Smack!
A huge watermelon split open.
"You eat this half," Gu Qingshan said.
"Brother, this half is too big. I'll get stuffed," Xiao Xi said.
"Look how skinny you are. You need to eat more so you can get fat. Once you're fat, you can break out of your shell, and once you've broken out of your shell, you can go wandering all over the place. Understand?" Gu Qingshan said.
"Fine." Xiao Xi gave in.
The siblings crouched in the tree, reaching their little hands out of their shells to grab the watermelon and stuff it into their mouths.
After they finished eating, Gu Qingshan clapped his hands.
The elves and giants beneath the tree had been ready for some time.
"Two children of fate, what would you like to watch today?" the elf Great Elder asked respectfully.
"Xiao Xi gets to decide," Gu Qingshan said.
Xiao Xi thought for a moment. "Then let's watch Pirate Adventure."
The elf Great Elder turned around. "You heard her. Get ready!"
A beautiful elf nodded and began chanting a spell.
Whoosh—
The tide surged forth, covering the land until it looked like an ocean.
Then, a tiny wooden ship sailed in from the distance.
An elf with black circles painted around his eyes, a black hat on his head, and a cutlass at his waist stood aboard the ship.
"Treasure, here I come!" He drew his sword and shouted.
The elves hiding high in the towering trees immediately began playing all kinds of instruments, led by an elegant, middle-aged elf.
The giants, playing the forces of evil, were ready to make their entrance.
Xiao Xi watched with rapt attention.
Gu Qingshan yawned, listening to the symphony echo around him as he leaned back comfortably against a tree branch.
—The day before yesterday, the