put the candies in her pocket with her cheeks starting to burn. Yun Shu was even better at it than Yun Juan! She was making this old aunt's heart flutter!
She pursed her lips and decided that she wouldn't be an older sister anymore; she would be a "mommy fan" of the two little ones!
Yun Chuman's work was displayed in a very prominent place. She knew that area was for the top contenders in the competition and seeing her work being recognized made her delighted.
Yun Juan was captivated by a piece of art he had never seen before.
Yun Shu wasn't interested in any of that. She only liked Yun Chuman's painting. But seeing strangers nearby, she was too embarrassed to approach and was afraid of being recognized as the child in the painting. So she hid in a corner, furtively peeking towards the painting.
Thus, a little ghost appeared in the gallery—a cute little ghost, though.
Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu didn't stay long in City Z, only three days and two nights in total.
On the first day, they went to the beach, swimming and having a barbecue.
On the second day, they visited some famous local attractions. The grandeur and historical significance of the ancient sites left the two children mesmerized.
Yun Chuman tried her best to make the two days' itinerary novel and fun and made the gallery the only place they visited repeatedly.
Xu Qiuhong was noticeably happier to see the family of three the next day: "Manman, are you bringing the two little ones over tomorrow?"
Yun Chuman was taken aback by the affectionate address, but didn't refuse.
She glanced at Yun Shu, who was still playing the little ghost in the corner, and Yun Juan, who was intently following the guide, and smiled, "The two kids really like it here. I'll probably bring them back again before we board the plane."
"Leaving tomorrow?" Xu Qiuhong asked, a little disappointed.
"Yeah, we're recordinging the next episode of the variety show in two days and need to take them home to rest," Yun Chuman said.
"That's right, the two little ones can't handle all this running around."
After saying that, Xu Qiuhong glanced at Yun Chuman a few times before speaking out shyly, "Um, Manman, can I get your contact information? Not your phone number."
"Sure," Yun Chuman nodded readily. She could tell that Xu Qiuhong really liked Yun Juan and Yun Shu, and she also noticed that most people who wanted to add her contact information weren't interested in her, but rather in the two kids.
If Xu Qiuhong weren't still in the gallery, she would have jumped for joy.
She took out her phone to scan the QR code. A minute later, she calmed down and reacted in the same way as Mo Rongwen: "Manman, we can get a new phone."
This was the second time Yun Chuman had heard this, and she was even a little curious about just how broken her phone was: "We'll get a new one later."
The third day only consisted of half a day for sightseeing.
So Yun Chuman didn't take the two children far, but instead took them to experience eating on a raft restaurant.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu found it very novel and even tried a bite of sashimi, but ultimately it wasn't to the children's taste. The whole plate ended up in Yun Chuman's stomach.
Before returning to the hotel, Yun Chuman asked, "We're going to the airport this afternoon. Little Juan and Little Shu, do you want to go to the gallery one last time?"
Yun Juan had already seen everything he wanted to see in the past two days, so his interest had waned considerably. He replied indifferently, "Sure."
Yun Shu pouted and shook her head, "Not going."
Yun Chuman and Yun Juan were both surprised. They thought that since Little Shu liked Yun Chuman's painting so much, she would definitely go to see it again on the last day. But she actually said she wasn't going!
Yun Shu lowered her eyebrows, looking pitiful, and said, "I'm afraid I won't be able to resist secretly taking the painting home."
Yun Chuman and Yun Juan couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Yun Chuman patted her little head, deciding that even if someone wanted to buy the painting, she wouldn't sell it.
Yun Juan poked her chubby cheeks, comforting her, "Don't worry, after the competition, Elder Sister Hong will help us send it back!"
Yun Shu pitifully squeezed out a "Mmm." So, after checking out of the hotel, Yun Chuman took her two children straight to the airport and sent a farewell message to Xu Qiuhong before boarding the plane.
However, Xu Qiuhong didn't see it, because President Gu, whom she had always described as terribly troublesome, had arrived! Not only that, she was also responsible for receiving him with her boss!
Whole body tensed, she followed her boss. Although she dared to call him troublesome behind his back, upon seeing him in person, she wished she could hide herself.
After all, Gu Jijing was a legendary figure.
He took over the nearly bankrupt family business at the age of eighteen, and after taking the helm, he acted decisively and swiftly, transforming the Gu Group into an industry leader in less than two years.
At that time, Gu Jijing was incredibly successful, and coupled with his handsome looks and a net worth of over 100 million, he quickly became the object of pursuit for countless men and women.
But Gu Jijing wasn't interested in women, as he remained single all this time. One of his defeated rivals even joked that if Gu Jijing wanted to have children, he'd probably have to rely on mitosis!
Such a person wouldn't normally be in this small gallery, especially since the gallery's collaboration with the Gu Family was just a small project—redesigning and repackaging a traditional product.
The trouble lay in the fact that this product was originally launched by Gu Jijing's mother, which was why he took it so seriously. That's why he personally came to the gallery to finalize the design details on his way to City Z for business.
Xu Qiuhong secretly glanced at the man in the sharp suit in front of her, her gaze catching the small red mole on his nose, and she couldn't help but gasp.
For a moment, she wondered if she was dreaming and was surrounded by the handiwork of Nuwa—first Yun Chuman and Yun Juan and Yun Shu, and now Gu Jijing.
Just as she was lost in thought, the man in front of her suddenly stopped.
Xu Qiuhong was startled. Looking up, she saw Yun Chuman's entry for the competition.
The gallery owner nudged her, signaling her to be perceptive and quickly step forward to explain.
Xu Qiuhong rolled her eyes inwardly, but didn't feel any aversion.
After all, she was a huge fan of Yun Shu, and seeing Gu Jijing staring intently at the little girl in the painting, she felt a surge of pride, like a stranger witnessing her child's excellence.
Xu Qiuhong mustered her courage and stepped forward, politely smiling, "President Gu, this painting is one of our entries in this competition. The little girl in the painting is the artist's daughter."
"Who is this artist? Where is she now?" Gu Jijing asked calmly, his voice low and cold.
Xu Qiuhong was taken aback, and subconsciously responded, "They're still in this city. This artist and her children often come to the gallery, and they'll be here today too."
"They?"
Gu Jijing repeated in confusion. He thought for a moment and asked, "I really like this painting. May I buy it?"
Xu Qiuhong was somewhat surprised and happy that Yun Chuman's work was appreciated. Her smile became more genuine: "If the artist is willing, you can purchase it after the competition."
Gu Jijing pondered for a moment: "Could you give me the artist's contact information? I'd like to ask if she's willing to part with it."
"I'm sorry, President Gu, that's not in accordance with the rules." Xu Qiuhong said with difficulty. That was the contestant's privacy; how could they just disclose it?
Gu Jijing didn't press further. He glanced at the information label below the painting; the title was "Clouds," and the artist was "Vine." [T/N: vine pinyin is Tengman]
He turned and walked towards the lounge. "Since the artist is coming today, I'll wait and see."
Xu Qiuhong was stunned. Was President Gu so obsessed with this painting? Or did he know the artist was Yun Chuman? Was President Gu actually a huge fan of Yun Chuman?
She shook her head. Impossible! He didn't even recognize Yun Shu, how could he know Yun Chuman!
In her mind, the two children were far more famous than Yun Chuman.
The gallery owner was completely bewildered and asked in a low voice, "What's going on?"
"I don't know either!" Xu Qiuhong frowned. The thought of facing Gu Jijing for so long made her uncomfortable; she just hoped Yun Chuman would arrive quickly.
However, the sun was about to set, and the familiar figure hadn't appeared.
The lounge was so quiet one could hear a pin drop.
Gu Jijing handled his business expressionlessly, the gallery owner was on pins and needles, and Xu Qiuhong was completely stiff.
She subconsciously reached for her phone to check the time, only to see a message from Yun Chuman. Her face paled instantly. She glanced at Gu Jijing and a chill ran down her spine. Who was it who told President Gu that Yun Chuman was coming? Oh, it was her.
Xu Qiuhong's legs trembled. She gasped, thinking, "Since I'm going to die anyway, I might as well die sooner!"
She mustered her courage and strode over. Her aura suggested she was going to a battlefield, leaving the gallery owner stunned.
However, as soon as she spoke, her courage vanished. Her voice trembled as she uttered, "President Gu..."
Gu Jijing put down his work and looked up at her.
His actions were actually quite polite, but his powerful aura made Xu Qiuhong feel as if a knife was hanging over her head. She shrank back, avoided his gaze, and said gushed out, "That artist won't be coming today; they've already returned to City S."
Gu Jijing frowned almost imperceptibly upon hearing this, then stood up and said, "I apologize for bothering you for so long today. I hope we can cooperate happily in the future."
The gallery owner quickly shook his hand: "Happy cooperation."
Gu Jijing nodded and turned to leave.
His secretary was already waiting outside in his car. After getting in, he rubbed his temples and said in a low voice, "Help me investigate someone."
Meanwhile, after Yun Chuman returned home with her two children, Yun Shu's first action was to knock on the neighbor's door: "Qingqing, Qingqing, I'm home!"
Yun Juan stood to the side, his little face so sour it became a lemon spirit.
Yun Shu knocked on the door for a long time, but no one came out. She tilted her head in confusion, "Did Qingqing go out to play?"
"That bookworm wouldn't go out alone," Yun Juan snorted.
Yun Shu scratched her head, not arguing for Yang Qingshu.
