CHAPTER 78: FIELD TRIP

One by one, the children lined up.

Or rather—

They attempted to line up.

However, Mo Chen and Yuanying were wrestling over a snack pouch. At the same time, Liang Lingzhi was trying to pose like a noble young miss, dramatically.

Mu Yansheng was attempting to reorganise everyone in height order, while Chi Yuanying was testing how far he could lean back before falling over.

And Su Mingtong was staring up at Huaijin with big sparkly eyes, sticking close to her like a baby chick following the mother hen.

"Jiejie," he said, grabbing her sleeve. "Can I hold your hand?"

"Of course." Huaijin smiled gently.

The little boy’s delighted shriek nearly broke the audio equipment.

The cameramen: RIP.

Director Tang wiped imaginary tears from the corners of his eyes.

’My children are too cute.’

Then he looked at Huaijin.

’But my granddaughter is the cutest!’

Their destination today was a large agricultural park located outside the city, a wide, sprawling land with fields of vegetables, small orchards, ponds, a mini petting zoo, and little wooden paths built around scenic spots.

The moment the children stepped off the bus, a tidal wave of excitement surged through them.

"Look! Strawberries!!"

"I saw a chicken!"

"Why are there so many ducks?!"

"I want to ride a cow!"

"You can’t ride cows— wait, don’t run!"

The staff attempted to form a human wall to keep the children from scattering like dandelion fluff in the wind.

Director Tang watched the chaos with awe.

"This... This must be what war feels like," a cameraman muttered.

Director Tang nodded with deep understanding.

"Indeed. But remember, no matter what happens, we must protect Huaijin."

Three staff members nodded so hard they looked like bobbleheads.

And thus the chaotic march began.

Huaijin, despite her worries, made sure to stay calm and polite, walking with the gentle grace that made her seem almost ethereal compared to the rowdy boys.

She held Su Mingtong’s hand while occasionally glancing back to make sure none of the boys got themselves killed by reckless enthusiasm.

She could feel Director Tang’s eyes on her.

Not lecherous or creepy. Just... doting. Excessively doting.

And it made her nervous.

Too much attention could bring too much danger.

But for now—

She forced herself to breathe.

’Focus on the present, Chi Huaijin. Don’t forget your mission to make money for your Daddy!’

.

.

.

The first stop was the orchard.

A staff member explained gently, "Children, you can pick up to three apples each, alright? We need to follow rules—"

But the boys were already sprinting through the trees like wild rabbits released into heaven.

One of them climbed a tree, while another one tried to shake the trunk, one tripped over a root, while another attempted to catch a falling apple mid-air and failed spectacularly.

Only Huaijin and Su Mingtong listened properly.

Huaijin took her basket, walked over to an apple tree, and gracefully reached for a bright red fruit. When she plucked it, smiling in quiet satisfaction, the cameramen practically squealed from behind their lenses.

Director Tang slapped a hand on his chest dramatically.

"Is this what pride feels like...? My Little Sweetheart is so well-mannered..."

A staff member mouthed silently to another:

"He’s gone."

"Completely gone."

Meanwhile, Yuanying shouted from a tree branch, "Look! I’m a monkey!"

Before he could fall and break his neck, Huaijin walked over and called calmly:

"Yuanying, come down. It’s dangerous."

Yuanying froze.

Then, like an obedient puppy—

"Yes, yes, yes, coming down now!"

Huaijin held the basket in one hand and supported her with the other as she hopped down carefully.

The entire crew was stunned.

Director Tang whispered reverently, "A natural leader... Truly a gifted child..."

Next, they visited a pond filled with ducks.

This was a mistake.

The boys started another chaos as they started chasing after ducks again.

The ducks started chasing them back.

At one point, Mo Chen screamed, "WHY ARE THEY RUNNING AT ME?!"

Chi Yuanying shouted, "YOU STARTED IT!"

Director Tang, instead of stopping them, cheered like a proud sports coach.

"Run faster!!! Dodge left!!! Don’t let the ducks catch you!"

The staff nearly cried.

Meanwhile, Huaijin sat down on the wooden platform near the pond with Su Mingtong beside her. She tore small pieces of the approved duck feed and tossed them gently into the water.

The ducks immediately gathered around her.

It was like she was a serene goddess surrounded by worshipping followers.

