Chapter 32

Shen Linyan and Ao Liangjun went to a ranch in the suburbs. The ranch had many dairy cows, most of them freely roaming the grasslands.

Herds of cows were grazing peacefully, with big cows leading the little ones, creating a lively scene.

Seeing the black-and-white cows, little Ao Liangjun’s eyes widened in excitement. He clung to the fence, not wanting to leave. He eagerly touched them, tried to feed them grass, and even insisted on helping more.

Shen Linyan, however, had never been interested in animals. She was only here to complete the mission.

Seeing that Ao Liangjun’s curiosity was delaying their task, she grew annoyed. She wished she could just drag him away.

But this chubby little troublemaker was the son of a famous actress, Xie Bing. She couldn’t treat him roughly, especially since it would ruin the gentle and kind image she had carefully built.

Xie Bing now had a high status in the entertainment industry. Although she never publicly revealed her husband’s identity, Shen Linyan knew the truth.

Xie Bing’s husband, Ao Kun, had built his wealth from scratch and was now one of the richest people. Though his wealth wasn’t as deep-rooted as old-money families, no one dared to underestimate him.

Since Ao Liangjun kept stopping and wandering around, they had already wasted more than half an hour.

Shen Linyan took a deep breath. She couldn’t scold him, so she forced a smile and gently said, “We don’t have much time left. If we take too long, your friends will be home before we finish. If you don’t care about the mission, we can just stay here and play. What do you think, Junjun?”

The little boy bit his finger, looking at the cows and then at Shen Linyan. He was clearly struggling with his decision.

After about half a minute, he finally said, “Auntie, you’re right. The mission is more important. I don’t want to play anymore. Let’s go finish it quickly so we can go home early.”

At least this chubby kid wasn’t completely hopeless. Shen Linyan sighed in relief and nodded. “Alright, but you have to stay close to me. It’s getting late, so we need to hurry.”

With that, she took Ao Liangjun’s hand, and they headed toward the milking area. This time, Ao Liangjun focused on the mission and didn’t get distracted by the animals or flowers along the way.

However, when they reached the milking station, Ao Liangjun’s attention was immediately drawn to a baby calf nursing from its mother. His eyes turned red as he cried out, “If we take all the milk, what will the baby cow drink? Let’s not do this.”

Shen Linyan hadn’t expected this kind of problem. She almost lost her patience.

Why was this chubby kid so troublesome? She couldn’t understand these children’s odd sense of kindness. They loved animals so much but still ate meat and drank milk.

After a long pause, she forced another smile. “Don’t worry, Junjun. We won’t take all the milk. Now that you’re here, don’t you want to try milking a cow?”

The little boy shook his head and said, “But I think it hurts the mother cow. And I saw cows kicking people on TV. I’m scared. I don’t want to do it.”

Looking at the short, chubby boy, Shen Linyan thought that if he were her son, she would have given him a good scolding.

But she had to coax him instead. Taking a deep breath, she said, “But Junjun is a brave boy. Don’t you want to try? All the other children are completing their tasks on their own. This experience will be a good memory for you.”

She thought this would encourage Ao Liangjun’s competitive spirit, just like it had with Liang Tianyi before.

But Ao Liangjun had his own way of thinking. He was a willful child. Shaking his head, he said, “I still don’t want to. Anyway, they’re not here now. Auntie, if you don’t tell, and I don’t tell, no one will know that I didn’t do it.”

[Hahaha, this chubby kid is so straightforward. If no one knows, it never happened!]

[Little Chubby, don’t you remember there’s a live broadcast? Everyone in the country can see that you’re scared.]

[I think Ao Liangjun is really spoiled. He’s here to complete a task, but he wants to give up just because he’s afraid?]

[She’s just a child. It’s normal to be scared of such a big cow.]

Shen Linyan didn’t expect Ao Liangjun to react this way. Wasn’t this little chubby boy always competitive? In the past, as long as she coaxed her stepson, he would do things even if he was afraid or disliked them. But this time, her usual trick didn’t work.

Shen Linyan was a stubborn and obsessive person by nature. Otherwise, she wouldn’t push herself to be perfect in everything.

How could she allow Ao Liangjun to quit at the last step? In her mind, his so-called fear was just an excuse to avoid work. Just moments ago, he had been eager to touch the little cow outside.

She took a deep breath, maintained a gentle tone, but firmly held Ao Liangjun’s hand. “Junjun, be good. Auntie will go with you to milk the cow, okay? Don’t be afraid.”

