Except for Xu Jinhan and Liu Mianmian, the guests were strangers to each other. They opened their boxes and placed the “forbidden” items in baskets for the host.
Qin Sizheng bent down to Little Tomato’s box, softly asking:
“Daddy will give your phone to Uncle Host. Can you take your little bear by yourself?”
Little Tomato’s eyes were red. “Do we have to give everything?”
“Whoa!!! I’m not giving mine!!” Xu Jinhan’s Little Tangyuan cried loudly. Qin Sizheng shivered, his scalp tingling, and Little Tomato froze too.
The voice was so loud it could have been operatic.
Meanwhile, the live comments were having a field day:
【Haha, look at Qin Sizheng’s face! Here it comes, the exciting part, the moment of history—get ready to screenshot, guys, this is the peak of domestic variety shows!】
【What’s the big deal? Based on Qin Sizheng’s persona, he could totally do this. Maybe he’ll even hit the kids—just wait and see.】
【Xu the Emperor’s Little Tangyuan crying is giving me a headache… Little Tomato is so well-behaved, eyes red and teary looking at Daddy—totally adorable, my heart is melting. I wonder if Little Tomato still misses his mom? I volunteer!】
【Even Xu the Emperor himself is crying and Little Tomato still won’t dare cry. Have you seen who he’s facing? If Qin Sizheng goes crazy, would the kid dare? That bit on the plane wasn’t even filmed yet—we don’t know how he might have scared the child.】
【Production really should give Qin Sizheng a few extra cameras. I’m genuinely worried about the kid’s safety.】
【So gentle… If he whispered that close to me, I’d give him my life.】
【I’m drowning in those dimples! I wish I were Little Tomato… no, Little Lemon.】
【I’ll hand over my phone! I’ll hand over my toys! I’ll hand over my life! Husband, pick me! Don’t make me kneel and beg right now!】
Having crossed into this strange new world alone, Qin Sizheng deeply understood Little Tomato’s feelings.
He reached out and wiped away the child’s tears, softly saying, “Daddy will make you a little bunny. If you like it, we can give your little bear to Uncle Host, okay?”
【OMG, Qin Sizheng is so gentle! He didn’t just say ‘give the bear and get the bunny’; he let the little one decide. I’m obsessed.】
【Qin Sizheng is way too gentle! Totally not what I expected. Watching again.】
Little Tomato nodded.
Qin Sizheng led him to the edge of a field, squatted down, and picked a few foxtail grasses to make bunny ears. “Little Tomato, can you help Daddy pick a few more to make the bunny’s tail?”
Timidly, Little Tomato nodded, stretching out his small hands to pluck a few stems with leaves and seed heads, handing them over.
Qin Sizheng bit off the outer husk, used the smooth seeds to make the bunny’s arms and legs, then shook the ears at Little Tomato.
“Hello, Little Tomato, I’m the little bunny. Can we be friends?”
He deliberately lowered his voice to sound like a bunny, making Little Tomato laugh through his tears. Nodding, the child said, “Daddy, I’ll give the little bear to Uncle Host.”
Qin Sizheng ruffled his hair. “Good boy, Little Tomato.”
Before he could speak further, a furious shout made Little Tomato flinch, clutching Qin Sizheng’s sleeve and timidly looking toward the source.
He Du pointed at the basket, fuming at his son Dou Dou.
“How many times have I told you? When you join the show, you follow the rules! Give your toys to me. I’ll count to three, now hurry!”
“No!”
He Du’s frown deepened; his son’s defiance enraged him. The cameras felt like dozens of eyes watching him lose face.
“He Chen! Are you putting it in or not?!”
【He Du’s expression is terrifyingly familiar—I experienced the same as a kid. No matter whose fault, when Dad counts to three, I obey.】
【Me too. Parents are always right. Even if you’re right, you’re wrong.】
【It’s not really He Du’s fault. Kids can’t be spoiled just because it’s a show. Mistakes deserve reprimand. Little Strawberry on Si Qianqiu’s team was so obedient, I ship them.】
【Seriously? Ship that? Maximum sentence, understood.】
With Qin Sizheng accompanying him, Little Tomato held the little bunny in one hand, the toys and snacks in the other, and put them into the basket. Sweetly, he asked the host, “Uncle Wan, can I keep the bunny Daddy made for me?”
Wan Lai, kind-hearted, bent down and smiled: “Sure, Little Tomato. Remember to thank your Daddy.”
“Okay!” Little Tomato beamed, taking Qin Sizheng’s hand and returning to the basket to hand over the rest of his toys and snacks, becoming the second child to comply—second only to Si Qianqiu.
The others were still strategizing with their kids, while the host watched amusedly, accustomed to the chaos.
Si Qianqiu looked at Qin Sizheng and hatched another plan, smiling: “Sizheng’s really good at coaxing kids. Maybe teach Xu Ge how to do it—if they keep crying, tomorrow their throats will hurt.”
Xu Jinhan, grateful, glanced at Qin Sizheng with a helpless smile. “I don’t spend much time with him. Most time is with his mom. Honestly… I’m sorry.”
Liu Mianmian was drenched in sweat; unable to hit or scold on camera, she struggled to coax the little one, awkwardly smiling at the lens.
The camera lingered on Qin Sizheng’s face—everyone waiting for him to mess up.
