Bai Xinya stood with a teasing smile. "So your mission is to pick from one of these cards here," she said, gesturing to the handwoven basket she held. "You'll have to do what's written—without any adult help. Once you finish, return for the next task. So, are you ready?"
The camera zoomed in on the kids, who nodded with varying levels of confidence.
Mike stepped back, lifting his hand with a polite gesture. "Ladies first."
A few contestants laughed, and the workers watching behind the cameras exchanged knowing glances.
"Tsk. Very gentlemanly, but this is a competition," one of the Asian contestants muttered. "It might affect them." He shook his head.
Mia, standing beside Mike, barely glanced at the speaker. She looked away, bored, her expression unreadable.
Natalie and Mimi Cruzi reached into the basket at the same time, fingers brushing. Both blinked. Then Natalie smiled, gently withdrawing her hand. "Pick first, younger sister," she said sweetly.
[LIVE COMMENT SECTION]
— ["Aiden is such a hater just because Mike's being nice 💀"]
— ["He's kind of right tho, competition is no joke"]
— ["So what? Being kind > being fast. Raise them right 😤"]
— ["Natalie is so precious I'm crying 😭 mature queen!!"]
After Natalie picked her card, Mike stepped forward, selected his, and unfolded it. He read the message quietly, then casually crumpled the paper, stuffed it into his pocket, and walked away without a word.
"Mike—wait!" Seo Jiwan called, confused.
"Maria, why didn't you stop him?" Ella asked, eyes wide. "Does he even know what he's doing?"
Maria sipped her drink, calm and unbothered. "It's not like we can help them. He's being followed by a cameraman. If he didn't ask for help, it means he doesn't need it."
Just then, Bai Xinya giggled and added the twist: "Oh, by the way! You can only ask for help three times today—for all tasks combined."
Ella's mouth dropped open. "Wait—what? Mike already left!"
Seo Jiwan and Arisawa Nene exchanged glances, concern flickering in their eyes.
Lyla chuckled behind her hand. "This is why you should always be patient," she said, turning toward Mimi. "So, what does your paper say, sweetheart?"
Mimi pouted. "It said I should help a woman at the end of the town to do house chores…"
Adrian frowned. "Isn't that a bit much for a child?"
"Baby, can you handle it?" Nathan asked his daughter gently. "Should we guide you to the house at least?"
Mimi nodded confidently.
"Natalie, how about yours?" Emily asked her daughter.
"Mine said I should go to a restaurant and help the chef with grocery shopping," Natalie replied cheerfully. "I'll find my way there." She beamed and ran out of the café as her cameraman followed.
[LIVE COMMENT SECTION]
— ["LMAO Mike said no time for drama BYE 💨"]
— ["Natalie's maturity… I have hope for Gen Alpha now 😭"]
— ["Mimi asking Dad for help = smart move tbh"]
— ["Mike probably got something crazy hard and rage quit 😂"]
---
Mike's Solo Journey
Mike calmly walked to the center of the square, the camera trailing behind him. He stopped before the public map board, studied it for a moment, then tapped a location: "Supermarket." Without hesitation, he turned and began walking.
"You sure that's the way?" the cameraman asked, half-joking.
"No thanks," Mike said, not even turning around.
Nathan, Celeste, and their group were seen helping Mimi down a narrow road toward the old woman's home. Mimi smiled and whispered, "I'll do my best," before entering with her cameraman.
Meanwhile, Natalie—her hands swinging—asked passersby for directions with a polite bow and a sweet smile.
Back with Mike, the cameraman was about to speak again when Mike stopped and turned around.
"Bear with it. We're here," he said calmly, pointing at the supermarket just ahead.
"…You sure?" the cameraman blinked. "How did you know the place?"
Mike raised an eyebrow. "The map is made for directions. Isn't that obvious?"
[LIVE COMMENT SECTION]
— ["Mike be acting like he's 30 not 7 😭"]
— ["He read a MAP. A MAP. A physical map. Meanwhile I get lost in malls."]
— ["Everyone else: asking for help. Mike: solo speedrun mode."]
— ["It's either genius or insane luck, I'm not sure anymore."]
---
Supermarket Showdown
Mike walked into the supermarket and approached the front desk.
"My handsome boy, how can I help you?" the saleswoman cooed, immediately smitten as she pinched his cheek.
Mike pouted cutely, his hazel eyes glistening under the lights. "Sister, can you help me call the manager? I'm on a mission. If I don't complete it, I won't have a place to sleep during this task. Pretty sister, help me, please?"
