53. Showing Off

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Xiao Bai's uncle and aunt had to get out of bed. The construction site started work every morning at 6:00.

Ma Lanhua prepared breakfast: steamed buns and noodles, placed on the dining table and covered with a food mesh. Before leaving, she walked over to Xiao Bai's small bed and pinched her little cheek.

Hoo hoo hoo~~~
The little child was sleeping soundly and didn't react at all.
Ma Lanhua pinched her cheek again.

Xiao Bai opened her eyes, saw her aunt, and said irritably, "Mm-yi~~ What are you doing, man?"
"You silly child, we are going to work. Be a good girl and stay at home by yourself, you hear me?"
"~I~~ hear~~ you~~"
"You're living the good life, still sleeping."
"I'm just a little kid~"

"We're leaving. Silly child, don't sleep anymore. Go eat your breakfast. There are steamed buns and noodles, and you'll have the same for lunch."

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

Her daily routine was always like this: her uncle and aunt went to work during the day, while she stayed home alone. Only in the evening, after they got off work, would she have the chance to go outside.

For Xiao Bai, after sunset was the true beginning of the day. As for the daytime, it was dry, tasteless, and super boring all by herself.

However, on this particular day, she didn't feel bored at all because of her new clothes. She couldn't count how many times she had spun around in front of the mirror, always unable to resist checking herself out, giggling to herself and letting out goose-like cackles.

Pujiang Film Studio.

It was another routine morning meeting. Afterward, Director Li asked Zhang Tan to stay behind.
"Wang Zhen from the television station invited us over in a while to check on the project progress."
Wang Zhen was Executive Director Wang of Pujiang Television Station.
"Okay."

Zhang Tan first returned to his office, arranged today's work schedule, and then went to the television station with Director Li.
Zhang Tan said, "The script can be completely finished by next Wednesday."
Wang Zhen: "So fast?"
Zhang Tan: "It's just the script. The subsequent production process is what takes the most time."

Li Liang chimed in, "Indeed. You already know the first 10 episodes of the script; they are finalized. Currently, a team has already started working on them. We will proceed in groups of 10 episodes. That way, the first 10 episodes can be completed before the end of the year."

"Boonie Bear" had a simple plot and single characters, making production relatively easy.

Wang Zhen nodded without saying much. After getting an update, she finally stated that the television station would send personnel to be stationed permanently with the project team, and she would no longer personally follow up since she didn't have the time or energy to track it.

Although Director Li was somewhat surprised, he wasn't shocked. It was very common for investors to send people into a production team, and he found nothing strange about it.

Zhang Tan got off work very early today. He bought groceries at the shopping mall, planning to cook his own dinner.
He still remembered the cold noodles from last time; they tasted very good, so he decided to make them again. With last time's practice as a foundation, his culinary skills could reach another level today.

When entering the kindergarten, he was too embarrassed to let Old Li see his ingredients for making cold noodles; otherwise, knowing how much he liked them, Old Li would send more next time.

"Big Uncle, Big Uncle——"
As soon as he stepped into the kindergarten, Xiao Bai spotted him.

This Sichuan kid skipped and bounced all the way up to him, her face full of smiles, smiling silently.
Zhang Tan felt she looked a bit different from usual, but couldn't place what was changed until Xiao Bai tugged at her clothes.

Oh, he understood now, and congratulated her, "You're wearing new clothes today, huh? Wow, very cute."

Today, Xiao Bai finally wasn't wearing that Greater China outfit, but instead sported a red-and-white football jersey with a large number 33 and the name "Messi" printed on it.

Zhang Tan recognized this as the home jersey of a certain Premier League team, but the name "Messi" didn't look right at all. How did Messi end up there? And wearing number 33, a number that clearly didn't belong to a key player.

It definitely wasn't an authentic jersey, Zhang Tan thought to himself—just something messed up by unscrupulous merchants trying to make money, created by someone who knew nothing about football.

Zhang Tan didn't point it out.

Worn on Xiao Bai, the jersey looked a bit oversized and baggy, with the hem hanging down to her thighs, making her look even more adorable and tiny, like a little younger sister who had secretly put on her older brother's clothes.