"Jiejie," Su Mingtong whispered, "the ducks like you..."

"Animals can sense kindness," Huaijin replied softly, patting his head.

He blushed so hard his ears turned pink.

Watching from afar, Director Tang clutched his notebook.

’She’s glowing. She is glowing. What is this divine scene?!’

After chasing and running for a long time, all the children were exhausted and hungry. Lunch was a picnic-style meal prepared by the production team. They set up a large mat under the shade of a willow tree.

The children gathered around, simultaneously starving and exhausted from their hyperactivity.

Except for Huaijin, who still looked composed, while Su Mingtong sat beside her, Yuanying quickly claimed the spot on her other side.

Mo Chen squeezed in front, and Liang Lingzhi positioned herself directly across to admire her like an art piece; Mu Yansheng just hovered behind her like a bodyguard.

Director Tang watched this formation with sparkling eyes.

"A harmonious family portrait," he whispered.

But Huaijin felt the pressure of having too much attention drawn to her. Too many eyes were now watching her

.

She needed to... moderate her charm output.

So she quietly let the boys chatter, letting them shine on-camera while she behaved like the soft, observant, gentle-hearted girl she was portraying.

Whenever the camera zoomed in, she gave small smiles.

Whenever they tried to capture exaggerated reactions, she toned them down gracefully.

She was balancing delicately.

And netizens were loving her.

While the children nibbled on sandwiches and fruit, Huaijin’s mind drifted again.

’Will Daddy see this episode today?’

’Will he worry?’

’Will netizens make strange comments about me?’

She didn’t want her father to stress.

He had too much on his shoulders already.

She knew, fully enough, that her father hid himself from the world to keep her safe. She knew he sacrificed opportunities. If her popularity soared too quickly...

It could bring trouble to him.

She didn’t want that.

But she also couldn’t control how Director Tang insisted on filming her.

She couldn’t control how many people adored her.

She could only do her best—

Behave, smile, and avoid drawing unnecessary drama.

She exhaled softly, calming her thoughts.

One step at a time.

After lunch, the group moved toward the fields where they would learn basic farming tasks.

Director Tang marched proudly in front, humming to himself like an overly joyful grandpa taking his grandchildren to plant trees.

He checked his notebook again.

"Alright! Task 1: Teach children how to dig holes!"

"Task 2: Plant vegetables!"

"Task 3: Water plants!"

"Task 4: Admire Huaijin’s adorable expressions!!"

"...Director, that last one wasn’t part of the plan."

"Shh. It is now."

The staff sighed.

Huaijin simply stared at him.

He smiled innocently.

She resisted the urge to hold her forehead.

’This man is going to get me in trouble.’

The cameras were everywhere. Every gesture, every glance, every expression mattered. If she laughed too loudly—

People would say she was fake.

If she was too quiet—

People would say she was boring.

If she stood out too much—

People would say she was attention-seeking.

If she held back—

People would say she was unremarkable.

The balance was razor-thin.

But she handled it with astonishing naturalness.

She helped Su Mingtong gently place seeds into little holes, then patted Yuanying’s back when she got dirt on her shirt.

She brought water to the staff member who had almost fainted chasing Mo Chen around the cabbage patch.

None of it was forced. And that was the most charming part.

Even the production crew kept whispering:

"She’s unreal."

"A six-year-old shouldn’t be this composed."

"She’s going to be huge in the industry."

Director Tang proudly stuck out his chest as he thought:

’Of course, it’s my granddaughter we’re talking about. It’s only obvious that she would be charming and extraordinary!’

As the sun dipped low in the sky, painting the fields in shades of amber and rose, the children trudged back toward the bus, exhausted, dusty, sweaty, and thoroughly happy.

Except for Huaijin, who was only moderately dusty and still retained an inexplicable aura of elegance.

Su Mingtong slept leaning against her arm, while Yuanying dozed against her other side.

Director Tang took one last picture of the group, smiling like a proud grandfather. The field trip had been a success.

A chaotic, loud, hilarious success.

But for Huaijin...

A quiet anxiety lingered beneath the gentle smiles.

The official Weibo account.

The possibility of her father discovering toxic posts.

She couldn’t stop her rising popularity.

She could only brace herself and hope that her father wouldn’t worry too much.