The woman nearly fainted. Her hands flew to her chest, and she ran to the office.
All around, customers pulled out phones, snapping photos and recording videos.
"Beautiful sisters and brothers!" Mike turned to the crowd, giving a small bow. "Please shop more and ask me for help. I'll be your new worker today—at your service."
He made a finger heart and sent a flying kiss.
Several women screamed. A few elderly ladies clutched their hearts. Even two young men near the juice aisle blushed.
The manager came rushing out, confused—until he saw the mini crowd chanting.
"Hire him!"
"Let the boy stay!"
"If you don't hire him, I'm boycotting this place!"
Panicked and overwhelmed, the manager nodded.
Mike turned to one of the clerks. "Please give me instructions. I want to do my job well," he said earnestly.
"Ahhhh!" the woman squealed. "You're too cute—I can't! Come with me, baby!"
[LIVE COMMENT SECTION]
— ["Mike's mouth: please help. Mike's aura: I own this building."]
— ["Genius, polite, and manipulative—Mia raised him right 💅"]
— ["I would die for this child. Let him run the country."]
— ["Petition to let Mike host the next season 😭"]
---
Meanwhile: Mimi's Struggle
Mimi Cruzi stepped into the modest home and walked toward the grumpy old woman waiting inside.
"Oh, you're the one they sent?" the woman frowned. "Can you even do chores? Look at those soft little hands. Have you even held a broom before?"
Mimi nodded politely.
The old woman sighed and led her to the kitchen. "Start by cleaning those dishes. Can you handle that?"
Again, Mimi nodded. Alone now, she stood before the sink and stared at the sponge like it was alien technology.
She picked it up between her thumb and forefinger, lips twitching, blinking slowly at the first plate.
[LIVE COMMENT SECTION]
— ["Mimi vs. Sponge: the battle of the century 💀"]
— ["She looks like the sponge insulted her family 😭"]
— ["Meanwhile Mike's organizing supermarket inventory 💅"]
— ["She's trying tho 🥺 respect for baby girl"]
---
Mike came out of the changing room wearing a comically oversized employee shirt and a name tag that nearly touched his knees. The bright red uniform drooped over his tiny frame, sleeves brushing past his fingertips. A wave of laughter rolled across the store as customers chuckled and instinctively pulled out their phones.
He gave a slight bow, adjusting his tag that read "Temporary Staff – Mike."
"If you need help, tell me, and I will assist you," Mike said in his clear, confident voice.
The sentence was so polite and serious coming from such a small child that the nearby women giggled, some jokingly clapping as they took more photos.
"Aww, is he role-playing or working for real?" one woman whispered with amusement.
"He's on a live variety mission!" the salesgirl explained with a grin. "Little employee is on a real task. He's meant to be treated like a normal worker. If you don't treat him seriously, he fails. So please act normal!"
Customers groaned jokingly, some fanning themselves dramatically.
"Okay, okay, we'll behave!"
Cue: [Laughing sound effect | staff reaction cam of a worker hiding a smile behind a clipboard]
One girl, in her early twenties, wearing a lemon-print dress, stepped forward with a pack of snacks. "Can you help me pick some snacks and groceries?" she asked with a smile.
Mike gave a neat nod. "Okay, sister."
He followed her down the aisle, hands clasped behind his back, scanning the shelves with the practiced seriousness of a supermarket veteran.
The girl picked up a snack bag, frowned, then put it back. She reached for another, paused, and sighed.
Mike tilted his head. "Sister, are you dieting?"
She blinked, then nodded sheepishly. "Yeah... how did you know?"
"Well, my mom owns a beauty store," Mike said, pacing slowly beside her cart, "and she's very picky about her food and her skin, so I know a bit. When you're dieting too hard, it makes you crave the things you're trying to avoid, right? You probably sneak snacks when no one's watching. And your skin... feels oily sometimes?"
The girl froze.
Mike looked up at her, matter-of-fact. "You started exercising more, drank more protein shakes without checking the ingredients, and now you have pimples, right? Some ingredients in snacks and shakes react badly together, especially with oily food."
Her mouth parted in visible shock.
[Damn is that what a seven-year-old just said??]
[Bro's not a kid. He's a reincarnated dermatologist or something.]
[The way he said 'pimples' so seriously I choked on my water.]
[I checked what he said. HE'S RIGHT. Doctors online confirm it. Who is this child???]
[I would let him call me oily-faced and still smile.]
[Heartbreaker in the making]
[He's too kind, smart, cute, and polite. This boy is DANGEROUS.]
[Don't grow up. Just stay like this forever, please.]
