Chapter 37: Wanna Go Hiking?
“Okay! That’s all for today’s livestream…”
“The next livestream is tentatively scheduled, and I might even do an outdoor one. The gimbal and stuff aren’t quite ready yet, but we’ll see!”
After waving goodbye to his viewers, Chen Hao ended the livestream.
“Papa, what’s wrong? You seem a bit down.”
Suisui’s intuition was remarkably sharp. She immediately sensed that Chen Hao seemed distracted.
“Hmm… how to put it? Cyberbullying is truly terrifying, and I just happen to be the target.”
Chen Hao patted Suisui’s little head, forcing a smile as he tried to sound casual.
Suisui blinked, immediately recalling the barrage of hateful comments from the livestream. She had seen many comments attacking Chen Hao and even targeting her, which must be the reason for his mood.
“I have a feeling this isn’t so simple. I have a bad feeling about this contract signing. It might not go as smoothly as we hoped.”
Chen Hao felt uneasy. The sudden surge of trolls seemed like a coordinated campaign, clearly targeting him and Suisui.
But Chen Hao had never offended anyone in the streaming community since he started broadcasting. Why was he being targeted?
This puzzled him, but he doubted he’d find the answer anytime soon.
“Don’t worry, Papa! Suisui’s here!”
With that, Suisui puffed out her little chest, placed one hand on her hip, and patted her chest with the other, cheering Chen Hao on.
Always encouraged by Suisui, Chen Hao’s heart warmed.
“Honestly, I don’t mind being criticized myself. I have strong mental fortitude—I’ve weathered far worse storms. What infuriates me is seeing them attacking my precious Suisui. Those bastards deserve to die!”
“Giggle!”
Chen Hao scooped Suisui into his arms and playfully rubbed his stubbled cheek against her soft face, making her giggle delightedly.
“Papa, it’s okay! As they say, ‘Those with strong hearts face criticism with a smile.’ Don’t forget, Suisui is from the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox Clan! They’re just mere mortals!”
As she spoke, Suisui’s aura suddenly intensified. Though she looked like a four or five-year-old girl, she was still a member of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox Clan. In her eyes, aside from Chen Hao, ordinary humans truly were “just mere mortals.”
Chen Hao’s lips curled into a smile. Suisui was right—it was merely the malicious slander of those with ulterior motives. Paying too much attention would only let them achieve their goal.
Rather than dwelling on it, he decided to keep a calm mindset and simply filter out the junk messages.
After all, the genuine fans who came to watch his livestreams far outnumbered the hired trolls. Dwelling on the trolls’ comments would only degrade the viewing experience for his real fans.
With that, Chen Hao temporarily put the matter aside, focusing instead on finalizing his contract.
Time flew by quickly, but it wasn’t yet Monday.
On Saturday, Chen Hao decided to take two days off. Today, he would travel to the headquarters of Doudou Entertainment Co., Ltd.
The reason was simple: the area boasted numerous scenic tourist attractions. Chen Hao wanted to take Suisui for a relaxing two-day getaway. Taking his daughter on a trip was a classic item on every father’s wish list.
The distance between the two locations was considerable. Taking a bus would have been too time-consuming, so Chen Hao opted for a flight.
Since the company would reimburse the ticket anyway, and a good man always looks after his household, Chen Hao proactively offered to submit the receipts for reimbursement.
After getting off the plane, Chen Hao took Suisui straight to their destination, having researched travel guides beforehand to minimize detours during their trip.
Now that they were here, their primary goal was naturally Mount Maotai, hailed as China’s “First Sacred Mountain” and renowned for its immense popularity, attracting a constant stream of climbers daily.
Mount Maotai’s designation as the “First Sacred Mountain” stemmed largely from its extraordinary concentration of Daoist and Buddhist temples, clustered so densely that nearly every peak hosted at least one such sanctuary.
This unique landscape, shaped by this remarkable density, had become a magnet for devotees of both faiths, drawing countless pilgrims eager to pay homage to these sacred sites.
“Wow, this mountain is really tall!” Chen Hao exclaimed, gazing at the mist-shrouded peak of Mount Maotai. It was clear why the mountain could accommodate so many temples and monasteries.
What intrigued Chen Hao most was why so many Daoist and Buddhist temples had chosen to cluster on Mount Maotai, and how they managed to coexist peacefully.
But such questions could wait. For now, he wanted to focus on enjoying the mountain with Suisui. As for the intricacies of Daoism and Buddhism, he had little interest in those.
“……”
“What’s wrong, Suisui?”
“Oh, nothing, Papa.”
Noticing Suisui staring at Mount Maotai with a thoughtful expression, Chen Hao asked curiously.
Suisui withdrew her gaze, shook her little head to indicate she was fine, but as her father, Chen Hao sensed something was amiss. Since she wasn’t offering any explanation, he decided not to press the matter further.
She’s really reached that age now. It’s normal for girls to have little secrets in their hearts!
Chen Hao wore the bittersweet expression of a father both proud and slightly wistful, realizing Suisui had entered the age of hidden feelings.
“???”
Suisui, meanwhile, looked at Chen Hao with a puzzled expression, wondering why her papa was making such a face.
“Climbing a mountain… you really have to take it one step at a time to truly appreciate it,” Chen Hao mused, holding Suisui’s hand as they walked along the mountain path, taking in the scenic views. “The beauty of the journey unfolds before your eyes!”
Come to think of it, Chen Hao hadn’t traveled much since his college days, when he’d gone on trips with his buddies. After that, there hadn’t been much opportunity. Unless you counted those grueling military training exercises as mini-hiking trips…
“Let’s take a break!”
Reaching a rest stop halfway up the mountain, Chen Hao sat down to catch his breath. After all, he wasn’t a young man anymore—he needed to pace himself.
He glanced at Suisui beside him. As expected of a member of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox Clan, she had bounded up the mountain without breaking a sweat, still bouncing around excitedly.
“Oh, are you hiking too?”
Chen Hao noticed a man around his age standing nearby with two elderly people and struck up a conversation.
The man turned, his plain glasses sliding down his nose as he smiled. “Yes, I’m taking my parents for a hike to get some fresh air.”
“Really? That’s so filial.”
“They’re actually my… parents-in-law.”
“Even more impressive! Do you come here often?”
“No, not really. I just thought of it today and decided to come.”
“I see. By the way, do you have any recommended hiking routes? It’s my first time here.”
“In that case… you could take this mountain path to Heaven-Reaching Peak. There’s the largest and most famous Taoist temple there, and then…” He rattled off a detailed explanation.
“You seem to know this place well!”
“Uh… I read a guidebook…”
Mysterious Man: Going for a hike?
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