Chapter 23

Finally, director Xu Xiang broke the silence. He cleared his throat and said, “Well, the voting results are out, but our cameras recorded the entire process to ensure fairness and justice.”

Hearing this, Shen Linyan felt even more uneasy. If the result had been expected, the director wouldn’t have emphasized fairness.

Then Xu Xiang announced with a resigned attitude, “The winners of this painting competition are Shen Qingqing and Zhou Jiayan, who received 12 red flowers. The second place goes to Shen Linyan and Liang Tianyi, with 5 red flowers. The third place goes to Cui Xia and Song Yiyi, the mother-daughter duo, with 2 red flowers. This time, our friendship comes first, and the competition comes second. The experience of painting with the children is what matters most.”

Shen Linyan could no longer hear what Xu Xiang said afterward. Her mind was filled with the fact that she had actually lost to Shen Qingqing—especially in painting, something she was confident in.

How could this happen?! Did those parents really let their children vote freely?

She turned her head to look at Shen Qingqing, who was smiling and surprisingly calm, while the child beside her cheered with a bright smile.

Shen Qingqing didn’t care about Shen Linyan’s thoughts. Although she had expected this, she was still thrilled when it happened.

After all, she had once again proven herself in front of Zhou Jiayan.

The first thing she did was look at Zhou Jiayan beside her. The child was still young and couldn’t hide his emotions. His face was full of joy.

Shen Qingqing poked Zhou Jiayan’s back and whispered, “Humph, you doubted me earlier. Don’t you feel guilty receiving the award now?”

Zhou Jiayan immediately recalled how he had doubted his stepmother earlier. Feeling a little embarrassed, he whispered after a while, “I didn’t lack confidence in you… just in myself.”

Seeing Zhou Jiayan’s hesitant look, Shen Qingqing found it amusing. Forget it—she was in a good mood and decided not to tease him further.

Then, she took her stepson’s hand and received the trophy prepared by the program team. She modestly said, “I know our painting skills can’t compare with Sister Lin Yan’s and Sister Cui Xia’s, so we may not fully deserve this. But Yanyan and I put a lot of emotion and effort into this painting. Since our skills are limited, we chose a more childlike style. I really want to thank all the children and parents for their love. Thank you, everyone.”

After saying that, Shen Qingqing also bowed to Zhou Jiayan, showing sincerity.

However, in Shen Linyan’s eyes, this was just showing off. How could she be so clever while acting so humble? Didn’t Shen Qingqing find herself ridiculous?

Shen Linyan was lost in thought until her stepson, Liang Tianyi, tugged at her clothes, bringing her back to reality. It was the second-place winners’ turn to receive their award.

Second place wasn’t bad, but Shen Qingqing had won first place. How could Shen Linyan feel at ease?

However, Shen Linyan was patient. She knew her best choice was to accept second place with a smile and even congratulate Shen Qingqing—so she did.

“First, I want to thank the five judges for voting for us, and congratulations to Qingqing for taking first place. Qingqing taught me that besides doing my best, I should also pay attention to my surroundings and analyze the judges’ preferences.” Then she turned, smiled, and extended her hand, “Qingqing, thank you. You deserve it.”

Shen Qingqing looked at Shen Linyan’s outstretched hand and raised an eyebrow. As expected, she admired Shen Linyan’s patience.

As the winner, Shen Qingqing felt she should be magnanimous toward the defeated. So, she smiled and shook Shen Linyan’s hand, saying, “Sister Linyan, you’re also great. But as you said, having a sharp mind to analyze the environment is crucial. You should observe more in the future.”

Shen Linyan’s smile froze. This Shen Qingqing was really acting smug after gaining the upper hand.

But did she think winning first place was that easy? The judges may not have cheated, but whether the netizens would accept the results was another matter.

Thinking of this, Shen Linyan’s smile deepened as she slowly said, “Sister Qingqing is right. I really should learn from you.”

In the eyes of many netizens, this scene became a symbol of deep sisterly love.

[I was really worried they would fight before, but I overthought it.]

[I have to say, Shen Linyan is really generous. I wouldn’t stand it.]

[Don’t overthink it. This isn’t a serious match, so no fight.]

[I can only say Shen Linyan’s generosity gave this game dignity.]

[The above person is toxic. Shen Qingqing won by her ability. Why say Shen Linyan was generous? She didn’t give in. How funny.]

