Chapter 3 #Bitter Melon Literature#

Chapter 3 #Bitter Melon Literature#

Qin Meilan coaxed Xiao Jie to sleep in her arms, while Xiao Tuanzi was scolded all day long and eventually banished behind the curtain to sleep.

It was autumn, and the night had turned chilly. Xiao Tuanzi's quilt was still thin, and she shivered slightly as she slipped into bed. She placed the accessory doll that the staff sister had given her earlier next to herself and gently pulled up the quilt.

The staff's accessory doll had a grubby face, just like a little tabby cat.

Just like Xiao Tuanzi.

But this was Xiao Tuanzi's new friend, and she didn’t care one bit. She patted it gently with her small hand.

Time for sleep!

Behind the curtain, Xiao Tuanzi overheard Zhao Wu making a rare phone call.

As soon as the call connected, Qin Meilan hurriedly had Xiao Jie call him "Dad." Tomorrow was Xiao Jie's second birthday, and Zhao Wu had picked out a toy water gun for him, ordering it online. He said it would arrive soon, which made Xiao Jie extremely excited. Father and son got all mushy for a good while, and Qin Meilan was clearly satisfied, shooting a barely perceptible glance at the forgotten "wild child" behind the curtain.

"By the way, some people from the TV station came to record a show in the afternoon."

"I was thinking of having Xiao Jie make an appearance, too, on that show called *Switching Lives*. They filmed it in some village before, where a little girl from the countryside was brought to live in the city. After the show, the city folks donated money and school supplies for her, saying they'd support her no matter how long she studied!"

"I figured, if Xiao Jie catches their eye, even if he doesn’t go to school, he could shoot some ads, look cool, and make some cash—"

"Qin Meilan!"

Xiao Tuanzi flinched and huddled closer.

Qin Meilan was startled by her husband's sudden outburst and, afraid of scaring her son, switched the call mode and held the phone to her ear.

On the other end of the line, Zhao Wu was livid, warning her not to jump at every chance. If the TV people came again, she should keep the children far away.

"Especially that girl," Zhao Wu said sternly, "Don't let her show her face."

"Pfft," Qin Meilan rolled her eyes, "Like she’s some kind of secret."

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes, yes, I heard you."

After hanging up the phone, Qin Meilan hugged her son to comfort him.

Thinking about how she had been scolded for no reason, she sneered sarcastically.

"Isn't it true that she's some kind of secret?"

"Pah."

A wild kid—no one knows why she’s so special.

Every time she asked Zhao Wu about her past, he’d clam up.

He had the nerve to do things that betrayed the family and still act righteous!

...

Xiao Tuanzi wasn't at the age of innocence, two or three years old. She was three and a half, a big child.

When the grown-ups fought and scared her little brother into tears, someone always comforted him. But she was on her own.

Xiao Tuanzi knew she needed to stay out of sight, quietly waiting for the storm to blow over.

The window was half-open, and a cool breeze quietly slipped in.

Zhu Zhu curled up into a tiny ball, and as sleepiness hit, she drifted off to dreamland.

In her dream, the sound lingering in her ears was like a long bedtime story.

It was the original plot of the old clichéd novel "Running with a Baby: Amnesia and the CEO Falls in Love with Me."

Zhu Zhu was too young, and it was only at this moment that she began to vaguely understand that the "baby" in "running with a baby" referred to a little person.

The baby from the original heroine's "running with a baby" was born, and on that day, she was so happy that she selected a bottle of fine wine from the cabinet, planning to drink it once she had recovered. The original heroine had become a mother, but she herself was still like a little girl, wandering around the crib, occasionally poking at the small decorations hanging on the bed. In the end, she discovered that her "baby" was the most fun.

In the dream, the original heroine’s face was veiled by a layer of gauze, too blurry to make out clearly.

Zhu Zhu heard the crisp sound of baby toys "ding-dong-ding-dong" ringing in her ears.

The original heroine said many things to her baby.

"I'm actually a mom now."

"It hurt, but you're so cute, it was worth it."

"Grow up quickly, and we’ll go for afternoon tea together."

"Can't drink tea? I'll get you some milk."

Xiao Tuanzi was still in the dream.

However, even in the dream, she still didn’t understand most of the original plot.

She only remembered this segment, presented from the baby's perspective, surrounded by a warm, dreamlike bubble, beautiful like an illusion.

It turned out that dreams could be sweet.

...

Steam filled the bathroom as Ji Ning wrapped herself in a bathrobe and wiped away the fog covering the mirror.

When she first woke up from the coma, she hadn’t had time to think about much. She was told that it had been a major car accident, and her acquaintances and the driver had died on the spot, but she had been luckier and survived.

The rehabilitation process was tough, and professional therapists had developed the most comprehensive plan for her recovery. Ji Ning was naturally optimistic, and despite the difficulties, she had made it through step by step.

From family and outsiders, Ji Ning pieced together her former self.

