NOVPUBAfter just a few words, Lu Yicheng came over to take the phone. "Liu Liang, tell Grandpa to rest well. We’ll visit him when we get home tonight."
Lu Lingnuan hadn’t finished speaking yet. "Daddy, just one more minute!"
Lu Shuangchen’s eyes sparkled with amusement. "What else do you want to say to Grandpa?"
Lu Lingnuan replied, "Grandpa, you have to rest properly! I’ll bring you yummy treats when I come home. Don’t be afraid of taking medicine—listen to the doctor uncle! No sneaking the pills away, okay? And, and drink lots of water! No sneaking snacks, and no spicy food either… Mm, I’ll be back soon to take care of you!"
Lu Shuangchen listened attentively. "Does Liu Liang have any other instructions?"
Suddenly, Lu Lingnuan remembered. "No smoking! Absolutely no smoking!"
Smoking wasn’t good for recovery.
Lu Shuangchen wasn’t a heavy smoker and rarely lit up in front of family. Later, when Jiang Lan was pregnant and gave birth to Liu Liang, he nearly quit altogether, afraid his granddaughter might catch a whiff of smoke. These days, he indulged only occasionally—maybe one cigarette every couple of days—but Liu Liang had sharp eyes. She always caught him sneaking a smoke and even found his hidden cigarettes and lighter.
"Grandpa promises not to smoke," Lu Shuangchen said, reluctantly hanging up.
If he weren’t sick, they’d be at the park right now, pushing Liu Liang on the swings or sliding down the slides together.
If only he weren’t sick…
Lu Shuangchen sighed bitterly. What was the point of this? He felt miserable, and he couldn’t even spend time with Liu Liang. Yu Wanqiu had scolded him for being reckless.
Now, all he wanted was to recover quickly. Once he was better, he’d take Liu Liang out for some KFC.
As soon as the call ended, Lu Yicheng took the phone away. Lu Lingnuan shouted, "Mean!"
Lu Yicheng retorted, "Who’s mean? Kids shouldn’t be glued to screens."
Fine, no phone then. But it was so boring here—no fun at all.
They’d arrived at the office at 8:30 a.m., and now it was past 10. Lu Lingnuan had already finished her picture books, played with all the puzzles and building blocks, and run out of things to do.
"Daddy, I’m hungry," Lu Lingnuan said, patting her still-round belly. "Really hungry."
Her little tummy was practically stretching her dress, yet she insisted she was starving.
Lu Yicheng rummaged through his bag and pulled out a cheese stick. "Here, eat this."
One tiny cheese stick? That wouldn’t even fill a tooth’s gap!
Lu Lingnuan pouted. "Daddy, I wanna watch cars again."
She meant her favorite cartoon, Toy Cars Adventure, streaming on Penguin Video. No subtitles, just colorful vehicles—ambulances, excavators—teaching kids to recognize colors. Little ones adored it.
Lu Yicheng turned on the office TV. "Fifteen minutes."
Lu Lingnuan bargained, "Five minutes is enough! Fifteen minutes? I’ll finish this stick way before then!"
"…"
Sighing, Lu Yicheng handed her a small pack of beef jerky. "Don’t eat too much. It’s almost lunchtime."
Between work and keeping an eye on his daughter, Lu Yicheng was stretched thin. Luckily, the office was stocked with robots built by Lu Yuan. After a while, Lu Lingnuan abandoned the TV to play with them.
At 10:30, assistant Lin Zhao knocked and entered, her gaze immediately landing on the little princess. Dressed in a denim skirt studded with sequins, the fair-skinned girl sat on the sofa, her hair in a perky bun secured with a peach-shaped clip. Her feet swung idly as she battled a robot, her wispy bangs curling slightly.
Lu Lingnuan said to the robot, "It's time for lunch!"
The robot replied, "For lunch, you can have sweet and sour pork ribs. The recipe is—"
"No sweet and sour ribs! I want a hamburger!"
