Chapter 47

Chapter 47

The next morning.

Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian emerged from their warm blankets, freshened up, and stepped out of the tent.

The cameras immediately focused on the father and son.

Today, Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian were dressed in matching outfits: white short-sleeved shirts and dark denim suspenders.

Suspenders had an instant youthful and adorable effect.

It was no exaggeration to say that when they walked out of the tent, it was a sight that brightened everyone's day, making the entire scene glow.

Lin Yi’s figure was already exceptionally slender, and the suspenders accentuated his narrow waist and long, straight legs.

Standing there, he wore a faint smile, radiating a vibrant and lively aura.

As for Huo Mianmian, the suspenders made him look incredibly cute.

With his rosy lips, white teeth, soft black hair, and large, round eyes, he looked adorable and innocent.

Dressed like this, standing quietly beside Lin Yi, he appeared as a gentle and sweet little angel.

Netizens couldn’t contain their excitement.

"Ahhhh, why can't such a beautiful wife and son be mine??"

"Today, I'm definitely going to be the envious one!"

"Who is so lucky to have both Lin Yi and Mianmian??"

"Seeing this early in the morning has brightened my whole day!"

By then, the sun had risen, casting golden rays onto the ground. The sand dunes were enveloped in a golden halo, making them look even more beautiful.

Lin Yi admired the desert scenery for a while before taking Huo Mianmian to find food.

The production team had set up a temporary stove for the guests to cook during this period.

Lin Yi walked over, rummaged through the ingredients prepared by the staff, and found some dumpling wrappers.

He turned to Huo Mianmian and said, "Son, how about we have dumplings for breakfast today?"

"Sure."

Huo Mianmian came to Lin Yi’s side, tiptoed, and looked at the ingredients on the counter.

Lin Yi took out the dumpling wrappers and found shrimp, cabbage, and lean meat.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Let's make two types of dumplings: shrimp and cabbage with lean meat."

Having decided, he placed some dumpling wrappers and shrimp in a bowl and handed it to Huo Mianmian, teasingly asking, "Son, do you know how to make dumplings?"

"Eh?"

Huo Mianmian shook his head seriously. "I don’t know how."

Lin Yi laughed. "How can that be? You’re already three years old; you must learn how to make dumplings. Otherwise, what will we eat?"

Huo Mianmian: "..."

He blinked his big, beautiful eyes, looking confused.

Even though he was only three, he suddenly felt the weight of responsibility QAQ!!

"Hahaha, teasing kids is so much fun!"

"I’m laughing so hard I’m pounding the table."

"Mianmian, ignore your dad. Don’t let him manipulate you!!"

After teasing Huo Mianmian, Lin Yi started making dumplings himself.

Though his cooking skills were average, making dumplings was something he could handle. After all, he used to help his family make dumplings during holidays.

Lin Yi sat on a low stool and began wrapping dumplings one by one.

After finishing each one, he placed them in another bowl.

Huo Mianmian squatted beside Lin Yi, tilting his head to watch Lin Yi’s movements.

After observing for a while, he picked up a dumpling wrapper, put a shrimp inside, and started wrapping it.

His small hands struggled a bit to hold the dumpling.

However, he was patient, lowering his head, folding the wrapper, and pinching the edges, looking quite meticulous.

He performed these actions carefully and attentively, appearing very obedient.

Finally, Huo Mianmian successfully wrapped his first dumpling.

His eyes lit up, and he showed it to Lin Yi, his voice filled with excitement, "Dad!"

Lin Yi thought Huo Mianmian was just playing around but was surprised to see a plump dumpling in his small palm.

Lin Yi was initially surprised but then praised him without hesitation, "Mianmian, you did great!"

Huo Mianmian smiled happily, his lips curling slightly.

Then he placed the first dumpling he had wrapped into the basin and picked up the second wrapper to continue wrapping.

Lin Yi instantly felt relieved.

As he slowly wrapped the dumplings, he sighed, "Having a well-behaved little one makes life so pleasant. Even dumplings can be wrapped together!"

His tone was filled with undeniable pride and a sense of accomplishment.

"Who's jealous? I won't say."

"Ahhhh, Lin Yi, is this really okay? I'm going to sneak away with your kid tonight."

"Why is Huo Mianmian so cute and well-behaved?! Looking at my own naughty child, I immediately grabbed the broomstick."

"Every time I see Mianmian, my heart feels so soft."

Since Huo Mianmian was wrapping shrimp dumplings, Lin Yi went to prepare the lean meat and cabbage filling.

