[In all five years since his debut, this is the first time I've seen so many expressions on Yu Ruicheng's face]
[Watching the socially anxious big brother and his social butterfly little brother together is so much fun. More, please!]
After Yu Ruicheng finished washing the dishes, he made up an excuse and stayed upstairs. He probably didn't want to see anyone for the rest of the night.
Ji Mingzhe sat in the living room watching TV and keeping the three children company while they played. After sitting for a while to digest his food, Su Huaiming headed upstairs alone.
[...What is Su Huaiming going back to his room for so early?]
Su Huaiming entered the room and took a long black object out of his suitcase.
As the viewers watched in confusion, Su Huaiming unfolded the object in his hands and zipped it up. The long object immediately turned into something resembling a cylinder.
Next, Su Huaiming took a bag of brown stuff out of his bag and put it in the tub. Then he filled a basin with water in the bathroom, tested the temperature, and poured it in.
The livestream comments were nearly drowned in question marks.
[What on earth is Su Huaiming doing? Making a magic potion?]
[First he added seasonings, and now he's added water. Is this some weird cooking gadget?]
[Is Su Huaiming going to make himself a secret snack?]
[He just ate so much, and now he's making himself a snack? Is his stomach a bottomless pit?!]
As everyone wondered, Su Huaiming sat down beside the tub, rolled up his pant legs, and put his feet in.
The livestream viewers: "..."
[I never would have guessed Su Huaiming was going to soak his feet]
[I recognize it! It's a portable folding foot bath. My grandpa has something similar]
[Su Huaiming really is a role model for young people, taking care of his health at such a young age]
[He really knows his stuff. He even prepared a special medicinal soak to dispel dampness and relieve fatigue, and tested the water temperature before pouring it in]
[Hahahahaha, Su Huaiming is like an old grandpa!]
Su Huaiming soaked his feet and leaned back on the bed, looking completely relaxed.
Apparently enjoying the soak, Su Huaiming narrowed his eyes and let out a long breath. A faint flush spread across his cheeks, and he looked as if he were about to melt into the bed.
Even through their screens, the livestream viewers could feel how comfortable Su Huaiming was.
[I suddenly want to soak my feet]
[Does anyone know what brands Su Huaiming's foot bath and medicinal soak are? I want to buy them too]
[Same here. Can one of you all-knowing sisters tell me?]
[Isn't this better than an ad? The brands should just pay Su Huaiming directly]
[I've already opened Taobao and am ready to order]
[I'm dying. Is this a parenting variety show or a sales livestream?]
Chapter 12: 012
Early the next morning, the director announced the task.
"Children, there's a group of people we have to thank for keeping the city clean. They work hard behind the scenes so everyone can enjoy such a nice living environment. We should thank them. Today, you're going to help the sanitation workers clean up and lighten their load. You can earn a little money too."
Hearing the director, a man in his forties, put on a cutesy voice to say all that, Sun Siyuan rolled his eyes without bothering to hide it.
Couldn't he just say we're helping sanitation workers clean up today? Why go on and on about it?
"Can I not go?" Sun Siyuan said expressionlessly. "Su Huaiming won a 1,000-yuan voucher. The things he bought will feed us for a week, so there's no need to earn money through tasks."
The director: "..."
The show had originally been designed for the parent-child teams to try different jobs and earn a day's income. He had never imagined Su Huaiming would be lucky enough to win a 1,000-yuan voucher, allowing all the families to take it easy without having to earn any more money.
He looked resentfully at Sun Siyuan, bitterly regretting inviting this wildcard. "That was Su Huaiming's voucher, not everyone's," the director said with difficulty.
"What's Su Huaiming's is mine."
Sun Siyuan showed no sign of embarrassment. Just last night, he had thought he was freeloading, but now he relied on Su Huaiming without a hint of guilt.
The livestream viewers were practically laughing themselves silly at the sight.
[Hahahahaha, I can feel the director's breakdown through the screen.]
[Now I finally believe yesterday's prize draw wasn't staged for the show, doge.jpg]
[I'm dying. Sun Siyuan is just an oversized brat. It feels like the director is about to cry because of him]
[Sun Siyuan said Su Huaiming is his! It's hard not to ship this bizarre pairing]
[Let me see who's being selectively blind again, pointing.jpg]
As the oldest person present, Ji Mingzhe was mature and dependable. He stepped forward to ease the tension. "The ultimate goal isn't to make money, but to gain something from the experience. Don't you children all want to see what a sanitation worker's life is like?"
Children were naturally curious, and all three little ones nodded at once. Yu Xuanxuan was already jumping up and down with his hand raised.
Sun Siyuan wasn't completely unreasonable, nor was he the type to roll around on the ground like Fu Xiaoxiao. After a few seconds of silence, he gave in to the three children and followed them with an awkward expression, boarding the production crew's vehicle.
After a fifteen-minute drive, they arrived at their destination.
