Chapter 116.2

“Senior.” The senior employee, completely used to the sight by now, spoke up calmly.

Jiang Zhihuo let go of Yan Xiaoxia and instantly switched back into president mode, turning to discuss work with the senior employee.

Feeling bored, Yan Xiaoxia trotted over on his short little legs to Yan Mu’s side.

Yan Mu had temporarily borrowed a laptop to handle some documents.

After earning his doctorate, Yan Mu went into his own field and became a data analyst. Recently, he’d been involved in a collaborative project with the police department—one that Jiang Zhihuo was also part of.

Some time ago, with Li Hao acting as the middleman, the two of them decided to give it a try. By combining data analysis and artificial intelligence, they helped crack a high-tech crime case, stopping what could have caused major economic losses before it even fully unfolded. For that, they were awarded a third-class merit. Taking the opportunity, the police department invited them to jointly develop a new type of policing system.

After a full day of work, Jiang Zhihuo returned home to find dinner already prepared by the housekeeper.

Tonight was Jiangnan cuisine: salt-cured duck, sweet-and-sour squirrel mandarin fish, and lion’s head meatballs, with fried rice as the staple. The family of three enjoyed a lovely meal and were about to take turns bathing when Jiang Zhihuo’s phone rang.

“Ge! It’s urgent! I need your help!” Yun Xiaoxu’s voice came through anxiously.

Yun Xiaoxu had debuted in third place on Pick U 101. For the first two years, he mainly promoted with the limited-time group, and the company also gave him decent solo resources, mutually beneficial all around. When the group disbanded two years later, his contract happened to expire as well, and he signed with a new entertainment company.

These days, the path for singing-and-dancing idols wasn’t very long. Based on Yun Xiaoxu’s own strengths, his new company had been gradually transitioning him from idol to singer. But shifting into more creative work always required a transition period, so he occasionally took on variety shows to maintain visibility.

This time, the reason he was asking Jiang Zhihuo for help was that the new variety show he’d signed onto had run into trouble.

The show was called Cute Cub Kindergarten. Simply put, five celebrities were invited to act as “teachers” in a kindergarten setting, each taking care of one child in this adorable kid-focused variety program.

Originally, all the children had already been arranged. They came from different backgrounds and industries. But just as filming was about to begin, something happened involving one of the child’s parents. Caught in public controversy and worried it might affect their child, the parents ultimately decided to withdraw from the show.

The production team had been stood up at the last minute. Paying the breach fee was manageable, but the real issue was filming. The venue was booked, the guests’ schedules were locked in, yet one child was suddenly missing. On such short notice, the directors couldn’t find a replacement.

After all, aside from the celebrity “teachers” and the cute kids, the parents were also part of the show’s appeal. The parent who withdrew was rumored to be quite influential. If they replaced them with someone less prominent, the dynamic on screen would feel off. It would lack that instant “wow” factor, and the audience experience would definitely suffer.

While the production team scrambled to find a new child, they also asked the guests to help reach out through their own connections.

The first person Yun Xiaoxu thought of was his brother.

A rising tech star and an academic genius, plus an adorable kid at home—wasn’t that the perfect combo?

After talking it over with the production team, he immediately called Jiang Zhihuo.

Jiang Zhihuo was with Yan Mu and put the call on speaker. After listening to the full explanation, Yan Mu didn’t agree right away, nor did he refuse. Instead, he said calmly, “There are two issues. We’re not in the entertainment industry, and our status might not be high enough.”

Yun Xiaoxu fired back instantly, “A young president of a publicly listed company worth over a hundred million, and a top-tier data analyst, the successor of the Qin Group, that’s not high enough? That’s huge!”

He tried his best to persuade them, listing reason after reason why they should join. Jiang Zhihuo didn’t respond immediately. Whether they participated or not wouldn’t really affect the two of them. They were already considered public figures, so it made little difference.

But the one actually facing the cameras would be Yan Xiaoxia. And putting a child in the public eye wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

“Can I decide this?” Yan Xiaoxia had been listening the whole time. He wrapped his arms around Jiang Zhihuo’s knees and looked up at him.

His eyes were round and bright, pupils dark, lashes fluttering with pure anticipation.

