Little Shen Qiaosheng woke up early in the morning.
While adults fretted over not getting enough sleep, children often refused to sleep, wanting just a few more glimpses of the fresh, new world.
He wore a little bear-themed onesie, rubbed his tiny feet, slipped off his cozy sleeping socks, and skillfully climbed over the railing of his crib. His little feet touched the wooden floor with a soft plop, cold against his soles. He found his slippers and put them on carefully, making sure they weren’t on the wrong feet.
He was a very active little baby. Once he learned to crawl, he would roam everywhere; once he was in his walker, he would go anywhere. He learned to walk and run remarkably fast. Even before, when the crib’s railing was higher than him, he would try to figure out how to climb out. When Dad put him back in, he’d pile up pillows and step on them to flip himself out.
Today, he managed to climb out again. He had only taken a few steps when someone scooped him up.
John picked him up. “Your father said you shouldn’t run around by yourself—it’s dangerous. Where are you going? I’ll take you there.”
Little Peanut said, “I want to go play with my sister! Hurry! Soon it’ll be time for school.”
John sighed. “It’s not even seven o’clock yet. You’ve got two more hours before school. Your father is probably still sleeping—don’t go wake him up.”
Little Peanut, exasperated, said, “Ugh, what lazybones! Sun’s up and they’re still in bed.”
John: “…Where did this little guy pick up such words?”
“Go wash your face and brush your teeth first,” John said. He couldn’t stop him anyway.
Little Rice Cake’s crib was in Shen Yuan and Qiao Hailou’s master bedroom, making nighttime feedings easier. She was very well-behaved and never cried or fussed. Shen Yuan was a very sound sleeper, waking up in the same position he fell asleep in, so sometimes Little Rice Cake would even fall asleep beside him.
But at this time, Qiao Hailou had already gotten up. Perhaps starting to age, he slept little and never lingered in bed. He called Shen Yuan, who said he wanted ten more minutes, and went to wash his face first.
The bedroom door was ajar. Little Peanut politely knocked. “Daddy, I’m coming in.”
Qiao Hailou opened the door and smiled at the tiny figure. “Up so early? What are you doing? Looking for your sister?”
Little Peanut nodded. “I go to bed early and wake up early. Has she gotten up yet?”
Qiao Hailou said, “Seems like she’s still sleeping with Daddy.”
Little Peanut shook his head, sighing. “Lazybones and little lazybones. I’ll wake them up. The early bird catches the worm!”
Qiao Hailou chuckled softly. “Alright, go ahead and wake them.”
Little Peanut ran over to his sister’s crib. Little Rice Cake was already awake, lying on her back with all four limbs stretched out. Seeing her, he giggled. “Hahaha, Daddy! She looks like a flipped-over turtle!”
Shen Yuan was startled awake by the noise, a little grumpy. “Little Peanut, why are you here so early?”
“I’m here to play with my sister! Daddy, why are you still in bed?”
Shen Yuan thought about it. He couldn’t let his son develop the habit of being lazy. Little Peanut loved to imitate; if he learned laziness from Dad, Shen Yuan would be held responsible. So he got up. “Daddy was about to get up. Work is tiring, so I accidentally overslept. I won’t do it again.”
“Did you wash your face and brush your teeth?”
Little Peanut nodded vigorously, patting his face. “Of course I did! I even put on some fragrance. Daddy, can I borrow your phone? I want to make a video of my sister—she’s so cute!”
Shen Yuan handed him the phone and went to wash up.
Little Peanut filmed his sister, making funny faces behind the camera to make her laugh. Little Rice Cake wiggled her tiny hands, eyes curved in delight.
Just a short clip, and Qiao Hailou came out of the bathroom with a warm washcloth to wipe Little Rice Cake’s face. Little Peanut jumped in eagerly: “I’ll do it! I’ll do it!”
Qiao Hailou didn’t compete with him. “Give me the phone, Daddy will help you film.”
Father and son exchanged the towel and phone. Little Peanut, used to being filmed since birth, wasn’t uncomfortable at all. But looking at his sister’s smooth, white little face, he hesitated, afraid to mess it up. He carefully wiped her face. “Daddy, am I doing it right?”
