American TV series: Starting with exploiting young Sheldon

In this series of plans, it is especially important who will secretly "steal" the Arkenstone from the dragon's side.

Therefore, the team needs a "thief".

Hobbits, with their large feet and silent walk, are perfectly suited for this role.

At this moment, Bilbo had no idea what Gandalf was thinking, but he keenly sensed that the long-bearded old man opposite him seemed to be examining his large feet.

So he shyly pulled his foot back and said, "I am Bilbo Baggins, but I don't remember ever seeing you when I was a child..."

Although Bilbo looks very young, he is actually over fifty years old. It's normal that he doesn't remember things from his childhood after so many years.

“It’s alright, Bilbo, you’ll remember eventually…” Gandalf said with a smile after confirming Bilbo’s talent as a “flying thief.” “Now, won’t you invite us in for a seat?”

"Oh, come in~" Compared to other hobbits, Bilbo may be a bit lazy, but he is just as hospitable.

I was just too surprised, which is why I was so rude as to leave the guest at the door.

Of course, it could also be related to Gandalf's "offensive" look.

"Is your food burnt?" Upon entering the small, doorway-like room, Mike smelled a burnt odor.

"Oh no, my fried fish..." Hobbits enjoy food as much as they cherish it. Remembering Bilbo still frying fish in the pan, he grabbed the spatula and ran towards the kitchen, shouting as he ran, "Make yourselves at home... I'll be right back..."

The small house in Bilbo Bag End is actually quite spacious, and it's an all-in-one house with the living room, hallway, study, and dining room all connected.

After he went to the kitchen, Gandalf hunched over and went through the doorway to the study, where many books were kept.

Looking at the travelogues brought from outside, the old wizard unconsciously smiled again.

Mike, who was behind them, was bored and began to admire the wooden carvings in the small house and the exquisite ornaments on the doorway.

It's easy to see that hobbits really know how to enjoy life.

“I think you might also like to try my cooking, even though it’s past breakfast time now.” A short while later, Bilbo, who had gone to the kitchen, came out with three breakfasts.

Three servings of fried fish with mashed potatoes, and one serving of vegetable soup per person.

It doesn't look very appealing, but it smells quite nice.

The only downside was that one side of the fried fish on Bilbo's plate was burnt black.

“No, thank you for the treat. We haven’t had breakfast either,” Gandalf said, easing the hobbit’s embarrassment.

Compared to his fellow hobbits who had been out working for a long time, Bilbo, the hobbit, seemed excessively leisurely to be only now starting to eat breakfast.

"That's good. I thought I was the only one who couldn't get up in the morning..." As if he had found a kindred spirit, Bilbo's face lit up with a happy smile, and even the burnt fried fish in front of him tasted delicious.

Although the food here wasn't as fresh as Tom's, the hearty breakfast was surprisingly to Mike's liking.

“Gandalf, can you tell me the story of my grandfather?” A breakfast brought the three of them closer together. Bilbo asked while eating his fried fish, “By the way, I didn’t know you wanted to see me.”

……

Chapter 589 A Wonderful Life

“That was a very, very long time ago. Your grandfather, Old Tuk, was a remarkable adventurer…”

Gandalf smiled and began to tell Bilbo the story of his grandfather. In the old wizard's tale, old Turk was a hobbit with a great spirit of adventure who not only traveled throughout Middle-earth but was also a good friend of Elrond, the Elvenking who lived in Rivendell.

“And your mother, Belladonna Baggins, also inherited your grandfather’s adventurous spirit, and left the Shire many times to travel…” At this point, Gandalf looked at Bilbo with a deep gaze and said, “So as far as I know, the Baggins family is different from other hobbits; your blood is full of adventure.”

"This makes every generation of your Baggins people restless and yearn to go out into the world."

Bilbo's ancestors went on adventures, bringing back not only a considerable amount of wealth for the Baggins family, but also many books from the outside world.

Bilbo, who had been reading these books since childhood, unknowingly developed a great curiosity about the outside world.

Bilbo couldn't help but nod after hearing the old wizard's description of the Baggins family.

