Although the little girl’s uncle sounded as calm as an old dog on the phone, his efficiency was nothing short of impressive.
In less than 20 minutes, he appeared in the departure hall.
The man was dressed in a coffee-colored suit, tall and slender, like a nimble greyhound sprinting from a distance with all his might.
“Xinxin!”
Spotting the child perched on the luggage cart from afar, he pumped his thin legs even harder, as if trying to make them smoke.
As he reached them, he slid into a crouch, scooping the little girl, who had been happily singing “Love Like Fire,” into his arms. With a look of relief after a narrow escape, he examined her carefully:
“Xinxin, you scared me to death! How could you sneak off to this place all by yourself?! Don’t you know Qi…”
Seeing their happy reunion, Jiang Qiyu immediately seized the opportunity to reclaim her means of transportation.
“Well…”
Just then, the boarding announcement for her flight echoed through the terminal. Exchanging a glance with Yu Xiaoyu, she waved at the “greyhound” and said:
“You two catch up first. I’ve got things to do, so I’ll just…”
“Miss, please wait a moment!”
After confirming the little girl was safe and sound, the greyhound uncle turned to Jiang Qiyu, who was ready to make her exit, and thanked her profusely:
“Thank you so much this time. If anything had happened to the child, then…”
“No need to be so polite. Returning a lost child is the duty and responsibility of every citizen. Now that she’s found, I’ll just…”
Still under the impression that this was part of the show’s challenge, Jiang Qiyu put on a show of high-mindedness before turning to leave.
But as she pushed her luggage cart half a step forward, she suddenly felt a tight tug on her pant leg—
“Sister!”
Turning around, she was met, unsurprisingly, with a pair of teary, wide eyes.
“You’d better have a good reason.”
The little girl looked utterly innocent, her small hand gripping Jiang Qiyu’s sweatpants tightly, threatening to pull down the already loose waistband.
“Sister is a good person. Xinxin wants to repay sister!”
“No need. It’s all my fault.”
“Huh?”
“I mean, it’s what I should do.”
Her slip of the tongue was sincere, and her correction swift, but it still sparked a wave of uproarious laughter in the live stream:
【Hahahahahaha… Not hard work, just tough luck.】
【Where did this show find such a gem? Is she a comedian?】
【Are we sure she really doesn’t know about the hidden cameras? She’s too funny hahaha…】
【I’m starting to look forward to how she’ll observe the CPs in “Understanding Romance.”】
Seeing Jiang Qiyu’s dismissive attitude, the clever little Xinxin grew anxious.
In her anxiety, her small hand clenched even tighter:
“Sister, don’t you believe me? My dad has lots and lots of money!”
Secretly holding onto her waistband with one hand, Jiang Qiyu paid no mind. She simply glanced at the time on her phone and brushed her off:
“I believe you. Then tell your dad not to get too cocky—my dad is working hard too.”
“Huh?”
This nearly fried the child’s brain, but it didn’t stop her from tugging even harder on the pants.
Left with no choice, Jiang Qiyu bent down and, with a serious expression, began spouting nonsense:
“Xinxin, right? Let me ask you: do you believe in light?”
Little Xinxin tilted her head, her eyes clear and untouched by the corruption of knowledge:
“Light?”
“Yes!”
Desperate to escape, Jiang Qiyu spun a tale on the spot:
“I’m actually a spandex-clad warrior from the M-78 Nebula. I’ve just received a call from the defense team and must rush to the next target location immediately. No need for thanks. If you really want to show your gratitude…”
At this point, she leaned in closer and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:
“Just ask your parents to spend some money supporting a female celebrity named Jiang Qiyu. She’s my contact on Earth.”
“…”
Hearing this, the little girl froze for a few seconds before her small face scrunched up like a steamed bun:
“Sister, I’m a child, not an idiot.”
“…”
I underestimated her.
[Spandex-clad warrior, hahahaha, spandex-clad warrior… It took me a full three seconds to process that!]