[I think what the director said is right. The process of drawing with children matters.]

After Shen Qingqing finished her “sisterly love” moment with Shen Linyan, she looked at the director again and asked, “Director, where’s the feast promised for the first-place winner? You’re not fooling us, are you?”

She had heard that in one of Xu Xiang’s variety shows, he promised guests a grand meal, but they were just taken to a noodle shop with a few extra toppings.

Xu Xiang also recalled his past “achievements” and felt guilty. But back then, when the show first started, their budget was tight, so they had to cut costs on the so-called feast.

However, this time they had arranged a luxurious meal at a five-star hotel. He was also relieved they hadn’t made an issue of the reward.

After all, who could have predicted Shen Qingqing and the others would win, and that Zhou Yexuan would visit the set?

Facing Shen Qingqing’s doubts, Xu Xiang quickly reassured her, “Miss Shen, don’t worry. This time, we have truly prepared a feast from a prestigious restaurant. We also arranged dinner at the highest observatory in the ancient town. You’ll enjoy the entire town’s view while eating.”

Xu Xiang even considered adding more dishes. If Mr. Zhou stayed for dinner and saw their show had taken so much sponsorship money but still gave his wife and child a subpar meal, he might pull his investment in anger.

The production team is so generous!

Shen Qingqing was surprised. She remembered that in the original book, Shen Linyan’s dinner was good but not this extravagant, let alone at an observatory.

Could it be that because they saw Zhou Yexuan, the production crew upgraded the event to avoid angering the boss?

The more Shen Qingqing thought about it, the more likely it seemed. She felt the production team was spineless but was happy to benefit from it.

Zhou Yexuan sat in a corner, outside the camera’s view, watching the whole game. Shen Qingqing’s performance exceeded his expectations.

In his memory, Shen Qingqing was persistent and stubborn, never as adaptable as she was now. The Shen Qingqing before him was active, lively, and a little mischievous—an energy she never showed before.

And Zhou Jiayan, the normally mature and steady child, actually smiled so freely.

Ma Li had many guesses about Zhou Yexuan’s unusual behavior in recent days.

Zhou Yexuan wasn’t someone who shared personal matters, and Ma Li had no idea why he married Shen Qingqing.

But from his observations, Mr. Zhou was truly devoted to Shen Qingqing. Though Mr. Zhou didn’t spend much time at home, among all the wealthy families in City A and even across China, no man spent as much money on his wife as Mr. Zhou.

Moreover, Mr. Zhou wasn’t soft-hearted. Shen Qingqing was the only one he spent so much money on without asking for anything in return.

And now, he even chased after them to the show’s recording location, claiming he wanted to take his son away. Yet, in the end, he stayed and set aside his work for an entire day.

Not to mention, Mr. Zhou, who always avoided media exposure, broke his rule today. When Ma Li asked if he wanted the online videos deleted to avoid being exposed, Mr. Zhou refused, saying they couldn’t delete them all anyway.

Ma Li felt that if this wasn’t love, then he must be heartless toward his girlfriend.

Trying to gauge his boss’s feelings, Ma Li tentatively praised Shen Qingqing. “Boss Zhou, I have to say, Madam is very smart. Even though she never worked in an office, she understands that doing more work isn’t as good as making a great PPT ^[1]refers to PowerPoint Presentation., and a good PPT isn’t as good as telling a great story. Madam has a bright future. Also, the young master seems much more lively around Madam.”

Zhou Yexuan sensed that Ma Li was trying to praise Shen Qingqing, but the wording was awkward.

Or did his employees secretly think that making a good PPT and telling a good story mattered more than actually working?

For a moment, Zhou Yexuan gave Ma Li a probing look.

Ma Li immediately realized his mistake. How could he say such a thing in front of Mr. Zhou? He really lost his mind trying to flatter him!

As he felt Zhou Yexuan’s gaze, his heart skipped a beat. Oh no!

Under Mr. Zhou’s leadership, Zhou Group was highly pragmatic. The phrase “Doing more work isn’t as good as making a good PPT, and a good PPT isn’t as good as telling a great story” was something they privately used to mock other companies. How could he use it to describe the boss’s wife?

Gritting his teeth, he quickly explained, “Boss Zhou, I didn’t mean it like that. I was genuinely praising her flexible thinking, not mocking her. Also, this is just a saying in other companies. At Zhou Group, we focus on practicality. We’re definitely not like those other companies that only talk big.”

