Chapter 19 Part 1

Xu Xiang observed the reactions with satisfaction and continued, “It’s almost six o’clock now. Dinner starts at 6:30. If you arrive late, I can’t guarantee there will be much food left, or that it will still be warm. So, I suggest you hurry.”

Not only did he make them walk, but now he was threatening them with dinner! The guests now fully understood the director’s “cruelty.”

Xu Xiang didn’t seem bothered by their sharp glares and continued explaining, “The order will be decided by the number of strokes in the mother’s surname. So, Shen Linyan goes first.”

Shen Linyan was momentarily surprised—she was first?

But she had already planned her approach, so she wasn’t worried.

She gently touched Liang Tianyi’s head and said confidently, “I just discussed it with Tianyi. As a mother, I respect all of his choices. There’s no need for guidance. I believe that no matter what happens, we can handle it together.”

Her words were widely praised in the live chat.

[As expected of Shen Linyan, she’s so good at parenting and gives her child space to grow.]

[She’s confident because she raised Liang Tianyi well. Even if he gets the walking card, he won’t complain.]

[Not every parent raises their child this way.]

[Letting the child make their own choice means they’ll also learn to handle the consequences.]

Seeing his mother trust him so much, Liang Tianyi’s eyes lit up. “Thanks, Mom.”

He hesitated between the five sugar paintings before finally choosing the horse. Facing the camera, he explained, “I like ponies the best. When I ride one, it feels like flying with the wind. I believe it’ll bring me good luck.”

Returning to his mother with the candy painting, Shen Linyan smiled and patted his head. The two of them untied the note attached to the bamboo stick together.

Unfortunately, the pony didn’t bring them luck. Upon opening the note, they saw the word “walking.”

Their smiles briefly faded, but they quickly recovered. They hugged each other and encouraged one another, “It’s okay, we can do this. It’s only five kilometers, just like our morning runs.”

This touching moment moved many viewers.

[Such a heartwarming mother-son bond!]

[Unlucky to get walking right away.]

[No complaints, just support for each other.]

After Shen Linyan and her son finished, it was Shen Qingqing’s turn. All eyes turned to her and Zhou Jiayan.

Unlike the relief they felt for Shen Linyan, the audience was eagerly anticipating Shen Qingqing’s reaction.

Since Shen Linyan had set a great example, if Shen Qingqing acted up, the contrast would be glaring.

Would Shen Qingqing force Zhou Jiayan to pick what she wanted? Or would she let him choose freely, like Shen Linyan did?

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Shen Qingqing and Zhou Jiayan began arguing.

“Yanyan, don’t you think the phoenix suits me better? Pick that one.”

Zhou Jiayan pouted. “I think the tiger is cooler. I like tigers the most.”

“Hey, the phoenix candy is obviously bigger. I’ll give you all the candy, so you can eat more.”

Zhou Jiayan firmly refused. “Dad said kids shouldn’t eat too much candy. The tiger is big enough.”

The two of them kept bickering, shocking the audience.

[Wow, they’re actually arguing!]

[Neither of them is backing down!]

[Who do you think will win?]

[Zhou Jiayan, obviously. He’s the one making the final choice.]

For two full minutes, neither side gave in.

Director Xu Xiang was thrilled—this was exactly the kind of drama he wanted for the show.

Of course, he couldn’t let them argue forever. Clearing his throat, he said, “Alright, you two. I’ll give you 30 more seconds to decide.”

At that moment, Shen Qingqing squatted down and looked at Zhou Jiayan. Her usually proud face showed a pitiful expression. “Yanyan, did you forget what I told you before we came? You’re my little knight, and you have to protect me, the princess! Woo woo woo, I’m so sad.”

Zhou Jiayan was stunned. How could his stepmother change her expression so quickly? She even made it seem like he had bullied her.

He had always been shy, and his ears instantly turned red. He quickly denied it, “I never said I would protect you.”

Shen Qingqing had a stunning appearance, but her eyes were filled with innocence. She kept looking at Zhou Jiayan as if she was about to cry. “But you didn’t refuse.”

Netizens, which are online viewers or commenters, started reacting:

[Hahaha, Shen Qingqing is really something! She actually “attacked” Yanyan like this.]

[Shen Qingqing is such a drama queen. I admire how fast she changes her expressions.]

[But I think this trick works better on mature men, like her husband. Will Zhou Jiayan fall for it?]

[Come on, Yanyan! Don’t be soft-hearted!]

Zhou Jiayan stomped his foot, turned away from Shen Qingqing, and ran toward the table with the sugar paintings.

His little brows furrowed as he studied the sugar paintings, looking as if he was making a very important decision.

He stretched out his small hand, moving it back and forth over the five sugar paintings, before finally reaching for the tiger-shaped one.

[Looks like Yanyan will still choose what he wants.]

[I told you, Shen Qingqing’s tricks won’t work. Kids don’t fall for girls’ coquetry ^[1]which is an act of playful flirtation or acting cute..]

[Support Yanyan in making his own choice.]

[I want to see Shen Qingqing’s expression now.]

Just when everyone thought Zhou Jiayan had chosen the tiger, he suddenly changed direction and picked the phoenix-shaped sugar painting instead.

Everyone was caught off guard by this sudden change, but Zhou Jiayan quickly ran back to Shen Qingqing and handed the sugar painting to her.

He looked at her with determination but spoke in a cool tone, “Here, take it. I’m a little man, so I’ll let you off this time.”

Netizens exploded with excitement:

[Oh my god, I actually felt boyfriend energy from a five-year-old!]

