Chapter 23: The Fallen Child Star (23) part 2

As Yao Rong and Xu Weiheng returned to the villa and were going upstairs, they encountered Xu Yiyuan and his mother coming down at the first-floor staircase corner.

Xu Yiyuan’s mother was dressed in a light purple haute couture outfit, with full makeup and hairstyle, adorned with jewels, looking as if she could walk the red carpet at any moment.

In contrast, Yao Rong wore a comfortable cotton maxi dress and a pair of wedge sandals for easy walking on the beach. Her face had nothing on it except sunscreen.

It seemed that at the same moment, Xu Yiyuan’s mother looked down, and Yao Rong looked up.

The two women’s gazes met, neither avoiding nor retreating.

Xu Yiyuan’s mother, who had come prepared, was about to put on an elegant smile when she saw Yao Rong’s eyebrows slightly raised, her lips curved, with a knowing look in her eyes.

After understanding Yao Rong’s expression, Xu Yiyuan’s mother felt as if she had been slapped in the face out of nowhere.

Yao Rong didn’t need to say a word of mockery. With just a simple expression, she had turned Xu Yiyuan’s mother, who had been meticulously grooming herself since the morning, into a joke.

Because she knew her own intentions best.

She had put in all this effort not to outshine Yao Rong.

She did it because she didn’t want to lose to Yao Rong in their first encounter after so many years…

This intention, not worth mentioning to others, seemed to have been seen through by Yao Rong. Every inch of Yao Rong’s appraising gaze made Xu Yiyuan’s mother feel so uncomfortable.

There were other staff members moving about in the stairwell. When they noticed the group, they seemed to sense the subtle atmosphere and involuntarily slowed their pace, their gazes darting between the individuals.

Xu Yiyuan’s mother forced herself to maintain eye contact with Yao Rong for a few seconds before finally looking away.

“Yiyuan, let’s go.”

Xu Yiyuan’s mother no longer wanted to stay with Yao Rong.

She had dressed up elaborately, but anyone with discerning eyes could see that Yao Rong, with her bare face, outclassed her in both appearance and aura.

Yao Rong stood with her arms crossed until Xu Yiyuan’s mother hurriedly passed by her side, pulling Xu Yiyuan along. Only then did she shake her head and let out a soft laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Xu Weiheng asked, puzzled.

“Nothing,” Yao Rong shook her head.

Xu Weiheng wasn’t one to pry: “I thought you’d be like you were this afternoon.”

This afternoon, when encountering Xu Ji, Yao Rong had been particularly eloquent.

“For her, being ignored is more devastating than being directly criticized.”

Imagine, someone you’ve always looked down upon appears in front of you after many years, and has become someone you can’t beat no matter how hard you try. For Xu Yiyuan’s mother, who considered herself a winner, this was the heaviest blow possible.

On the other side, Xu Yiyuan was dragged to the kitchen by his mother.

Seeing that no one was around, Xu Yiyuan shook off his mother’s hand in displeasure.

“Mom, you’re hurting me!”

Xu Yiyuan’s mother bit the back of her hand, struggling to maintain composure.

Noticing his mother’s distress, Xu Yiyuan rubbed his reddened wrist and asked, “Mom, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head, attempting to conceal her emotions. “It’s nothing.”

But it was clearly not nothing.

The day had been fraught with difficulties, and Xu Yiyuan was already brimming with frustration. Lacking the patience to comfort his mother, he redirected his attention to the livestream comments.

His mother then shifted focus to the matter at hand.

Briefly summarising the sentiment in the comments, she advised Xu Yiyuan, “Don’t try any tricks. If Xu Weiheng confronts you again, act innocent and aggrieved.”

“You’re younger than him. If he goes too far, public opinion will turn against him.”

She added regretfully, “Yao Rong’s words are so venomous. It’s a pity she only attacked your father and not you. That would have given us more to work with.”

Mother and son seemed to have a coordinated strategy.

Yao Rong criticized Xu Ji.

Xu Weiheng targeted Xu Yiyuan.

One didn’t use seniority to bully a minor.

The other didn’t publicly express resentment towards his father.

This left Xu Yiyuan’s mother without leverage.

Understanding his mother’s intent, a flash of cunning crossed Xu Yiyuan’s eyes. “Tomorrow, I’ll find a chance to engage more with Yao Rong and get Dad to interact more with Xu Weiheng. I doubt they’ll stay rational when their tempers flare.”

“Good, but don’t rush it. Be patient,” his mother cautioned.

Xu Yiyuan mumbled a vague response, barely listening. That night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

In contrast, Xu Weiheng slept soundly until dawn broke.

Maintaining his routine, Xu Weiheng rose, washed, and went for his morning run along the coastline.

Halfway through, he encountered Wen Qiu.

“You’re up early,” Wen Qiu remarked, joining him.

The entertainment industry held female celebrities to strict body standards. Since college, Wen Qiu has maintained her daily runs, rain or shine.