Like a little bull ready to charge, the young princess sat on the sofa, arguing with the robot.
...
Hearing this, Lin Zhao couldn't help but smile. "Director Lu, what would you like for lunch? I’ll order something."
At the office, Lu Yicheng usually ate boxed meals, but when Lu Lingnuan was around, the meals had to be more carefully chosen.
As soon as Lu Lingnuan heard the word "lunch," she stood up, holding onto the sofa. "Uncle, I want a hamburger! Daddy, let’s have hamburgers and ice cream!"
Lin Zhao glanced at Lu Yicheng, silently asking for confirmation—if hamburgers were acceptable, he’d place the order.
Lin Zhao had only met Lu Lingnuan twice before—once at her full-moon celebration and again at her first birthday.
This was the third time.
The little girl had grown up, and she was adorable.
A hamburger wasn’t much to ask for—it wasn’t like she was demanding the stars. Who could bear to refuse her?
Lin Zhao had assumed that Lu Yicheng, as a father, would spoil his daughter. The Lu family was wealthy beyond measure—wanting for nothing. Being born into such a family, shouldn’t she have everything she desired?
Lu Lingnuan resembled Jiang Lan more in appearance, though her nose took after her father. Her cheeks still carried a hint of baby fat, and as she leaned against the sofa, gazing up with pleading eyes, it was impossible to say no.
Lin Zhao was about to ask whether she’d prefer a spicy grilled chicken burger or a spicy chicken burger, not to mention the beef and cheese burger, the cod and shrimp burger, or the ice cream in strawberry, mango, or chocolate flavors.
If she liked Oreos, he could even order a McFlurry.
Kids usually loved Orleans chicken wings and drumsticks, right? Maybe some fries or other snacks to go with it.
Did all children love hamburgers? His own son certainly did. But little girls were far cuter than boys.
Lu Yicheng, however, said, "Order from Yun Chuan Restaurant—corn with salted egg yolk, pickled cabbage with fatty beef, fish balls, a bowl of steamed egg custard, two servings of rice, and a spoon."
Lu Lingnuan’s world crumbled. Where was her hamburger?
Lin Zhao hesitated. "What about the hamburger and ice—"
Lu Yicheng cut in, "She’s not having that. Just order the dishes. If there’s nothing else, you can go."
Lin Zhao had no choice—she wasn’t his daughter, after all. Kids shouldn’t eat junk food all the time. Healthy meals were better, even if she looked pitiful. But there was nothing he could do.
Lu Lingnuan scrambled across the sofa toward Lin Zhao. "Uncle, take me home with you! I don’t eat much—just one hamburger is enough to fill me up! And if I’m really good, you can give me an ice cream too. I’m easy to take care of!"
Lu Yicheng frowned. "Lu Lingnuan, I’m counting to three. Sit down right now. Your mother isn’t here today—if I have to discipline you, no one will know."
Lin Zhao coughed awkwardly. "Then, Director Lu, I’ll take my leave. The food should arrive by 11:20. I’ll bring it up when it’s here."
Lu Lingnuan reluctantly sat back down. "I’m not eating. You never let me have what I like. I’m telling Mom you’re mistreating me."
Lu Yicheng replied, "Go ahead and tell her. Play by yourself for a while—Daddy has work to do."
Lu Lingnuan gave Lin Zhao a pitiful glance and muttered under her breath, "I don’t want to be with you tomorrow. I want to be with Mom..."
She missed her mother. Daddy was so mean—he wouldn’t even let her have ice cream.
Lu Yicheng added, "If you don’t behave, I’ll tell your mother about how you secretly skipped your medicine and sneaked snacks."
Did she really think he didn’t know? Every little trick she whispered to her grandfather on the phone—she’d done them all before.
Lu Lingnuan was utterly shocked—how did Dad find out? Afraid of being scolded by Jiang Lan, she obediently sat still this time.
