Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The door behind them creaked open, and Wen Zhi poked her head out to ask, "Who wants to switch rooms?"

Wen Bingchun's heart, which had barely settled, lurched again. She quickly replied, "No one wants to switch rooms. Xiao Wen was sleep-talking, and Mu Mu misheard."

Wen Zhi suddenly remarked, "You talked in your sleep last night too..."

Wen Bingchun tensed up instantly, her entire body stiff as she stared at Wen Zhi. "W-what did I say?" Did I also mention switching rooms?

She had spent the entire night overthinking Wen Zhi's words and hadn't even considered switching rooms.

The others in the hallway all turned to look at Wen Zhi, who held a serious expression for two seconds before bursting out laughing. Leaning against the doorframe, she doubled over laughing, her eyes glistening like autumn light on a mountain lake.

But Wen Bingchun couldn’t appreciate it at all—she felt like the punchline, while Wen Zhi seemed like a cat coolly watching her flounder.

The feeling was awful.

She forced a stiff smile. "I’ll go wake Xiao Wen up." With that, she hurried toward the Tianzi Room.

The live stream chat was baffled.

"What is Wen Zhi laughing about? Did Bingchun really talk in her sleep?"

"Bingchun looks so awkward being laughed at like that. Why does it feel like she’s scared of Wen Zhi?"

"Ahhhh!!! Why does this feel like flirting? Sister Zhi’s beauty is absolutely lethal—just her laughing has me completely captivated!!"

"Don’t you think Liu Yiru and Lin Jiyao are staring just as hard? Guess everyone loves looking at a beauty."

"Hahaha, not just them—even the kids are staring. It’s not just because she’s pretty; anyone laughing out of nowhere would draw attention."

Once Wen Zhi had finished laughing, she beckoned to Mu Mu. "Let’s go down for breakfast."

The adults led the kids downstairs, only to freeze in shock when they arrived. Not only was there no breakfast, but all the tables, chairs, vases, and calligraphy scrolls were gone—like the place had been cleaned out.

How had they not heard anything last night?

Xiao Xiao stomped her foot anxiously. "Gege, did a thief break into the inn?"

The adults looked around in confusion until the production crew entered from outside. Director Fang walked in, cackling—definitely scheming something.

Wen Zhi cut in, "Can you stop laughing? Where’s all the furniture?"

"Hahaha, talk about karma! Sister Zhi’s laughter was enchanting, but Director Fang’s is creepy as hell."

"That patchy hair and that gaping grin—if I didn’t know better, I’d think he was about to eat the kids."

"Beauty privilege is real. Same laughter, but I really want to punch Director Fang."

"Hahahaha, this chat is sending me."

Director Fang, obligingly, stopped laughing and addressed the group. "Last night, the inn was robbed by the Yin-Yang Bandits. Four important items were stolen: one table, four chairs, a calligraphy scroll, and a blue-and-white porcelain vase. This morning, we received a tip that the items are hidden in Curio Street. You all need to head out now to retrieve them."

They all froze. Liu Yiru frowned. "Even if we know what was stolen, how are we supposed to find them if we don’t know what they look like?"

Director Fang then took four photos from a staff member and spread them out. "We took pictures when we arrived yesterday. You can choose which item to search for."

At that moment, Wen Bingchun returned with Wen Xiaowen. She casually asked, "Are we picking straws again?"

Director Fang shook his head and tossed the question to Boss Wen: "Give all four paintings to Boss Wen and let her decide how to arrange them."

Everyone turned to look at Wen Zhi, who stood there hesitating to take them.

Director Fang asked, "Boss Wen, do you have any other questions?"

Wen Zhi nodded, and everyone thought she would ask something important. Instead, she asked in confusion, "Um, aren't we having breakfast?"

"Pfft, Useless Wen thought for so long just to ask about food?"

"Hahaha, that's my Sister Zhi for you—never misses a meal."

"That's actually a big deal. Even if the adults can skip it, the kids still need to eat."

As soon as Wen Zhi finished asking, Xiao Xiao and Wen Xiaowen immediately chimed in, "Hungry, so hungry, hungry hungry..."

Director Fang calmly pulled out a few beautiful red envelopes (traditional red envelopes containing money) from his pocket: "We’ve already thought about breakfast. There are four red envelopes here, each containing two hundred yuan. Parents can use this money to buy breakfast and recover the missing items from the shop."

