Chapter 38

At nine o'clock in the morning, the Children's Day performance began on time in the auditorium.

The performances were arranged from the youngest class to the oldest class, with a total of twelve classes, plus three performances by faculty and staff members and two performances by parents, for a total of seventeen programs.

It is expected to end in two and a half hours, just in time to go home after school.

The performance by the Mushroom Class took place in the middle of the class. The auditorium was as big as a football field, and each child had a parent sitting next to them.

Xu Yirou was seated with Qiao Wen and Xu Niancheng on her left and right, respectively, while Xu Qingyan was still on his way.

At the age of seventy, Qiao Wen watched a children's performance for the first time. The stage lights were colorful, turning the little ones jumping around on stage into rainbow candies.

The atmosphere at the scene was extremely lively, with parents taking photos of their children beaming with joy and diligently finding various angles to capture stunning shots.

Xu Yirou even saw several fathers in the front row lying on the ground, taking pictures with their cameras.

Xu Yirou was shocked and puzzled. Her eyes darted back and forth, and she whispered to Qiao Wen, "Mom, why is that uncle lying on the ground taking pictures? Won't he get his clothes dirty?"

Qiao Wen had seen many strange and unusual poses for young people and was already used to it. She said casually, "Probably because this angle looks good. As for the clothes, he's an adult. If his clothes get dirty, he'll just buy a new one."

Xu Yirou's small head was filled with big questions.

Then her eyes lit up, and she tugged at Xu Niancheng's sleeve: "Xiaobao, will you lie down and take pretty pictures of me when I perform later?"

Xu Niancheng glanced over there and shook her head instantly.

Although I sometimes find angles like this when taking photos for my girlfriends, I politely declined to have my picture taken in front of strangers in an auditorium.

Knowing that her cub's mother loves novelty, Xu Niancheng assured her, "Mom, trust my photography skills. Even if it's a pig, I can take a good picture of it."

Xu Yirou asked skeptically, "Really?"

"Of course!" Xu Niancheng exaggerated on purpose. "I'll make you look like you have legs that are 1.8 meters long, and give you the aura of a queen who can outshine everyone else. Aren't you excited?"

"I can't wait!" Xu Yirou asked shyly, "How long are those 1.8-meter-long legs?"

"She's a little shorter than my older brother."

"!!!" Xu Yirou's eyes almost popped out of her head in shock. She shook her head so hard she cried out, "No, no, no such long legs! I don't want to become a giant. It's so embarrassing to be naked!"

Xu Niancheng: ?

What does a giant have to do with a naked butt?

"Because once I become a giant, I won't be able to fit into my little skirt anymore, so I'll have to go around naked..."

Qiao Wen, who was listening in, couldn't help but chuckle, a faint smile involuntarily appearing on her lips.

Xu Niancheng smiled indulgently and amusedly, "Okay, okay, then I won't film the 1.8-meter-long legs anymore, I'll just film the 1-meter ones, okay?"

The little one, who had little knowledge of units of measurement, nodded obediently, unaware that a leg a meter long was considered long, which was truly extraordinary for a four-year-old.

The figure in the front row shifted, and Xu Yirou's gaze followed, before she suddenly uttered a loud exclamation:

"My goodness, that uncle has such a big butt!"

Just as the young host finished speaking, there was a two-second pause, during which her not-too-loud exclamation stood out.

The parents in the front row who had unconsciously stuck their butts out to take pictures froze, suddenly feeling a sense of unease.

Silently pulling back his butt, could he be talking about him?

He looked down awkwardly, searching for a hole.

Parents who also disregarded their image when taking photos of their children clenched their buttocks slightly, snapped a few quick shots, and then retreated blushing.

Yinyin, a beat slow to react, turned her head: "Rou Rou, where is it? Where is it?"

Xu Yirou had barely opened her mouth when Xu Niancheng quickly covered it, laughing dryly, "Hehe, Rou Rou is just talking nonsense, just talking nonsense."

Yin Yin's parents also gave an awkward laugh and manually turned their daughter's head back.

Every year, kindergartens and primary schools across the country celebrate Children's Day two to three days earlier than usual.

On this day, snacks, toys, and certificates are distributed to the children. The children don't have to attend classes or listen to lectures; they only need to watch the performances and enjoy good food, drinks, and fun.

The Children's Day performance is something that not only children look forward to, but parents look forward to as well, as every year the little ones contribute all sorts of fresh and hilarious moments.

"Xinxin, what are you doing? Stop crying. Look, none of the other children are crying," a parent from the left-hand kindergarten class called out, both amused and exasperated.

The song being played on stage is "The Waltz of Love," which is a must-sing whenever the kindergarten has a group duet performance.

