Shoutout to nyanmaru for the commission!
Song Hao, as the leader of the kids, was given the responsibility of looking after the three little ones, which only made him more sullen.
“Let’s go,” he said, pulling his black baseball cap lower over his head as he coolly turned and walked ahead, with three “tagalongs” in tow.
Watching Tuntun follow Song Hao away, Ye Yunqing felt a bit of the same anxiousness he had when sending Tuntun on his first kindergarten field trip.
Cheng Jingyao put an arm around his shoulder, “Don’t worry, there are so many people watching, and Tuntun isn’t the mischievous type. He’ll be fine.”
After thinking for a moment, Ye Yunqing suggested, “How about we follow them for a bit and check out the different activities?”
Cheng Jingyao agreed, “Alright, let’s go.”
The other parents also felt uneasy about their kids and decided to follow and observe for a while.
Meanwhile, Song Hao led the kids to a must-play attraction for children.
“Here, the carousel—perfect for little kids like you.”
The game rules were posted on a sign, and Song Hao read them aloud: “Ride the carousel and take five clear photos of your face before the music stops to earn five badges. Each missed photo means one less badge.”
Song Hao located the camera and pointed it out to the three kids, “That’s the camera. Every time you pass by, make sure to look at it, got it?”
The three little ones looked up at him with wide eyes, blinking: “……”
Song Hao: “……”
Bullet comments:
[Pfft—suddenly, the silence becomes awkward.]
[My Brother Hao may be cool and not talk much, but he’s detailed and explained the rules clearly.]
[Too bad the kids didn’t understand it / Dog head]
“Forget it, just get on and play.” Song Hao crossed his arms, “Who wants to go first?”
Ji Xingjia quickly took a step back, “I’m already seven. I don’t want to ride the carousel.”
Song Hao looked at Zhao Yin and Tuntun, “Then it’s you two.”
Tuntun, not fully understanding, instinctively took half a step back, but he was quickly scooped up and placed on the carousel.
Since there were no parents to accompany them, the amusement park staff stepped forward to secure Tuntun with a safety belt, making sure he wouldn’t fall.
It was Tuntun’s first time on a carousel, and he felt both curious and nervous, gripping the horse’s back tightly with his little hands.
Next was Zhao Yin. Song Hao had a female staff member help her onto the carousel a few horses away from Tuntun, and she was also securely fastened.
As the music started and the carousel began to spin and rise, Tuntun’s nervous expression gradually turned into one of excitement, his little body swaying with the rhythm and his eyes lighting up.
Song Hao, however, walked over to the camera and said sternly, “Tuntun, look at the camera and smile.”
Hearing the command, Tuntun was momentarily startled, then remembered the task. He nervously looked at the camera and forced a stiff smile.
“Good, next, Yinyin, look at the camera.”
Zhao Yin also flashed a big grin, showing her eight little teeth.
Ji Xingjia: “……”
There was absolutely no sense of fun in this game.
Bullet comments:
[Hahaha, Brother Hao looks like a tour guide.]
[Isn’t this just like when my parents dragged me to pose for photos at tourist spots? Cringe!]
[Little Xingjia: Thank goodness I didn’t get on. This is even more embarrassing than my dad!]
[Hahaha, poor President Ji gets blamed for nothing.]
[I actually think it’s kind of cute, hahaha~]
Ji Xingjia adjusted his glasses and sighed, shaking his head as he began to question whether he should continue following this older brother.
After all, this brother didn’t seem very smart—ahem—not very reliable.
He turned around to explore the other children’s activities, mentally noting the “value” of each one.
Cheng Jingyao and Ye Yunqing watched as Tuntun was helped down from the carousel, holding the five badges he received from the staff, looking a bit bewildered. They couldn’t help but laugh.
Cheng Jingyao commented, “Song Hao’s approach is efficient, but not very entertaining for the kids.”
Ye Yunqing smiled lightly, “Yes, it’s better to let Tuntun play as he likes.”
Meanwhile, Song Hao, feeling like he’d completed a task, clapped his hands together, “See, that’s how you play. You can also play Whac-A-Mole, fish for goldfish, or shoot water guns. I won’t be playing with you, though.”
Ji Xingjia happened to return from his reconnaissance and asked, “Where are you planning to go, big brother?”
Song Hao glanced around before pointing decisively, “I’m going—to the haunted house!”
The haunted house at Xingyao Theme Park was unique and very famous. He had been wanting to go for a long time.
Ji Xingjia asked, “Can I go with you, big brother?” The haunted house was worth 30 badges, which made it very “valuable”!
“Probably not?” Song Hao uncertainly looked at the amusement park staff.
The staff member smiled and said, “Our haunted house is for guests aged 14 and up. Children aren’t allowed.”
“See,” Song Hao shrugged helplessly, pointing first to himself, then to Ji Xingjia, “I’m fourteen; you’re seven.”
Ji Xingjia: “……”
Bullet comments burst into laughter:
[Hahaha, so frustrating! Why can’t Ji Xingjia be fourteen?!]