She knew her elder brother could be quite sharp-tongued at times, and it was best not to say anything more, otherwise he might indiscriminately attack her.
She took a small bag of beautifully packaged chocolates from her handbag and hung it on the doorknob, frowning worriedly, "Qingqing will come to find me if he sees this, right?"
Yun Chuman patted her little head, "She definitely will. Now come home with me to rest."
"Okay!" Yun Shu smilingly took her hand and then took the initiative to hold her elder brother's hand.
Yun Juan's expression softened a little.
Yun Chuman found their interaction amusing. She took out her key and opened the door, instantly smelling a layer of dust.
The small living room was covered in a layer of dust. Even though she'd only been gone a few days, she suddenly felt a little disoriented. The house felt both familiar and strange.
She went inside and opened all the windows to air it out before dragging her suitcase to the bedroom.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu weren't idle either. After changing into their pajamas, they each came out of the bathroom with a damp cloth: "Mommy, we’ll help you clean."
Yun Chuman smiled and pinched their cheeks: "Little Juan and Little Shu are so good. But you only need to wipe the tables; I'll take care of the high places and the windows, okay?"
The two children nodded obediently and toddled off to wipe the dust.
One big and two small quickly finished a thorough cleaning.
After their work, they snuggled together on the sofa and lazily watched TV.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu were tired after a long day and leaned against Yun Chuman, dozing off.
Just then, there was a sudden knock on the door. The two children jumped at the same time.
Yun Shu, eyes still closed, waved her chubby little hands and said softly, "Elder Brother, go open the door."
Yun Juan rubbed his eyes, yawned, and said in a thick nasal voice, "Little Shu, go open the door."
They were back to being "plastic siblings."
Yun Chuman smiled, carefully stood up, and then gently laid them down again: "Mommy will open the door. Little Juan and Little Shu, sleep well."
The two children curled up in two balls on the sofa, head to head, and mumbled a sleepy "Mmm," and even said, "Thank you, Mommy."
Yun Chuman opened the door and saw an unfamiliar man standing outside.
He wore thick glasses, carried two food containers, and looked thin and gentle.
Yun Chuman asked in puzzlement, "Excuse me, who are you...?"
"Hello, Auntie, this is my daddy," Yang Qingshu suddenly stepped out from behind.
The man smiled shyly and introduced himself, “My name is Yang Fengnian. Any thanks to your little Shu for taking care of Qingshu. These are some dishes I made myself; please accept them if you don’t mind.”
“Auntie, my daddy’s cooking is delicious!” Yang Qingshu said eagerly.
Only then, Yun Chuman noticed that Yang Fengnian and Yang Qingshu did indeed look somewhat alike. She accepted the dishes, saying, “Mr. Yang, you’re too kind.”
Yang Fengnian waved his hand awkwardly, “No, no, no, we’re the ones who bothered you. Qingshu saw the chocolate and wanted to play with little Shu, and I just couldn’t refuse him.”
Yun Chuman politely said, “It’s no bother. Children want to see their friends they haven’t seen for days.”
Yang Fengnian breathed a sigh of relief, “It’s good that it’s not a bother. Um… I have work to do, so I’ll head back now. If you need anything, just knock on my door.”
“Okay, Mr. Yang, don’t worry about Qingqing. I’ll take good care of him.” "
Yang Fengnian thanked her several times before leaving.
Yang Qingshu peeked into the house, hesitantly asking, "Auntie, is little Shu in?"
"Is it Qingqing?" Yun Shu's clear voice came from afar.
Yun Chuman turned around and saw the little girl running barefoot towards them, followed by Yun Juan, who looked serious.
"Little Shu! I saw the chocolate you left for me!" Yang Qingshu's eyes lit up when he saw her.
"I bought it especially for you. It's delicious."
Grinning, Yun Shu grabbed his arm, "Come in quickly. Tell me if Da Pang bullied you, I have lots of fun things to tell you too."
Yang Qingshu subconsciously looked at Yun Chuman.
Yun Chuman smiled and patted his shoulder: "Quickly come in."
Yang Qingshu smiled, thanked her, and then said to Yun Juan, "Sorry to bother you."
Yun Juan, who had been keeping a straight face, instinctively replied, "It's okay, not a bother."
But then he froze, realizing what he'd said.
Yun Chuman almost laughed. Yang Qingshu's politeness was quite different from Yun Juan's seriousness, but when applied to children, both were amusing.
She put the dishes in the refrigerator and turned to see three children sitting on the sofa.
Yun Shu sat in the middle, her smile bright and adorable. She gestured with her chubby little hands as she spoke, occasionally kicking her short legs.
Yang Qingshu sat to Yun Shu's left, his lap full of snacks. He didn't eat any, just smiled, watched her talk, and nodded occasionally.
Yun Juan sat to Yun Shu's right, looking unhappy and munching on potato chips.
"Qingqing, where did you go just now? I couldn't find you when I got back." "Yun Shu wiggled her little feet and asked curiously.
She casually took two potato chips from Yun Juan, popped one into her mouth, causing her cheeks to immediately puff out, and handed the other to Yang Qingshu.
Yun Juan stared, speechless for a long time.
Yang Qingshu took it, took a small bite, and slowly said, "I'm going to kindergarten."
"Kindergarten?" Yun Shu blinked in surprise.
Yun Juan also looked at him curiously.
Yun Chuman, who was watching the scene unfold, was startled. Yang Qingshu was about the same age as Yun Juan and Yun Shu, right? Was he already old enough to go to kindergarten? Should she start preparing too?
"Is kindergarten fun?" Yun Shu slid off the sofa, turned to look at Yang Qingshu, and asked with bright, sparkling eyes.
Yang Qingshu pondered for a moment before slightly turning his head to avoid her gaze and said, "It's fun. There are lots of other children there, and the teachers teach us things and play with us." "
He finished speaking and pursed his lips. Actually, it was quite boring. The lessons were too simple. Those little idiots couldn't understand a thing, all they did was cry and shout. He didn't want to go to kindergarten every day.
He secretly glanced at Yun Shu. If Little Shu could go with him, he'd have a friend and kindergarten wouldn't be so bad!
"It seems really interesting," Yun Shu said, genuinely interested. She turned to Yun Juan, "Elder Brother, when are we going to kindergarten?"
Yun Juan gently tapped his younger sister's forehead. Silly little Shu! Didn't she see Yang Qing Shu was lying?!
He frowned, jumped off the sofa, walked up to Yang Qingshu, and said aggressively, "Tell me! What design do you have on my younger sister?! Why did you lie to her and say kindergarten is fun!" "
He learned the word 'have design' from a TV drama Mommy liked to watch. Although he didn't know its meaning, he felt it was perfect to use on the boy in front of him!
Have design? He just wanted to go to kindergarten with his best friend, how did that become an aim?
Yang Qingshu said seriously, 'Little Juan, you're using this word wrong. It has a slightly negative connotation. You can't keep playing around like this. Go to kindergarten with me and Little Shu.'
Yun Juan felt like he punched cotton: ...
Was he implying he was uncultured?!
Author's Note:
[Childhood]
Yun Juan: Someone has designs on my sister! [Alert.jpg]
Yun Shu: Who? Who has designs on me? [Innocent.jpg]
Yang Qingshu: Little Juan is uncultured! That's not how you use 'have design'!
[Adulthood]
Yun·Overbearing President·Juan: Tell that surnamed Yang kid, give him ten million and not to get close to my sister again.
Yun·Superstar·Shu: Don’t worry, my heart only contains my career; no one can get close to me! And thank you, Elder Brother, for the pocket money~
Yang·Scientist·Qingshu: Don't ask. If asked, the answer is that after the real sweet and silly, childhood sweetheart, found out I was a fake sweet and silly, she blocked me for three years. Now I've decided to dedicate my life to scientific research.
——————
[Don't worry, there's no romance between the two cubs. If any little angels want to see it later, I'll consider writing a side story~ If no little angels want to see it, I won't write it!]
The little girl's name was Yang Mengmeng. Chen Hui was going to talk to her parents, so Luo Zhengzheng didn't need to go with her. Instead, she stayed in the audition room to watch the actors audition.
Having been in the entertainment industry for so long, Han Yue was naturally adept at reading people. Seeing the expressions on Director Lu and Chen Hui's faces, she knew her niece's chances of getting the role were slim.
She hadn't expected that even with her current status, Director Lu wouldn't give her any face. Still unwilling to accept this, she looked at her phone with her lips pressed tightly together, and couldn't help but send Chen Ze a text message: "Lulu passed the audition, but judging from Director Lu's expression, it seems she has no chance. Sigh, it's so hard for actors to make it big these days."
Chen Ze saw Han Yue's text message but didn't reply, casually tossing his phone on his desk.
Han Yue waited for a long time without receiving a reply from Chen Ze. Looking at Director Lu, she said, "Director Lu, I'll take Lulu now. Just let us know if there's any news."
Director Lu waved, looking at the camera without even looking up.
Han Yue glanced at Luo Zhengzheng, who sat there motionless and intently watching the auditions, gave a self-deprecating laugh, and pulled her niece away. The next day, Yang Mengmeng's parents arrived at the company. Luo Zhengzheng saw that they were an honest-looking couple.
Chen Hui told Luo Zhengzheng, "Mengmeng's dad is a construction worker, and her mother works on a factory assembly line."