Right in the center of the stage, a chubby little boy was crying loudly with his head tilted back, while his partner, a little girl, was frowning, her childish face filled with helplessness and numbness.

Occasionally, when she saw the other children dancing happily with their partners, while she had to dance the whole dance all by herself and listen to her partner, a chubby boy, crying incessantly, the girl would pout in grievance.

Waaaaah, I'm never playing with Zhang Xinxin again!

No, she can't cry, she has to be strong!

The girl sniffed and continued dancing with a pained expression.

This scene drew laughter from the adults in the audience, and many of them took out their phones to record the moment and post it online.

It quickly went viral on the Douyin platform, attracting a lot of teasing from netizens.

The consensus was: [Men are indeed disappointing regardless of age.]

Of course, all of the above is a story for another time.

When it was the next performance's turn, it was still the standard duet dance, and again one of them didn't cooperate with the other.

This time, however, the boy wasn't crying or making a fuss. Instead, he deliberately rolled around on the ground, occasionally reaching out to tease the girl in a cheeky manner.

The other children in the class were already dancing to the music, but her partner was lying on the ground, being stubborn. The girl was getting a little anxious and tried to bend down and pull her partner up.

However, the boy was too playful and refused to cooperate.

The little commotion between the two children immediately drew the attention of the audience. The boy's mother kept gesturing to him, telling him to behave and stop making a fuss.

The girl looked around nervously, then turned around and saw the boy's grinning face. She thought about how she had been looking forward to this day for a long time, to dance for her parents in her beautiful princess dress.

result……

The girl was furious, like a pufferfish, and angrily shoved the little boy who was trying to get up.

Fine, I won't jump then. Humph, she can jump really well on her own!

boy:……

The boy tried to get up again, but the dancing girl raised her righteous little fist: Get down!

Audience: Hahahahahaha.

The boy who had been beaten wanted to fight back, but found that he couldn't win, he simply couldn't win.

The little girl could easily tidy him up in the time it took to spin around; dancing didn't stop her from beating people up.

You used to ignore me, but now you can't even reach me.

This little episode from the performance was also uploaded to the website and received hundreds of thousands of likes. The first little girl was a person who endured humiliation and was tenacious, while the second little girl was a ruthless character who took revenge on the spot.

The teachers of the two classes looked at each other from afar and sighed: "So tired."

As the Mushroom Class's performance approached, Teacher Lin led a group of children backstage to wait for their turn.

Before long, twenty young bee costumes and bee scepters trembled as they walked onto the stage.

As soon as the lively and childlike music started, Teacher Lin, who was squatting under the stage guiding the children, began to move.

The stage was spacious and empty. During the rehearsal, a large number of eyes and unfamiliar faces suddenly appeared in the empty audience. Dark cameras were pointed at the stage, and the timid children were instantly frightened into not moving.

Each child pouted, tears welling in their eyes, helplessly searching for their parents in the audience.

At least she didn't run downstairs crying to her parents like the younger children, Teacher Lin comforted herself. However, no matter how hard she tried to soothe and guide her, it was all in vain.

After the first cub burst into tears, it was as if a tap had been turned on, and the other cubs, who were still holding back, could no longer hold back and burst into tears.

Teacher Lin's heart is bleeding. She specially rehearsed the performance two months in advance. If the children don't dance, won't the principal and parents think she's been lazy and hasn't taught them? TAT

I feel like we're doomed!

A bright beam of light slowly shone down, and Teacher Lin, who had given up hope, was suddenly overjoyed.

On the stage, a small figure remained unaffected by the crying around her, her bright, intelligent eyes fixed on her.

Xu Yirou followed Teacher Lin's movements earnestly, her little fist clenched like Doraemon's, her face tense.

He had a serious expression, as if he had been entrusted with a heavy responsibility and carried the hopes of the entire village.

Teacher Lin: !!

No more suspicion of slacking off or not rehearsing!

While Xu Yirou was dancing, she didn't forget to encourage her friends, her little mouth constantly opening and closing in a crisp voice to persuade them.

"Don't cry, don't cry, don't be afraid."

"Yinyin, stop crying, jump up!"

"Waaaaah, I want my mommy."

"After you jump, you can go down and find your mom." Xu Yirou peeked out and said, "Hey, Yinyin, it looks like your mom is taking pictures of you with her phone."

Yinyin took a moment to reply: "I...I know, Mom said she'd take some nice pictures of me to show Grandma."

Xu Yirou shifted to a lying position, her head facing her: "...But how can you look good when you've cried so much that snot bubbles are forming on your nose? Don't your mom take pictures of you with snot bubbles in them too?"

Yinyin sobbed, being a little girl, she was easily embarrassed: "Then I'll wipe my nose."

Do you have any tissues?

