Chapter 20 (2 in 1)

Zhi Li’s innocent and childish question plunged the scene into an eerie silence. Even Jiang Yuexiao maintained his cold expression, unable to come up with a proper response for a long time.  

Meanwhile, Yang Xingran peeked out timidly from behind his father, Yang Cheng. He glanced first at Xu Qingying, whose eyes were curved in amusement, then at Yu Xinrou, whose face was dark with displeasure. Finally, he nodded at his newly made friend, Zhi Li, silently agreeing with her statement.  

[Gotta say, Zhi Li isn’t wrong. Yu Xinrou literally admitted she’s not as pretty as Xu Qingying and doesn’t have as much popularity.]  

[Yu Xinrou was just being modest! Zhi Li has no manners!]  

[Yu Xinrou’s fans, tone it down. She was clearly throwing shade at Xu Qingying—don’t hide behind “modesty.”]  

[So what if she was? Wasn’t it Xu Qingying’s team that pushed those articles about looks and popularity online?]  

[Then Yu Xinrou should’ve kept throwing shade instead of sulking. Getting repeatedly out-sassed by a five-year-old is downright embarrassing!]  

[Zhi Li didn’t even sound sarcastic, though. More like she genuinely didn’t get the subtext.]  

[Nah, it’s the legendary Pear Babble—deadly enough to choke someone on the spot. (laughing emoji)]  

[So jealous of Xu Qingying, just coasting to victory on her daughter’s back.]  

Xu Qingying did feel like she was coasting to victory thanks to Zhi Li. She bent down and ruffled the little girl’s fluffy hair, thinking to herself how worthwhile this transmigration had been—she’d gained the ultimate little snuggle bug.  

Zhi Li tilted her head up and beamed at Xu Qingying, her dimples deepening sweetly.  

Yu Xinrou watched their heartwarming interaction, grinding her teeth in frustration. The brighter Zhi Li’s sunny smile grew, the more it felt like mockery to her.  

She sneered, “Xu Qingying, your kid sure is sharper-tongued than you.”  

“I’ve taken two elocution classes!” Zhi Li proudly held up two fingers, puffing out her little chest. “Teacher Lu Shuang even said I’d surpass my teacher someday!”  

Her cheerful, childlike tone was light and breezy—though to certain ears, it carried the unmistakable sting of lethal sass.  

Yu Xinrou: “…”  

Damn it! This kid is seriously annoying! Even worse than my bratty son!  

[Wait… Teacher Lu Shuang? The Lu Shuang from *Best Debate Highlights*???]  

*Best Debate Highlights* was a viral compilation of the ten most legendary national debate finals from university tournaments over the past two decades.  

As the fourth debater, Lu Shuang not only systematically dismantled opposing arguments with razor-sharp logic but also pinpointed her opponents’ weakest spots with surgical precision—confident, analytical, and awe-inspiring.  

[No way. Didn’t Lu Shuang switch careers to tech?]  

[LMAO remember her last product launch? She had reporters stumbling over their words with her counter-questions.]  

[I saw Lu Shuang’s Weibo! Last Thursday, she mentioned tutoring a friend’s kid in elocution… Could that kid be Zhi Li?!]  

[Well, if they can hire Holman for piano lessons, they can probably afford Lu Shuang too.]  

[Ugh, don’t remind me about piano. The trauma’s coming back to haunt me.]  

[?????]  

Ten minutes later, the production team of *Shining Children* noticed with surprise that their replay views had spiked.  

When they checked, their faces went blank.

Hordes of netizens, as if seeking punishment, swarmed into the replay video of Zhi Li playing the violin, leaving comments like 【Help!!! My ears are bleeding!!!】 before promptly exiting the video.

The staff: “…”

Are you all out of your minds?

Meanwhile, the show’s host Tian You watched as Yu Xinrou was once again outshone by Zhi Li and couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.

The production team had invited both Yu Xinrou and Xu Qingying to join *Shining Children* precisely to pit them against each other, creating drama and boosting the show’s popularity.