By age five, she was a child star recognizable on the street. As she grew older, the only daughter of the Ji family was never seen as a cash cow, as her mother cut off all her connections to the entertainment industry, and her life became simple and pure.

School and home, a straight line, with tutors responsible for her artistic education. Her upbringing as a wealthy heiress was uneventful.

She had been raised in a greenhouse, and the only accident was that car crash.

But over time, Ji Ning began to feel like she had lost something important.

An invisible cage seemed to trap her.

She didn’t know what she had lost, but it must have been something precious.

"Knock knock knock—"

Ji Ning came to her senses. "Please come in."

The servant Wu Ma brought Ji Ning a bowl of freshly stewed bird's nest soup, emphasizing that it was as per Madam's instructions.

"Madam is still in the study conducting a video conference."

"By the way, the clothes near the entrance of the wardrobe were just delivered this afternoon by Madam. They are outfits for the season."

Wu Ma opened the wardrobe.

Rows and rows of clothes, accessories, and shoes—meticulously coordinated from head to foot, just like Fu Mingya—practical, conservative, and reliable.

Wu Ma held up a dress against Ji Ning. "How beautiful this would look on you."

"Wu Ma," Ji Ning suddenly asked, "When did you start working at our house?"

"That was quite some time ago," Wu Ma said with a smile. "You were just a tiny little thing back then, and I even accompanied you to film sets."

"Do you remember why my mother allowed me to act back then?" Ji Ning asked.

"That was twenty years ago," Wu Ma mused, recalling the past. "Now that you mention it, it is strange. I remember Madam was particularly unhappy about it… Maybe at first, she just wanted you to have some fun, but later found the arrangements at the film set unreasonable. How could such a young child handle staying up late for filming?"

She glanced at the dress in her hand. "Ningning, have you lost weight again? This dress might not fit you."

"You should eat more while you're at home."

Ji Ning responded softly.

Wu Ma glanced at the time.

"Then you rest for now, I'll go out first and come back later to call you for dinner." Before leaving the room, Wu Ma looked at Ji Ning again, sincerely pleased. "It's so nice to see you doing well!"

Wu Ma went downstairs, leaving the bowl of bird's nest porridge on the tray.

The lid had already been opened, revealing an elegant spoon inside, as the steam gradually faded.

The clothes in the wardrobe were regularly maintained, with each section matching the style of the newly delivered seasonal outfits.

"..." Ji Ning crossed her arms. "Did I really used to like this kind of style?"

...

The second season of *Switching Lives* began with the live audition segment sparking some online chatter among netizens.

But now, it's not just a cold period for the film industry, but also for variety shows. The first audition episode, though generating some buzz, didn't quite hit the big time.

After discussion, the production team concluded that there were still many areas for improvement in the first audition episode and hadn't found any standout guest candidates yet.

The only one who left an impression was the little girl at the end of the children's group, but it was still inappropriate to select her as a guest.

"That little girl is cute and likable, but she's too young and doesn't meet our requirements. Also, her family situation doesn't seem great. Her mother doesn't seem easy to deal with. If we were to invite her as a guest and bring her to live with an urban family, would we then send the urban child to her home?

"Bringing up the issue of 'preferring boys over girls' publicly could stir up controversy, but it's a sensitive topic. The child is still young, and if we amplify this issue, we might be accused of exploiting the child, which would be a huge accusation."

After consideration, the team decided to shelve the plan for now.

The live auditions weren't only held in Yongrui Village. There were many backup locations, giving them ample time for preparation.

Unlike formal TV stations, independent content creators riding the wave of popularity had already sensed the heat from this wave and were ready to capitalize on it.

That evening, a charity streamer named "Donut" released a preview, stating that early the next morning, she would head to Yongrui Village to deliver well-fitting clothes and offer warm care and encouragement to a child named Zhu Zhu.

"Amazing execution and sharp instincts—this streamer was born for this!"

"Ah, this… Isn't it a bit inappropriate to bother them like that?"

"They turn everything into a spectacle. Children aren't tools for these self-media streamers to make profits."

"In the age where traffic is king, money follows clicks. Support the streamer for helping improve the child's life!"

"This is so shameless, opposing the entertainment of suffering!"

Whether the online comments were well-meaning or not, streamer Donut had still managed to ride the coattails of the official TV station's heat.

The next morning, she and her studio team took the earliest flight to Nancheng, broadcasting the entire journey live.

The buzz wasn't huge, but Zhu Zhu had become the breakout star of the stream, receiving attention and goodwill from various sectors of society.

In a forum dedicated to discussing internet celebrities, someone shared the live stream link, with the broadcast copy including the tags #LittleJiNing# and #ChildStar#.

"Are unknown small streamers really this desperate now?"

"These tags are weak; they need some real traction. They should have used #BitterMelonLit instead!"

After a long, bumpy ride, Donut and her team reached the entrance of Yongrui Village.

From afar, they finally found today's live stream protagonist.

Zhu Zhu, wide-eyed and puzzled, stood there with her little legs planted firmly, tilting her head.

Here comes Little Bitter Melon Baby!