Chapter 70 Little Genius!

Chapter 70 Little Genius!

After finishing a journey and returning to her original life, Little Zhu Zhu was still feeling a bit out of sorts.

The tag-team effort between her grandparents and her father had just begun, and she was already looking forward to the moment when it would end.

"Grandma, hasn't Dad come back yet?"

"It's still a ways off," Jiang Songlin chimed in.

"How much longer?"

"At least five more days."

If her grandparents had said it would take a few more hours or a dozen hours, Little Zhu Zhu could have counted the minutes on her fingers, ticking them off one by one. But now, they gave the exact number of five days, which made it easy for a child to judge. Waiting for Dad for a few days just meant a few more sleeps, and waking up to daylight meant a day had passed.

Ji Ning: "What about naps?"

"What's five times two?" Jiang Songlin asked.

Multiplication was too tricky for Little Zhu Zhu to figure out.

Old Jiang then said, "You’ve got to learn your times tables. Look, five times two is—"

"It's five," Zhu Zhu said, holding up one hand, then the other, "plus five, and that makes ten!"

"Did you see that?" Old Jiang excitedly patted his wife's arm.

"See what!"

"She’s so sharp, she’s already tackling word problems!"

Jiang Songlin’s eyes lit up with pride.

His little granddaughter, could she be a little genius?

Ji Ning: ...

With such a dramatic father, how did Jiang Cheng turn out so quiet?

The car to fetch Zhu Zhu and Ji Ning was already waiting outside the airport. The safest spot was behind the driver in the second row, where a specially customized child safety seat was set up, decorated with adorable cartoon stickers.

Ji Ning, holding Zhu Zhu, sat down and was surprised to find that these cartoon characters were all ones the child had mentioned on the show.

"We remembered them from your trip to the amusement park," Zhou Yanjun said with a smile. "During the parade, Zhu Zhu spotted lots of cartoon characters and even knew their names."

Zhou Yanjun explained that Jiang Songlin, who’s all about putting on a show and saving face, had almost mixed up the names of the characters worn by the park staff during the parade. Not wanting to seem out of touch, like some clueless old guy, he’d looked up every character’s name on a shopping app, carefully selected them, and finally settled on this set of stickers.

"Right?"

She didn't need to wait for her granddaughter's answer; her beaming face said it all.

Old Jiang’s grin widened as he tousled the baby’s hair: "If you like it, buckle up quick!"

On the way home, Ji Ning listened as Zhou Yanjun shared the highlights of the past few days.

For the second episode of the show, Jiang Songlin watched every day without missing a second. Busy with work, he’d listen in, tuning out everyone else, but the moment he heard Zhu Zhu's little voice, the grandfather couldn't sit still. Old Jiang even joked that it was a good thing he didn't have a granddaughter when he was young, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to start a business, too busy going home to hold his little granddaughter.

Zhou Yanjun shot him a skeptical look. "Could you even have had a granddaughter back then?"

She added, "When we were young and had a son, I never saw you hold him."

"It's different."

"How is it different?"

"Our son was a bit awkward. When you held him, he would stiffen his neck and stick his head out, as if trying to stretch it out two miles."

Ji Ning burst into laughter.

Mr. Jiang's reputation suffered again.

...

In the past, Little Zhu Zhu was a bit of a daydreaming baby, growing up quietly, eating and sleeping on her own, seemingly never knowing what it meant to anticipate something.

But now, her grandparents and parents had planted seeds of hope in Xiao Tuanzi's heart. The beautiful kids' room at home was like a carrot dangled in front of a little bunny. When she came out of the underground garage and waited for the elevator to go home, she rubbed her little hands together, wishing she could sprout wings and fly home.

Even though she had already imagined the outline of the kids' room in her heart, when she finally saw her own little room, the little one was still thrilled beyond words.