Who would have thought that before Xu Qingying even needed to retaliate, Yu Xinrou’s three attempts to provoke had all been effortlessly deflected by Zhi Li—who, crucially, remained completely unaware of how devastating her responses were.

Jiang Yuexiao also noticed Yu Xinrou’s sour expression and stepped forward expressionlessly, positioning himself between her and Zhi Li.

Though he had no intention of becoming close siblings with Zhi Li, he still had to prevent certain adults from losing control and resorting to physical confrontation—that would make him look utterly useless.

Jiang Yuexiao’s face was icy. No matter what, he couldn’t afford to lose face!

As the atmosphere grew subtly awkward, host Tian You smiled and announced, “This time, the children’s rankings are as follows: Hanhan is first, Xingran is second, and Hanlin is third.”

Upon hearing his third-place ranking, six-year-old Wang Hanlin’s face twisted in displeasure. Unable to mask his emotions, he glared at Wu Han and Yang Xingran with pure, childish resentment.

“Lili and Yuexiao—” Tian You paused, then abandoned the scripted phrasing, “Your rankings are currently lower.”

In truth, the production team had launched the *Star Chart* early precisely because of the online buzz generated by Zhi Li and Xu Qingying in the preview. Combined with the flood of think pieces accusing Zhi Li of being manipulative, the show had gained massive traction—something the team couldn’t ignore.

【Didn’t feel anything during voting, but announcing rankings in front of the kids seems cruel now.】

【Cruel? Kids face exam rankings in school too!】

【Many schools keep rankings confidential now.】

【Well, for Xu Qingying’s sake, I’d never give my stars to Zhi Li!】

Unable to see the live chat, Tian You still felt a pang of sympathy looking at Zhi Li’s innocent, clueless expression. He offered a comforting smile. “Maybe next time you’ll rank higher.”

“No need to rank higher.” Seeing Tian You smile at her, Zhi Li beamed back, her voice sweet as syrup. “Big Brother and I love being the most beautiful and popular kids!”

Jiang Yuexiao: “…”

Whatever. He was used to being at the bottom of his class anyway.

Tian You froze for a few seconds before realizing Zhi Li’s response was a direct counter to Yu Xinrou’s earlier passive-aggressive remark. He nearly laughed aloud.

If Yu Xinrou believed she only ranked first because she wasn’t as beautiful or popular as Xu Qingying, then Zhi Li and Jiang Yuexiao were claiming they ranked last precisely because they outshone everyone else in looks and popularity.

Wang Hanlin’s glare immediately shifted from Wu Han and Yang Xingran to Zhi Li and Jiang Yuexiao.

*He* was the only truly beautiful and popular kid here!!!

Unlike Wang Hanlin’s competitive fury, Wu Han and Yang Xingran remained unfazed by Zhi Li’s words.

Wu Han, being seven years old, understood the meaning of the Star Chart. For their sake, she chose not to correct Zhi Li’s misunderstanding, thinking it was fine for Zhi Li to interpret it that way.  

Yang Xingran, on the other hand, had no concept of the Star Chart at all and wholeheartedly agreed that Zhi Li and Jiang Yuexiao were very pretty—prettier than any of the other kids he knew.  

Tian You brought over a box from a colleague and stood before the four families, explaining, “This box contains envelopes with photos of village buildings, as mentioned earlier. You must use these photos to ask the locals at the market for the correct location of the village where we’ll be filming the first episode. Besides the building photos, the envelopes also contain varying amounts of travel money. Once you’ve asked the locals for directions, you can use the money to choose the appropriate transportation to reach the village.”  

“By the way,” Tian You added, “the bus fare here starts at one yuan, but you’ll still need to walk 15 minutes from the station to the village. Taxis start at seven yuan, and private cars depend on the driver’s price.” After finishing his explanation, he turned to Yu Xinrou. “Teacher Yu and Hanlin, as the top-ranked family on the Star Chart, you’ll draw an envelope first.”  

Yu Xinrou maintained her gentle persona—as long as Xu Qingying wasn’t involved.  

