Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The water rippled slightly, but nothing happened.

She instantly felt relieved: crossing over was probably unlikely—this was just a small lotus pond, after all.

Once she steadied herself, she held out her hand to Mu Mu. "Mu Mu, come here. Don’t be afraid."

Sunlight filtered through her fingers, making her slender hand look warm and strong.

Just like countless times before—when he had fallen, been punished by the emperor, or felt too upset to speak—his mother had held out her hand and told him, "Hold my hand. Don’t be afraid."

Mu Mu took her hand tightly and followed her into the thick lotus leaves.

"Mom, I want to pick the most lotus seedpods. We’ll sell them and buy you a big villa."

Wen Zhi replied casually, "You got this, Mu Mu!"

"Suddenly, this mom and son feel so heartwarming. Even though they’re both afraid of the water, they’re encouraging each other."

"Awwww, how does Wen Zhi have such an adorable son? Selling lotus seedpods to buy his mom a villa—so sweet!"

Director Fang yelled from the bank, "Kids, try not to step on the lotus leaves while picking the seedpods. We still need to harvest lotus roots in autumn."

The children, eyes fixed only on the lotus seedpods, pushed deeper into the leaves, completely ignoring him.

Villagers on the shore cheered from the sidelines.

Sen Sen’s clear laughter rang out far and wide, and the little chubby boy let go of his sister’s hand to chase after him. Xiao Xiao, still in the basket, couldn’t stay put any longer and struggled to get down.

Lin Jiyao asked repeatedly, "Are you sure you want to come down? You won’t cry, right?"

"No crying." Xiao Xiao wanted to play with Sen Sen too.

Lin Jiyao set her down, and she stood shakily in the muddy water, not moving at first. Once steady, she took a few tentative steps, her tense little face gradually relaxing. She flashed her tiny teeth at Lin Jiyao. "Brother, am I brave?"

The moment she finished speaking, she fell butt-first into the mud. Lin Jiyao grabbed her up quickly, but Xiao Xiao started bawling. The usually aloof Lin Jiyao actually laughed.

"Hahahaha, who knew Brother Ji was like this? Finding his sister’s mishap hilarious!"

"Hahahaha, Xiao Xiao is so cute!"

"One face-plant right after getting down—will she dare to go back in next time?"

Hearing her brother laugh, Xiao Xiao sniffled, wiped her tears, and huffed, struggling to get down again. She muttered, "I’m not playing with Brother anymore," then stumbled forward, forgetting to pick any lotus seedpods along the way.

The three children soon gathered together. At first, they focused on picking lotus seedpods, but eventually, they started splashing in the water.

Mu Mu kept glancing toward the playful group. Wen Zhi smiled. "There aren’t any left here, Mu Mu. Go pick some near Xiao Xiao—they have plenty over there."

"Then be careful, Mom." Mu Mu handed her the lotus seedpods he’d gathered and stumbled toward the three playing children.

After circling them to pick two more seedpods, cold water hit his chest. Mu Mu stopped short. The hem of his raincoat was tugged by Xiao Xiao, who laughed through tears and cried urgently, "Brother Mu Mu, they’re splashing me! Waaah, help me!"

"You splashed me first! Ah—Xiao Wen, why are you throwing mud?!"

"Hahahaha!" Wen Xiaowen had just opened his mouth to laugh when a scoop of water hit him right in the face. He let out a yell and bent down to splash back as hard as he could.

Mu Mu, now soaked all over, shielded Xiao Xiao behind him and fought back. His usually serious face broke into an innocent grin as he shrieked and splashed.

"Hahaha, Xiao Xiao, quick, hide behind me!"

"Gotcha!"

"Sen Sen, stop running!"

Gathering lotus seedpods turned into a water-splashing festival.

Under the blazing sun and a sea of green leaves, the children's laughter was unceasing.

Wen Zhi, holding a lotus leaf over her head, stood side by side with Liu Yiru, a gentle smile on her face: "Kids belong with kids—so carefree, it’s perfect."