"Recover the items?"

Two hundred yuan is more than enough for breakfast, but the four missing items from the shop clearly cost way more than that.

Lin Jiyao frowned: "Director, isn’t the amount too low?"

"It’s a bit low," Director Fang chuckled. "So you’ll have to figure it out yourselves. We hope you can retrieve the items by noon. Now, discuss which items each of you will look for, map out your routes, and set off."

After saying this, Director Fang handed the four photos to Wen Zhi.

Wen Zhi laid out the photos and said to everyone, "You guys pick first, and I’ll take whatever’s left."

Lin Jiyao said, "That doesn't seem right. How about drawing lots?"

Wen Bingchun and Liu Yiru agreed: "Yeah, let’s draw lots."

Among the four items, the larger ones would obviously be easier to find, while the smaller ones would be harder to spot. Judging by their value, the vase and the painting should be more expensive than the table and chairs. Therefore, those assigned to find the table or chairs would have an easier task, while those looking for the vase or painting would be at a disadvantage.

Drawing lots was the fairest way.

Everyone agreed to draw lots. Wen Zhi turned the four photos face down, shuffled them quickly, and placed them in front of the four children: "Come on, you four pick one each. Whatever you get is what you’ll look for."

The four children happily drew one each. Wen Xiaowen got the table, Sen Sen got the chair, Xiao Xiao got the painting, and Mu Mu got the vase.

Wen Bingchun let out a long sigh of relief, realizing her brother had incredibly good luck.

"Now that we’ve assigned the items, let’s head out," Wen Zhi said, pocketing the vase photo and leading Mu Mu outside first.

Liu Yiru, Wen Bingchun, and Lin Jiyao followed closely behind with their children.

Once outside, the sun was shining, and a gentle breeze carried the falling peach blossoms from the courtyard. Stepping out, they could see traditional-style archways nestled among the green mountains and clear waters. Tourists here, far from the city’s hustle and bustle, were strolling leisurely.

The antique street was already buzzing, with food vendors paying stall fees for their spots along both sides of the road, steam rising from their wares.

"Steamed buns, fried dough twists (mahua), wontons, spring noodles (yangchun mian)... come take a look, don’t just walk by!"

The children darted off, and Wen Bingchun marveled, "This place is buzzing. Walking down this street feels like being transported back in time. Are all these vendors arranged by the production team?"

Liu Yiru shook her head: "No, I filmed a TV series here years ago. The shops here are all won through competitive bidding, probably in partnership with the Peach Blossom Island management. They sell all sorts of things, and even the food vendors pay stall fees. Normally, this place is packed—not only with tourists but also antique collectors. Since the production team is filming here, the Peach Blossom Island management must've limited the crowd."

Wen Zhi perked up and turned to ask her: "You filmed a TV series here? What was the name of it?"

Lin Jiyao, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: “*Martial Arts World,* the movie that got Sister Liu her Best Actress nomination.”

Liu Yiru was surprised.

Lin Jiyao casually explained, “Like I said earlier, I’m kind of a fan of yours, Sister Liu. When I first started acting, I specifically studied your movement and dialogue.”

“I thought you were joking before,” Liu Yiru chuckled. “I believe you now.”

“Ji Yao’s singing is great too, especially that song ‘To Nuan Nuan.’ I nearly cried hearing it live,” she nudged Wen Zhi beside her, seeking agreement. “Wen Zhi, right?”

“Huh?” Wen Zhi was lost—since when were they talking about concerts?

“What do you mean ‘huh’?” Liu Yiru laughed. “You were waving your glow stick like crazy that night.”

Lin Jiyao instinctively glanced at Wen Zhi, who met his gaze before calmly looking away. “Yeah, it was good.”

“That night, we also heard from the back row…” Liu Yiru was about to continue when Wen Zhi cut her off, asking, “Want to split into two teams to search? Who wants to join me?”

Liu Yiru stopped mid-sentence and seamlessly replied, “You and me?”

At the same time, Lin Jiyao said, “Xiao Xiao said she’ll cry if she’s not with you.”

Liu Yiru and Lin Jiyao exchanged glances, neither expecting the other to speak. Wen Bingchun looked at Wen Zhi, then at the two of them, and smiled. “I’d like to team up with Xiao Zhi too.”

