Chapter 20 Part 3

Still, curiosity got the best of him. He shifted slightly and poked his little head out from under the blanket. His stepmother was looking at him tenderly—none of her usual teasing was in her eyes.

Though young, Zhou Jiayan was very sensitive to people’s emotions, and his stepmother seemed serious this time.

Shen Qingqing let out a breath of relief when she saw him peek out. Raising kids was really difficult these days.

Then, she decided to tempt him further. “Yanyan, come out, please. I’ll let you watch Ultraman.”

The Zhou family had strict rules—Zhou Jiayan was only allowed one hour of screen time per day for cartoons.

Shen Qingqing never interfered with his education, but since they were on this show, she had the final say. Besides, proper relaxation was important for kids too.

The moment Zhou Jiayan heard “Ultraman,” his eyes lit up.

He hesitated. Since his stepmother said so, maybe he should trust her just this once? And besides, how could he say no to Ultraman?

With that, Zhou Jiayan decisively climbed out of bed and looked at Shen Qingqing expectantly.

[Yep, Ultraman is still the most important thing to Zhou Jiayan.]

[Hahaha, Yanyan’s actions are too obvious! Isn’t he afraid his stepmother will use this against him?]

[He’s already been exposed. It’s too late now.]

Shen Qingqing was both amused and exasperated. As expected, nothing was more tempting to Zhou Jiayan than Ultraman.

She picked up the remote, turned on the TV, and the two of them sat on the bed to watch together.

Of course, after a few minutes, Shen Qingqing lost interest in the monster battles and started scrolling on her phone instead.

Meanwhile, Zhou Jiayan was completely engrossed, bouncing excitedly on the bed whenever something exciting happened. His little chicken hood bounced along with him, making it look like a little chick pecking at rice.

The viewers watching the livestream melted at the sight.

[So cute! He was already adorable before, but now it’s even better.]

[Yanyan is usually so well-behaved. I hope he smiles like this more often.]

[I feel like he’s becoming much livelier with Shen Qingqing around.]

About two hours passed, and it was already past ten. Shen Qingqing wasn’t usually asleep by this time, but after a long day of traveling, she felt sleepy.

She glanced at the little boy still glued to the TV. It should be his bedtime by now, right? But he was watching so intently—would he throw a tantrum if she told him to stop?

Surprisingly, when she told him it was time for bed, Zhou Jiayan looked a little reluctant but obediently turned off the TV. He nodded and said, “I’ve already watched two hours today, which is worth two days. Tomorrow, I’ll watch whatever you like with you.”

As soon as those words were spoken, the audience in the live broadcast room erupted in excitement again.

[Oh my god, how can a child be this thoughtful?]

[Yanyan can even keep track of time on his own! If I have such a sensible child in the future, I’ll be satisfied.]

[Just came from another live stream—Liang Tianyi over there is even more disciplined. He’s studying his lessons with Shen Linyan.]

[? What’s wrong with the person above? If you prefer the other kid, then go there. Why come here and criticize?]

[Honestly, I ran away from that live stream because I couldn’t stand it. Why force kids to study even on a variety show? It’s too much.]

[It’s fine if some kids don’t like studying, but why criticize Shen Linyan and her son?]

[If you want to argue, do it in the other room, okay? This is Shen Qingqing’s live stream.]

Shen Qingqing had no idea that her live broadcast chat was filled with debates about Shen Linyan. Right now, she was completely moved by Zhou Jiayan’s behavior. Earlier, she had been narrow-minded, thinking that he would throw a tantrum.

She made up her mind—she would let Zhou Jiayan watch Ultraman for another two hours tomorrow!

But no matter how touched she felt, it was time to sleep. She walked up to the camera, pulled out a piece of opaque black cloth she had prepared beforehand, said “goodbye” to the audience, and then unhesitatingly covered the camera.

The entire screen went dark, leaving only the faint sound of footsteps.