[So sweet! Shen Qingqing is so lucky!]

[Wow, what an amazing kid!]

[I wish I was born 20 years later so Yanyan could be my husband!]

Shen Qingqing looked at the phoenix-shaped sugar painting in her hands, feeling her heart skip a beat.

Since she arrived here a week ago, nothing had felt truly real. Because she knew this was a world inside a book, she treated it like a retirement life, watching everything like an outsider.

She had always viewed Zhou Jiayan like the kids she saw online in her previous life—just someone else’s child she could tease whenever she wanted.

But she almost forgot that Zhou Jiayan was a real five-year-old boy, with feelings, a stubborn mouth, and a soft heart. Everything she did actually affected him.

And this little brat was really good at making an impact!

In her past life, Shen Qingqing had been pursued by many men, but she could always see the hidden calculations in their eyes.

However, Zhou Jiayan’s gaze was pure. He didn’t choose the phoenix to flatter her but simply because he didn’t want her to be sad.

For once, Shen Qingqing stopped joking. “Thank you, Yanyan.” She took the sugar painting seriously. “Let’s unwrap the paper together.”

[This is the first time I’ve seen Shen Qingqing so serious. Yanyan really touched her heart.]

[Yanyan is so sweet and thoughtful. If I were his mom, I’d be crying right now.]

[They were bickering earlier, but now they’re so affectionate. I almost cried.]

[+1 to the above. To be honest, this is more touching than the previous couple.]

Shen Qingqing and Zhou Jiayan, one with a big hand and one with a small hand, tore open the paper at the end of the bamboo stick. The big word “walking” appeared before them.

Their happy expressions instantly fell.

What kind of luck was this? Two groups of guests had now drawn “walking” in a row!

Shen Qingqing felt guilty. She had indeed pushed for this choice, assuming that since Shen Linyan had already picked “walking,” the remaining ones wouldn’t have the same result. If she had let Zhou Jiayan pick…

Zhou Jiayan glanced at her with an unreadable expression, then sighed deeply and spread his hands. “Well, this isn’t my fault.”

Shen Qingqing, who could reflect on her actions but hated being blamed, immediately defended herself, “This was purely luck! It had nothing to do with my choice. How can you blame me?”

Feeling guilty, she quickly changed the subject. She patted Zhou Jiayan’s shoulder. “There’s no point in blaming each other now. We just have to deal with it. Yanyan, trust me. I’ll definitely find a way to make sure you don’t suffer.”

However, Zhou Jiayan simply looked at her with obvious doubt.

And it wasn’t just him—netizens in the live stream were also skeptical:

[My expression right now is the same as Yanyan’s.]

[Yanyan has it tough, having such an unreliable stepmother with bad luck.]

[I bet Shen Qingqing will start complaining halfway through the journey, and Yanyan will have to comfort her.]

[I’m really curious—what exactly does Shen Qingqing plan to do to make sure Yanyan won’t suffer? Will she just cause trouble until the production team gives in?]

[Hahaha, I have no idea!]

Because time was short and both previous groups had already drawn “walking,” the production crew didn’t keep them for long and let them go right after the draw.

Shen Linyan had always maintained a good image. Even though she didn’t like Shen Qingqing, she still walked over with a smile. “Qingqing, since we both got ‘walking,’ why don’t we travel together? That way, if anything happens, we can help each other. Tianyi and I jog every morning, so we’re in pretty good shape.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the live broadcast room was flooded with comments praising Shen Linyan.

[Lin Yan is so kind. She’s exhausted, yet she still cares for Shen Qingqing.]

[My goddess is not only beautiful but also kind-hearted.]

[Lin Yan, run quickly! Shen Qingqing isn’t worth it!]

[Lin Yan is a great mother, setting an example for her kids!]

Shen Qingqing easily saw through Shen Linyan’s scheme. If she agreed to go with her, then whenever she acted stubborn or difficult, Shen Linyan would step in and look generous and forgiving. If she refused, Shen Linyan would still come across as a kind and selfless person.

She had used the same trick in front of Shen’s father before. She would provoke the original Shen Qingqing subtly, leading her to lose her temper. Coincidentally, Shen’s father would always appear at just the right time. Over time, he believed that Shen Qingqing was an entitled, spoiled girl bullying Shen Linyan, while Shen Linyan endured it silently. This simple but effective manipulation worked every time on the original, straightforward Shen Qingqing.

In her past life, Shen Qingqing spent over ten years in the entertainment industry, dealing with all sorts of schemers. To her, Shen Linyan’s tactics were laughably basic. More importantly, she had no interest in playing these little mind games. If she had the energy, she’d rather tease Zhou Jiayan—it would be way more fun.

Most importantly, she had no intention of actually walking all the way to their residence. She would let Shen Linyan put on her inspirational act of perseverance all by herself.

She smiled and said, “No need. I’m not in great shape, and I don’t want to trouble you. Just save some dinner for me and Yanyan when you arrive.”

Shen Linyan wasn’t surprised by the rejection. Just as she deeply disliked Shen Qingqing, Shen Qingqing also disliked her.

For survival, Shen Linyan would always maintain a friendly appearance, but Shen Qingqing had always been too direct to even pretend.

This time, however, Shen Qingqing’s refusal was much more polite than before. In the past, she would have reacted angrily before rejecting her.

Shen Linyan felt a little disappointed—Shen Qingqing had definitely become smarter.

Still, she kept a warm smile. “Since you said so, I won’t force it. We all have our phones, so call me if you need anything.”