Wei Wuji quickly finished his ice pop and excitedly sat on the pirate ship.

Jiang Chen leaned his elbow on the railing, eating a green tongue ice pop.

The good thing about this ice pop is that it lasts long and you don’t have to worry about it melting.

"You’re really suited to take care of kids."

Fang Qing stood beside him, looking at the boy momentarily forgetting his worries, casually eating the ice pop just like someone else.

But unlike someone else, she didn’t deliberately stretch the green tongue long; if it melted, she would bite it off.

"Let me tell you a trick."

"What trick?"

"Think about the kind of adult you needed when you were a kid, and you’ll know how to interact with children. Becoming the adult you needed as a child is the shortcut to being qualified parents."

If he wasn’t lazily leaning against the railing with a long green tongue ice pop, he might actually demand some respect.

"Can you not be so sleazy?"

"Sleazy?"

Jiang Chen tilted his head, realizing the other was referring to his method of eating the ice pop, and then responded, "The color of your mind determines the color of the world you see."

Fang Qing stopped and chose not to continue the banter.

They’d been bantering for years.

Keep arguing?

Aren’t they tired of it?

If not.

They should try a different approach.

Like kissing?

"When will his father come out?"

Fang Qing watched the excited boy on the pirate ship.

This is a privilege granted to children by heaven; it’s easy to distract them, keeping them from dwelling in pain.

But this experience card has a time limit, gradually being stripped away as they grow older.

"His father has been taken by the inspection team."

"Inspection team?"

"Yeah."

Uh-oh.

The green tongue dangled too long, unfortunately broke, and fell on the ground.

Jiang Chen was very annoyed.

"Hahaha."

Fang Qing laughed brightly.

"Wanna play?"

Outside the bumper car arena, Wei Wujie looked longingly.

The administrator asked.

"You go play with him."

Boss Jiang said, perhaps because the green tongue fell, feeling a bit gloomy.

"How about the three of us play together? The opportunity is rare."

The administrator was good at promoting.

The three of us?

Do I look that old?

But you can’t blame them.

Business in amusement parks is so bad, can’t afford young people, these facility administrators are all old grandpas and grandmas, at least over fifty, it’s inevitable they’re a bit visually impaired.

"Discount?"

Fang Qing acted as if she didn’t notice the mistake in the admin’s wording.

A play-all ticket is only for kids; if they want to play, they naturally have to buy tickets.

The admin grandma hesitated but didn’t delay too long and cheerfully said, "Mom and Dad just need to buy one ticket."

"Deal."

Fang Qing held the child and walked in, leaving a "pay up" to someone.

Three people, three cars, madly colliding in the arena.

"Hit him!"

Fang Qing and the little boy Wei Wujie formed a united front, launching a siege on someone.

Shouts and laughs echoed amidst the collisions.

The play-all ticket was a great value; "the family of three" spent half an afternoon at the amusement park.

They didn’t choose to go home for dinner. Fang Qing called her parents, then sat in the McDonald’s just across the street from the square.

Over ten years have passed, yet McDonald’s prices remain the same, even cheaper when you consider group purchase deals.

"Kids nowadays are truly born in the best era."

Jiang Chen, acting as both a payment machine and waiter, climbed to the second floor and placed the overflowing tray down.

"Uncle, consider this money borrowed from you too."

The young boy Wei Wujie was principled.

But Boss Jiang wouldn’t buy it, "So you’re saying you’re treating us this meal?"

Wei Wujie felt embarrassed.

"When you become a bricklayer and don’t cut corners, that’s considered paying us back."

Fang Qing was humorous too.

Boss Jiang was displeased, promptly emphasizing, "My money. How did it become our money?"

"Uncle, aren’t you and Auntie family?"

Wei Wujie whispered.

"How do you know we’re family?"

"Aren’t boyfriends and girlfriends family?"

"How do you know we are boyfriends and girlfriends?"

Jiang Chen sat beside Qing Mei, continuing to ask.

