Chapter 165: Going Out to Play

"Sister, I'm going out to play. You must remember to miss me!"

Downstairs in the little shop, Tan Jin'er was drinking water and taking a break when she saw her little younger sister running down with quick, pattering steps and a wide, beaming smile.

"Humph, your sister doesn't miss you at all," Tan Jin'er pinched Little Xi'er's little cheek and teased.

"Wah-wah-wah! No, no, Sister, you have to miss me!"

"Heh! I'll take down one crybaby with a single punch."

"Awooo... Xi'er is going to open her big mouth and eat you up, and swallow you right into my little heart!"

"Giggle... Did you fill your little water bottle? You must drink water if you get thirsty while playing outside."

Tan Jin'er smiled as she tidied up her little sister's clothes, then looked at the little bunny water bottle slung across her body and asked.

"Hiahia... I did, it's full. Brother Hao filled it for me," Little Xi'er shook her little water bottle and laughed happily.

"Alright, then you must listen to Brother Hao when you go out, and don't run around blindly."

Tan Jin'er instructed with lingering worry, since her little sister was very lively and active and had a history of running off like that before.

"Hiahia... Xi'er has already grown up. I'm a very good baby, and very good babies are extremely obedient. I won't run around blindly at all," Little Xi'er patted her small chest proudly.

Tan Jin'er smiled and said, "Fine, our Xi'er is a very good baby. But where is your little sun hat, my good baby? It's very hot outside, and if you don't wear your little hat, the sun will turn you into a little charcoal child!"

"A charcoal child!"

Upon hearing this, Little Xi'er's face instantly filled with alarm, and she spun around and pattered back up to the second floor.

"I'm so envious of Xi'er and the others," at this moment, Bai Lingyun, who was standing nearby, chimed in wistfully. "Someone dotes on them, someone loves them, someone brings them delicious treats, and someone takes them out to play. This is what true childhood looks like."

Hearing this, Tan Jin'er looked at her and laughed, "Come on, aren't you just wanting to take Uncle and Auntie Bai out for a stroll and sightseeing? Tomorrow is Saturday, holiday time!"

"Wow! That's wonderful! But what a pity..." Bai Lingyun gasped in surprise, then let out a sigh.

"What a pity my foot," Tan Jin'er rolled her eyes at her and smiled, "Don't bother hiding those little thoughts of yours from Brother Qing; I can see right through them."

"Brother Qing said that from now on, you and I will take turns on shifts. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday belong to me, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday belong to you, and Sunday is a full rest day. Then... giggle..."

Jin'er paused for a moment, looking at the somewhat anxious Bai Lingyun, and smiled, "Then Brother Qing said he will settle your wages for this period tonight, so you can take Uncle and Auntie out for a good tour tomorrow."

"Long live!"

Bai Lingyun instantly cried out in delighted surprise, though she then paused and said, "Wait a minute, I don't know how to make scallion pancakes. How am I supposed to... take turns?"

"Silly!" Tan Jin'er laughed, "Sell scallion pancakes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and sell soup dumplings on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays."

Bai Lingyun was baffled, "Uh... won't that make us lose a lot of revenue?"

"Well, that's how Brother Qing arranged it, and there's nothing I can do. He's the big boss."

Tan Jin'er looked at Bai Lingyun earnestly and said, "Actually, Brother Qing considered you more than anything else. He was worried that if you were too busy, you wouldn't have time to study and review."

"Hmph... No way," Bai Lingyun smiled and retorted, "Brother Qing is clearly doing it for you, Sister Jin'er. He was afraid you'd be too exhausted—that lumbar massager is the ultimate proof."

"Giggle... You..."

Tan Jin'er smiled and was just about to speak again when she saw two little toddlers running down with milky laughter, with Qin Hao following close behind carrying little Dong'er.

"Jin'er, Lingyun, I'm taking the little ones out now. I'll bring them back this afternoon," Qin Hao smiled at the two young women.

"Okay, take care and stay safe."

Tan Jin'er gave her instruction, then meticulously straightened the little clothes of the two little ones, checked their little water bottles, and playfully patted their little bottoms with a smile.

"Go on then, and be good."

***

"Hiahia... Sister, you must remember to miss me!"

"Heehee... Goodbye Sister Jin'er, goodbye Sister Lingyun."

...

Driving Qin Xue's car with the three little toddlers, Qin Hao arrived at the entrance of an upscale residential complex.

"Eh? Eh?"

Little Xi'er tugged at the car window, looked outside in startled confusion, and then pouted her little mouth as she squeaked,

"Brother Hao, you're tricking us babies! There is no ocean and no beach!"

Little Qiu'er also looked blankly out of the window for a moment, then turned her little head to look earnestly at Qin Hao and said,

"Brother Hao, you mustn't lie to little children, or the little children will get angry!"