Lin Yi washed the lean meat and cabbage, then placed them on the cutting board to chop.

Just as he was engrossed in chopping, Shen Feng walked over while yawning.

The morning in the desert was still a bit chilly, so Shen Feng wore a black leather jacket adorned with chains and studs, looking very fashionable and cool, perfectly matching his personality.

Seeing that Lin Yi was preparing dumplings, Shen Feng immediately said without any hesitation, "Wrap more; I want some too!"

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow and glanced at him indifferently, "If you want to eat, help out."

Shen Feng replied casually, "But I don't know how."

He wasn't lying; his cooking skills were even worse than Lin Yi's, the type that could set the kitchen on fire with just one attempt.

Unfortunately, Lin Yi didn't intend to indulge him and instructed, "If you can't do anything else, surely you can wrap dumplings?"

Shen Feng was about to say he couldn't.

But Lin Yi preemptively interrupted him, "Even a three-year-old like Mianmian can wrap dumplings. How old are you? Are you really worse than a three-year-old?"

This reverse psychology worked wonders.

Shen Feng: "..."

Even if he truly didn't know how to wrap dumplings, he had to learn today!

Otherwise, wouldn't he be worse than a three-year-old?

To prove himself, Shen Feng rolled up his sleeves and headed towards Huo Mianmian.

He didn't believe it was just a dumpling; he could wrap it better than anyone!

However, before he started, Shen Feng secretly observed Huo Mianmian's technique and then picked up a dumpling wrapper...

"Hahaha, save me! Shen Feng is sneaking a peek at our Mianmian!"

"Someone like Shen Feng, who has never been in a kitchen, naturally wouldn't know how to wrap dumplings."

After learning from Huo Mianmian, Shen Feng struggled but finally managed to wrap his first dumpling.

However, the wrapper was almost torn.

Shen Feng thought it wasn't a big deal and pinched the torn part back together, making the dumpling look wrinkled.

Despite this, he proudly called out to Lin Yi, "Look! Isn't this easy? Who can't do it?"

Lin Yi turned around and glanced at the pitiful-looking dumpling in Shen Feng's hand, feeling speechless, "You wrap the dumplings; you eat them."

Shen Feng: "...Are you saying my dumplings are bad?"

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow, "Yes, isn't it obvious?"

Shen Feng: "..."

Aaahhhh!!

Wasn't it just a dumpling? He wouldn't believe he couldn't learn it today!!!

From then on, every time Shen Feng wrapped a dumpling, he would call Lin Yi over to check, insisting on getting Lin Yi's approval.

Lin Yi was annoyed and said, "Shen Feng, how old are you this year?"

Why was he more troublesome than a child?

Shen Feng huffed, "Mind your own business! Just tell me if this dumpling looks good or not!"

What else could Lin Yi say? He could only reply, "It looks pretty good."

Thinking that this praise would suffice, he didn't expect Shen Feng to insist, "Your tone is wrong. Does it sound like you're praising someone?"

Lin Yi: "..."

He ignored Shen Feng and continued with his work.

Seeing that Lin Yi wasn't paying attention to him, Shen Feng took several steps to stand beside Lin Yi, acting like a persistent little puppy, following him wherever he went.

"Lin Yi, keep praising me!"

"Lin Yi, dare you say my dumpling doesn't look good?"

"Lin Yi, honestly speaking, my dumpling-wrapping skills are already comparable to a chef's, right?"

No matter how much Shen Feng chattered on, Lin Yi ignored him, which made Shen Feng jump around anxiously.

The rest of the scene unfolded in this manner—

Lin Yi calmly went about his business.

Shen Feng circled around him like a puppy seeking attention, trying hard to draw his master's attention to himself.

"Hahaha! These two are going to kill me with laughter!!"

"Shen Feng is completely different in front of Lin Yi. Where is that irritable and cold Shen Dashaoye from before?"

"I have to say, I ship this type of pairing!"

"Hehe, it's so shippable!"

Forty minutes later, the dumplings were cooked.

Lin Yi specially prepared some vinegar and sprinkled some chopped green onions in it for dipping.

He first picked up a small bowl and put four dumplings in it—two shrimp and two cabbage and pork.

He handed the bowl filled with dumplings to Huo Mianmian: "Here, little one, eat your dumplings. You're the hero today, enjoy them!"

Huo Mianmian nodded slightly: "Okay."

Then he took the bowl and chopsticks from Lin Yi.

Huo Mianmian ate the dumplings slowly.

He sat on a small chair and used the chopsticks to pick up a dumpling, bringing it to his mouth. He blew on it vigorously until it cooled down, then put it in his mouth.