She softly asked her son, Wang Hanlin, “Hanlin, would you like to draw one?”  

Wang Hanlin was scowling at his AJ sneakers, already dirtied with mud. When Yu Xinrou asked, he snapped impatiently, “Why are you asking me? Just draw it yourself! I’m about to die from the heat!”  

Yu Xinrou’s expression faltered for a moment, but she forced a smile as she drew an envelope from the box. Her long lashes lowered, unable to hide her dejected look.  

[Yu Xinrou’s son is so poorly disciplined. He’s so rude.]  

[Seriously, there’s zero respect for elders.]  

[Wang Hanlin is respectful to his grandparents, though.]  

[The prelude mentioned that Yu Xinrou’s son was raised by his grandmother—he’s spoiled rotten. It’s tough for Yu Xinrou as his birth mother.]  

Xu Qingying watched Yu Xinrou’s performance in silence, finally feeling a sense of reality that she had truly transmigrated into this novel.  

In the plot, Yu Xinrou and Wang Hanlin had been hot topics among netizens in the first two episodes.  

Yu Xinrou had immediately taken subtle jabs at Xu Qingying, who had once schemed against her, winning over many fans with her vengeful personality. However, in front of her son, Wang Hanlin, Yu Xinrou acted meek, gently correcting her mischievous and unruly child only to be met with cold indifference and irritation.  

This contrast not only highlighted the original host’s poor parenting of Zhi Li and her stepson but also made netizens deeply sympathize with Yu Xinrou’s struggles in her wealthy family life, even condemning her mother-in-law.  

But from the fourth episode onward, Wang Hanlin would cry on camera, admitting he had been immature and declaring his love for his mother. Meanwhile, Yu Xinrou’s wealthy mother-in-law would soften, and the two would become the internet’s model mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo.  

As Xu Qingying recalled this part of the plot, she also remembered spoilers from the novel’s comment section. Apparently, Yu Xinrou would later participate in the protagonist’s third variety show. While she had been a positive contrast in *Shining Children*, she became a negative contrast in the new show. She wondered what had happened then.  

As soon as Yu Xinrou finished drawing the envelope and stepped back, Wang Hanlin snatched it from her hands.

Wang Hanlin tore open the envelope, ignoring the village architecture photos inside, and immediately checked the program team’s travel allowance. After shaking the envelope vigorously, four one-yuan coins clattered out.

“???” Wang Hanlin refused to believe it and kept shaking the envelope before finally ripping it apart in frustration. To his dismay, aside from the four coins that had already fallen out, there wasn’t a single extra cent inside!

Furious, he flung the torn envelope at Yu Xinrou and shouted, “What kind of terrible luck do you have?! This isn’t even enough for a taxi!!”

Yu Xinrou stared at the envelope on the ground, her face alternating between pale and flushed with humiliation. Although she’d mentally prepared for her son’s tantrums before joining the show, being publicly scolded by him was still mortifying. She also resented the program team—since she and her son ranked first on the Star Chart’s overall rankings, why did they still have to draw envelopes instead of receiving the highest travel allowance directly?

Tian You quickly coughed twice to intervene. “Next, let’s have the Wu Shuai family, Yang Cheng family, and Xu Qingying family come forward to draw envelopes!”

Wu Shuai’s daughter Wu Han stepped up voluntarily, while Yang Cheng pushed his son Yang Xingran out from hiding behind him.

Seeing the other two groups letting their children do the drawing, Xu Qingying asked Zhi Li and Jiang Yuexiao, “Which of you wants to draw?”

Jiang Yuexiao kept his hands in his pockets and said coldly, “Don’t call me for something so childish.” Unlike a brat like Wang Hanlin, even if he disliked Xu Qingying, he had to maintain his cool demeanor—no yelling or throwing envelopes around. That was just immature.

“I’m only five!” Zhi Li jumped in place, her twin ponytails swaying as her rosy cheeks dimpled with a sweet smile. “I can do childish things!”