Saying that, she hugged Ao Liangjun and guided his hand. “Don’t be afraid, Auntie is with you.” Then, she carried him to the milking stall.

However, the moment Ao Liangjun’s little hand touched the cow’s udder, he burst into tears.

Since they were already at the last step, Shen Linyan refused to back down. She forced Ao Liangjun’s hand to squeeze out the milk.

She thought that once it was over, she could comfort him and explain things later. He would stop crying soon. Besides, she believed she was doing this for Ao Liangjun’s own good. Even if Xie Bing found out, she would understand.

Seeing this scene, the live broadcast chat exploded, and even those who had earlier criticized Ao Liangjun for being spoiled couldn’t stand it anymore.

[Shen Linyan has gone too far. Ao Liangjun is terrified, but she still forces him to do it.]

[He may be a little mischievous, but he’s only six years old!]

[This is the first time I’ve seen Junjun cry like this. Shen Linyan is too cruel.]

[I used to think Shen Linyan was just strict, but now she’s scary.]

[Did Xiao Yi go through the same thing? Was he forced so much that he lost the ability to refuse?]

Luckily, the buckets weren’t large, and one filled up quickly. Only then did she release the little chubby boy. She took the small bucket of milk and set it aside.

As soon as Ao Liangjun realized he was free, he immediately ran three meters away from Shen Linyan.

Shen Linyan felt disdainful seeing this. This child had really been spoiled by Xie Bing and the others. However, she still kept a gentle expression. “Junjun, see? The task is done. Isn’t it nothing? Don’t you feel a sense of accomplishment after finishing it?”

But instead of responding, Ao Liangjun cried even louder.

Shen Linyan was stunned. Nothing had happened, so why was he still crying?

She didn’t understand, but many viewers in the live chat did.

[Oh my god, I know this feeling too well. When I was a kid, my dad forced me to take care of a puppy. I told him I was scared, but he didn’t believe me. He said other kids weren’t scared. Then he made me touch it, and I cried the whole day. I became even more afraid of dogs afterward.]

[Shen Linyan is acting like one of those self-righteous parents who claim to do things for their children’s good but actually just want to satisfy themselves.]

[Now I understand why Liang Tianyi is so repressed. With a stepmother like this, how could he not be?]

[I always said Shen Linyan’s parenting was problematic, but some people refused to see it. Now it’s obvious.]

[Xiao Yi isn’t incapable of refusing. He’s just been forced for so long that he gave up on saying no.]

Marketing trolls assigned to Shen Linyan’s live broadcast room immediately panicked. How did things turn out like this? Wasn’t Shen Linyan usually so smart? Why did she suddenly do something so foolish?

Still, they had to do their job and tried to spin the situation, insisting it was for the child’s good.

[Shen Linyan may have gone a little far, but she had no bad intentions.]

[Don’t be so harsh. She’s doing this for the child’s benefit.]

[No parent is perfect. Let’s be more understanding.]

However, netizens quickly shot down these excuses.

[Look at the results! Who cares what Shen Linyan was thinking?]

[She forced the child to do something he was afraid of, making him cry this much.]

[If you think she’s right, why don’t you go and comfort Ao Liangjun and erase his trauma? Then maybe I’ll believe you.]

[Forcing kids to do unnecessary and distressing things is NOT good for them.]

At this moment, the production staff filming the show realized that Ao Liangjun wouldn’t stop crying. The fact that Shen Linyan—who was supposed to be the most qualified mother—had caused it left them dumbfounded.

They couldn’t just let the child cry, so a kind-looking staff member stepped forward. “Let’s take Junjun back first. Staying at the ranch like this isn’t good. Let’s go.”

As he spoke, he reached out to Ao Liangjun. Seeing him, Ao Liangjun immediately ran into his arms, clinging to his neck in fear, not daring to face Shen Linyan again.

Shen Linyan’s head throbbed from Ao Liangjun’s crying, and for once, her usually sharp mind stalled. She saw that she couldn’t coax Ao Liangjun right now, so she reluctantly nodded. “Alright, let’s go back first.”

Around four or five in the afternoon, all the guests except Shen Linyan’s group returned to Zhuangyuan Mansion. Although they completed their tasks at different times and the quality of the ingredients they obtained varied, everyone was in high spirits.

However, Mo Man’s smile froze when she saw her daughter holding a large, brightly feathered rooster.

Xie Bing noticed Mo Man’s expression and laughed, “Your daughter has to raise it herself. It’s none of my business.”

