Chapter 1: Running with the Ball?!

This year, the most popular online show was a life-exchange program.

Children from the city and rural left-behind children in the countryside undergo a 15-day exchange. The heartwarming and therapeutic episodes of the show pull at the heartstrings of every viewer as they witness the growth and subtle changes in the children during this brief period.

Now, the second season of the show is in the works. To provide viewers with a more immersive experience, the planning team begins a new round of activities, giving the audience the power to vote on guest selections, nipping any speculation of a "script" in the bud.

The show is still in the preparation stage, and the guest selection process has just begun. Most netizens access the live stream directly through the official social media links, so the live stream hasn't gained much traction yet.

The live stream footage lights up, revealing the picturesque scenery of Yongrui Village on the outskirts of South City.

"Opening with a breathtaking sunset, beautifully captured, bringing us back to the comfort zone of the show..."

"So beautiful, so beautiful. City folks truly appreciate nature. I'm hooked on this episode!"

During the guest selection phase, the show progresses slowly, accompanied by soft background music, as if taking viewers on a genuine tour of this beautiful mountain village.

Yongrui Village is located in a remote area, a true mountain enclave with unspoiled scenic beauty but economically underdeveloped. Most of the village's young adults have left to work elsewhere, leaving behind mostly elderly people and children, with a few curious women occasionally passing by the camera.

The show crew brought gifts for the children.

The gifts filled the trunk, and the staff had already informed the village officials. The children, organized by adults, queued up but still jostled to be first.

The live stream camera scanned every nook and cranny of the village, lingering unintentionally.

Suddenly, all eyes were drawn to a little round-eyed girl.

A group of children gathered around, jumping in front of the camera equipment, scrambling for the gifts brought by the crew, picking and choosing, creating a chaotic noise.

Among all these children, the one standing in the corner was the quietest.

She was younger than the others, with fine, unkempt hair sticking up like a small tuft of wild grass on her head.

Her big, clear almond-shaped eyes were pure, her cherubic face giving off a babyish look, but she wore ill-fitting, old, and dirty clothes.

The little girl was the most obedient to the staff, neither fighting for toys nor making a peep.

As she waited quietly, she stood on her tiptoes, her eyes shining with excitement.

The crew hadn't anticipated so many left-behind children in the village, and they didn't have enough toys prepared.

When it was the little girl's turn, a staff member apologized, their voice involuntarily softening.

"I'm sorry, we're all out."

The little girl tilted her head and looked at the storage box.

It was empty.

"None left..." she repeated in a milky voice.

"Aww, she's so adorable."

"Such a well-behaved child... and they're not even crying!"

"Toys! Give them to her! Now!"

"I can't stand to see a child disappointed. Give me the address, I'll have a delivery guy send one right away."

"Zhu Zhu!" a sharp voice rang out.

Zhu Zhu anxiously turned her head, kicking her little legs as she hurried back, making a 'pitter-patter' sound.

"Wait a moment." The gentle staff member waved again, her voice filled with amusement. "Come back for now."

Zhu Zhu stopped in her tracks.

On camera, her worn-out clothes hung loosely on her tiny frame, looking oversized.

She turned her head and looked up, trying to find the source of the voice among the adults.

Finally, the little girl's eyes landed on the plush bunny that the staff member was holding.

It was a small plush toy taken from the staff member's own backpack.

"Your name is Zhu Zhu, right?"

"This is for you."

Zhu Zhu suddenly found a soft plush toy in her hands.

She blinked, clearly surprised.

The woman who had just called out to the child approached.

Qin Meilan had heard that a TV crew would be coming today and had dressed herself particularly smartly.

"You're from the big TV station, right?" Qin Meilan raised an eyebrow and glanced at the toy in Zhu Zhu's hand. "Could you give my son a toy car too?"

Her gaze was fixed on the open trunk of the TV crew’s vehicle. When she saw that the storage box was empty, her ingratiating smile froze, and she frowned slightly.

The little girl stood nearby, clutching the plush toy in her small arms.

The live chat was buzzing with comments.

The staff member hadn't responded yet, and Qin Meilan immediately put on a look of realization.

"I get it, I get it. We’re not being greedy; we’ll trade this for it." She reached out suddenly to grab the plush toy from Zhu Zhu's hands.

The staff member instinctively protected the child, raising her hand to block Qin Meilan and explaining to her.

Throughout, Zhu Zhu held on tightly, like a little owner protecting her new beloved friend.

"I told you to run faster and get a toy car for your brother." Qin Meilan muttered under her breath, clearly displeased. "Tsk, can't even do this small thing properly."

In front of the camera, the little girl's plush toy was not taken away.

Zhu Zhu clearly was used to it, covering the bunny's ears with her small hand.

Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon.

"Oh no, my poor baby!"

"Can we get the little girl’s contact info? I’d love to sponsor her with clothes, toys, and school supplies."

"Forget it, I’ve seen families like this one too many times. Even if you send supplies, will they really be used for her? Chances are her little brother will end up getting all the benefits."