Zhou Yanjun and Jiang Songlin had immediately set about designing the baby's room after receiving the call from their precious granddaughter that day. As Jiang Cheng had suggested, a bunk bed, climbing frame, slide, tent, and a cozy nook for the doll were all arranged perfectly. The small desk and child-sized ergonomic chair that Ji Ning mentioned were also ready, with a bookshelf next to it filled with picture books suitable for a child of her age.

Little Zhu Zhu was a devoted little one, carrying her doll and bunny plushie with her every day. Now they had their own little nest, lying comfortably inside. Zai Zai seemed to think it wasn't enough, kicking her little legs as she dashed to grab two tissues to cover them, specifically over the doll and bunny's belly buttons.

This was Zhu Zhu's very own little world. Ji Ning rummaged through her suitcase for a while before finally finding the little tour guide certificate she had received after the show ended yesterday.

That day, the baby had successfully completed her task as a little tour guide. The production team had promised to award her a certificate, but everyone got busy and forgot about it. It wasn't until last night, just before her departure, that the intern PD handed the certificate to Ji Ning. She had ordered it online herself, and the young girl wore a shy smile as she said she was glad it arrived in time, or else the little one would have been heartbroken.

The intern PD said that after this episode, her internship would end, and she was uncertain about her chances of staying on.

Before starting the internship, many people had told her that working in a variety show team would be grueling, with a relentless schedule every day, and she would have to attend to the celebrity guests. But after actually experiencing it, she found it wasn't like that at all. Everyone was exceedingly kind and remarkably patient with her. Even if she made mistakes, they would give her chances to adjust. In the production team, she gained not only work experience but also cherished moments with the amateur group, which would remain a treasured memory even years later.

The intern PD transformed this beautiful memory into a certificate as a keepsake.

Ji Ning placed the certificate on the baby's little desk.

She gestured as if unveiling the certificate with a flourish: "Ta-da—"

Zhu Zhu spotted her name on the certificate and was utterly captivated, gently touching it with her little hand, learning a few more characters.

"Best Little Tour Guide."

"Mom, can I be a little tour guide when I grow up?"

"Of course."

"And a zoo director."

"No problem."

"A basketball player taller than Dad!"

"Then you'll have to remember to give me your autograph."

Little Zhu Zhu had many dreams.

Like being a magician, an engineer designing flying cars, a postman at the time post office, and so on...

Xiao Tuanzi counted her dreams in her sweet, childish voice, while her mother listened attentively and responded.

To air out the new furniture, the windows of the kids' room have been left open.

A breeze blew over the certificate on the desk, and Ji Ning set it back up.

"And a luggage porter!" said Zhu Zhu.

Looking at the baby's earnest little expression, Ji Ning always felt like she was talking to her past self.

Her thoughts drifted back to a long, long time ago when she was also so innocent and carefree. After tasting a very flavorful strawberry, she announced to her parents that her dream was to become a strawberry farmer, cultivating the sweetest and most beautiful strawberries. Ji Ning remembered that after she said those words, her parents didn't respond immediately. It was only after a long time that her mother, with a somewhat dismissive tone, said that her daughter, Fu Mingya, had such low aspirations—who did she take after?

"A luggage porter?" Ji Ning said with a smile. "That luggage cart is really cool!"

"And you can assist people who need help," Zhu Zhu nodded vigorously.

At this moment, Jiang Songlin, who was standing nearby, spoke up.

"With so many jobs, how can you manage them all?"

The baby looked up with her tiny face.

After a moment, Old Jiang said, "Fortunately, retirement is now delayed."

After returning home to rest, the elderly couple stayed updated on current events and discussed the topic of delayed retirement.

At first, the topic didn't seem relevant to them, but upon closer consideration, it was possible that he might not be able to retire even at sixty-five.

"Do you think, if that kid never shapes up, I'll have to keep working for him at the company until I'm old?"

Just thinking about it made Old Jiang shudder.

"Let's give them a nudge."

Zhou Yanjun: "Are we still dealing with this?"

Old Jiang: "Since we're already here."

...

In the afternoon, Ji Ning urged Little Zhu Zhu to go to sleep.