"Uncle, I know."

Wei Wujie showed a look of understanding.

True enough.

Thanks to the internet, kids of this age are much more mature than those of their era.

"Your Auntie is so pretty and still a lawyer. Do you think she would fancy me?"

Fang Qing sucked on her cola, remaining silent.

"Isn’t Uncle a big deal?"

Jiang Chen was dumbfounded, then said, "Aren’t you not believing it?"

"I believe."

The young boy’s eyes were focused and sincere, looking at Jiang Chen, "Uncle must be remarkable; otherwise, he couldn’t have won Auntie over. Just like my mom, if my dad weren’t a bricklayer and didn’t paint walls so well, they wouldn’t have gotten married."

"..."

Jiang Chen was speechless, torn between crying and laughing.

Fang Qing bit her straw, struggling to suppress a smile.

"Is it possible that your Auntie chased me?"

After a pause, Jiang Chen said.

"Tap."

This time, someone learned from previous lessons and moved his foot in advance, narrowly avoiding an incident.

"I don’t believe it."

The little boy grabbed a burger.

"What don’t you believe? Your Auntie has chased me for decades; even before she was your age, she was persistent in chasing me."

The young boy sneaked a glance at Fang Qing.

"How could that be, Auntie was too young then..."

"Don’t you have a girl you like?"

Jiang Chen asked.

Oddly, the young boy fell silent.

Jiang Chen wasn’t too surprised.

"People’s stories are actually destined from the first glance."

He picked up a honey-glazed chicken wing and put it into his mouth.

The little boy seemed convinced, probably recalling a girl from school, "But so young, how could it last when grown up..."

He didn’t express it well, but Jiang Chen seemed to understand his meaning.

"Aren’t your Auntie and I an example? Who said childhood affections couldn’t last? If you’re not together, it means it still hasn’t reached the end."

Fang Qing sucked on her cola, her gaze tranquil.

The young boy seemed half-understood, took a bite of his burger, and after a while, said, "But what if she doesn’t like me being a bricklayer?"

Not just Jiang Chen, even Fang Qing couldn’t help but laugh.

So, this boy really has someone he likes or has a crush on.

Criticizing him for maturing early?

They aren’t his real parents, and who arranges childhood marriages for them?

No authorities to educate them.

"If she doesn’t like you being a bricklayer, it’s because she hasn’t seen your skill. Wait till you personally renovate a beautiful big house, then invite her to see it; she’ll surely feel immature about herself then."

Fang Qing showed a different expression, holding back with difficulty, but the little boy didn’t think so.

"Yeah! Thank you, Uncle. I know what to do now."

Jiang Chen nodded with satisfaction, "Eat up."

What’s the main customer group for McDonald’s?

Parents with kids.

Even though the boy seemed very happy and engaged the whole afternoon, not mentioning his father a single word, but through his sneaky looks at the surroundings with those complete family scenes bathed in harmony, that envious gaze clearly indicated he was suppressing his real emotions deep down.

"Fill your stomach, and when you finish, your dad will pick you up."

Jiang Chen said.

The boy froze.

"Really?"

"What did uncle just say to you?"

"Uncle is a big deal, won’t lie to kids!"

"Bingo!"

Jiang Chen snapped his fingers, "So stop looking."

"Yeah!"

The boy grabbed his burger and started devouring it.

Jiulong Bridge.

Spanning the Moat, connecting the East Gate city tunnel, cars go in the middle, pedestrians on the sides.

Sunset.

Two adults and one child leisurely strolled onto the bridge after finishing McDonald’s.

"Daddy!!!"

On the other side of the bridge.

The sunset spotlighted the silhouette of a man, his face obscured, yet the young boy Wei Wuji already sprinted forward.

Jiang Chen’s expression was calm.

Fang Qing quietly watched, suddenly, softly said.

"Don’t lie to kids."

"You gotta be a big deal."

"The bigger, the better."