Qiao Hailou said, “Use a little more pressure. You’re barely touching her—it won’t get clean that way.”
Little Peanut gritted his teeth, pressing slightly harder while asking, “Little Rice Cake, tell me if it hurts.”
Little Rice Cake clapped her hands and smiled. The ticklish sensation made her giggle.
After finishing, Little Peanut looked at her clean face, proud of accomplishing a “major task.” “I wiped my sister’s face really well!”
Qiao Hailou laughed. “Yes, yes, excellent job!”
Holding the now-cool towel, Little Peanut’s eyes sparkled as he turned to his father. “Daddy, next? I should brush her teeth! I’ll do it!”
“Alright, but be careful,” Qiao Hailou said.
He handed Little Peanut the baby toothbrush wrapped in gauze and a cup of warm water, demonstrating first. “Dip the brush in warm water, then gently clean your sister’s gums, slowly. Got it?”
Little Peanut nodded earnestly.
He mimicked his father, hands trembling slightly, brows furrowed, eyes fixed on his sister. After finishing, he let out a long sigh. “Phew, that was tricky.”
Qiao Hailou patted his head. “Great job! Daddy will make you a fried egg later.”
Little Peanut shook his head indignantly. “I’m not taking care of her for food! You underestimate me too much.”
Shen Yuan finished washing up and came out, hearing the excited little voice—it was both infuriating and adorable. This little guy could really bounce around!
Little Peanut applied cream to Little Rice Cake, then helped dress her—he had already learned to dress himself and didn’t need Dad’s help.
Teaching children good habits early made parenting easier later. Laziness or underestimation when they’re small only creates more trouble as they grow.
Qiao Hailou filmed Little Peanut caring for Little Rice Cake, sent it to the assistant for editing, and uploaded it to video sites and Weibo.
The video quickly hit over a million views in a single day.
Mother fans in the comments were completely smitten:
- “Ah, I’m dying from the cuteness!”
- “How is Little Peanut so sensible and adorable 1551!”
- “I used to wonder if he’d be jealous of his sister—what a dark thought. They’re really a good brother and sister TvT”
- “Little Rice Cake’s little face is so cute, like soft milk pudding. I want to apply cream to her every day!”
- “President Qiao, post more baby updates! I come here daily. Only one video this week? I rely on this to get through the week!”
- “I want a child as good as Little Peanut too!”
The video was posted via Shen Yuan’s Weibo to consolidate the traffic.
Shen Yuan, busy with work, saw the reposts go crazy and felt helpless. Even though he was an internationally certified jewelry designer, his own work didn’t generate as much buzz as his son. A simple recitation by Little Peanut could attract more attention.
Indeed, his personal popularity was high, but Little Peanut was just too famous.
Truly, being “minor famous takes promotion; truly famous is fate” was vividly illustrated by father and son’s situation.
Marketing accounts hailed Little Peanut as the “national baby,” all without spending a penny.
On Taobao, every outfit or item Little Peanut used or wore in the video sold like crazy. Most were designer originals, though many online sellers offered look-alikes. Qiao Hailou only sold baby products, not clothes or shoes.
Finally, after receiving countless invitations to parenting shows, Shen Yuan hesitated for a moment.
That evening, after dinner, Little Peanut sat on the playmat, holding his sister and watching the previous season of Dad, Where Are We Going?, utterly absorbed.
Shen Yuan asked, “Little Peanut, is it fun?”
He laughed. “Yes! It’s so funny!”
“Do you want to participate?” Shen Yuan asked.
“Yes! Can I go?”
Shen Yuan nodded. “If you want to, Daddy will let you go.”
Little Peanut asked, “Who will go with me?”
Shen Yuan looked at Qiao Hailou. “Do you go, or I go?”
Qiao Hailou said, “We can take turns. There are several episodes anyway. Let’s just buy the naming rights—yours or mine?”
Shen Yuan: “Make it yours—it’s a parenting show, and it’s perfect for promoting baby products.”
And so it was decided.
Half a year after Little Rice Cake’s surgery, Qiao Hailou and Little Peanut appeared on the first episode of season n of Dad, Where Are We Going?.