Mike walked off and returned a moment later with a few snacks and a couple of healthy alternatives.
"You can eat sweet or oily stuff—just once a week or every two weeks is okay. And don't force yourself with weird shakes. Just eat balanced. Look these up, they're tasty, low-calorie, and good for your skin."
He handed her a small slip of paper with the names of the products scribbled in neat handwriting.
The girl took out her phone and began searching.
"Oh my god… he's right."
The other women nearby, who had been eavesdropping openly, crowded closer, phones out, asking for tips. Some even placed items in their baskets according to Mike's suggestions. A few men nodded respectfully in the background, clearly impressed by the tiny 'health consultant' in a wrinkled employee shirt.
[Cue: side camera showing the supermarket manager watching from afar, dumbfounded.]
---
Meanwhile…
At the far end of the town, Mimi stood in a dim kitchen with a sponge awkwardly pinched between her fingers. The sink was full, the dishes towering, and the floor already slick with water. Her small hands trembled as she tried to scrub a plate, but instead knocked over a glass, water splashing across the counter.
By the time she finished, there were still visible stains on some plates, and the kitchen looked more chaotic than when she started.
The old woman walked in.
She stopped in the doorway.
"Oh… dear…"
"I'm sorry," Mimi whispered, eyes wide, shoulders hunched. "I… I tried."
"I asked if you could do it. You said yes," the old woman replied, her voice stiff but not cruel. "Now I have more work than before."
Mimi's lips trembled.
"Just go sweep the yard. Then you can leave," the woman said and walked away.
Mimi sniffled softly and bowed her head as she stepped outside.
[Wow she is harsh]
[She's a child… what did you expect?]
[She asked if Mimi could do it tho…]
[No lie, even adults would mess that kitchen up.]
[Okay but give Mimi credit—she's a rich kid actually trying.]
[Mike and Mimi both come from money, but see the contrast. Mike's like a trained worker and he his mother is Richer]
[Stop comparing.]
---
Natalie asked for help to the supermarket. When she entered the store, the camera zoomed in on her surprised expression as she spotted Mike, who had just finished helping a customer choose healthy snacks.
She walked quickly to him. "Is this your mission?" she asked, blinking up at him with wide eyes.
"Hmm," Mike hummed with a casual nod, not pausing from stacking the shelf.
"Well, you left early, so you didn't hear the rules," Natalie said. "We're allowed to ask for help from the elders, but only three times in all our tasks. You know… just saying, in case you need help."
Mike turned slightly, resting his elbow on the shelf and tilting his head as he looked at her with his hand on his cheek. "Do I look like I need help? If I did, I would've asked."
[Natalie, just got shot do I look like I need help golden comment.]
[That side pose? This boy is a model-in-training, don't lie.]
[Wallpaper material.]
[Give me that scene in slow motion, please.]
Natalie cleared her throat, cheeks slightly pink. "R-right. Anyway, my mission is to buy some groceries."
"I'll assist you then," Mike said without hesitation.
Natalie pulled out the folded bill she was given and looked around the shelves, her expression growing confused. She moved to the food section, picking up an item, then putting it back. Picking another. Dropping it again. The camera followed every awkward shuffle and indecisive glance.
Mike walked over and stood beside her. "You're the only customer I need to take care of before I leave, so what exactly do you want?" he asked, voice light but direct.
Natalie looked at him, biting her lip. "I… I don't really know. I was given $50 to buy groceries for a basic meal, but I'm not sure what to get."
Mike sighed softly, crossed his arms, and gave her a side glance. "I don't know how to cook," he said. "But I know how to eat. I can help you pick things you'd actually enjoy."
Natalie watched silently as Mike knelt and took the basket from where it rested by her leg. In under a minute, he moved from one shelf to another, swiftly gathering:
Rice – $4
Eggs (12) – $3
Pasta – $2
Tomato sauce – $1.50
Beans – $3
Onions, garlic, tomatoes – $5
Bread – $2.50
Cooking oil – $5
Milk – $3
Frozen vegetables – $2
Chicken (frozen pack) – $8
Snacks/extra – $5
Water or juice – $5
He handed the full basket back to Natalie and dusted off his hands. "That's $49. Practical, affordable, and enough for at least three different meal combos," Mike said.
Natalie stood frozen, staring at the basket. "T-thanks…"
Mike turned and walked to the counter, the camera smoothly trailing behind.
"Beautiful auntie, I'm done with my task," he said politely to the cashier. "It was nice working here."
The cashier beamed. "You're welcome anytime."
[He's smoother than some full-grown men.]