Just then, seeing that the time was ripe, Gandalf suddenly said, "Didn't you ask me before what my purpose was in coming to see you this time?"

"That's why I'm planning to assemble an adventure team to Lonely Mountain, and we're currently missing a nimble 'scout.' I think you'd be perfect for the role. What do you think?"

"Adventure party?? No, no, no, I think you've got it wrong. I don't want to leave Hobbiton. This is my home..." Bilbo was startled by the old wizard's sudden change of heart and tried his best to explain, "I'm just an ordinary hobbit. We love our home."

“I know every inch of this land, the hillsides, the grass, even the bright sunshine… so I won’t leave my home to join your adventure team…”

Bilbo's current situation can be described as "Ye Gong's love of dragons"—although he yearns for the exciting world outside, his first reaction to being asked to leave his comfortable little home is resistance.

“You have one more day to prepare. Afterwards, I will bring the rest of the adventure team to meet you. I believe you will get along well with them.” Gandalf settled the matter without giving any room for refusal, then got up and walked outside to meet the dwarf team coming from Gray Alley.

"Prepare what? I didn't accept your invitation..." Bilbo also got up anxiously and chased after the old wizard, wanting to make things clear.

Then there was a loud "thump," and the old wizard, who had been distracted while walking ahead, bumped his head into the low doorway at the entrance of the house.

That was a loud thud, enough to prove that Gandalf's head was a good head.

Even Mike, who was sitting in the back, felt the house shake.

"Oh, sorry~" Bilbo was also startled by the old wizard's commotion. Seeing the other man clutching his forehead in pain, he quickly apologized, "My house might not be ready to receive guests yet..."

Well, the hobbits are probably still upset about the old wizard's intrusion and presumption.

“Maybe it’s because I haven’t been here for too long,” Gandalf rubbed his forehead and then subtly hinted again that he and Gandalf’s grandfather were good friends.

Then he looked at the conflicted hobbit before him and said, “Stepping out of your comfort zone is always the hardest part, but I want to tell you that the outside world isn’t as scary as you think. I believe the descendants of old Turk have that courage…”

After saying that, Gandalf ignored Bilbo and walked out of the hut alone. He then turned to Mike, who was still sitting in the dining room, and asked, "Aren't you going to come with me to meet the other members of the adventure team beforehand?"

For the old wizard, bringing Mike, who possesses mysterious powers, into the adventure team was an unexpected bonus.

However, he could also tell that the other party seemed to have their own ideas and was still considering whether to join the team.

"No, I didn't sleep well last night. I'm going to stay here and wait for you to come back." Mike shook his head and didn't get up.

"Alright~" Gandalf didn't insist, glanced at Mike again, and then turned and left.

……

"Adventure? Me?? That's absurd... Hobbits don't like adventure..."

It wasn't until the old wizard left that Bilbo seemed to snap out of his internal struggle.

Once he came to his senses, he immediately closed the door, as if there were some ferocious beast outside.

Only when he is in a cozy little house can he feel safe.

"He's making things difficult for him..." Bilbo muttered to himself for a long time afterward, until he returned to the restaurant, which shows how much an adventure can affect a hobbit.

Then, Bilbo saw Mike sitting calmly in the restaurant and hurriedly apologized again, "Sorry, I wasn't talking about you."

Everything that happened today has left this hobbit completely bewildered.

“It’s okay,” Mike said with a smile. “I understand how you feel, and I’ve only known Gandalf for less than a day.”

The most effective way to break down barriers is to find a common "enemy".

Mike knew the plot, so he also felt that the old wizard's forced pulling of people was a bit awkward and excessive.

“If all humans outside were like you, then perhaps going on adventures wouldn’t be so scary…” Mike’s gentle demeanor made Bilbo, the hobbit, feel very comfortable.

Therefore, without realizing it, my feelings for him improved.

Most importantly, compared to the "tough" Gandalf, Mike's personality is indeed "mild".

"When you're in a bad mood, eating something sweet can help." Seeing the hobbit's extremely conflicted mood, Mike took out a large cake from his storage space and handed it to him.

