Chapter 103: Both of You Had Better Go and Attend!

In less than a month, The Masked Singer King would begin recording, taking the place of I Am a Singer.

Yu Zhile asked with deliberate innocence, "What kind of show is it this time?"

Qin Haiyu checked with Xu Ling, then exclaimed in surprise, "Honey, Lingling says the show is called The Masked Singer King! It means every singer has to wear a mask when they go onstage, and while they compete with real talent, the audience and judges have to guess who they are!"

Yu Zhile put on a dramatic act. "Oh? Now that sounds interesting! Since it's a summer-season show, you should go on it!"

Qin Haiyu hung up on Xu Ling first so she could think it over. "Honey, I get the feeling this show was inspired by you."

Yu Zhile gave a knowing hum. "Of course it was! Back when I became famous as Mr. Panda, countless netizens were guessing who Mr. Panda really was, so the production team had a flash of inspiration and came up with this show."

Qin Haiyu said seriously, "Honey, why don't you go on this show? I feel like it's practically made for you."

Yu Zhile said, "I should pass. There are still a bunch of readers waiting to mail me blades. If I go on that show and end up exposing myself, won't I have to hide at home every day from then on?"

Qin Haiyu said, "No way. Hitting is affection, scolding is love! Readers who curse at you and say they want to send you blades are just showing how deeply they care about you."

Yu Zhile retorted, "Then by your logic, you definitely don't love me at all, because you've never cursed at me or hit me!"

"..."

Qin Haiyu smacked his arm. "Hey! I'm talking about the readers!"

Then she complained, "Mom, look at him! He's bullying me again!"

"..."

How was I bullying you?

Hah, as the saying goes:

The prettier a woman is, the better she is at deceiving people!

Even Yu Zhile's mother could no longer stand seeing her son and daughter-in-law flirting in broad daylight. She said with exasperation, "In my opinion, both of you ought to go on that show! It's summer vacation, and I'm here to watch the child. The two of you shouldn't be idle every day! You should get out more and find yourselves something useful to do!"

After that, Yu's mother shot her son a glare. "Especially you! You don't even write novels anymore, and you still stay cooped up at home all day. Aren't you afraid you'll grow mold?"

"Uh..."

Yu Zhile was speechless.

Still, he didn't think of himself as a shut-in.

True, he rarely went out, but he was plenty busy at home.

Every day he was busy coaxing his wife, coaxing his daughter, and working hard to stay fit and make a second child. When he had a spare moment, he even dabbled in music. How could such a full and happy life be described as being a shut-in?

A true shut-in was that kind of single guy who stayed home every day with nothing to do but play games, eat snacks, and slurp instant noodles.

Qin Haiyu suddenly suggested, "Honey, why don't we listen to Mom and both join the show? It's from the local station anyway, and we only need to take one day a week to record it."

Yu Zhile said, "If I'm not mistaken, the singers invited to this show will definitely have to sign a confidentiality agreement. The ones invited are surely all people with some level of fame. They can't reveal their identities, or there'd be no point in wearing masks. And I'm not a famous singer, so the production team couldn't possibly invite me."

After thinking it through carefully, Qin Haiyu decided, "All right, then I won't go either."

Yu Zhile tried to persuade her. "Why wouldn't you go? This show sounds interesting. Way more fun than I Am a Singer."

At that moment, Yu's mother spoke up again. "Since it's a summer show, you can go without worrying. You're still young, so both of you should focus on your careers. This isn't about whether it makes money or not. It's about finding something to do, understand?"

Yu Zhile said, "Hear that? Mom has spoken!"

Qin Haiyu replied, "All right, then I'll tell Xu Ling to agree to the production team."

In fact, she longed for this kind of stage in her heart and very much wanted to join such an interesting show. But family and her daughter were what mattered most to her.

So if her husband and mother-in-law had not spoken up, even if she had desperately wanted to take part, she would still have hesitated and refused.

Still, for a summer-season program, taking one day a week to record it was acceptable. The baby had already been weaned, so she no longer had to worry overmuch about her.

Besides, the baby was very attached to her father and not especially clingy toward her. So if she went on the show and the baby didn't see her, the little one would not burst into tears.

On the other hand, if the father went on the show and the baby couldn't see him, she would probably start crying and sniffling again.

Thinking about it that way, Qin Haiyu realized her husband really was not suited to this show called The Masked Singer King.

Even though she felt the show was practically tailored for him.

The next day.

June 2nd. Children's Day was over.

Her mother went to class as usual, while her father was still keeping an eye on his chess-and-cards room.

Yu Zhile held the baby's little hand and led her outside to bask in the sun and take a walk.

Qin Haiyu went with Xu Ling to the television station to sign up for The Masked Singer King.

"Hold you, hold you!"

As they walked, the baby suddenly stopped in her tracks, looked up at her father, and called out in her sweet little voice.

"You want Daddy to hold you?"

Yu Zhile crouched down with a smile. The baby had learned quite a few words by now.

She had first learned to say Daddy and Mommy, and now she could also say Grandpa and Grandma. Yesterday, on Children's Day, after seeing so many older boys and girls, she had learned to call them big brother and big sister.

Now that she didn't want to walk anymore, she had even learned to ask Daddy to carry her.

Yu Zhile picked the baby up and kissed her adorable little face.

The little one suddenly returned the favor, leaning in and planting a kiss on her father's face just as he had done.

Yu Zhile immediately burst out laughing. "Kiss me again!"

"Mwah..."

The baby understood and kissed his cheek again. Wet and warm, it made Yu Zhile feel as if this little thing had kissed his heart straight into melting.

"What a good baby!"

Yu Zhile rubbed his chin against the baby's cheek, making her giggle happily in his arms.

On the way back, the baby suddenly pointed ahead at a golden retriever and called out joyfully, "Doggo! Doggo!"

Yu Zhile laughed. "Not doggo, puppy!"

The young man and woman walking toward them, holding the golden retriever on a leash, were amused by the baby's adorable pronunciation.

The woman suddenly asked, "What a cute little darling! How old is she?"

Yu Zhile said, "She'll be exactly fifteen months old in another day."

"How enviable."

The woman suddenly said to the man, "Honey, I want a daughter too!"

"Weren't you the one who said you didn't want kids so early?"

The man looked at Yu Zhile with an expression that seemed to say, Are you trying to trick me into having a daughter again?

Yu Zhile smiled back, teaching the baby to wave goodbye to the golden retriever before heading home.

Soon after they got back, his wife returned from the television station not long later.

She said excitedly, "The competition format for this show is really interesting! After being eliminated, you can choose to take off your mask and reveal your identity, or you can keep it secret and leave the stage!"

Then she urged him, "Honey, do you want to join the show and give it a try? I'll ask Xu Ling to talk to Director Zhang. With your level, he'll probably agree to let you on."