Father Yang with his dark complexion, glanced at the spacious and bright office building. He nervously scratched his trousers and stammered, "We're just ordinary people. We don't understand those complicated things. None of us are actors. We don't know anything. We just want our child to study hard, get into university, and find a good job in the future, so she doesn't have to work as hard as her mother and me..."
Hearing this, Luo Zhengzheng felt a pang of emotion. These parents were like most parents in the world, hoping their child would study hard and find an easy job, unlike their own parents who had endured such hardship. Weren't her parents the same?
She couldn't help but say, "She can learn while filming. The crew will arrange tutors for her. Don't worry about that."
Father Yang and Mother Yang's faces lit up with joy.
Hearing her words, Director Lu looked up, opening his mouth as if to tell her that the crew's funds were for filming, not for hiring tutors for the actors. But seeing Luo Zhengzheng's serious expression, he gritted his teeth and decided against it. Hiring tutors for actors wouldn't cost much. He could easily scrape together the money.
He looked at Yang Mengmeng: "Then you must film well and not let us down."
His words clearly indicated that he intended for her to play the younger version of the female lead. Yang Mengmeng nodded excitedly, her wheat-colored face full of excitement.
Yang Mengmeng looked at Luo Zhengzheng: "Thank you, beautiful sister."
She knew that the crew was able to arrange tutors for her thanks to this beautiful elder sister.
Father and Mother Yang expressed their gratitude. Luo Zhengzheng said, "No need to thank me. Just take good care of Mengmeng, let her focus on filming and her studies."
Father and Mother Yang nodded repeatedly in agreement.
The actress playing the younger version of the female lead in the movie "I Am a Robot" was confirmed. Han Yue immediately learned of this and sent Chen Ze a text message yesterday, but he hadn't replied. It seemed he wasn't planning to get involved.
Work was quite efficient today. Director Lu was busy with auditions, and it was soon past noon. He hadn't mentioned lunch. Luo Zhengzheng and Chen Hui, whether they weren't hungry or hadn't thought about eating, didn't realize it was lunchtime until Chen Ze came downstairs.
Work was important, but they couldn't work on an empty stomach. The group went to the cafeteria.
As usual, Chen Ze and Director Lu went to get the food, while Luo Zhengzheng and Chen Hui waited on the dining chairs.
Hearing that Chen Ze and the others had gone to the cafeteria, Han Yue couldn't resist following them. After getting her food, she glanced at Luo Zhengzheng, picked up her tray, and walked over to Chen Hui, saying, "Producer Chen, may I sit here?"
Han Yue was, after all, a top star in the company, so Chen Hui would give her that much face, smiling and saying, "Please sit."
Chen Ze and Director Lu brought over their trays. Seeing Han Yue sitting there, Director Lu didn't react, while Chen Ze frowned and placed the food in front of Luo Zhengzheng.
Han Yue noticed Chen Ze's action and subtly glanced at Luo Zhengzheng. Hungry, Luo Zhengzheng picked up her chopsticks and started eating, unaware of Han Yue's subtle scrutiny.
However, Chen Ze noticed and knew this woman had misunderstood. He internally grumbled how women were always so nosy. He certainly couldn't let others misunderstand his relationship with Luo Zhengzheng. If Gu Shi found out, would he let him off the hook? He quickly said, "Elder Sister-in-law, tell me what you want to eat, and I'll get you more."
With her sharp ears, Han Yue heard Chen Ze address Luo Zhengzheng as "Elder Sister-in-law." Since she was Chen Ze's elder sister-in-law, she felt slightly relieved, but then thought, even if she was Elder Sister-in-law, there was no need for such attentiveness.
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and said, "No need, this is enough."
After the meal, Han Yue quietly went to Chen Ze's office: "Why didn't you reply to my messages?"
Chen Ze's brows furrowed slightly with impatience: "Since I didn't reply to your messages, don't you know what I mean?"
Han Yue sat in her chair, looking at him: "Lulu acted well, but Director Lu didn't give any face, insisting on signing on a little girl who knows nothing and want to teach her acting?"
Chen Ze looked at her: "This is Director Lu's film. I don't interfere with the casting. Director Lu only values talent. If your niece is truly capable, Director Lu wouldn't leave her unused."
Han Yue knew Director Lu's temper, which was why she pleaded with Chen Ze. She hadn't expected him to be so indifferent. She said, "Could you please do me a favor..."
Chen Ze replied without hesitation, "No. The investor for this film is that person I called 'elder sister-in-law' this afternoon. She's been here the whole time and there can't be any sloppiness."
Chen Ze had already put it this way and if she said anything more, she would seem tactless. Little did she know, Chen Ze already thought she was being tactless.
Han Yue recalled that beautiful woman. Even as a woman, she couldn't help but feel a flutter in her heart. How much more would it be for a man? She tentatively asked, "Who exactly is she?"
Chen Ze glanced at her: "That's not your question. Just be respectful."
Seeing his secretive manner, Han Yue became even more curious about Luo Zhengzheng. But since Chen Ze wouldn't tell her, there was nothing she could do. Although she was Chen Ze's girlfriend now, she knew she held little importance in his heart.
For several days in a row, Luo Zhengzheng was studying at Wanhua Entertainment. Their casting had finished, and they were currently doing script readings. With nothing else to do, Luo Zhengzheng didn't go, staying home with her son. In the evenings, the family went to her in-laws' house for dinner.
Liu Hanyue asked her, "Why didn't you go to work today?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked at her and joked, "I just went to see how the TV series is being filmed. Besides, Gu Shi invested in their company's movie, so I went to supervise."
She didn't hide it from them. They would find out sooner or later anyway.
Gu Boyuan and Ye Li were unaware of this and they turned to Gu Shi.
Gu Shi explained, "It's a private investment. It didn't go through the company's accounts."
Gu Boyuan looked at his son and asked, "Why did you decide to invest in a movie?"
Of course, Gu Shi wouldn't tell Father the truth: "Chen Ze came to me asking me to invest in his movie. I had someone analyze it and thought it was worth investing, so I put in two hundred million."
Gu Ming, Gu Xian, and Gu Ling clicked their tongues in disbelief. Even though they came from wealthy families, two hundred million was a considerable sum for them. Moreover, their family had no involvement in the entertainment industry and knew nothing about it. Weren't they afraid of wasting one or two hundred million?
While they were suspicious, they couldn't help but feel envious. Gu Shi could casually take out two hundred million to invest in a movie, and even more casually spend hundreds of millions on jewelry for his wife. They, on the other hand, couldn't even come up with tens of millions. Father was in charge and wouldn't give them much cash. Whatever they wanted to do, they could only go through Father. People were truly different.
Gu Boyuan looked at Ye Li, noticing her calm expression. It seemed Gu Shi's words had no effect on her. He figured his wife was indifferent to their son's film investment. It appeared the Ye Family had made a considerable fortune in recent years, and a hundred or two hundred million was nothing to them. He sighed, "I'm getting old. I don't have the drive of you young people anymore. I'm unwilling to venture into unfamiliar industries."
To some extent, Gu Shi agreed with his father. He said, "It's already good that the Gu Group has managed to maintain its current businesses."
His older brothers weren't particularly capable. Although Gu Ling was somewhat capable, father wouldn't let him manage things, and even if he were involved in too many businesses, he wouldn't be able to handle it all.
Gu Boyuan looked at Gu Shi and said, "You'll have to worry about the Gu Family a lot from now on."
Gu Ming and Gu Xian looked sharply at their father. What did he mean?
What could Gu Boyuan mean? The Ye Family was thriving, while the Gu Family was stagnating. His sons were vying for power, but none of them were particularly capable. He could only turn to Gu Shi for help.
Ye Li gave him a cold look: "Gu Shi was busy. He doesn't have that much time to worry about your Gu Group."
This man was after Gu Shi again.
She believed in her son's abilities. Instead of wasting time fighting with the Gu brothers for that little bit of inheritance, he should focus on his work. Maybe he could build a Gu Corporation on his own.
Gu Boyuan was very troubled. Only Ye Li and Gu Shi could understand his troubles, but neither of them wanted anything to do with the Gu Group.
The Gu brothers visibly relaxed after hearing their stepmother's words.
Back home, Gu Shi didn't go to the office to work. After washing up, he lay in bed reading.
After washing up, Luo Zhengzheng looked at him and asked, "Does Dad really intend for you to manage the Gu Group?"
At dinner, Father-in-law's meaning was very clear. The expressions of Eldest brother and Elder Sister-in-law, as well as Second brother and Second Sister-in-law, changed immediately.
She didn't want Gu Shi to get involved in the Gu Group. There was no need and Mother-in-law certainly didn't want Gu Shi to concern himself with its affairs either.
Gu Shi looked up from his book: "If Eldest and Second brothers can't take over the Gu Family business, perhaps it'll be possible in a few years when Dad gets older."
Luo Zhengzheng asked him, "And what are your thoughts?"
Gu Shi stroked her hair: "That's the Gu Group, their property. As a son of the Gu Family, I won't watch it decline."
Luo Zhengzheng understood Gu Shi's meaning. She glanced at the man. He was calmly reading, his features cool and handsome, yet his inside was gentle and strong. She couldn't help but think that this man was a good husband and dad to his wife and children and a responsible son to his parents. Anyone he considered his own would receive his protection and care.
Luo Zhengzheng smiled. She and mother-in-law only considered things from their own perspective, without considering Gu Shi's perspective.
