Mi Huan reassured him: “Don’t worry. The staff and cameramen are with them the whole time. It’s safe.”
Hua Zhao also nodded. She walked over and crouched beside Pei Qiqi.
“Qiqi, don’t be afraid. You’re the best.”
Pei Qiqi asked, “Auntie, what’s your task?”
Hua Zhao shrugged: “Find tonight’s hotel, then follow the clues to meet up with you.”
Wang Zhi also went to Niu Niu, patting the little girl’s head.
He felt sorry for what Niu Niu had been through. Even he had been fooled by Du Ze. If it weren’t for this incident, he would have genuinely believed Du Ze was a good husband and father.
“Niu Niu, say those few D language phrases I taught you the day before yesterday for me.”
Niu Niu stood up straight and started to recall: “Hello… Can you help me, please?”
Mi Huan wasn’t worried about Mi Le. His brother had grown up in a bilingual environment and was good with international languages. He could even chat with the foreign teachers at his kindergarten. In Country D, English should work too.
Still, he held onto Mi Le and gave him a few simple instructions: “Safety first. Stay in crowded areas. Keep your phone safe. Call me if anything happens.”
Mi Le: “Got it, big brother. I will complete the mission and find Youyou.”
The three little ones held hands and slowly walked out of the airport, with a group of staff following at a distance.
“Youyou is at a children’s playground near the central square. First, we need to take the subway.”
All three children came from comfortable backgrounds and had never taken the subway before. Let alone in a foreign country, a completely unfamiliar environment. The first challenge was finding the subway station. To be honest, they couldn’t really read the map. Mi Le had already crumpled it and stuffed it into his bag. Pei Qiqi stopped when he saw airport staff in uniform.
“Let’s ask at the information desk.”
The three little ones turned back. Mi Le had learned some simple airport signs in kindergarten. They soon reached the information desk. The airport was crowded, and many people recognized them, pulling out their phones and calling their names. Mi Le held his younger brother and sister’s hands, his expression serious. Pei Qiqi’s palms were sweating. He pressed his lips together and walked ahead without a word. Thankfully, the lady at the information desk was very welcoming. Before they even reached her, she came out and asked in English if they needed help. Pei Qiqi thought of Youyou, imagining how lonely he must be. They had to find him quickly.
“Excuse me, where is the subway station?” Pei Qiqi spoke slowly, trying to make himself clear.
Mi Huan, hiding in the crowd, heard Pei Qiqi speak fluent English and looked impressed: “Aunt Hua, Qiqi’s English is really good.”
Hua Zhao said proudly: “His father speaks eight languages. Qiqi learned all his foreign languages from him.”
With help from many kind adults, the three little ones soon found the subway station. With an adult’s help, they bought tickets and entered the station. The cameras followed their small figures, capturing their brave first steps in a foreign land. The parents and directors were all surprised by how well the children were doing. No crying, no whining, no giving up.
“The children are much stronger than we expected.”
Mi Huan watched Mi Le being so reliable without him, holding his brother and sister’s hands the whole time. He felt both touched and a little wistful. It wasn’t that Mi Le couldn’t be without him, but that he couldn’t be without Mi Le. Wang Zhi, new to this, was much more anxious. Even though the staff had told him not to, he still followed his little cousin closely, only returning after the three little ones had boarded the subway. On the subway, the three little ones sat obediently, their expressions serious, sitting close together, holding hands.
“Don’t be scared, little ones. Auntie is right here with you.”
One of the staff members, seeing how tense they were, couldn’t help but offer some words of comfort.
Niu Niu was given some water to drink and said obediently: “Thank you, Auntie.”
The three little ones drank water and recharged on the subway. Mi Le pulled out the crumpled map and looked down at the station where they needed to get off, then tilted his head up to compare it with the station names on the screen above. The three little ones had been on a long flight and were really starting to get sleepy. Niu Niu rubbed her eyes after drinking and fell asleep with her head tilted to the side. Mi Le blinked hard, trying to stay awake, and pinched his thigh.
Pei Qiqi wasn’t sleepy at all, but he clearly looked tense. He was clearly uncomfortable in this environment. His brows were furrowed the whole time, his lips pressed together, his body stiff. The sight of three little ones traveling alone was so adorable that many D locals took out their phones to photograph them. Pei Qiqi was calm around the blond, blue-eyed locals. He even found it a little familiar. He had traveled to many countries with his father and had met many foreigners, so he had some experience.
After a third foreigner came up to talk to Pei Qiqi, the staff couldn’t help but whisper: “Qiqi’s English is even better than mine. He’s amazing.”
Not only did he speak good English, but he wasn’t afraid to talk to foreigners. Even though his face was tense, he was polite. Though they could also see a hint of impatience in Pei Qiqi’s eyes. The staff were amused by his cool expression. When they got off the subway, Mi Le blushed. He was supposed to be the big brother. How could he have fallen asleep?
Pei Qiqi found it strange when Mi Le apologized. He stood opposite Mi Le, looked him in the eye, and said seriously: “Big brothers don’t have to take care of everyone. You’re still little too. I can take care of you as well.”
His expression was serious. He clearly didn’t agree with Mi Le’s way of thinking. Mi Le opened his mouth, a little stunned. A moment later, the three little ones held hands again and continued their journey to find Youyou.
“Look here. After getting off the subway, we need to cross a road.”
By the flower bed, three little heads huddled together, looking up at the traffic light across the street. The little ones gathered their courage and walked to the roadside, nervously looking left and right at the passing cars. When the light turned green, Mi Le took Qiqi’s and Niu Niu’s hands, took the first step, and carefully walked across the crosswalk.
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