Chapter 17

While the pilot episode was being edited, the rest of the crew took the guests to their next filming location for the official first episode.

At exactly 9 a.m., the show’s staff arrived at each guest’s home to pick them up.

The mood among the photographers and staff following Shen Qingqing this time was completely different from before.

Not only had Shen Qingqing’s live broadcast room gained massive popularity, but even though she still struggled with the “missions” assigned by the production team, she was very easygoing with the staff. She even asked the nanny to prepare various meals, drinks, and snacks for them.

She was the ideal guest to follow.

Recently, Shen Qingqing had been dressing simply, mostly in comfortable sportswear, with only her eyebrows done for makeup.

Just when everyone thought she would continue her casual style today, Shen Qingqing walked downstairs in a bright red dress.

As she got closer, the camera zoomed in, revealing that she was wearing full makeup!

Everyone was surprised. Today’s plan was to head to a recording location arranged by the production team, so shouldn’t she dress comfortably for easy movement?

However, there was no denying that Shen Qingqing looked even more stunning when dressed up. Viewers in the live broadcast room were instantly captivated by her beauty.

[Ahhh, she’s gorgeous! Shen Qingqing is my new favorite!]

[I have to admit, she was already beautiful without makeup, but with makeup, she’s absolutely breathtaking!]

[I’m so moved. Does my sister need a younger boyfriend? One who graduated from a top university and owns two houses?]

[Why does my sister look like Nuwa’s^[1]is a goddess in Chinese mythology who created humans from clay. masterpiece, while I’m just a lump of mud she discarded? ]

[Before, I envied Shen Qingqing for having such an adorable child like Yanyan. Now, I envy Yanyan for having such a beautiful mom. Imagine how proud he must feel taking her out!]

Since the staff had been filming for days, they were already familiar with Shen Qingqing. One of them asked, “Teacher Shen, why are you so dressed up today? This isn’t your style from the past few days.”

Shen Qingqing smiled, having expected the question. “Well, today is the first time I’m meeting the other guests, so I have to make a good impression. Plus, we’ll be traveling most of the day, so I don’t think the production team would be cruel enough to start giving us difficult tasks tonight.”

The staff recalled the director’s mischievous smile before they left and thought to themselves—That’s not necessarily true.

However, seeing how happy Shen Qingqing was, they didn’t want to ruin her mood. They just hoped luck would be on her side.

At that moment, Zhou Jiayan came downstairs carrying his small suitcase shaped like a sports car. He was wearing a tiny suit and a cute bow tie, clearly dressing up for the occasion.

Seeing Zhou Jiayan, Shen Qingqing sighed inwardly—This is definitely a child I’m raising. He cares about his image as much as I do!

Then, thinking about the upcoming variety show, she realized her “good life” depended on Zhou Jiayan’s support. She needed to start brainwashing him quickly.

She waved and said, “Little Knight Yanyan, come here. Today, you have to protect me, the princess.”

Zhou Jiayan’s ears immediately turned red.

His stepmother was really good at making fun of him!

But… why was he just a knight and not a prince?

Of course, Zhou Jiayan didn’t ask that out loud. Instead, he dragged his suitcase next to Shen Qingqing and mumbled, “I don’t want to protect you. The adults should protect the children.”

Shen Qingqing wasn’t surprised by his stubborn response. She took his hand and said, “But I’m a girl, and you’re a boy.”

Zhou Jiayan froze. That… actually made sense?

After successfully confusing him, Shen Qingqing smiled triumphantly and turned to the staff. “It’s almost time. Let’s go.”

_

The first episode was filmed in an ancient town in the northwest called “Zhuangyuan^[2]refers to the top scholar in the imperial examination system in ancient China.  Town.”

The town got its name because, hundreds of years ago, it produced several Jinshi^[3]is the title given to successful candidates of the highest imperial exam. and one Zhuangyuan.

This town is rich in cultural heritage and has long been known for its beautiful scenery and talented people.

The local government saw an opportunity and transformed it into a cultural tourism town. They built artist workshops and educational facilities, attracting parents who wanted their children to be exposed to culture. Many institutions offer summer camps and Chinese studies programs here.

The show Almighty Mom is all about exploring education, so it made sense to choose this town as the filming location for the first episode.

Zhuangyuan Town is far from City A, so the guests first had to fly to a nearby city and then take a bus to the town.

The five groups of guests met for the first time in the VIP lounge at the airport.

Shen Qingqing and her group arrived right in the middle—not too early, not too late. They were the third group to get there.

As soon as she entered the lounge, she saw Shen Linyan chatting enthusiastically with Mo Man. Despite meeting for the first time, they seemed very familiar with each other—though it was obvious Shen Linyan was leading the conversation.

