Chapter 6

Butler Chen never imagined that one day, he would see the young master awake at ten in the morning.

Simply unbelievable!

This was something he had to report to the master. The joyful life he had hoped for Xiaochi had finally taken its first step.

After yesterday’s lesson and making a mistake in the morning, Xing Xiaochi didn’t dare to be picky with his food. He obediently finished his egg and milk, even proudly showing off to Ruan Xizhi.

“I ate everything!”

In the past, Xing Xiaochi would deliberately act naughty to get attention, as it was the only way to make people notice him. After all, the only ones at home were the butler and servants.

They always indulged him, and only by being extra mischievous could he get a chance to talk to his father.

But now, things were different! His stepmother was sent by his father to take care of him—didn’t that mean his father was paying attention to him?

That meant he no longer needed to be naughty just to get noticed.

Ruan Xizhi was quite pleased. What a teachable child! “Not bad! You ate so cleanly—are you still hungry?”

Xing Xiaochi: “Huh?”

“Here.” Ruan Xizhi handed her own egg to him. “Eat mine too.”

In her past life, breakfast was either eggs and milk or milk and eggs. She had eaten so much that she was sick of it.

Xing Xiaochi stared at the egg, feeling like crying. (ó﹏ò｡)

He had just barely managed to eat one awful egg, and now he was being given another?!

Seeing that he wasn’t moving, Ruan Xizhi assumed he was deeply touched.

Of course—this child had been lacking companionship for so long. Now, suddenly having someone by his side 24/7 and even giving him delicious eggs, who wouldn’t be moved?

“No worries! If you like them,” Ruan Xizhi said generously, “you can have my eggs from now on.”

Xing Xiaochi’s tears were about to fall: Waaah! This is why you should never offend adults! Otherwise, you’ll be forced to eat things you hate!

Seeing how deeply moved he was, Ruan Xizhi reached out and ruffled his hair.

Sure enough, a child without a mother is like a rootless weed—just one egg, and he’s completely won over.

—

【Xing Xiaochi doesn’t seem to like eggs, though.】

【Hahaha! His expression is pure disgust—he’s about to cry.】

【And Ruan Xizhi is still…】

【But eating more eggs helps kids grow taller. She really means well.】

【It seems like Ruan Xizhi isn’t that bad after all.】

【Wait… why am I suddenly a little touched?】

—

After breakfast, the two got into a car heading to the deserted island.

Their parent-child journey was officially beginning.

Meanwhile, over at Xing Peixuan’s office, his secretary received a call from Butler Chen.

After hearing what had happened over the past two days, the secretary’s eyes widened in shock.

“The young master didn’t cry or throw a fit and has already set off?”

“Yes, he’s already on his way to the filming location.”

“Alright, I’ll report this to Mr. Xing immediately.”

Hanging up the phone, the secretary was nearly in tears. Heavens finally took pity on us! At last, we’ve found someone who can handle the young master!

He rushed over to Xing Peixuan’s side, excitement evident in his voice. “Mr. Xing! The new madam is truly incredible!”

At the moment, Xing Peixuan was in an airport lounge, preparing for a last-minute business trip.

Dressed in a black suit with a white shirt underneath—its top two buttons undone—he sat casually on a bench, one leg crossed over the other, with a laptop on his lap.

Hearing his secretary’s excited voice, he looked up, his deep gaze unreadable.

The secretary hesitated, then lowered his voice. “The young master and Madam Ruan have already set off to film the show.”

Xing Peixuan glanced at his watch—it wasn’t even 11 AM yet.

With what he knew of Xing Xiaochi, at this hour, the boy should still be sleeping in.

“He left awake?” Xing Peixuan asked.

The secretary blinked, then quickly nodded. “Yes, yes! Butler Chen said he was in a great mood too. He woke up without crying or throwing a fit and even ate two eggs before leaving.”

Two eggs?

Xing Peixuan had never seen his son finish even one egg before.

Waking up without a tantrum, eating breakfast properly—there was only one explanation.

Xing Xiaochi was happy.

Otherwise, with his usual temper, no one could have made him eat two eggs and get up so obediently.

It seemed the experts were right—marrying Ruan Xizhi was the right choice.

She could accompany Xing Xiaochi, bring him happiness, and give him the childhood he deserved.

Xing Peixuan didn’t want his son to follow in his footsteps, spending his early years buried in language lessons and business knowledge.

He only wanted him to have a joyful childhood—to be carefree and happy, making up for the childhood he himself never had.

Xing Xiaochi’s happiness was his greatest motivation.

“Very good.” Xing Peixuan closed his laptop and stood up. “I need to work even harder.”

“…”

The secretary muttered under his breath, “At this rate, the young master is going to have way too much pressure when he inherits the company…”

“Inherit?” Xing Peixuan raised an eyebrow.

The secretary blinked. “Aren’t you working this hard to create more opportunities for him?”

“No need.” Xing Peixuan had already planned everything. “I’ve set up an account for him. There’s enough money in there to last him a lifetime. All he needs to do is be happy.”

Secretary: “…” Mr. Xing, do you need another son?

—

The deserted island was by the sea, and the production team used helicopters to transport them there.

When Ruan Xizhi and Xing Xiaochi arrived, another group had already reached the location ahead of them.

A flowing cascade of red hair stood out vividly against the golden sand. Paired with a black leather jacket, a mini skirt, and an electric guitar slung over her back, the person exuded a striking presence…

Ruan Xizhi squinted her eyes at the sheer coolness of it all.