"The kid is really cute, she sort of looks like Ningning. I showed her to my mom, and she agreed."

"Which Ji Ning?"

"Has the internet replaced its users again? Surely they don't know about Ji Ning, the child star from back in the day!"

...

For some younger viewers in the live stream room, the name "Ji Ning" was clearly unfamiliar, but a netizen immediately stepped in to enthusiastically explain.

Twenty years ago, Ji Ning was the most well-known child star.

At that time, she was only five years old, incredibly talented and charming in her performances, and adorable in interviews off-stage. She was loved by everyone, deserving the title of "national daughter." Thanks to her numerous iconic performances, Ji Ning received a lot of attention. Even after she stepped away from the limelight for several years, audiences would still nostalgically mention her name when talking about child stars.

Over the years, with the internet becoming increasingly developed, various forums and social media occasionally revealed Ji Ning's recent situation through netizens.

Her exit from the industry caused quite a stir. An oral agreement for her next project fell through when her family suddenly demanded a higher price, leading to a huge dispute. The director angrily scolded them for being short-sighted and greedy, saying they were cutting off the child's future.

In the end, the project fell through, and Ji Ning seemed to vanish without a trace, disappearing silently.

Now, the former child star had grown up and become a civilian, always bearing the brunt of blame.

A search for her name yielded pages of scandalous reports and ridicule.

Some said Ji Ning's family background was complicated, which led to her developing an inferiority complex and a narrow-minded personality. Her pretty face had supposedly deteriorated to the point where it had become unrecognizable.

A fleeting success, now just another ordinary person.

"My neighbor was in the same class as her, and they said her family treated her like a cash cow, exploiting her until they had no use for her anymore, without any real effort to cultivate her talent."

"Speaking of Ji Ning, it's really a pity."

"She just didn't catch a good era. If she were still active on screen, even just with those childhood roles, she could live off them for a lifetime."

"Do you really think the audience is starved? She's already lost her looks. There's no need for a nostalgic epic; even trying to resurrect her career won't work. This line of work isn't for everyone."

"No matter what Ji Ning is like now that she's grown up, little Ji Ning will always have a childhood filter in my heart."

...

Beicheng International Airport.

The plane landed, and Ji Ning, pulling a suitcase with one hand, walked out of the arrival hall.

The personal assistant following behind her was drenched in cold sweat, unsure of how to explain the situation to the Ji family.

Four years ago, the young miss of the prestigious Ji family in Beicheng had engaged in a series of what her family considered rebellious actions to refuse an arranged marriage.

The assistant still vividly remembers the day when the family of the marriage prospect came to the Ji household.

Ji Ning descended the spiral staircase, holding the railing, and with a mischievous and teasing tone, dropped a bombshell.

The Ji family was thrown into chaos, and the usually elegant and composed Ji mother lost her composure for the first time.

Ji Ning, on the other hand, was as calm as ever, calmly going through her pregnancy.

Until the child was born, no one knew the identity of the father, except for Ji Ning herself.

At that time, the young assistant was astonished; everything that happened to the young miss of the Ji family was too dramatic.

This is like those "pregnant and running away" novels!

Reality, however, is often more dramatic, especially with the birth of the little miss.

Ji Ning was involved in a serious car accident, after which the little miss disappeared. When she woke up, she had lost her memory.

Ji Ning woke up in the hospital, having forgotten everything.

She still had the mind of an adult, but most of her memories were stuck in her childhood. She had forgotten that absurd chapter in her life.

It felt even more like an old-fashioned novel.

After calming down, Mother Ji made a decision.

In her life, she had never made a misstep. The only blemish was caused by Ji Ning. The Ji family's daughter had to follow the rules and be a true lady. Now that she had been ruined, they would start over.

To prevent domestic gossip from reaching Ji Ning’s ears, Mother Ji sent her abroad.

She assigned special people to watch over her, even tailoring her social life and circle.

But now, she had suddenly returned.

It was like a chapter from an old-fashioned novel. Chapter One: The Return of the White Moonlight.

"Madam might not be pleased with your sudden return..."

Ji Ning walked out of the airport, lagging behind. Each step felt so familiar.

For some time now, something had felt off to her.

It felt as though she had been fitted into an equation, following prescribed steps, but not truly living her own life.

Even her smile had a predetermined, regulated arc.

A smile, a slight smile, a proper and gentle smile...

Ji Ning furrowed her brows.

It shouldn’t be like this.

The little assistant stopped in her tracks.

After so many years, many things had settled, but the truth remained buried. She had witnessed with her own eyes how the once unruly and rebellious Ji family's miss had stopped laughing freely, becoming a truly proper and obedient lady of the high-class family.

The assistant turned around. "The car to pick you up has—"

Her voice halted, and she stood stunned for a moment, her face suddenly filled with shock.

Ji Ning practiced her smile earnestly.

She grinned, trying hard to move all her facial muscles for a long time.

Still grinning...

Little assistant: ?

Miss, what are you doing with that pretty face?!