Jiang Yuexiao scoffed. “You’ll still be doing childish things at fifty.” A naive little fool like her would probably still get scammed even as a senior citizen.

Completely missing his sarcasm, Zhi Li chirped happily, “I get it! The grandma next to my grandma’s house is over sixty and still loves watching cartoons! Grandma says that’s called keeping your childlike spirit!”

Jiang Yuexiao looked up into Zhi Li’s innocent, clear almond-shaped eyes and felt utterly exhausted.

Why was this kid so clueless? With him around to watch over her now, it was fine—but if Xu Qingying and his dad ever divorced, could this little airhead even grow up properly?

Xu Qingying patted Zhi Li’s shoulder and made a fist, declaring solemnly, “Then this critical mission goes to our five-year-old Zhi Li! Go for it!”

Zhi Li mirrored her, bumping her tiny fist against Xu Qingying’s. “Go for it!”

[Comparing the two groups, Zhi Li is so well-behaved!]

[Xu Qingying can’t match Yu Xinrou in character or career, but her kids are undeniably great—even her stepson doesn’t throw tantrums.]

[Can’t you see the stepson’s icy glare???]

[Well-behaved my foot! At least Yu Xinrou and her son show their true colors—Xu Qingying and Zhi Li are clearly following a script!]

Zhi Li skipped over to host Tian You to draw an envelope, rummaging eagerly inside the box with her small hands. Under Tian You’s amused gaze, she pulled out the last remaining envelope.

As Zhi Li clutched her newly drawn envelope and headed back, she spotted her new friends Wu Han and Yang Xingran opening theirs. Burning with curiosity, she craned her neck, wide-eyed, trying to peek at what their envelopes contained.

Yang Xingran directly handed the envelope to Yang Cheng, who wasted no time in tearing it open with his large hands. After a quick glance, he announced loudly, “Travel allowance: 10 yuan. As for the photo—”  

Yang Cheng pondered for a moment. “A house built on a mountaintop.”  

Wu Han slapped away her father Wu Shuai’s sneaky attempt to grab the envelope and carefully opened hers. “Travel allowance: 20 yuan. The photo shows half a lake.”  

A house and half a lake?  

Wang Hanlin hurriedly snatched the photo from Yu Xinrou’s hands.  

He stared at the tiny tip of a chimney on the paper for a long time, then thought of the four one-yuan coins that had fallen out earlier. The last shred of shame in him completely crumbled with a thunderous crash!  

“Why do we get the least?!” Wang Hanlin yelled, throwing the photo aside. “I want to switch envelopes! I don’t want this one! I’m supposed to be first! I’m first! Why do we only get four yuan?!”  

His outburst startled everyone present. No one expected Wang Hanlin to throw a tantrum so suddenly.  

In an instant, both the main livestream and the four sub-livestreams were flooded with Wang Hanlin’s shrill, unruly shouting.  

[The envelopes are already drawn. What’s he making a fuss for?]  

[Wang Hanlin is even more annoying than Zhi Li in my opinion…]  

[Our Li Bao isn’t annoying at all. Don’t project adult scheming onto a child’s innocence.]  

[Can Yu Xinrou control her son? His yelling is giving me a headache.]  

[Four coins are only enough for a bus ride, then walking the rest of the way. It really is unfair for the family that ranked first.]  

[Wang Hanlin is only six. It’s totally normal for him not to want to push luggage around in the sweltering heat while crammed on a bus. Can’t the comments show some understanding?]  

[Oh, the hypocrisy. When Zhi Li left Yu Xinrou speechless, where was your “understanding” then?]  

Zhi Li was momentarily stunned when she saw Wang Hanlin suddenly start screaming.  

The next moment, she watched as Wang Hanlin forcefully broke free from Yu Xinrou’s grip and charged toward Wu Han, demanding fiercely, “Give me your envelope! I’ll buy it! My grandma is super rich—she buys me anything I want!”  

Wu Han, usually so sensible, was at a rare loss.  

By age, Wu Han was older than Wang Hanlin and should yield to her younger brother, but she didn’t want to squeeze onto a bus either.  

