Chapter 112: Brother, Hungry

“Why, Mommy?” asked Fu Chengjing, turning back to the bed, his gaze fixed on his little sister, who lay in their mother’s arms with a pitiful expression.

Since birth, Fu Lingying had been a bit frail, so Ruan Li had breastfed her longer than she had Fu Chengjing. Every morning, Ruan Li would personally feed her, and only when she was away during the day would the house staff use formula.

Ruan Li looked embarrassed, unsure of how to explain.

Fu Huaizhou walked over from the doorway and flicked Fu Chengjing lightly on the forehead, his tone carrying a teasing hint. “Kids shouldn’t meddle in adult affairs.”

Fu Chengjing, rubbing his forehead, looked up at his dad with innocent eyes. Seeing his father unusually relaxed today, Chengjing, who was always honest, said, “Daddy, you seem to be in a very good mood today.”

And he was promptly ignored by his cheerful but cold father.

Ruan Li glanced accusingly at Fu Huaizhou, who stood to the side as if it had nothing to do with him, and said with a hint of blame, “Go make some formula for Lingying already.”

The little girl lying in Ruan Li’s arms, just awake and still a bit grumpy, pouted as she clutched at her mother’s nightgown, rubbing her face against it, trying to find something to eat.

“Hungry?” Ruan Li, feeling a bit guilty, comforted her gently. “You’ll have something to eat soon, Lingying.”

Fu Chengjing checked the time at this hour, Lingying was usually on her second meal of the day. No wonder she’d woken up crying from hunger this morning.

Fu Huaizhou quickly made the formula, tested the temperature, and prepared it just as Lingying liked. When he returned to the room, he saw the little girl rolling around and pouting in Ruan Li’s arms, which made him chuckle.

“Hungry, huh?” he handed the bottle to Ruan Li.

Ruan Li shot him an annoyed look. “You still have the nerve to laugh? It’s all your fault.”

“Why blame Daddy, Mommy?” asked Fu Chengjing, blinking his big eyes curiously.

The room was suddenly filled with awkward silence. Ruan Li cleared her throat, hastily explaining, “Because your dad turned off my alarm, so I overslept, making Lingying go hungry.”

Fu Chengjing nodded thoughtfully, even agreeing with his mom. “Then, yeah, it’s Daddy’s fault.”

Finally getting her meal after being hungry all morning, little Lingying held the bottle contentedly, her tiny feet kicking in delight. The scene was so adorable that it warmed everyone’s hearts.

Just then, Ruan Li’s phone rang. She gestured for Fu Huaizhou to answer it and hold it to her ear.

“Awake yet, my dear?” Chen Jing’s teasing voice came through the phone. She had texted Ruan Li earlier in the morning, and when she didn’t get a reply for hours, she already had a hunch about what had happened.

“Feeding Lingying,” Ruan Li responded lazily. “What’s up?”

Chen Jing couldn’t resist teasing her about being unreachable all morning, before segueing into her real purpose. “There’s a follow-up to that kids’ reality show that contacted us when Jing was younger they’re now doing a second season. They’re interested in having you on, especially now that your other little one is a year old.”

Ruan Li remembered the show. Though Chengjing didn’t participate back then, she had watched it. Unlike other reality shows filled with drama, this one focused on the daily life of cute kids. There were no dangerous tasks, just pure, heartwarming family moments. With Chengjing’s preschool break coming up, it seemed like a great opportunity to capture some precious family time.

“We turned it down last time, so let’s accept it now,” Ruan Li decided.

Fu Huaizhou didn’t voice any objections, as he always deferred to Ruan Li’s choices.

Before filming began, the production team asked Ruan Li if she wanted to film in a different house. Many celebrities rented temporary locations to keep their real lives private or to create a certain image.

But Ruan Li didn’t see the point. The two little ones had grown up at Yu Garden moving their things, especially Lingying’s, would be a massive task. She had no interest in pretending to live a different lifestyle she wanted the show to capture their true day to day lives, using it as a way to preserve memories.

The program was a multi angle livestream, with directors switching between cameras set up throughout the house.

There were three other participating families one where both parents were celebrities, another with a celebrity mother and a wealthy father like Ruan Li’s situation, and a third family who were complete outsiders to the entertainment industry.

The livestream started at nine in the morning, and it was no surprise that the highest viewer count was on Ruan Li’s stream. Fu Chengjing was already known as a “star baby,” and Ruan Li’s name had always attracted plenty of buzz.

Comments filled the screen:

“Chengjing! Finally, we get to see him in a kids’ show, I’m so excited!”

“Am I the only one here for the couple’s dynamic? Our fairytale couple is still as sweet as ever, even four years after marriage!”

“Whose room is this? It’s pitch dark.”

Just as the question appeared, the lights in the room flicked on, and a small figure tumbled out of the blue sheets. The little boy climbed out of bed, pulled the curtains halfway open to let in the sunlight, and paid no attention to the cameras set up around the room.

“Wow! It’s really Chengjing! And he sleeps alone!”

“Look at him brushing his teeth by himself so independent for a preschooler!”

“This is supposed to be a real wealthy family, but there’s no staff around. Are they faking it for the show? Typical Ruan Li behavior…”

After washing his face, the little boy, with wet bangs sticking to his forehead and chubby cheeks still round with baby fat, left the bathroom. He lifted the blankets on his bed, and just when everyone thought he was about to make his bed, he instead picked up a smaller, fairer bundle hidden beneath.

The viewers saw Fu Chengjing holding his still sleepy sister, who had just woken up in the morning light.

Chengjing rubbed his freshly washed face against his sister’s, grinning as he said, “Lingying!”

The little girl, seeing her brother’s magnified features, instinctively reached out to hug his neck. Her voice, still soft and sleepy, came out in a sweet, babyish tone.

“Brother… hungry…”