Mom was gentle and rarely got angry, but once she did, she wasn’t easy to appease. Dad might seem strict, but when he wasn’t angry, he was actually quite nice.
Lu Yicheng watched as his daughter pulled out her picture book again. From behind, she looked like a little round ball. It was a bit hot today—he’d have to take her out for a walk in the afternoon.
He sent a message to his assistant, asking him to buy an ice cream, peach-flavored would do.
Lin Zhao stepped out of the office to order lunch. The management floor was on the 32nd level, where there were few women—most of the assistants were men.
Yet, the more male-dominated the environment, the less resistance they had to a little girl’s charm.
"Our little princess is just too adorable. Who could say no when she asks for ice cream? She even wanted to leave with me—Lu Yicheng’s face turned dark," Lin Zhao said before returning to work.
The other assistants were equally smitten. "She should come to the office more often. She’s so well-behaved! When I went to deliver documents this morning, she was just sitting there reading her book. I wish I had a daughter like her."
The company group chats were buzzing too. Most of Lu Yuan’s employees were fans of the "Lanzhou Hand-Pulled Noodles" couple, while others shipped the "Irreplaceable" pairing—getting to witness sweet moments up close.
After having a child, Lu Yicheng seemed to have changed, becoming more mature and gentle. Though he was still strict with the team, his demeanor softened noticeably when he was on the phone or walking around.
That morning, someone had seen Lu Yicheng leading Lu Lingnuan into the office.
She looked around curiously while he patiently explained things to her.
Lu Lingnuan had an air of cleverness about her, with her twin braids and little hair clips. Her short legs struggled to keep up, so Lu Yicheng slowed his pace for her.
The only oddity was the camera crew following them, as if they were filming a show.
Employees speculated it was for a variety program, but they kept their guesses to the break room—no one dared to gossip online.
In an internet company, slacking off required caution.
That kid is just too cute—I want to take her home!
Unaware of all the pretty sisters who wanted to whisk her away and feed her ice cream, Lu Lingnuan grew hungry by lunchtime.
Lu Yicheng set the packed lunch boxes on the small dining table, with Lu Lingnuan seated in a child’s chair. He unpacked a corn cob, then pickled cabbage with fatty beef, fish balls, and finally steamed egg custard.
Pointing at a small patterned bag, Lu Lingnuan asked, "Daddy, what’s this?"
Lu Yicheng pulled out the ice cream. "A peach-flavored ice cream. You can only eat half—after you finish your meal. If you don’t eat properly, no ice cream for you."
Her eyes lit up instantly. "Then I’ll save half for Mommy… or maybe Grandpa, since he’s sick."
As if anyone would want her half-eaten ice cream. Or was her old man simply not worthy?
"Sit properly and eat by yourself," Lu Yicheng said.
Lu Lingnuan wasn’t great with chopsticks yet, so he helped her by mixing the egg custard into her rice, scooping some corn, adding the fatty beef and sour broth, and breaking up a few fish balls so she could eat with a spoon.
Admittedly, the bowl didn’t look very appetizing—more like pig slop.
Meanwhile, Lu Yicheng elegantly picked whatever he wanted to eat, his long arms and good posture making his meal look effortlessly refined.
Lu Lingnuan didn’t mind. If she was hungry, she’d eat. So what if it looked messy? As long as it tasted good.
One bite after another, Lu Lingnuan ate with great relish, having saved a little room in her stomach just for ice cream.
No matter how much she ate, it was still less than what Lu Yicheng, an adult, consumed. After finishing her meal, she asked him to wipe her mouth and hands. "Daddy, wipe my hands," she said.
She was quite particular about cleanliness.
Once her mouth and hands were clean, Lu Lingnuan licked her lips and called out, "Daddy!"
Lu Yicheng brought over the ice cream. "Only half," he said firmly.