Wu Shuai, the father who often “helped” by making things worse, stepped in just in time, blocking Wang Hanlin’s grab for his daughter’s envelope. Smiling, he suggested, “How about we all chip in and share a taxi?”  

Yu Xinrou’s eyes lit up at this, as if she’d just realized the possibility. She bent down to apologize to the group. “It’s my fault. Hanlin has never had to endure hardship before. I—”  

“No! I don’t want to share a car with you!” Wang Hanlin, realizing he wasn’t getting what he wanted, grew even angrier, his shouts escalating. “I want to switch envelopes! I want to switch! I want to switch!!”  

Mid-shout, he suddenly spotted Zhi Li standing not far away—and the envelope in her hand.  

Wang Hanlin, ever the bully who picked on the weak, noticed that Wu Han had Wu Shuai beside her, Yang Xingran had Yang Cheng, but Zhi Li was all alone!  

So, with a fierce expression, he charged at Zhi Li. “Give me your envelope!”  

Xu Qingying was startled by the sudden turn of events and rushed forward to shield Zhi Li. But before she could take more than two steps, a blur flashed past her—Jiang Yuexiao, who had been standing coolly with his hands in his pockets, had already sprinted ahead of her.  

“!!!” Xu Qingying was genuinely surprised. This kid had some serious explosive speed.

Zhi Li watched as Wang Hanlin charged toward her, shouting just like her cousin Xu Dong used to do. Her first reaction wasn’t fear this time—after all, her mom and brother were right there—but her little brain quickly started thinking.

When someone smiles at me, I can smile back. But when someone yells at me, I can—

Oh no.

I definitely can’t yell louder than him.

“Waaah!!!”

Just as the chaos from Wang Hanlin’s tantrum filled the room, a loud cry suddenly erupted, catching everyone off guard.

Xu Qingying, who had rushed forward, stared at Zhi Li in shock. Jiang Yuexiao, who had swiftly blocked Wang Hanlin, also turned back in confusion to look at Zhi Li.

Under their gazes, Zhi Li, now feeling secure with her backup, plopped down on the floor, covered her cheeks with her tiny hands, and began sobbing pitifully.

Shouting won’t work, but I can cry!

With that thought, tears streamed down her face like beads on a string, rolling over her soft, chubby cheeks and dripping off her delicate chin, soaking the white Peter Pan collar of her dress.

So when Song Yin, taking a break from her weekend project at school, opened the livestream, the first thing she saw was Zhi Li—who had bid her farewell with a heartwarming gesture earlier—now sitting on the ground, crying her little heart out.

Song Yin’s expression turned even colder.

She had never been particularly interested in variety show livestreams and hadn’t planned to watch. But not long ago, the butler had messaged her, saying Jiang Yuexiao and Zhi Li were getting along well on the show.

Maybe she wanted to see how her grandson behaved on the show. Maybe she was curious whether Zhi Li, who had only been in the household for less than a month, acted the same way on camera as she did at home. Or maybe she wondered if Xu Qingying, as a mother, had reverted to her old ways.

Before she knew it, Song Yin found herself sitting alone in her office, silently researching how to download the Qing Ning TV app and tuning into the *Shining Children* livestream.

Now, Song Yin watched coldly as Zhi Li sniffled on screen, as Jiang Yuexiao stood protectively in front of her, and as… an unfamiliar child was blocked from view.

Soon after, the butler, who had been idly watching the livestream at home, received a reply from the matriarch.

In the chat box was a screenshot of the livestream and a single line.

Matriarch: Whose ill-mannered child is this? [image.jpg]

Butler: “…”

If I didn’t know your temperament, I’d think you were the type of protective parent who tracks down bullies to settle scores.

Meanwhile, the livestream viewers were equally stunned by Zhi Li’s sudden tears.

[Uh…]

[Kids are like this—one starts acting up, and the rest follow.]