Wen Zhi didn’t expect to be so popular and hesitated. “Let’s do rock-paper-scissors.”

The trailing cameraman couldn’t help but laugh.

The live chat exploded with laughter.

“LOL, are they already fighting over Wen Zhi?”

“Liu Yiru and Lin Jiyao genuinely want to team up with Wen Zhi, but Wen Bingchun is just saying that to ease the awkwardness, right?”

“Lin Jiyao just said he’s Liu Yiru’s fan, but now he wants to team up with Wen Bingchun? Their rumors were everywhere before—could he actually have a thing for Wen Zhi?”

I mean, they’re both single.

Lin Jiyao’s fans weren’t happy.

“Y’all are overthinking this. He clearly said it’s because Xiao Xiao wants to be with Wen Zhi. Plus, since the show started, it’s obvious Wen Zhi and Mu Mu excel in classical literature. Teaming with her here is the smart move.”

“Exactly! If it were me, I’d want to team up with Wen Zhi too.”

With all three wanting to join Wen Zhi, they actually resorted to rock-paper-scissors—and Lin Jiyao won.

Barely holding back a grin, he turned to Wen Zhi. “Let’s search this way.” Peach Blossom Island was laid out in a circle, with the antique street forming a diamond shape. If the two teams headed east and west respectively, they’d eventually meet at the endpoint.

Wen Zhi nodded and beckoned to Mu Mu and Xiao Xiao. The four headed east.

After just a few steps, they heard a vendor yelling, “Golden milk buns!” Xiao Xiao immediately ran over, climbing onto the cart to peek. Worried she might get burned, Lin Jiyao quickly picked her up to peer into the steamer.

The vendor had just lifted the lid, letting out a sweet, milky smell. As the steam cleared, golden, glossy, soft little pig-shaped buns lay in the tray—they looked adorable.

Xiao Xiao nearly leaned all the way in, pleading in a sweet voice, “I want the piggy buns!”

Just as Lin Jiyao was about to pay, Wen Zhi said, “They’re not that good. They’re just made with yellow suet and flour—basically plain custard buns with no filling or juice.”

Lin Jiyao hesitated. “Really not good?”

Mu Mu said, "My mom is really good with food. If she says it's not tasty, then it's definitely not tasty."

Xiao Xiao really wanted to take a bite, but since Big Sis said it wasn’t good, she decided not to. She tilted her head and asked in a sweet voice, "Then, Big Sis, what’s delicious on this street?"

Wen Zhi glanced around the bustling market and smiled lightly. "Follow me."

She walked past each stall one by one, explaining to Lin Jiyao and Xiao Xiao, "This round flower-shaped pastry is called 'Seven-Layer Cake.' It’s kneaded and folded seven times with oil before steaming, making it soft and sweet—perfect for kids."

"And these are called Glutinous Rice Balls. They look white and round, but there’s a lot to them inside. They’re stuffed with pine nuts, walnuts, and peanut butter—pillowy, sticky, and springy. Mu Mu loves them."

"..."

"And this one—this is special. It’s Peach Blossom Silk Noodles, a signature dish of Peach Blossom Island. The noodles are made with early spring peach blossom powder, fish paste, and flour, then hand-pulled. The broth is simmered from fish bones—milky-white broth with light pink noodles, fragrant and chewy. Xiao Xiao would love it."

She explained each dish in such detail, as if she had personally tasted every one. Her expertise in food left Lin Jiyao in awe.

Viewers watching the livestream were practically drooling, wishing they could jump into the screen and devour every snack.

"Hahaha, she’s a total foodie—there’s nothing she hasn’t tried!"

"So many of these dishes I’ve never even seen before, yet she knows how they’re made and can describe the taste. That’s next-level!"

"For a second, I thought I was watching an eating show (*mukbang*). Is *Baby! 2* Season 2 doing a food theme? I just had breakfast, and now I’m starving again!"

"Hahaha, now I get why everyone wanted to follow Wen Zhi. She didn’t pay a cent but 'ate' her way through the whole street—Absolute legend! By the end, Lin Jiyao and Xiao Xiao probably gained weight, and even the dog waddled away stuffed!"

"Hahaha, did Wen Zhi forget why she’s here? What about the vase? What about the calligraphy? Movie Queen Liu’s team already found a table—they’re practically ready to carry it home!"