Mothers these days were no joke.

Meanwhile, the livestream audience erupted in a frenzy.

【Ahhh, it’s Song Sangyue!】
【Wife, wife, hug hug!】
【The wildest queen, Song Sangyue, my eternal goddess!】
【Still this cool even as a mom—this is my Sangyue-jie for you!】

Song Sangyue was known for her fiery temper and her no-nonsense attitude. She was an outlier in the industry, yet somehow, it was precisely this explosive personality that made her go viral nationwide. She had won the hearts of a vast audience and was hailed as “the most authentic celebrity.”

Any variety show that managed to invite her was guaranteed endless talking points.

“Hello.” Ruan Xizhi walked over to greet her proactively.

This was her business habit—building a successful enterprise started with speaking up.

Besides, two days and one night on a deserted island meant they would inevitably have to look out for each other.

Song Sangyue’s reputation in the industry wasn’t the best, so she hadn’t expected someone to greet her first. She nodded slightly at Ruan Xizhi. “Hello.”

Ruan Xizhi then noticed the boy behind her and smiled. “Is this your child? He’s really handsome.”

Children were always a great way to build bridges between moms.

Song Sangyue seemed pleased. “No, he takes after his dad.”

The boy seemed a little shy, hiding behind Song Sangyue as he curiously observed Xing Xiaochi and Ruan Xizhi.

Xing Xiaochi, wearing tiny sunglasses, had a cocky and cool demeanor. He struck a pose, seemingly trying to get the boy’s attention.

Ruan Xizhi asked, “How old is your son? He looks quite tall—about five?”

Song Sangyue ruffled the boy’s hair. “No, he’s only four this year. What about yours?”

Ruan Xizhi replied, “Three and a half. Xiaochi, come over and play with your big brother.”

Xing Xiaochi had barely interacted with kids his age before. He had always been accompanied by nannies and housekeepers.

Uncertain about how to respond, he instinctively showed his natural arrogance and said, “If he calls me ‘big brother,’ I’ll play with him.”

Ruan Xizhi: “….”

She was about to tell him to stop being so difficult, but to her surprise, the boy on the other side hesitated for a moment before softly saying, “Big brother.”

Xing Xiaochi was simple—give him an easy way out, and he’d take it. He walked over, grabbed the boy’s hand, and said, “Alright then, we’ll play together from now on. What’s your name?”

The boy, half a head taller than Xing Xiaochi, spoke so softly it was barely audible. “I’m Gu Chengcheng.”

“I’m Xing Xiaochi. You can call me ‘big brother.’ If anyone bullies you, tell me—I’ll beat them up for you.”

Xing Xiaochi was already recruiting his little gang, fully embodying the demeanor of a young boss.

Ruan Xizhi couldn’t help but chuckle.

Unlike other mothers, she didn’t intervene. Every child had their own way of making friends, and she actually liked how unique his personality was.

Back in the day, if she hadn’t beaten up her five older brothers, she’d probably have been the one getting bullied instead.

Before long, Xing Xiaochi had Gu Chengcheng warmed up, and the boy became much less shy. Just as the two kids were about to run toward the beach, a helicopter slowly descended, kicking up a swirl of sand.

The third group of guests had arrived.

As the cabin door opened, Ruan Miaorui stepped out in a flowing white dress, half of her face obscured by stylish sunglasses. Holding her hand was a little girl in a floral dress and a straw hat.

Xing Xiaochi and Gu Chengcheng stood below, watching as the girl waved at them with enthusiasm. “Hello, big brothers~”

She looked even younger than Xing Xiaochi but was clearly quite bold.

She slipped free from Ruan Miaorui’s grasp and ran toward the two boys. Her eyes curved into crescents as dimples formed on her cheeks. “I’m Su Tongtong, I’m three years old! You can also call me Oreo!”

Xing Xiaochi had never been fond of playing with girls. His younger cousin was always crying, tattling, and too timid to watch action cartoons with him.

He turned away, ready to leave, but Su Tongtong suddenly leaned in close and exclaimed, “Wow! Big brother, your shirt has an Ultraman design! So cool!”

Xing Xiaochi’s attention was instantly caught. “You like Ultraman?”

“Yes, yes! I love Ultraman!” Su Tongtong eagerly spun her backpack around. “Look, big brother! My backpack is also Ultraman! We both love Ultraman!”

Once a shared interest was discovered, a natural sense of closeness formed—whether among kids or adults.

Xing Xiaochi realized Su Tongtong was different from other girls. At the very least, no other girl had ever shown interest in Ultraman.

His impression of her improved, and he took the initiative. “Do you want to play with us?”

Su Tongtong beamed. “Yes, yes!”

【Omg, what kind of little angel is this? So sweet, so cute, I want to take her home!】
【Ruan Miaorui, the goddess, paired with Su Tongtong, the angel—what a fairy-like duo! Props to the showrunners for this pairing.】
【Let’s just call them the Eye Candy Duo.】
【Wait, is Su Tongtong Ruan Miaorui’s child?】

One of her fans quickly explained: 【Miaorui is a special guest. She’s temporarily acting as Su Tongtong’s foster mom.】

【Oh, got it. No kid, but still trying to milk the reality show’s kid-friendly audience.】

Ruan Miaorui’s fans: 【………】