CHAPTER 74: HASHTAGS

Cameras captured every moment of the cozy, domestic scene.

It was warm, soft, tender.

And Director Tang, watching from the monitor, clasped his chest.

"...This is gold. This is the warmest reality show moment I’ve ever filmed."

.

.

.

The next morning, before the sun even bothered to climb out from behind the city’s skyline, the filming location was already buzzing with the quiet excitement of adults with too much coffee and too little sleep.

Director Tang crept down the hallway like a thief who had trained specifically to ambush children.

Beside him, Cameraman Xiao Guo carried his equipment with the solemn dignity of a soldier heading into battle.

Their mission today was to catch the noble son looking like disheveled little gremlins first thing in the morning.

The show’s name was "Little Masters Daily Life," after all, if they couldn’t capture the "little" part, then what was the point?

Director Tang rubbed his hands together gleefully.

"Today’s the day," he whispered conspiratorially, eyes gleaming. "We’ll finally catch them off guard. Just imagine the headlines—

’Young Aristocrats Caught Drooling in Their Sleep!’

’Stoic Family’s Heir Snores Like a Piglet!’

’The Future of the Nation’s Elite... is very questionable.’

Perfect!"

Cameraman Xiao Guo snorted. "Director, you sound a little too happy."

"I have suffered deeply," Director Tang whispered gravely. "Do you know how many child stars we’ve filmed? They always wake up cute. Always. I need ONE ugly shot. Just one. For my mental health."

Xiao Guo patted his back sympathetically. "Today, Director. Today we’ll definitely get some."

With stealth that would’ve made ninjas jealous, they approached Room 102, assigned to Chi Yuanying, Zhu Ling, Chi Huaijin, and Liang Lingzhi.

But the end of the mission in Room 102 was a failure.

Director Tang signaled for silence as the cameraman cracked open the door.

Light slipped in.

And—

Three pairs of bright, refreshed eyes turned toward them.

Three little faces were washed, toothbrushed, hair styled neatly, clothes crisp, and beamed perfect morning smiles like professional models at a toothpaste commercial.

"Good morning, Director Tang. Good morning, Uncle Cameraman," Yuanying greeted politely, hands tucked behind her back like a perfect noble young mistress receiving guests.

Zhu Ling, a child actor who was already associated with the show, chimed in with a mischievous grin. "We’ve already made our beds~"

Liang Lingzhi had even placed a vase of hotel flowers on their dresser, looking like a decorative set piece in a period drama.

Director Tang: "..."

Cameraman Xiao Guo: "..."

It felt like the children were mocking them.

No, scratch that, the kids were really mocking them.

The trio exchanged smug glances that practically screamed:

’Hehe, you thought we’d fall for a rookie trap? We are well-trained little aristocrats, thank you.’

Director Tang closed the door slowly... painfully... like a man closing the coffin lid on his own dreams.

"Don’t be discouraged, Director..." Xiao Guo whispered carefully.

Director Tang inhaled sharply. "Let’s go to the Room. 103."

Room 103 was assigned to the boys, Mu Yansheng and Chen Mo, a little princeling from the Chen clan, a ten-year-old who carried himself like a retired emperor.

Director Tang pushed the door open dramatically.

Only to find—

Mu Yuansheng was sitting cross-legged like a little monk, doing morning breathing exercises as if he were welcoming the sunrise.

The other 10-year-old noble child sat at the table, sipping warm water from a porcelain cup he had brought from home. A real porcelain cup. Who brings porcelain cups to a filming dorm?

Both boys looked up with the calm eyes of men who had seen through the world’s mortal illusions.

"Good morning, Director Tang."

"It is early. Please take care not to slip on the hallway floors."

Director Tang: "......"

He staggered out.

Cameraman Xiao Guo whispered, "We can... still try Room 104."

Director Tang clenched his fists dramatically.

"Yes. The smallest ones. Su Mingtong and Chi Huaijin. They are only six. So they must be the easiest target."

Xiao Guo nodded firmly.

"They are still cute babies! Babies always sleep late. Science says so."

"Or at least she’ll have bed hair," Director Tang muttered desperately.

"The youngest are always the most chaotic," Xiao Guo said with conviction.

They marched toward Room 104 with renewed hope.

They should not have been hopeful.

When they reached the door, Director Tang signaled for absolute stealth.

Xiao Guo turned down the brightness of the camera screen.

The mics were muted.

’Sneaaak... sneaaaak... click.’

The door opened without a sound.

Inside—

The room was quiet and peaceful.

The gentle early morning sun filtered through the curtains in soft golden threads. It seemed that Su Mingtong was already awake, but he kept silent as if something would be disturbed if he made a noise.

Indeed, there was a small figure lying curled up on the bed like a tiny dumpling.

