Serve as Contrast Team in a ‘Dad with Baby’ Show

Looking at the comments, Chen Yu and the two assistants sitting in front of the company’s computer were all deeply moved.

“Finally! They noticed our brother Cheng’s amazing good looks!” Wang Xi said excitedly.

The two men on either side of her nodded.

Lin Cheng’s appearance had always been of a high level. Although he was a singer, his appearance was in no way inferior to those so-called top streamers who relied on their faces.

Although the program team had been touting the beauty of Bai Yulin and Duan Bei, and even directly labeled Bai Yulin and his daughter as the ‘good-looking father-daughter combination’, in reality, among the five teams, Lin Cheng’s should be the most beautiful family.

… … 

Back at the temporary ‘home’, after the landlady finished talking with Lin Cheng and his daughter, she walked over to the repairman, and there resulted some fierce haggling.

Under the stunned faces of the father and daughter, the landlady directly talked the repairman to lower the price to 21 yuan and 5 jian to fix all the leaks.

Lin Cheng: “…” The first time, no experience.

Lin Momo: “…” Still have to work hard.

… …

Several water leaks were repaired in short order. Although the landlady said that she would pay for the entire cost, Lin Cheng insisted on paying for half of it.

The landlady smiled. She then told the father and daughter important things about the house situation and the surrounding traffic conditions.

At this moment, Lin Momo—who was standing to the side—tugged at Lin Cheng’s sleeve.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Cheng lowered his head and asked.

“This.” Lin Momo handed her notebook to Lin Cheng. It had the ‘strategy’ she made in advance after she learned that they were going to sell steamed buns this week.

Lin Cheng’s eyes quickly scanned the notebook: it recorded the fillings and mixing ratios required for each type of steamed bun, and also vividly drew several flow charts on how to make stuffed steamed buns.

Lin Momo had asked these questions last weekend from her grandma, the grandmas upstairs and downstairs, as well as the neighborhood aunts. She also squatted across the bun shop where she often bought buns and watched for a long time, quietly learning the boss’ techniques in how to make buns.

“We can ask where to buy these things the cheapest,” Lin Momo whispered.

Hearing Lin Momo’s words, Lin Cheng understood what she meant.

“Can we ask you something more?” Lin Cheng said to the landlady.

“You’re welcome to, just ask whatever you want.”

“We need to buy some materials for making steamed buns, and we want to find a more affordable place nearby.” 

Hearing Lin Cheng’s words, the landlady immediately showed a smile on her face, “This matter, you are asking the right person.

“You don’t have to go far for pork. The one at the end of our alley is good. The price is cheap and the meat is fresh. When you go to buy it, just say I recommended it and ask the boss to give you a cheaper price. 

“For vegetables and scallions, go to the vegetable market in New Xisha Street.

“You also need dry goods such as peanuts and sugar. From here, take bus 386 to Xilin Market. You should be able to buy them all there. There is also flour. If you don’t think it’s too far away, just go to the food market in the East District to buy—it’s the cheapest there.

The landlady’s wife was indeed an ‘expert’, and with just a few words, she provided the Lin father and daughter with the most economical ingredients procurement plan.

Lin Cheng made note of a few things the landlady said.

Lin Momo was worried that they would not be able to remember, so she wrote it down in her notebook.

… …

That night.

The ‘father and daughter’ were each doing their own things, and there was still no communication between them throughout the process.

However, for some reason, such a picture did not make viewers feel wrong.

Lin Cheng first checked the house to make sure there were no potential safety hazards, and then went downstairs to check the tricycle parked outside, pumped the tires with air, and oiled the chain.

By the time Lin Cheng finished all this and returned to the room, Lin Momo was sitting at the small table, biting the tip of her pen, holding her notebook. Her little brows furrowed as she calculated something.

The task they had to complete this week cost 800 yuan, and the money given to them by the program team to purchase ingredients and their living expenses was exactly 800 yuan. 

If they don’t eat or drink, it seems that they can just complete the task? Lin Momo thought distractedly.

However, taking a peek at Lin Cheng, Lin Momo quickly dispelled this unrealistic idea: I can’t starve my father to death!

Lin Momo silently shook her head.

Lin Cheng, who was standing on the side, saw Lin Momo’s small movements, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly: What does this child mean when she looks at me with such caring and worried eyes?

At this point, Lin Momo looked away and continued to think about her family’s livelihood.

According to their budget experience from the previous week, if there were no unexpected situations, their living expenses would be 318 yuan.

But this week, their family has transportation, and they could eat their own steamed buns for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thus, the transportation and food expenses could be saved, and at least 200 yuan could be reduced from the budget. In this way, they only need to use up 118 yuan for living expenses. The rest of the money could be used to buy ingredients and sell a lot of steamed buns.

Looking at the expenditure plan she had calculated, Lin Momo nodded in satisfaction.

The more she thought about it, the more satisfied she was with the [Family Background] her family had drawn this week.

On one side, watching Lin Momo smiling and nodding her little head, Lin Cheng made a mental leap and was able to guess what was going on in her heart.

Seeing the girl looking happy and satisfied, Lin Cheng decided not to tell her the reality they were facing: they were actually worse off this time compared to last week.

“Done?” Lin Cheng said, eyebrows raised, seeing Lin Momo put away her pen. 

“Yeah, it’s done.”

Lin Momo walked over to her father, divided the money into several stacks like a housekeeper, and gave one of the stacks to Lin Cheng. “This is the money for our ingredients; this is for the living expenses. There is also 37 yuan here, which is pocket money for dad. If you are thirsty or don’t want to eat steamed buns, you can buy other food or other things.” 

Seeing Lin Momo’s serious face, Lin Cheng felt a little funny, and—quite inexplicably—a little moved.

He wanted to refuse and say ‘no’, but at Lin Momo’s insistence, Lin Cheng still accepted the pocket money given to him.