The film crew of "Fu Sheng," with the last of the props being removed, finally completed their two-and-a-half-month shoot.
Wang Feifei looked around the vast space and shook her head with regret. "I really wish these sets could be kept. They could earn a lot of money as tourist attractions. It's such a shame they're being dismantled."
No one responded. She turned to see Jiang Nanchen's eyes practically glued to his phone. "Hey, stop looking! You'll bore a hole through that phone. We'll see the real person tomorrow, isn't that better than looking at a phone?"
Jiang Nanchen smiled and put his phone down. "Congratulate her for me."
Wang Feifei glared at him disdainfully. "Look at you, like you've been wronged by the whole world. You're so gloomy, you're practically a pickled cucumber."
With that, she snatched Jiang Nanchen's phone, opened Quan Jiu's WeChat, and quickly typed a message: "Boss Quan, congratulations on your widespread fame. Will you be at tomorrow's gathering?"
Jiang Nanchen couldn't stop her and watched helplessly as the message was sent.
"You..." Jiang Nanchen was amused and exasperated.
Just as Wang Feifei returned his phone, Jiang Nanchen received a reply from Quan Jiu: "Haha, why are you teasing me like Feifei now? I'm bringing three mouths to freeload tomorrow, so it's too late for you to regret it."
The tone was still friendly. The gloom in Jiang Nanchen's eyes vanished, replaced by a smile that exuded his scholarly charm. He said to Wang Feifei, "I forgive you." Then, he lowered his head and went back to replying to messages.
Wang Feifei shivered. "Ew, don't smile at me like that, you're making me uncomfortable." She turned and walked away.
...
At Juxin Kindergarten, it wasn't yet five o'clock, but parents had already crowded the entrance. Fortunately, Chu Rong was tall. Even standing on the outer edge, he could still see the activity at the gate.
However, his impeccably tailored suit and his height of 1.88 meters made him stand out among the other parents, drawing frequent attention from those around him.
"Whose parent are you? I haven't seen you before," a mother standing nearby asked curiously.
Chu Rong's expression was calm. "My children are named Mimi and Tutu."
The mother's face immediately lit up with understanding. "Oh, so you're the parent of that set of twins! No wonder. Those two children are so beautiful, like porcelain dolls. Your wife is also very beautiful. Your family has such high颜值." She also added, "And height."
Chu Rong smiled and said, "Thank you. My wife is even more beautiful, and the children resemble her more."
As they were talking, the five o'clock dismissal bell rang. Soon, cheers from the children and reminders from the teachers could be heard from inside the gate. In a short while, the gate opened, and a group of children rushed out. Parents and children searched for each other, and upon spotting them, they would either call out or run directly towards them. The scene was a noisy yet orderly chaos.
Chu Rong's gaze was also fixed on the entrance. Soon, he spotted two children who clearly stood out – Mimi and Tutu.
Chu Rong walked towards them.
Mimi was looking down, texting her mother to tell her not to worry about her and her brother. Suddenly, two long legs blocked her path. She looked up unhappily and froze.
Tutu also looked stunned. "Why are you here?"
Chu Rong took their schoolbags off and hung them on his arm, then picked up both children, one on each side. He smiled at the teacher at the gate. "Teacher, thank you for your hard work."
He was already tall and slender, and holding the two children made him even more eye-catching. The three of them looked as if they had stepped out of a comic book.
Teacher Li was a bit taken aback. "You are..." She knew Quan Jiu was a single mother.
Mimi quickly explained, "The grandpa from next door."
Teacher Li chuckled. Such a handsome face, yet called grandpa. She gently corrected, "Mimi, you should call him uncle. Calling him grandpa makes him sound old."
Mimi vaguely said, "Oh."
Teacher Li continued, "Although you are neighbors, it's my duty to confirm with the children's mother. I hope you understand."
"I'm here," Chu Rong said, putting the children down again. He sent a message to Quan Jiu and soon received a reply. He showed the text message to Teacher Li.
Teacher Li confirmed it was Quan Jiu's number, but seeing that she also referred to him as "grandpa" in the message, she found it strange and amusing. However, thinking it was just a playful quirk, she didn't think further and allowed Chu Rong to take the children.
Chu Rong carried Mimi and Tutu away from the kindergarten.
The two children were still a bit dazed. Midway through their walk, Mimi remembered she wanted to get down and walk herself.
"We can walk by ourselves. It's too tiring for you like this," Mimi said.
Tutu, however, was reluctant. There were many classmates on the way, and those little brats were all looking at him with envious eyes. Tutu felt incredibly proud. Look, look, my dad is so handsome.
He hugged Chu Rong's neck tightly and remained silent.
Chu Rong smiled gently. "See, other children are being carried. Mimi and Tutu should be carried too."
Mimi paused for a moment, then softly said, "Oh." Like her brother, she hugged her father's neck, and a smile involuntarily appeared on her face.
"What do you want to eat tonight?" Chu Rong asked.
Tutu's mind was filled with happiness, and he didn't know what he wanted to eat. He grinned and said, "Whatever."
Mimi said, "Mom likes to eat seaweed."
Chu Rong nodded slightly. "I know, thank you for the reminder, Mimi. Then we'll make the seaweed and lotus root pork rib soup that Mom likes. What do Mimi and Tutu like to eat?"
"My sister likes taro, and I like braised lion's head, the fist-sized kind," Tutu said enthusiastically.
Chu Rong smiled warmly. "Okay, then we'll make braised chicken with taro, braised lion's head, and add a spicy shredded potato. And the seaweed and lotus root soup."
"Okay, okay, okay," Tutu nodded vigorously, like a pecking chicken.
The father and his two children returned home.
As soon as the door opened, they expected the same colorful, playroom-like atmosphere as yesterday. To their surprise, it had changed completely again.
Silver metallic elements created a modern, technological feel. White and deep lake blue, with sharp, angular lines, softened the coldness of the technology. The overall style was simple and rational, yet not lacking in warmth.
Realistic robot models of various heights and shapes were placed in corners.
Tutu stared in amazement, murmuring, "It's good to be rich."
He happily roamed around the house. "I like it here. It's much better than before."
Chu Rong carried Mimi to a door and smiled. "Open it and take a look."
Mimi looked a bit confused. She cautiously pushed the door open. Upon seeing the scene inside, she let out a gasp and covered her mouth, remaining still. After a long while, she tentatively took two steps into the room. The little ones inside immediately surrounded her.
A Norwegian Forest Cat, with fur of white and black-coffee, meowed softly and rubbed against Mimi's pant legs. Its fluffy tail was as soft as silk.
Another Ragdoll cat with blue eyes and brown and white fur seemed unwilling to be outdone and also ran over. Because it was small, it even climbed up Mimi's pant legs. Mimi lovingly scooped it up and nuzzled it again and again.
In the corner, a Devon Rex cat with dark brown fur and pink ears was curled up, looking a bit scared.
Mimi jumped with joy. "Kitties, I love them. They're so cute." She held one in her left arm and another in her right, wanting to hold another, but she was too busy.