I put you in charge of the child, and you raised a monster!

Chapter 201 Animals don't like being touched by strangers.

The beach was quiet in the afternoon.

After the tide receded, a large, damp sandbar was revealed. Sunlight fell on the sea, and occasionally a small boat would slowly pass by in the distance. Waves pushed one after another to one's feet, and then slowly receded.

Zhao Mengmeng had already squatted down and picked up several seashells.

There were white ones, light pink ones, and even a small seashell with light purple edges. Every time she picked one up, she would carefully show it to Bai Sisi before putting it in her little bucket.

Zhou Xiaoyu was also searching very diligently beside her.

Only Chen Doudou held a twig and drew a crooked fish on the beach.

Lin Jia glanced down.

"DouDou, what are you drawing?"

"fish."

Why don't fish have eyes?

Chen Doudou answered seriously, "It's sleeping with its eyes closed."

Lin Jia: "..."

Zhao Lei squatted down beside him and couldn't help but praise him.

"This fish is sleeping peacefully."

Shen Ling'er stood a few steps away, holding the giant dolphin, watching them. A brass whistle hung from her waist, and a small anchor badge was pinned to the dolphin doll's ear, swaying gently in the sea breeze.

Yang Mi held her hand.

"Ling'er, aren't you going to collect seashells?"

"I won't pick it up."

Why?

There are too many seashells.

"There are too many to choose from, so you can pick what you like."

Shen Ling'er looked down at a pile of seashells washed ashore by the sea and said seriously, "You shouldn't just pick up things you like."

Yang Mi was somewhat surprised.

Why?

"Because they are still waiting for the sea to carry them back."

Yang Mi was slightly taken aback.

Shen Ling'er squatted down, picked up a shell with a broken corner from the sand, looked at it for a moment, and then put it back in its place.

"There's no going back now."

"But the rest is alright."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mengmeng quickly put two of the seashells she had just picked up back into the sea.

"Do we have to take this back too?"

Shen Ling'er glanced at it.

"No need for that."

Why?

"You've already left your fingerprints on it."

Zhao Mengmeng looked down and saw that there was indeed some sand and her fingerprints on the seashell.

She quickly wiped herself with her clothes.

Shen Ling'er shook her head.

"Don't wipe it."

Why?

"The more you wipe it, the dirtier it gets."

Zhao Mengmeng immediately stopped and carefully put the seashell back into the bucket.

Bai Sisi couldn't help but laugh, "Ling'er, do you even have rules for picking up seashells?"

Shen Ling'er nodded.

"certainly."

"Only pick up what you can find on the beach."

"You can't pick it up; if you do, you have to return it."

Zhao Lei listened attentively and nodded immediately.

"I see."

Shen Ling'er looked at him.

"What do you understand?"

"One should not take things without permission."

Shen Ling'er thought for a moment.

"This one will do too."

Just as Zhao Lei smiled, Shen Ling'er added another sentence.

"But first, put the water bottle you're holding back in the trash bag."

Zhao Lei looked down.

He had just placed the empty bottle next to the sand to free his hands to pick up seashells.

"I'll be right there."

Zhao Lei immediately stood up, picked up the bottle, and put it into the trash bag prepared by the staff.

Bai Sisi watched his movements and said softly, "You're becoming more and more like a student."

Zhao Lei sighed.

"no way."

"In front of Teacher Ling'er, everyone is a student."

Shen Ling'er looked up at him.

"Don't include everyone in this."

Zhao Lei was taken aback.

"What do you mean?"

"Mom isn't."

Yang Mi smiled and squeezed her daughter's little hand when she heard what her daughter said.

"So, what does Ling'er think her mother is?"

Shen Ling'er thought for a moment.

"It's my mother."

Yang Mi: "..."

Zhao Lei couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"This answer is very accurate."

Shen Ling'er looked at him.

"What are you laughing at?"

"It's nothing, I just think your answer was very insightful."

"Then don't laugh."

Zhao Lei immediately shut up.

The sea breeze gradually softened.

The director originally wanted to arrange a beach treasure hunt game, but the children were already a bit tired, so he changed it to free time.