As for why Wen Zhi didn’t spend any money—well, her explanations were so detailed that she unintentionally drew a crowd of tourists eager to try the food after hearing her descriptions. The vendors, seeing how she brought in business, happily gave out free samples.

By the time they reached the end of the street, Xiao Xiao was looking at her with wide-eyed admiration, and Lin Jiyao was utterly impressed. He couldn’t help but ask, "How do you know so much about all this?"

Wen Zhi grinned brightly, pulling a food guide from her pocket and handing it to Lin Jiyao. "I found this food guide under the pillow in the Tianzi Room last night, then looked up more details on my phone. Honestly, if it weren’t about food, I wouldn’t remember any of this."

Lin Jiyao: "..."

"Priceless—Lin Jiyao’s jaw dropped! Who would’ve thought Wen Zhi had a food guide?"

"Wow, this is VIP treatment... No wonder it’s expensive—they even prepared a food guide!"

"Hahaha, I’m convinced the show crew set this up just for Wen Zhi."

Mu Mu and Xiao Xiao each held a candy figure. Mu Mu took a bite and whispered to Xiao Xiao, "Psst—here’s a secret—my mom memorizes recipes super fast. She remembers every dish she’s tried for a long, long time. But when it comes to books like *The Great Learning* or *The Doctrine of the Mean*, she dozes off immediately."

Xiao Xiao licked her tanghulu (candied hawthorn skewers) and asked innocently, "What’s *The Great Learning* and *The Doctrine of the Mean*?"

The audience burst into laughter again at the adorable exchange.

But amid the laughter, Lin Jiyao suddenly remembered their mission. He looked around, checked the time, and panicked. "Wait—what about the calligraphy and the vase we were supposed to find?"

Mu Mu didn’t answer Xiao Xiao’s question but instead replied to him first, "Brother Lin, I didn’t see any vases or calligraphy along the street stalls."

"You checked all of them?" Lin Jiyao was surprised. They had been stuffing their faces—even he had been too busy eating to notice. How could Mu Mu have noticed?

He took out the photo of the calligraphy and showed it to Mu Mu. "You didn’t even see the photo earlier. Are you sure there’s nothing?"

Mu Mu nodded firmly. "When we arrived at the inn yesterday, I studied the calligraphy on the wall. I also took a quick look this morning before we left. I have a photographic memory—I never forget a thing I’ve seen."

As if afraid he wouldn't believe it, Mu Mu repeated all the snacks Wen Zhi had just introduced, including how they were made, their taste, and even described the appearances of the dozen or so tourists who had gathered around them.

Lin Jiyao was stunned again: this mother-son duo was simply too impressive.

"Wow, so Wen Zhi only remembers recipes, while Mu Mu remembers everything he sees?"

"Ahhh, the more I watch the show, the more I admire Wen Zhi and her son. What 'useless mother + rigid son'? They're practically an all-around amazing mom (except housework) + genius son!!"

"Bro Ji: Where am I? Who am I? Where did this mother-son pair come from?! Hahaha, Bro Ji is completely dumbfounded."

Mu Mu concluded, "So, let's look inside the shops with signs now. What we need is probably in there."

Lin Jiyao felt outsmarted by a five-year-old, but he had to admit Mu Mu was truly remarkable.

The four of them began searching shop by shop in the stores with signs. By the fifth shop, they finally found the calligraphy and paintings in an antique store—not just one, but over a dozen.

The owner asked, "Which one are you looking for?"

Lin Jiyao glanced at the photo in his hand, then at the dozen or so paintings on the wall. After looking back and forth several times, he was totally lost. He couldn’t help but ask the accompanying cameraman, "What kind of game is the show playing? How are we supposed to pick out the identical one?"

The cameraman just shrugged—their job was just to film.

Frustrated, Lin Jiyao turned to Wen Zhi, "These dozen paintings all look exactly the same to me. We only have two hundred yuan—we can’t buy them all. What do we do now?" It was almost noon.

Wen Zhi and Mu Mu also stared at the paintings for a long time before shaking their heads. "These fakes all look exactly the same. There’s really no way to tell them apart."

The shop owner gave Wen Zhi a surprised look. "Miss, can you tell the authenticity of antique paintings?"

Wen Zhi nodded. "These dozen paintings are clearly artificially aged imitations. The ink seals are even smudged—so careless."