"Cool, is this magic?" Bilbo, who was still hesitating, was attracted by Mike's ability to "create something out of nothing".

"Try it, you should like it." Mike smiled, without offering any further explanation.

At the same time, Gandalf, riding his black steed in the courtyard outside, left a fluorescent mark on the gate with his wand before leaving, guiding the dwarves who would arrive later.

……

"This is what a good life is like. Why would anyone like to take risks?"

Around noon, under the warm sun, Bilbo moved two deck chairs into the yard and enjoyed the afternoon with Mike.

To thank Mike for the cake, Bilbo also brought out his treasured handmade tobacco leaves and specially made two cigarettes to share with Mike.

Warm sunshine... recliner... pipe...

In addition, the wealth brought back by the elders of the Baggins family from their adventures was enough to allow Bilbo to live a life of plenty without doing anything.

Therefore, enjoying life was Bilbo's entire life.

How could one not be captivated by such a wonderful day?

"Can you tell me what life is like outside? And what kind of person is Mr. Gandalf?" Bilbo suddenly asked.

Just as Gandalf said, the Baggins family has an adventurous spirit in their blood.

It was like a small pebble that unknowingly stirred up ripples in Bilbo's peaceful life.

Even he himself was unaware of this.

……

Chapter 590 The Rude Dwarf

As night fell, the hobbits, who had worked hard all day, gradually returned to their cozy little houses, making the whole Hobbiton quiet down.

Meanwhile, at Bilbo’s house in Bag End, this descendant of the Baggins family was preparing dinner for himself and his friends.

Yes, after an afternoon of chatting, Mike and Bilbo had become friends.

Even though Mike didn't have a detailed understanding of Middle-earth, some of his insights still broadened Bilbo's horizons, who had never left the Shire.

Having enjoyed a pleasant afternoon, Bilbo seemed to have forgotten the "trouble" brought by the old wizard.

Standing in front of the stove, he even hummed an unknown song. Before long, a sumptuous dinner, imbued with "emotion," was ready.

“To be honest, I haven’t had any guests here in a long time. Perhaps we could have a drink…” After setting the food on the table, Bilbo said with a smile, “Then please wait a moment while I go to the storeroom to get some red wine.”

The virtues of optimism, enthusiasm, and hospitality seem to be ingrained in the very bones of every hobbit.

Just as Bilbo was about to go to the warehouse, there was a knock on the door.

In the quiet of the evening, the knocking sounded exceptionally clear.

"Who could it be at this time? Could it be Gandalf..." Bilbo paused, but there was no reason for him to turn away his guest, so he eventually walked toward the door.

"sweet……"

The door was opened, and before Bilbo could prepare to face the old wizard again, a group of dwarves crowded into the room and tripped over the hobbit.

“Who are you? I don’t think I know you.” Bilbo stared warily at the disheveled dwarves before him.

These dwarfs wore cheap fur clothing and had strange beards on their faces. Because they were rushing on their way and didn't have time to groom themselves, they looked more like a group of refugees.

Of course, this is on the premise that we ignore the fact that each of them is armed with sophisticated weapons.

"Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Balin..." The dwarf with a white beard tidied his appearance and introduced himself with a smile.

Then the dwarves behind him, one by one, announced their names:

"My name is Ge Luoyin..."

“I am Bofer…”

"...Duvalin..."

Dori...Bangbo..."

...a total of ten dwarves, no more, no less.

It's clear that they tried their best to be polite when introducing themselves, in order to leave a good impression on the hosts.

However, given their image, they just look like peacekeepers no matter how you look at it.

“We found this place by following Gandalf’s mark…” After the dwarves had introduced themselves, Balin the Whitebeard continued, “Are you Mr. ‘The Flying Thief,’ Bilbo Baggins?”

“I am Bilbo, but not some ‘Thief’. And what is Gandalf’s mark?” The dwarves brought so much information that Bilbo was completely confused.

"Great...we came to the right place...we can finally rest..."

"I can smell the aroma of food..."

"...I want to drink!!!"

Upon hearing Bilbo acknowledge his identity, the dwarves cheered.

A friend of a friend is also a friend!