Gu Shi was her husband, mother-in-law 's son, and also a son of the Gu Family, so he naturally felt a sense of responsibility towards them.
"Don't mention her!" Xu Anguo roared, "That ungrateful wretch! I raised her for nothing! The Chen Family has broken ties with our family and the company is in crisis, and she actually ran away like that!"
"Did you arrange another marriage for her?" Xu Haocheng asked. Otherwise, how could Xu Wan possibly abandon the Xu Family she clung to so tightly?
Embarrassed by being caught out, Xu Anguo raised his voice, "The Chen Family has already broken off the engagement and clearly severed all ties with us. What can I do? As long as she marries the Zhou Family's youngest son, the Zhou Family is willing to help us through this crisis! I raised her all these years. Isn't it only right that she repays me?!"
"The Zhou Family's youngest son? I remember he's paralyzed in bed, isn't he?" Xu Haocheng frowned.
"Yes, he was in a car accident and is now in a vegetative state." Xu Anguo's voice was matter-of-fact, as if he didn't think there was anything wrong with what he was doing.
"If only we can find Tang Yao to help. She knows so many people. Any one of them can help us get through this. Unfortunately, she's an ingrate. I gave her life and she doesn't even know how to be grateful!" Xu Anguo said.
Xu Haocheng shook his head: "Why should she help us? Have you forgotten how we treated her when she just came back? Dad, let it go. If the company's fate is sealed, nothing we do can salvage it. Stop tossing around and stop setting your eye on her."
After saying this, Xu Haocheng went upstairs to his room with his heavy steps.
Downstairs, Sun Yulan and Xu Anguo exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and confusion in each other's eyes.
...
Xu Haocheng let Tang Yao know he was safe and nothing else. Tang Yao didn't ask any questions either.
Soon, the next episode of the variety show began. Many more netizens were waiting to watch.
The official account's comments were bustling. Even the Weibo account for the guesthouse registered by Tang Yao gained many followers.
After this episode, the first half of the variety show would be over. Huang Yong and Tang Yao had only signed for the first half of the year, as the scenery in Wanhua Town would be much less appealing in the second half.
Whether the next season would be filmed at the guesthouse remained to be determined.
Once the variety show ends, the guesthouse could resume normal operations and Tang Yao's leisurely days would be over.
Knowing this might be the last episode filmed at the guesthouse, everyone was quite emotional and worked even harder.
Cheng An had stayed at the guesthouse for a while and her whole demeanor had changed, attracting the attention of netizens.
"I don't know if it's just my imagination, but An'an seems more cheerful."
"I feel the same way. Before, although An'an was successful, she always seemed lonely and isolated. Now look how happy she is."
"I don't know who it's because of, but thank you so much."
"I hope the second half of the season will also be filmed at the guesthouse. I'll miss it!"
"The scenery in Wanhua Town won't be as beautiful in the second half of the season. I guess the director will change the location."
"Ah, it doesn't matter if it's not as beautiful. I really love the atmosphere of the guesthouse."
"With this garden, I don't think it will be too bad. I never get tired of looking at it. After the show ends, I definitely need to take a two-day vacation there!"
...
Huang Yong looked at the comments, lost in thought.
On the other side, the guests served the food to the table. Seeing that the customers were enjoying their meal, they finally had some free time.
They sat down and started calculating how much money they had earned over the past few days.
In this episode, Huang Yong issues a hidden task: use the money they earn to buy airport tickets at the end of the last day.
If they don't have enough money, they couldn't leave the guesthouse and the production team wouldn't provide any assistance.
So, besides the daily regular customers, they also have to deliver food and sell fruit at the market.
These experiences were completely new for the guests. Although it was tiring, everyone was very enthusiastic.
This has also been a source of great interest for viewers.
At this moment, Tang Yao was sitting outside Aunt Li's shop, eating wild fruit that Aunt Li brought back from Xiao Duo's hometown.
Though it was slightly sour, it was very juicy. It had a unique flavor.
Aunt Li was talking about the aftermath of her trip back to Xiao Duo's hometown.
Seeing that Xiao Duo doesn't want to get married and has verbally defied them for the first time, Xiao Duo's parents were furious and wanted to lock her up and forcibly send her to a neighboring village.
Fortunately, Aunt Li called the police and rescued Xiao Duo in time.
With the help of the local Women's Federation, Xiao Duo retrieved her documents, transferred her household registration to Aunt Li's name, and completely severed ties with her parents.
Tang Yao looked at Xiao Duo, who was cleaning the house. The worry in her eyes had mostly dissipated and she looked much more cheerful now.
"I want her to continue her studies and go to university, but Xiao Duo doesn't want to spend my money. No matter what I say, she won't budge. Sigh, this child used to have excellent grades and was always among the top students."
"I'll provide the tuition. You can let her go to school and say it's a donation from an unknown kind person." Tang Yao took a bite of wild fruit. The juice burst in her mouth and the slightly sour taste made her squint.
"No need, I have money. You're just a young girl. It's not easy for you. Save the money yourself," Aunt Li said.
“Do you think I don’t know how much money you have? Xiao Duo is a smart girl. She can tell whether you’ve spent it or not. Consider it a good deed for my parents, letting them be reborn into a good family in their next life.” Tang Yao finished the wild fruit and wiped the juice from her hands.
Sure enough, these somewhat superstitious words made Aunt Li hesitate.
“Don’t worry, I definitely won’t slap myself to make myself fat. I’ll only do what I can.”
Finally, under Tang Yao’s persuasion, Aunt Li could only reluctantly agree. So grateful, she was rendered speechless and could only hold Tang Yao’s hand with reddening eyes.
That afternoon, the guests sold fruit at the market. They had all picked and carried the fruit themselves, so selling it gave them a special sense of accomplishment.
“I’ve thought before that when I’m not an actor anymore, I’ll go back to my hometown and sell pears. There’s a whole grove of pear trees there,” Shen Wentao said jokingly.
The market was bustling with people. Those who recognized the guests happily came to buy things and take photos, while others, seeing the fresh and beautiful fruit, were willing to buy some to take home and try.
Soon, the group sold out of fruit.
Netizens were incredibly envious of those present, wishing they could immediately take their place.
"God Lu selling fruit is so down-to-earth, hahaha."
"I really want to buy the apple An An was holding!"
"My Yunyun was so clumsy. She gets flustered when there are many people, hahaha."
"This kind of event should be held more often, it's so much fun!"
...
Comments like these flashed across the screen.
At this rate, they finally raised enough money for their trip on the last day and boarded the bus to leave after the live stream ended.
Before leaving, the guests took a group photo with Tang Yao, which she hung in the glass-enclosed restaurant, serving as a form of advertising. In addition, Tang Yao took a separate photo with teacher Shen Wentao, which was hung in Tang Yao's parents' room.
Huang Yong was very grateful to Tang Yao. He settled the final payment without hesitation and even gave her a red envelope, saying he hoped Tang Yao would prioritize them if they needed to use the venue again in the future.
After all, once the show became popular, there would definitely be more people wanting to rent the guesthouse for filming.
Tang Yao replied, "I don't plan to use the guesthouse for filming. If it weren't for fulfilling my mother's dream, I wouldn't have agreed to this filming."
Huang Yong expressed his understanding. Tang Yao had indeed initially intended to refuse, but agreed after seeing Shen Wentao.
"But you're welcome to come visit in the future," Tang Yao said with a smile.
Cheng An, Lu Bei, and Lu Nan were all returning to the capital. Cheng An reluctantly bidded farewell to Tang Yao.
Tang Yao said she had something for Cheng An and Cheng An followed her into the room with a puzzled look.
Upon opening the door, a stunningly beautiful evening gown appeared before her.
“I already said I wouldn’t be making clothes anymore, but it’s rare to meet such a compatible friend. I heard you have a fashion show next week, would you like to wear it?” Tang Yao leaned against the doorframe. Using her porcelain-doll-like face, she spoke with undeniable charisma.
Cheng An was captivated by the dress and couldn’t help but step forward: “So, you’re the legendary double-sided embroidery master I heard about?”
Tang Yao raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying.
“What incredible luck I have to become friends with you,” Cheng An murmured.
Finally, Tang Yao packed some fruit and snacks for them. She also packed a bottle of peach blossom wine that Lu Nan loved.
“I’ll come back to the guesthouse when I’m done with my work. Feel free to call me if you need anything,” Lu Bei told Tang Yao.
Tang Yao nodded and waved to them.
After everyone got into the vehicle, Lu Bei looked back through the window. Tang Yao was still standing at the door.
"You can come after you've dealt with things in the capital. Don't look like you're facing a life-or-death separation," Lu Nan said.
Cheng An turned to look at Lu Bei, but only saw his usual expressionless face.
She couldn't help but give Lu Nan a thumbs up. He could even read his emotions like that. They were truly brothers.
Lu Bei turned his head away, ignored Lu Nan, and closed his eyes to pretend to sleep amidst the noise.
His hand was in his pocket, gently stroking a small sachet. Each guest had one. It was embroidered by Tang Yao herself.
The production crew left a little later than the guests. They still needed to retrieve some equipment installed at the guesthouse.
After they left, the guesthouse returned to its former tranquility.
Xu Haocheng also sent her a message. The Xu Family's company had completely gone bankrupt, and now the whole family was preparing to move out of the villa. “There must have been a problem from the start and then some powerful families intervened to suppress them on your behalf, Elder Sister. This was what they deserve. Luckily, the old house is still there. A three-bedroom apartment isn't small, it's enough for us.” Xu Haocheng's tone sounded relatively optimistic.
