“Mhm, should little brother go first then?”
After confirming that Mother didn’t seem inclined to draw first, Ji Li turned to look at his younger brother who was clinging to Ye Shuang’s leg.
“Big brother goes first!”
With the demeanor of a miniature adult, Ji Zhou—being a “mature” child—felt he ought to understand the virtue of yielding.
“Alright then, little brother can go next time.”
Ji Li didn’t decline further and stepped forward directly.
“Mhm.”
Meanwhile, Ji Zhou leaned against Ye Shuang and watched quietly.
“Alright now, little treasure Cheng Cheng, just reach in and draw one slip of paper.”
The Director’s voice grew increasingly gentle, as if afraid that speaking even slightly louder might frighten this adorable little one.
As the pioneer who created the very first Child Variety Show, he genuinely adored young children.
Of course, fondness aside, when it came to games, they still had to play properly.
“Mhm!”
Though somewhat wary of the Director who resembled a suspicious uncle, Ji Li knew he had to protect Mother and his younger brother. Taking a deep breath, he extended his small hand into the paper box.
Feeling the sparse slips of paper inside, Ji Li closed his eyes and carefully felt around with his little hand for quite a while before solemnly retrieving a randomly folded slip.
Instantly, everyone’s eyes “swished” like spotlights, all converging on that single slip of paper.
Noticing everyone’s intense gaze, Ji Li nervously swallowed, but feeling Ye Shuang’s gentle look, he calmly unfolded the slip.
“Wow!”
When Ji Li’s small eyes caught sight of the words “Grand Prize” written on the slip, they instantly widened into perfect circles, shining like two sparkling black gemstones.
His little body wriggling with excitement, he ignored the Director who wanted to see the slip and scurried over to Ye Shuang like an exuberant chick.
Standing on tiptoe, he raised the slip high before Ye Shuang’s eyes and said sweetly, “Mommy! It’s the grand prize, Mommy!”
“Wow! Big brother is amazing!”
Infected by his brother’s joy, Ji Zhou’s eyes sparkled brightly, gazing at Ji Li with pure admiration.
“Mhm, truly wonderful. Mommy thanks you, precious Cheng Cheng. Zhou Zhou is wonderful too.”
Overflowing with happiness, Ye Shuang couldn’t resist gently ruffling Ji Li’s fluffy head. Not playing favorites, she also gave the shy Ji Zhou an affectionate head pat.
“Mhm! We promised Daddy we’d take good care of Mommy!”
Like two little koalas, Ji Li and Ji Zhou hugged Ye Shuang tightly, making their earnest promise in milky, childish voices.
“…Alright then.”
Ye Shuang was momentarily stunned, genuinely surprised.
She never would have imagined that her cold, taciturn, barely-present nominal husband would say such things to the two little ones.
Then she recalled ending up in the emergency room on her wedding day… Well, perhaps it wasn’t so strange after all.
[Wait, aren’t they supposed to be a plastic couple??? But then again, with such a beautiful wife, showing some concern does seem pretty normal, huh.]
[Exactly, I think so too. But the main point is! Aaaah, this kid’s luck is just too good! Is this really not the production team rigging the game??!!]
[I’m sure it’s rigged. Probably that old man capitalist behind Ye Shuang pulling strings—so disgusting.]
【Stop spouting nonsense here, just wait and see what the other guests draw—I bet it’ll be super interesting! My Qingjie is famously lucky, so she’ll definitely be fine.】
【Exactly, some jealous people are just too sour. What’s wrong with an older man? Older men know how to cherish their wives—that still makes a good husband.】
【Right, right! We just saw a little kid who’s only four years old. How old could he be at most? Probably just thirties or forties. With that much money, he’s totally worthy.】
“Next, it’s my turn!”
Qin Muqing immediately raised her hand to claim the next spot for the draw, then scooted closer to Ye Shuang with a playful grin. “Cheng Cheng’s luck is just too good! Looks like you’ll get to stay in a nice house tonight.”
Lu Jue nodded along, a genuinely envious smile on his face. “No kidding. With luck like that, who wouldn’t be jealous?”
Li Qinqin, sitting alone on a single-seater sofa, chimed in softly, “Yeah.”
“No problem. If any of you need anything later, just let me know,” Ye Shuang replied with a faint smile, graciously accepting the praise for Ji Li while sincerely offering help to the other guests.
Well, except for Ye Xinrou. Ye Shuang didn’t think Ye Xinrou had the nerve to ask anyway.
“Thank you,” Lu Jue and Li Qinqin said in unison, momentarily stunned before their eyes flickered with surprise. They glanced at Ye Shuang, confirmed her sincerity, and quickly expressed their gratitude, their tones filled with appreciation.
“If second prize is the current setup, what’s first prize like? And what about the special prize?” Ye Xinrou, who had been silent nearby, furrowed her brows slightly and feigned curiosity as she asked.
Proud and arrogant by nature, she was already dissatisfied with the current environment, feeling there was a faint, peculiar smell lingering in the air. If it weren’t for the live broadcast, she might have shown her displeasure outright. She also couldn’t help feeling jealous that Ye Shuang had drawn the special prize house.
If she had drawn first, she was sure she could have gotten it too.
“Oh right, Director, show us quickly!” Qin Muqing finally caught on, realizing that no one knew what the houses for each prize looked like.
The Director wore a mysterious smile, deliberately tilting his head and raising his free hand in a theatrical gesture, pinky extended. “It’s a secret~”
Heh, if he showed them now, what would he film later?
“Yuck.” Qin Muqing and Lu Jue hadn’t expected the Director to pull such a stunt. They pretended to be disgusted, covering their mouths as if about to vomit.
But for all their antics, faced with the Director’s firm refusal, they could only exchange helpless glances, shrug, and admit defeat.
Qin Muqing had always been confident in her luck—it had never failed her before. She stood up, ready to head toward the lottery box.
Before she could take a step, she suddenly felt a tug on the hem of her clothes. Glancing down instinctively, she saw it was her dear son.
“Mom, can I do it?” Dou Dou asked, his eyes wide and round, brimming with barely contained excitement and anticipation.
He figured if Cheng Cheng could draw the special prize, he should at least be able to get the first prize, right? Hehe.
Hearing this, Qin Muqing’s mouth twitched uncontrollably as memories of her son’s past lottery “black history” flashed through her mind.
Every time he drew lots, his luck seemed cursed—so abysmal it made one question life itself.
A hundred, a thousand refusals clamored in her heart, but when she met her son’s sparkling, watery eyes brimming with anticipation…
Those words of rejection froze in her throat as if under a petrification spell.
Qin Muqing forced a smile uglier than crying, inwardly lamenting her predicament.
Yet, unable to bear disappointing her son, she gritted her teeth and reluctantly agreed: “Alright, sweetheart, you can do it.”
The moment she spoke, a wave of intense foreboding washed over her—as if she could already see the tragic outcome of drawing the worst house.
She wailed internally: It’s over. We’re most likely going to get last place. We’re doomed, utterly doomed.