Just as the countdown reached zero, Director Zhang suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He hurriedly directed all the guests to gather together and made the clapperboard gesture used to mark the end of a prelude.
The guests immediately understood. They quickly gathered in one place and, without any rehearsal, shouted in remarkably perfect unison:
“Congratulations to Traveling with Them on its successful conclusion!”
The assistant director and the two junior assistants popped confetti cannons beside them at the same time, and the program officially came to an end amid a lively commotion.
【Sob, sob~ See you in the edited version of the show!】
【Summer’s coming to an end. Goodbye!】
【Goodbye~ I hope we can meet such like-minded online friends on the next variety show too~】
【Xiao Lu Has Cats and Dogs: Congratulations to Xie Tangning and Mr. Xie Changyu on successfully completing the recording (throws confetti) (throws confetti) (throws confetti)】
The livestream abruptly cut off, and the production crew and guests happily called it a day!
The audience stared in stunned disbelief. That had ended far too cleanly and decisively!
They had not even gotten the chance to rub it in Brother Golden Toad’s face over changing his username back yet!
It was all that hateful Director Zhang’s fault!
Meanwhile, Lu Huaiyu was at home, preparing to start a game with his friends as soon as the livestream ended. He was extremely grateful for Director Zhang’s decisiveness.
Yes! He had successfully dodged a bullet!
As for Xie Tangning and the others, who were still at the venue, they helped clean up the aftermath of the noisy finale before returning to the hotel together to rest.
…
Early the next morning.
Although filming for the show had ended, the trip was not over yet.
Liang Jiaqing had other engagements to get to, so her manager and assistant came to pick her up first thing in the morning.
Shen Lin and Shen Hao had their own work to attend to, and had already instructed their assistants to book flights back to Haicheng.
Since this show had marked a very successful comeback for Wu Weixiang, he had to rush straight to his next engagement after taking Wu Dacheng back to Hong Kong.
Wu Dacheng could only bid his friends a tearful farewell before following his father to the airport for their flight back to Hong Kong.
“Goodbye, Boss! Remember to miss me!”
Xie Tangning waved at him like a beckoning cat. “Got it. Get in the car, get in the car! If you miss me, just call me!”
“Oh, right. When you come first in Chinese and need to change your username, remember to tell me, okay?”
“I’m the best at coming up with usernames. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied if you ask me for suggestions!”
Wu Dacheng nodded emphatically. “Mm-hmm. I’ll miss you too!”
After waiting for half a day without getting a goodbye from the boy, Monkey Bro began to feel dissatisfied and reached out to poke him.
“Little Fatty, you’re playing favorites! Why are you only saying goodbye to your Boss and not to me?”
“I bring you along every time we play games! Hurry up and tell me you’ll miss me too!”
Wu Dacheng really had no way of dealing with him and began to answer perfunctorily. “I know, I know~ Don’t interrupt my farewell ceremony with my Boss!”
Liang Zhou clicked his tongue and began pointing out the injustice.
Wu Dacheng simply treated his words as background music, turning around to say goodbye to Su Xiaoye and Xie Wanwan instead.
Once the boy had said goodbye to each of his friends, Wu Weixiang also waved goodbye to everyone before turning around and lifting the reluctant Little Fatty into the car.
“Bye-bye~ Come visit us in Haicheng when you have time!”
“We’ll go to Hong Kong to visit you too!”
“Remember to treat us to a meal when we do~”
Hearing one caring farewell after another, the Little Fatty sitting in the car wiped his tears furiously and let himself be sentimental for once.
With no other choice, Wu Weixiang reached over and ruffled his little head in silent comfort.
Only after the car had driven out of sight did Xie Tangning turn to Su Xiaoye and Xie Wanwan.
“Do you two want to join our ‘Last Crazy Trip Before School Starts’?”
Liang Zhou began enthusiastically inviting them as well. After all, he could never bring himself to leave a friend behind.
Su Xiaoye and Xie Wanwan shook their heads at the same time, refusing.
They really did enjoy playing around with Xie Tangning and the others.
But that did not mean that after becoming friends with Xie Tangning and Liang Zhou, they had to be introduced to all their old friends as well.
This was a journey that belonged to Xie Tangning, Liang Zhou, and their old friends—a trip they had arranged among themselves.
Su Xiaoye and Xie Wanwan did not join them despite their enthusiastic invitations.
“You all have fun. Wanwan and I are going back to Haicheng~”
“See you in Haicheng~”
Xie Tangning and Liang Zhou were not disappointed. After all, everyone had their own lives.
Su Xiaoye in particular really did need to return to Haicheng as soon as possible to deal with the remaining issues left behind by the Shi Jiahui incident alongside the people Lu Huaiyu had arranged.
As it happened, Shen Lin, who was also returning to Haicheng, took the initiative to offer, “I’ll have my assistant book two more tickets. You two can come back with me!”
After all, the two girls were both minors, and the journey home was a long one. He was not entirely at ease about them traveling alone.
Xie Wanwan shook her head and refused, her face glowing with happiness. “No need to trouble yourself, Brother Shen Lin!”
“Now that the show has wrapped, my mom specially came to Urumqi to pick me up! Xiaoye and I can go together!”
Su Xiaoye nodded as well, indicating that there was no need to trouble him. “Brother Shen Lin, hurry and get to work! Our flight isn’t until this afternoon~”
Since the two children had a parent coming to pick them up and their safety was assured, Shen Lin saw no reason to insist. He hurried off to catch his flight.
After all, he was now a pure, unadulterated corporate wage slave. A mountain of work was waiting for him in Haicheng!
Everyone had their own arrangements. After reminding Xie Tangning to be careful, Xie Changyu also set off on a road trip with his friends.
Xie Tangning was a sensible girl, and there were bodyguards accompanying them, so Xie Changyu was not particularly worried.
Xie Tangning and Liang Zhou soon reunited with their friends as well.
This was a trip with no itinerary and no plans.
A lively group of friends simply did whatever came to mind, going wherever they felt like going.
No one was a killjoy. They were all perfectly in sync with one another.
The group spent three wild and happy days together, only rushing back to Haicheng two days before school started.
As it happened, Xie Changyu was on the same flight as Xie Tangning and the others. As for why he had to hurry back despite not having to worry about the pressure of a new school term…
That was because making money was more important!
The project He Ya and the others had invested in had finished its preliminary preparations and was officially getting underway.
They had to end their trip and hurry back.
The moment the siblings’ plane landed, they discovered that Lu Qiwu and the others had all come to meet them at the airport—including Old Master Xie.
Chen Linmei and Xie Heng’an had returned to Haicheng the day before, and they had come along today to welcome the two children home.
After all, this was the first time Xie Tangning had participated in a show with her older brother, and the entire family had been paying close attention.
Naturally, once the little girl finished her work and came home, the whole family had to come and pick her up!
Xie Tangning and Xie Changyu flew into their family’s arms like fledgling swallows returning to their nest.
Lu Qiwu had opened her arms early, waiting for her beloved youngest daughter. She wrapped her arms tightly around the girl who threw herself into her embrace.
“Did my Baby Ningning eat well? Did you have fun?”
Xie Tangning rubbed herself against her mother’s chest. “Mom, I ate very well, and I had a wonderful time playing with Shushu and the others!”
“I marked down so many beautiful places. How about we take a family trip there during our next vacation?”
No one in the family could possibly refuse the little girl’s suggestion.
“By the way, Mom, I brought gifts for everyone in the family. My suitcase is packed full of them!”
Xie Tangning’s voice was bright with excitement, carrying a hint of pride and anticipation.