He made the call from outside, not wanting Xu Anguo and Sun Yulan to know about his contact with Tang Yao.
Although it was closely related to her, Tang Yao remained unmoved.
She had paid with her life in her past life. Although they weren't directly responsible, they were still involved.
Simply bankrupting them was already more than enough.
After telling her the gist of the situation, Xu Haocheng hung up.
The Xu Family was shrouded in gloom.
Xu Anguo sat on the sofa, smoking one cigarette after another, while Sun Yulan covered face and sobbed quietly.
“Stop crying! All you do is cry, cry, cry! If you hadn’t insisted on treating that imposter like a treasure and pushing Tang Yao away, would we be in this mess now?!” Xu Anguo said irritably.
Sun Yulan looked up, her eyes filled with disbelief: “Now you know to blame me? Didn’t you say that Xu Wan’s marriage to the Chen Family would be very beneficial to our family, and that I should treat her well?”
Xu Anguo slammed his cigarette butt on the ground, stood up, and left the living room.
“Wait! Explain yourself!” Sun Yulan chased after him.
“What do you mean, ‘explain yourself’? You shrew!” Xu Anguo flung Sun Yulan’s hand away and she fell to the ground.
When Xu Haocheng pushed open the door, he saw the two of them hurling insults and accusations at each other, a scene that had been playing out frequently in this house lately.
He sighed, "Mom and Dad, stop arguing. Hurry up and pack your things. We have to move."
Although their argument had stopped, Sun Yulan's incessant sighs and Xu Anguo's slamming of the door were still particularly noticeable in the empty house.
At this time, a voice came from the front door.
Xu Haocheng and Sun Yulan turned around simultaneously. The person who entered was Xu Wan, who had disappeared for a long time.
She was completely different from her former gentle self. Her face was cold. And a man stood beside her.
"Xu Wan, what are you doing here?!" Xu Haocheng said warily.
"I heard the Xu Family went bankrupt. I've come to get my things." She had left in a hurry, leaving many things behind.
"Wanwan, I'm your mom! How can you be so heartless? I've raised you for over twenty years, and this is how you repay me?" Sun Yulan cried again.
Xu Wan sneered, "Mom? I'm nothing more than an object for you to show off and use. If I weren't outstanding, would you still love me unconditionally? Don't be ridiculous. Did you object when Xu Anguo suggested that I marry that cripple?"
Hearing the commotion, Xu Anguo came downstairs. "Xu Wan! You still have the nerve to come back!"
Before he finished speaking, he saw the man next to Xu Wan.
"Young Master Wang, what brings you here?" Xu Anguo's tone changed abruptly.
"Naturally, I'm here with my girlfriend to pack her things." The man in front of him had a nonchalant air about him.
Xu Anguo recognized him as the son of their former business partner. Although the two families used to be roughly equal in strength with the other party slightly weaker than the Xu Family. Now that the Xu Family was bankrupt, they were far inferior. Xu Anguo could only speak to the man with a fawning smile.
Xu Wan ignored them and went straight to her room, taking all the things she hadn't had time to pack.
Then, she took the man's hand again and prepared to leave the house.
Xu Anguo quickly stopped her: "You silly child, why didn't you say you know Young Master Wang sooner? Quickly bring him in to sit."
The viewers in the live stream witnessed the entire "crime" committed by Yun Juan and Yun Shu.
—Mo Rongwen's reaction is amazing! Exactly the same expression I had when I saw my younger cousin brother destroying the house.
—Hilarious! The movie star must be thinking about my sweet babies right now; how did they become such brats!
—Although those two little ones are still so cute, who could refuse their requests? I certainly couldn't!"
—I can't refuse either! Mo Rongwen, hurry up and play with your younger brother and sister!"
—Hahaha, have you already accepted that Movie Star Mo and those two little ones are of the same generation?"
Yun Juan wasn't afraid of Mo Rongwen at all. With a flick of his chubby little hand, he added another handful of flour to the bowl, filling the air with white flour.
Yun Shu kneaded the dough vigorously with her chubby little hands. The dough, which had been sticky and soft because of too much water, gradually hardened after a small portion was mixed with dry flour. She smiled and said, “Elder Brother Mo, the dough is so much fun! Hammering it will make you happy!"
Yun Juan clenched his fist into the size of a red bean bun, and as if demonstrating, he pounded the gradually forming dough twice, saying very coolly, "Like this."
Mo Rongwen was shocked. What was up with Yun Chuman? What had she been teaching the two children? Using dough as a punching bag?
He frowned, wanting to step forward and stop them, but both children were looking at him expectantly.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu's eyes were naturally puppy-dog eyes with droopy corners. They were already adorable even without expression. Now, with their eyebrows drooping down and two tears welling up, plus their bunny onesies, even the hardest heart would melt!
Yun Juan noticed his wavering gaze and secretly nudged younger sister with his elbow.
Yun Shu immediately understood. She pouted and said in a soft voice, “Elder Brother Mo, why don't you try it too? It's really fun!"
Mo Rongwen's heart skipped a beat at their cuteness.
He slapped his forehead and sighed heavily. He was completely captivated by these two children. He truly never imagined that someone as socially awkward as him would ever be in this situation.
He gave up resisting, utterly despondent. He washed his hands at the nearby sink, ignoring the flour all over the floor, and sat down in front of the two children with a defiant look on his face. His tone was stern as he said, "Come! I'll play with you!"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu blinked in delight, exclaiming in unison, “Elder Brother Mo, you're so nice!"
The two children exchanged a smiling glance. Their four chubby little hands gripped the edge of the basin and simultaneously pushed it forward with all their might.
Mo Rongwen stared blankly at the basin in front of him, wondering what they were doing.
Glancing at the children's expectant eyes, he tentatively reached out and kneaded the dough. The soft, wet dough immediately stuck to his hands.
Yun Juan immediately sprinkled a layer of dry flour on his hands, saying with a hint of disdain, “Elder Brother Mo, your strength is too weak."
Yun Shu clenched her little fist, encouraging him, “Elder Brother Mo, try again! Go for it!"
Mo Rongwen raised an eyebrow. The two children said he was weak? That was unacceptable! Without a word, he began kneading the mixture of dry and wet dough in the basin with great focus and concentration.
Soon, with the two children's coaxing and encouragement, a smooth dough was formed in Mo Rongwen's hands.
Yun Shu clapped her hands excitedly, showering him with praise: “Elder Brother Mo, you're so amazing! Elder brother and I tried so many times, but we couldn't knead such smooth dough. You succeeded on your first try! Elder Brother Mo is just like the chefs on TV!"
Mo Rongwen proudly raised his chin. Of course! He wasn't Yun Chuman, who needed two children to cook for her.
He looked at his work with satisfaction and couldn't help but say, "Kneading dough is really fun."
Although kneading dough was tiring, one could toss it, slap it around, shape it into balls, and flatten them—it was a great way to relieve stress.
He felt a little guilty at this thought. After all, he had just thought it was strange that the two kids were finding fun in kneading dough, but he hadn't expected to change his mind so quickly!
The viewers in the live stream laughed incessantly at his comment.
—It may be late, but it's here!
—I'm going to knead some dough to relieve stress!
—What on earth is Yun Chuman doing? Her actions are so outdated!
Besides Mo Rongwen and Yun Juan and Yun Shu, a small section of the live stream camera focused on Yun Chuman. Viewers couldn't clearly see what she was doing, only vaguely making out the background behind her, hence the question.
Since no one could answer, the viewers became even more curious.
At the villa.
Yun Juan was still examining the dough. He stroked his chin and muttered, "It's because Little Shu and I aren't strong enough that we can't knead it properly..."
Mo Rongwen, who was relaxing his shoulders, frowned in confusion upon hearing this. Why did he inexplicably feel like he was being used as free labor by the two children? Was it just my imagination?
At this time, Xiao Xi suddenly appeared, peeking inside from the doorway.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu noticed her and their eyes lit up. They stood up, jumping and waving their hands in greeting, "Elder Sister Xiao Xi!"
"Pfft..."
Xiao Xi had already seen the two children through the camera lens next door, but seeing them in person still made her laugh. Their little faces were so cute! She even wanted to take out her phone and snap a couple of pictures immediately.
Luckily, she remembered why she was there. She coughed lightly twice and said, "Little Juan and Little Shu, the pool water has been changed. You can take Mao Rongrong to play now."
"Thank you, Elder Sister Xiao Xi!"
The two children happily thanked her and simultaneously turned to bewildered Mo Rongwen. Each grabbed one of his hands, saying, “Elder Brother Mo, let's go swimming together, with the cats, dogs, and mice!"
"Huh? Swimming?"
Mo Rongwen was taken aback by their sudden enthusiasm. He glanced at the dough—what about this one?
"Go on, go on, Elder Sister Xiao Xi even changed the water for us." Yun Shu gently swung her hand.
The fluffy creatures were also led to the door by the production crew.
The dogs wagged their tails rapidly at the mention of swimming and their eyes fixed expectantly on their owner.
The two chinchillas stared at him with their big, dark eyes, equally hopeful.
The cats, however, weren't very interested, lazily hiding at the back.
With two children and a bunch of furry friends, how could Mo Rongwen possibly refuse?
He couldn't help but sigh. It was probably like a child's face and like the weather in June—everything came and went quickly. One second they were playing with dough, the next they wanted to play in the water.
