Shocking! A three-year-old brings his aloof mother to their door.

The more it was wiped, the darker it became, evolving from a "little kitten" into a "little black kitten".

He Wanning laughed even louder.

"Auntie, you're so annoying!" Tongtong stomped her feet in anger, her little face puffed up like a pufferfish. "Watch out for my Phantom Meow Meow Punch!"

She rushed over, waving her little fists, but He Wanning remained calm and gently pressed her index finger against her forehead.

Tongtong waved her little arms "Ora ora" but couldn't touch her aunt no matter what she did, making her face even darker with anxiety.

"Can't hit me, can't hit me~" He Wanning teased her with a mischievous smile.

Tongtong got even angrier. She crossed her arms, turned around angrily, and plopped down on a nearby rock with her back to He Wanning, showing with her actions that "I'm angry, and I can't be coaxed."

Just then, He Wanning poked at the charcoal fire with a twig, deliberately raising her voice:

"Oh dear—the biggest sweet potato looks ripe!"

I wonder if that angry little kid will still get to eat?

Tongtong's ears twitched, and she turned her head sharply, her eyes wide open.

"Ouch—! My sweet potato!" She forgot all about being angry and rushed over:

"Auntie, you have no sportsmanship! You stole food while Tongtong was angry!"

He Wanning smiled and used a twig to pull out the giant sweet potato.

Its exterior is charred black, but inside the cracks, golden-red flesh flows with honey-like syrup, emitting a fragrant aroma.

She broke it in half and handed it to her: "Here, this is yours. Let it cool down before you eat it."

Tongtong took it and ate it with relish, taking small bites. But the sweet potato was too big; she ate less than half before her tummy bulged.

Looking at the small half-eaten sweet potato in her hand, and then at the one she hadn't eaten yet, Tongtong let out a small burp and tentatively asked:

"Auntie...can we save some to eat later?"

He Wanning chuckled and slowly ate her half:

"What's wrong, Hajitong? You can't... eat anymore, can you?"

Sweet potatoes don't taste good when they're cold; they'll become hard and mushy.

Tongtong, whose thoughts had been exposed, panicked:

"Tongtong didn't! Tongtong just wanted to... hiccup—"

A loud burp betrayed her.

Tongtong's face flushed red instantly. She touched her round little belly and whispered her admission:

"Okay... Tongtong is full..."

He Wanning didn't stand on ceremony and quickly finished off the remaining sweet potatoes that Tongtong had eaten, not even leaving the ones she hadn't eaten before.

Tongtong could only squat to the side, watching helplessly as her "trophies" disappeared little by little into her aunt's mouth, her little face filled with the grievance of "I lost out big time".

He Wanning carefully cleaned up the scene. She completely buried the remaining charcoal with soil and carefully checked the surrounding area to make sure there was no spark left.

Wildfires are merciless; even the slightest oversight can lead to disaster.

Tongtong followed suit, squatting down next to her aunt and scooping up soil with her chubby little hands, carefully scattering it on the spot where the charcoal fire was buried, just like He Wanning did.

However, she was not strong enough to throw the mud far, and a lot of it ended up back on her, making her already grimy face look even more "battle-damaged".

"Alright!" He Wanning patted the dust off her hands.

Tongtong quickly stood up and clapped her little hands vigorously—though they got dirtier the more she clapped.

She looked down at her dark palms, then touched her equally dark face, and wrinkled her little nose:

"Auntie, Tongtong is dirty and wants to take a bath."

She ran to the nearby riverbank.

The river water is crystal clear, reflecting the blue sky and the shadows of the trees, flowing gently.

Tongtong had just squatted down by the river, reaching out her little black hands to scoop up water, when suddenly her body felt light—

He Wanning quickly grabbed her by the back of her collar, like picking up a disobedient kitten, and dragged her back.

"Ouch!" Tongtong kicked her arms and legs wildly in the air, turned her head, and looked at her aunt with a pitiful expression, like a cat with a cat face.

"Auntie, what are you doing! Tongtong needs a bath! She's dirty and uncomfortable!"

He Wanning gently placed her down, then squatted down to be at eye level with her, her expression unusually serious.

"Tongtong, remember, children shouldn't go near the river by themselves, understand?"

Tongtong blinked her big eyes, puzzled:

"Why? The water is cool, so I can wash my hands."

He Wanning deliberately lowered her voice and used a mysterious tone to scare her:

"Because... there's a water monster in the river! It especially likes to eat dirty little kids."

You look like you just ate some sweet potatoes; your face and hands are all black—the water monster loves that! It'll eat you up in one bite!

Tongtong shuddered in fright, instinctively covering her face with her small hands, her large, dark eyes instantly filled with terror:

"Are there really monsters?"

"Of course!" He Wanning said with a straight face, though she was secretly laughing her head off, but had to maintain a serious expression.

"My aunt saw it when she was little, it was terrifying. So, kids shouldn't play in the water carelessly, you know?"

Tongtong pouted, her little face filled with the aggrieved expression of "it's so hard being a child":

"Playing with fire will cause you to wet the bed, playing in water will get you caught by monsters... Kids have it so tough!"

He Wanning chuckled inwardly: I was scared by my older sister with this trick when I was little, so of course I have to "pass it on" to you now!

However, she said:

"This is for safety. Besides, the river water is too cold; you'll easily catch a cold if you go to bathe in it now."

Let's go home and wash with warm water, get clean and comfortable, okay?

Tongtong thought about it and agreed that it made sense, so she nodded obediently.

"Okay then... Auntie, let's hurry home. Tongtong's face is dirty and she doesn't feel well."

"Okay, let's go home." He Wanning took her chubby little black hand.

---

The amusement park on the other side of the city presents a completely different and bustling scene.

The amusement park was bustling with activity on the weekend, colorful flags fluttered in the breeze, cheerful music mingled with children's laughter, and the air was filled with the sweet aroma of cotton candy and popcorn.

Against the backdrop of the blue sky, the Ferris wheel's enormous wheel slowly rotates, and the colorful cabins resemble candy boxes hanging in the air.

Inside the sedan chair, Mo Ye and He Wanqing sat side by side.

He Wanqing held a bouquet of bright red roses in her left hand—the ones Mo Ye had blushed and given her at the amusement park entrance earlier.

Holding a warm cup of bubble tea in her right hand, she sipped it slowly.

The sweet milk tea mixed with the chewy tapioca pearls is an "unhealthy food" that she almost never touches, but today... she's making an exception.

Because this was their...first official date.

He Wanqing wore a simple off-white dress, her long hair loosely tied up with a few strands falling around her neck, making her look softer than her usual aloof professional self.

Mo Ye seemed a little... nervous.

He sat upright, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his knees, his eyes occasionally glancing out the window before quickly returning, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.

"Um... I heard," he cleared his throat, his voice a little dry:

"When the Ferris wheel reaches its highest point, if... um..."

Before he could finish speaking, his face turned red.

He Wanqing's heart was pounding with excitement.

But when she turned her head and saw Mo Ye looking even more nervous than her, sitting upright with even the tips of his ears turning red, she instantly burst out laughing.

The laughter was crisp and clear, carrying undisguised joy and a hint of teasing.

Mo Ye's face burned even hotter, as if it were about to burst into flames. He scratched his hair in annoyance, "What are you laughing at..."

"I'm laughing at you," He Wanqing said, her eyes crinkling with a gentle light. "Why are you even more nervous than me?"

Mo Ye felt a little embarrassed by her laughter, but it also made him feel more relaxed.

He took a deep breath, as if making up his mind, and turned to look at her with a serious expression.

"Then... I'm going to kiss you now."

........