"Haha... No, how could I lie to such cute little darlings like you?"

Qin Hao laughed heartily, "We came here because we need to pick up a big sister to come with us."

"A big sister? Is it Sister Qin?" Little Qiu'er asked curiously.

Qin Hao shook his head with a smile and said, "No, it's Sister Xiaorou. You guys know her, right?"

Little Xi'er laughed out loud, "I know her! Hiahia... Sister Xiaorou even gave Xi'er a gift!"

Little Qiu'er also nodded her little head and said, "Mm-hmm, Qiu'er hasn't seen Sister Xiaorou in a long time!"

"Alright, so we're going to go play with Sister Xiaorou, okay?"

"Okay!"

...

At this moment, Wen Xiaorou was wearing yoga pants in her living room practicing yoga, her graceful figure fully displayed.

The material shooting for *A Bite of China* had been completely finished, and her services were no longer needed for the post-production work.

To reward them for their hard work during this period, Qin Xue had personally asked their supervisor for a three-day paid leave for both her and Li Yuexi.

"Ding-ding-ding..."

Suddenly, a pleasant chime rang out, and Wen Xiaorou, currently stretching her body, turned her head toward her phone.

"Hello, who is this..."

The caller ID displayed an unfamiliar number. She answered with some confusion and asked politely.

"Heehee... Sister Xiaorou, guess who I am."

"Hiahia... Sister Xiaorou, hurry and guess, guess if I'm Xi'er!"

Wen Xiaorou: ╏??＾▽＾??╏

"I guess you are Qiu'er and Xi'er, am I right?"

"Heehee, Sister Xiaorou, you are so smart."

"Hiahia... So smart, just as smart as Xi'er!"

Wen Xiaorou: (??。??）

"Little cuties, did you call Sister because you missed her?" Wen Xiaorou's mood at that moment was very pleasant.

"Mm-hmm, Sister Xiaorou, hurry up and come out to play with us," Little Qiu'er said in her baby voice.

"Play? Wait, where are you guys?"

...

"Hiahia... We're in the car right outside your building! I'm waving my little hands at Sister Xiaorou, hurry up and come out!"

Little Xi'er shouted, "The babies can't wait anymore!"

"Uh..."

Wen Xiaorou froze for a moment, then walked over to the window to look outside, but saw nothing special. Without thinking too much, she said,

"Alright, you guys wait for Sister obediently in the car, don't run around, Sister is coming right out."

"Okay!"

The call ended, and the two little ones turned simultaneously to look at Qin Hao.

"Haha, you treasures are amazing. Brother Hao keeps his promises; today I'm taking you to play at the seaside, and tomorrow I'll take you to the water park. I will never break my word!"

"Mm-hmm! Thank you Brother Hao, but can we bring Big Sister and Second Sister tomorrow? They don't have to go to school tomorrow!"

"Hiahia... And what about Xiaobai? Xiaobai has to come too!"

"Deal," Qin Hao nodded with a smile, "Brother Hao loves taking little cuties like you out to play."

"Hiahia..."

Little Xi'er smiled with her little mouth split wide open in happiness, and Little Qiu'er also swayed her little feet happily.

Only little Dong'er sitting between them didn't understand what the two older sisters were laughing about. But it didn't matter; if her sisters were happy, she was happy too, and her little pacifier instantly tilted up into a grin.

Wen Xiaorou quickly changed her clothes and came out of the residential complex. As soon as she stepped out, she spotted Qin Xue's car, and then she saw a little toddler tugging at the car window and waving at her.

"Hiahia... Sister Xiaorou, we're right here!"

"Xi'er!"

Wen Xiaorou called out and walked toward the vehicle. The moment she peered inside the car, she froze in place.

Qin Hao!

How could it be him! When did he arrive? Why is he appearing here?!

Wen Xiaorou stood there in a daze, firing off a rapid triple-question sequence in her mind.

"Xiaorou, long time no see."

Qin Hao got out of the car, walked over to her side, a sunny smile plastered across his handsome face, and said softly,

"Long... long time no see," Wen Xiaorou said somewhat awkwardly, "You..."

"Get in the car," Qin Hao interrupted her as he pulled open the front passenger door and smiled, "The little ones can't wait any longer. We can chat slowly once we get to our destination."

As soon as his voice trailed off, the two little ones chimed in with perfect coordination in their milky voices:

"Hiahia... The babies can't wait anymore! We want to see the ocean and the beach!"

"Heehee... Sister Xiaorou, let's hurry up and go!"

Hearing this, Wen Xiaorou glanced at the two little ones, then looked at Qin Hao. Suddenly, she broke into a smile and said, "Alright, let's go then."

"Woohoo! We're off! We're off! Ocean, here we come!"