After the two ate to their heart's content, they lay back in their chairs, looking somewhat alike, and let out a sigh.
"Are you happy?"
Wen Yan'an nodded, his eyes shining as he looked at Fang Miaomiao, "I like it."
Fang Miaomiao chuckled a few times. She remembered when she first transmigrated and met Wen Yan'an. He was like a little kitten then, small and not very talkative, the kind of child you wouldn't notice unless you paid close attention.
Like a little pitiable thing.
The current Wen Yan'an was clearly much more active than before and could express his preferences. Good, very good. It seemed she was not only good at "raising kids from afar" but also very good at raising them in real life.
The bill was paid.
After putting masks and hats on Wen Yan'an and herself, she took Wen Yan'an to get their tickets and entered the Ocean World.
The Ocean World was divided into two parts: the aquarium and the shows.
"An'an, where should we go first?"
"The aquarium."
"Let's go."
The aquarium was vast, and since it wasn't a weekend, there were very few people.
After a glance, Fang Miaomiao took off her mask.
"Mom, look, dolphins," Wen Yan'an excitedly pointed at the figures behind the glass and called out to Fang Miaomiao.
"So beautiful," Fang Miaomiao sighed softly as she looked at the large dolphins.
Wen Yan'an's eyes widened as he looked in amazement at the various marine animals swimming in the water, "Mom, why didn't we see so many marine animals when we went to the island last time?"
"Is it possible," Fang Miaomiao leaned against the glass and smiled, "that we were on the surface of the sea then, and the marine life lives at the bottom?"
"Is that so?"
Sensing the disappointment in Wen Yan'an's tone, Fang Miaomiao reached out and ruffled his hair, "When An'an grows up, you can learn to dive, and then you can go explore the underwater world yourself or with like-minded friends."
"Can I?"
"Why not?" Fang Miaomiao asked in confusion, hearing the little one's bewilderment, "If you like something, why not do it?"
"Grandma says I can't waste time on useless things."
Fang Miaomiao blinked. Good heavens, even children from wealthy families had to compete?
She sighed, squatted down in front of Wen Yan'an, and asked, "An'an, what do you mean by wasting time?"
Wen Yan'an blinked and thought for a long time before shaking his head, "I don't know. Grandma says I need to study hard and learn, and everything else is a waste of time."
But he didn't like that kind of life. He liked reading, but he didn't like being forced to read. He didn't like math, and he didn't like watching the news. He didn't like any of it.
He liked going out to play and seeing new and novel things, like nature and animals.
But Grandma didn't like it. She said that as a member of the Wen family, he had to cherish his precious time and stay ahead of others.
"Are you happy now? Seeing these things, playing with me?"
Wen Yan'an nodded vigorously, "I'm very happy."
"Then do you think this is a waste of time?"
Wen Yan'an looked confused.
He didn't know.
"An'an, as long as you feel happy and joyful, it's not a waste of time."
Fang Miaomiao tried to place Wen Yan'an's hands on the glass.
At that moment.
A dolphin leaped out and playfully nudged the glass.
"An'an, look, the dolphin is saying hello to you."
"Dolphin."
The dolphin swam happily inside.
Wen Yan'an instinctively moved closer, his hands against the glass.
The dolphin turned around inside, as if responding to Wen Yan'an.
Seeing this, Fang Miaomiao raised an eyebrow and instinctively took out her phone to take some pictures of the little one and the dolphin.
Looking at the smiling little face in the photos, Fang Miaomiao couldn't help but think of Wen Yan'an's ending in the book, and her heart felt heavy.
She seemed to understand why An'an had liked the original owner back then. An'an was so suppressed by Old Mrs. Ran that the original owner was like a free spirit passing through the mud.
An'an yearned for the original owner's life and personality.
"Mom, look, the dolphin danced for me," Wen Yan'an's voice was filled with childish innocence and liveliness.
"An'an likes dolphins, and dolphins like An'an, that's why they danced for you."
"Does the dolphin really like An'an?"
"Of course. See, I'm standing here, and that dolphin doesn't even spare me a glance, always looking at you, right?"
"It's okay."
"What?"
"The dolphin doesn't like Mom, but An'an will always like Mom."
"Then I'll thank An'an for liking me?"
Wen Yan'an shyly went to tease the dolphin.
Just then, someone who claimed to be a staff member came over and said there was an animal show nearby and that for a fee, they could have close contact with the animals.
"Mom?" Wen Yan'an tugged on Fang Miaomiao's hand.
"Let's go play with them."
In the center of the aquarium, there was a large saltwater pool.
Children, accompanied by adults and staff, moved around the edges of the pool, their laughter ringing out.
"This is truly a delightful place."
Led by a staff member, the two disinfected themselves and put on special water shoes and raincoats.
"Mom, I see a dolphin."
"Child, you can touch the dolphin, but don't be too rough, okay?"
Wen Yan'an nodded obediently.
"Mom. Dolphin."
"Mm-hmm."
Wen Yan'an carefully crouched down.
A dolphin poked its head out of the pool and gave Wen Yan'an a kiss on the cheek.
Wen Yan'an looked at Fang Miaomiao, both nervous and excited.
The joy in his eyes almost blinded Fang Miaomiao.
"Don't be afraid, child. You can reach out and gently touch the dolphin."
Wen Yan'an pursed his lips, then cautiously reached out to touch the dolphin.
Seeing Wen Yan'an's outstretched hand, the dolphin extended itself further.
Their hands met.
Wen Yan'an's pupils contracted, and he stood there in disbelief, "It's cold."
With that, the dolphin dove back into the pool.
Before Wen Yan'an could wonder why, the dolphin's head reappeared, and it spat seawater at Wen Yan'an.
Wen Yan'an instantly became soaked.
"Hahaha."
Fang Miaomiao burst into laughter, completely unaware that a mischievous dolphin had already swum up to her.
She only felt a shadow cast over her.
Splash!
The dolphin accurately sprayed the seawater it had held in its mouth onto Fang Miaomiao.
Fang Miaomiao: "..."
What a willful dolphin! She was just standing there watching someone become soaked, and in the next second, she became soaked herself.
"Mom, you got sprayed by the dolphin too."
The staff member said with a smile, "The dolphins really like you two. They're like children; they usually only play the water-spitting game with staff or tourists they like."
Fang Miaomiao's eye twitched: It was really unnecessary.