My Baby Can’t Eat Crab?!

Ning Shixue’s lips parted slightly.

His throat suddenly felt blocked; no sound came out.

But Xie Yaoyao didn’t need a response from him.
He hugged Ning Shixue’s leg, trying to climb onto his knee, using all his might.
His soft, white cheeks puffed with the effort.

Ning Shixue lifted him up.
Xie Yaoyao wrapped his arms around his neck and enthusiastically snuggled against him.

Even Ning Shixue, who considered himself cold-hearted, could feel it… it was very direct love.

[Dammit, some President Xie, tonight I’m coming for you. Your wife and child are both in my arms!!!]

[I can’t imagine how loudly I’d laugh if I had a wife and kid like this.]

[Ahhh, did my wife just smile?!]

Ning Shixue had smiled on the variety show before.
But either it was a mischievous smile, deliberately teasing the bratty kid, or those beautiful eyes curved while the depths remained icy cold.

It was like someone lost on a snowy mountain, shivering to the bone, suddenly discovering an icy pool not far ahead, with a small, flickering flame beneath the ice.

It seemed incredibly bright and warm.

But if you threw yourself at it regardless, you’d find it was just an illusion.
Still the same shiver-inducing, solid ice.
The small flame was just a siren in the deep sea, luring sailors with its song, making people sink and drown in those beautifully gentle eyes.

Most people would leave angrily, hating this kind of deception where you could never tell sincerity from pretense.

But if you got just a little closer, you’d find beneath the deep pool, there was a soft heart, still beating, like a faint but never-extinguished little flame.

The flame flickered brightly, and the ice began to crack.

Xie Yaoyao had completed his task.
His little mind started wandering again.
He swung his little feet and asked,
“Baby, tomorrow we can see, polar bears and penguins?”

Ning Shixue: “…”

Was he sure those two could appear together?

“Probably not,”
Ning Shixue said ruthlessly.

“Why?”
Xie Yaoyao immediately pouted, his little face full of confusion.
“Because they, not good friends?”

Just like him and the little black pig.
They would absolutely never appear together.

Two animals that would never meet in a lifetime definitely couldn’t be friends.
Ning Shixue said,
“Something like that.”

“…Because, polar bears are in the Arctic, penguins are in the Antarctic,”
Ji Xiao held back for a moment beside them, then couldn’t help whispering,
“We are in the Arctic now, can only see polar bears.”

He had confused the Northern City with the Arctic.

It was the first time he’d spoken such a long sentence.
Because only him, Ning Shixue, and Xie Yaoyao were there now.
Ning Shixue had given him the little black pig.
He wasn’t afraid of Ning Shixue anymore.

“Like that,”
Xie Yaoyao scratched his chubby cheek.
That sounded extremely reasonable.
He believed it.

[Correct, but not entirely. I’m going to die laughing.]

[Baby, you can form a ‘Little Geniuses’ group and debut together. Auntie will vote for you.]

[Too mean, too mean. Count me in!]

The live stream ended at nine tonight.
The director still had things to discuss with the guests.

The Northern City was the second stop of the variety show.
Starting from this stop, they would invite special guests to join.

Ideally, the guests’ partners.
But for someone like Ji Qing, who was on the show with his nephew, he could also invite a friend.

That’s why they had arranged separate houses for the guests.

Otherwise, there wouldn’t be enough space.

“Teacher Ning,”
the director said, looking troubled.
“We haven’t confirmed who you’re inviting yet.”

Of course, he didn’t dare hope for Xie Zhaozhou.
Even though he and the assistant director were dying of curiosity, wanting Xie Zhaozhou to come.

If Xie Zhaozhou stayed even for a minute, this show would become unprecedentedly popular.

But even before Film Emperor Xie retired, he rarely did variety shows.
He certainly wasn’t someone the director could invite.

He could only give up with tears in his eyes.

“I’ll think about it,”
Ning Shixue said.