Chen Doudou sat on the sand and began to repair the eyes of her "sleeping fish".

He placed a round stone next to the fish's head and said earnestly, "These are its eyes."

Lin Jia looked at the rock, which was bigger than a fish head.

"DouDou, are you sure these are eyes?"

"Sure."

"Why is it so big?"

"Because it can see far."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Lei immediately nodded.

"The logic is very sound."

Shen Ling'er walked over and looked at the fish that Chen Doudou had drawn.

"You drew it wrong."

Chen Doudou was startled.

"Where did I go wrong?"

Fish don't sleep like that.

"Then how does it sleep?"

"Fish don't draw their own marks on the sand when they're sleeping."

Chen Doudou remained silent for a moment.

"Then I drew the fish's home."

Shen Ling'er looked at him.

"You changed very quickly."

"Because if you see a mistake, you should correct it."

Shen Ling'er nodded.

"This habit can be kept."

Chen Doudou immediately handed her the branch.

"Then you draw it for me."

Shen Ling'er did not answer.

"Draw your own fish."

"But I'm not good at drawing."

"If you don't draw it well, draw it a few more times."

"What if I mess up the drawing?"

"The sand will recover on its own."

Chen Doudou looked down at her fish and suddenly regained her confidence.

"Then I'll continue."

In the distance, Zhao Lei was helping Zhao Mengmeng string several seashells together into a small chain.

He used a thin rope provided by the staff, but after trying for a long time, he still couldn't get it through.

Zhao Mengmeng whispered, "Daddy, don't break it."

Zhao Lei's forehead was almost sweating.

"Daddy won't break it."

"But you keep poking it."

"I'm trying to find the right angle."

Shen Ling'er walked over carrying the dolphin and glanced at the seashell in his hand.

"You can't fit into it like that."

Zhao Lei paused.

Why?

"The hole is not straight."

"Can the holes on a seashell not be straight?"

"You think it's a door?"

Zhao Lei looked down at the seashell and began to study it carefully.

Shen Ling'er reached out and took the thin rope, twisted the end between her fingers a couple of times, and then stuck the rope into the side of the seashell.

Instead of pushing the rope end directly into the hole, it slowly turned along the inner wall of the shell.

The rope passed through smoothly the next second.

Zhao Mengmeng's eyes lit up.

"Sister Ling'er is so amazing."

Zhao Lei fell into deep thought.

"I've been poking it in from the front the whole time."

Shen Ling'er handed the seashell back.

"Because you only see the hole."

"Didn't you see the bend inside?"

Zhao Lei looked down at the thin rope.

"So it's not that the hole is too small, but that the direction is wrong?"

"right."

"What if I had continued to use force just now...?"

"The seashell can crack."

Zhao Lei immediately loosened the rope in his hand.

"That was close."

Shen Ling'er patted the back of his hand.

"When making something, you can't just look at the outside."

Zhao Lei nodded.

"I've got it."

You remembered a lot today.

"So, haven't I made great progress?"

Shen Ling'er glanced at him.

"A little more than yesterday."

Zhao Lei immediately smiled.

Bai Sisi stood to the side, watching her husband's satisfied expression at just a few words, and gently shook her head.

The chat room chat also became lively.

"Zhao Lei can be happy for an entire afternoon just if Ling'er says he's better than yesterday."

"Teacher Ling'er has already started teaching everyone how to string seashells."

"She's still as sharp-tongued as ever, but every word she says is effective."

"She can even turn free time at the beach into a craft class."

As evening fell, the production crew prepared to leave the beach.

The children each carried their own small bucket, which contained the seashells they had selected.

Zhao Mengmeng's bucket was the neatest, Zhou Xiaoyu's bucket contained a few seashells of similar colors, while Chen Doudou's bucket contained a mixture of seashells, stones, twigs, and a small clump of seaweed that she had picked up from somewhere.

Lin Jia glanced down.

"DouDou, why do you have all sorts of things in here?"

Chen Doudou answered earnestly, "Because they all want to come with me."

Shen Ling'er glanced at it.

"That branch doesn't want to."