Mo Man: …

Shen Qingqing returned to Zhuangyuan Mansion before Zhou Jiayan, but after waiting about ten minutes, Zhou Jiayan also came back with Cui Xia, his face flushed.

He was carrying a small bucket with two fish inside. There was a slight sweat on his forehead, but his face was glowing, and his eyes sparkled with excitement.

Seeing Shen Qingqing had returned, Zhou Jiayan’s eyes lit up, and he ran to her with the bucket. “Look, these are the fish I caught myself. They’re big and fresh. The captain even praised us for being lucky and said today’s catch was particularly good.”

Shen Qingqing patted his head and praised, “Yanyan, you’re amazing!”

Zhou Jiayan beamed with pride, but his joy didn’t last long. Shen Qingqing pointed to a pile of vegetables nearby, which looked like a small mountain, and said, “But I did better than you. Look at those vegetables. They’re much bigger than your two fish.”

Zhou Jiayan was stunned, especially when he saw a lotus root on the ground that looked taller than him. After a moment, he stammered, “You’re older than me, so it’s normal for you to be better. When I grow up, I’ll be better than you.”

Shen Qingqing found his reaction amusing. She didn’t bother explaining that vegetables and fish couldn’t be compared in value. Let him think she was amazing.

Almost an hour passed, and there was still no sign of Shen Linyan and Ao Liangjun. Xie Bing, the mother, and Liang Tianyi, the child, began to worry.

Xie Bing hid her concern well, but Liang Tianyi’s worry was evident. He kept glancing at the door, waiting for his mother to return.

Zhou Jiayan noticed Liang Tianyi’s unease and took his hand, saying, “Don’t worry, Xiaoyi. Aunt Lin Yan is very strong. Nothing will happen.”

Liang Tianyi nodded, though he still felt anxious. He missed his mother and couldn’t help but worry.

Just then, the sound of a child crying and footsteps came from the door. Xie Bing immediately recognized it as Ao Liangjun’s voice. She rushed to the door and saw her son sobbing, his face red from crying.

Xie Bing hugged him tightly and asked, “Junjun, what happened? Are you hurt? Tell mom, and I’ll take you to the doctor.”

Shen Linyan, who had been preparing her explanation, stepped forward with a guilty expression. “Sister Xie Bing, this is my fault. I took Junjun to milk the cows, but he got scared. I thought it was the program’s task, and I didn’t want to give up. I thought I could help him overcome his fear, but he ended up crying and blaming me.”

[What does Shen Linyan mean? It sounds like she’s saying she did it for Junjun’s own good, but the child couldn’t handle it.]

[She’s subtly shifting the blame onto the child.]

[This is a clever way to manipulate parents who want their children to be perfect, even if it’s painful.]

[How will Xie Bing respond? Will she blame Junjun instead?]

Xie Bing wasn’t satisfied with Shen Linyan’s explanation. Although Shen Linyan appeared humble, her words were carefully crafted to avoid blame. She made it seem like Ao Liangjun’s crying was due to his own weakness, not her actions.

This made Xie Bing even angrier. She could accept her son getting hurt while playing, but she couldn’t tolerate someone making him cry without feeling remorse.

Xie Bing, usually composed, didn’t mind being assertive when it came to her children. She patted Ao Liangjun’s back, wiped his tears, and asked the staff for the video footage of the incident.

Then she turned to Shen Linyan and said sternly, “Ms. Shen, I know you’re young and energetic. You’re strict with children, and that’s why you’ve raised Xiaoyi so well.”

“Every child’s situation is unique. Take Junjun, for example. I know he may not be as talented as some other kids, and since his father and I are often busy, he tends to be more mischievous than most. Many people might not see him as an outstanding child, but in my eyes, his father and I can provide him with the best life possible. If he succeeds, great; if not, we’ll still support him.”

“As long as he doesn’t pick up bad habits, life is short, and Junjun should live happily. So, Miss Shen, why are you forcing him to do something he doesn’t like under the guise of doing it for his own good, without even consulting me?”

Xie Bing spoke these words with deep sincerity. While opinions may differ on whether education should be strict or lenient, anyone listening could feel the genuine love she had for her child.

Shen Linyan was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Xie Bing to confront her so seriously! And what was she saying? That as long as Junjun is happy, he doesn’t have to study if he doesn’t want to? Shen Linyan thought Xie Bing was just venting her frustration over her son’s behavior.

However, Shen Linyan quickly regained her composure. Whether Xie Bing’s words were sincere or not, she had already upset her. Since she couldn’t win Xie Bing over, she decided to sway the public in her favor.