"I don't……"

Yinyin looked down at her clean little hands and suddenly realized that wiping her nose with her hands was very dirty. Her teacher had taught her to be hygienic and wash her hands frequently.

She didn't want to get herself dirty, but she didn't have any tissues.

Yin Yin's emotions, which she had finally managed to calm down, collapsed again, and tears immediately streamed down her face.

Taking advantage of the dance move where she turned her back, Xu Yirou quickly pulled a wad of white tissue from her skirt pocket and threw it at her feet.

The child's voice soothed: "Hurry up and wipe your face clean, then your mom can take some beautiful pictures of you."

Yinyin: "Thank you, Rou Rou!"

The little one carefully unfolded the crumpled tissue and gently wiped his face clean, bit by bit.

A little boy, exhausted from crying, stopped and asked, "Sweetie, do you have any more tissues?"

"No," Xu Yirou replied in a childish voice, "This is what I used up after pooping this morning."

"Waaah, my snot tastes so salty, I don't want to eat anymore," the little boy cried in despair.

Hey, yue~

Xu Yirou doesn't like eating weird snacks and instinctively feels a little disgusted, but she still helps to come up with an idea: "If you don't cry, you won't have a runny nose."

"I... Waaah, I can't help it."

Some cubs have well-developed tear ducts and weak self-control; once they start crying, they can't stop and need a long time to calm down.

Xu Yirou, quick-witted, invited Xiaodouding and Yinyin to jump up together.

It's so tiring for her to carry the hopes of the entire Mushroom Class on her shoulders. All the adults are watching them, and she feels embarrassed.

"Yinyin, your face is so clean now, you'll definitely look beautiful in photos." She turned to coax the little one.

Yinyin was delighted to hear her say that, and her mood relaxed considerably.

She was still a little scared, but in order to keep her good friend company, the cub bravely followed behind, slacking off and playing around.

Teacher Lin: Good, good, good, two more have moved!

His career is still full of hope.

Finally, the Mushroom Class's performance was over. Teacher Lin, drenched in sweat, took a breath and could finally rest her toes, which she had been picking at for five whole minutes.

The children from the Mushroom Class rushed down and, crying, ran into their parents' arms.

Xu Yirou: "Mom! Did I dance well?"

Qiao Wen's eyes were brimming with pride and tenderness: "Very good, the meat is great."

"Yay! Yay! Yay!"

"Little Bao, Little Bao, did you take some nice photos for me?"

Yes, look.

Xu Niancheng held the cub's mother on her lap and looked through the photos one by one with a smile.

Panoramic and close-up headshots, candid shots from all angles are available.

"Oh dear." Xu Yirou cupped her face in her small, soft hands, swaying her short, chuckled foolishly, "So I'm this pretty, hehe."

Xu Niancheng deliberately widened her eyes, feigning surprise: "Huh, Mom, you only just realized? This little cutie doesn't even know she's a pretty and adorable little one. It seems your self-awareness is far from sufficient."

"It was our oversight; we didn't do a good enough job of praising them."

"Mom, from now on, I'll praise you from every angle every single day." Xu Niancheng smiled broadly. "Mom, you're so smart, brave, and strong, with a round head, a round belly, big eyes, and a small mouth—"

Xu Yirou blushed as she was praised, her bright and clear eyes blinking.

Turning her back and sticking out her feet, she said, "Okay, okay, that's enough."

The children's performance concluded successfully at 11:30 a.m., and the classes left the stage in order. Xu Qingyan stood under the tree like a beautiful and aloof statue.

The first person Xu Yirou and her group saw when they came out was him.

He walked over: "Your Majesty."

Xu Yirou shook her head unhappily: "Dabao, you're so late, the performance is already over."

Chou Da Bao clearly promised to come and watch her performance.

Seeing that the cub's mother was angry, Xu Qingyan chuckled softly and said in a low voice, "Mom, I arrived before your performance, I just didn't get a seat in the front."

He stood in the last row to watch and took many photos.

"Look if you don't believe me." Xu Qingyan took out his phone, opened the photo album, and showed it to him. "Isn't that you in the photo?"

Xu Yirou leaned closer with a stern face and gave a sharp critique: "Da Bao, your photos aren't as good as Xiao Bao's. You need to practice more."

Xu Qingyan gave a helpless yet tolerant assurance: "Yes, Your Majesty, I will try my best."

Xu Yirou was flipping through the pages when she suddenly stopped: "Hey, Da Bao, you even took pictures of the bubbles."

Xu Qingyan replied calmly, "Yes, I just took a picture."

Xu Yirou was stunned for a moment, then slowly wrinkled her little nose, and suddenly angrily swung her little hand and slapped his bottom twice.

Xu Qingyan was wearing crisp suit trousers, so her small slaps did no harm to him at all; they were as light as a tickle.

