“Do the children like Haicheng?”
The three little ones answered with all their might: “Yes!”
After some brief greetings and opening remarks, the director announced that a new family would be joining them today.
All three children remembered Cen Yuankai’s aggressive behavior and weren’t very happy about it.
Shen Minyan crouched down to adjust his youngest son’s sun hat and whispered, “Youyou, don’t be afraid. Dad is here.”
The little guy said, “Mm.”
The director didn’t keep them in suspense. He pointed toward a very tall coconut tree and clapped: “Let’s welcome little Pei Xu and his aunt Hua Zhao!”
Two figures, one tall and one small, slowly walked onto the beach. They were too far away for the little guy to see clearly, but his ears were sharp.
“Dad, I heard Brother Qiqi’s name and Aunt Hua’s name.”
Shen Minyan had been holding this in the whole way. Finally, he could say it: “It’s them. Are you happy, Youyou?”
The little guy felt like he was dreaming, because things only came true in dreams. The little guy trotted forward a few steps and indeed saw Brother Qiqi, whom he had seen just this morning. In everyone’s view, a pair of short little legs was running forward at high speed. Su Youli had a microphone clipped to his collar, which picked up his rapid, shallow breathing clearly.
“Brother Qiqi.”
The milky, delighted voice infected everyone. On camera, a little face with rosy cheeks was beaming with joy. He was running with all his might toward his best friend. And Pei Qiqi, making his cool debut and feeling nervous in front of the camera for the first time, immediately let go of his aunt’s hand when he saw the little guy running toward him on his short legs.
“Youyou.”
A moment later, the two little ones hugged each other tightly, their small chests bumping together with a soft thud.
“Brother Qiqi, the new friend is you!”
Pei Qiqi was also very excited. His cool little face was full of smiles. Seeing Youyou made him so happy.
The little guy enthusiastically introduced his best friend to the other two members of the “Mushroom Squad.”
“This is Brother Qiqi. He’s my best friend.”
Pei Xu’s enthusiasm only extended to Youyou. Facing the two children he didn’t know, Pei Qiqi simply said flatly: “Hello.”
After the introductions, all four little ones, with the help of their parents, stood in a row to listen to the director uncle.
“First, let’s give a round of applause to little Pei Xu and his aunt Hua Zhao.”
Warm applause rang out. After a brief formal procedure, the director announced the first task of the day.
“Today’s adventure mission for the children is very simple: you will go ‘treasure hunting’ on the island.”
“The parents will be responsible for taking the luggage and finding today’s accommodation based on the clues given. This time, everyone will be staying in the same villa.”
The four little ones were each held by their parents and given a few words of advice. Shen Minyan was the most worried of all.
“Youyou, tell Dad, what’s the most important thing?”
The little guy said crisply: “Safety is the most important!”
Shen Minyan patted his head. “Good boy. Remember to drink from your water bottle. If you feel unwell, tell the camera uncle, okay?”
“I know!”
The little guy put on his water bottle, stood on his tiptoes, and wiped Shen Minyan’s forehead with his little hand. “Dad, you worked hard.”
Shen Minyan shook his head. “Dad isn’t tired. Once you come back, I’ll have the room ready, and I can rest.” After his youngest son left, Chairman Shen, who had no experience with variety shows, wore a worried expression. He wondered if Youyou would be able to find any treasure, and if he didn’t find any, would he cry? On the other side, the “Treasure Hunt Team” set off with high spirits. Each of the four little ones was given a small woven basket to carry the “treasures.” The baskets also contained some small tools they might need.
The director uncle’s clue was a photo of the island: lush green forests like a green ocean, with tropical plants growing wildly. Low shrubs and colorful wildflowers intertwined, creating a vibrant scene that made all four little ones gasp in awe. Yes, the treasure they were looking for was here. A place this beautiful in the photo must have lots of treasures. The little guy was already full of confidence. He was going to fill his basket and bring all the treasures back to show Dad.
All four little ones felt the same: excited and eager. For Pei Qiqi, who had never participated in a group activity before, this was a completely new experience. They all had identical baskets and gold little foot stickers on their chests. A sense of collective pride welled up inside him. Though his cool little face didn’t show it, his red ears gave away his emotions. The four children walked along the beach, leaving four small footprints. Their light steps gradually grew heavier as time passed.
“Stop. We can’t just keep walking aimlessly,” said Mi Le, the oldest, who had already appointed himself leader.
The leader had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders.
Pei Qiqi looked at the photo, his handsome brows furrowing slightly. He suggested, “We can rest in a shady spot first, find landmarks that match the photo, and then set off.”
The four children sat under a tree to rest. Pei Qiqi carefully studied the photo while making sure Youyou drank water. After the little guy finished drinking, he didn’t put the cap back on. Instead, he poured some water into the cap for Niu Niu to drink. Pei Qiqi was a bit unhappy when he saw this, but Niu Niu was a girl, and they were supposed to take good care of her. Next time they came, he would definitely buy a new water bottle for Niu Niu. Youyou’s water would only be shared with him from now on.
The oldest child was only five, so the treasure hunt locations set by the production team weren’t too difficult to find. They just needed a little care and observation skills. Pei Qiqi looked around, squinting. His gaze suddenly stopped at one spot. He picked up the photo to compare.
“I think I found it,” Pei Qiqi said, pointing not far away.
Mi Le compared it carefully. The sky in the photo was bluer, but the lush, towering trees were almost identical. With a goal in mind, the four little ones patted the sand off their knees, held hands, and set off again. Ten minutes later, they arrived at their destination, the place in the photo. Up close, the scenery in the photo looked a bit different from what they were seeing now.
From the moment they got out of the car until they entered this area, the children’s impression of the island had been clear and beautiful. But now, the sea next to this forest was covered in floating garbage, with plastic bottles and plastic bags bobbing up and down with the waves. Su Youli held Brother Qiqi’s hand and gazed at the sea. The trash was like ugly patches, ruining the ocean’s natural beauty.
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