[Why does Wang Hanlin’s yelling just annoy me, but Zhi Li’s crying actually hurts my heart? QAQ]

[I used to think Zhi Li was scheming, but she looks so pitiful crying like this…]

Compared to Wang Hanlin’s wild screaming and jumping around, Zhi Li’s crying was quiet and well-behaved. Aside from the flood of tears, she didn’t cause any trouble at all—just a tiny figure sitting on the floor, heartbreaking to watch.

Xu Qingying’s shock quickly melted into overwhelming concern as she hurriedly pulled Zhi Li into a hug. Meanwhile, Jiang Yuexiao fixed Wang Hanlin with an icy glare.

Wang Hanlin had always been spoiled at home with his grandparents shielding him. He was used to throwing tantrums to get whatever he wanted. At that moment, he was shouting and waiting for the production team to bring over the other groups’ envelopes so he could pick whichever he liked. However, as he heard Zhi Li’s increasingly distressed sobs and met Jiang Yuexiao’s increasingly cold gaze, his shouts gradually died down.

Xu Qingying gently patted Zhi Li’s back, feeling slightly anxious. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell or did something scare you?”

Although Jiang Yuexiao’s face remained cold, he had already secretly pricked up his ears.

Was this little brat really that easily frightened? He’d already stepped in front, yet she still got scared enough to cry?

“Wuwuwu…” Zhi Li nestled in Xu Qingying’s arms, sniffling pitifully. “Wuwuwu!!! I don’t want to exchange envelopes wuwuwu!!!”

Both Wu Han and Yang Xingran had been startled by Wu Hanlin’s earlier commotion. Now seeing Zhi Li reduced to tears by Wang Hanlin, they immediately turned synchronized glares at the “culprit” Wang Hanlin.

Wang Hanlin: “…Hic.”

A single hiccup rendered him completely speechless.

He wanted to cry loudly like he always did at home, but how thick-skinned would he have to be to burst into tears in front of so many strangers?!

With Wang Hanlin no longer shouting or making a scene, the live broadcast was left with only Zhi Li’s intermittent sobs.

Xu Qingying’s anti-fans immediately seized the opportunity:

[Wang Hanlin stopped crying—so well-behaved. It was just a momentary outburst.]

[Zhi Li’s still crying over what? Wang Hanlin didn’t even take anything from her.]

[Kids only know how to cry. So annoying.]

Zhi Li carefully listened to the sounds around her and stole a glance at Wang Hanlin, who had stopped yelling. Confirming he was truly quiet now, she blinked and wriggled out of Xu Qingying’s embrace.

Then, everyone present and the live audience witnessed how Zhi Li’s teary eyes seemed equipped with an on-off switch—her crying stopped in an instant.

Zhi Li curved her eyes into a sweet, well-behaved smile.

The anti-fan who’d just complained about kids crying: “……”

Jiang Yuexiao frowned. “Done crying?” If she’d stopped, did that mean the fright was over?

“Mm-hmm.” Zhi Li pointed at Wang Hanlin, her expression innocent and puzzled. “He stopped shouting, so why should I keep crying?”

Her question was delivered with utter frankness and simplicity.

Wang Hanlin: “???”

In that moment, everyone understood why Zhi Li had been crying. The live chat erupted in laughter.

[Using noise to stop noise?]

[Fighting fire with fire?]

[I hereby crown Zhi Li as a Magic Apprentice LOLOLOL.]

[No no, considering how she’s verbally sparred with Yu Xinrou three times already, our Little Pear definitely qualifies as a Trainee Magician (dog emoji).]

[You guys praising her should stop. Don’t you think it’s scary how Zhi Li can cry on command? Such high-level acting at such a young age!]

[Anti-fans should stop too. Didn’t Wang Hanlin also stop throwing tantrums abruptly?]

[I think it’s great. Tired of seeing Yu Xinrou desperately placating her bratty son—it’s about time a peer put him in his place!]

Regardless of the heated debates in the live chat, the recording site had reached a harmonious resolution. Wang Hanlin shot Zhi Li a fierce glare before stomping back, no longer mentioning envelope exchanges—terrified she might start crying again.