However, Xu Qingyan was caught off guard by the situation of being spanked in public by the cub's mother.

Xu Qingyan frowned slightly, looking quite puzzled.

Xu Niancheng and Qiao Wen: 0.0

Baby's mother: "Dabao, you can't just say 'by the way.' Bubble calls you Dabao's dad, so you're her dad. Bubble is our family. You have to treat your family seriously, understand?"

It turned out that his mother had taken his casual remark seriously.

Xu Qingyan realized his mistake and suddenly understood that what he had said earlier was inappropriate. He didn't care that his sister and grandmother were present and his attitude of admitting his mistake was very sincere.

He looked down to examine Xu Yirou's hands and asked, "Mom, does your hand hurt?"

Xu Niancheng: ...He, I really cried my eyes out!

"It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt." I didn't feel anything when I was angry, but now my palms and fingers are slightly numb and tingling as soon as I finish speaking.

Xu Yirou's upturned lips drooped halfway down, and two pitiful tears fell from her eyes.

Her chubby little mouth trembled: "It hurts a little, ouch."

How could it not hurt? Her fingertips were all red from slapping. Xu Qingyan chuckled to herself, thinking that her mother must have used all her strength to slap her.

It's because he's thick-skinned and tough.

Xu Niancheng took out more than a dozen candies from her bag: "Mom, do you want some candy? I brought several different flavors of candy."

It was her mother's first time performing on stage, and she was worried that her daughter would get stage fright, so she specially prepared a bag of candy to coax her.

To my delight, Mom's performance on stage was unexpectedly fantastic. I had thought Candy White had prepared something, but I never imagined it would come in so useful.

"I want the lychee flavor!"

"Okay, here you go."

With candy in her mouth and no worries in her heart, Xu Yirou revealed a satisfied and sweet smile, completely forgetting the slight pain in her finger.

The children and parents of the Little Bear Class gradually left, and Bubble, with sharp eyes, grabbed her camera and ran straight away, her little braids flying in the air.

Jiang Yan, in her high heels, strode quickly after her.

The little girl was like a puppy smelling a meat bun the moment she saw her great-grandmother; she almost couldn't catch up with her.

Bubble politely greeted everyone, then opened the camera to show off: "Meatball, my mom took a lot of pictures of me. Look how cool this one is!"

Xu Yirou praised him lavishly without reservation.

"Oh, by the way, my son Dabao took a picture of you too, Bubble." She didn't hesitate to betray her son, "Dabao, quickly show the photo to Bubble."

Bubble smiled brightly and said, "I know, Da Bao's dad stood in the back watching the performance the whole time. When the other children were performing, he didn't move like a little turtle. But when it was your turn to perform, he secretly kept taking pictures."

She put her hands on her hips and said, "My mom says that people like Da Bao's dad are called 'secretly sexy'!"

"..."

Jiang Yan, who desperately wants to minimize her presence: Another day of being betrayed by her beloved daughter.

Xu Qingyan raised an eyebrow, casting a half-smile at him.

Jiang Yan turned her head away without changing her expression, refusing to answer.

In the mind of the young Xu Yirou, "闷骚" (mèn sāo) was automatically interpreted as a sullen male fox spirit.

"My wife is right," Xu Yirou agreed, her mind simple and innocent. "Da Bao is just a quiet, sly fox spirit~"

"Da Bao, quickly thank your wife, the goose wife said you're as beautiful as a fox spirit."

—A startling statement.

Not only the adults, but even Bubble, who uttered the words "reservedly flirtatious," was stunned.

Is that what her mother meant?

She racked her brains but couldn't figure out how the repressed pervert and the male vixen were connected.

"It's very simple, Bubble. Last time we watched a drama together, a naughty older sister praised the female lead as a flirtatious vixen who is the best at seducing people. The female lead is so beautiful, the naughty older sister must be envious of her."

"So, the term 'seductive vixen' is used specifically to compliment someone's beauty; beauty means good-looking."

Therefore, she simply and directly breaks down the meaning of "repressed flirtatiousness".

It's outrageous, but there's a grain of truth to it.

"Thank you for your compliment." Xu Qingyan turned to Jiang Yan and thanked her frankly, "It's very unique."

Jiang Yan quickly adjusted her expression and responded calmly without losing face: "You're welcome."

The conversation didn't end there. Xu Qingyan continued, "Tomorrow is Children's Day, which happens to be Saturday. Shall we take the kids out for a walk?"

"Mommy, I want to see Yangyang! I haven't seen Yangyang for one, two, three, four, five, or six days!"

Meimei and Yangyang cannot be raised separately. Since they were sent to the Xu family for foster care last time, they have not been brought back to the Jiang family.

Xu Yirou said what her son wanted to say, and she felt that her son was much smarter than before and was no longer a blockhead.