[Wow, I really don’t want to leave!]

[Shen Qingqing was so decisive. She must’ve wanted to turn it off for a while.]

[Well, she’s taking care of a kid, so it’s only natural to sleep by 10 PM.]

[Right now, I envy the black cloth—it still gets to see them.]

At the same time, the other four live streams were also coming to an end.

In Shen Linyan’s live room, Liang Tianyi finally sighed in relief when the clock struck ten. He carefully put away his books. He wasn’t reading them by choice—his mother insisted that even during the show, he couldn’t slack off on his studies. Since he hadn’t had time to study during the day, he had to make up for it at night.

So, despite wanting to watch cartoons, he had no choice but to sacrifice his playtime.

Shen Linyan’s strict discipline sparked a lot of discussion in her live stream. However, thanks to her marketing team’s efforts and the fact that many people supported strict education, most of the comments were in her favor.

Actress Xie Bing’s live broadcast room was the noisiest. Her energetic, chubby son was bouncing all over the place, playing with the small toys he had brought. He had completely forgotten about his earlier tears and was even excitedly saying he would share his toys with Zhou Jiayan and the others tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the live streams of the two little girls were much quieter.

Mo Man was helping Ying Shishuang pick out an outfit for the next day. Even though they had outdoor activities planned, the little girl was determined to wear the princess dress she had brought. As a doting mother, Mo Man had no choice but to go along with it.

In Cui Xia’s live stream, Song Yiyi sat quietly on the bed watching cartoons. Meanwhile, Cui Xia kept stepping into the bathroom to answer calls. Although her husband and mother-in-law knew she was filming, they still called her directly whenever something happened at home.

Cui Xia was annoyed but had no choice but to provide remote guidance. She tried to keep her voice down, but the hotel’s soundproofing wasn’t great, so Song Yiyi could still hear some of her frustrated words. Occasionally, she would glance toward the bathroom, distracted from her cartoons.

Finally, at nearly ten o’clock, Cui Xia finished handling her family matters and returned to the room. Feeling embarrassed, she apologized to the camera. There weren’t many viewers left in her live stream, but those who stayed were sympathetic. Seeing their supportive comments made her feel a bit better.

About half an hour after Shen Qingqing’s live stream went dark, most of the audience had already left, leaving only a handful of people. Suddenly, a soft conversation could be heard between Shen Qingqing and her son.

Maybe it was because she was sleeping in a different place, or maybe because someone was next to her, but despite usually being a good sleeper, Shen Qingqing found herself wide awake. However, she didn’t dare to move too much, afraid of waking up the child beside her.

Just as she debated checking her phone, she heard a faint rustling sound.

So, Zhou Jiayan wasn’t asleep either!

They both chuckled quietly at their shared insomnia.

Shen Qingqing turned to face Zhou Jiayan’s direction and spoke first. “So kids can have trouble sleeping too? I thought you’d pass out as soon as your head hit the pillow.”

Zhou Jiayan usually slept well, but tonight was different. He was in a new place, had watched too many cartoons, and, most importantly, was sharing a bed with someone else. For the first time in his five years of life, he was experiencing insomnia.

Of course, he couldn’t admit that sleeping next to his stepmother was making him nervous, so he shyly mumbled, “It’s because I got too excited watching cartoons.”

Shen Qingqing didn’t doubt him at all. She completely understood—she herself had stayed up countless nights after watching a good movie or reading an exciting script.

The town wasn’t as bright as the city at night, and the hotel curtains blocked out most of the light. In the darkness, she couldn’t see Zhou Jiayan’s face, only a faint outline nearby.

She recalled how defensive he had been earlier when she teased him about bedwetting. Maybe she had gone too far…

They often bickered, and it would feel awkward to seriously apologize now.

Since the live camera was off, and the kid was half-asleep, he’d probably forget about this by morning.

Shen Qingqing thought to herself—maybe she should apologize now?

