The poster shoot was taking place in the neighboring city, about a two-hour drive away, so the grandmother and grandson had to get up before dawn to make it on time.
Xiao Lin arrived early that morning, bringing a cup of iced Americano to help reduce swelling and stay alert, as was Yan Xingli’s habit.
Although he had gone to bed early the night before, Yan Xingli was still so sleepy he couldn’t keep his eyes open. He sat there for a while, trying to wake up, before getting up to knock on the guest room door.
“Yuyu, we need to head out.”
The door wasn’t locked; it swung open with a push.
Yan Xingli turned on the light.
The light, as bright as daylight, illuminated the two little creatures curled up together on the bed.
Yan Xingli was surprised. “Xiao Hua, are you sleeping too?”
“Have you run out of power?”
Xiao Hua tiptoed out of bed, pulled an apron from her belly, tied it on, adjusted her hat, and sauntered past him.
“Thank you for your concern, but actually, I don’t need to recharge. Please remember that I am not a low-grade robot designed for manual labor.”
“Ultimately, keeping Yu Yu company is my most important duty, no matter what.”
If she doesn’t need recharging, doesn’t that mean I’ve got a free laborer?
Yan Xingli perked up: “Could it be that you have an emotion crystal installed in you, too?”
Xiao Hua ignored him, waving her little round hands as she headed to the kitchen to get to work. Yan Xingli walked over to the bed, bent down, and dug through the pile of assorted stuffed animals to pull out Qi Youyu.
Youyu had been clinging to him for the past two days, begging Uncle to sleep with him. Yan Xingli wasn’t used to it, and he was afraid his sleepwalking might accidentally hurt the child, so he’d bought a bunch of stuffed animals.
With these stuffed animals, Yu Yu had indeed stopped pestering him.
The child’s round little head was turned away from Yan Xingli, his face pressed against a giant panda stuffed animal, his drool soaking the toy’s entire black eye patch.
Yan Xingli pinched Yu Yu’s chubby cheeks and gave them a shake. “Little scientist, time to wake up.”
“……”
Yan Xingli: “Xiao Hua is simmering fish soup. If you don’t get up, I’m going to set the fish free.”
Command accepted.
The child’s eyes snapped open. His jet-black pupils were still a bit dazed, and the tuft of hair on top of his head twitched twice. His soft, chubby little face looked perfectly at home among the stuffed animals.
“Uncle, don’t set it free—put it in my mouth.”
Yan Xingli gently closed Qi Youyu’s wide-open mouth: “Such a tiny mouth, yet you’ve got quite the big mouth. You want to put a whole fish in there? Do you think it’ll fit?”
“Get up and wash up.” His playful mood took over as he ruffled her unruly tuft of hair. “We agreed you’d come to work with me today. Don’t go back on your word.”
Qi Youyu obediently sat up, blinked a couple of times, and reached both hands out from under the covers.
“Uncle, pick me up.”
Yan Xingli effortlessly lifted her out of the blankets, helped her into her clothes for the day, and led the little girl out the door.
In the living room, Xiao Lin snapped out of his daze, stood up, and pointed at Xiao Hua, asking:
“Xingge, where did you buy this robot? It’s so amazing—it can actually cook and even chat with me.”
Heaven only knows how shocked he was to see a little robot that looked just like Doraemon float past him, and then watch it grow from a tiny bean into a massive hulk right before his eyes.
Yan Xingli: “I didn’t buy it. My sister had it custom-made overseas. When it arrived, she wasn’t satisfied with it, so she gave it to me.”
“It must have been really expensive, right?”
“Yeah, it wasn’t cheap.”
Xiao Lin thought about it. With his salary of a few thousand yuan, he’d have to save for at least thirty or forty years to afford one.
Ten minutes later, Xiao Hua brought out a breakfast big enough for two adults and a child—nutritious and tailored to Yan Xingli’s strict fitness regimen.
As the three of them ate, Xiaohua brought out the cat and dog food, then proceeded to clean the litter box, tidy up the cat villa, and wipe down the cat climbing frame—carrying out each task in an orderly fashion.
Xiaolin grew even more envious. “This would be good enough to work as a caregiver for the elderly. It really is great to have money.”
Fans who had learned of the itinerary in advance had been waiting at the building’s entrance for quite some time.
The black SUV pulled up slowly. Yan Xingli quietly pulled back the window shade to take a peek. Seeing the dense crowd, he felt a wave of pressure wash over him.
Please, let there be no haters.
Even if there are haters, just don’t throw rotten eggs at him!
He turned to Qi Youyu and warned her in advance: “Youyu, Uncle will carry you out of the car in a moment. Don’t be scared, and don’t look up. No matter what happens, Uncle will be here.”
Qi Youyu’s big, dark eyes stared at him without saying a word, gazing so intently that Yan Xingli felt a bit uneasy.
“Uncle, are you scared?” the child asked.
“…I’m not scared.”
Qi Youyu beckoned him with a wave of her hand, signaling for him to bend down.
“What for?” Yan Xingli looked wary, afraid she’d whack him on the head again.
