Chapter 53

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Xiaobai’s uncle and aunt had to get up. The construction site started work every morning at 6 o'clock.

Malanhua made breakfast, which consisted of baozi and noodles, and placed it on the dining table, covering it with a food cover. Before leaving, she went to Xiaobai’s small bed and pinched her little face.

*Snore, snore, snore~*

The child was sleeping soundly and showed no reaction.

Malanhua pinched her again.

Xiaobai opened her eyes and saw her aunt, irritably saying, "Huh? What’s going on?"

"Little one, we’re going to work. You stay at home and be good, understand?"

"~Under~stood~"

"You’re so lazy, still sleeping."

"I’m a kid~"

"We’re leaving. Don’t sleep anymore, go eat breakfast. There are baozi and noodles. You’ll eat the same for lunch."

Soon, the sound of the door closing echoed, and the house instantly became quiet. Xiaobai turned over and continued to sleep soundly.

Every day was like this. Her uncle and aunt went to work during the day, and she stayed at home alone. In the evening, when they finished work, she would have the chance to go out.

For Xiaobai, the evening was the start of the day. As for the daytime, it was boring and lonely.

However, she didn’t feel bored at all that day because she had new clothes. She couldn’t count how many times she had wandered in front of the mirror, always unable to resist looking at herself, smiling foolishly, and making goose-like sounds.

Pujiang Film Studio.

Another routine morning meeting ended, and Director Li called Zhang Tan over.

"TV station’s Wang Zhen has asked us to go over there later to discuss the project’s progress."

Wang Zhen was the director of Pujiang TV Station.

"Okay."

Zhang Tan first returned to the office, arranged today’s work, and then went to the TV station with Director Li.

Zhang Tan said, "The script will be completed by next Wednesday."

Wang Zhen: "So fast?"

Zhang Tan: "It’s just the script. The subsequent production process will take the most time."

Li Liang added, "Indeed, the first 10 episodes of the script have already been confirmed. A team has already started working on it. We will proceed in groups of 10 episodes, so the first 10 episodes can be completed by the end of the year."

*The Unlucky Bear* has a simple plot and few characters, so the production is relatively easy.

Wang Zhen nodded without saying much. After understanding the situation, she said that the TV station would send someone to stay with the project team, and she wouldn’t personally oversee it, as she didn’t have the time and energy to follow up.

Although Director Li was somewhat surprised, he wasn’t surprised, as it was common for investors to send people to the project team.

Zhang Tan finished work early that day. He went to the mall to buy groceries and prepared to make dinner.

He still remembered the cold noodles from last time, which tasted very good. This time, he would continue, and with the experience from last time, his skills would improve.

When he entered the school, he didn’t want Old Li to see the ingredients for the cold noodles, otherwise, he would send them again if he knew Zhang Tan liked them.

"Uncle, Uncle—"

As soon as he entered the school, he was discovered by Xiaobai.

This Sichuan kid bounced and jumped to him, with a full smile, but didn’t say a word.

Zhang Tan felt she was different from usual, but couldn’t figure out what was different until Xiaobai tugged at her clothes.

Oh, he understood. He congratulated her, "You’re wearing new clothes today, wow, so cute."

Today, Xiaobai wasn’t wearing the large Zhonghua outfit but a red and white football jersey with a big 33 and the name Messi.

Zhang Tan recognized it as the home jersey of a Premier League team, but the name Messi was odd. Messi shouldn’t be there, and 33 wasn’t a number for a key player.

It definitely wasn’t an authentic jersey, Zhang Tan thought. Unscrupulous merchants were just making money, and they were football illiterates.

Zhang Tan didn’t point it out.

The jersey was a bit big on Xiaobai, loose and baggy, with the hem hanging down to her thighs, making her look even cuter and smaller, like a little sister wearing her brother’s clothes.

Moreover, the jersey wasn’t new; it showed signs of wear, and the second 3 in the number 33 was somewhat worn.

"The clothes are so cool," Xiaobai said happily, bouncing around the yard, "Ha, ha, ha~~~"

Like a little bird set free.

"Uncle, come play with me."

Xiaobai brought out a soccer ball and kicked it towards Zhang Tan with all her might.

Zhang Tan followed the ball’s rolling trend, flicked it up with his toe, juggled it a few times, and kicked it back to Xiaobai with a bit more force.

Xiaobai watched the ball fly towards her, mustered all her strength, and kicked it away with a "Hey!"

Zhang Tan and Xiaobai looked up, following the ball’s flight path... and saw it land outside the school gate.

"You’re so strong, Xiaobai."

Xiaobai laughed, somewhat proud, and quickly ran out, shouting, "Get it! My ball!"

Some junior high school students were passing by the school gate and happened to pick up the ball.

Xiaobai stood outside the iron gate, anxiously saying, "That’s mine."

"You’re so small, do you play soccer too?"

The boy who picked up the ball looked at Xiaobai curiously and discussed her jersey with his friends.

"Claw? This is my specialty."

"Ha ha ha, little girl, call me big brother, and I’ll give it back to you."

"Get it! Give me my ball."

"Call me big brother."

"I’ll tell your teacher."

"Then go tell our teacher, I’m leaving."

He was about to take the ball away.

Xiaobai looked back at Zhang Tan, who was a few meters behind her, and said, "Throw the ball in."

Seeing an adult, the boy didn’t dare to tease Xiaobai anymore, threw the ball in, and said as he left, "Little one, let’s play soccer next time."

Xiaobai was attracted by this sentence.

"Okay, are you my opponent?"

Besides making appointments for fights, she was now making appointments for soccer.

Zhang Tan called her back, saying it was just a casual remark, and even if it was real, it would be dangerous for her to play soccer, as she might get hit by the ball.

Luo Zikang came, and Xiaobai huffed from a distance.

Zhang Tan said, "Go play with Luo Zikang, I need to go back and cook."

Xiaobai didn’t want to play with Luo Zikang. She held the ball and followed Zhang Tan, asking all sorts of questions like, "Have you eaten yet? What are you going to eat? Is there any chicken?"

She followed him all the way to the door, and when Zhang Tan invited her in, she ran away but didn’t go far. Instead, she went to the yard, stood below the kitchen window, and while playing with the ball, continued chatting with Zhang Tan, until other children came and she left.

Just like when she saw Zhang Tan, Xiaobai was showing off her new clothes to every child who came to the school.

Luo Zikang said sourly, "Your clothes are too big."

Xiaobai huffed and said she could wear them until she was 5.

Luo Zikang said, "Your clothes are for boys."

"You’re a fool!"

Xiaobai immediately retaliated, and Luo Zikang, not being a match for her, ran away, unable to deal with this Sichuan kid.

Xiaomi and Shen Liuliu came.

And the recently popular Meng Chengcheng also came. She wore a princess-like tulle dress that all the children envied, floating over like a little princess.

However, today, another child felt like a little princess: Xiaobai.

Although she was wearing a football jersey, princesses can be crazy too, and what’s wrong with liking soccer?

Under Xiaobai’s lead, these three children ran around the yard, telling every child they met, every teacher, and every little bug hiding in the trees and grass.

Finally, they stood under the sycamore tree, by the iron fence, and started their daily fun—watching the passersby on the street.