For both of them, this level of exercise wasn’t taxing. As they ran, they struck up a casual conversation.

Their chat revolved mostly around acting until they discovered they had worked with the same director.

This director was infamous for being a ‘tyrant’ on set. With this shared experience, their conversation flowed more smoothly.

As they finished stretching, the day’s filming was set to begin.

After yesterday’s excitement, the livestream viewership hadn’t decreased; in fact, it had surged by two million, mostly curious onlookers drawn by the drama.

Before the cameras, Xu Weiheng’s group and Xu Yiyuan’s group stood at opposite ends, silently listening to the host introduce the day’s challenge.

Yesterday, the production team had covered food and lodging for the newly arrived guests. But starting today, they would need to purchase their own ingredients and pay for accommodations—meaning they had to earn money.

“Shortly, we’ll take you to a nearby job market where you can choose work based on your abilities,” the host explained.

“The daily cost for food and lodging for all eight guests is 1,000 yuan, so each person needs to earn at least 125 yuan.”

After the rules were announced, the guests paired up and headed to the job market by car.

Wen Qiu, who held both Xu Weiheng and Yao Rong in high regard, saw Yao Rong board a car and moved to follow suit with her father.

Just as she was about to enter, someone intercepted her.

Xu Yiyuan, clad in a cream-colored T-shirt, smiled innocently. “Sister Wen Qiu, could my dad and I ride in this car?”

Wen Qiu hesitated, glancing at Yao Rong inside the vehicle, silently seeking her approval.

Yao Rong gave a slight nod.

“Alright, I’ll go with Qingqing,” Wen Qiu acquiesced, stepping aside.

[Are you kidding? Drama right from the start!]

[This really is the perfect show to watch while eating.]

[I’m curious what Xu Yiyuan is plotting.]

Once inside, Xu Yiyuan deliberately sat beside Yao Rong.

As the car began moving, he asked gently, “Aunt Yao, may I open the window for some fresh air?”

Yao Rong studied him for a moment before nodding.

Xu Yiyuan suddenly felt exposed, as if she had seen right through him. He quickly lowered the window, using the action to avoid her penetrating gaze.

The incoming breeze tousled his meticulously styled hair.

After a brief moment to gather his thoughts, he turned to Yao Rong again, cautiously asking, “Aunt Yao, I’d like to speak with you for a moment, if that’s alright?”

Yao Rong nodded once more.

Her direct responses left Xu Yiyuan momentarily speechless.

He had anticipated resistance…

“I suppose you really dislike my mother and me,” Xu Yiyuan ventured.

Yao Rong nodded.

Xu Yiyuan: “…”

Just nod at everything, huh?

He felt inexplicably stifled.

It was as if he had set the stage for a duet, only for Yao Rong to refuse her part, leaving him to perform solo.

But having started, he had no choice but to press on.

“I understand you probably think my mom stole your husband, and that I took Weiheng’s father’s love. But I see it differently.”

“A marriage only falls apart when both sides err. It’s never just one person’s fault.”

“And even if a father doesn’t love his child enough, who says parents must dote on their children? Affection develops through interaction. Isn’t that why people say ‘nurture surpasses nature’?”

“Dad didn’t deprive Weiheng of material needs. Maybe he didn’t show enough love, but I don’t believe he owes Weiheng anything.”

Xu Yiyuan and Xu Ji had clearly strategized extensively.

Instead of justifying themselves, they were now on the offensive against Yao Rong and Xu Weiheng.

—“You divorced. Are you certain you bear no responsibility?”

—”You lacked paternal affection, but your father provided for you. Perhaps you should consider if you were good enough?”

The logic behind these words was calculated.

Had Yao Rong responded as she had when confronting Xu Ji yesterday, she would have already erupted in anger at Xu Yiyuan.

However, under his expectant gaze, Yao Rong remained composed.

“Some of your points are valid,” she began. “But when a man fails to control his impulses and cheats, how is that the woman’s fault? Why should I bear the consequences of someone else’s mistakes?”

“As for your comments on parenting…”

“You should understand this: raising children isn’t akin to caring for stray animals. It’s not just about providing sustenance.”

“They may not lack necessities, but did your father ever consider that children have unique personalities? They can be even more sensitive and perceptive than adults. Parenting is about nurturing a well-rounded individual.”

Yao Rong’s pace slowed as she continued.

She turned to look at Xu Weiheng, a hint of warmth entering her voice.

“If raising a child is like nurturing a flower to bloom, then even a gardener knows to regularly weed, water, and prune. They understand the importance of providing the right amount of sunlight, temperature, and humidity.”

Hearing this analogy for the first time, Xu Weiheng was momentarily stunned.

Then, under Yao Rong’s gaze, he smiled softly, feeling a sense of understanding wash over him.

—So, she had been waiting for the flower to bloom all along?

“Many are first-time parents, so it’s understandable if they don’t get everything right,” Yao Rong continued. “But to declare failure without trying and choose to give up—that’s true parental neglect.”