Liu Yiru chuckled and nodded.

"Hahaha, Called it! When kids see water, they can't resist playing."

"Even the stick-in-the-muds can't resist the temptation. Kids should play in the mud and splash in puddles—it's adorable."

"They're so happy, aww, I really miss being a kid."

"Now I get why Wen Zhi’s here. She probably joined the show so Mu Mu could be carefree and playful."

"Quit the armchair psychology. Wen Zhi herself is carefree—she's probably just here for a vacation."

"Hahaha, you're all right."

A whole group of village kids couldn’t hold back either, taking off their shoes and splashing into the pond—some picking lotus seedpods, others splashing water.

A villager on the shore shouted, "Careful! Don’t ruin the leaves!"

The village chief laughed heartily, "Let them play. This late in the season, broken leaves won’t affect the lotus roots." The show’s budget covered it anyway.

Suddenly, a child yelled, "Whoa, a giant fish! Quick, catch it!"

Wen Xiaowen had just turned curiously when a fish darted right past his feet. He yelped, jabbing a shaky finger, "Fish! Fish! Fish!"

Xiao Xiao blinked, jumping excitedly, "It's a red fish! Ah, brother, I want the red fish!"

Sen Sen cheered, "A red carp! Catching one means good fortune!" He stopped splashing and immediately chased after the fish.

"I’ll catch it for Mom!" Mu Mu quickly followed Sen Sen.

A swarm of kids chased the fish, turning the pond into a free-for-all.

Seeing Sen Sen was almost out of sight, Liu Yiru, carrying a bamboo basket, hurried after him, "Sen Sen, wait up!"

Wen Zhi, Lin Jiyao, and Wen Bingchun also rushed to catch up with the kids.

The cameraman lurched after them, the live stream showing only tiny, blurry shapes darting around and patches of green lotus leaves.

"Hahaha, even the cameraman can’t keep up!"

"Kids in water are like herding cats!"

"This seems risky—didn’t the director say there’s a ditch up north? Isn’t that where they keep fish?"

"Lotus ponds often have fish. Probably the ditch is for fish, and the fish nourish the lotuses—explains the huge seedpods!"

A loud *splash!*

Sen Sen's scream echoed in the distance.

Xiao Xiao cried out, "Brother! Brother Sen Sen fell into the water!"

Wen Xiaowen frantically scratched his head, at a loss.

Liu Yiru went ghostly pale and stumbled forward behind the cameraman.

Viewers in the livestream were all asking what had happened. The camera shook wildly as it pushed past the lush lotus leaves, revealing a broken railing by the deep ditch—Sen Sen thrashed wildly in the water, still clutching a red carp tightly in his hands.

Before Liu Yiru and the cameraman could rush over, Mu Mu, who was at the front, jumped in to pull Sen Sen out.

Viewers were freaking out for Mu Mu.

"Mu Mu was so scared earlier—he probably can't swim, right? Jumping in now is suicidal!"

"Aww, Mu Mu’s the best. He didn’t even hesitate to jump in for his friend. Not many people would do that."

The panicked Sen Sen held onto the fish with one small hand while gripping Mu Mu’s arm tightly with the other. The two kids floundered in the water.

Mu Mu choked, face flushed, and wheezed, "Let go... Sen Sen!"

Wen Bingchun stood rooted in horror. Lin Jiyao dropped his basket and lunged forward, only to be knocked forward by a sudden, powerful force. Wen Zhi, who’d been trailing, zipped past everyone in a flash, reaching the railing in a flash. She ripped off her raincoat and threw it to Mu Mu while yanking hard with her slender wrist.

"Mu Mu, grab it!"

Mu Mu seized the raincoat and kicked off toward a haystack on the other side of the ditch, slamming into the shallow pond with Sen Sen in his arms—and sending Wen Zhi face-first into the mud.