[Is this child… raised in a k-drama?!]
[I would let him work in my store even if it meant going broke.]
Mike disappeared into the changing room and came out wearing his original outfit: an oversized black baggy shirt and loose jeans, paired with white sneakers. The moment he stepped out, people at the entrance started whispering and pointing—phones already snapping shots.
The cameraman caught a perfect shot of Mike tossing his employee tag into the return box and strolling toward the production van like he'd just walked off a runway.
[Nahhh that line is iconic. Put it on a t-shirt. I'm buying.]
[Mike just dropped the smoothest foodie quote of the year 🍜🔥]
[The way he said it like it was a flex 😂 and somehow it was]
[I don't know how to cook but I know how to eat = relatable king.]
[Ladies and gentlemen, the softest savage has spoken.]
[Even when he talks about food, it sounds like a pick-up line 😩 this boy.]
---
Back at the café...
Ella stood up as soon as Mike entered.
"Mike! Where did you rush to? You should've waited! Now we've failed!" she cried, exasperated. "But we can still do it, so tell us what you did. Let us help you now!"
Mike blinked at her with no change in expression and walked past her like she was a shopping cart in his way. He placed his paper on the host's table.
Bai Xinya picked it up and smiled. "One of our contestants has completed his task! Mike successfully worked as an employee in a supermarket, and according to the manager's report, he performed impressively!"
The staff clapped lightly.
Adrian frowned. "How are we supposed to know he didn't fake that? It could be a setup."
Aiden chuckled from the side, flicking his mic button on. "You must be forgetting this is a reality program, Adrian. Every contestant has a camera following them. Unless Mike built a fake supermarket overnight, I think we're good."
The cameraman by the screen tapped his device. A highlight reel of Mike's performance played—bowing, helping, giving skincare tips, bagging groceries like a pro.
Then came the soft clack of heels.Mia walked toward the front, graceful and serene as ever, holding Mike's hand like she was escorting a prince from a fairy tale. Her smile was soft, her voice like honey stirred into warm tea.
"I just have a teeny question," Mia said with a playful tilt of her head, turning to Bai Xinya. "If a teammate hurts another child… like, let's say, scratches his hand and leaves red marks even though no one forced her to join… can we replace her?"
Her smile widened innocently as she glanced sweetly at Ella, then to Adrian, who stiffened just slightly.
"Of course, I'm just being silly," Mia added with a small laugh. "This is a show about children having fun, right? No need to take it too seriously. I know Adrian is really smart—super smart—but maybe his genius-level opinions don't matter right now, since the kids are the stars today, not the grown-ups. Smile more, darling. Too much frowning might give you wrinkles."
Her eyes twinkled as she gave a playful wink in Adrian's direction. She leaned down and dusted imaginary lint off Mike's sleeve
The entire room fell into a hushed mix of shock and stifled laughter.
Lyla, standing off to the side, clapped along but her smile was thin, taut at the edges. Still, she walked over to hug her husband tightly, eyes flickering toward Mia with a tension that didn't go unnoticed by the camera.
Mia took Mike's hand and walked him to his seat, handing him a small cup of strawberry ice cream.
Dumpling, visible only to Mia, stretched lazily on her shoulder. "That was deliciously passive-aggressive."
"Shut up, fat cat," she muttered, all smiles.
Her ghostly self floated quietly behind her, arms crossed as it watched the chaos unfold with unreadable eyes.
[I wish she wasn't joking. Ella needs to go.]
[Zoom in! That scratch on Mike's wrist is deep! He didn't even flinch. That's some emotional control.]
[Mia was all sugar but those words? Knife-level shade.]
[Why does Adrian look like he aged 5 years from just one smile? 😂]
[This show warned us: some families will break, some will form. It's only EPISODE 3 and we've got drama hotter than summer.]
[Adrian should really enter a logic competition instead of a variety show — wrong show, buddy.]
[Ella's stage persona is soft like a bunny but acts like a wild hyena behind the scenes 😒]
[I knew Ella was acting fake sweet the moment she opened her mouth.]
[This is why being pretty isn't enough — where's the kindness, Ella?]
[Adrian, you questioning a 7-year-old's work like he forged a degree 💀 calm down, Einstein.]
[Someone tell Adrian it's a kids' show, not a courtroom.]
[Ella needs to check her attitude before someone checks it for her.]
[Adrian really tried to outsmart a child and still lost 😭 how embarrassing.]
[I used to like Ella's dance clips, but now all I see is red flags in glitter.]
[Ella scratched a kid and still wants screen time? Girl, disappear.]