Lu Lingnuan nodded, scooping a small spoonful. Just as she was about to take a big bite, she paused and closed her mouth again. "Daddy, you can have the first bite!"
For a child, the first and last bites were always the most important.
Lu Yicheng didn’t hesitate, taking the offered bite before letting Lu Lingnuan enjoy the rest on her own.
"Daddy, you took such a huge bite! Now I won’t have enough," she protested. "I don’t think half is enough..."
Lu Yicheng knew his daughter wouldn’t give him the first bite without an ulterior motive. "Liu Liang, if you keep complaining, you won’t even get half."
Lu Lingnuan pouted. "...Fine."
After eating half the ice cream, she stopped, waiting for Lu Yicheng to finish so he could carry her down. She then went to the bathroom to wash her hands.
It was almost naptime, so she gathered her storybooks and dolls, hauling them all onto the bed. "Daddy, I’m going to sleep now," she announced.
Lu Yicheng replied, "I’ll be there in a bit."
He cleared the table, tossing away the trash, then washed his hands thoroughly before heading to the bedroom to tuck his daughter in.
Lu Lingnuan was already snug under her blanket, three storybooks piled beside her.
"Daddy, tell me the duckling story," she said, easy to please. She’d heard the tale from her mother before, but listening to her father tell it made it feel like her mother was there too.
That way, she could fall asleep more easily.
She placed her hands on her little belly. "I’m all ready."
Lu Yicheng suggested, "Let me undo your braids."
Lu Lingnuan hesitated—she didn’t want them taken out because Daddy never braided them as nicely when she woke up.
But she could still sleep like this.
Lu Yicheng ruffled Liu Liang’s hair. "Be good. I’ll redo them after you wake up. Or if we go pick up Mommy together tonight, she can make them pretty again."
With that reassurance, Lu Lingnuan let her hair down. It was thick and jet-black, spilling over half the pillow as it loosened.
Lu Yicheng opened the storybook and began the tale of the little duckling.
Lu Lingnuan’s thoughts drifted to Lu Shuangchen. "After we pick up Mommy, let’s go see Grandpa. He’s sick."
Being alone and sick must be so hard.
"Daddy, I miss Grandpa."
Lu Yicheng replied, "You’ll see him tonight."
Lu Lingnuan continued, "When you and Mommy are at work, I miss you both. I wish I could shrink myself and split into lots of little mes. Then I could be with Mommy, and with Daddy, and also stay with Grandpa and Grandma, and Nana and Papa..."
Moments like these always touched Lu Yicheng the most. Children spoke their hearts without filters.
Every word was genuine.
Liu Liang was especially attached to Jiang Lan—after all, she was her mother, the one who had carried her, given birth to her, and raised her with such effort. Lu Yicheng never felt jealous that their daughter adored Jiang Lan more.
Lu Shuangchen spent a lot of time with her too, and Yu Wanqiu often took Liu Liang out for fun.
Liu Liang loved everyone.
And so many people loved her in return.
Lu Yicheng held his daughter’s hand. "Mm. If you could shrink, I’d carry you in my pocket every day. Take you to work and back home with me."
"I can climb onto Mom's violin! But... but how will I eat? I still want ice cream. If I shrink, I'll only get a tiny bit..."
Lu Lingnuan's biggest worry was when she could finally indulge in ice cream without limits.
Dream on—getting half a serving per week was already generous. Yet here she was, craving more right after finishing one.
Lu Yicheng began telling a story, "Once upon a time, there was a little river filled with many, many ducklings..."
Less than five minutes in, Liu Liang was already asleep, her eyes closed, long lashes fluttering.
She looked quite adorable when she wasn’t being mischievous.
Lu Yicheng turned the air conditioning up by two degrees and decided to take a short nap himself.
Before dozing off, he glanced at his phone and noticed Jiang Lan had just called. He dialed her back. "Honey, I got Liu Liang to sleep. She sure talks a lot, but she was pretty well-behaved today."