[I’m so curious about who this mysterious guest is. Are there really such eccentric people in the entertainment industry?]
[This kid’s response is hilarious, hahaha. Just because she’s young doesn’t mean she’s dumb, hahaha. These two should have their own show—I’d watch it!]
“Um…”
The Borzoi uncle behind them finally couldn’t hold back any longer. He stepped forward and bowed politely to her:
“Miss, CEO Qi is on his way. Please be sure to accept his gratitude in person.”
“What CEO?”
Jiang Qiyu stared blankly at the tall man and the little girl in front of her. She was about to lean in and hint that it was time to wrap things up, as missing their flight would mean having to get the program team to reimburse their tickets.
But before she could speak, the little girl’s eyes suddenly lit up, and she sweetly called out toward the space behind Jiang Qiyu:
“Uncle Qi!”
Jiang Qiyu had no time to care about Uncle Qi or Uncle Eight. Seizing the moment the little girl let go of her hand to call out, she agilely leaped up and straddled her suitcase.
She shouted to Yu Xiaoyu:
“Xiaoyu, follow me!”
Afraid the program team would pull another stunt to delay them, she didn’t look back. With unwavering determination, she pressed the start button—
“Beep—beep—Welcome to using our company’s electric suitcase. We wish you a pleasant journey~~”
“…”
Watching Jiang Qiyu’s retreating figure, Yu Xiaoyu froze for only a moment before snapping back to reality. She mimicked Jiang Qiyu’s movements and quickly climbed onto her own suitcase.
Turning back, she offered an apologetic smile to the bewildered Borzoi gentleman:
“Sorry, we really are in a hurry.”
Without waiting for his response, she zipped away into the crowd of rushing passengers, accompanied by the same cheerful tune.
Because the two of them moved too quickly for the cameras to capture, the crew had to hunt through various split screens like they were chasing mice, trying to locate the elusive Jiang Qiyu.
The backstage director temporarily kept the main camera focused on the original spot.
The assistant director was about to switch to a text screen announcing that the mysterious guest had boarded the plane when he accidentally glanced at the live stream’s comments—
[Whoa, whoa, whoa! Did I see that right? In that brief flash of footage just now, was that a top-tier idol?!]
[That figure, that head-to-body ratio, that waist, those legs—hiss—]
[Quick, zoom in! Is that the kid’s parent?!!]
In the high-definition footage, almost the moment Jiang Qiyu disappeared from view, a tall, broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted figure strode directly into the frame.
The man’s physique was robust and upright. His pure black, diagonally buttoned suit fit him perfectly, accentuating his lean waist. With long legs, he moved gracefully through the crowd, his steps steady and poised.
“Uncle Qi!”
The little girl called out again, stretching her arms toward the man with all her might.
The director quickly zoomed in the camera, allowing everyone to see the strikingly handsome face that seemed like a masterpiece crafted by the goddess Nüwa.
“Qiao Xinxin.”
The man’s jawline was sharp and defined, his features chiseled, yet his expression remained largely unreadable. Only his slightly stern brows furrowed as he looked down at the tiny figure before him.
“CEO Qi.”
Seeing the man’s displeased expression, Secretary Zhao, who had been standing nearby, momentarily forgot about the two who had fled on a suitcase and hurried forward to smooth things over:
“Xinxin must have missed her parents, which is why she ran to the airport alone.”
“…Is that so?”
Seeing Uncle Qi’s cold expression, Qiao Xinxin immediately shrank back, her little head drooping as she timidly nodded.
“…”
Faced with his little niece, whose face clearly showed she knew she was wrong, the man let out a long sigh, his gaze softening slightly.
He raised his large, well-defined hand and gently stroked the girl’s soft hair. His voice was deep, carrying a tone of pity and comfort:
“Xinxin, even though your parents’ gaze can’t always be with you…”
He paused, his thin lips curling into a smile that sent shivers down the child’s spine:
“Uncle’s slap can. Would you like to give it a try?”