Everything happened too fast. By the time everyone regained their senses, they heard Wen Zhi’s pained groan, followed by Mu Mu and Sen Sen’s violent coughing.

"OMG, what was that?! Since when does Wen Zhi move like that?"

"Did Mu Mu just use qinggong? A five-year-old yanked a six-year-old out of the water with a spinning kick? Is this a drama shoot?"

"LMAO, is no one seeing Lin Jiyao? Poor guy!"

The audience then noticed Lin Jiyao lying face-down in the lotus pond. He lifted his head in confusion, his stylish gray hair now soaked—looking both pitiful and hilarious.

Xiao Xiao crouched beside him anxiously. "Brother, are you okay?"

Lin Jiyao shook his head, only to get splashed again by Liu Yiru as she rushed past.

"Hahaha, dude’s got the worst luck. Went to save someone but got stepped on by Wen Zhi for no reason."

"But it’s understandable. Wen Zhi would do anything for Mu Mu—saving the kids was the priority in that moment."

"Even though Brother Jiyao is suffering, we don’t blame Wen Zhi at all. As long as the babies are safe."

"Wen Zhi’s suffering too, okay? Her silky hair was caked in mud, and the back of her head looks swollen. I’d lose my mind if that were me."

Mu Mu pushed through his coughing fit and reached out to help his mom. Wen Zhi clutched the back of her head and asked if he was okay.

Mu Mu shook his head.

Liu Yiru scooped Sen Sen into a frantic hug, patting his back frantically. "Sen Sen, Sen Sen, are you okay? Say something!"

Sen Sen blinked back to reality. Seeing his mother, he held up the red carp and said, "Mom, a red koi! Teacher says it’s lucky. It’s for you."

The ever-gentle Liu Yiru snapped, slapping the fish away and shouting, "Were you trying to get yourself killed?!" Tears poured down her face.

Sen Sen was stunned for a moment, then started crying too.

Director Fang was scared shitless, yelling at the staff, "How did you check things? Weren’t the guardrails supposed to be fine? Why are you just standing around? Hurry up and take the kids back—don’t let them get scared!"

"We—we did check. We don’t know how there was a hole." Nobody thought Sen Sen would dive headfirst just to catch the fish.

The staff, snapping back to reality, rushed over. Liu Yiru brushed off the staff's help, carrying Sen Sen expressionlessly as she walked back. The staff hesitated awkwardly for a second before turning to assist the other parents and children.

The live chat exploded with criticism.

"The production team is so incompetent! How could they overlook something this serious?"

"Even Movie Queen Liu, who’s always so gentle, got angry."

"The first season was great—filming at resorts, islands, and luxury hotels. Why come here to suffer like this? Making the celebs hike to the village, skipping breakfast, harvesting wheat, and picking lotus seedpods? The producers are way too harsh."

The producers were backed into a corner. The first season of *Baby!* blew up as soon as it aired, and within a month, a ton of knockoff parenting shows sprung up. If they didn’t stir things up in the second season, they'd get lost in the shuffle.

All four groups of guests either got soaked or filthy. The first thing they did after returning was shower, wash their hair, and drink ginger sugar water.

After his bath, Mu Mu came out wearing little duck slippers and sat on the bed spacing out, occasionally glancing at the bathroom.

He seemed all worked up.

Ten minutes later, Wen Zhi appeared on camera. She dried her hair, dug out a hairdryer, and started blow-drying. Even after she finished, Mu Mu remained seated on the bed, staring at her. His lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something.

Mu Mu had just bathed too. His jet-black hair was still misty, making his eyes look watery and kinda sad.

Wen Zhi walked over, turned on the hairdryer, and began drying Little Dumpling’s hair. His soft hair puffed up all warm, his cheeks turning rosy—adorable and well-behaved.

Once his hair was dry, Wen Zhi sat across from him and asked, "What’s wrong, Mu Mu?"

Mu Mu pressed his lips together and asked seriously, "Mom, did I go too far today? If I hadn’t run after Sen Sen, would he not have fallen into the water?"

"Why would you think that?" Wen Zhi asked in surprise. "Every kid likes to have fun—Xiao Xiao and Xiao Wen were playing too. This was just an accident."

"Besides, you were scared of water but still jumped in to save Sen Sen. Mom's so proud of you."

Mu Mu’s eyes lit up. "Really?"

Wen Zhi nodded. "Of course." She glanced around, then pointed at the small desk fan in front of the bed and said, "If you don’t believe me, ask the fan, 'Was Mu Mu too reckless?' It’ll definitely say you weren’t reckless at all."

Mu Mu blinked, not totally buying it, and crouched in front of the fan. Wen Zhi turned it on and set it to oscillate. The fan began swaying side to side.

Wen Zhi grinned. "See? The fan is shaking its head—it’s saying, 'Not reckless, not reckless.'" As she spoke, she mimicked the fan’s swaying motion.

Mu Mu cracked up, his giggles growing louder and brighter, infecting everyone in the live chat.

"OMG who's calling Sister Zhi lame now? I’ll fight them! Where else can you find such a gentle mom?"

"Suddenly, Wen Zhi seems so wonderful—beautiful, kind, and so patient with kids."

"Babe when you filing those papers? Let me take care of you and Mu Mu."

"Shit, I might jump ship too."

"Yo chill with the hate. I’ve already switched from hater to fan—Mu Mu’s just too good."

The other kids were all scared stiff, but he jumped in without hesitation.

Wen Zhi isn't as useless as people imagined.

"Aww, I'm changing fandoms too. Just for Mu Mu saving Movie Queen Liu's Sen Sen, I'm supporting them now."

"Right, right! From now on, Team Willow and Team Gardenia are one family. Anyone who dares to insult Wen Zhi will answer to us."

"Y'all, Movie Queen Liu is bringing Sen Sen over to say thanks."

Live chat comments flooded in just as the door was knocked on.

Wen Zhi warily opened the door to find Sen Sen standing there holding a toy race car. Liu Yiru gave him a gentle push, and he bit his lip as he walked to the bedside, holding out the toy: "Mu Mu, thank you for saving me today. Mom said I must thank you properly."

Mu Mu waved his hands, pushing the toy away: "It's okay, you're my good friend. No need to thank me."

Sen Sen shoved the toy back: "Take it. From now on, you're my best bud."

"Alright then." Mu Mu thought for a moment, then pulled a chocolate candy from his pocket and handed it over: "Here, you can have this. Mom says good friends share."

"Aaaaaah, a life-saving friendship between kids. I'm calling it now—Sen Sen and Mu Mu are BFFs!"

"Ahhhh, I want a best friend like that too!"

"The two little ones are so adorable!"

"Mu Mu may seem serious, but he's responsible, well-behaved, and cute. We stan!"

Sen Sen happily took the chocolate, unwrapped it, and popped it in his mouth before holding out his hand: "Let's go play downstairs. I'll teach you how to race the car."

Mu Mu glanced back at Wen Zhi, who nodded: "Go ahead."

Only then did they go downstairs holding hands.

At the staircase, Sen Sen turned to check if his mom was coming before whispering: "Mu Mu, my mom seems angry. She ignores me. Does she think I'm disobedient and doesn't want me anymore?"

Mu Mu shook his head firmly: "No way. My mom says I'll always be her treasure and she'd protect me with her life. Your mom must think the same."

"Really?" Sen Sen blinked, then worriedly asked: "Then what should I do? How do you cheer up your mom when you make her mad?"

Mu Mu: "I never make Mom angry. Whenever someone makes her mad, she curses for three days straight."

"Huh?" Sen Sen was confused. "Who's 'someone'?"

"I know! 'Someone' is Dad. When Mom gets mad at Dad, she says 'Xiao Xiao, tell someone to die outside and never come back.'" The little girl in a pink princess dress mimicked in her little-girl voice.