What made Xu Ji truly despicable was the stark contrast in how he treated his two children.

He elevated one to the heavens while pushing the other down into the mud.

How could young Xu Weiheng have possibly coped with such treatment?

Xu Yiyuan opened his mouth to speak, but under the weight of Yao Rong’s words, he suddenly felt foolish.

Yet, he had to make one last attempt. Turning to Xu Weiheng, he asked, “So, you resent Dad, don’t you?”

Xu Weiheng’s smile faded. He didn’t answer directly, but neither did he evade the question. “If you were in my position, wouldn’t you?”

At that moment, Xu Yiyuan’s carefully constructed plan crumbled.

His meticulously controlled expression slipped, his features twisting slightly.

But the livestream viewers were too engrossed in Yao Rong’s words to notice.

[She’s absolutely right. Cheating is inexcusable. Ladies, never doubt your worth because of a scumbag. You’re amazing; they just don’t deserve you.]

[555555 Somehow this speech made me want to cry a little, I miss my mom]

[If anyone dares to question Yao Rong’s education level again, I’ll shut them down immediately.]

[Raising a child is like nurturing a flower to bloom—what a beautiful analogy. Even wild flowers can blossom beautifully, but we must admit that carefully tended flowers often bloom with more grace.]

[Xu Yiyuan is really sly, why does he like digging pitfalls for people in conversations so much? It’s said he has good relationships in the entertainment industry, is that really true? How can people like being friends with someone like this, isn’t it tiring to talk to him?]

[As we all know, there are many plastic friendships in the entertainment industry]

[Raising a child is like waiting for a flower to bloom, this sentence is really beautiful. Wildflowers that haven’t been carefully cultivated can also bloom fragrant and lush, but we must admit that carefully cultivated flowers often bloom more gracefully]

#Raising a child is like waiting for a flower to bloom#

Someone moved this topic to Weibo.

In a very short time, this hashtag climbed to the tail end of the hot search list and was rapidly climbing higher.

Clicking into the hashtag, you could see that the top post was from a big V who specializes in sharing parenting education.

This big V highly agreed with Yao Rong’s words and expressed their own view at the end of the Weibo post:

[When anyone first comes into this world, their cognition is like a blank piece of paper. Later, as they gradually come into contact with external things, the white paper begins to be stained with mottled colors. And parents are always the most vivid and colorful stroke on that paper]

Besides the big V, many netizens were also expressing their thoughts freely.

[Hearing Ms. Yao’s words on the variety show, I cried uncontrollably.

I am someone who has been unintentionally hurt by my parents many times. I hope all parents in the world don’t think that children are their accessories, and don’t think that children don’t understand things because they’re young.

The shadow left by my family might take a lifetime for me to heal]

[I’m not evolved, I just want to say: Ms. Yao, besides writing science fiction, please write a book on how to educate children. I’ll definitely buy a copy for both my dad and mom /doge]

[Two years ago when Xu Weiheng first debuted, I became his fan.

At that time, he was like a little hedgehog – stubborn, sensitive, and proud.

But as he faced more and more negative public opinion, he became increasingly tense. Every time I saw him, I felt heartbroken and sad. 

However, when Xu Weiheng finally appeared on this variety show, the young man I liked came back. He’s even become better. This transformation is completely because of Ms. Yao, right?]

The assistant director who had been following Yao Rong and Xu Weiheng was also in the car.

He noticed this trending topic immediately.

After quickly reading the top ranked Weibo posts on the topic, the assistant director closed his phone and silently sighed.

He had grown up in a single-parent family, so he was deeply touched by what Yao Rong had just said.

When he was young, his mother worked herself to the bone to earn money, resulting in many health problems as she got older.

In fact, his mother didn’t need to work so hard. With her basic monthly salary, she could have kept him fed and clothed. But she always wanted to give him better things. Because she didn’t want her child to be worse off than his peers.

The assistant director originally wanted to send a message to his mother, but when he opened the WeChat contact labeled “Mom” and saw the messages displayed, he was stunned.

The last two messages in the chat window were both from his mom.

「Have you eaten?」

「Have you eaten?」

These two identical messages were from a week ago and three days ago respectively.

And he hadn’t replied to either of them.

The assistant director couldn’t help but recall: What was he busy with at those times? It seemed he was busy with a meeting, or busy writing a plan for the next recording, or maybe he wasn’t busy at all, just chatting with colleagues he wasn’t very close to.

But no matter what he was busy with, the end result was that he didn’t reply to his mom.

He even remembered how he felt when he saw these two messages – wondering why she needed to ask, as if he didn’t know to eat when he was hungry at over 30 years old.

But thinking about it now, maybe this simple message was just a tentative reach out from his mom.

She didn’t know what to talk about with him, so she tried to show care with this cliché question, testing to see if he had time for her.

And his response to this careful probing was nothing but impatience.