It was already past her nap time, but her mom said that since the baby woke up early, took a flight, and had been on the move all day, she must be exhausted.

Zhu Zhu wasn't tired at all.

In the morning, she spent time playing with her dad, and when she got tired, she would reach out for a hug, and even "ride a horse," which was very relaxing.

Flying wasn't tiring either; the baby wasn't responsible for flying, she just had to sit in her seat, eat airplane food, and drink delicious orange juice—it was quite enjoyable.

"You can even debate now?" Ji Ning pinched her little face. "I haven't dealt with you for betraying me yet."

Zhu Zhu is her mom's devoted little supporter; betraying her is not something she would do easily.

But occasionally, she might slip up.

So, the content of the video call between her mom and Aunt Bai Hui was a secret!

At this moment, Xiao Tuanzi sat cross-legged in the pile of toys in the kids' room.

The LEGO sets Jiang Cheng had ordered had also arrived, and Ji Ning was trying to distract the baby, not letting her open them. Each LEGO box contained many bags of parts, and once opened, there was no turning back. Ji Ning had no patience and definitely didn't want to spend time putting them together.

She had been so firm in her refusal before, but now, Ji Ning suddenly felt guilty. Had she hurt the little one's feelings today?

The first time she upset Zhu Zhu was by not letting her play with LEGO, the second time was by urging her to go to sleep, and the third time was when Zai Zai betrayed her mom...

No amount of toys could comfort Zhu Zhu.

What the little one really needed was her mom's understanding.

The mom, who always led by example, deeply reflected on herself and softened her attitude.

"It's not betrayal," she said, clearing her throat, "I'm not blaming you. It's just that your dad came to settle accounts with me..."

The little one blinked her big eyes.

She said in a soft, childlike voice, "Mom didn't forget."

Ji Ning: ?

Five minutes later, Little Zhu Zhu revealed all the tasks her dad had given her.

The task was simple: find evidence that mom didn't "forget" after drinking, connect the clues, and report back in exchange for a lollipop.

So Zhu Zhu wasn't upset just now...

She was secretly keeping track of clues in her mind.

"Did you plant a spy too?" Ji Ning muttered.

Zhu Zhu looked down and tapped the smartwatch on her wrist.

Ready to report to dad.

"No way," Ji Ning said firmly, stopping the baby, "I'll give you a whole box."

Wow, a whole box of lollipops!

"To be given out over the course of a year," Ji Ning added.

Little Zhu Bao felt like she hit the jackpot, nodding eagerly, "Mhm mhm!"

...

On their first night back home, Zhu Zhu woke up in her mom's arms.

Last night before bed, the little one lingered, her mouth almost pouting down to her chin. Ji Ning thought that just a little more, and the baby might have burst into tears.

But in the end, she didn't cry. Because mom said there was lots of new furniture in the kids' room, and even though the formaldehyde levels were well below the limit, since some harmful substances are released slowly, it's safer to keep the door closed and the window open to air it out. Little Zhu Zhu was all for it, following her mom, not only leaving the kids' room without hesitation but also closing the door behind her. The phrase "turn your back and deny knowing someone" was practically written all over the baby's face, perfectly illustrated.

The seven-day variety show livestream had ended, but when Zhu Zhu woke up in the morning, she still felt like she was in a dream.

She rubbed her eyes and asked her mom what the day's itinerary was.

"Stay at home," Ji Ning said.

After seven days of running around, the little one definitely needed to stay home and rest for a day.

As for Ji Ning, she had to go out to Director Lu's place to finalize the contract. Only by signing the contract would the role be truly secured.

"I miss dad so much," Zhu Zhu said softly.

Before I knew it, a whole day had passed since Dad left.

Little Zhu Zhu, fresh from sleep, was a thoughtful little sweetheart, calling Dad in the early morning to say hello.

Ji Ning finalized the meeting time with Director Lu and his team, and while preparing, she took a moment to glance at the trending topics on her phone.

The show had ended two nights ago, but the buzz was still lingering.