How did you know?

"It kept pushing the lid outwards."

Chen Doudou quickly looked down and saw that the bent branch was stuck on the rim of the bucket, creating a small gap in the lid.

"It wants to go out."

"Um."

Chen Doudou quickly took the branch out and put it back on the beach.

"Then go ahead."

The branches lay there quietly.

After watching for a while, Chen Doudou whispered, "It walks really fast."

Everyone laughed.

After the crew returned to the hotel, the director announced the new schedule for the next day.

"Tomorrow we will leave the seaside and head to the nearby grasslands."

Zhao Mengmeng immediately looked up.

Are there lambs on the grassland?

The director nodded.

"There are flocks of sheep and horse farms."

Zhou Xiaoyu's eyes lit up.

"Can I ride a horse?"

"You can experience it."

Chen Doudou immediately asked, "Can the horse eat it?"

Lin Jia immediately covered his mouth.

"You can't ask that."

Chen Doudou blinked and nodded obediently.

Shen Ling'er sat next to Yang Mi, still holding the small anchor in her hand.

When she heard the words "vast grassland," she finally raised her head.

Zhao Lei keenly noticed the change in her expression.

"Teacher Ling'er, do you want to go?"

"Um."

What's fun about the grasslands?

"a lot of."

"for example?"

Shen Ling'er counted on her fingers.

"Horses, bows, eagles, herbs, and wind."

Zhao Lei's expression changed gradually after hearing this.

"Among these things you mentioned, is there anything that ordinary children would play with?"

Shen Ling'er looked at him.

"Horse riding is very common."

"What about the bow?"

"It's just average."

"Where's the eagle?"

"Even watching eagles is ordinary."

"What about herbs?"

"Knowing herbs is common."

Zhao Lei remained silent for a moment.

"And what about me?"

Shen Ling'er replied seriously, "You're ordinary too."

Zhao Lei: "..."

Bai Sisi couldn't help but laugh.

Yang Mi smiled and leaned against her daughter.

"Ling'er, when we arrive at the grasslands tomorrow, you mustn't run around."

"I know."

"Listen to what the staff says."

"Um."

"You can't just touch animals."

Shen Ling'er nodded.

Animals don't like being touched by strangers.

Upon hearing this, Yang Mi's expression softened.

"Our Ling'er is the most sensible."

Shen Ling'er raised her chin.

"I've always been sensible."

Zhao Lei whispered from the side, "You just sometimes don't act like that."

Shen Ling'er turned her head.

"What did you say?"

Zhao Lei immediately sat up straight.

"I said you've always been very sensible."

Shen Ling'er looked at him for two seconds.

"You're right this time."

Zhao Lei breathed a sigh of relief.

By evening, the wind outside the hotel had completely stopped.

Shen Ling'er placed the large dolphin on the bedside table and neatly arranged the copper whistle, the small anchor, and the light purple seashell she had picked up that day.

Yang Mi wiped her hair.

"What's the first thing you want to do when we arrive on the grasslands tomorrow?"

Shen Ling'er thought for a moment.

"Let's look at the horses first."

Why?

"Horses have tempers."

"You can tell?"

"able."

"What do you think?"

Shen Ling'er leaned against her mother's chest, her voice gradually lowering.

"Look at its ears, eyes, and feet."

"Whether it wants people to get close or not, it will tell itself."

Yang Mi asked with a smile, "What if it doesn't want to?"

"I won't come near."

"What if it wants to?"

"Let's see if it's fake."

Yang Mi: "..."

Shen Ling'er added earnestly, "Some horses may appear calm on the surface, but they're actually ready to kick you."

Yang Mi gently touched her hair.

"Then Mom will go with you tomorrow."

"Um."

"You should stay with your mother too."

Shen Ling'er nodded.

"Can."

"You agreed so quickly?"

"Because the grasslands are vast."

"so what?"

"I've lost my mom, I can't find her."

Yang Mi paused for a moment, then hugged his daughter even tighter.

"Mom won't get lost."

Shen Ling'er leaned on her shoulder and remained quiet for a while.

"That would be best."