Jiang Zhihuo tapped his nose gently. “You can. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“Yay! Daddy, wait for me!” Yan Xiaoxia threw both hands up excitedly and ran off to the side. “Emma!”

At his shout, a streak of silver flashed across the ceiling. A beam of light slowly descended, soft glimmers scattering through the air like fragments piecing themselves back together. From top to bottom, they formed the figure of a translucent black-haired girl.

Emma was the intelligent housekeeper developed by Jiang Zhihuo’s company. Instead of the usual physical device, she existed through holographic projection, designed as a life-sized human figure. Beyond her appearance, her system responsiveness and range had undergone major technical upgrades—older smart systems couldn’t even compare.

The product had just finished development and hadn’t been released to the market yet. Jiang Zhihuo had simply installed one at home first as a trial.

Receiving Yan Xiaoxia’s command, Emma responded gently, “I’m here.”

“Help me look up some information!”

“Okay.”

Yan Xiaoxia sprawled over the coffee table, scribbling and drawing on paper based on the materials Emma pulled up. After a while, he turned around and proudly presented his results to Yan Mu and Jiang Zhihuo.

“I think I can go and try it,” he said seriously. “I don’t need to repeat Uncle’s reasons, and I don’t really understand the other complicated stuff. But the show is going to six different places, and they’ll definitely plan activities based on local customs and traditions. For me, that’s a more thorough way to learn. Going there in person is way more real than just reading books. And…”

Based on what he’d researched, he confidently listed three points with his own little analysis. Then he added, “Those were about me! Now this one’s about Emma. You can use the show to promote Emma, too!”

Even if some of his reasoning sounded adorably childish, Yun Xiaoxu, on the other end of the call, was completely stunned. “Is that something a five-year-old is supposed to say?”

After listening, Yan Mu asked calmly, “But once the show airs, you’ll be exposed to the public. Your life might change. Do you still want to go?”

Yan Xiaoxia thought for a moment, then nodded firmly. “I still want to experience it. Other people want this kind of chance but don’t get one. And if something really happens, Papa and Daddy can help me handle it. I don’t think I need to be scared. I just have to focus on being cute.”

Yun Xiaoxu: “……”

No matter how many times he witnessed it, Yun Xiaoxu’s first reaction was always the same—shock.

The parents guided and asked questions, while the kid did his own research, made his own decision, and even laid out his reasoning clearly.

Was this how genius families operated?!

What had he been doing at five years old?!

It was great that Yan Xiaoxia had his own thoughts, but as parents, they still had to double-check everything. Jiang Zhihuo said, “Have the person in charge send the proposal over first. We’ll review it.”

“Okay!” Yun Xiaoxu hung up excitedly. Not long after, someone added them, exchanged greetings, and sent over the show proposal along with the contract.

Overall, there weren’t any major issues. The show centered around the celebrity guests and the kids, with a warm and lighthearted tone. There would be twelve episodes in total, filmed across six cities to experience different local customs and cultures. The production team also promised not to include any negative portrayals of the children in the final edit and not to stir up drama through malicious cutting.

After discussing it carefully, Jiang Zhihuo and Yan Mu went through the pros and cons again with Yan Xiaoxia. His answer didn’t change—he still wanted to go.

Kids were naturally playful. Since he truly wanted to experience it, the two of them didn’t need to agonize over it. Yan Xiaoxia could focus on having fun, and they would take care of everything else.

They negotiated with the production team, signed the contract, and adjusted their work schedules around the filming dates. The variety show plans were officially set.

The recording schedule was tight; filming would start in just a week. They would begin at the children’s homes. The five celebrity “teachers” would each pick up a child, get on the “school bus,” and head to the “kindergarten.”

By the time the production team arrived at Jiang Zhihuo’s home, it was past seven in the morning.

Just as the guest was about to press the doorbell, a translucent hologram suddenly appeared in front of the entrance. The entire production team was stopped in their tracks by a cold-looking black-haired girl—Emma.

The guest assigned to pick up Yan Xiaoxia was a newcomer who had only debuted not long ago. A humble rookie in the entertainment industry, this was his first time filming a variety show. He was the straightforward type, and his eyes widened instantly. “What is that?!”

Emma replied calmly, “Hello. I am Emma, an intelligent housekeeper currently in my trial phase. May I ask who you are?”