The media snapped Ding Muyun and Xiang Xinghui meeting at the civil affairs bureau. The actress was dressed in black with sunglasses, very low-key, while Xiang Xinghui looked scruffy and haggard, pulling and tugging, seemingly trying to reconcile.

"That's the way it should be, don't give that scumbag any face! But even celebrities have to wait a month for the cooling-off period before divorce. Haters, wake up, Sister isn't pulling any strings (smile.jpg)."

"Wasn't Xiang Xinghui acting all high and mighty before? Now he's begging for reconciliation? I hope Sister doesn't soften up and doesn't give him a single penny!"

"Don't worry, sisters, the actress isn't some naive fool; she definitely knows what she's doing."

"I'm not just saying this after the fact, but when that scumbag first appeared on the show, I thought he was too forgiving and affectionate, it felt too good to be true. In contrast, the actress, who always seemed reserved, felt more genuine. When they mentioned the child she lost, I was even more convinced that this so-called brother-in-law was no good. Now, seeing his downfall is incredibly satisfying."

"A man's tears can act their way into your heart. He looks so pitiful in front of the actress, but I bet he's all tough when facing Brother Zhouzhou's mom. I hope Brother Zhouzhou's mom can get custody of the child. It's just a shame that Brother Zhouzhou isn't eight yet. If he were, the judge would consider his preference in the custody decision..."

"Lawsuits aren't like shopping at the market; they can't be settled in an instant. Brother Zhouzhou is already over five, and by the time the actress's lawsuit is properly settled, he might already be eight (doge)."

"Can't wait for that scumbag to lose both his money and his dignity!"

Ji Ning, Ding Muyun, and Tong Zhile are part of a small group chat.

Over the past two days, the actress has been all over the trending topics, but it's clear this isn't her team's doing. Ji Ning sent a cute emoji in the group chat, and soon after, Tong Zhile replied with a similar one. Ding Muyun knew what they were concerned about and snapped a selfie of her current moment, sending it to the group.

It was a selfie taken with the front camera, showing Ding Muyun out for a walk with her acquaintances.

The person with her was the singer who caused a sensation during the live segment of the show. Ji Ning and Tong Zhile reminded Sister Muyun in the group chat to get autographed photos for them.

The group chat was buzzing, and Ding Muyun not only agreed but also asked if they wanted to hear a live acapella performance.

Ji Ning and Tong Zhile were on the verge of bursting out laughing.

How could they possibly say no!

Soon after, a short acapella clip came through as a voice message.

The beautiful singing voice resonated in their ears.

This short voice message was too precious; the chat history in the group must never be deleted!

Little Zhu Zhu was still chatting with Dad.

The father and daughter chatted about their meals for the day, a special warmth of the morning.

"Yesterday, we ate at Grandma's."

"Grandma made chicken legs, they were so delicious!"

"Grandma said that Dad loved her chicken legs when he was little."

"Grandma said tomorrow is the winter solstice, and she's going to make big glutinous rice balls."

"And candied hawthorns! With lots and lots of fruit, coated in sugar, real candied hawthorns..."

Ji Ning pulled open the curtains.

Golden sunlight flooded the room, and she tilted her face upward, squinting.

The baby's little watch automatically went to speaker mode the moment a call came through.

Their voices echoed in Ji Ning's ears, giving her the same cozy feeling as soaking up the winter sun.

"Where’s Mom?" Jiang Cheng asked.

Ji Ning squinted one eye in the sunlight, then opened the other—

Who’s he asking for?

"Mom’s off to sign a contract!"

"Mom told Grandma I should go over to play, and we’ll head downstairs together..."

"Let’s ride the scooter!"

"Dad! Does the scooter need charging?"

"The battery lasts forever, it should still run... Where’s Mom?"

"Mom’s off to sign a contract!"

"Dad, does the scooter’s tire still have air?"

"Yeah... Where’s Mom?"

"Mom’s off to sign a contract!"

Jiang Cheng on the other end: ...