Since childhood, he’d been indulged and pampered by everyone. Who dared cry so pitifully in front of him while making others glare at him in reproach?!

Only Zhi Li! So annoying.

And also—

During those few seconds when Jiang Yuexiao had stared him down, Wang Hanlin kept worrying the older boy might throw a punch.

Yu Xinrou’s gaze, laden with concealed displeasure, lingered on Xu Qingying and Zhi Li as she clenched her hands at her sides.

Xu Qingying’s daughter is just as annoying as Xu Qingying herself! If Zhi Li hadn’t suddenly started crying earlier, she would have already found a way to calm Wang Hanlin down. A child who acts up at first but becomes sensible later would definitely spark heated discussions online, and even netizens’ opinions of Wang Hanlin would change.

Xu Qingying didn’t care whether Yu Xinrou’s gaze was full of resentment or not. She urged Zhi Li to open the envelope, “Sweetie, hurry up and see how much money is inside.”

Zhi Li carefully opened the envelope. The moment she saw the bills inside, her eyes widened in shock, and her little mouth fell slightly open.

“Is it enough for the fare?” Xu Qingying, itching with curiosity at Zhi Li’s surprised expression, reached over to peek inside. “Whoa?!”

Zhi Li mimicked Xu Qingying and whispered, “Whoa!”

“…” Jiang Yuexiao continued to act cool, his eyes fixed in the distance as if he couldn’t care less about how much money was in the envelope.

Yet, inwardly, he was just as anxious. Just say how much it is already—what’s with the “whoa” from both of you?

Zhi Li pulled out the bills from the envelope and exclaimed joyfully, “Big brother, we have thirty yuan for the fare!!!”

[Whoa!]

[Totally worth the crying!]

[Worth it, worth it—this is a huge win!]

Jiang Yuexiao: “!!!”

He was shocked. Extremely shocked. But he managed to maintain his cool demeanor and responded indifferently, “It’s just okay, I guess.”

After getting the fare, they still needed to ask the locals about the building in the photo.

Unfortunately, the photo only showed a tiny corner of a fence and a stretch of wild mountains—even simpler than Yu Xinrou’s photo.

Before setting off to ask the locals about the photo’s location, Jiang Yuexiao said sternly, “No more crying from now on.”

Zhi Li, ever curious, asked, “Big brother, why can’t I cry?” Back when her uncle and aunt used to argue loudly, her cousin would cry, and after he cried, they’d stop fighting.

Don’t you realize how pitiful you look when you cry?!

Jiang Yuexiao prided himself on hating weak, crybaby types the most, but he no longer wanted to dislike Zhi Li. So, he answered coldly, “Crying too much makes you ugly.”

“Makes you ugly???” Zhi Li’s eyes widened in fright. Torn between wondering if her cousin Xu Dong would turn ugly and raising her little hand to make a promise, she declared, “Then I won’t cry next time!”

After taking a few steps, Zhi Li asked again, puzzled, “But if I don’t cry, what should I do next time someone charges at me yelling? My voice isn’t loud enough.” The way Wang Hanlin had rushed over earlier reminded her of the time her cousin tried to snatch her Memory Jar. Not wanting her envelope to be taken was the real reason Zhi Li had decided to cry.

Jiang Yuexiao kept his hands in his pockets, maintaining his icy coolness as he delivered an equally icy response, “Stare at them until they stop yelling.”

Zhi Li: “But what if they close their eyes and yell, so they can’t see me staring?”

“…Then you,” Jiang Yuexiao stopped, staring expressionlessly at Zhi Li as he enunciated each word, “punch. them. in. the. face.”

He had a reputation to uphold and couldn’t just hit people, but little kids didn’t need to worry about reputations.

Zhi Li fell into deep thought.

A punch?

If a slap was worth a hundred thousand, how much would a punch be worth?

Wait!

A lightbulb suddenly lit up above Zhi Li’s head—so bright it was practically blinding.

The Black Card Dad gave me means I can throw lots and lots of punches!!!