A Warm and Cute Strike (GL) - Chapter 44

From the very beginning, little Qingnuan’s gaze had been locked onto the white rabbit lantern. Although the other lanterns were adorable and cute, she had a special soft spot for the little white rabbit.

After Li Rui shouted “start,” she pitter-pattered over under Xiang Nan’s encouragement, reaching out to grab the wooden handle of the rabbit lantern.

But before she could grasp it, a hand reached in from the side, snatching the wooden stick a step ahead of her. Qingnuan turned her head and met Gu Yutong’s eyes. The girl looked at her, also appearing a bit surprised.

Clearly, Gu Yutong had the same idea. She was, after all, a normal little girl with no resistance to a “moe” animal like a white rabbit—especially one crafted so cutely.

Qingnuan withdrew her hand, casting a reluctant glance at the rabbit lantern before turning to pick another one.

“Nuannuan!” To her surprise, Gu Yutong called out to her. “This is for you.”

Qingnuan felt a wooden stick being pressed into her hand, with the white rabbit lantern dangling from the other end. She blinked and looked up to see Gu Yutong smiling at her. Seeing her look over, Tongtong added, “I grabbed it for you. Here, take it.”

Without waiting for Nuannuan’s thanks, she turned around and picked up the nearby lotus lantern.

Qingnuan looked at her, then at the rabbit lantern in her hand. Without thinking too much about it, she carried her beloved lantern and jogged back to Xiang Nan and Qin Xuening.

“Sister Xuening, look! Isn’t my little white rabbit cute?”

Xuening reached out her slender hand and took the lantern. She looked at the rabbit in her hand, then at Xiang Qingnuan, thinking to herself: My own little white “bundle” is still the cuter one.

“Is it not pretty?” Seeing her looking so closely, Nuannuan couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.

“No, it’s very pretty.” Xuening curled her lips slightly and stroked the girl’s small head.

This was the first time she had smiled today. Even when Li Rui introduced her earlier, she had remained calm and cool despite listening intently. This slight smile, though faint, made her entire presence more vivid. The elegant, soft aura she exuded was instantly striking.

Their cameraman, Lin Hai, loyally recorded this scene through his lens.

Soon, the host announced that they could move freely. The five families took their lanterns and set off in different directions to search the town.

In the peaceful town, Qin Xuening sat in her wheelchair as the man behind her pushed her forward along the ancient stone path. In front of her, the little girl carrying the lantern jogged happily, full of curiosity about this unfamiliar, ancient world.

The road was slightly bumpy. Amidst the swaying motion, Xuening lifted her head slightly to gaze at the beautiful blue sky. The sky above was crystal clear. Red silk ropes were strung between the houses, weaving together to cut the sky into irregular shapes. The ropes were hung with lanterns of various designs, swaying slowly as they were brushed by the breeze passing through the alleys.

In this moment, listening to the whisper of the wind, the rolling of the wheelchair, and the laughter of the little girl, Xuening felt—as if by some sudden realization—that her tense, anxious heart was gradually calming down. She no longer cared about the cameras following them.

Her fingers began to tap gently, as if she were sitting at her piano, playing those beautiful and moving melodies.

“Daddy, Sister Xuening! I found our house!”

Qingnuan had run ahead. She turned into a small alley and, before Xiang Nan could call out, ran back to stand at the entrance. She pointed toward a residence in the distance, waving excitedly at her father and sister.

Xiang Nan quickly pushed Xuening over. A white rabbit lantern hung in front of the house, swaying in the wind as if welcoming their arrival.

“Nuannuan is amazing!” Xiang Nan praised her without restraint. “We must be the first ones to find ours.”

The little girl giggled happily. She looked at Xuening, and seeing the older girl watching her, her smile grew even more radiant. Her cheeks were flushed red, looking so cute one wanted to give them a squeeze.

The house with the rabbit lantern was large, clean, and bright, filled with a classical atmosphere. While it lacked the convenience of modern facilities, it was well-equipped with all sorts of furniture.

“My baby is the best, choosing such a good house.” Xiang Nan crouched down, pulled his daughter close, and gave her a big kiss on the cheek.

Qingnuan giggled, turned around, and used her small hand to wipe off the “saliva” her father left on her face. As she wiped, her movements suddenly stopped. She glanced at Qin Xuening and tried to remember… the big sister had never kissed her.

Daddy said that kissing is a way to express affection and that only very, very close people can kiss each other. He also said if a boy wants to kiss her, he needs Daddy’s permission, but it’s okay for girls.

But Sister never kisses me. Does that mean we aren’t close enough? Qingnuan thought gloomily.

She cast a piteous, aggrieved look at Xuening, which left the latter a bit puzzled, not understanding why the little girl had suddenly become unhappy. Xuening thought for a moment and said seriously, “Nuannuan is very impressive.”

Receiving the praise, Qingnuan instantly forgot her grievance. A silly smile broke out on her face, and afraid of being caught by the camera, she hid her face behind the lantern. But she couldn’t resist peeking out to steal a look at Xuening, only to hide again quickly when she was caught.