Can Ji Ning get a word in edgewise!

Xiao Tuanzi totally didn’t pick up on the adults’ hints.

The baby kept babbling, always saying Mom’s off to sign a contract—why doesn’t Dad get it?

So clueless!

...

Jiang Songlin and Zhou Yanjun made a special trip to Beicheng just to spend more time with their little granddaughter.

Ji Ning thought signing contracts was too boring and might bore the baby, so she handed Little Zhu Zhu over to her grandparents and pulled out the scooter from storage.

The grandparents lived right across the hall, but Xiao Tuanzi couldn’t resist her scooter, revving the throttle with a "vroom vroom," and zoomed over.

There was a small step at the doorstep, and Old Jiang crouched in front of Zhu Zhu, helping her figure out how to get over it.

"How should we get over this step?"

"Should we speed up or slow down?"

Without speeding up or slowing down, the baby hopped off the scooter with her little legs.

"Grandpa can lift the scooter over," Zhu Zhu said.

Old Jiang: Huh?

Our precious granddaughter is such a little genius!

Zhou Yanjun glanced back at the playful grandfather and granddaughter pair and said to Ji Ning, "Don't worry, we've got Little Zhu Zhu covered."

Truth be told, Ji Ning wasn't worried in the slightest.

Last night before bed, she entered the room, and Little Zhu Zhu had already gotten her bedtime stuff ready, lagging a few steps behind. When she returned to the room, her phone rang, and Ji Ning quickened her pace. The door slammed shut from the wind. Ji Ning turned to open the door and saw Little Zhu Zhu turning the doorknob from outside.

It was only then that she noticed the designer had added small handles under every door when designing the kids' room.

The small handle was installed at just the right height for Zhu Zhu, letting her move freely through every room without tiptoeing. Clearly, this was Zhou Yanjun and Jiang Songlin's doing. The grandparents spoiled their granddaughter, pouring their love into these little touches.

Leaving Little Zhu Zhu with them, Ji Ning felt completely at ease.

"Zhu Zhu, say bye to mom," Zhou Yanjun said with a smile.

Zhu Zhu's little motorcycle was already inside.

She had just sat down, then hopped off again.

"Mom, I'll give you a ride."

Jiang Songlin looked at the little motorcycle.

You're using this to take her?

The child had a new idea, and the grandparents patiently helped her move the motorcycle in and out, escorting Ji Ning out of the neighborhood.

Zhu Zhu scooted forward, clearing a spot for her mom. After making sure the little vehicle could handle the weight, Ji Ning sat behind, basking in the envious stares from kids along the way.

"So cool!" Ji Ning said, "Everyone's checking us out."

As mom got off, Zhu Zhu waved her wrist, "Call me when you're back."

When heading back, calling the baby, she'd come to the entrance to pick her up.

Ji Ning: ...Well, that's one way to do it.

Consider it a deal with the little driver.

After Ji Ning left, the grandparents took Zhu Zhu for a stroll in the neighborhood.

Jiang Songlin remembered a chatty passerby from last time in the neighborhood.

He wanted to show off his granddaughter but couldn't remember the man's face.

"Do you remember?" he asked.

"How would I remember... I didn't even notice such a person," Zhou Yanjun said, "Maybe think again, what were his features?"

"Wrinkled, showing age," Jiang Songlin said.

"?" Zhou Yanjun coughed.

"I remember his grandson," Jiang Songlin added, "Very dark."

Zhou Yanjun: ...

Zhu Zhu was like a little patrol officer, riding her scooter around the neighborhood, helping Grandpa look for the dark-skinned child.

In the end, they still couldn't find him.

Seeing how eager the child was, the kind neighbors warmly asked, "Little one, what are you looking for?"

Zhu Zhu: "Dark-skinned—"

Grandma covered her mouth and chuckled, "Nothing, just playing around with her grandpa."

Zhou Yanjun glared at Jiang Songlin.

Old Jiang looked stern.

Can't even talk about a little black coal ball!

...

