Chapter 48: Being a Happy Salt Fish
Chapter 48
Just as netizens were discussing things, the program team had already become chaotic.
Ji Mochen, who was leisurely fishing just now, threw down the tools in his hands at the first moment he heard the news. By the time they reacted, all they saw was Ji Mochen's back as he left.
On the other side, Shu Mingcheng, who had rescued Ji Ruochu, was also panicking with shaky hands.
He was the exclusive cameraman for "Dad's Home", and in the previous seasons when the show was pre-recorded, he had captured the most and best interesting footage, in the most professional way, always able to shoot wonderful scenes at the first moment.
Therefore, for this season, the executive director let him follow and shoot the Ji father and daughter, mainly Ji Ruochu, and he did not disappoint, with every angle he took being what the audience loved to see.
But at this moment, he hated his own professionalism.
When the child was hit for the first time, although he was a little worried, seeing that Geng Zhenzhen was already protecting the little one, and the staff nearby had also approached, he continued to position the camera.
At that moment, everyone knew that this was the new explosive point of the show. The children's safety was being taken care of by dedicated staff, and his job was to record.
Therefore, when the accident happened, his camera was able to fully capture the entire scene.
But when the little one fell into the water, things changed.
At this moment, holding the soaked child, not only were Shu Mingcheng's hands shaking, but his heart was about to jump out.
Although the water was not deep, barely to the knees, and although he was fast enough, pulling Ji Ruochu out of the water almost as soon as she fell in, the surface of the water was still half a meter above the shore. In this situation, no one could guarantee whether the child was hurt by rocks or had other injuries.
Because they didn't know where the child was injured, they didn't dare move her. Fortunately, the medical team of the program crew was always following them and they immediately wrapped the child in clean towels and carefully examined her.
Ji Ruochu was brought back to the Ji family cabin amidst the chaos, the medical team changed her into a clean set of clothes and examined her carefully again.
After confirming that the little one had no other injuries or discomfort, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ruo Ruo!"
At this moment, Ji Mochen's anxious voice rang out from outside the door. By the time he rushed to his daughter's bed, the little one still seemed a little dazed.
It was not until she saw her flustered father with sweat on his forehead and pale face that she blinked her eyes and reached out her little hand with a soft cry, "Hug~"
If it were normal times, Ji Mochen would have been delighted for a long time. After all, the times when his daughter took the initiative to say she needed him could be counted on one hand.
But right now, looking at his daughter's pale little face, he wished she would never need him again, rather than seeing her get hurt.
"Okay, Daddy will hug you." Ji Mochen's voice trembled a little, but he carefully picked up his daughter.
The medical staff told him about the previous examination results, and after confirming repeatedly that the child was not injured, Ji Mochen's complexion finally improved a little.
But of course things would not be resolved so easily. After calling home to report safety and settling his daughter down, he started scolding the program team.
Just then, the other fathers had also rushed over with their children in a hurry. Ji Mochen took a deep breath before saying,
"Let them go back first. I'll find out what happened before saying anything else."
This was the last of his sanity. He didn't know exactly what had happened and didn't want to take out his anger on others and scare his daughter. So he said to the director,
"Play back the entire video recording from just now."
"Alright, right away."
The executive director wiped the sweat from his forehead and immediately had the camera tapes brought over. A few people then huddled outside Ji Ruochu's room door and started watching...
On the other side, after Ji Ruochu had a hot shower and was fed a bowl of cold medicine by Ji Mochen, she became a little drowsy. She only had time to say "Ruo Ruo is fine, Daddy don't be angry" before falling sound asleep.
She thought it would only be a nap, but the next second she found herself back at the Ji family villa.
Did Ji Mochen and his wife come to bring her home?
No, although she just heard Ji Mochen tell them to send the helicopter over, it couldn't be that fast.
And... the Ji family villa in front of her seemed a little different from her memory.
"Hehe, our daughter is so beautiful~"
Suddenly, a familiar, lecherous voice rang out.
Ji Ruochu looked back, and sure enough, it was Ji Mochen squatting in front of a baby crib, now looking at the baby inside with gentle eyes.
A baby?
She immediately went closer to the crib, and with this movement, she suddenly realized that her body felt light and floating, and Ji Mochen showed no sign of noticing her existence at all.
Could it be...
"Oh, our daughter has suffered. She completely inherited her father's excellent genes, yet still had to have a Ru in her name because of her mother's idol." The man sighed.
"Oh well, the living can never surpass the dead in the hearts of others. Your father here will probably never measure up to your mother's early-departed white moonlight idol in this lifetime."
"Ruo Ruo--" he paused, then said disdainfully, "Tsk, what a tongue-twisting name no matter how you say it. Let's call you Little Ruo, okay?"
"Little Ruo, daddy's little cotton-padded coat, look at your little eyes, just like daddy's peach blossom eyes. Let's be sure to stick with daddy in the future, okay?"
"Of course, don't stick with daddy too much more than mommy, or she'll be sad. Your mommy suffered a lot giving birth to you. Little Ruo..."
The man kept chattering on endlessly, but Ji Ruochu didn't hear a word of it.
She just stood in front of the crib in a daze, looking at the soft, cute child inside and her beautiful... little peach blossom eyes.
So the real Ji Ruochu had peach blossom eyes, not fox eyes like her?
Then... who was she?
When this question came up, she suddenly remembered.
That's right, she was Tan Ruo, that unlucky supporting actress Tan Ruo who died suddenly.
Could it be that the four years of time were just a yellow millet dream of hers?
No no, she was certain those four years really existed, so there could only be one possibility - the scene before her now was the dream.
Or rather... the original that should have happened.
But why could she watch the bits and pieces of this child's past again from a third-person perspective?
What was the purpose? Or was it--trying to tell her something?
Amidst countless thoughts, the scene before her eyes started changing rapidly.
Time flew by in the blink of an eye, and the little one grew to four years old.
The Ji family villa also changed bit by bit into what she remembered. Ji Ruochu... no, Tan Ruo watched the little one grow up bit by bit, and the nagging confusion in her heart was gradually unveiled.
She finally understood why she, an adult, could have a child's naive and innocent thoughts so seamlessly.
Finally understood why she, who had long gotten used to cutting out sweets, would feel unhappy about not getting a piece of cake.
Finally understood why she could see through adults' childish tricks yet still get angry most of the time.
Finally understood why later after falling into the water, although she felt fine, when she saw Ji Mochen she still suddenly felt like bawling her eyes out.
It turned out it was all because the real Ji Ruochu had done these things before, or they were normal reactions for a child at that age.
So even when it was her turn later, she would still repeat these things according to this child's life trajectory.
Not like she had thought before, that it was just the child's consciousness sleeping.
Yes, in the past she had always thought she had seized this child's body.
And it was precisely because of this that although she found the décor of that nursery quite annoying, she never thought of having them change it.
After all, the child could wake up any day, and she, an adult occupying a child's body, was in the wrong to begin with. What right did she have to make choices for the child?
At the time, she thought, since she couldn't change this body's subconscious reactions, then leave it be and take things as they come.
Learning things and daily habits, just do as she pleased.
She would learn what a child this age should, but wouldn't touch anything extra.
Otherwise, if the child came back later and found she used to be able to do everything but now suddenly couldn't do anything, wouldn't that be too pitiful?
Taking a step back, when a fish is happy, isn't it still tasty?