Xuening thought this was a new game. Although she was between a laugh and a cry, she played along, looking elsewhere when Nuannuan hid and accurately catching her gaze when she peeked out. The two girls, one big and one small, played with great delight.

Xiang Nan surveyed the house inside and out, settled the luggage, and rested for a while. When the staff came to call them, he took the two children back to the arch bridge to gather.

The other families had already arrived. The children were gathered together chatting happily, discussing their houses and various quirky topics. Once everyone was present, Li Rui announced the next mission: they would work together to complete a delicacy characteristic of the ancient town.

With Xuening joining, there were exactly three children in a group. After drawing lots, they were grouped with the youngest boy, Ling Anhe.

“Hello, Sister…” An’an hid behind his father, calling out shyly.

“An’an,” Qingnuan felt a sense of novelty at being a “big sister” for the first time. She pointed to Qin Xuening and said, “This is Sister Xuening.”

“Hello, Sister Xuening…” An’an looked at Xuening and greeted her obediently.

Xuening studied the delicate little boy. She had a slight impression of him; after all, Daddy, Where Are We Going? had been a hit in her past life. Of the children in the first season, two remained active in the public eye for a long time. One was Zhuo Yilin, who was scouted as a model due to his height, and the other was Ling Anhe, who gained many “sister” and “auntie” fans by appearing in numerous films and dramas thanks to his cute looks.

However, in Xuening’s eyes, all these children were the same—none were as cute as her Nuannuan.

Ling Anhe looked at the older sister in the wheelchair. Everyone appreciates beauty, and children are even more inclined to play with good-looking peers. Ling Anhe was no exception. But he was naturally timid and shy; under Xuening’s gaze, he shrank back slightly, his eyes darting away.

Xuening had no intention of showing a “big sisterly” air, and even if she tried to fake it, she couldn’t. So she merely gave the boy a nod and said coolly, “Hello.”

Ling Anhe stole a peek at her, thinking this big sister was very cool.

Next, under the guidance of a master craftsman, they began making a food called “Oil Crisp Cake.” Xuening had stood up from her wheelchair; though her leg wasn’t fully healed, standing occasionally was fine. She felt very expectant about completing a task together with Nuannuan.

The children were serious at first, but after a while, their attention began to drift, inevitably leading to mistakes and a bit of chaos. This was a test of each father’s childcare skills. While the other daddies were in a frantic state, Xiang Nan appeared remarkably relaxed. Normally, taking care of two children should have been exhausting, but Xuening didn’t require any of his concern—and because Xuening was there for Nuannuan, the little girl didn’t need him much either.

The “heartbroken” Daddy Xiang could only turn his grief into motivation, meticulously following every detail taught by the master…

After a day of filming and finishing dinner, the three members of the Xiang family were exhausted upon returning to the Rabbit House. Xiang Nan helped his daughter bathe first, then Xuening took her turn. Finally, he went to boil water for his own bath.

Qingnuan sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her small feet and looking at the furniture with a sense of novelty. Xuening noticed her damp hair and furrowed her brow. Xiang Nan had only used a towel to wipe the droplets away without drying it completely.

Xuening went to the suitcase, found a hair dryer, located an outlet by the headboard, and beckoned to the little girl.

“Mhm?” Qingnuan blinked and crawled over obediently. Xuening pulled her into her arms and gently began to dry her hair.

Whoosh—

The warm air from the dryer hummed loudly. Qingnuan squinted her eyes. Although the sound was a bit loud, she thoroughly enjoyed this time. By the time Xuening turned off the dryer, she found that the little one had leaned against her and fallen sound asleep.

Today had likely worn her out. Xuening settled her on the bed and tucked her in without waking her. She dried her own hair, then slid under the covers to sleep beside the little girl.

When Xiang Nan finished his own business and returned to see this scene, he hesitated for a moment but silently took a blanket and went to sleep on the nearby chaise longue. Although Xuening was only seven, she wasn’t his daughter; he felt it was better to avoid any impropriety.

The night passed in silence. Early the next morning, Xiang Nan was woken up by hunger. Tossing and turning, he saw the children were still sleeping, so he got up to change, intending to go find some food.

When Xiang Nan closed the door and left, Xuening woke up. She looked down and saw the little girl rubbing her eyes, blearily waking up as well.

“Good morning, Sister Xuening!” Seeing her, a smile instantly appeared.

“Good morning.” Xuening reached out and brushed a stray hair from her forehead.

At the touch of her cool fingertips, Qingnuan woke up completely. She looked at her, rolled her eyes, and suddenly pulled the blanket over her head, saying, “I’ve decided not to get out of bed today!”

Xuening was stunned. “Why?”

Qingnuan hid under the blanket, revealing only a pair of round almond eyes that darted around as if she were plotting some mischief. Then, under Xuening’s confused gaze, she quickly pulled the covers down and said:

“I’ll only get up if I get a kiss.”

Having said that, she immediately covered herself again, showing only half her face. Her beautiful large eyes watched Xuening, filled with a mix of shyness and expectation.