With the dumpling in his mouth, his cheeks puffed out.

Soon, he chewed like a little hamster, moving his mouth steadily.

The entire process was quiet, without any fuss or noise.

"Why can Mianmian be so well-behaved while eating dumplings?"

"A child who doesn't need adults chasing after them to feed them is truly an angel."

"I wish I could have a little one like Mianmian; it's so soothing."

Over here,

Lin Yi also picked up a bowl of dumplings, dipped one in vinegar, and put it in his mouth.

The first one he picked was a shrimp dumpling. With one bite, a large piece of shrimp filled his mouth, its fresh and fragrant taste instantly spreading throughout. The vinegar and chopped green onions added layers of flavor.

Lin Yi ate several more in a row.

Shen Feng started eating the dumplings too. As he ate, he looked at Lin Yi resentfully: "It's all your fault; my voice is hoarse now."

He had been circling around Lin Yi, talking nonstop, hoping to get a response. But Lin Yi ignored him, so he kept talking...

And his voice became hoarse.

Lin Yi chuckled: "Who do you blame for your hoarse voice? Wasn't it you who kept babbling? I haven't even asked you for compensation for hearing loss."

Shen Feng huffed arrogantly: "As if. I won't give you anything."

Lin Yi ignored Shen Feng but, after looking around, asked: "Where's your nephew?"

Song Yutao hadn't appeared for a long time.

Shen Feng, being a completely irresponsible uncle, only glanced at the tent he shared with Song Yutao when Lin Yi asked, indifferent: "Who cares? He's probably still sleeping."

Lin Yi: "Should we leave some dumplings for him?"

Shen Feng shrugged: "No need. He can grab something to eat later."

Just as he said this, Song Yutao came out of the tent, looking annoyed: "I heard everything."

His uncle really didn't care about him at all.

Shen Feng brushed it off: "Oh, you heard it, you heard it."

Song Yutao sighed: "I really wish I could change uncles."

Shen Feng retorted: "As if I don't want to change nephews either."

And so, early in the morning, the uncle and nephew started arguing.

Lin Yi: "..."

Huo Mianmian: "..."

Forget it, it's none of their business. Let's continue eating dumplings.

One big bite, delicious!

"These two families are completely different—one is heartwarming, the other is frustrating."

"Haha, I find it quite entertaining that Shen Feng and Song Yutao argue every day."

"Shen Feng really doesn't let his nephew win at all. Doesn't he fear getting beaten by his sister when he goes home?"

"As a long-time fan of Shen Feng, I can say that he's a fearless demon at home, not afraid of his sister at all."

"Speaking of which, Shen Feng really does seem to be completely under Lin Yi's control."

"Sisters, I'm going to start shipping this pair. Should be okay, right?"

"Chug, chug, chug—just go all in."

After breakfast, Lin Yi sat down on a lounge chair outside their tent, lazily reclining with his eyes closed, basking in the sun, feeling utterly at ease.

At this moment, He Nian approached him.

He Nian was prepared.

This morning, he had received news from his agent that he had landed an endorsement for a web game.

Although many users had complained about this web game, He Nian didn't care about such things; he just wanted the endorsement fee.

More importantly, he wanted to show off to Lin Yi.

He had been overshadowed by Lin Yi recently and had been holding back a lot of frustration. Now was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities.

He wanted Lin Yi to see clearly who was more successful in the entertainment industry right now.

Soon, He Nian stood next to Lin Yi.

Even though Lin Yi's eyes were closed, he noticed someone blocking the sunlight.

He opened his beautiful, smoky eyes and looked lazily at the person before him.

Seeing Lin Yi open his eyes, He Nian felt a jolt.

Though he was extremely unwilling to admit it, Lin Yi's looks far surpassed his own.

He Nian could only try to console himself.

No matter how good-looking Lin Yi was, his current status in the circle couldn't compare to his own.

Thinking this, He Nian managed to calm down a bit.

With a smile, he said to Lin Yi, "Cousin, I have some good news to share. I got an endorsement for a game."

His tone carried a hint of pride.

He deliberately mentioned this to Lin Yi, hoping to highlight the gap between them.

However, Lin Yi merely looked at him without saying a word.

"..."

The air fell silent for a moment.

He Nian was somewhat puzzled.

But since he had come all this way, he decided to continue: "Cousin, why aren't you saying anything? Oh, I remember, you've never gotten this kind of endorsement, so you probably don't understand these things. But Cousin, if you want to experience an endorsement like this, I can put in a good word for you and see if there's something suitable for you. It's just that your status is lower, so they might not use you..."