Shen Qingqing raised an eyebrow. Shen Linyan is really good at making connections.

But they were all professionals. When Shen Qingqing arrived, they immediately greeted her warmly.

“Qingqing, you’re here! Come sit with us.”

Since they were all well-known in the entertainment industry, they knew each other’s names.

Having been in the industry for years, Shen Qingqing was used to this kind of situation. She smiled and responded, “Hello, sisters. You guys arrived early.”

Shen Linyan smiled shyly. “Xiaoyi and I are just early risers. Mo Man was just telling me that her little princess woke up super early today because she was excited to go out and play. She even woke Mo Man up!”

Mo Man and Ying Kan have a four-year-old daughter, Ying Shishuang, the youngest child in this show.

Unlike the quiet, reserved princess people might expect, Ying Shishuang was energetic and lively.

At that moment, the little girl in a princess dress was busy bossing around Zhou Jiayan and Liang Tianyi, making them play a role-playing game with her.

She declared, “You are all my knights now! Whoever plays with me the best gets to be the prince!”

Shen Qingqing noticed the helpless expressions on the two little boys’ faces. It seemed that being the daughter of a famous actor had its perks—at such a young age, she already displayed remarkable acting talent.

The next person to arrive was actress Xie Bing, who entered with a hearty laugh. “Oh, I didn’t expect everyone to be here already. My silly son is to blame. He was in no hurry earlier, but just as we were about to leave, he suddenly said he needed the bathroom.”

Everyone turned to look at her and saw a confident, cheerful, and outgoing woman. Following behind her was a chubby little boy.

Hearing his mother’s words, the boy was clearly unhappy and protested, “Mom, stop talking about it. It’s not something I can control.”

This was Xie Bing’s son, Ao Liangjun, a six-year-old and the oldest child in this season’s show. Well-nourished and sturdy, he was noticeably taller and bigger than Zhou Jiayan and Liang Tianyi, about half a head taller than them.

These four mother-child pairs were all stunning in their own way, and the audience in the live broadcast room couldn’t hold back their excitement.

[These four female guests really have their own styles. Xie Bing is bold, Mo Man is gentle, Shen Qingqing is beautiful, and Shen Linyan is pure. Watching them together, I finally understand why ancient emperors had multiple wives!]

[Ahhh, I want all four of these beautiful ladies!]

[Their children are adorable and all so good-looking!]

[You all are too fickle. Unlike me, I’m loyal to Shen Qingqing’s beauty. Cuteness can’t compete with true beauty!]

[+1 to that! If I judge by looks alone, Shen Qingqing is my favorite.]

[I’m different. I prefer Shen Linyan’s pure charm. She’s like a school beauty.]

[Mo Man is great too! Such a gentle woman. Now I understand why Ying Yingdi married her.]

[Am I the only one who wants to marry Xie Bing? She’s got such a strong presence!]

No one expected that the last ones to arrive were the amateur contestant Cui Xia and her daughter Song Yiyi, with only forty minutes left before boarding.

They looked a bit flustered from rushing. Song Yiyi’s braids had come slightly undone, and she followed her mother shyly.

Cui Xia looked embarrassed. “I’m really sorry. Just as we were about to leave, something came up at home. My husband was at work, and my mother-in-law refused to handle anything. The repairman was scheduled to come at 8 AM but arrived late, so I had to wait for him for half an hour.”

The audience in Cui Xia’s live broadcast room had plenty to say about this.

[Cui Xia’s husband and mother-in-law are the worst. They knew she had to leave for the show, yet they dumped everything on her.]

[Her husband going to work is understandable, but her mother-in-law couldn’t even wait for the repairman? Seriously?]

[Honestly, after watching Cui Xia’s live stream, I’m scared of marriage and kids. The other guests are celebrities with money and nannies, so they don’t have to struggle as much with childcare.]

[Yeah, and Cui Xia’s family isn’t even poor—her husband earns a million a year! Yet all household chores are dumped on her. She barely has any time for herself.]

[This is why the problem is with men. I know couples who split chores equally, and it works fine.]

[Women shouldn’t give up their careers. Earning money gives them independence and keeps them connected to society.]

Though the other guests had different lifestyles, they understood how difficult it was to be a full-time housewife. They nodded sympathetically, saying, “It’s okay, as long as you’re not late. We’ve just been chatting.”

Xie Bing, however, spoke more bluntly. “Since you’re on the show, forget about housework for now. They’ll survive without you.”

Just then, the boarding announcement played, and everyone stopped talking, heading toward the plane.