The owner got interested and pulled out another painting from behind the counter. "I have one more here. Could you tell me which dynasty it’s from? If you’re accurate, I can give you a clue about the painting in your photo."

Lin Jiyao was speechless. Without thinking, he said, "Boss, we’re filming a show here, not from ancient times. Do we look like antique appraisers to you?"

Viewers in the livestream also thought the owner had gone crazy—probably just hitting on Wen Zhi because she was pretty.

"Hahaha, Wen Zhi must be bluffing. I believe she has a good memory for food, but I don’t believe she's actually an antique expert."

"Is this owner a setup by the show? Trying to build Wen Zhi’s image on purpose?"

"If Wen Zhi can actually appraise antiques, I’ll eat my shoe. Antique appraisers need deep knowledge of history, geography, and modern technology, plus sharp eyes."

"My dad’s an antique appraiser. Let’s see how Wen Zhi performs—just don’t embarrass herself."

The owner chuckled. "Mr. Lin, I know you’re filming, but I’ve got a good eye for people. Miss Wen clearly knows what she's talking about."

Lin Jiyao was skeptical but silently watched Wen Zhi.

"We’re filming a show—don’t call me 'Miss Wen,' call me 'Shopkeeper Wen.'" Wen Zhi leaned over the spread-out painting. The owner handed her a magnifying glass.

Wen Zhi waved it off. The owner continued, "The seller told me it’s from the late Ming Dynasty. I’ve had several people appraise it, but they all disagreed. It’s been driving me crazy." He wasn’t sure if Wen Zhi could help but figured it might as well try.

After just two glances, Wen Zhi said casually, "This painting is really from the late Qing Dynasty—and it’s a replica."

Late Qing artifacts were still considered antiques, but replicas weren’t worth much.

He winced at the thought of what he’d paid. "How can you tell it’s a replica so quickly?"

Wen Zhi replied matter-of-factly, "Because the original is back at my family's place."

The shop owner fell silent.

He had seen that episode where Wen Zhi invited guests to her old family home. To be honest, someone who could use an antique bowl worth a million as a dog’s dish has no reason to lie.

Wen Zhi, as if afraid the shop owner wouldn’t believe her, immediately called Butler Zhong on video and asked him to bring out that painting.

Butler Zhong rushed to the second-floor storeroom of the old mansion, rummaging through piles of famous paintings—*Pine and Crane*, *A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains*, *Snowfall by the River,* and various foreign masterpieces—before finally finding the exact same *Hundred Flowers in Full Bloom* in a corner.

Uncle Zhong in the video asked doubtfully, "Miss, is this the painting you want? This one isn’t worth much. The old master bought it at the Tianji Auction House back then."

The shop owner’s heart sank.

The live stream viewers were blindsided by the wealth flex.

"Damn, thought this was an antique appraisal show, turns out it’s a show about flaunting wealth."

"The Wen family is obscenely wealthy—all those priceless paintings just rolled up together! No wonder they could give Xiao Hei a million-dollar dog bowl!"

"Sob, just wanna ask Sister Zhi if her family still needs a cleaning lady? Let me soak up some of that wealth aura."

The shop owner gave up but couldn’t resist asking, "Ms. Wen, how did you know it was a late Qing imitation?" Honestly, he hadn’t even noticed.

Wen Zhi shot back, "What about the photo clue you mentioned?"

The owner pointed to the back of the painting. Lin Jiyao immediately checked the backs of the dozen paintings and found the one with a peach blossom mark, exclaiming joyfully, "Found it!"

"Was it really this easy to find?"

"Hahaha, our Brother Ji is grinning like an idiot. Wen Zhi really has the magic to make him change expressions."

"Hahaha, now both siblings have become fans of Wen Zhi."

"Did the shop owner forget to charge them? Just handed over the painting like that."

After getting the painting, Wen Zhi carried Little Dumpling in front of the fake painting. "Come on, Mu Mu, tell Uncle why this is from the late Qing."

The shop owner: *"Are you kidding me?"*

The viewers were also stunned: Don’t tell me Mu Mu is the real appraisal master.

Little Dumpling studied the painting for a minute, then explained very seriously, "Uncle, judging a painting requires examining the paper, the age of the ink, the seal, the gloss, and the overall artistic conception. This imitation is very well done, but the paper from the early Ming... Overall, the most fitting era for this painting is the late Qing." The little dumpling spoke like a veteran connoisseur, sounding utterly professorial.