Outside the window, moonlight fell on the grass outside the hotel.

The wind rustled softly through the treetops in the distance.

Meanwhile, Zhao Lei was in his room carefully checking the precautions for tomorrow's horseback riding.

Bai Sisi came out of the bathroom and saw him staring at his phone, motionless.

"What are you looking at?"

"Horse Riding Guide"

"Didn't you say you could ride?"

Zhao Lei's expression froze.

"I know a little."

Bai Sisi smiled.

"Why does this sentence sound so familiar?"

Zhao Lei immediately slammed his phone face down on the table.

"I have ridden it before."

"How many times have you ridden it?"

"three times."

"Then you can teach Mengmeng tomorrow."

Zhao Lei fell silent.

Bai Sisi looked at him.

"What's wrong?"

Zhao Lei said seriously, "I think it's better to let the professionals do it."

"Didn't you ride it three times?"

"Having ridden one doesn't make you a professional."

Bai Sisi nodded.

"You finally understand this principle."

Zhao Lei sighed.

"Mainly because Teacher Ling'er will be there tomorrow too."

"She can ride horses?"

She said yes.

"Then what are you afraid of?"

Zhao Lei lowered his voice.

"I'm afraid Ma will listen to her, not me."

Bai Sisi laughed out loud.

Why should Ma listen to her?

Zhao Lei said seriously, "Because she looks more like a horse farm owner."

The next room.

Shen Ling'er had already gotten into bed.

Yang Mi covered her with the blanket and was just about to turn off the light when she heard her daughter suddenly speak.

"Mother."

"Um?"

"Don't let Uncle Zhao Lei choose the horse first tomorrow."

Yang Mi was slightly taken aback.

Why?

Shen Ling'er closed her eyes and spoke calmly.

"He'll pick the prettiest one."

"Isn't something pretty good?"

"Looks good but doesn't mean it's easy to ride."

"Then how should we choose?"

Shen Ling'er thought for a while.

"Choose the one that's willing to take you away."

Yang Mi looked at her daughter's peaceful sleeping face and smiled gently.

"it is good."

"Let's see if it's willing tomorrow."

Shen Ling'er turned over and hugged the little dolphin doll to her chest.

"Um."

"besides……"

"What else?"

"If Uncle Zhao Lei gets thrown off the horse, there's no need to rush to help him up."

Yang Mi couldn't help but laugh.

Why?

Shen Ling'er opened her eyes, looking very serious.

"First, let him know where he went wrong."

Yang Mi: "..."

Night was falling.

One by one, the lights in the hotel went out.

No one knew what awaited them on the vast grasslands the next day.

But Zhao Lei already had a bad feeling.

He received a call to gather from the production team just before going to bed.

The notice ended with a single line.

[Tomorrow morning, all guests are requested to wear clothing that allows for easy movement, and prepare to experience horseback riding, archery, and grassland survival games.]

Zhao Lei stared at that line of text for a long time.

Then he silently sent a message to Bai Sisi.

[Can I just take photos tomorrow?]

Bai Sisi replied quickly.

【cannot. 】

Zhao Lei asked again.

Can I not be in a group with Ling'er?

This time, Bai Sisi took a long time to reply.

The production team has already made the arrangements.

Zhao Lei closed his eyes and leaned back against the headboard.

A moment later, he typed the last line.

I'll apologize to Ma tomorrow.

At dawn, the sunlight spread across the grassland from the horizon.

In the distance, clusters of white yurts were illuminated by golden light, and the wind blew across the undulating grassy slopes, carrying the scents of grass, earth, and horses.

The production crew's vehicle slowly pulled up outside the grassland camp.

The car door opened.

Shen Ling'er was the first to get off the bus.

She didn't rush to see the yurt or the breakfast prepared by the staff. Instead, she stood by the grass and squinted at the horses in the distance.

Yang Mi followed her out of the car.

"Ling'er, what's wrong?"

Shen Ling'er pointed to the black horse on the far right.

"That horse doesn't want to run today."

Zhao Lei had just gotten out of the car when he heard these words, and he stopped in his tracks instantly.