Xie Bing had a reputation for being straightforward and hot-tempered. If she lashed out, the audience would likely sympathize with Shen Linyan. At this point, she didn’t realize that the live chat was already buzzing with heated discussions.

Feigning innocence, Shen Linyan said, “Sister Xie Bing, I understand you’re worried about Junjun crying, but I only wanted him to push his limits and grow.”

This only made Xie Bing angrier. She had once thought well of Shen Linyan, seeing her as a capable stepmother despite her youth. But now, she realized Shen Linyan had a manipulative side. Was she implying that Xie Bing was overreacting and blaming her unfairly?

Xie Bing recalled the earlier argument between Shen Linyan, Shen Qingqing, and Liang Tianyi’s excessive self-criticism. It dawned on her that Shen Linyan might have been pretending to be the good person while subtly undermining Liang Tianyi.

Xie Bing, being straightforward, knew that losing her temper would only make things worse. Shen Linyan hadn’t done anything obviously wrong, so getting angry would only make her look bad.

Shen Qingqing, who had been observing the situation, found Shen Linyan’s behavior tiresome. Why did she always resort to playing the victim? Didn’t she realize that her innocent act was outdated and that public opinion was turning against her?

The system, though often useless, had been keeping Shen Qingqing updated on the live chat reactions. It gleefully reported that netizens were seeing through Shen Linyan’s “white lotus” act. The system suggested that Shen Qingqing could further expose Shen Linyan’s true nature.

Shen Qingqing decided to step in. There were things Xie Bing couldn’t say, but as an outsider, she could. She approached Shen Linyan and said, “Sister Lin Yan, there’s something I need to say. You claim you’re acting in Junjun’s best interest, but did you ask for his opinion? Whether he’s happy or regrets something later is his decision, not yours.”

“Also, today, Xiaoyi went with me on a task. He’s clearly afraid of water, yet he forced himself to dig lotus roots and ended up pale and shaken. I don’t have the right to tell you how to raise your child, but given Xiaoyi’s condition, I think it’s important to remind you to consider his physical and mental well-being.”

Shen Linyan was caught off guard. She hadn’t expected Shen Qingqing to bring up Liang Tianyi. This was supposed to be about Junjun! But as Liang Tianyi’s stepmother, she had to show concern. She turned to Liang Tianyi, who was standing by the door, and asked, “Xiaoyi, did something happen during the task?”

Liang Tianyi hesitated. He remembered how, in the past, when he failed to complete a task, Shen Linyan would repeatedly remind him of his failure, making him practice over and over. He was afraid that if he admitted his fear of water, she might force him to face it again.

But he wasn’t a liar. Stuttering, he replied, “Mom, I’m sorry. I wanted to go, but I was too scared.”

Shen Linyan pieced together what had happened. Liang Tianyi had been afraid of water but forced himself to participate in the task, only to fail. Shen Qingqing’s comments implied that Shen Linyan often pushed children to do things they didn’t want to do, which had led to this situation.

She felt frustrated. She knew forcing a child wasn’t ideal, but she believed it was for their growth.

If only one issue had come up, she would have been confident in clearing her name. But now, with two problems combined, things were more complicated.

She could shift the blame to Ao Liangjun. After all, she wasn’t afraid of Xie Bing. If the situation went public, she was sure she could turn it around with some public relations efforts. She believed many strict parents would side with her.

However, Liang Tianyi was different. Her standing in the Liang family and her image as a good mother in the entertainment industry were closely tied to him.

No, she needed to make Liang Tianyi say he was willing. That would make it easier for her to handle things later.

She walked up to Liang Tianyi, placed her hand on his shoulder, and smiled gently, though her grip was firm. “Xiaoyi, tell me honestly—are you pushing yourself because you want to improve, or are you just doing it because I asked you to? If you really don’t like it, I won’t force you.”

Liang Tianyi looked at Shen Linyan and felt a slight unease, but he quickly brushed it off. How could his gentle mother be scary? It must be his imagination.

Then he remembered Shen Qingqing’s words: Can’t you just say no if you don’t want to do something? And now, his mother was saying she wouldn’t force him. Maybe he could finally express his true feelings. His mother was so kind; surely, she would understand.

With that in mind, Liang Tianyi looked up at Shen Linyan with his innocent eyes. “Mom, I’m scared of water. I don’t want to go in or swim anymore. Is that okay?”

Shen Linyan froze. She knew exactly what his words implied.