The intelligent housekeeper operated 24/7. Blocking unfamiliar visitors to verify their identity was part of her routine duties.

The male guest stared, eyes round as saucers. “A hologram?! What kind of high-tech door lock is this?!”

Emma corrected him seriously. “I am not a door lock. I am an intern, intelligent housekeeper.”

The assistant at the back quickly raised his phone, showing the QR code Jiang Zhihuo had sent earlier. “Here! We’re from the Cute Cub Kindergarten production team. We’re here to pick up Xiaoxia for school.”

Emma scanned the code. In an instant, her expression shifted from icy to warmly enthusiastic. As a virtual projection, the transition was incredibly smooth and almost dramatic. She smiled brightly. “Oh, it’s you! Please come in.”

They’d seen people change expressions before, but this was the first time they’d seen AI do it. The guest stood there, stunned. At the same time, the door quietly unlocked.

Inside the dining room, the family of three was having breakfast.

Seafood congee, sunny-side-up eggs, and a glass of warm milk.

They greeted the guest politely. He told them to finish eating first, then, after getting permission, took the camera on a quick house tour.

“So this is the president’s home? A three-story standalone villa with a private hot spring, a garden, a huge study, and there’s even a small playground! The actual living space must be close to seven hundred square meters, right?! Are we even living in the same world? And that AI outside just now—wow!”

Jiang Zhihuo explained casually, slipping in a bit of promotion while he was at it. “Emma is a newly developed intelligent housekeeper system from our company. She’s still in trial, but she’ll be available to the public soon.”

After breakfast, Yan Xiaoxia climbed down from his chair, found the backpack he’d packed the night before, and carefully checked again to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. Emma stood beside him, gently reminding him of the things to keep in mind while filming the show.

The guest had never seen something this high-tech before. He actually crouched down next to Emma, staring at her up close.

“Hi? Are you a GG¹[T/N: This is actually an internet slang meaning gege(哥哥), older brother preferring to male.] or an MM²[T/N: This is actually an internet slang meaning meimei(妹妹), younger sister preferring to female.]?” he asked curiously.

“Hello,” Emma replied politely.

After greeting him, she turned to Yan Xiaoxia and said in a serious tone, “I think this teacher seems a little frivolous. If there are little girls in the kindergarten, you should remind them to be careful. And you’re not allowed to learn from him. Understood?”

“Okay,” Yan Xiaoxia answered obediently.

Guest: “???”

The cameraman nearby was trying desperately not to laugh.

Once everything was ready, Yan Xiaoxia grabbed the guest’s hand and waved at Jiang Zhihuo and Yan Mu. “Papa, Daddy, we’re going! See you tonight!”

…

Cute Cubs Kindergarten had twelve episodes in total, with two days of filming in each city.

The first stop was in the capital. Since Jiang Zhihuo and Yan Mu had settled there after graduation, they didn’t have to travel for this round. Feeling at ease, they handed their son over to the production team and went about their work as usual, arriving right on time after work to pick him up.

When the crew saw them again, everyone, including the guests, just stared at the two of them in stunned silence.

On the drive home, Jiang Zhihuo asked casually, “So what did you do on the show today, Xiaoxia?”

“Nothing,” Yan Xiaoxia said with an innocent face. “I just shared the things I usually play with at home with my new friends and used a few small props for the games.”

Right then, Yun Xiaoxu happened to call. He skipped any greetings and blurted out excitedly, “Wow, our little nephew today was seriously—”

“Don’t spoil it,” Yan Mu cut him off calmly. “We want to wait and watch it when it airs.”

Yan Xiaoxia giggled and patted his chest confidently. “Don’t worry! I won’t let Papa and Daddy down!”

The second filming location was a coastal city. Jiang Zhihuo and Yan Mu brought their work along and set up in a hotel near the set. The kids had already spent two days playing together and were pretty familiar now, so the two of them felt even more at ease letting Yan Xiaoxia do his thing in the “kindergarten.”

But when they went to pick him up that evening, the atmosphere felt… off.

After walking over to see what was going on, they realized Yan Xiaoxia had gotten into an argument with one of the other kids.

• 1
  [T/N: This is actually an internet slang meaning gege(哥哥), older brother preferring to male.]
• 2
  [T/N: This is actually an internet slang meaning meimei(妹妹), younger sister preferring to female.]