"No way?"

Shen Ling'er ignored him.

She looked at the black horse and continued, "Its left front leg is a bit stiff. Although it can still walk, it's not suitable for riding."

The staff at the horse farm looked in the direction she pointed.

The black horse was grazing with its head down, its movements appearing no different from usual.

But when it raised its left foreleg, its hoof landed noticeably slower.

The staff member's expression changed slightly, and he immediately went over to check.

Not long after, the other party returned to explain that the horse had scraped its leg against the fence the night before. The injury wasn't serious, but it was indeed not suitable for today's riding activity.

Zhao Lei looked at Shen Ling'er, his mouth slowly opening.

"You knew before you even got close?"

Shen Ling'er looked at him.

"It's uncomfortable for it to walk on its own."

"Then how do you know it doesn't want to run away?"

"My legs are uncomfortable, of course I don't want to run."

Zhao Lei remained silent for a moment.

"I originally thought that horses on the grasslands were very free."

Shen Ling'er crossed her arms.

"Freedom doesn't mean it won't hurt."

Zhao Lei was speechless for a moment.

The chat in the live stream room has already started scrolling.

"The first thing Ling'er noticed when she arrived on the grassland was that the horse's leg was injured."

"She really can see everything."

While the other guests admired the scenery, Ling'er observed whether the horses were willing to run.

"Freedom doesn't mean it doesn't hurt," that line really hits home.

The staff selected a few more docile horses and brought them to the side of the camp.

Zhao Mengmeng and Zhou Xiaoyu excitedly gathered around.

Chen Doudou stood in front of a brown pony and looked up at it for a long time.

"Little Ma, have you eaten?"

The little horse flicked its tail.

Chen Doudou turned to Lin Jia and asked, "Did it say it ate?"

Lin Jia said earnestly, "It might have been speaking, but Mom couldn't understand it."

Shen Ling'er walked to a gray-white horse.

The horse neither approached nor retreated. It turned its ears slightly in Shen Ling'er's direction, then lowered its head to continue grazing.

The staff member said with a smile, "This horse has a rather slow-to-warm-up personality."

Shen Ling'er nodded.

"It's not a slow burner."

"What is that?"

"It's waiting for me to make a mistake first."

The staff member was taken aback.

Zhao Lei immediately stepped back.

"Doesn't this horse look a bit like Teacher Ling'er?"

Shen Ling'er glanced at him.

"It's smarter than you."

Zhao Lei: "..."

Shen Ling'er didn't rush to touch the horse, but stood to the side and first observed its ears and eyes.

After a few seconds, she held out her hand and let Ma smell the back of her hand.

The horse twitched its nose but didn't flinch.

Shen Ling'er then raised her hand and gently touched its neck.

The movement was very light, pausing only for a moment at the edge of the mane before being withdrawn.

The staff member asked, "Won't you touch it a little longer?"

Shen Ling'er shook her head.

"It hasn't agreed yet."

"Didn't you not dodge just now?"

"I didn't dodge, I just endured it."

The staff were stunned.

The greyish-white horse suddenly raised its head and took half a step back.

Shen Ling'er immediately withdrew her hand.

Zhao Lei was stunned.

"Did it really not want to?"

"Um."

"But you touched it all."

"Letting someone touch you once is different from being willing to keep touching them."

Shen Ling'er looked at the horse.

It gave us one chance, not the whole thing.

After listening, the staff at the horse farm gradually became serious.

He walked over and touched the horse's neck, then checked the saddle, and finally found a small folded leather pad under the saddle, which was pressing against the horse's back.

If you continue riding, the horse will soon become uncomfortable.

Zhao Lei looked at Shen Ling'er.

"You figured it out?"

"It just twitched its back muscles."

"I didn't see anything."

"Because you only care about looks."

After Shen Ling'er finished speaking, she walked to the wooden box next to her and picked up a brush.

She pulled out the folded leather cushion and flattened it again.

The greyish-white horse lowered its head and sniffed the saddle, its ears finally relaxing.

The staff gave her a thumbs up.

"You can ride now."

Shen Ling'er shook her head.