He Didn’t Know He Was Loved This Much

Xie Yaoyao and the others headed towards the Ferris wheel.

Jiang Yu, afraid he and Ji Xiao might get separated, had them hold hands.
The two little ones, their soft, chubby hands linked, ran stumbling along.

Ji Xiao fell with a plop.
Xie Yaoyao fell too.

But with no adults around, Xie Yaoyao had no one to act cute with.
He didn’t cry, much to the director’s relief.

The production team actually didn’t know exactly which member of the Xie family Xie Yaoyao belonged to.

But regardless, they couldn’t afford to offend any of them.
They absolutely didn’t dare let Xie Yaoyao get hurt on the show.

Xie Yaoyao walked a few steps forward, then his mind started to wander.
He was just a baby.
Why should he do tasks?
He trailed behind an old grandpa selling cotton candy.
Ji Xiao, bewildered, was led along by him.

The old grandpa turned around and suddenly found two little tails behind him.
He grinned from ear to ear, made them each a small cotton candy, and didn’t forget to remind them,
Take your time eating it.

Thank you, grandpa.
Xie Yaoyao’s fair little face was soft and sweet.
When he wasn’t crying or making a scene, he looked more obedient than anyone.

But even made特意 smaller, the cotton candy was still bigger than Xie Yaoyao’s face.
He lifted it and took a bite.

Then he rubbed his chubby little cheek and sighed.

What wrong?
Ji Xiao asked, holding his cotton candy, wanting to eat but afraid to.
Only after seeing Xie Yaoyao eat did he dare take a tiny lick.

Xie Yaoyao’s long eyelashes drooped, his little mouth puckered into a trumpet shape.

He suddenly realized this cotton candy was too big.
If Ning Shixue were here, they could take turns, one bite each, and finish it quickly.

Xie Yaoyao stared at the director not far away.
Suddenly, he crouched down like a little puppy.
He lifted his chubby little hand to rub his eyes, and they gradually reddened.

He even started to sob a little.

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t understand why he used to like this director uncle.
He was even meaner than the bad stepdad.

The director felt a chill run down his spine.
He noticed Xie Yaoyao staring at him and thought Xie Yaoyao wanted help.

His conscience twinged, but he still waved his hand, indicating he couldn’t help.

But he didn’t expect that as soon as he raised his hand, Xie Yaoyao’s tears suddenly plopped onto his fair, tender cheeks.
Some even fell onto the cotton candy, making it lose its fluffiness.
Xie Yaoyao was instantly overcome with sorrow.
Wahhh, who would come save the baby?

It wasn’t far to the Ferris wheel, yet they had been walking for over half an hour.
Jiang Yu couldn’t help but plant his hands on his hips and sigh too.

He suddenly felt that being the big brother wasn’t so necessary after all.
He wasn’t the big brother; he was the big sucker.

[I’m starting to worry if they can even make it there by dark.]

[Big brother working hard to take care of the little ones.]

In the monitoring room, the director was putting on quite a show.
He had the guests tied to chairs—loosely, of course, so they weren’t uncomfortable.

Then he changed the blindfolds over their eyes to gags over their mouths.
They weren’t tight either; the guests could still talk.

But Ning Shixue was too quiet.
His long legs casually stretched out, propping him up.
Lazy as could be, he raised his thick, long eyelashes and silently watched the screen the whole time.

To enhance the kidnapping atmosphere, the monitoring room was dim and a bit cold.
Ning Shixue’s complexion grew even paler, only the delicate tip of his nose and those cold, beautiful, slightly reddened eyes visible.

Tied up for over two hours, he hadn’t made a single sound.

[I’m getting more and more curious. Was marrying that old man really that big of a blow???]

[This is more than just a personality change.]

In the past, the original host would have wanted everyone’s eyes on him.
He wouldn’t have been this silent at all.

With Ning Shixue like this now, the director couldn’t even cut to him.
Though the live stream’s popularity hadn’t dropped.

It had actually increased.