He Nian rambled on, but Lin Yi still looked at him indifferently without speaking.

"..."

"..."

He Nian looked confused. "Cousin?"

At this moment, Lin Yi finally moved.

He took off his Bluetooth earphones and asked, "What did you say just now?"

He Nian: "..."

He Nian nearly exploded with anger. Had he just spoken all that, making his mouth dry, and Lin Yi hadn't heard a single word?

"Hahaha, Lin Yi did well!"

"What's wrong with He Nian? Every time he speaks, it's so passive-aggressive."

"Does He Nian think everyone is stupid? His words were full of bragging; who wouldn't notice?"

He Nian clenched his teeth in frustration.

But in front of the camera, he maintained a forced smile and said, "Cousin, you were wearing earphones. I didn't even notice."

Lin Yi replied indifferently, "Yes, so what?"

He Nian: "..."

Some things could only be said once. Saying them again wouldn't have the same effect.

After a moment, he awkwardly continued, "I... I just got an endorsement for a game."

Lin Yi's tone remained indifferent. "Oh, congratulations."

He Nian: "..."

Well, at least he won this round.

Someone like Lin Yi had never gotten an endorsement of this level before; the endorsement fee was several million.

Thinking this, He Nian became smug again and continued, "Cousin, don't worry. We're family, and I'll definitely help you out. After all, our statuses are indeed different nowadays..."

He Nian kept talking when suddenly, Shen Feng approached Lin Yi and loudly exclaimed, "Lin Yi, do you remember the game we played yesterday? The game company just contacted me and wants both of us to endorse the game."

Shen Feng's tone was incredibly excited, as if he himself had landed the game endorsement.

At this moment, Lin Yi finally sat up straight from his recliner and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Me?"

Shen Feng boasted, "Of course! Who else would it be? With whom did you play the game? It’s only natural that advertisers noticed you!"

Yesterday, Shen Feng posted a video of him and Lin Yi playing the game on Weibo, which immediately garnered a flood of comments and shares from fans, even trending on the hot search list.

Suddenly, countless people started following both Lin Yi and Shen Feng, with some even shipping them together.

Seeing such a great promotional opportunity, the advertisers naturally didn't miss it and promptly invited Lin Yi to endorse the game.

Indeed, it was all thanks to Shen Feng.

Upon hearing the news, Lin Yi smiled at Shen Feng and said, "Thanks."

Although he wasn't particularly concerned about endorsements, he wouldn't be foolish enough to turn one down once it came his way.

When Lin Yi smiled, it was carefree yet dazzling, making everything around him seem dull in comparison.

Seeing Lin Yi smile, Shen Feng froze for a moment, then awkwardly rubbed his nose, stuttering, "Y-You know... you know how to thank me, that's good."

"Wow, is Shen Feng blushing?"

"Seems likely!"

"Haha, Shen Feng, your mind isn't pure."

"But seriously, when Lin Yi smiles, few can resist him."

"That's right; in the face of absolute beauty, everything else is just fluff."

It took Shen Feng a while to regain his composure. He then demanded of Lin Yi, "Now you can't refuse to let me go to your gaming room, right? Maybe the game company will even ask us to stream together later."

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow, "Must it be my place? Can't we just go to an internet cafe together?"

Shen Feng jumped up, "You just said you were grateful to me, and now you won't even let me visit your house!!"

Lin Yi was practically deafened by Shen Feng's shouting and reluctantly conceded, "Alright, alright, you can come to my place, okay?"

Speaking of which, Huo Jihan should not be home then, right? He wondered if Huo Jihan would mind having an outsider like Shen Feng over, especially someone so loud and easily agitated.

But since they would be going during the day, Huo Jihan would likely already be at work, and they probably wouldn't run into each other.

Thinking this, Lin Yi relaxed again.

On the other side, He Nian had completely stiffened.

Lin Yi got the endorsement for that game?

Yesterday at the airport, he saw Lin Yi and Shen Feng playing that popular competitive game, which had a high national following.

In contrast, the web game he endorsed seemed very niche and insignificant.

He Nian's face turned various shades of color.

How embarrassing that he had just come to gloat to Lin Yi, only to be humiliated now.

Why? Why does everything good always happen to Lin Yi?

He couldn't bear it!

Unfortunately, with the cameras on, He Nian could do nothing but force a smile and say to Lin Yi, "Cousin, congratulations."

As he said this, he almost gritted his teeth to the point of breaking them.

