Chen Liqing clapped his hands hard. "Today's little games are over. You're free to go."
Gu Wancheng came back to his senses, feeling as though he had survived a disaster, and hurriedly got up and carried Chaochao back to the bamboo hut.
Chaochao wriggled lightly, only for Gu Wancheng to pat his bottom the next second. He instantly froze, not daring to move, pretending he was a large stuffed toy.
"All right, you can move now." Gu Wancheng set him on a chair.
Chaochao still didn't budge. Gu Wancheng pressed his lips together, reached out to tap his forehead, and said, "Power on."
"Chaochao-brand robot at your service!" Chaochao immediately stood up and saluted Gu Wancheng.
Gu Wancheng smiled. "Would the Chaochao-brand robot please get his pajamas ready?"
"Chaochao-brand robot, orders received!" With that, Chaochao turned to find his pajamas.
[The Chaochao-brand robot is so cute! Chengcheng, sell him to me!]
[I haven't placed an order, but I hope he arrives at my house tomorrow. Remember to pack his food.]
[Girl, you're really trying to get something for nothing. shocked.jpg]
[I want one! I promise to raise him nice and chubby.]
"All ready." Chaochao brought the neatly folded pajamas over to Gu Wancheng.
He earned some praise and a pat.
"Come on, bath time."
"Mm-hmm."
Gu Wancheng went to the bathroom, ran Chaochao's bath first, and then let him undress himself.
"Where's my ducky?" Chaochao asked in confusion, looking at the empty surface of the water.
Gu Wancheng replied, "You didn't bring it."
Chaochao was shocked. "I didn't bring it!"
Seeing Chaochao look as though the sky had fallen and life held nothing more for him, Gu Wancheng curled his lips and, like a magic trick, placed his little yellow duck on the water right before his eyes.
Chaochao's eyes focused, and he picked up the little yellow duck in delight. "My ducky!"
Gu Wancheng smiled. "Remember to bring it next time."
"Thank you, Daddy!" Chaochao thanked him loudly.
Outside, the camera faced the pitch-black woods, leaving the viewers speechless. Every so often, a breeze rustled the leaves, and together with the tangled, crisscrossing trees, it felt rather unnerving.
Viewers with their feet outside their blankets silently pulled them back under. The law of the ghost world: you couldn't hurt anyone under a blanket.
Only after retreating entirely beneath their blankets and tucking down the edges did they relax a little and continue watching their phones.
Chaochao had finished his bath, and Gu Wancheng carried him back to the bamboo hut and set him on the bed.
He turned on the phone and put it in Chaochao's hands, dialed Bo Yizhou's number for him, then leaned toward the camera.
Smiling, he said, "Everyone, help me keep an eye on Chaochao."
[Don't worry, Chengcheng. Go ahead! We promise to complete the mission!]
[No! Chengcheng, take me with you!]
[With how close we are, is there really anything we can't see? smirk.jpg]
[I'm a VVVIP! What can't I watch?! angry.jpg]
Yet all they got was Gu Wancheng's mercilessly retreating back. Still, looking at fair, chubby Chaochao wasn't bad either, the viewers thought regretfully.
"Father!"
The viewers' thoughts were instantly pulled back, and they stared excitedly at the phone in Chaochao's hands. The mysterious big shot!
Every one of them wished they could crawl into the phone and see just who he was.
"Chaochao?" The deep male voice on the other end held a trace of uncertainty.
[!! Is that the mysterious big shot's voice? It sounds kind of nice. Not sure, let me listen some more.]
"Here!"
Bo Yizhou furrowed his brow and asked, "Where's your daddy?"
Chaochao: (╯-_-)╯╧╧
Chaochao puffed up his cheeks and pouted. "Father, you're mean!"
Bo Yizhou caught on and asked without much sincerity, "Are you having fun there?"
Chaochao immediately beamed upon hearing that, completely missing the perfunctory note in his voice.
He said sweetly, "I caught lots and lots of snails today."
"Mm."
"Daddy also helped me find a little pet. He's a moon clam, and his name is Pangpang."
"Mm."
Bo Yizhou had no particular opinion about Chaochao keeping a moon clam as a pet. Children's imaginations ran wild. It was much better than keeping a rock as a pet; at least a moon clam was alive.
After saying so much and getting only two "mm"s in response, Chaochao finally realized he was being brushed off.
He puffed up his cheeks and declared loudly, "I'm going to tell Grandma and have her punish you by making you eat a great big bowl of cilantro!"
With that, Chaochao raised his head smugly. He knew Father hated cilantro most of all.
Hmph, scared now, aren't you? That'll teach Father to brush me off again.
Hearing no response for a long while, Chaochao secretly thought to himself.
[Wh-what a terrifying threat! hugging my poor self.jpg]
[Cilantro and fish mint, get out of China!]
[If I get rich, I'll definitely round up everyone in the world and make them grow cilantro and fish mint. smirk.jpg]
[Don't take me. QAQ]
[If I get rich, I'll definitely wipe out all the cilantro and fish mint in the world! clenched fist.jpg]
[Why don't you two fight? (desperately fanning the flames)]
[Omnivores fear nothing. I'll eat anything.]
[Those two things will never appear on my table as long as I live. smile.jpg]
Bo Yizhou: "..."
Suddenly threatened by his own not-so-bright little one, Bo Yizhou was speechless.
Mixed feelings welled up inside him, along with an inexplicable sense of gratification.
To keep his little one from noticing he was being perfunctory, Bo Yizhou added a few more words.
"Very good. Well done."
Chaochao gave a loud huff to express his displeasure.
"You have to apologize."
Bo Yizhou had never apologized to anyone in his life, yet today his own little one was demanding an apology. It felt novel.
"Hurry up and apologize, or I'll tell Grandma!"
Bo Yizhou: "..." He did feel a little threatened. After all, his mother really was capable of forcing him to eat cilantro.
"I'm sorry."
"Hmph!" Chaochao folded his arms and eyed the phone sidelong.
Still angry, Bo Yizhou thought.
"When you come back, I'll help you invite Suisui over."
Those words drifted into Chaochao's ears like heavenly music, and his eyes shone.
He picked up the phone he had tossed onto the bed and asked in his babyish voice, "Really?"
"Really."
"Thank you, Father! I like you the most!"
[alert.jpg Who's Suisui?]
[Look at Chaochao acting so desperate. I bet they barely know each other.]
[Makes sense. Otherwise, why would he need the mysterious big shot to invite them?]
[Chaochao is actually a simp! shocked.jpg]
[We didn't say that. shaking head in denial.jpg]
Bo Yizhou checked the time and asked, "Has your daddy still not come back?"
Chaochao scratched his head. "I don't know?"
Just as he said that, Gu Wancheng opened the door from outside and came in.
Chaochao immediately said into the phone, "Daddy's back!"
"Mm, give Daddy the phone."
"Oh. Daddy, here." Chaochao stretched out his arm as far as he could to hand Gu Wancheng the phone.
The moment Gu Wancheng took it, Chaochao burrowed under the covers, leaving only a pair of sparkling eyes watching him.
As soon as he walked over, Chaochao closed his eyes again and pretended to be asleep.
Gu Wancheng chuckled, held the phone, and turned off the speaker.
After he said something, the person on the other end said something in reply, and his face suddenly turned red.
[?? Why can't we hear the big shot talking anymore?]
[Chengcheng's blushing again. Shame, shame, shame.]
[What exactly did the big shot say?! The suspense is killing me!]
[They must be talking about something lewd. So embarrassing.]
In fact, Bo Yizhou had said only one thing.