Sen Sen was startled, then asked Mu Mu in surprise: "Why don't you call him Dad?"

Mu Mu shook his head: "He's not my dad." Lu Xun said he wasn't his son and even wanted to kill him.

Xiao Xiao muttered: "If he's not your dad, did you sprout from a rock or something?"

"Aww, stop asking. Mu Mu's dad must be a scumbag who treated him badly, so Mu Mu hates him."

"Yeah, Mu Mu's little eyebrows knit together every time Dad is mentioned."

"Known facts about Mu Mu's dad—feudal + rigid + old + scum. Ugh, if he shows his face, I'll bury him alive."

Seeing the conversation derailing, Sen Sen stamped his foot: "Mom's coming down soon! Quick, help me figure out how to cheer her up!"

Upstairs.

Liu Yiru earnestly thanked Wen Zhi again.

"No need for formalities," Wen Zhi said, resuming her usual lazy demeanor and smiling as she asked, "Still mad at the little one?"

"What else can I do? If that brat doesn’t learn his lesson, he won’t know to be careful," Liu Yiru sighed helplessly. She then glanced at the back of Wen Zhi’s head and asked, "Is your head okay? Do you need it checked out?"

That kinda sounded like you were insulting her.

Liu Yiru quickly clarified: "I mean, did the bump earlier hurt badly? Do you need a doctor?"

"It’s fine," Wen Zhi touched the back of her head. "Just a little sore from the impact."

Liu Yiru thought for a moment and said, "Gimme your number or WeChat… If there are any issues later, you can reach out to me. I’ll take responsibility."

"Don’t have my phone on me," Wen Zhi shrugged. "I’ll give it to you tonight."

"Then let’s head downstairs."

The two exchanged a smile.

Both fanbases were losing their minds.

[OMG BEAUTY x BEAUTY INTERACTION!!] fans screamed.

"Ahhhhh, is this even allowed?! Movie Queen Liu said she’ll take responsibility for Wen Zhi’s head from now on!!!"

"That look in their eyes—I’m in love! Ship them! Ship them NOW!"

[DING! New ship unlocked!] Thus began the random-but-iconic #LiuOrange ship.

The image of the two smiling at each other was screenshotted and spread wildly online, with the #LiuOrange hashtag barely scraping onto trending.

Walking side by side downstairs, every move they made had shippers spamming the live chat, though the two remained oblivious, occasionally tilting their heads to chat. After reaching the living room, they sat on the sofa and continued talking, not even glancing at Wen Bingchun, who was seated at the table.

Wen Bingchun bit her lip, opened her mouth to say something—anything, when the children pushed and shoved Sen Sen toward Liu Yiru.

Liu Yiru looked at her son, her expression stern as she prepared to ask what he wanted—only for Sen Sen to smack a kiss on her cheek.

She blinked, torn between irritation and... amusement. "Don’t you try to—" Another kiss landed on her cheek.

Sen Sen mumbled into her cheek, "Mom, don’t be mad. I was wrong."

Liu Yiru was fighting a losing battle against her smile. "That won’t work on—"

Another kiss. Sen Sen tugged at her hand and whined, "Mooom."

Liu Yiru finally gave in, her voice softening. "You can’t be so reckless in the future. Your safety is the most important, understand?"

Sen Sen lit up like a Christmas tree and nodded vigorously.

Liu Yiru held his hand and smiled, asking, "Who’s the little schemer behind this?"

"Me! It was me!" Xiao Xiao excitedly raised her hand. "Whenever I misbehave, I just kiss Mommy and Daddy, and it’s all better!" She then pouted and complained, "But Brother never lets me kiss him. Mean! >_<"

Lin Jiyao, who had just finished drying his hair and stepped out of the room, did an immediate 180 toward his room.

Wen Zhi promptly called out to him. He paused, turned around, cleared his throat, and schooled his face back into its default icy mask.

