The group spent time at the zoo until it was almost closing.
Fortunately, they managed to catch a bus as soon as they left.
Back at the hotel, the children were still chattering about everything they saw at the zoo, while the adults just wanted to retreat to their rooms and rest.
"So, how was the outing, everyone?" Chen Tianming asked with a smile, already waiting in the lobby when the group arrived.
"Fun!"
"Uncle Tianming, we saw so many animals. The giraffe's neck was this long," Wu Yueyuan said, stretching her arms wide to demonstrate.
"This long?" Chen Tianming feigned surprise. "Then how did you take pictures with the giraffes?"
"Uncle Tianming, you're so silly. We used carrots to get the giraffes to stretch their necks towards us, and then we took pictures," a child explained.
"I see. And what else did you see, little ones?"
"Swans."
"Peacocks."
"Why isn't Nannan saying anything? Little Nannan, can you tell Uncle what your favorite animal was today?"
"It was the goat," Ye Nan replied bravely, though a bit nervously.
"Why the goat?" Chen Tianming asked, curious.
"Mommy took me to touch the goats."
"Wow, Little Nannan touched a goat! That's amazing."
Ye Nan pouted shyly at the praise, but a faint light of joy sparkled in her eyes.
"So, were you happy today, children?"
"Happy!"
The children answered in unison.
"Seeing you all happy makes Uncle Tianming very happy too. So," Chen Tianming's tone shifted, "Uncle Tianming has prepared a sumptuous feast for you."
"I have a feeling this old fox isn't up to anything good," Cui Mantong mused.
"I don't want to eat," Fang Miaomiao said weakly, leaning her head on Cui Mantong's shoulder. "I'm so tired, I want to sleep."
These children had an almost inexhaustible supply of energy; she felt utterly drained today.
"Uncle Tianming."
"Yes?" Chen Tianming looked gently at the children. "Little An'an, do you have a question?"
"When we eat, will we have to go through challenges or something?"
Chen Tianming: "..."
How could this child be so sharp? He hadn't said anything, yet how did An'an know?
"Why do you think that, An'an?"
"Because Uncle Tianming is such a thrifty person, he definitely wouldn't treat us to a meal for no reason. The only possibility is that there's some riddle set up during the meal."
"Do we have to answer questions correctly before we can eat?"
"But, Nannan is so stupid, she won't be able to answer questions. What should we do?" Ye Nan's eyes welled up with tears at the thought.
With one child after another speaking in a pitiful tone, Chen Tianming found himself unable to utter a single word of agreement.
"Uncle Tianming, Yuan Yuan is so tired and hungry. Yuan Yuan doesn't want to answer questions, and she doesn't want to be hungry," Wu Yueyuan said, hugging Chen Tianming's waist, her eyes glistening as she looked up at him. "Uncle Tianming, Yuan Yuan is so hungry, my tummy is rumbling."
"After you answer the questions, you can..."
Before Chen Tianming could finish, the children exchanged glances and rushed forward to surround him.
"Oh, for goodness sake," Chen Tianming chuckled, caught between amusement and exasperation. He hugged the children while looking at the parents.
To his surprise, the parents, as if by telepathic agreement, averted their gazes, looking at the sky, the ground, other people, anywhere but at him.
"You guys, this isn't fair."
[Hahaha, I'm dying of laughter. This is too funny. Director Tianming, just give in. These moms aren't going to help you at all.]
[I strongly suspect the mothers are deliberately doing this. Doing puzzles is impossible, it's just impossible. Even though I don't want to do puzzles or answer questions, I still have to eat.]
[Embarrassment is the children's problem. The mothers' role is to pretend not to hear Tianming calling and focus solely on finishing the food.] httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
[To the above, that's brilliant. Come on, let's bet on how long our upright and scheming Director Tianming will last against the children's soft persuasion. I'll go first, three minutes.]
As soon as the bullet comments appeared, Chen Tianming couldn't help but say, "Just this once. It won't happen again."
Alas, there was nothing he could do. These children were too adorable, all looking at him with teary eyes. If he didn't give in, he'd be a complete villain.
He was getting old, how could he withstand the onslaught of children's tears?
"Uncle Tianming is the best."
"Uncle Tianming is the best director in the world."
"Yes, yes, we like Uncle Tianming the most."
Chen Tianming gradually lost himself amidst the praise, smiling as he patted the children's heads. With a wave of his hand, he declared, "Eat! Tonight, we're having a feast for the children. Uncle Tianming's treating."
"Wow, Uncle Tianming is so rich and generous!"
"Uncle Tianming is indeed magnificent."
Under the children's barrage of flattery, the adults also ended up enjoying a delicious dinner.
After Chen Tianming finished dinner with the children, laughing all the while, he returned to the post-production team and, under the resentful gazes of the two assistant directors, suddenly came to his senses.
He slapped the back of his head. "I'm such a smart person, how did I get tricked by the kids just now?"
"Director Chen, you're so smart, so smart you've lost track of your position."
"Go, go," Chen Tianming waved them away, putting on his director's authority. "How dare you speak to the director like that?"
"Director, what about our discussion meeting?"
"What's the rush? You can't eat hot tofu in a hurry. Fang Miaomiao is on this variety show, are you afraid she'll run away? Go attend to your own business." Chen Tianming put on his headphones and began his supervision.
"Mommy, I'm so tired."
"Me too," Fang Miaomiao said, lying on the bed and scrolling through her phone, half-heartedly responding to the child.
"My feet hurt."
"Mine too."
Wen An'an pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up as he looked at Fang Miaomiao. "Then, Mommy, I'll massage your legs for you."
"What brought that on?" Fang Miaomiao glanced at him.
"Not at all, I just want to massage Mommy's legs."
"Then come here." Fang Miaomiao extended her leg.
Since it was for the show, Fang Miaomiao was wearing modest pajamas.
"Okay."
Wen An'an got up, squatted by Fang Miaomiao's leg, took a deep breath, and said, "Mommy, here I go."
With that, Wen An'an placed his hands on Fang Miaomiao's leg and began to massage.
Fang Miaomiao nodded with satisfaction. "An'an, you're doing great."
Encouraged by the praise, Wen An'an massaged even more vigorously.
The comfortable sensation from her leg made Fang Miaomiao close her eyes. For someone so small, this little guy had quite a bit of strength.