The shop owner was stunned, then nodded repeatedly. Only someone raised among stacks of paintings from childhood could have such expertise.

"Damn, showing off via a kid is next-level. Another day of envying Wen Zhi."

"Ugh, life’s too hard these days. Even kindergarteners show me up. Feels like I’m just here to fill space."

"Aaaah! My appraiser dad wants to be friends with Mu Mu! Please share how to reach Mu Mu!"

"Kinda curious about Mu Mu’s upbringing. Is his dad from some reclusive ancient clan, raising kids by traditional heir upbringing standards?"

"Would that mean there are children from concubines too? Like in ancient dynasties? Bet Mu Mu’s dad is super handsome to have charmed our Sister Zhi."

"A handsome but skeevy old-fashioned guy—sooo curious what Mu Mu’s dad looks like!"

"Same! +1"

"Ditto! +10086"

The shopkeeper wanted to keep Mu Mu to examine the paintings, but Wen Zhi excused herself by saying they had another task and scooped up Mu Mu, hurrying off. Lin Jiyao followed closely behind with his sister in his arms, asking while running, "Where do we go now to find the blue-and-white vase?"

Only then did the shopkeeper realize: Wen Zhi hadn't spent a single penny and had taken the painting they were looking for just by talking.

Crap! He’d been tricked!

The four continued searching for the vase on the street but still couldn’t find it after another lap. Holding the painting, Lin Jiyao glanced around and casually asked, "You really don’t like playing the piano, do you?" He remembered how the little girl used to sit across from him, watching him intently.

Her gaze had been so focused and serious.

"Nah," Wen Zhi replied without hesitation, still scanning the street.

"But—" Lin Jiyao tried to ask more, but Wen Zhi cut him off, "This street doesn’t seem to have it. Should we head over where Sister Liu’s group is?"

Lin Jiyao: "...Alright."

They had only taken a few steps when the little black dog, who had been following them, started barking. It darted around Mu Mu before running toward the end of the street.

Xiao Xiao, looking in the dog’s direction, excitedly shouted, "There’s a ring-toss booth! I want to play!"

"Since when was that there?" Wen Zhi followed Xiao Xiao’s pointing finger and saw a crowd gathered at the end of the street. A boy around ten years old was throwing colorful rings. Amid the shifting crowd, they could just make out a vase.

Mu Mu cheered and tugged Wen Zhi toward the end of the street. "Mom! The vase is over there!"

There hadn’t been a ring-toss booth earlier—the production team must have set it up last-minute.

Lin Jiyao muttered a curse about the production team under his breath, holding the painting in one hand and his sister in the other as he followed Wen Zhi into the crowd.

The people playing the ring toss parted to let them through.

Wen Zhi and Mu Mu immediately spotted the blue-and-white flared vase among the displayed items.

"How do you play this?" Wen Zhi asked.

The boss grinned. "Fifty bucks for twenty throws. If you land one, the prize is yours."

Wen Zhi frowned. "That steep?"

The boss shrugged. "No one’s forcing you."

But how else would they get the vase?

"LOL, the crew’s playing dirty! At the park, it’s 20 yuan for 16 throws, but here it’s 50 for 20?"

"Wen Zhi and Lin Jiyao have 400 yuan combined, right? That’s a ton!"

"I’ve played this before—if you suck at it, even a hundred throws won’t help. Plus, the vase is at the back, and the items in front are tall and obstructive."

Wen Zhi forked over 100 yuan and handed it to the boss. "Forty throws, then?" When she got the rings, she paused. "Are these rings for ants?"

The rings the production team gave them were half the size of regular ones, making the game much harder.

"Can we even land one?"

The boss demonstrated by placing a small ring over the vase. "Snug as a bug."

The onlookers and the camera crew bit back laughs.

The boss added, "For the bigger rings, it’s 100 yuan for 20. Your call."

Wen Zhi: "..."

Ugh, the crew's up to their tricks again.

Wen Zhi: "100 yuan gets you 20 throws."

After getting the rings, she stood outside the railing and began aiming. Xiao Xiao held her brother's hand nervously, watching closely and whispering, "Brother Mu Mu, can your mom get it?"

Mu Mu's expression was a bit odd: his mom had never hit anything in archery games.