While wandering downstairs, Zhou Yanjun also asked other grandparents for advice on taking care of children.

The strong-willed woman and man had never raised children when they were young, but now they were desperately copying other families' routines for their little granddaughter.

Take a morning walk, making sure to get an hour of outdoor time.

Come back at noon to make lunch for the child, read picture books after lunch, then do some math and English before nap time.

Following the routine they copied, Zhou Yanjun prepared a nutritious and balanced lunch for Zhu Zhu at noon, sitting the child in a small dining chair.

The little spoon and chopsticks were all set. Last time, she tried to feed Zhu Zhu, but Jiang Cheng and Ji Ning said no. Now that the child's parents weren't around, it was Grandma's chance to take over!

"She's old enough to feed herself!" Old Jiang suddenly seemed very principled, "Don't baby her."

Zhou Yanjun pouted but had to admit he wasn't wrong, reluctantly handing over the spoon and chopsticks.

Zhu Zhu ate eagerly, making sure to get every grain of rice into her mouth. If any fell on the tray, she'd pick it up and eat it.

Living in Yongrui Village taught her not to waste food, which was good, but seeing her so well-behaved, the grandparents felt a pang of sadness.

"Your dad used to make the nanny chase him around to feed him when he was little."

"A few times, they chased him into the garden, where he'd sit by the pond, eating and watching the fish."

"Grandpa, Grandma, do you have fish at your place?"

At the mention of fish, Zhu Zhu got excited.

Jiang Songlin shot Zhou Yanjun a look, telling her to cut to the chase.

"We have lots and lots of fish in our pond, blowing bubbles," Zhou Yanjun said, "Next time, come visit us, okay? Bring your mom along."

"Bring your mom and dad," Jiang Songlin added from the side.

Last night, the couple spent a long time figuring out how to help their son.

With his slow progress, when would the family of three ever reunite?

The old couple also knew that young people don't like elders meddling too much in their affairs.

However, Old Jiang Senior is indeed an impatient person, especially since he finally managed to find time last night to catch up on the first episode of the show. Even he could tell that in the first episode, Jiang Cheng and Ji Ning didn't seem quite right, but by the second episode, they definitely were!

Old Jiang Senior made up his mind that he still needed to intervene.

But even if he intervenes, it must be done in a more gentle way, so they don't notice anything.

In doing anything, efficiency is key.

The method Old Jiang Senior came up with to achieve twice the result with half the effort was to invite Little Zhu Zhu to join their side.

"In the words of the young people in the live comments, this is called a little helper," Zhou Yanjun said.

From the live comments, the elderly couple learned a lot of trendy phrases used by young people.

Their learning ability is quite good; they picked it up almost instantly. The only concern was whether their little granddaughter would be up to the task.

"Can she really do it?" Old Jiang Senior whispered.

Zhou Yanjun: ...

How could he question the child right in front of her!

"I can do it!" Zhu Zhu nodded vigorously.

Jiang Songlin and Zhou Yanjun are more skilled in the art of language than Jiang Cheng, and with just a few words, they persuaded their little granddaughter to join their side.

They estimated that the child probably wouldn't understand exactly what needed to be done, but that wasn't a problem. She was just a little helper, her role wasn't significant.

"When your mom comes back, whatever we say, you just echo it."

"Whatever we do, you just mimic us."

"Just like looking in a mirror, understand?"

At this age, the little one is just at the right stage to understand spoken language.

There's no need to complicate the task; as long as she can understand and mimic the adults, that's enough.

Jiang Songlin and Zhou Yanjun hold high hopes for their little granddaughter.

Her parents' happiness rests on her!

In Little Zhu Zhu's mind, there are many little fish blowing bubbles.

The fish are waiting for her to come and see them.

The little one waved her hand: "Got it!"

...

The non-negotiable nap time is handled by Zhou Yanjun, who is responsible for getting the children to sleep.

Since his health took a turn a few years ago, Jiang Songlin has also started focusing on his health. When the children need to rest, he also takes a nap, waving to Zhu Zhu as he closed the door.