Ning Shixue had no friends.
The original host’s friends were all connected to Xie Hanzhou, so he definitely couldn’t ask them.
Ning Shixue was still torn between hiring someone or asking his agent to come.

He was a bit worried about hiring someone to take care of Xie Yaoyao.

Ning Shixue, wrapped in a blanket, pondered.
Might as well be Lu Li.
He wasn’t a good person anyway.
Ning Shixue could boss him around without any guilt.
And it wouldn’t cost any money.

So he sent Lu Li a voice message.

Xie Yaoyao was grumbling beside him.
What was the baby doing?
Was he looking for another baby?
His little mouth puckered into a trumpet shape.
“You calling behind my back.”

“I’m calling right in front of your face, thank you,”
Ning Shixue wouldn’t accept false accusations.

Xie Yaoyao’s chubby little feet were on the sofa.
He was wearing thick wool socks and pounced onto Ning Shixue’s back.

Ning Shixue leaned back and poked his little belly.
Xie Yaoyao grumbled and ran off to find Little Tangyuan.

A three-and-a-half-year-old cub was like a perpetual motion machine.
Ning Shixue had no idea where he got all that energy, bouncing around like that.

When He Lin came over, he happened to hear Ning Shixue send the voice message.
He leaned on Ning Shixue’s shoulder and asked quietly,
“Why don’t you ask him? Your husband?”

He first met Xie Zhaozhou on a film set.
Xie Zhaozhou was only in his teens back then.
A young man, lean and tall, but with a gloomy expression, not talkative.

He was the junior fellow disciple He Lin played.

Only later did he realize that guy was a sly old fox.

Ning Shixue hadn’t even considered asking Xie Zhaozhou.
Even if Xie Zhaozhou wasn’t busy, he probably wouldn’t want to accompany him.

But He Lin’s question made him suddenly realize.
Whether Xie Zhaozhou came or not was up to him.
If he didn’t even ask, just assuming his marriage was ‘widowed,’ that probably wasn’t great either.

Before messaging Xie Zhaozhou, he remembered the card Xie Zhaozhou had given him.
He hadn’t checked how much money was on it yet.

Ning Shixue looked it up, then instantly clutched his chest and collapsed peacefully onto the sofa.

“Baby, what wrong?”
Xie Yaoyao had been playing with the toy train with Ji Xiao.
He turned and pattered over.
What to do? The baby had gone crazy again.

“Nothing,”
Ning Shixue just hadn’t expected relying on someone else to feel this good.
There were still thirty million left on the card Xie Zhaozhou had given him.
He lay on the sofa like a salted fish, feeling like he never needed to work hard again in this life.
“Suddenly got rich. Not used to it.”

He Miao also turned her head and asked curiously,
“Little Ning Gege, you have money now?”

“I want to eat fried chicken!”
Tang Haohao yelled directly.

Tang He’an was so embarrassed he couldn’t lift his head.
He flicked Tang Haohao’s head hard.
“What does someone else having money have to do with you eating fried chicken? Shut up!”

Ning Shixue didn’t mind.
He waved his hand.
“We’ll have it tomorrow. Big pieces.”

“Little Ning Gege, I want a cloth doll,”
He Miao hugged his arm and acted cute.

When they arrived, there was an old grandma selling cloth dolls.
They were all handmade, ten yuan each.

She was much more sensible than Tang Haohao.
She just wanted something Little Ning Gege had given her.

Even if it cost one yuan, she would cherish it.

“I’ll buy you two. Then they can keep each other company. You can play with one and watch the other,”
Ning Shixue said, sitting up.

He lowered his head and sent a message to Xie Zhaozhou, his tone ingratiating.

– [snow: Second Brother~]

Xie Zhaozhou was still in his office.
He had just finished signing some documents when he received Ning Shixue’s message.

Ning Shixue had also sent a cat poking its head out emoji.

Xie Zhaozhou: “…”

No good ever comes from sudden flattery.