【See? Hahaha, there’s nothing you can do. I said it—I’d eat dirt if he could actually handle kids.】
【Maybe the kid’s behaving because he’s scared, yet fans call him gentle… I can’t.】
Si Qianqiu curled his lips in a grin, thinking, “Go ahead, make another bunny?”
He remembered Little Tangyuan once had a rabbit as a kid, which ate flowers he had planted for his mom. He hated rabbits.
If Qin Sizheng dared try the same trick… he’d only humiliate himself.
【Is it just me, or does Si Qianqiu seem to be targeting Qin Sizheng?】
【Dark-minded people see darkness everywhere. Kidnap my household, sue the world.】
【Fans are so protective, yet he publicly dissed other artists on Weibo. Wen Li hasn’t accepted an apology yet, shut up.】
Si Qianqiu leisurely watched Qin Sizheng, sure he couldn’t fail the kids, exposing himself as the only competent trainee dad on the live stream.
A subtle smile played on Qin Sizheng’s lips, excitement so intense he pinched Little Strawberry, who struggled slightly without noticing.
【What is Qin Sizheng doing now?】
【Going to pick something again? Classic crazy behavior, running off-camera, cameras can’t keep up—no professionalism at all.】
【Not chasing the camera is a crime now? Everyone else’s kids are running after cameras, stealing shots is called dedication? Ridiculous.】
The audience suddenly noticed Qin Sizheng had been off-camera for several minutes. For an entertainer, the camera is life—he just casually wandered off?
He picked something from a short shrub, held it in his palm, and walked back toward Little Tomato.
The cameraman didn’t follow, instead capturing a wide shot. Against the light, the tall and small figures weren’t clear in detail, but a soft halo wrapped around them, making the scene incredibly warm.
【The cameraman is amazing. I can already picture Qin Sizheng walking toward us holding our kids.】
【Male mommy, male mommy… does anyone write male mommy fics? Mommy, rice rice, hungry hungry.】
Qin Sizheng approached Xu Jinhan.
He bent down to Little Tangyuan and held out his hand. “Uncle has an edible little lantern. Do you want one?”
Little Tangyuan had only seen decorative lanterns; edible ones were a new concept. His tears stopped immediately.
Qin Sizheng calmly wiped the child’s tears and opened his palm. “Little Tomato has already given his toys and snacks to Uncle Wan. This reward is for a well-behaved kid.”
Little Tangyuan quickly freed himself from his dad’s hand, threw his toys into the basket, and hurried back to stand in front of Qin Sizheng. Nervously, he asked, “Uncle, I gave the snacks to Uncle Wan… can I take one?”
“Of course,” Qin Sizheng said, handing it to him.
The child picked up a lantern fruit, paused, and nervously asked, “Uncle… can I take one for Sister Rongrong too?”
Rongrong is Liu Mianmian’s daughter.
“Of course,” Qin Sizheng replied. “But Little Tangyuan needs to help Uncle with one thing so Sister Rongrong can finish her task too, okay?”
A few minutes later, the situation had completely reversed.
Qin Sizheng, using only a few wild fruits from the roadside, managed to coax a child that even his biological parents couldn’t handle. Xu Jinhan smiled warmly. “Little Qin, amazing—you just helped me a lot.”
Liu Mianmian breathed out in relief and thanked him.
Qin Sizheng pressed his lips together, a small, polite smile, looking both humble and cute. “N-no thanks needed. Little Tangyuan and Rongrong gave me the honor.”
Si Qianqiu’s smug expression froze—impossible!
He knew Qin Sizheng’s temper well; he hated kids. If they cried, he’d scare or scold them to leave.
How could he possibly coax a child?
And that fruit—he’d never seen it! How could Qin Sizheng know it? Maybe he just picked a random one and tricked the kid! It could even be poisonous!
He clenched his hand, adjusted his perfect smile, and asked, “Sizheng, what’s the name of this fruit? It’s so pretty.”
“You want to try it?” Qin Sizheng opened his palm, a faint dimple appearing at the corner of his lips.
Si Qianqiu smiled but didn’t take it. Disgusting—how could he eat a random fruit from the roadside?
“Trying a bit is fine, but isn’t it unsafe to give it to the kids?”
【As expected, careful brother Qianqiu takes childcare seriously. Qin Sizheng just gives everything to kids; if it weren’t his own, he wouldn’t even worry.】
【Can Qin Sizheng just leave this show? Seeing him is annoying. He’s here to hurt kids? Luckily our brother Qianqiu is careful.】
【No, the previous commenters really don’t know what it is? It’s called a lantern fruit, and it’s edible.】
【I loved picking and eating these as a kid—sweet and sour, so delicious. But not as good as when Little Sizheng fed it to me… sob, now I’m jealous of Little Tomato.】
【Si Qianqiu doesn’t even recognize it? Isn’t he supposed to be serious about the show? Didn’t do his homework before coming?】
Qin Sizheng withdrew his hand, peeled away the thin papery outer husk, popped the fruit into his mouth, and fed one to Little Tomato.
The big and small smiled at each other, eyes squinting—sweetness radiating even through the camera.
Wan Lai, by the side, explained: “This is a specialty of Wild Fox Village. Can be made into jam or juice. Its shape resembles a lantern, hence the name ‘lantern fruit,’ also called ‘Yanggu Niang.’
“Though wild, it’s safe to eat. It’s also a valuable medicinal herb, helping with kidney strength and nervous disorders.”
Si Qianqiu’s proud expression froze—this strange-looking fruit is a Wild Fox Village specialty? How could he not know?