She seemed to understand that Grandpa was sick and Mom was busy, so she obediently stayed with Dad.
Jiang Lan had called to check on their daughter, asking if she’d behaved at the office. As long as she was well-behaved, that was enough.
"Not bad. I was worried she’d cause trouble for you."
Lu Yicheng stood by the window. "Nope. Feels like she’s slowly maturing. If you explain things clearly, she doesn’t fuss or cry. I thought she’d cry today, but she didn’t at all. Half an ice cream was enough to make her ecstatic."
Kids are so easy to please.
Jiang Lan laughed. "A little treat won’t hurt. I want ice cream too. How about you? Tonight, after she’s asleep, we’ll have some."
Lu Yicheng: "Definitely. And let’s get fried chicken and barbecue too."
Even though they didn’t have to worry much, taking care of a child was exhausting.
Lu Yicheng planned to wrap up work early and head home by four or five.
Jiang Lan had called Yu Wanqiu in the morning. Lu Shuangchen’s fever had mostly subsided, but he still felt weak. They’d wait a couple more days until he fully recovered before letting Liu Liang stay with them again.
For dinner, they’d go home early and prepare something light—better for recovery.
Around 5 p.m., Lu Yicheng parked outside the orchestra building.
Liu Liang had been here a few times and recognized it as Mom’s workplace. "Daddy, when will Mommy come out?"
Lu Yicheng: "At 5:30."
"Daddy, how long until 5:30?" Lu Lingnuan squirmed in her child seat, restless. "Let’s go wait for her outside!"
How could Lu Yicheng explain how long 5:30 was? "Imagine eating ice cream. By the time you finish one, Mommy will be here. Do you know how hot it is outside? You’d wilt in no time."
After a moment of silence, he glanced back—only to find her cupping her cheeks, lost in a dreamy expression. "So sweet..."
...
At 5:30 sharp, Jiang Lan clocked out.
Lu Lingnuan had already "eaten" two imaginary ice creams.
Jiang Lan placed her violin in the passenger seat, kissed Lu Yicheng, then climbed into the back to hug her daughter.
Lu Lingnuan: "I was very good today! Don’t I deserve an ice cream as a reward?"
Jiang Lan: "Wait, didn’t you already have one? Why ask for more?"
"Daddy, why do you tell Mommy everything? Mom, I only had half! I wanted to save some for Grandpa... It wasn’t for me!" Lu Lingnuan held up her fingers defensively. "I’ll eat proper meals, not random snacks."
Jiang Lan untied Liu Liang's braids, saying, "Alright, alright, but we still need to ask Grandpa if he wants ice cream. When you're sick, you should eat porridge—something simple and light. No ice cream."
Lu Lingnuan responded with an "Oh," then exclaimed, "Right! I'll go home and take care of Grandpa!"
After just one day apart, Lu Lingnuan truly missed Lu Shuangchen. They used to see each other every day—even on weekends when Jiang Lan and Lu Yicheng took her out, she could still play with Lu Shuangchen in the afternoon.
As soon as she got home, Lu Lingnuan hurried upstairs.
Lu Shuangchen had returned a little after one, eaten lunch, taken an afternoon nap, and his fever had subsided. He was feeling much more energetic now, practically bursting with energy.
The moment his granddaughter walked in, he wanted to scoop her up for a hug. Just one day without seeing her, and he already missed her terribly.
But Lu Lingnuan refused to let him hold her. "Grandpa, if you're sick, you need to rest! I'm heavy—holding me will make you worse!"
Lu Shuangchen chuckled. "You? Heavy? Please."
"I weigh a hundred pounds! Grandpa, let me get you some water. Sit down!" Lu Lingnuan had Lu Yicheng pour warm water, then eagerly carried it over to Lu Shuangchen.
"Grandpa, drink up!"
To Lu Shuangchen, the water Liu Liang brought him tasted far sweeter than any he poured himself.