– [. : ?]

Ning Shixue told him about the program team’s arrangement.
Then, considerately, he added:

– [snow: Teacher Xie, it’s fine if you’re busy. I can just ask my agent to come and keep me company.]

Xie Zhaozhou rubbed the cool watch face on his wrist.
He inexplicably remembered that night by the sea, under the moonlight, those moist eyes.

Ning Shixue waited a few minutes before receiving Xie Zhaozhou’s reply.

– [. : Do you want me to come?]

“…”

Ning Shixue could even imagine Xie Zhaozhou’s tone.
Those narrow, dark eyes curved, half-smiling, with that low, pleasant, but particularly frivolous and infuriating voice.

And asking such a loaded question.
Could he possibly say he didn’t want him to?

He typed for ages but couldn’t send anything.
Xie Zhaozhou sent another message.

– [. : What’s wrong? Has Teacher Xiao Ning’s personality changed again? Not feeling clingy anymore?]

How could that mouth be so sarcastic?

The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears burned.
He lowered his head and typed, deciding to just throw caution to the wind.

– [snow: No! Don’t come!]

After he sent it, Xie Zhaozhou didn’t reply again.
Ning Shixue ignored him.
Anyway, Xie Zhaozhou definitely wasn’t coming.
He was just asking out of politeness.

Lu Li replied to his message quickly.

Actually, in his early twenties, Lu Li had also tried to be an actor.
But his acting was mediocre, and his looks were even more so.
He simply couldn’t get famous.
Even supporting roles were hard to land.
In the end, he had to give up.

That’s when he switched to being an agent.

Now he had a chance to be on a variety show.
Even though he wouldn’t be a star, he was quite willing to come.

Ning Shixue gave the director Lu Li’s name.
Then he told Xie Yaoyao,
“Kid, I found you a mount.”

Finally, someone could carry Xie Yaoyao for him.

Xie Yaoyao didn’t understand at all.
He blinked in confusion.
Anyway, he and the baby were best friends now.
Whatever the baby got him must be good.

With Ning Shixue’s side settled, He Lin asked him,
“What’s wrong? That bastard isn’t willing to come?”

That night by the sea, he had inadvertently seen Xie Zhaozhou carrying Ning Shixue.
He thought Xie Zhaozhou might be somewhat interested in Ning Shixue.
But although he had known Xie Zhaozhou for years, he still didn’t know what Xie Zhaozhou was thinking.

When Xie Zhaozhou retired three years ago, he didn’t want people to know his connection to the Xie family.
Because at that time, the car accident was already all over the news.

The chairman of the Xie Group and his heir being involved in an accident at the same time was enough to be front-page news for all media.

At that time, three died and one was injured.
Xie Sui, the Xie family driver, and the driver of the other car all died on the scene.
Only Old Master Xie barely survived, but he was also severely injured, bloody and battered.
It was a relatively serious accident that naturally attracted attention.

If Xie Zhaozhou’s name was dragged into it, it would only make it harder for the public opinion to settle.

Now, several years later, the police had already closed the case.
It didn’t matter anymore.

It was almost ten at night.
The guests went back to their own places to sleep.
Xie Yaoyao and He Miao played ahead.
Ning Shixue and He Lin walked behind.
Ning Shixue wore that long white down jacket, completely bundled up.
But his skin was still pale from the cold.

He raised his hand and breathed into his palm.
The skin around his eyes was red from the cold.
Only his eyelashes were dark and long.
He explained for Xie Zhaozhou,
“Second Brother is very busy. I won’t trouble him.”

Logically, at this distance, the kids shouldn’t hear them.
But Xie Yaoyao suddenly perked up his ears and ran back.
He asked, confused,
“What little dog…”

He heard someone mention a little dog.

Ning Shixue quickly covered his mouth.

He Lin slapped his own mouth a few times.
“Not a good word. Don’t learn it. Uncle was wrong. You forget it quickly.”