This kid’s fists were small, but she packed quite a punch.
The child in the car seat kicked her little legs, urging him to bend down—otherwise, she’d break free from her restraints.
Yan Xingli had no choice but to cover his head and bend down.
But this time, it wasn’t Yu Yu’s little fist that landed on his head—instead, the child’s soft, plump cheek pressed against his, and the sweet, milky scent enveloped him completely.
Qi Youyu’s warm little hands stroked and patted his shoulder as she whispered soothingly, “Don’t be afraid, Uncle. I’ll protect you. I’m a big bull now.”
Everyone in the car couldn’t help but chuckle at the child’s words.
Yan Xingli laughed too: “No matter how big a bull you are, you’re still just a little calf.”
Words aside, Yan Xingli was genuinely touched by her. He unbuckled his seatbelt, unbuttoned his coat, and scooped Yu Yu into his arms, then fastened the buttons again, leaving only her head exposed as she was wrapped up snugly.
With a child nestled against his chest, he looked every bit the full-time dad.
Yan Xingli carried Qi Youyu as they got out of the car.
This was his first public appearance since news broke that he’d scored a 30 on his college entrance exam English section. A large crowd of fans had gathered at the scene, their enthusiastic screams ringing out endlessly, while gifts and letters poured toward him like a stream.
Yan Xingli usually made a point of collecting every single letter, but today, with time running short and a child in tow, it wasn’t convenient for him to linger.
The director and other crew members had already arrived, and filming for several other guest segments was also scheduled to wrap up today, so time was of the essence.
Word had spread throughout the industry that Yan Xingli’s originally scheduled child guest had backed out, and people were there partly to gloat; no one approached him to make small talk.
Yan Xingli was actually glad for the peace and quiet, so he took Qi Youyu straight to the dressing room.
Grandfather and granddaughter went their separate ways to change clothes. Considering he might need to keep Youyu by his side frequently in the future, Yan Xingli had specifically hired two female assistants to take care of her.
Accompanied by the female assistants, Qi Youyu changed her clothes and came out to find her uncle in the dressing room.
As soon as she walked in, she noticed an extra person in the room—Director Zheng Xiaofeng was sitting on the sofa nearby, chatting with Yan Xingli.
Yan Xingli had appeared on numerous variety shows and was familiar with directors of all levels.
He had met Zheng Xiaofeng once at a dinner party; their relationship was neither close nor distant.
“Uncle.”
“Hmm, you’re back.”
Yan Xingli lifted Qi Youyu onto his lap. Her soft little body pressed against his chest, like a giant hot water bottle.
The moment Zheng Xiaofeng laid eyes on Qi Youyu, he was captivated. The child was utterly charming—and given his line of work, he’d seen plenty of cute kids.
But Qi Youyu was the first one he’d instantly recognized as having a natural gift for winning over audiences.
Zheng Xiaofeng nodded approvingly.
“Xiao Xing, so this little one is your special guest? You’ve got great taste—she looks just like a little good-luck charm.”
Yan Xingli curved his lips and nodded proudly. “My niece.”
Zheng Xiaofeng: “No wonder she looks just like you.”
“Yuyu, say hello.” Yan Xingli gently squeezed the child’s hand. “This is Uncle Zheng.”
Taking the cue, Qi Youyu slid down from her uncle’s lap, stood up straight, and said, “Hello, Uncle. My name is Youyu.”
“Here’s a welcome gift. Thank you for coming to see my uncle.”
The child held out her palm, revealing a piece of candy wrapped in beautiful paper featuring a cartoon character she’d never seen before.
Zheng Xiaofeng smiled as he took it. “Did your uncle teach you to give gifts?”
“No,” Qi Youyu said in a clear, crisp voice. “My uncle is poor; he doesn’t have that much money. This is candy I made myself.”
It was rare to find a three-and-a-half-year-old who could speak so fluently and clearly.
Zheng Xiaofeng thought of his own little daughter, who was almost six but still spoke with a stutter—it was truly a worry.
He slipped the candy into his pocket and said with a hint of regret, “Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but Uncle has diabetes and can’t eat it. However, I have a daughter; I can take it home for her to eat.”
Qi Youyu reached into her sleeve and pulled out another piece of candy.
“Then this one is for your little sister.”
“Xiaohua already told me, Uncle Zheng. Don’t worry—the candy I made is safe for people with illnesses to eat.”
Yan Xingli’s brow twitched slightly, but he kept his composure as he scanned the room.
Zheng Xiaofeng didn’t press further about who “Xiao Hua” was. His assistant informed him that another group of guests had arrived, so after a brief exchange, he left.
After changing clothes, it was time for makeup and styling.
The makeup artist braided two small plaits for Qi Youyu and put a knitted strawberry headband on her. Paired with her boho-chic dress, she looked just like Little Red Riding Hood stepping out of a fairy tale.
First, they shot the solo posters, then the group posters.
Yuyu’s styling was done quickly, so she was led to the studio first by Xiaolin and the female assistant.
Yuyu was very expressive; she grasped the photographer’s vision instantly, and the poster shoot went extremely smoothly.