It was none other than Chi Huaijin, the six-year-old they wanted to trick.

Small, soft, and adorable Huaijin, who had gone to sleep last night hugging a cat plushie the size of her entire torso.

Her black hair spread in fluffy waves over her pillow.

Her cheeks looked like freshly steamed buns, so round and soft that one look made grown adults want to poke them.

Her lips were parted slightly, breathing calm little puffs.

A faint smile curved her lips, like she was having the sweetest dream.

Director Tang and Xiao Guo froze.

They had expected a little zombie; instead, they found a sleeping fairy.

Director Tang mouthed silently:

"...she’s too cute..."

Xiao Guo nodded vigorously:

"...we can’t ruin her sleep..."

But professionalism still won. Xiao Guo zoomed in slightly.

Just then—

Huaijin’s eyebrow twitched.

Her little nose scrunched.

She mumbled something adorably incomprehensible—

"...marshmellow... cloud... want more..."

Director Tang almost died.

SHE WAS DREAMING OF DESSERTS??? DESSERTS!!!

Xiao Guo whispered, "Director... this is gold."

Director Tang nodded, trembling. "Yes... Yes, it is...!"

And then it happened.

Someone, maybe it was fate, maybe it was the ghost of his doomed expectations, accidentally brushed against the bed frame.

"Thud."

Huaijin jolted as her body lifted slightly like a startled kitten.

Then she blinked once, twice. Her big, watery morning eyes stared directly into the camera. Her cheeks were still full and squishy.

Then she noticed the two adults kneeling beside her bed like suspicious stalkers.

For two seconds, she simply stared.

Then—

A tiny, soft yawn escaped her.

She rubbed her eyes with her tiny fists.

And... She smiled.

A sweet, pure, completely genuine morning smile that hit the two grown men like a nuclear bomb of cuteness.

"Good morning, everyone," she said in her soft, milky voice.

Director Tang’s soul left his body.

Cameraman Xiao Guo’s hands shook so much the camera wobbled.

It was over.

They had failed to capture these kids’ embarrassing footage.

They had, instead, accidentally filmed a national treasure waking up like an angel descending from the heavens.

Huaijin didn’t even know what was going on. So her smile was real, and her voice was soft, eyes warm and trusting.

She was still half-asleep, still clutching her cat plushie, unaware that she was piercing thousands of hearts through a lens.

Director Tang screamed internally:

’I’m dead. I’m completely dead. This child is too powerful. Even if I lived ten more lifetimes, I could never defeat her!’

Cameraman Xiao Guo also smiled internally while keeping a calm facade outside:

’This is no ordinary child. This is a tiny sovereign descending upon peasants.’

Netizens Later, When the Clip Was Uploaded:

Netizen A: WHO. LET. THIS. ANGEL. BE. BORN?!

Netizen B: I was NOT ready for this. My heart just grew a garden of flowers.

Netizen C:

Look at her morning face!!! The cheeks!!! The yawn!!! I’m suing for emotional damage.

Netizen D: She said "good morning" like she was personally blessing the nation.

Netizen E: Director Tang woke her up. Arrest him!!!

Netizen F: I volunteer as her lifelong protector. I’ll fight anyone.

Netizen G: Her dream was about desserts!!! MY BABY...!!! ToT

Within an hour, Huaijin had ten new trending hashtags:

#MorningFairyHuaijin

#HuaijinCutestInTheUniverse

#GoodMorningAngel

#ProtectHuaijinAtAllCosts

#DirectorTangWeNeedToTalk

#CaughtOffGuardButStillCute

#NaturalBeautyAtSix

#OurNationalDaughter

#LittleCatPrincess

#SheWokeUpAndICollapsed

Every news outlet replayed the moment on a loop.

Memes began to surface instantly.

Meanwhile, on Set:

Director Tang still knelt beside the bed, completely motionless.

Huaijin blinked at him.

"Um... Uncle Tang? Are you okay?"

Director Tang nodded dumbly. He wasn’t okay. He would never be okay again.

"You... you can... Go back to sleep," he stuttered, voice trembling. "Or... don’t? Or... whatever you want..."

Huaijin tilted her head cutely. "But I’m awake now."

That sentence alone took Director Tang’s last HP.

Cameraman Xiao Guo was wiping tears from his eyes, emotional tears.

Xiao Guo whispered, "Little Miss... can you... smile again?"

Huaijin thought for a moment.

Then she smiled again, a big, bright, cheerful smile.

Director Tang fainted inside.

Yuanying rushed in first, followed by Chen Mo, Mu Yansheng, Liang Lingzhi, and others.

"Has Huaijin—"

Yuanying froze. Her jaw almost dropped to the ground.

"WHAT DID YOU TWO DO TO HER?!"