"Need something?"

Wen Zhi stood up and walked toward him.

Lin Jiyao took two startled steps back, his cool facade almost broke. "Stop!" His voice went shrill.

"LMAO, Lin Jiyao’s traumatized by Wen Zhi now, his eyes are practically popping out!"

"HAHAHAHA, forced to rush for the car, got bossed around making milk wrong, and now getting shoved straight into the mud. Our Ji-ge’s obsessed with his hair—of course he’s terrified of her!"

"Bet he’ll avoid Wen Zhi from now on. This is the first time our Ji-ge has ever been this scared of someone!"

Wen Zhi gave a sheepish laugh, stopping in place as she sincerely apologized, "I didn’t mean to push you in the lotus pond. I panicked."

"No big deal!" Lin Jiyao replied rapidly, cautiously sidestepping her to sit across from Wen Bingchun.

It was equal parts funny and tragic.

Wen Bingchun handed him a bottle of water. Lin Jiyao, still tasting mud, took it and gulped it down. He didn’t even think about it, but it made Wen Bingchun’s eyes light up.

This was the first time he had accepted her goodwill.

"So…" she started small talk, and Lin Jiyao turned to look at her…

The next second, Director Fang walked in after reprimanding someone, cutting in. Wen Bingchun gritted her teeth and swallowed her words.

Director Fang coughed twice. "Uh, sorry about today’s accident—it was the crew’s oversight. To make it up to you, today’s lunch is the fanciest spread yet." He clapped his hands, and the dishes were brought in one after another.

Lotus seed and black chicken soup, spicy crayfish, braised pork with preserved vegetables, sweet and sour pork, ham-stewed turtle, fried sweet potato balls, and most prominently—a sweet-and-sour koi, carved like a squirrel right in the center of the table.

Director Fang smiled apologetically. "That’s the culprit fish we nabbed. It’s braised—really delicious."

Wen Zhi and Liu Yiru exchanged a glance, dead silent.

"HAHAHAHA, is the crew trying to be funny? Did they just catch the culprit?"

"RIP koi, what was its crime?"

"Carp tastes like pond water, and if not prepared right, it can be toxic. Send it here, I’ll test it for poison first!"

"Director’s apology is weaker than dishwater. What’s the point of taking it out on a fish? Do something real—how about a 90-degree bow? Or at least an official apology on the website!"

The kids’ eyes glued to the sweet-and-sour koi fish. Wen Xiaowen asked, "Sen Sen, no way that’s your wish-granting koi?"

Sen Sen squinted through the thick sweet and sour glaze, and two seconds later, his face fell. His eyes welled up with tears. "You can’t wish on a cooked fish!"

Xiao Xiao’s lips trembled before she burst into loud sobs, hugging her bowl. "Waaahhh—my koi, my red koi! Brother, mean Uncle Director killed fishy! Fishy…"

The little girl was utterly heartbroken, leaving Director Fang mortified. He glared at the staff member who had suggested the idea.

The staff member shrugged helplessly.

Liu Yiru’s expression turned stern. "Director Fang, this oversight isn’t something that can just be brushed off with a meal…"

Director Fang rubbed his temples. "Then what do you suggest, Yiru?"

Shouldn’t the crew properly comfort the kids and apologize? Instead, he was putting her on the spot, making her seem harsh in front of the audience?

Liu Yiru frowned.

The kids at the table all looked droopy.

Wen Bingchun's ears were numb from Xiao Xiao's shrieking. She ventured, "Uh... maybe we should remove the fish?" As soon as she said it, Xiao Xiao cried even louder.

Lin Jiyao clamped his hands over his ears and glared at the ceiling.

Just as Director Fang and the crew were at a loss, Wen Zhi suddenly reached out with her chopsticks, casually snagging a piece of the sweet-and-sour squirrel fish (In Chinese culture, red carp symbolizes good luck) and popping it into her mouth. After taking a bite, she hummed happily, eyes crinkling, "Wow, this fish is bomb! So tender, and that tangy-sweet sauce is to die for."