He wanted to recover quickly so he could take care of Liu Liang again.
Lu Lingnuan brought him water three times, and each time, Lu Shuangchen drank it all. The water was warm, and after finishing it, he planned to take his medicine after dinner. He already felt almost fully recovered.
To avoid spreading germs, the whole family checked their temperatures—all around 36°C, perfectly normal.
Lu Shuangchen declared, "I'm pretty much better now. Let Liu Liang stay with me tomorrow—I'll take care of her."
Jiang Lan exchanged a glance with Lu Yicheng before replying, "Dad, you still need an IV drip tomorrow. Wait until you're completely better before taking Liu Liang again."
Yu Wanqiu shot Lu Shuangchen a look. After so many years together, she knew exactly what he was thinking. "Rest properly. You're not young anymore—don’t push yourself and end up with a relapse. What did the doctor say? That you caught a chill... Take it easy. Wait until after a couple more IV sessions."
Lu Shuangchen sighed. "Alright, Liu Liang, once Grandpa is fully better, we’ll go back to the little park. Lu Yicheng, take Liu Liang to the company with you, but don’t just keep her cooped up in the office. Lu Yuan has a park too—take her there to play."
Though it didn’t have a playground. Maybe they should build one nearby.
Liu Liang loved slides and swings, and Lu Yuan had neither.
Was there any suitable land available?
Lu Shuangchen wanted to build a playground for his granddaughter—something like Disneyland would be perfect.
Lu Lingnuan nodded eagerly. "Grandpa, focus on getting better! I’ll make sure you take your medicine! Once you’re all better, we can go play."
Who else took medicine like Lu Lingnuan—always trying to skip doses or take less?
Lu Shuangchen couldn’t resist teasing her. "Grandpa doesn’t want to take medicine."
"You have to! If you don’t, you’ll stay sick, and then I won’t play with you," Lu Lingnuan insisted. "I’ll watch you take it, and after, I’ll give you a yummy candy!"
Illness strikes like a landslide, but recovery is slow as spinning silk.
Though his fever was gone, Lu Shuangchen kept coughing.
It wasn’t until Friday that he fully recovered.
Over the weekend, with Jiang Lan and Lu Yicheng both off work, he didn’t even get to take care of Liu Liang. Lu Shuangchen felt strangely restless.
Yu Wanqiu scolded him, "You’re just bored—serves you right."
The older he got, the more he acted like a child.
Lu Shuangchen knew he was in the wrong, so he let Yu Wanqiu have the last word. "On Monday, I can take Liu Liang out again. Jiang Lan and Lu Yicheng work all week—they only get weekends with her. I can take care of Liu Liang anytime."
At 10 PM on Friday, it was time for the broadcast of Family Treasures.
The promotional efforts for Family Treasures in its early stages were not extensive, which was intentional on Zhang Tian's part.
Out of the four groups of guests, only three had been officially announced.
Shen Xingyao had the highest popularity, while Chenchen, a handsome little boy with big eyes, was an adorable heartthrob.
The other two groups of guests had relatively average popularity, but for a lifestyle variety show, Zhang Tian’s focus was always on the touching moments of family interactions.
At 4 PM on Friday, the production team officially announced the final group of guests—Liu Liang and her parents, grandparents.
A stunningly good-looking family.
The promotional Weibo post featured photos of Liu Liang, along with her parents and grandparents.
Jiang Lan and Yu Wanqiu were no strangers to the public—even after several years, people could still recognize Jiang Lan at a glance.
Though Yu Wanqiu no longer actively appeared in the public eye, her fans were more than content with her consistent output of one film every two years, along with the occasional photos taken by students at Tsinghua University.
After five long years, these two were finally appearing in a variety show again.
This time, Lu Shuangchen and Lu Yicheng were also part of the lineup, but they weren’t the main focus.
The true star was the little princess with her braided pigtails.
"I’ve already graduated, and my girl’s child is this big now..."
