"Xiaoxiao's here!"
Jiang Yu had planned to get up early to leave a good impression on the audience, but the moment he stepped outside and saw Gu Wancheng and Chu Yi'an, his smile nearly slipped.
"Good morning, Wancheng, Yi'an. You're up so early."
Gu Wancheng smiled without speaking and secretly rolled his eyes. Did he think he couldn't see through that fake smile? If his acting was bad, he should practice more.
Chu Yi'an nodded. "Good morning, Brother Jiang Yu."
After sitting down, Jiang Yu put on his most delicate air and said with a slight frown, "Did you see the task? We're going shore foraging. I've never done it before, and my health isn't very good, so I'm worried I won't do well."
His fans' hearts ached when they heard that.
[Xiao Yu is too modest. You'll definitely do great.]
[Poor Xiao Yu. How could they make him do something like this?]
[Shore foraging is so exhausting. Why make Xiao Yu do it? Don't they know his health is poor?]
[Right, right, your precious Xiao Yu is the only one doing it. Don't the other guests have to go shore foraging too? Your fave just has to be special.]
[Nobody else is complaining. Shut up already.]
All the guests had to go shore foraging today. Yesterday, the viewers had seen the staff put the task cards inside with their own eyes.
The others thought shore foraging sounded pretty good when they saw the task, especially the children, who could hardly wait for tomorrow.
Hearing this, Jiang Yu's fans insisted that everyone knew his health was poor and the production team must be deliberately targeting him, so they all turned their attacks on Chen Liqing.
"Heh." The corner of Chen Liqing's mouth curved as he watched the people criticizing him in the bullet comments.
Poor health, his ass. Judging by his fans' reactions, Jiang Yu had this persona down pat.
Yesterday, he'd played frail to avoid looking for things, leaving poor Xiaoxiao to shoulder the whole burden alone. If he hadn't had someone backing him, Chen Liqing would have kicked him out long ago.
With acting like his, only his fans seemed blind enough not to see through it. It was truly remarkable.
"The director arranged it. Besides, shore foraging is actually pretty fun."
"It's not that I have anything against Director Chen. My health just isn't very good, so I probably won't be able to manage shore foraging."
With that, he gave a bitter smile.
Xu Xiashi came out of the house just in time to hear him talking about his poor health and nearly laughed aloud. She sauntered over and offered some feigned comfort. "It's all right, Xiao Yu. Just do your best. It isn't tiring. You only need a good eye."
Jiang Yu gritted his teeth. Who wanted to do that sort of work? It was filthy.
In other words, he still had to go shore foraging. Although he was furious that Xu Xiashi had butted in, he didn't dare go against her. She had seen him with that person before, and she knew that person too. He still remembered the contempt in her eyes as she looked at him.
She had been radiant, elegant and confident in a red dress, like a queen, while he followed beside that person like a clown in a corner, ignored by them, fit only to look up at them.
Jiang Yu lowered his eyes. "You're right, Sister Xiashi. I'll definitely do my best to look."
Zhao Chengyu brought over some washed bubble fruit and blueberries. "Let's have yesterday's leftovers for breakfast. There's some shepherd's purse too. Let's cook it all together."
Jian Yue pursed his lips and sat down beside Chu Yi'an. "Okay."
Chu Yi'an glanced at him without speaking.
Holding a bowl of wild blueberries and bubble fruit, Xiaolin solemnly announced to Chaochao and the others.
"Can I invite you over to my house for apple pie?"
After speaking, he looked at them expectantly, clutching the bowl nervously.
Chaochao dropped the leaf in his hand and excitedly leaned closer. "Really? You're inviting me?"
Xiaolin answered nervously, "Mm-hmm."
"That's great! Can I bring a little friend?"
"Y-you can."
"Thank you, Xiaolin. You're so nice."
"Wow, what's apple pie? Is it yummy?"
"It's yummy. My mom makes it."
Tongtong clapped furiously. "Wow! Your mom is amazing. My mom can't make that. Last time I ate her cooking, I had to get shots."
The other little ones looked horrified. "Your mom is so scary!"
Tongtong nodded in complete agreement and patted her chest in lingering fear, assuring them, "Yes, super, super scary. Don't worry. I won't let you eat my mom's cooking."
The little ones looked at her with teary eyes. "Thank you, Tongtong. You're so nice."
Except for Xiaoxiao, who was looking at them as though they were idiots.
Tongtong couldn't tell at all what Xiaoxiao's complicated expression meant. Seeing that he wasn't speaking, she took his hand. "Don't be scared, Xiaoxiao. I won't let you eat my mom's cooking either."
Xiaoxiao said, "...Okay." Speechless. A bunch of idiots.
[Hahaha, Xiaoxiao looks like he's staring at idiots.]
[Tongtong, I guarantee you're in for it when you get home.]
[From now on, eating Tongtong's mom's cooking equals getting shots in these little ones' eyes.]
[I want apple pie too. Why didn't Xiaolin invite me? Just because we don't know each other? Throwing a tantrum on the floor.jpg]
[Thanks to Tongtong's big mouth, her mom's cooking skills have successfully made the trending searches.]
[Shocking. It actually made the trending searches.]
The viewers searched out of curiosity and were floored.
'Shocking! How Tongtong's mother sent her own daughter to the hospital'
[Just incredible. Anyone who didn't know better would think she was abusing her daughter.]
[How does this not count? Doge.jpg]
Gu Wancheng came over and smiled at them. "Time to eat, kids. What are you talking about?"
Chaochao said quietly, "Xiaolin wants to invite us to his house for apple pie. Can we go?"
Hearing Chaochao's words, Xiaolin nervously picked at his hands. "Uncle Gu, can I invite Chaochao over for apple pie?"
Gu Wancheng paused, then rubbed his head once he'd processed it and said gently, "Of course. Thank you for inviting Chaochao, Xiaolin."
Seeing his dad patting another child's head again, Chaochao watched jealously, even the little curls on his head drooping.
Xiaolin was his friend. He couldn't be like this.
Just as Chaochao was practically bubbling with jealousy, Gu Wancheng moved his hand from Xiaolin's head to his and gave it a rub.
He pressed down the stray tuft sticking up on Chaochao's head. "Go eat."
Spring instantly bloomed in Chaochao's heart, and the little tuft on his head sprang up happily.
No matter what Gu Wancheng did, it wouldn't stay down, so he simply left it alone. It was cute this way anyway.
Hmph. Since Dad hasn't forgotten me, I'll forgive him this once.
Chaochao thought haughtily.
The little ones were practically starving flat and scrambled to sit down at the dining table.
Xu Xiashi asked curiously, "What were you talking about just now, sweethearts?"
Those little tots huddled together really did make people curious.
Mi Tu looked up, holding her bowl. "Xiaolin invited us to have apple pie."
Xu Xiashi gave a little exclamation. "Really? Did you thank Xiaolin, sweetheart?"
Mi Tu nodded obediently. "I did."
Zhao Chengyu glanced at Xiaolin and smiled. "Xiaolin wants to invite his little friends over for apple pie. Right, Xiaolin?"
Xiaolin didn't sound as relaxed as he had with his little friends. "Mm-hmm. My mom's apple pie is really yummy."
Noticing his discomfort, the adults offered a few words of praise and then stopped talking. Xiaolin immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Zuozuo suddenly said, "Oh, right. We can't go to Tongtong's house."
"Why not?"
"Because Tongtong said if you eat her mom's cooking, you have to get shots."
Everyone: !!!
Chu Yi'an paled in shock and hurriedly turned to look at Tongtong.
Tongtong looked back at him innocently.