Xie Yaoyao hadn’t heard clearly anyway.
His fair, tender cheeks were also a bit red from the cold.
He raised his hand and drew a few circles in the air, his milky voice saying,
“Rub rub du du, forgot!”

Ning Shixue: “…”

What was that? Magic learned in Hawaii? The truth is out there?

Finally at the hotel.
Ning Shixue waited until Xie Yaoyao was asleep, then sneaked out to soak in the hot spring for half an hour.

He soaked until his bones were soft, then came back to sleep.

Torture the kid, but don’t torture yourself.

The next day, they gathered at the villa at 8:30 AM.

“Little friends,”
the director tried his best to pitch his voice high,
“Today you have a special task to complete.”

Today’s task: daddies and kids would complete tasks separately.

The daddies would follow local chefs to learn a few特色 dishes.
The kids, following a shopping list, would buy the ingredients needed for lunch and dinner.

Of course, the program team would send a few staff members with small carts to help them carry things.

Ning Shixue put on his pained expression again.

He had no idea how to cook.
When he was little in the orphanage, the teachers did the cooking.
Later, the old院长 sent him to the Federation, and he went to school for a few years.
But the school had a cafeteria too.

After that, he started acting.
He had even less time to cook.

At most, he could just make things edible.

Xie Yaoyao and the others had already set off.
The director followed them, driving first to the supermarket.

They also decided to split into two groups.
Xie Yaoyao would go with Ji Xiao.
Tang Haohao would go with He Miao.

Actually, He Miao had originally wanted to split up, with her taking one kid each.
But Tang Haohao might run off to buy snacks halfway.
In the end, they had to split it this way.

He Miao was a bit worried.
“Yaoyao didi, do you know how much change you should get after buying things?”

“Why,”
Xie Yaoyao asked, confused,
“need to find money?”

He looked down and spun around in place.
There was no money on the ground.

He Miao: “…”

He Miao propped her chin in her hands and sighed.
Anyway, unless they ran into a scammer, they probably wouldn’t take more money than they should, right?

And they had cameramen filming.

The program team said it was a task for the kids to shop.
But actually, it was simpler.
As long as Xie Yaoyao and the others asked passersby and found the aisle or stall, it counted as having bought the item.

The director had already arranged with the shop assistants in advance to put the items in their little baskets.

Then take the corresponding money.

They didn’t need Xie Yaoyao and the others to do the math.

This task mainly tested the kids’ self-control.
Many kids would get stuck at the snack or toy stalls, refusing to leave.

Xie Yaoyao and Ji Xiao held hands.
Xie Yaoyao’s chubby little hand was even holding their shopping list, looking quite professional.
Although he couldn’t read a single word.
The staff member behind him told him what to do.

“We, also need buy tomatoes, little crabs, chocolate,”
Xie Yaoyao told Ji Xiao.
“And vinegar vinegar.”

The two of them were responsible for buying five items.
Ji Xiao counted on his little fingers, looked up blankly, and whispered,
“Seems like one more.”

“And mantou (steamed bun),”
the assistant director reminded quietly from behind.

Xie Yaoyao’s soft face was full of confusion.
He held up Ji Xiao’s hand.
“We already have little mantou.”

“…Little friend, you need to buy edible mantou,”
the assistant director said, amused despite himself.

Xie Yaoyao’s big, dark eyes turned to stare at Ji Xiao.
Ji Xiao was a bit scared under his gaze.
Kids did unpredictable things.
The assistant director was even a little worried Xie Yaoyao might bite Ji Xiao.

But luckily, Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King still had some sense.
He rubbed his cheek and sighed.

This little mantou wasn’t edible.

Xie Yaoyao and Ji Xiao held hands again.
It had to be said, Xie Yaoyao deserved his self-proclaimed title of Sirius.
He really did have a good sense of direction.
The grandmas and grandpas in the supermarket gave him directions.
He just needed a glance to remember, and he never got lost on the way back.