"Okay, but I have to clean up the kitchen first. Can we go play later?" Mo Rongwen looked at the pile of flour on the floor with a troubled expression. He had contributed to it and couldn't just leave it there.
Hearing this, Xiao Xi quickly said, "Mr. Mo, don't worry, our production team will take care of things here. You can take little Juan and little Shu to play."
Mo Rongwen was stunned. The production team even cared about this?
Yun Juan and Yun Shu shook his hand again, “Elder Brother Mo, let's go, let's go. We won't be able to play in the water after sunset."
"Okay."
Mo Rongwen compromised again. He apologized to Xiao Xi, "Then I'll have to trouble your production team."
"It's alright. The swimsuits are already in the changing room. Mr. Mo, you can choose whichever you like. There are also some girls from our production team there who can help little Shu change into her swimsuit."
Xiao Xi forced a polite smile, but in her heart, she was thinking, "Why isn't this guy leaving yet!" She suppressed the urge to shoo him away and tried to appear as normal as possible.
"Your production team is quite thoughtful," Mo Rongwen said, somewhat surprised.
Xiao Xi gave a perfunctory laugh and quickly winked at the two children.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu nodded after receiving the signal and pulled Mo Rongwen out.
Before leaving, Yun Juan glanced at the dough in the bowl, casually put a lid on it, and urged, “Elder Brother Mo, let's hurry up and change into our swimsuits! The dogs, cats, and mice are getting impatient!"
Yun Shu, walking backwards, looked up at him, “Elder Brother Mo, I'm really good at doggy paddling! Can I teach you later?"
"Sure," Mo Rongwen replied casually. He didn't really want to be in the same room as Xiao Xi, and after knowing the production crew would be cleaning up in the kitchen, he didn't hesitate to leave with the two children.
As he passed Xiao Xi, he deliberately turned his head away, so he didn't see the two children winking at her with a smug look on their faces.
Xiao Xi breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that Mo Rongwen, Yun Juan, Yun Shu, and the bunch of furry kids had indeed entered the changing room.
Her appearance was actually premeditated, indicating that Yun Chuman was about to return.
Once Yun Juan and Yun Shu see her, they would try to lure Mo Rongwen away and give Yun Chuman space and time to prepare a birthday surprise.
However, the idea of luring Mo Rongwen away by swimming wasn't the two children's idea. It was hers!
Xiao Xi covered her mouth and chuckled. Mo Rongwen's swimsuit look! How many viewers would this attract! This time, she was more experienced and had completely hidden the swimsuit that would cover him up completely!
She clasped her hands together, offering a half-hearted apology to the air: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. For the sake of viewership, Mo Rongwen, please sacrifice yourself."
"What are you muttering about? You have that mischievous grin on your face."
Just as she was lost in thought, a voice suddenly rang in her ears, startling her so much she almost screamed.
Xiao Xi turned sharply and saw Yun Chuman standing beside her, carrying a pile of things and panting heavily. She was wearing a white tracksuit, had her long black hair casually tied back, and her fair cheeks slightly flushed from the heat. Her puppy-dog eyes blinking, the shadows of her eyelashes moved with each blink.
Xiao Xi looked her up and down, thinking that even Nuwa's masterpiece couldn't compare: "Damn it! You beautiful woman!"
Yun Chuman: ?? "?"
Could this be interpreted as a compliment?
"Little Juan and Little Shu took them away, right?" Yun Chuman glanced furtively into the villa.
"They left a long time ago. The two little cubbies are quite clever." Xiao Xi took half of the things from her and went into the villa. She was specially allowed to appear in the scene today to celebrate Mo Rongwen's birthday.
Yun Chuman breathed a sigh of relief and followed her inside.
She went straight to the living room, put the things she was carrying on the coffee table, slumped onto the sofa, and enjoyed the air conditioning for a while before saying, "I'm exhausted."
Xiao Xi poured her a glass of water.
Yun Chuman gulped down the water, wiped her mouth, and let out a long sigh.
"Can't we have a little more of a lady's image? What's the difference between you and an old ox drinking water?" Xiao Xi said with disdain, but silently added in her mind that she still looked very good.
"The only difference might be that I look more pleasing to the eye when I drink water."
Yun Chuman narcissistically tossed her hair.
She turned to look outside. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, she could vaguely see the pool behind the villa was crowded with fluffy children, with Mo Rongwen in the middle.
She narrowed her eyes. Where were the two kids?
Xiao Xi: ...
So she knew she was pretty. Damn it, she'd been fooled!
"Mommy!" Two childish voices appeared at the door, followed by the rapid patter of running footsteps.
Yun Chuman turned around and was immediately surrounded by two children.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu were wearing matching pineapple-patterned swimsuits. Their chubby limbs exposed, their round little bellies perfectly serving as pineapple bellies, and they wore swim caps with green leaves on their heads.
The only difference was that one was wearing shorts, and the other a skirt.
Yun Chuman's eyes lit up when she saw them. They were so cute!
"Is Mommy tired?" Yun Shu gently touched her cheek with her chubby little hand.
"Mommy, you've worked so hard," Yun Juan said, tilting his head back and frowning slightly.
Xiao Xi watched from the side, feeling a pang of envy. She also wanted two little ones who would care for her and show concern. Looking at Yun Chuman, she was truly a winner in life!
"I'm not tired. Little Juan and Little Shu are the ones who have worked hard. You have to cook and play with Mr. Mo."
Yun Chuman pinched their cheeks.
The two children giggled.
Yun Shu shook her head: "Elder Brother Mo is very good. He even helped us knead the dough. We're not tired at all."
Yun Juan said seriously, "Besides, it's the dogs playing with Brother Mo now."
Yun Chuman glanced outside again. Mo Rongwen was tangled up in the fluffy fur and couldn't move. She could vaguely see his expression of utter despair.
She felt a slight pang of schadenfreude and said to the two children, "Let's start preparing longevity noodles while he's not back!"
"Okay!"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu rubbed their little hands together expectantly. They had prepared a lot for this bowl of noodles and even watched many videos on their mommy's phone.
Worried they might catch a cold, Yun Chuman had put one of her own sports tops over their swimsuits. The long top hung down to cover their ankles.
Yun Shu happily twirled around, pointed at Yun Juan, and said, "Elder Brother is wearing a dress too!"
Yun Juan blushed, wrinkled his nose, and huffed, but didn't intend to take off the top. He changed the subject, "Mommy, did you buy a birthday present?"
Yun Chuman tied aprons for them as she said, "Yes, I did. Elder Sister Xiao Xi will help bring it to the table later."
Xiao Xi patted her chest upon hearing this.
The two children said simultaneously, "Thank you, Elder Sister Xiao Xi!"
When Yun Chuman led Yun Juan and Yun Shu to the kitchen, the production crew had already cleaned it, so she didn't see the shocking mess.
Yun Juan removed the lid from the basin: "Mom, look! This is the dough Elder Brother Mo kneaded for us, exactly the same as in the video."
The dough had risen, looking plump and smooth.
Yun Chuman pouted, reluctantly finding Mo Rongwen capable.
After washing her hands with the two children, she humbly asked, "Little Juan, Little Shu, what should I do?"
"Knead it into noodles with us!" Yun Shu smilingly chimed. Her chubby little hands made a kneading motion in the air.
Yun Juan pulled her to the cutting board and took out the dough, slowly kneading it into a cylindrical shape.
He said shyly, "Little Shu and I want to turn this dough into a long noodle, but we don't know how to do it like the auntie in the video. We can only knead it little by little. Mommy, can you help us?"
Yun Chuman nodded excitedly, "Okay, okay! Finally, there's something I can do!"
So, one big and two small stood in front of the cutting board. Their large hands and small hands slowly shaped the dough into a long noodle.
Yun Chuman cooked the noodles and then rinsed them in cold water.
Yun Shu made a broth with soy sauce, sesame oil, dried shrimp, seaweed, salt, sugar, and vinegar, and poured it over the noodles.
Yun Juan cooked a round poached egg and placed two small green vegetables on top. A fragrant bowl of longevity noodles was ready!
"Little Juan and Little Shu, go and call Mr. Mo back."
Yun Chuman carefully carried the longevity noodles towards the dining table.
Having taken off their aprons and donning Yun Chuman's long tracksuit top, Yun Jun and Yun Shu ran outside with their short legs.
The dining table was already decked with food. Yun Chuman had brought back a lot of takeout from a nice restaurant on her way back.
She placed the longevity noodles in front of Mo Rongwen's seat, rubbing her slightly aching earlobe with her fingers as she whispered a prayer: "I hope I'm not wrong, I hope I'm not wrong."
Outside the villa, Mo Rongwen floated wearily in the pool, staring blankly at the sky.
The husky beside him splashed around wildly. Each paw splashed water onto his face and he was too lazy to wipe it off.
The cats were sleeping in the shade nearby. They didn't like water. Only the Gold and Silver duo initially poked at it a couple of times before losing interest.
The Pomeranian, pug, and two chinchillas, lacking energy, played for a while before sunbathing.
Only one husky remained in the water and even that one gave Mo Rongwen a real run for his money.
He tried to climb out of the pool several times, but the husky wouldn't let go of his swim trunks. He almost exposed himself on camera during the live stream, and finally resigned himself to staying in the pool.
"Little Juan, Little Shu?"