Xiao Xiao let out a wet hiccup, her teary eyes fixed on Wen Zhi.

Sen Sen and Wen Xiaowen were also drawn to her.

Wen Bingchun and Lin Jiyao stared at her in disbelief.

The crew exchanged glances: *Is she nuts? The kids are going to cry even harder now!*

"Truly a foodie. Only Wen Zhi would dare to take a bite at a time like this."

"Eww, she's eating the fishy! How could she eat the fishy? Xiao Xiao's lips are trembling again."

"LMAO, Wen Zhi's savage—I'm here for it!"

Wen Zhi picked another piece of fish, carefully removed the bones, and handed it to Mu Mu. "Here ya go, Mu Mu. Eating the red carp will make all your wishes come true this year!"

Xiao Xiao's lower lip wobbled and asked, "Eating fishy... really makes wishes come true?"

Wen Zhi nodded. "Of course! Pretty girls don't lie to kiddos."

Wen Xiaowen bluntly called her out: "You're lying. My mom says the prettier a sister is, the more she lies."

Wen Zhi: "..."

"Pfft—Sister Zhi finally got owned!"

"Wen Zhi must be a witch who specializes in bamboozling toddlers, hahaha!"

*Munch.*

Mu Mu took a big bite, red glaze smudged on his cheek. The crispy-soft fish made his eyes go starry.

"Mommy, yummy!" After finishing the bite, he added, "More! If I eat heaps, I'll buy Mommy a mansion!"

Wen Zhi gave him another piece, then smiled and asked, "Which other little friend wants their wishes to come true?"

Xiao Xiao stopped crying and tugged at Lin Jiyao. "Jiyao-gege! Gimme some! I want to buy lots of pink dresses!"

Wen Xiaowen was the first to reach out with his chopsticks. "Me too! I'ma get ALL the Ultramen!"

Sen Sen also grabbed his chopsticks to take a piece.

All hell broke loose for a hot second.

Wen Zhi shielded the entire plate. "Chillax! No choking—Auntie Zhi's got you."

She picked up the serving chopsticks and evenly distributed the fish among the kids. The sniffling kids perked up like sunflowers.

The adults' jaws hit the floor, while the crew low-key stanning her move.

"No one else compares to Sister Zhi—she always turns trash into treasure."

"Hahaha, kids are the cutest—they actually believe Wen Zhi's nonsense."

"Don’t just say kids—even I believe it. Folks in my hometown say eating red carp brings good luck."

"Hahaha, turns out Wen Zhi is really good with kids."

Director Fang: "Wen Zhi is such a good person, she saved the situation perfectly."

Before he could finish marveling, Wen Zhi turned around holding the empty plate: "Director Fang, the kids want more fish. How about you go catch another five or six...or eight right now?"

Director Fang was stunned: "Now? Red carp?"

There was only one in the lotus pond—where was he supposed to find another five or six...or eight?

Wen Zhi raised an eyebrow: "None available?"

Director Fang: "...None."

Wen Zhi: "Then how about this—the production team puts out a statement ensuring the safety of guests and children during filming, and also apologizes to Sen Sen."

Director Fang opened his mouth, but Wen Zhi’s casual yet piercing gaze hit him with such pressure, leaving him tongue-tied.

When he still didn’t respond, Wen Zhi asked indifferently, "Not possible?"

The entire production team fell silent. Sweat dripped from Director Fang’s forehead: "...Fine, fine."

Wen Zhi: "Do it now. I’ll watch."

Sweat dripped from his forehead as Director Fang waved over a staffer to bring a phone and posted an apology and statement on VB.

As he typed, he muttered to himself: *Just what kind of background does Wen Zhi have? Investing millions on a whim, acting carefree, but her gaze and subtle movements carry the authority of someone demanding compliance.*

He almost wanted to call her "Grandma."