Lin Yi responded casually, "Hmm."

He Nian: "..."

Lin Yi must be deliberately acting nonchalant, secretly gloating!!

He wouldn't give up just like that!!

"Haha, look at He Nian's face, it's completely frozen."

"Exactly, this is too satisfying! He Nian was just bragging earlier, why isn't he bragging now?"

"He Nian is really funny. Lin Yi barely acknowledged him, and he went up to him on his own. Now he's sulking?"

"You can only say that some people are just overly dramatic."

Over here.

Huo Mianmian was playing alone near a sand pile not far from the tent.

He scooped up a handful of sand and let it slip through his fingers.

Once it was all gone, he scooped up another handful.

He repeated this simple activity, finding joy in it.

Suddenly, Huo Mianmian noticed some green vines and leaves not far ahead.

Most importantly, those vines had round, watermelon-like green spheres growing on them.

Huo Mianmian's eyes lit up, and he murmured to himself, "Watermelon~ I want to pick a watermelon for Dad~"

With that, he walked towards the vines.

The cameraman behind him quickly followed and pointed the camera at what Huo Mianmian had just seen.

"Wow, there really are watermelons in the desert?"

"Mianmian is amazing, to spot that."

"Haha, as someone with a biology background, let me explain: this isn't a watermelon; it just looks like one. It's called a medicinal watermelon. You shouldn't eat it if you find it in the desert; it can be dangerous."

"Thanks for the explanation, senior."

"Learned something new today."

Unfortunately, Huo Mianmian didn't know that it wasn't a real watermelon.

He approached the green sphere, squatted down, and gripped it tightly with both hands, then pulled hard.

But the green ball was firmly attached and wouldn't budge.

Huo Mianmian used all his strength, but instead of pulling it off, he fell on his butt with a thud.

Huo Mianmian: "..."

He blinked in confusion, still not quite understanding what had happened.

Ouch, my butt hurts a little...

But soon, he got back up, patted his bottom, and tried to pull the green ball again.

He was determined to get a delicious watermelon for his dad!

Huo Mianmian tried every trick he knew, pulling and twisting.

After much effort, he finally managed to detach the green ball.

Huo Mianmian's eyes curved into crescents as he smiled widely.

He picked up the green ball and ran toward their tent.

Lin Yi hadn't seen Huo Mianmian for a while and was about to go look for him.

Then he saw Huo Mianmian running towards him, holding something green, his short legs moving quickly.

When Huo Mianmian got closer, Lin Yi smiled and asked, "Mianmian, where did you go?"

At this moment, Huo Mianmian proudly handed the medicinal watermelon to Lin Yi, "Dad, have some watermelon."

Lin Yi initially thought it was a watermelon and was surprised, "Mianmian, where did you get it?"

Huo Mianmian pointed to where he had found it, "Over there."

Lin Yi looked in the direction Huo Mianmian pointed and felt puzzled.

Do watermelons grow in the desert?

Thinking this, he examined the object in Huo Mianmian's arms more closely and realized it resembled a watermelon but wasn't exactly the same.

He ruffled Huo Mianmian's hair and said, "Sweetie, this might not be a watermelon."

Huo Mianmian was confused, "Huh?"

Not a watermelon?

He looked down at the object in his arms.

But no matter how he looked at it, it seemed like a watermelon to him.

Just then, the director appeared and explained, "This is called a medicinal watermelon, which has medicinal value..."

With the director's explanation, Huo Mianmian understood that it wasn't a real watermelon.

He pouted, looking disappointed.

He had wanted his dad to taste the delicious watermelon, QAQ!

Seeing Huo Mianmian's dejected expression, anyone would feel their heart ache.

Fortunately, the show's crew had prepared watermelons for the guests, which could now be used.

The staff loved the obedient Huo Mianmian.

So, a staff member quickly called out to him, "Mianmian, come over here. We have watermelons too. Pick one and share it with your dad."

Lin Yi also encouraged him, "Go pick one."

Huo Mianmian brightened up and went to select a large, round watermelon from the crew.

A few minutes later, Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian each held a big piece of watermelon and started eating.

Huo Mianmian's face lit up with a sweet smile, "Dad, is the watermelon sweet?"

Lin Yi laughed, "Of course it's sweet, since Mianmian picked it."

Huo Mianmian happily replied, "I think it's very sweet too."

His smile revealed the dimples on his cheeks.

"Wah, I want to eat watermelon too."

"Even though I didn't eat the watermelon, I think it's very sweet."

"Yes, seeing such an adorable child, who wouldn't feel sweet inside?"