Mo Rongwen called out, noticing the two children hadn't returned for a while. He muttered to himself, puzzled, "Does going to the bathroom take this long?"
"Elder Brother Mo!" Yun Juan and Yun Shu's voices preceded their arrival.
Mo Rongwen twitched his ears, jumped out of the pool, and turned to see two round little figures running towards him from around the corner.
A quick smile appeared on his lips, but he froze when he saw their clothes. His first thought was, "Where's my cute little pineapples?" But he quickly realized Yun Chuman had probably returned.
He watched the two children approach and instinctively walked to the edge of the pool, opening his arms. The children didn't go in the water. His hands only lightly rested on their arms.
Human cubs were different from furry creatures; they felt soft and squishy all over, and he didn't dare to apply any pressure.
“Elder Brother Mo, do you want to keep playing?” Yun Juan asked seriously, sitting by the pool.
“Haha should come out and sunbathe, it'll get cold after the sun goes down. Elder Brother Mo can't keep pestering Haha to play.” Yun Shu frowned, looking at the husky behind him still panting.
Mo Rongwen: …
Who was pestering whom here?! It was like he was the one being playful! How unfair!
“Elder Brother Mo, my mommy is back! She bought lots of delicious food, let's go eat together!”
Yun Shu exaggeratedly drew a circle in the air with her two chubby little arms. Her eyes were sparkling.
Yun Juan beckoned to the husky, "Haha, come on up! I'll help you dry off. Once your fur is nice and dry, you'll get something yummy!"
Hearing the mention of yummy, the husky immediately paddled ashore.
Mo Rongwen was speechless. He should have lured Haha with food too.
However, he was still very grateful to the two children for rescuing him from his pet's hell.
He climbed out of the pool, and after drying off his pet with the two children, he took them to shower and changed their clothes. He was responsible for Yun Juan, while a girl from the production crew took care of Yun Shu.
After changing, the two children didn't forget to take Yun Chuman's clothes back with them.
They held Mo Rongwen's hands, one on each side, becoming increasingly nervous as they approached the villa. Their chubby little faces lost their smiles; their lips were tightly pursed and their breathing became labored.
Mo Rongwen, adept at observing people's expressions, asked curiously, "Little Juan, Little Shu, what's wrong?"
The two children were startled.
Yun Shu instinctively said, "No, we didn't do anything. We didn't do anything..."
Seeing that she was about to confess, Yun Juan quickly covered her mouth, blinked at Mo Rongwen, and abruptly turned his head away, saying stiffly, “Elder Brother Mo, don't overthink it. We really didn't do anything."
Mo Rongwen raised an eyebrow. The sun was already setting, and the villa was dimly lit without the lights on.
He didn't intend to press the children further but instead went to check himself.
As soon as he entered the living room, he smelled a familiar fragrance.
Mo Rongwen frowned in confusion, quickly realizing that the fragrance was exactly the same as the one deep in his memory!
Before he could react, a bubble floated in from the living room, popped in mid-air, then two, three, and finally countless bubbles surrounded him before bursting one by one. The playful orange afterglow danced among them, giving the bubbles a rainbow of colors.
“This is…”
Mo Rongwen was somewhat stunned.
Yun Chuman came out of the living room, and Yun Juan and Yun Shu ran to her side. One big and two small cheered, “Happy Birthday!”
“Birthday?” Mo Rongwen’s eyes widened, his mind went blank, and he couldn’t quite process what was happening.
“It’s your birthday, Elder Brother Mo,” Yun Juan and Yun Shu said, smiling as they led him to the dining table.
Mo Rongwen immediately saw the familiar old-fashioned cream cake and longevity noodles.
The distant memory overlapped with the scene before him, and his nose tingled with emotion.
"Mr. Mo, please try this. It's longevity noodles that Little Juan and Little Shu made for you," Yun Chuman urged, pulling out a chair.
Only then, Mo Rongwen realized that the two children hadn't been causing trouble that afternoon. They had actually been making him longevity noodles.
He instinctively turned to look for them and saw two children standing on tiptoe, their little hands gripping the edge of the table, and only their expectant puppy eyes peeked out.
He smiled, lowering his head to smell the longevity noodles. The familiar aroma made his body stiffen slightly.
He picked up his chopsticks, found the tip of the noodles, and put it in his mouth. The noodles were chewy, with a savory aroma of broth. The taste was simple, yet warm and comforting.
“Elder Brother Mo, is it good?” Yun Juan and Yun Shu asked nervously.
Mo Rongwen lowered his head and his voice a little muffled: “Delicious, especially delicious. Thank you, little Juan and little Shu.”
The two children visibly relaxed, smiling at each other.
“Don’t just focus on the noodles, there’s also cake. Make a wish first.”
Yun Chuman took out three candles—red, yellow, and blue—about the thickness of a pencil, with spiral patterns engraved on them, looking quite vintage. She lit them one by one as she spoke.
Mo Rongwen's eyes flickered slightly. He stared at the dim candlelight for a long time before slowly closing his eyes and silently making a wish.
Yun Chuman noticed a small smile at the corner of his mouth. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing his expression, she knew she hadn't guessed wrong.
Last night, while watching videos, she noticed that when Mo Rongwen first debuted, he would get very enthusiastic whenever interviewed about his most memorable childhood experiences.
But perhaps because his answers were always the same, gradually no one asked the question anymore. Later, he became increasingly silent, and even when the question was brought up again, he wouldn't answer.
Yun Chuman remembered his answer to that question. It was very straightforward: his most vivid childhood memories were of his birthday, longevity noodles made by his mother, an old-fashioned cake, and bubble solution as a gift.
That was why Yun Chuman had the idea of using these three things to celebrate his birthday.
She had initially hesitated. After all, this was a memory related to Mo Rongwen's mother, and doing so might touch a raw nerve. But then she realized Mo Rongwen was a very sentimental and family-oriented person. Even today, when asked what his favorite food was, he would say noodles.
So, in the end, Yun Chuman went with the idea. Bubble water was easy to buy, but the old-fashioned cake took some effort.
Perhaps having thought a wish, Mo Rongwen opened his eyes and reluctantly blew out the candles.
The two children immediately cheered enthusiastically.
Yun Shu dipped her little finger in a tiny bit of cream and gently smeared it on his cheek, smiling as she repeated, "Happy birthday, Elder Brother Mo!"
Yun Juan smeared cream on his other cheek, smiling, "Always be happy!"
Mo Rongwen's eyes welled up and he choked out, "Thank you..."
He looked up at Yun Chuman, wanting to ask her how she knew all this and also wanting to thank her.
Yun Chuman acted first, patting his shoulder with satisfaction: "Nephew, don't be too touched. This is what your younger brother and sister and I should do."
Mo Rongwen: ...
Can she please shut up! Give him back his gratitude!
He opened his mouth, but found the urge to cry had vanished. Finally, he could only helplessly say, "Ms. Yun Chuman, I've wanted to say this for a while, but I'm actually older than you."
Yun Chuman shrugged: "So what? Little Juan and Little Shu call you elder brother and me mommy, right? Nephew, just accept it. Doesn't that also mean you are young?"
Mo Rongwen was rendered speechless again. This person's skin was indeed thick, but he couldn't help but laugh.
Yun Juan's big eyes darted around and he seized the opportunity to say, “Elder Brother Mo, being my mommy's nephew wouldn't be bad. She'd even celebrate your birthday with you!"
Yun Shu nodded vigorously, raising both hands in agreement, and even added a string of tongue twisters, "Yes, Mom is the gentlest! Elder brother and I want you to be our elder brother too."
Facing the two children, Mo Rongwen really didn't know how to refute them. Most importantly, hearing them want him to be their elder brother made him a little happy: "Thank you so much, little Juan and little Shu, for today. I'm very happy."
He glanced at Yun Chuman reluctantly and said, "Thank you very much, Yun Chuman."
Yun Chuman actually couldn't stand this cloying atmosphere. It was fine with two children, but with adults, she felt uncomfortable and even a little cheesy. So she pretended to be casual and said, "You're welcome. This was a task given by the production team."
She pushed the unopened bottle of bubble solution towards them: "Oh right, this is your gift."
Then she called to the two children, "Little Juan and Little Shu, come and eat!"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu were already hungry, and obediently waited for her to lift them to their chairs.
Mo Rongwen stared at the bubble solution in front of him in silence, unable to help but wonder, why did Yun Chuman have a mouth?
The viewers in the live stream were initially touched, but they watched helplessly as Yun Chuman completely ruined the atmosphere with a single sentence.
—Truly, you're something else, Yun Chuman.
—Can Yun Chuman be a beautiful woman who doesn't say anything?
—I'm dying of laughter! Mo Rongwen has stopped resisting being called "nephew", hahaha!
—Ah, those two little darlings are so sweet! I want to eat their longevity noodles too!
—Mo Rongwen: Never changed my mood so quickly, even while acting!
This birthday celebration made quite a stir, mainly because the protagonist was Mo Rongwen, someone who has won numerous awards but wasn’t known in depth both inside and outside the industry, even to his fans.
So, #MoRongwenSmiledOnHisBirthdayThisYear, #AuntYunChuman, and #LongevityNoodlesMadeByHumanCubs quickly became trending topics.
—A long-time fan of Mo Rongwen for over ten years is ashamed that we didn't realize he just wanted a simple celebration.
—I remember now, he actually mentioned what his ideal birthday would be like when he first debuted.