[Why does Xingjia want to go to the haunted house? Because it’s the most “valuable,” right?]
[Definitely! Xingjia just assessed all the activities and set his sights on the haunted house.]
[Whac-A-Mole is a good option too. The higher the score, the more badges you get.]
[Why is there a question mark in the lower right corner of the haunted house rules?]
Tuntun wasn’t interested in the haunted house. Just looking at the eerie building with its monstrous face and gaping mouth made him instinctively scared.
He took a small step back, then turned and spotted his two dads not far away. His eyes lit up, and he ran over to them, proudly presenting the five badges he had earned.
“Dad, look!”
“I got badges!”
“Tuntun, you’re amazing!”
The praise from his dad made Tuntun’s eyes sparkle, and a hint of pride shone through his flushed little face.
Ye Yunqing led him to a bench under the shade of a tree, took off his sun hat, and helped him wipe off his sweat.
Cheng Jingyao handed Tuntun his little water bottle, “What do you want to play next?”
Tuntun took a big gulp of water, looked around, and pointed to the glass pond under the large sunshade, “Catch some fish.”
Ye Yunqing remembered the initial perks they received and exchanged a glance with Cheng Jingyao, smiling, “Alright, Tuntun can go catch some goldfish later.”
Cheng Jingyao suddenly leaned close to Tuntun’s ear, covering the microphone, and whispered something.
Tuntun nodded firmly, then leaned close to his dad’s ear and whispered back, looking very confident.
Bullet comments:
[What are they whispering about? Speak up so we can hear too.]
[I’m guessing Jingyao is giving Tuntun fishing tips!]
[Catching goldfish is pretty simple, but it’s perfect for Tuntun.]
[Exactly, let the dads earn lunch, dinner, and the theme hotel stay, while Tuntun focuses on having fun.]
The couple sent Tuntun off to catch goldfish, and afterward, Cheng Jingyao asked Ye Yunqing, “Shall we go try some of the other activities?”
Ye Yunqing replied, “Sure, let’s check out the Drop Tower and the Rapids Ride first.”
With limited time, it made sense to start with the activities that offered the most “value.”
Cheng Jingyao gave him a look, “How about the haunted house?”
“No way.” Ye Yunqing looked horrified and even took a step back.
Just then, the other parents who had been watching approached and were surprised by his reaction.
Sun Ruru seemed particularly astonished, “Yunqing, are you really afraid of ghosts?”
Zhao Jun smiled slightly, “What a shame. We just found out that the haunted house has a hidden task. If two people go through together, they can earn an extra five badges. Looks like Teacher Cheng will have to go solo.”
They had just discovered that the question mark at the bottom of the haunted house’s rules hinted at an extra task. After asking the show crew and completing a small additional task, they uncovered the hidden challenge.
Shen Sisi added, “That’s right, going through the haunted house alone earns you 30 badges, but going through as a pair gets you 65. Linfeng and I are planning to go together.”
Ji Linfeng said, “I think I’ll pass…”
Shen Sisi glared at him, “Are you afraid of ghosts?”
Ji Linfeng replied, “Isn’t that normal? Fear of heights, ghosts, and confined spaces—those are standard traits for CEOs!”
Shen Sisi: “…”
Bullet comments: [Hahahahaha, Is CEO Ji roasting himself?]
[Shen Sisi must be thinking, ‘Is my husband seriously ill or something?’ Hahaha.]
[Pfft! I never realized CEO Ji had a talent for stand-up comedy.]
Shen Sisi raised an eyebrow, “Are you going or not?”
Ji Linfeng immediately caved, “I’m going.”
Tang Min laughed, “Old Song and I will skip it; we’re too old for scares.”
Sun Ruru then invited Ye Yunqing, “Why don’t you join us, Yunqing? The haunted house isn’t really that scary. Sisi and I, two girls, aren’t scared, and besides, Teacher Cheng will be there to protect you.”
Zhao Jun added, “Indeed, we live in a socialist society where we believe in science. The haunted house is just a game.”
Bullet comments: [Am I the only one sensing some passive-aggressiveness from Sun Ruru and Zhao Jun?]
[Yeah! What’s with the “even girls aren’t scared” bit? Boys can be scared too! Gender stereotyping much?]
[Professor Zhao just took it to a whole new level with the socialist values. Can you say no now?]
[This is going a bit too far. Everyone has fears, and being afraid of ghosts isn’t something to be ashamed of.]
[CEO Ji already said it’s a CEO’s standard trait. What’s there to be embarrassed about?]
“He’s not afraid of ghosts.”
Cheng Jingyao shot a cold look at Zhao Jun and his wife before turning to Ye Yunqing, his expression softening, and a slow smile spread across his face.
Ye Yunqing’s brow twitched, and he tried to cover Cheng Jingyao’s mouth, but it was too late.
“He’s afraid I’ll kiss him.”
Ye Yunqing’s face turned bright red: “…”
Everyone else: “???”
Bullet comments: [???]
[I don’t believe it! If you’re so bold, kiss him and show us!]