Every guest had an earpiece.
The director couldn’t resist reminding Ning Shixue through it.
Teacher Ning, say something too.

Ning Shixue pretended not to hear.

He never really liked interacting with people much anyway.
He’d spent three years in the instances as a lone wolf.
Others were the ones avoiding him.
Besides, on a variety show, the more you talk, the more mistakes you make.

The original host was foolish and talked too much, which led to the overwhelming flood of scandals.
If he hadn’t been so overly arrogant, maybe he could have marketed a ‘silly beauty’ persona.
But he had offended too many people.

Ning Shixue wasn’t afraid of being criticized.
But he was afraid of trouble.

By the time He Miao and the others got the clue, it was already noon.
The guests were released to eat, and the director sent a bear mascot to take the little ones to the children’s restaurant.

Filming resumed around 3 PM.

The director had separated Ning Shixue and the others into different locations.
The first one found was He Lin.

Daddy!
He Miao rushed into his arms like a returning swallow, nuzzling against him.
I missed you so much.

He Lin picked her up and kissed her cheek.
Daddy missed you too.

It had only been a few hours apart, but to a little one, it felt like an eternity.

She hadn’t seen her daddy in ages.
How could such a thing happen?
He Miao clung to He Lin, refusing to get down.
He Lin was happy to hold her.

Tang He’an and Ji Qing were also found quickly.
But by nightfall, Ning Shixue still hadn’t been located.

Past 8:30 PM, the amusement park was dazzling with lights.
In the distance, the Ferris wheel was silhouetted against the moon in the night sky.

The little ones, their little faces flushed with exhaustion, sat side-by-side on the kiddie rides, clutching their water bottles and gulping down water.

Their little feet swung back and forth.

[So cute, babies.]

[Let’s team up to steal the kids.]

Where did Little Ning Gege go?
He Miao’s pigtails were all messy now.

Tang Haohao protested loudly.
I told you all, he got caught by little monsters, but none of you believed me!

Even Xie Yaoyao didn’t believe him.

Xie Yaoyao’s beautiful big eyes blinked.
That wasn’t his fault.
He thought Ning Shixue was a little monster.
How could a little monster get caught by another little monster?

My dad passed away. He went out to sea with my grandpa and got caught in a storm,
Jiang Yu suddenly said.
The village chief told me my dad became the sea god, protecting us from the sea.

But the price was that he could never see his dad again.
He was someone who could never be found.

[Hold the baby. Walk to any sea in the world, and the sea breeze and waves will be his voice.]

[I grew up in a small fishing village too. I just realized I haven’t seen my dad in six years. I wonder if he’s become a sea god somewhere too.]

The bullet comments grew heavy, and the little ones felt it too.

Tang Haohao didn’t understand.
He scratched his head, confused.
Little Ning Gege become sea god too?

No way!
He Miao suddenly interrupted, tears nearly springing to her eyes.
Little Ning Gege can’t die.

He Miao was the oldest among the little ones.
If she cried, Tang Haohao, though he didn’t get it, would cry too.
Ji Xiao understood and quietly reddened his eyes.

The director thought only Xie Yaoyao wasn’t crying.
He waved to the cameraman to go film Xie Yaoyao.

The cameraman moved over.

Xie Yaoyao was lying on the kiddie ride.
He tilted his head, his soft, white cheeks squishing out.
Hugging his baby water bottle, he drank water while… water leaked from his eyes.

His eye rims were red, the tip of his nose red, his eyelashes stuck together wetly.

He couldn’t have looked more pitiful.

Ning Shixue, who had almost been ‘sent off,’ watched: “…”

Ning Shixue’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, a little stunned.

He had grown up in an orphanage.
He never knew his parents, never knew if he had siblings.
In their world, order was chaotic, and the orphanage was just a dark nest.

Aside from the headmistress back then, he had bad—even terrible—relationships with everyone.

Later, he debuted as an actor.
His agent treated him decently, but only as a money-making tool.
He had no connections, yet became famous quickly.
In truth, he received even more criticism than the original host.
There were rumors about him having sordid dealings with various old men.