She aimed for a long time but hesitated to throw, making the live stream viewers equally tense.

"So nervous, can Wen Zhi make it?"

"From previous shows, her aim was pretty bad in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (gamer slang)."

"Hahaha, 'bad' is an understatement—she always died right after landing."

"Then it's over. Ring toss looks easy, but it's way harder than it looks."

As expected, Wen Zhi threw 20 rings without hitting anything. Lin Jiyao suggested Mu Mu take over, but Wen Zhi shook her head: "You and Xiao Xiao go first. Mu Mu will try last."

Lin Jiyao exchanged 200 yuan for 40 rings and managed to land two small stuffed animals, but the game ended without even touching the vase's rim.

The vendor picked up the rings, grinning, "You still have 100 yuan left. Want to try again?"

Wen Zhi pouted, pointing at the items inside and shaking her head: "Just cheap stuff, not worth it. Maybe we should forget the vase."

The cameraman frantically signaled the vendor, who then brought out a few more valuable items. Only then did Wen Zhi happily hand over the last 100 yuan for 20 rings and pass them to Mu Mu.

Then, in front of the onlookers and millions of online viewers, she excitedly pointed at the items inside and said to Mu Mu: "I want this, this, and this—and don’t forget the blue-and-white porcelain vase at the end!"

Vendor: What nonsense is Wen Zhi spouting?

Onlookers: Is Wen Zhi out of her mind?

Live stream viewers: Aww, Mu Mu sweetie, ignore your mom, just do your best.

Xiao Xiao, as always, believed in Mu Mu, clinging to the railing to cheer: "Brother Mu Mu, you can do it!"

Just as Lin Jiyao was about to say "just do your best," Mu Mu flicked his wrist—and the ring landed perfectly around a lucky cat figurine.

The crowd fell silent for a moment before staring at Mu Mu in disbelief.

A fluke?

Then came the second, third... He nailed every single item she'd asked for.

When the vendor handed the vase to Wen Zhi, his face twisted in agony as he made a last-ditch plea: "I’ll refund your money and give you the vase—can I have the other items back, letting them play for free?"

Wen Zhi: "I suppose we could do that." She pointed at the cages behind him. "Trade us those three rabbits instead." Xiao Xiao had her eyes on them the whole time—she must want them.

Lin Jiyao went pale instantly as he backed away, stammering, "N-no, don’t."

Xiao Xiao clung to the railing, shouting: "Yes! I love rabbits!"

Afraid Wen Zhi might change her mind, the vendor quickly grabbed the rabbits and pushed them at Lin Jiyao’s arms: "These rabbits are house-trained—very smart, never poop everywhere."

Lin Jiyao: That's not the point!

Seeing his eyes go red, the audience watching the live stream felt both sympathy and amusement.

"Haha, our Ji-ge hasn't recovered from the mushroom poisoning yet, has he?"

"How's the bunny act doing? Poor Lin Jiyao."

"Haha, is Wen Zhi doing this on purpose? She’s always pranking Ji-ge."

"Let's see if Lin Jiyao dares to team up with Wen Zhi next time."

No matter how reluctant Lin Jiyao was, he was eventually forced to carry the rabbit.

Xiao Xiao completely ignored her brother, bouncing along next to Mu Mu, her little eyes filled with admiration. She asked in an adorable, high-pitched voice, "Brother Mu Mu, how are you so good at ring toss?"

"Ring toss is a piece of cake," Mu Mu said truthfully.

In the imperial palace, princes and royal children were expected to master skills like archery and mounted shooting. His archery skills were consistently the best among the young princes, earning praise from the emperor many times.

If Mu Mu hadn't looked so serious, the cameraman would have thought the kid was flexing.

The live audience couldn't help but comment.

"Ugh, this little know-it-all is flexing! Ring toss isn't difficult? I’ve never landed one."

"Haha, it really isn't difficult for Mu Mu."

"Mu Mu's skills clearly come from practice—his archery and horseback riding must be great too. Is his dad from a martial arts lineage?"

"What kind of weird speculation is this? An old-school player from a martial arts family?"

The four of them walked down another street with the painting and vase. After just a few steps, a blur rushed past them as a figure sprinted by, almost bowling Wen Zhi over as she held the vase.

Someone immediately shouted, "Thief! Catch the thief!"

Author's note: