Chapter 72 This is Long Aotian's truly happy hometown...
In fact, he had known all along that Ji Zhi Qiu had lost the relevant memories.
Initially, he thought Ji Zhi Qiu was just maintaining a facade of respectability by pretending to be a stranger, but his eyes and subconscious reactions during their time together couldn't lie.
They met in autumn, carrying a special aura. Every autumn, he would uncontrollably fantasize about their reunion, but little did he expect it to be the most unlikely one.
When those unpleasant past events become a blank, it is both a reunion and a new beginning. Isn't this the best gift that fate can give us?
But this doesn't mean that nothing of the past happened. Only when he approached with ill intentions, carrying his memories, and watched Ji Zhi Qiu go against his past wishes and treat him with a completely different attitude, Lu Yu Nian felt that he was despicable and dark.
At first, he simply saw that Ji Zhi Qiu was in trouble and couldn't help but want to help him. Later, he tried to stay away, but he was defeated by his ever-expanding desires.
He wanted to get closer, he wanted to help, he wanted to see Ji Zhi Qiu get better and better, and he wanted to be the one by his side.
He doesn't care whether someone is a fan or a friend.
This beautiful dream, woven from self-deception, shattered when he was least prepared and most hopeful.
Whether it's the fans "Yu Nian" or the "Lu Yu Nian" who's recording the variety show, they all restrained themselves and stayed in their proper places.
Only his true identity, under the guise of affection, was revealed as the mastermind plotting to get closer.
Did Ji Zhi Qiu regain her memories, which is why she asked him that question?
Lu Yu Nian's thoughts were pulled back to four years ago. Everything was like a dream he could never wake up from, and he was drowning in the deepest part of the ocean, only able to watch helplessly as the light above him receded further and further away.
Lu Yu Nian subconsciously let go, allowing himself to fall deeper, but the moment his hand fell, his wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Ji Zhi Qiu swayed gently, her brows furrowing slightly, and moved even closer to see his expression more clearly.
"Are you alright?" he asked with concern.
Lu Yu Nian blinked very slowly, as if it were not a real feeling. "Why, why did you ask that?"
Ji Zhi Qiu was even more confused, her eyes blank. "What did I ask... Oh right, I wanted to ask if you like children that much? During the live stream, you were able to find me even in such a cold section. After the variety show started, you quickly participated in the recording. Isn't it just because you like children?"
After saying that, she vaguely sensed something was wrong. "Is there a problem? Why do you look so pale? Your lips are bloodless. Did I say something wrong?"
Ji Zhi Qiu pursed his lips nervously. Although he couldn't guess the hidden story behind it, he vaguely felt that he had touched a sore spot for Lu Yu Nian.
Lu Yu Nian likes raising children so much... Could it be that he had a child before who died due to some problem? Or did a childhood friend suddenly leave him?
Just as his thoughts were wandering, he heard Lu Yu Nian's dry voice, "I'm fine, I just have low blood sugar."
Ji Zhi Qiu never imagined that hypoglycemia could be so serious. Lu Yu Nian seemed to have just been on the verge of death. His tall body staggered a couple of times and he could no longer stand steadily.
He quickly went over, and Lu Yu Nian's weight pressed down on him. In order to stabilize himself, Ji Zhi Qiu changed his position, letting Lu Yu Nian's head rest in the crook of his neck, and reached out to support his shoulders.
"Don't try to tough it out. Is it too late to eat some candy now? Do you want me to call an ambulance for you?"
Lu Yu Nian stood up with some difficulty, looked down at him, her eyes wet, like a pitiful wounded beast. "I'm sorry for making you worry. I'll just have a piece of candy."
Ji Zhi Qiu has three little ones and always carries candy with her. She immediately took it out of her pocket and handed it to Lu Yu Nian.
Lu Yu Nian didn't take it, but just stared at him without blinking. Ji Zhi Qiu instantly understood, tore open the candy wrapper, and put it to Lu Yu Nian's lips.
Lu Yunian then slowly opened his mouth, took a corner of the candy, put it in his mouth, and closed his eyes to rest.
Ji Zhi Qiu stayed with him worriedly. Fortunately, Lu Yu Nian's complexion and condition were getting better and better. After eating a piece of candy, he was able to stand up steadily and was no different from usual.
Ji Zhi Qiu breathed a sigh of relief. "Didn't we just finish dinner? How come you have low blood sugar? Have you had this problem before?"
Lu Yu Nian said calmly, "This kind of situation happens occasionally, don't worry, it's nothing serious."
Ji Zhi Qiu, blinded by concern, spoke sternly, "Since you know this, why don't you carry candy with you? If I hadn't been here today, do you know how serious the consequences would have been?!"
Lu Yu Nian didn't speak, but blinked. His expression didn't change much, but it inexplicably revealed a hint of pitifulness and a sense of grievance.
This might be due to his overthinking, but Ji Zhi Qiu still felt guilty instantly.
Lu Yu Nian was, after all, a patient, and being blamed when he was feeling most unwell would upset anyone.
Thinking of Lu Yunian's help to him along the way, Ji Zhi Qiu immediately said, "It's okay, I always carry candy with me. Come find me if you feel unwell in the future."
"Is any time fine?"
Ji Zhi Qiu joked, "Of course, as long as you still have the strength, you can shake me awake in the middle of the night."
Lu Yunian responded softly, calmly looking at the sea, as if he hadn't taken the words to heart.
Ji Zhi Qiu simply sat down next to him and watched the sea with him.
He was a person who got bored easily, but sitting here quietly at this moment, his breathing and heartbeat blending with the waves, he didn't feel the passage of time or the unbearable feeling.
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Yu Nian stood up. Ji Zhi Qiu sensed his movement, looked up at him, and asked with her eyes.
Lu Yunian simply chuckled and extended his hand to him.
Ji Zhi Qiu instinctively grasped him; his knuckles were strong and protruding, easily pulling him up, proving that Lu Yu Nian had indeed recovered.
"It's getting late, let's go back."
Ji Zhi Qiu nodded, though she tried her best to restrain herself, she couldn't hide the anticipation in her eyes. "Are you only recording this episode? Or will you still be coming next time?"
Do you want me to come?
Ji Zhi Qiu did not avoid his gaze, appearing exceptionally sincere and enthusiastic, "Of course I hope so! You are like a friend I've known for a long time. Even without your help, I feel very at ease with you by my side."
To keep him, Ji Zhi Qiu deliberately acted weak, saying, "Although my three kids are very cute and I love them very much, they are actually quite difficult to take care of. Sometimes I really feel overwhelmed by them."
Ji Zhi Qiu covered her chest with her hand, sniffed dramatically, and collapsed weakly forward.
He was only pretending briefly, already prepared to stand firm, but Lu Yu Nian took the initiative to support his shoulder, letting him lean his weight against her chest. "Didn't you ask me a question just now?"
Ji Zhi Qiu didn't understand the subtext and looked at him with confusion.
"You just asked me if I like it that much."
"Yes, I like it very much. Since I like it so much, of course I will stay."
Ji Zhi Qiu finally breathed a sigh of relief and stood up naturally.
Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't help but complain, "The director is so wicked, he has so many tricks up his sleeve. I wonder what the recording location and theme will be for the next episode, and how he's going to mess with us."
As they walked back, they discussed and guessed, and actually came up with a few plausible ideas. Unfortunately, the production team didn't give them any hints, so it was difficult for them to be prepared.
****
After a good night's sleep, the recording of the third episode was coming to an end. Ji Zhi Qiu and her three children bid farewell to the fans in the live broadcast room in a generous manner.
[Waaaaah, goodbye to my cybernetic wife and baby.]
【Qiuqiu, why are you smiling so happily? Aren't you sad at all that you won't see me for the next three days?】
Even if we take a step back and say you'll never see your future husband, you still won't be able to.
[Wait...Are you sure we won't see them? After their deep conversation last night behind our backs, the atmosphere has clearly changed!]
I admire you CP fans the most; you always manage to imagine so many sweet moments.
After the live broadcast ended, they boarded a plane back home. Ji Zhi Qiu also learned that Lu Yu Nian's city was not far from them, only a two-hour drive away.
He only rested for three days and had no intention of disturbing Lu Yu Nian. After saying goodbye, he slept soundly on the plane until his feet touched solid ground again, and he felt dizzy.
Ji Yanyan nestled obediently in his arms, like a solid glutinous rice ball, her fair and tender cheeks flushed with the rosy glow of sleep, and there were suspicious water stains at the corners of her mouth.
Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng also slept for a long time, and the aftereffects were obvious. They were slow to wake up, and the four of them drifted home like wandering souls.
The four cats in the house had been waiting for a long time and politely welcomed them, jumping into Ji Zhi Qiu's arms to rub against and snuggle.
Ji Zhi Qiu helped them refill their water and food supplies, sent Lu Yu Nian a text message to let him know they were safe, and then collapsed onto the bed.
...
Rest time is always short. Ji Zhi Qiu barely went downstairs for the past three days. He spent his days cuddling with the cats and babies, and his nights playing games with Lu Yu Nian. Before he could even catch his breath, he had to start recording the next episode of the variety show.
The production team remained mysterious, but the passports and the time spent on the road indicated that their filming location was abroad. Ji Zhi Qiu kept recalling his broken English along the way, but unfortunately, he could only remember a few words.
The production team was even more cunning than he had imagined. After the plane landed and Ji Zhi Qiu got into the car, the staff quietly approached, blindfolded him with a black cloth, and said in a voice changer used by the mastermind behind the scenes: "If you still want to see your three children, you'd better behave!"
Ji Zhi Qiu was stunned for a moment, then asked, "You guys are really carefree. The children are very young. Are you sure they won't cry and make a fuss when they're separated from their parents?"
Staff: "..."
Faced with the parents' accusations, he instinctively explained, "No, we... Don't worry about it, don't forget your lives are in my hands!"
Ji Zhi Qiu remained silent for a few seconds, his lips twitching uncontrollably. Everyone thought he was going crazy with anxiety, but unexpectedly, he finally burst out laughing.
If they were normal children, their parents would naturally worry, but his three little devils are little villains!
Whoever takes care of them will be exhausted. Ji Zhi Qiu thought of the way she came and suddenly felt a sense of exhilaration that she could drag everyone down with her. She stretched comfortably and put her arms behind her head. "It's okay, just walk slowly. I'm not in a hurry at all."
Production team: ? ? ?
The viewers in the live stream?
[Hahaha, he's definitely my dad.]
Ji Zhi Qiu had a kind of crazy feeling, like he'd finally been liberated.
[This isn't good. The youngest is only three years old. He'll be so scared if he can't see his dad that he'll cry loudly.]
Uh, why don't you watch the live stream first?
Ji Zhi Qiu seemed to hear everyone's thoughts and sighed, "To be honest, I'm the only honest person in the family, and the easiest to bully. I advise the program... no, esteemed mastermind behind the scenes, to be mentally prepared. Don't blame me for not warning you."
The staff member playing the mastermind instinctively wanted to ask for the reason, but remembering the director's instructions, he forcibly held back.
"Stop talking nonsense and stop spreading alarmist rumors. I won't fall for your tricks."
Ji Zhi Qiu raised an eyebrow and asked, "How long will this part take? Could you find me a scenic spot? I'd like to enjoy it while drinking tea."
"..." The crew almost couldn't keep up the act. "What about your three little ones?"
Ji Zhi Qiu shrugged. "Let them come to me."
The staff fell silent, while the viewers in the live stream laughed loudly.
Ji Zhi Qiu has always been abstract and quick-witted. Although the three kids looked a bit different in front of the camera, they didn't show any villainous potential. No one took Ji Zhi Qiu's words seriously, thinking he was just playing mind games with the staff and creating a good live broadcast effect.
Ji Zhi Qiu didn't explain further. With three villainous offspring, he rarely had such free time, and he was enjoying it so much that he almost hummed a song.
Unfortunately, happy times are always short-lived. The car soon stopped, and Ji Zhi Qiu was reluctantly escorted out.
"You two stay here quietly!"
Although Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't see, he heard the sound of chains clanging and also caught the key words.
The two of you?
Ji Zhi Qiu had a rough idea: "Qi Zheng, is that you?"
"No, it's me." Lu Yu Nian paused, then asked, "Are you disappointed knowing it's me?"
His response was Ji Zhi Qiu's expression. Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't wait to take off her blindfold and looked at Lu Yu Nian with surprise, "Great, it's you. I feel relieved to have you with me."
"After all, we're rescuing children, and you're all alone. We have different goals, so we probably won't be locked up together. As for Qi Zheng, I guess the production team is worried that he won't be able to save his own sister, which is why they asked me to take care of him."
[Wen Qizheng: ??? What, am I also part of your play?]
[If you're showing off your love, just show it off. Why drag poor single people into this? *doge emoji*]
[Hahaha, why are you speaking such obvious truths?]
However, Wen Qizheng, this older brother, has always been unreliable; he's practically a completely different kid.
I really like Qianhua, Qiuqiu, could you please bring Wen Qizheng along? I really don't think he can handle it on his own, lol.
Ji Zhi Qiu chatted with Lu Yu Nian for a few minutes, then focused on the important matter at hand: figuring out a way to get out of the iron cage.
He tried pushing the door, but the lock wouldn't budge. They then looked for other clues, but unfortunately, the iron cage was right in the middle, and they couldn't find a single thing, let alone a key.
Ji Zhi Qiu frowned and thought for a while, even checking the floor, and confirmed that there was no way to get out.
The viewers in the live stream had seen plenty of these kinds of variety shows and had learned some of the tricks, but the program's setup was unexpected, leaving almost everyone confused.
Since all other methods have failed, the simplest and most direct approach remains.
Ji Zhi Qiu and Lu Yu Nian exchanged a glance, took a deep breath, and slammed heavily against the door, which opened the tightly locked door.
Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't help but roll her eyes. "This chain is only fastened, not locked at all, but it's quite tight and can't be pushed open. This perfectly exploits our blind spot, causing us to waste time on some unnecessary steps."
Seeing Ji Zhi Qiu's frustrated expression, Lu Yu Nian comforted him, "Going against the grain is something most people wouldn't expect."
The live stream was filled with question marks, with people even greeting the director in surprise. Ji Zhi Qiu had already gone to explore other maps, while the other three groups of guests were still wandering around in the iron cage like trapped beasts.
The show's unconventional approach wasn't limited to this. Most people, after leaving the iron cage, would subconsciously feel that they had escaped restrictions and constraints and were about to face new difficulties. Little did they know that this was a cage within a cage. They were trapped in a tightly sealed room with no windows or doors, and very low visibility, barely able to see anything.
Ji Zhi Qiu asked in bewilderment, "Does the director think we have superpowers, like being able to fly or disappear into the ground? Otherwise, how could we have escaped?"
Lu Yunian did not answer, but frowned and looked ahead. Ji Zhi Qiu, receiving the hint, also subconsciously looked over.
Beyond three steps, nothing could be seen; the darkness stretched upwards into the distance.
“We are indeed surrounded by a sealed environment,” Lu Yu Nian said, voicing his suspicions.
Ji Zhi Qiu's eyes lit up, and she immediately understood, "But the space we are in is not enclosed."
The two exchanged a glance, nodded in perfect unison, and walked around the wall.
The live stream chat was flooded with question marks.
What's the difference between these two sentences?
My head hurts so much, my IQ is completely dead.
I suspect there's a mechanism hidden in one of the walls, with a concealed door.
[I guessed so, but the room was completely empty. Where were the password and the mechanism?]
All the guesses were wrong. Ji Zhi Qiu and Lu Yu Nian's inspection tour was actually a gamble that the director would be soft-hearted and give them some help. As it turned out, this man was as hard as iron.
Ji Zhi Qiu shook his head. He thought this challenge would test his intelligence, but it turned out to be all about physical strength.
Lu Yu Nian comforted him, "It's okay, you step on my hand, I..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ji Zhi Qiu touched the smooth wall, his eyes changed, and without any leverage, he leaped high. Just before he hit the ground, his fingertips touched the rough woven material, and he instinctively grabbed it.
It was a rope. Ji Zhi Qiu was overjoyed and used it to climb up.
Sure enough, the surroundings were sealed off, but the space itself wasn't. The wall and ceiling weren't connected; it was just that the visibility was too low, and the Dark Gang "they" were linked together.
Ji Zhi Qiu threw the rope down. "We wronged the director, no, the mastermind. He still left us some props."