Moreover, the clothes weren't new; signs of wear could be seen, and the second 3 in the number 33 was somewhat worn out.

"This outfit is so cool and breezy," Xiao Bai said cheerfully, bouncing up and down in the courtyard, "Ha, ha, ha~~~"
Like a little fledglings released from a cage.

"Big Uncle, come play with me!"
Xiao Bai fished out a football and, using all her might, kicked it toward Zhang Tan.

Following the trajectory of the rolling football, Zhang Tan flicked it up with the tip of his shoe, juggled it a few times, and then kicked it back to Xiao Bai with a bit of force.

Xiao Bai watched the football fly over, gathered all her strength, struck a pose, let out a "Hey!", and kicked the football away...

Zhang Tan and Xiao Bai raised their heads and traced the direction of the flying football with their eyes... only to see the football land outside the school gate.

"You've got so much strength, Xiao Bai."

Xiao Bai let out a "ha," looking quite proud. With metaphorical wind and fire wheels under her feet, she darted out swiftly with a pitter-patter sound, shouting, "Damn it! My ball!"

A few junior high school students passing by after school happened to pick up the flying football.
Xiao Bai stood outside the iron gate and said anxiously, "That's mine."

"You're so small, do you even play football?"
The boy who picked up the football looked at Xiao Bai curiously and discussed her jersey with the people around him.

"What you looking at?! This is my specialty!"
"Hahaha, little sister, call me 'Big Brother,' and I'll give it back to you."
"Damn it! Give me back my ball."
"You call me brother."
"I'm going to tell your teacher on you."
"Then go tell our teacher. I'm leaving."
With that, he made a move to take the football away.

Xiao Bai anxiously looked back at Zhang Tan, who was three or four meters behind her. Seeing this, he said, "Throw the football in."

Seeing an adult present, the other party didn't dare tease Xiao Bai anymore and tossed the football inside. As he left, he shouted, "Little peanut, let's play football next time."

Xiao Bai's attention was captured by this remark.
"Okay then, are you my opponent?"
Aside from challenging people to fights, she was now starting to challenge people to football matches.

Zhang Tan called her back, telling her the guy was just joking and she shouldn't take it seriously. Even if it were true, she was so little, going onto a football field would be too dangerous; she might get blown away by a football bounce.

Luo Zikang arrived, and Xiao Bai coldly snorted from afar.
Zhang Tan said, "Go play with Luo Zikang. I'm going back to cook."

Xiao Bai refused to go play with Luo Zikang. She hugged the football, followed closely behind Zhang Tan, and asked one question after another: Have you eaten your *mangmang* yet? What are you planning to eat? Is there any *gaga* (meat)...?

She followed him all the way to his doorway. When Zhang Tan invited her in, she ran off instead. Yet she didn't go far, settling in the courtyard right below the kitchen window. There she lingered, playing with the ball while holding up her little head to continue chatting with Zhang Tan until other children arrived, at which point she finally walked away.

Just like when she first met Zhang Tan, Xiao Bai was showing off her clothes to every child who arrived at the kindergarten.

Luo Zikang said sourly, "Your clothes are way too big."
Xiao Bai proudly let out a huff and said that way she'd be able to wear them until she was 5 years old.
Luo Zikang chimed in again, saying her clothes were meant for boys.
"You silly child!"
Xiao Bai immediately counterattacked. Luo Zikang was no match and scurried off; he couldn't afford to provoke this Sichuan kid.

Xiao Mi arrived, and Shen Liuliu arrived as well.
Even the recently much-talked-about Meng Chengcheng arrived. She was wearing a fluffy princess dress that made all the children envious, floating over like a little princess.

However, today there was another child who also considered herself a little princess: little classmate Xiao Bai.
Even though she was wearing a football jersey, princesses could be wild too—what was wrong with loving football?

Led by Xiao Bai, these three children scampered around the courtyard, informing every child they met, every teacher, and every little bug hiding in the trees and grass.

Finally, they stood beneath the Chinese parasol tree and, separated by the iron railings of the perimeter wall, began their daily interesting pastime—watching the pedestrians on the street.