After finishing the shoot, the grandmother and granddaughter returned to the car to rest. Yan Xingli rubbed his nose wearily, on the verge of falling asleep.
“No way, oh my god, this is insane.”
The chatter drifted into Yan Xingli’s ears. He glanced at Qi Youyu, who had already fallen asleep beside him, and frowned as he whispered.
“What are you guys watching?”
The female assistant, Tang Ying, replied, “The news!”
Realizing who had asked the question, Tang Ying broke out in a cold sweat. She quickly lowered her voice and said timidly:
“Sorry, boss. We’ll stop talking about it.”
Remembering he hadn’t eaten lunch yet, Yan Xingli forced himself to stay alert: “It’s fine. What news are you talking about?”
The two female assistants exchanged glances. Tang Ying asked cautiously: “It’s the top trending topic on Weibo. It seems aliens have appeared in our country.”
Yan Xingli’s heart skipped a beat, and his drowsiness vanished instantly: “Have aliens come to Earth to abduct people?”
“No, no.”
Tang Ying opened the news video: “Yesterday, there was a natural gas explosion at a self-built house in the countryside. The house was completely destroyed, but no one died.”
Yan Xingli: “???”
“It’s true!” Tang Ying said with great conviction. “She wasn’t even scratched—not a single scratch. When the explosion happened, the family’s daughter was sleeping inside. She woke up to find herself lying in the rubble.”
“That’s fake news,” Yan Xingli’s first reaction was disbelief. “Or maybe she was saved by aliens.”
“Boss, you already know this!”
Tang Ying exclaimed excitedly, “Later, experts visited the girl’s home and gave her a full physical examination. They discovered that the bracelet on her wrist had saved her.”
“Look, look!”
The bracelet in the video looked quite ordinary.
The experts conducted experiments with the bracelet and discovered that whenever it sensed danger, it would instantly deploy a transparent protective shield.
This shield was fireproof and shatterproof, with a hardness surpassing even steel. Most bizarrely, it possessed a certain degree of flexibility, capable of changing shape to adapt to different threats.
The material of the shield did not belong to any known substance on Earth, and experts have yet to identify its composition.
Tang Ying chuckled, “The girl said a little girl gave it to her, and that the girl was wearing strange clothes. Now, a lot of people suspect it’s aliens secretly visiting Earth, trying to get the government’s attention to discuss a major collaboration regarding human survival!”
Unfortunately, the mall’s surveillance system malfunctioned that day, so they were unable to find the mysterious child who gave her the bracelet.
Yan Xingli furrowed his thick brows slightly, rubbing his chin in thought.
Could this be another little alien coming back to find its ancestors?
Yan Xingli wasn’t particularly interested in the news, so after resting for a while, he woke up Yu Yu.
Yan Xingli planned to take the child out for a seafood feast, but Yu Yu was completely captivated by the KFC advertisement.
“Uncle, I want to eat this.”
Yan Xingli swallowed hard; he wanted some too.
Grandfather and granddaughter were on the same page, so they ordered KFC delivery to the hotel and tucked in.
The crispy fried chicken blew Yu Yu’s mind—who knew chicken could be even more delicious than fish? She must be eating the King of Chickens.
And then there was the Coke that danced on her tongue.
She loved it all!
Yuyu wiped her greasy little mouth: “Uncle, can I eat fried chicken and drink Coke every day?”
“Have you fallen out of love with rice balls?”
Qi Youyu: “I like rice balls, and I like fried chicken too. It’s just like how I’m good friends with Yaya and good friends with Leilei—it’s not strange at all.”
“But you don’t eat your best friends.”
Yan Xingli teased her, “Besides, you don’t just like rice balls—you also like bread, cake, and yogurt. Your stomach is so tiny; how could it hold all that food?”
This cold shower of reality made Yu Yu look gloomy.
She took a bite of fried chicken, pondered deeply, and said wistfully, “I really wish I could grow up fast.”
“When I grow up, my stomach will grow bigger too.”
Small person, small worries.
Yan Xingli laughed. “Then wait until you’re a little older to eat it. I’ll buy you a giant fried chicken meal then.”
Yuyu lowered her head. “That’ll take so long.”
Yan Xingli lifted Yuyu’s chin and wiped the grease off her mouth: “You’ll definitely be a little bigger by next week.”
Those words snapped the little one out of her daydream.
“Right, I grow a little bit every day.”
The next day, the little girl asked the same question again. Yan Xingli knew she was just craving it.
“Don’t you have a chef right here? Making fried chicken isn’t hard at all—Xiao Hua would definitely know how.”
“Xiao Hua is great.”
“But she won’t make it for me.”
Yan Xingli was surprised: “Is there ever a time when she doesn’t listen to you?”
Qi Youyu’s pouty face betrayed her disappointment: “Xiao Hua says fried chicken and Coke aren’t healthy.”
She was now filled with nothing but regret. She shouldn’t have programmed Xiao Hua’s personality to be a gentle older sister; she should have made it just like her—a little kid.
That way, she could not only eat lots of fried chicken but also raise a whole flock of “Chicken Kings.”