Soon, they had bought three items.
They were even faster than He Miao and the others.

Next, they went to buy crabs.

Xie Yaoyao stared at the little crabs in the tank, his eyes pleading.
Besides little fried meatballs, he loved crabs the most.

“Jie jie, jie jie,”
Xie Yaoyao stood on tiptoe and asked the girl at the seafood stall.
He was almost drooling.
“We, can buy more?”

The director said it was per person.
Each guest got one.
The girl said apologetically,
“You can’t do that. You can only buy as many as there are people in your group.”

The girl had already started packaging the crabs for him.
Xie Yaoyao counted on his fingers and said anxiously,
“We, we have four people!”

Him and the baby added up to four people, right?

“What four people?”
The girl laughed out loud, bending down to ask him.

Xie Yaoyao raised his little hand and counted on his fingers.
“There’s Xie Yaoyao, Xie Xingxing, Xie Yaoxing, and my baby. Baby is a little piggy, can eat a lot.”

The girl was baffled.
She thought their family had three children and also kept a pet piggy.

“Your baby probably can’t eat crabs,”
the girl kindly told him.

She had never seen a piggy that could eat crabs.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, Xie Yaoyao’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
His eye rims were red, his nose tip red.
Why couldn’t the baby eat crabs?

He loved eating little crabs the most.
So he thought it was just too pitiful not to be able to eat little crabs.
And this poor soul was his baby.
It was just too terrible.

[Call him a little idiot, but he knows how to play multiple roles to trick people into giving him crabs. Call him smart, and you still can’t bring yourself to say it. doge]

Ning Shixue took a moment to open the live stream and take a look.
And he happened to see the filial son Xie Yaoyao.

Ning Shixue: “…”

Filial, but not entirely filial.

He was truly grateful.

Luckily, Ji Xiao was clear-headed.

He mustered his courage and explained to the girl that the baby wasn’t a little piggy, but Little Ning Gege.

The girl laughed until tears came.
Xie Yaoyao’s little mouth puckered into a trumpet shape.
He felt he was being laughed at.
But he still remembered to pay and then said,
“Thank you, jie jie.”

Xie Yaoyao and the others continued on to the next stall.

Every now and then, Xie Yaoyao would be distracted by various things.
He looked up.
The yogurt freezer had many little lights hanging on it, flashing.
He unconsciously started walking towards the lights.

Then Ji Xiao grabbed his wrist and pulled him back.

This repeated over a dozen times.
Finally, they finished buying everything.
They were even faster than He Miao and the others.

Tang Haohao couldn’t move past the little monsters.
He Miao originally tried to pull him, but Tang Haohao was chunky.
She couldn’t move him at all.
She simply gave up too, squatting on the ground hugging a little ball.

It wasn’t until the director sent Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King to rescue them that the kids finally bought everything.

Ning Shixue and the others had already learned a few dishes.
Now they were all at the villa.
The kids waited another half an hour before returning.

Ning Shixue was assigned to make steamed crabs and stir-fried cucumber.
But he was in a fluster in the kitchen.
After dealing with the crabs and steaming them, it was already too late to stir-fry the cucumber.

Xie Yaoyao circled outside the kitchen like a puppy waiting for food.
“Baby, I come help you!”

Ning Shixue lifted his leg to block him.

When everything was finally done and all the dishes were on the table, Xie Yaoyao couldn’t help looking blank.
The other guests were also silent.
Ning Shixue gave each of them a whole cucumber.

They were washed and looked fresh and crisp.

Tang He’an couldn’t help asking,
“Teacher Xiao Ning, is this your cooking?”

Ning Shixue’s face was full of innocence.
He opened his mouth and said,
“High-quality ingredients only need the simplest cooking methods.”

[High EQ: The simplest cooking methods. Low EQ: Eat it raw. What dish expects me to actually cook it myself?]