After posting, he handed the phone to Wen Zhi, who nodded in approval before shifting gears with a friendly tone: "No one wanted this accident to happen. The production team has it tough too. Here, share that box of spicy jerky (from antifans) with the staff to help them recover."

Director Fang and the production team: "No need, really, no need!"

Wen Zhi: "You must take it. Is it too little? How about a box for each?"

With no choice, Director Fang and the production team tearfully accepted the spicy snacks: *After all these years in production, this is the first time a guest has driven us to tears like this!*

"Hahahaha, I’m dying! Wen Zhi, you troublemaker—what if the whole production team needs IV drips tomorrow?"

"Hahaha, they had it coming. If they’d just sincerely apologized from the start, none of this would’ve happened."

"Sister Zhi is next-level awesome—using the spicy jerky sent by antifans for this!"

Liu Yiru pushed a plate of crayfish toward Wen Zhi, and the two exchanged another meaningful look over their inside joke.

The fangirls went wild.

"Awwww, is Sister Zhi standing up for Movie Queen Liu? I’m living for this!"

"That damn picture-perfect friendship!"

Wen Bingchun stared at the two for a moment, her grip tightening around her chopsticks. "Xiao Zhi, you really freaked Director Fang out."

Wen Zhi didn’t respond, but Liu Yiru smiled back at her. "You seemed pretty scared back at the lotus pond too. Everyone was busy rescuing the child, but you just froze. Should we send you a box of spicy snacks to help you chill?"

Wen Bingchun: "..."

She was dying to curse.

Liu Yiru had completely sided with Wen Zhi.

This realization left her feeling sour. She had known Liu Yiru first, had made the first friendly gesture, yet in the end, Liu Yiru still preferred Wen Zhi.

After lunch, Director Fang arranged for the guests to take their afternoon naps.

The children couldn’t sleep, and Sen Sen insisted on going upstairs to play with Mu Mu, so Liu Yiru had no choice but to accompany him. She had originally wanted to chat with Wen Zhi, but that woman never budged when it came to her afternoon nap.

Liu Yiru sat in the upstairs loft for a while until a crew member came running up to call her.

"Shh." She pointed at the sleeping Wen Zhi.

The staff tiptoed in and handed her a phone, whispering, "Sister Liu, it’s your husband’s call. He said it’s urgent, so we didn’t dare delay."

Liu Yiru thanked them and took the phone away from the cameras.

As soon as she left, Wen Zhi was awakened by the children’s laughter.

Her throat dry, Wen Zhi got up to look for her thermos.

It wasn’t in the room—had she left it on the balcony?

She glanced up and spotted her cup, with Chinese herbs steeping, sitting quietly on the wooden table outside.

She walked over and had just reached for it when she heard Liu Yiru hiss, "If you dare come, we’re done!"

Liu Yiru hung up, her eyes locking with Wen Zhi’s.

She froze, her face going even paler.

Wen Zhi: "..."

"If I told you I was just here for my cup, would you believe me?"

First accidentally picking up your call, now accidentally catching a sensitive phone conversation.

"I believe you!" Liu Yiru looked at her, her expression softening slightly. "Wen Zhi, you’re a good person. I trust what you say."

Wen Zhi: *When did I earn so much credit with her?*

"So… do you want to hear my story?"

*Seriously, I’m just here for the show and to coast through this. I really don’t want to know about other people’s family drama.*

Wen Zhi: "I’m going back to sleep."

Liu Yiru quickly took two steps forward and grabbed her hand. "We’re good sisters, aren’t we?"

"Huh?" *Since when were we good sisters?*

Author’s Note:

Today's update will be late because I'm on the featured list!

Feel free to check out the upcoming story in my column, *When a Brat Meets a Strict Stepmom*. (Note: Spicy snacks, or "辣条," are a popular Chinese snack often enjoyed for their bold, spicy flavor.)