—We fans aren't even as observant as Yun Chuman, we're really ashamed…
—Actually, it's not your fault, it's just that Mo Rongwen is too quiet.
—I haven't seen him smile like that in so long. Sigh, aunt it is then. Yun Chuman is also our Mao Rong's aunt from now on!
—Those two little ones are our younger siblings now!
—Suddenly having a beautiful aunt and adorable younger siblings, being a fan of Mo Rongwen is such a bonus!
—Are all Mao Rong fans this good-natured?
As the trending topic continued to rise, many more netizens were attracted, and the director, Li Rufei, couldn't stop smiling.
However, after tonight, this episode will end.
Seeing familiar things, Mo Rongwen dreamt of his mother and father that night, a dream he hadn't had in a long time.
The next morning, he was still somewhat dazed, sitting on the bed for a long time before coming to his senses.
He could vaguely hear Yun Chuman leading the two children and the fluffies to do the morning exercises.
He rubbed his eyes hard, opened the door, and rushed out: "I'm doing it with you!"
Yun Chuman was so surprised she almost fell over.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu were quite welcoming.
Mo Rongwen was very coordinated. He had learned this exercise in school, and he did it much better than Yun Chuman.
The viewers in the live stream couldn't help but ridicule Yun Chuman by comparing with Mo Rongwen. Previously it was with the two children and the fluffies.
After breakfast, Yun Chuman and Mo Rongwen went back to their rooms to pack their luggage.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu knew they were leaving soon and didn't want to be separated from the fluffies for even a moment.
When Yun Chuman and Mo Rongwen returned to the living room after packing, they saw the human cubs and the fluffies crying their hearts out.
They sat down on the sofa, silently smiling as they watched Yun Juan, Yun Shu, and the fluffies express their reluctance to part.
Mo Rongwen glanced at the person beside him a few times before finally speaking, "Yun Chuman..."
"What's wrong, nephew?" Yun Chuman didn't turn around, her gaze still on the two children.
"Can you be serious for once?"
Mo Rongwen sighed. Having become more familiar with Yun Chuman's family, he wasn't as awkward anymore and his speech was no longer stammering. He said seriously, "I noticed before that Little Juan and Little Shu have a lot of talent for acting, especially Little Shu. Seriously, have you ever thought about letting Little Shu act?"
Yun Chuman turned to look at him. She had actually considered it; Little Shu's expressiveness was too good, and it would be a waste if she didn't act, but...
"It all depends on their own wishes. Acting is a lot of pressure, and I don't want them to do things they don't like."
Mo Rongwen pondered for a moment, frowned, and said, "That's true... but I still want to tell you, there's a child role in my next film that's perfect for Little Shu. If she's willing, I can arrange an audition for you."
Yun Chuman was somewhat surprised that he thought so highly of Little Shu, and smiled, "I thank you on Little Shu's behalf. I'll find time to ask her what she thinks later."
She took out her phone: "Let's exchange contact information. If she's willing, I'll contact you again."
Exchanging contact information, huh?
Mo Rongwen was momentarily stunned. It had been so many years since he'd exchanged contact information with anyone.
However, he wasn't opposed to adding Yun Chuman; that way, he could keep in touch with the two children later.
He hummed in agreement, took out his phone to scan the QR code, but after waiting for a while, Yun Chuman's phone remained blank. He couldn't help but ask, "Hey, are you poor?"
"Hmm? Not bad." Yun Chuman didn't look at him, patiently staring at the circle on her phone screen and thinking how she will have a large sum of money after the competition.
Mo Rongwen suggested, "Maybe you can get a new phone..."
"It's not a necessity, we'll think about it later." Yun Chuman laughed.
The QR code finally appeared, and with a ding, the two became friends.
Yun Chuman glanced at it; Mo Rongwen's profile picture was a bottle of bubble solution.
"Why don't you have a profile picture?" Mo Rongwen asked, puzzled. Yun Chuman's profile picture was the default one, even simpler than his.
"Changing it takes too long." Yun Chuman shook her phone. She had tried to change it before, but it hadn't uploaded.
Mo Rongwen opened his mouth, almost saying, "Why don't I just give you a new phone as a birthday gift?" Before he could speak, he was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Xiao Xi.
Seeing her, the two children finally decided to part with the fluffies and ran over on their short legs: "Elder Sister Xiao Xi!"
"Good children," Xiao Xi gently pinched their cheeks.
She looked at Yun Chuman and Mo Rongwen, handing each of them a piece of white paper, saying, "Please write down who you'd like to record with next time. Then this episode will be officially over."
"Over? Is it over already?" Yun Juan blinked and asked Mo Rongwen, clearly reluctant to part.
"Are we going to separate?" Yun Shu frowned, tugging at his clothes.
Seeing their dejected looks, Mo Rongwen felt a pang of sadness and quickly said, "It's okay, we can still meet privately."
"Meet privately? Really?"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu asked expectantly.
Mo Rongwen smiled and patted their little heads. "Of course! I just exchanged contact information with your mommy. You can contact me and the fluffy ones anytime."
The two children perked up again at this.
Yun Shu blinked, a little shyly asking, “Elder Brother Mo, can I hug you?"
Yun Juan also cautiously asked, "Is it okay?"
Mo Rongwen paused, realizing that the two children hadn't hugged him in the past few days. Were they accommodating his social anxiety?
But he also couldn't believe he would ever agree to let anyone hug him.
His heart softened and he opened his arms. "Of course!"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu happily wrapped their arms around his neck, making Yun Chuman incredibly envious.
The two children suddenly leaned close to Mo Rongwen's ears.
Yun Shu whispered, “Elder Brother Mo, actually, it's the little mouse that's making the cats and dogs fight."
Yun Juan also whispered, “Elder Brother Mo, if you just keep an eye on the little mouse, they won't fight anymore."
"Really?" Mo Rongwen was a little surprised.
The two children nodded, their eyes crinkling.
Mo Rongwen thought to himself, "So that's how it is! I was wondering why my pets, who have such good personalities, fight every day. Turns out, someone was stirring things up!"
"Thank you, Little Juan and Little Shu, you've really helped me a lot!" He hugged the two children. His eyes suddenly lit up and he suggested, "How about we record together again next time?"
The more he thought about it, the better the idea seemed. He had become quite familiar with Yun Chuman's family. If he recorded with them, he wouldn't have to face strangers anymore and he could play with his pets and the two children—perfect!
Yun Juan and Yun Shu also thought it was a good idea; they hadn't had enough of playing with the fluffies yet!
So he clapped his hands and nodded, "Great! Great!"
Mo Rongwen turned to Yun Chuman excitedly and asked, "What do you think?"
Yun Chuman quickly put away her sour expression and smiled, "Not bad."
"Then you write my name on the paper, and I'll write yours, so we can automatically be paired together again next time!"
Yun Chuman's smile widened, "No problem, but..."
"But what?" Hearing this turn of events, Mo Rongwen felt as if he'd been doused with cold water and immediately asked warily.
"How about you call me 'Aunt' first?" Yun Chuman gave him a kind smile.
Mo Rongwen: ...
Seeing that he didn't speak and kept avoiding Yun Chuman's gaze, Yun Juan and Yun Shu quickly called out softly, "Elder Brother Mo..."
Yun Chuman didn't show any outward movement, but inwardly she was giving the two children a thumbs up—what great wingmen!
Mo Rongwen glanced at them. For the sake of the two children, he endured it!
He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes: "Aunt!"
Yun Chuman instantly felt great and laughed loudly: "Nephew, you're so obedient!"
Mo Rongwen looked embarrassed: "Can I write now?"
Yun Chuman spread her hands regretfully: "I wanted to write you, but the production team wouldn't allow it."
"Huh?" Mo Rongwen's voice was so high it almost split his legs.
"Don't believe me? Ask." Yun Chuman raised an eyebrow at Xiao Xi who was standing to the side.
Mo Rongwen looked over.
Xiao Xi guiltily turned her face away, not daring to meet his gaze directly: "That's the rule, you can't choose guests you've already teamed up with. Mr. Mo, I'm really sorry."
"Yun Chuman, you knew all along?" Mo Rongwen asked through gritted teeth.
"I didn't know, I just guessed. Nephew, you're still too young."
Yun Chuman patted his shoulder playfully. Who could blame her when those two kids liked him so much! She was jealous! So she wanted revenge!
Fuming, Mo Rongwen couldn't utter a word for a long time. His only mistake was watching too few variety shows and not knowing the tricks of the trade!
The two children sympathetically patted his head.
Yun Juan comforted him guiltily, "Don't be angry, Elder Brother Mo. My mommy can be a little naughty sometimes."
Yun Shu quickly added, "But my mommy isn't bad, Elder Brother Mo, don't be angry. Elder brother and I will miss you when we get back."
Mo Rongwen gave a wronged “en." How could someone as mean as Yun Chuman have two such adorable little angels! So infuriating!
The viewers in the live stream, who had initially felt reluctant to see this episode end, burst into laughter at this scene.
—Mo Rongwen is surprisingly naive. How can the production team possibly pair them up repeatedly?
—Yun Chuman is actually jealous. Hahaha, can her revenge be any more childish?
—On the surface, the two kids are comforting Mo Rongwen, but actually they're siding with their mother, hahaha.
—Pass this on, Mo Rongwen personally confirmed that Yun Chuman is his aunt.
—The two kids are making amends for their mother's mistakes, hahaha.
—I just want to know how to have kids like Little Juan and Little Shu!