Lu Yu Nian: "..."
He looked at Ji Zhi Qiu, who was climbing the wall with ease and cheerful demeanor, then looked at his own hands, which suddenly became weak without any preparation. "Can you help me up? My hands hurt, and I can't hold the rope."
Good friends should help each other. Ji Zhi Qiu had no doubts and immediately reached out her hand, "Hold on tight, I'll pull you up."
Lu Yu Nian's hands were larger than Ji Zhi Qiu's, with strong knuckles. Even though Ji Zhi Qiu was pulling him, Lu Yu Nian could almost cover the back of Ji Zhi Qiu's hand with his fingers spread out.
Lu Yu Nian was taller and bigger than him. Ji Zhi Qiu was prepared to use all his strength, but he didn't expect that with a gentle pull, Lu Yu Nian was already on the wall. However, he couldn't resist the inertia and fell on top of him.
Ji Zhi Qiu propped herself up on the ground, half-lying against the wall, adjusting her breathing as she waited for Lu Yu Nian to stand up.
"You're lighter than I thought." Ji Zhi Qiu looked at her hands and suddenly grinned foolishly. "Or am I just incredibly strong, a hidden weightlifting expert?"
Lu Yu Nian smiled and simply said, "Thank you."
"It's okay, you can rest here for a while if you're tired."
Lu Yu Nian stood up and sat down next to Ji Zhi Qiu. "Isn't this a bad idea? The three children are still waiting for us to save him."
Ji Zhi Qiu knew the three minor villains best and already had a picture in her mind. She was amused and laughed out loud, "No, none of them will be afraid of not seeing me and being locked up."
Ji Zhi Qiu looked around for cameras and kindly reminded him, "Si Cheng is the only one who will cooperate with you and wait obediently to be rescued, but the premise is that you have to prepare the books he wants to read. Don't make him wait too long, or you will have to bear the consequences."
Lu Yu chuckled and asked, "What about Yan Yan? He's so young, isn't he afraid?"
“He won’t be afraid,” Ji Zhi Qiu said meaningfully. “On the contrary, he’ll be very excited. By the way, have you ever seen a house being torn apart?”
Lu Yu Nian: ?
Ji Zhi Qiu slowly shook her head, showing rare concern for the director, "Judging from the timeline, they've already finished all that work."
...
As it turns out, Ji Zhi Qiu is indeed a loving father, with a biased view of his own child. At least the "tear-down house" was just messy and destructive, but Ji Yan Yan turned into a "pig digging the ground," leaving nothing but desolation in her wake.
After Ji Yanyan finished fussing, she finally looked up, her eyes unusually bright and her cheeks flushed.
As an overpowered protagonist, how could he possibly refuse a place that is both dangerous and adventurous!
This is his happy hometown!
Ji Yanyan suddenly remembered his father's words, "Is this something I can play without spending money?" He felt that it made a lot of sense and cherished it even more.
There were some places that didn't need to be checked, but he still searched through them from beginning to end and finally walked straight to the iron cage.
There were some problems with the props; there weren't enough iron railings, and there was a small empty space in the corner. The director risked being cyberbullied for scaring children, so he put some relatively scary dolls there, confident that any child would avoid them.
But he encountered Ji Long Aotian Yan Yan.
Ji Yanyan happily plunged into the sea of dolls, hugging each one in his arms. He lay on the ground, opened his eyes, and found a round hole in front of him, so he naturally crawled through it. When he came to his senses, he was already standing outside the iron cage.
Ji Yanyan scratched his head, not quite understanding how he got out, but that didn't dampen his good mood. He looked at the pitch-black corridor ahead, which seemed like a monster could jump out from the corner at any moment, his eyes reddening, and he was so excited that he almost cried.
He knew it! A divine intervention... What was that saying again? He couldn't remember, but anyway, he was the chosen one, and Yan Yan's adventure had finally begun!
Ji Yanyan strode forward with great pride, so happy that he had completely forgotten about his father, let alone waiting to be rescued.
Production team: ? ? ?
Viewers in the live stream: ? ? ?
Uh... ah... um... hiss...
The director is getting on in years; I suggest we prepare some nitroglycerin pills for him. I'm really worried he won't make it through.
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