Some even suspected he had hooked up with some big shot while still in the orphanage.

So what if he was young?
Beautiful, androgynous teenagers—fifteen or sixteen was the perfect age for some people.

Finally, in the end, he made enemies and was dragged into the abyss of that deadly game.

The people—or monsters—who wanted him dead were even more numerous.
Ning Shixue was used to it.
He didn’t hate anyone.
His heart was just a frozen pool of water, incapable of ripples.

Now, suddenly discovering someone would shed tears for his death—even if they were just a few children, so small that they might completely forget him months after this show ended—

Ning Shixue let out a very low chuckle.

The children were all crying now, and the director’s head ached.
This was the unpredictability of a parenting show.
You never knew what sudden situation a child might have.

Every season had this ‘find the daddy’ task.
It usually ended by evening.
Now it was past 8 PM.
Seeing them cry so pitifully, the director simply gave them a hint.
There’s a little bunny up ahead. Want to go ask?

It’s the bunny officer!
Tang Haohao shouted first.

The little ones all rushed over and got the final clue.
It was by the largest fountain in the amusement park.

Night had completely enveloped the park.
The director teased them by having Ning Shixue stand in the unlit area behind the fountain.

Waiting for the little ones to find him.

Xie Yaoyao ran over, but didn’t see anyone.
His mouth instantly puckered.

The baby just couldn’t bear this grievance.

Xie Yaoyao’s soft, warm cheeks puffed up like a little steamed bun.
Suddenly, he lay down on the ground in a big X shape.
Even his little arms flailed randomly, and his legs kicked.

Since filming started, this was the first time Xie Yaoyao actually lay on the ground.
After all, even a little kid had pride.
He didn’t want to lie on the ground crying in front of the other children.

But he was so wronged now, he couldn’t care about anything.

The director was startled.

Xie Yaoyao looked pitiful, his tears flowing even harder.
He opened his mouth to cry, but before any sound came out, his fair, tender face suddenly went blank.

Why was it like this?

He didn’t even know who to blame.
Blame the bad stepdad for hiding and making him impossible to find?
Blame the director for taking the bad stepdad away?
Or blame himself for being a little idiot who couldn’t find anyone?

With Ning Shixue gone, he had no target for his anger.
He wanted to throw a tantrum but had no one to throw it at.

What’s wrong, baby?
He Lin came over to comfort him.

After all, he was Xie Zhaozhou’s kid, even if Xie Zhaozhou’s attitude towards him was always cold.

But He Lin couldn’t just ignore him.

Xie Yaoyao’s little head was in chaos.
Tears were still plopping down, but instead of waiting for He Lin to pick him up, he stuck out his little bottom and got up by himself.

Then he grumpily stamped his feet.

[Human cub confusion behavior.]

[Haven’t even dried my tears yet, and you almost make me die laughing.
Crying halfway and changing your mind? Works, I guess.]

[Baby, you just wiped the floor.]

Ning Shixue was watching from not far away.
He really hadn’t expected Xie Yaoyao to get up by himself.
Ignoring the director, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

Xie Yaoyao’s eyelashes were still wet and stuck together.
He turned his head in a daze.

Then his eyes instantly lit up.

Ning Shixue stood by the dim poolside.
The bright moonlight fell on his beautiful cheeks.
His eyes curved, seemingly holding a pool of moonlight themselves.

Xie Yaoyao should have hated him.

But the moment he saw him, like the other babies, he charged over like a little cannonball.

Xie Yaoyao’s eyes sparkled, like little stars fallen from the dark night sky.
He hugged Ning Shixue’s leg, pressing his soft, chubby little face firmly against it.

Did you miss me?
Ning Shixue, experiencing this treatment for the first time, crouched down and deliberately teased Xie Yaoyao.

No oh,
Xie Yaoyao wouldn’t admit it.

He was a little dirty kid now, having crawled everywhere, his face grimy.
He looked at Ning Shixue expectantly.
‘Is Xie Xingxing who missed you.’