It was a wide road. The area had undergone urban planning just last year, and another road had been built alongside it. This stretch had gradually fallen into disuse, with very few vehicles passing through, making it an ideal filming location.
Dense foliage lined both sides of the road. The leaves had begun to yellow, and they fluttered to the ground in the breeze.
The crew had drawn three squares on the ground in different colors of chalk. In the center were brooms and trash cans specially prepared for the children, decorated with cartoon stickers in bright, appealing colors that were just to their taste.
The director continued, "Children, each of you pick an area and make sure you clean it up properly."
"Okay~" Yu Xuanxuan replied in his childish voice.
The three little ones stood at the front, carefully choosing among the different colors.
Yu Xuanxuan said, "I want green."
Fu Xiaoxiao chose very seriously, his cheeks puffing up. "I pick blue."
Fu Xiaoxiao's voice had a childish lilt to it. At that very moment, Ji Youyou reached out and pointed to the blue area.
The two children had picked the same one.
Ji Youyou hadn't expected Brother Xiaoxiao to want it too. She pressed her lips together, unsure what to do.
[Oh no, Fu Xiaoxiao has such a fierce temper. He'll definitely bully Youyou!]
[Youyou is so timid, she might be scared into crying. This is the last thing I wanted to see!]
Su Huaiming stood leisurely to the side, showing no intention of stepping in to stop them.
Fu Xiaoxiao thought for just a second before readily saying, "Little sister, you can have the blue one."
Fu Xiaoxiao was a little man who hated pink, frilly things most of all, but this time he went over to the pink area of his own accord.
Fu Xiaoxiao was fair and soft, like a little milk bun, and the pink broom suited him especially well.
The corners of Su Huaiming's mouth curled up.
Fu Xiaoxiao's bratty temper was reserved for adults; he was very friendly toward other children. Su Huaiming wasn't worried in the least that Fu Xiaoxiao would bully Youyou.
All three parent-child pairs had gone to their assigned areas, while Sun Siyuan stood motionless by the roadside with his hands in his pockets.
The director added, "Brother Siyuan is everyone's mystery helper. If you run into any problems, you can ask him for help."
Hearing the director's coaxing tone, Sun Siyuan's expression grew even sourer. He was on the verge of exploding.
Ji Youyou pattered over to Sun Siyuan and looked up at him. "Big brother," she said softly, "could you help me carry the little container? I only have two hands, so I can't carry everything at once."
Sun Siyuan looked down at the little girl who wasn't even as tall as his knee. He was silent for two seconds, and when he spoke again, his features had softened. "Okay."
He immediately went over and picked up the cartoon trash can and dustpan, then followed right behind Ji Youyou without leaving her side, looking oddly well-behaved.
[No one can resist a little girl's cuteness!]
[The atmosphere feels so nice. I'm definitely following this show!]
The director hadn't said adults weren't allowed to help, so Ji Mingzhe and Yu Ruicheng both went over to the children of their own accord and taught them how to clean.
When Fu Xiaoxiao saw this, he couldn't help frowning, his little mind racing.
He had agreed with his stepfather yesterday that he could spend the money he earned however he wanted and buy lots and lots of ice cream.
Someone as crafty as my stepfather will definitely use helping me as an excuse to snatch my money!!
No way.jpg
Despite his young age, Fu Xiaoxiao's acting had already surpassed that of most popular young actors. He vividly demonstrated what it meant for one's pupils to tremble.
At the thought of his ice cream flying away, Fu Xiaoxiao grew so anxious that he nearly burst into tears. He immediately pattered over to Su Huaiming and looked at him warily. "You absolutely can't help me!"
Su Huaiming: ?? What goes on inside a kid's head?
Fu Xiaoxiao planted his hands on his hips, his expression fierce, though his voice was overwhelmingly babyish. "You sit right here and don't move!"
Su Huaiming: "..." There's a deal this good!
He readily agreed. "Okay, I'll sit right here."
Only then did Fu Xiaoxiao breathe a sigh of relief. He happily ran back, picked up his broom, and swept with all his might, huffing and puffing like a little calf.
Su Huaiming shifted into another sitting position and spoke of his sweet dilemma. "Adults should give way to children. Since Xiao Xiao won't let me help, I can't very well force him."
[!!! That's not what you said before!]
[Hahahahaha, Su Huaiming gets to openly slack off again]
[I want a little one who does the work himself and won't let his dad help too]
At first, Fu Xiaoxiao had boundless energy and swept diligently with his head down. After much effort, he finally finished a third of the area and felt a great sense of accomplishment. But when he looked back, his little face instantly crumpled.
There are more leaves!
How could thith happen!!
Fuming, Fu Xiaoxiao stomped over to the leaves, looking ready to pick a fight with them.
Su Huaiming walked over, bent down, and picked up a leaf. "Let me show you a game. I loved it when I was little."