She always keeps her word, and Shen Qingqing never hesitates to take responsibility for her mistakes.

So, she cleared her throat, turned toward Zhou Jiayan in the dark, and whispered, “Yanyan, I spoke a little carelessly tonight. I shouldn’t have casually suspected that you would wet the bed, and I definitely shouldn’t have said it in front of the live camera. I’ll be more mindful next time. Will you forgive me?”

Hearing this, Zhou Jiayan instantly woke up. If the lights had been on, Shen Qingqing would have seen his little face turn red in an instant.

His mind was now filled with one thought—his stepmother actually apologized to him!

So, she actually cares about whether I feel hurt or upset.

Besides, with how proud she is and her princess-like attitude, she must have taken a long time to prepare herself to apologize to me.

If that’s the case, then I guess I’ll reluctantly forgive her.

After all, I wasn’t really hurt. It was just a little embarrassing to have the topic of bed-wetting brought up in public. After all, I don’t want people to know that I wet the bed when I was three.

In the darkness, Zhou Jiayan nodded and replied in a rather arrogant tone, “Since you’ve apologized, I’ll forgive you. After all, I’m mature enough not to argue with you.”

Hearing this, Shen Qingqing laughed in her heart. Haha, what a little tsundere.

Of course, she didn’t plan to provoke this proud little brat anymore, so she just reached out and ruffled Zhou Jiayan’s round head. “Thank you so much, my generous little adult.”

Zhou Jiayan hummed, “You’re welcome.”

There weren’t many viewers in the live broadcast room, but those who stayed were Shen Qingqing’s loyal fans, and this conversation touched them deeply.

[Actually, I just had the stream on in the background, but I didn’t expect such a heartwarming moment. I usually follow Shen Qingqing’s live streams for the relaxed atmosphere, but this conversation really moved me.]

[Before, many people criticized Shen Qingqing for being too blunt and not knowing how to care for kids, but isn’t this great? She admitted her mistake and didn’t act all superior.]

[Yanyan is really understanding and kind.]

[I think Shen Qingqing truly treats Yanyan as an equal, instead of looking down on him like some parents do.]

[I also wish my parents could treat me with respect and admit when they’re wrong, but they never do.]

[If anyone dares to say Shen Qingqing is a bad stepmother in the future, I’ll post this video!]

After this conversation, both of them relaxed, put aside their worries, and slowly fell asleep.

However, in the middle of the night, Zhou Jiayan felt something heavy pressing against him. When he opened his sleepy eyes, he saw an arm draped over his body, and the woman beside him seemed to be getting closer and closer, almost hugging him completely.

Zhou Jiayan had rarely slept with adults since he was little, and he wondered, Do all adults move around so much in their sleep?

Then, he denied that thought. He had secretly observed his father during his afternoon naps before. His father slept very still—he didn’t move at all, not even to snore.

In comparison, his stepmother’s sleeping posture was like an octopus, and now she was even moving her legs again!

Feeling a little uncomfortable, Zhou Jiayan carefully lifted Shen Qingqing’s arm off him and scooted closer to the edge of the bed.

But after just a few minutes, his stepmother “caught up” with him again.

At this point, Zhou Jiayan had already reached the very edge of the bed. If he moved any further, he would fall off! With no other choice, he had to accept the reality of being held in his stepmother’s arms.

Forget it, I’m too tired. I’ll just let it be.

However, as he was fully embraced by Shen Qingqing, he caught a faint jasmine scent. Zhou Jiayan knew this was from the shower gel they used earlier, but somehow, it smelled even nicer coming from her.

And this embrace… it felt so warm, soft, and comforting—just like the motherly hug he had imagined so many times.

With that thought lingering in his mind, Zhou Jiayan slowly drifted off to sleep.

In his dream, there was a gentle and beautiful mother, a handsome father, and a version of himself who was loved by everyone.