"See you later!" the little one said.

Zhou Yanjun took Zhu Zhu into the room, had the little one lie down, and gently told her a story.

She didn't have a picture book handy, so the story was improvised on the spot.

Little Zhu Zhu usually listens to stories told by her parents, which are full of twists and turns and include role-playing. Now that the bedtime story has taken a different turn, she is not used to it.

"Sorry," Zhou Yanjun apologized, "Grandma hasn’t told stories before, but I’ll learn tonight."

The baby lay in her bed, her two little chubby hands clutching the corners of the blanket.

"Doesn’t Daddy listen to stories?"

Zhou Yanjun was stunned for a moment: "He never listened to stories when he was a child."

Even though they now joke in a light-hearted tone, saying that Jiang Cheng, when he was a child, his head would stick out a mile when held in their arms, not as soft and cute as Zhu Zhu... but after all, he was just a child back then.

Just a child who didn’t listen to bedtime stories.

"Grandma, let me teach you," Zhu Zhu said.

"What should you teach me?"

"Tell stories! Once you know how, you can tell stories to Dad!"

"Okay, Grandma is listening."

Zhou Yanjun chuckled and brushed aside the little strands of hair on her granddaughter's forehead.

That afternoon, the storyteller was Little Zhu Zhu. She has a good memory, retelling the stories she had heard, adding her own childish commentary, and her clear child's voice could even lull herself to sleep.

Zhou Yanjun listened quietly and quietly learned.

When the baby finally fell asleep, she tucked her little chubby hands back into the blanket.

Not long after, the little hands popped out again.

And a short finger reached out, scratching her own cheek.

Zhu Zhu's face is chubby, and a pinch leaves a little dimple.

Zhou Yanjun picked up her phone, wanting to share something heartfelt to Jiang Cheng. She stared at the chat window for a while but hesitated to type. Most of the previous messages were about asking if he would come back to the old house for dinner, and his replies were always brief.

Her son is already in his forties...

It would be awkward to talk about something so heartfelt.

Zhou Yanjun hesitated for a moment, snapped a photo of her little granddaughter, and sent it to Jiang Cheng.

By then, he should be in a meeting, and it took two hours for him to reply.

The reply was still brief, but heartfelt—

Cute.

After a while, he added—

Send two more.

...

Grandpa and Grandma gave Little Zhu Zhu a task.

Whatever they say, she says, and whatever they do, she copies.

The little helper is ready, but it's unclear if she'll remember anything after waking up...

Around three in the afternoon, Ji Ning returned.

She guessed that the motorcycle taxi driver might still be napping, so she didn’t call.

Jiang Cheng had sent her the home door code in advance, but after going upstairs, she still knocked on the door.

Zhou Yanjun heard the noise and came out to open the door. The first thing she asked upon seeing her was if work had gone smoothly.

Ji Ning, slightly surprised, nodded and said gently, "Everything went smoothly."

"That's good. If you have to go filming or something later, don’t worry, you can send Zhu Zhu to us—no need to worry about a thing," Zhou Yanjun beamed. "I was just about to cook, seeing what’s in the fridge to cook. Zhu Zhu is still sleeping, come in and sit."

Zhou Yanjun left the door open, worried her granddaughter might get scared if she woke up alone.

Zhu Zhu heard the knocking, rolled around and woke up, got out of bed, and started walking with light, quick steps.

Just as she stepped out, she perked up her ears and noticed someone coming out of the next room.

Grandpa and his granddaughter bumped into each other at the door.

They stared at each other, eyes wide with surprise.

Ji Ning walked into the living room and saw an old man and a young girl.

Old Jiang tilted his head to the side.

Zhu Zhu also tilted her head.

"What's going on?"

Jiang Songlin: "I have a stiff neck."

Zhu Zhu: "I'm the little assistant."

Old Jiang was speechless.

What happened to the little genius we were promised?

Jing @ Mo @ Zheng @ Li