Zhou Yexuan, knowing his employees well, understood that Ma Li was pragmatic. He nodded and said, “Alright, I understand.”

Ma Li wanted to say more to fix his mistake, but the game ended, and Shen Qingqing approached with Zhou Jiayan. He turned to see the two of them, one big and one small, running toward him, hand in hand.

Shen Qingqing hoped Zhou Yexuan would return to work right away and didn’t want to talk to him.

However, with Zhou Jiayan, who was “devoted to his father,” by her side, she had no choice. After the halftime break, he eagerly pulled Shen Qingqing toward Zhou Yexuan.

When Zhou Jiayan saw Zhou Yexuan, he excitedly boasted about their victory, “Dad, did you see that? We just won first place.”

Zhou Yexuan always tried to be as patient as possible when dealing with children, so he gently patted his son’s head and praised, “Dad saw everything just now. Yanyan is amazing.”

Hearing his father’s praise, little Zhou Jiayan smiled brightly. But being an honest child, he knew their victory was mainly due to his stepmother.

So, he scratched his head and explained to Zhou Yexuan, “Actually, Mom was the one who made it happen. I was just helping.” Then, looking at Zhou Yexuan with shining eyes, he added, “Dad, I think you should praise Mom too.”

Although Shen Qingqing was touched by Zhou Jiayan’s honesty, she felt that this sudden “filial piety” was unnecessary. After all, she wasn’t sure if she could handle Zhou Yexuan’s praise.

And asking Zhou Yexuan to praise her? That would probably be awkward for him.

However, Zhou Yexuan seemed more thick-skinned than she thought. After pinching Zhou Jiayan’s cheeks, as if playfully punishing him for causing trouble, he turned to Shen Qingqing and said, “You were also very good today. You judged the situation well and turned the tide. Not everyone can do that.”

His tone was so natural that it felt like they had a normal relationship.

Shen Qingqing felt her own skin wasn’t thick enough. Look at how calmly Zhou Yexuan said it, while she felt slightly embarrassed.

But Shen Qingqing was someone who grew stronger when facing challenges. She quickly regained her composure and accepted the praise with confidence, “I also think I’m pretty good. After all, not everyone could have thought of that plan.”

Zhou Yexuan raised his eyebrows slightly. Shen Qingqing was even more adaptable than he had expected—she could even boast about herself.

The child, unaware of the subtle interactions between adults, was simply happy that his father had praised his stepmother. He looked at Shen Qingqing with sparkling eyes, seemingly asking for praise in return.

Shen Qingqing rubbed Zhou Jiayan’s fluffy little head in amusement.

Although he didn’t understand why his stepmother still seemed annoyed after receiving praise, it didn’t affect Zhou Jiayan’s cheerful mood. He continued to suggest enthusiastically, “Dad, we won a big dinner tonight! Please come and eat with us. I heard the restaurant is at the highest point in Zhuangyuan Town and has a great night view.”

When Shen Qingqing heard this, she nearly choked. What an ungrateful kid!

She had worked so hard to win that dinner, and now Zhou Jiayan was offering it to Zhou Yexuan? He was truly a devoted son.

Shen Qingqing didn’t want to dine with Zhou Yexuan. It would mean having to stay alert the entire meal.

However, she assumed Zhou Yexuan would refuse anyway. According to the novel, Zhou Yexuan avoided cameras at all costs. Even in later episodes, when other guests brought their husbands on the show and showed affection, Zhou Yexuan refused to appear no matter how much “Shen Qingqing” insisted.

Because of this, netizens ridiculed “Shen Qingqing,” saying she did everything to marry into wealth but was ignored by her husband. Some even speculated that Zhou Yexuan was old and unattractive, so Shen Qingqing was ashamed to show him on camera.

Despite the rumors, Zhou Yexuan never clarified them and remained unseen.

His appearance on camera today was unexpected. Shen Qingqing guessed it was only because he was worried about Zhou Jiayan.

He probably wouldn’t want to be filmed again, right? If he dined with them, the cameras would follow.

Shen Qingqing believed Zhou Yexuan would realize this, but to be safe, she added, “Yanyan, don’t force your father. He doesn’t like being on camera. If he eats with us, he’ll be filmed the whole time.” Then, she turned to Zhou Yexuan with a polite smile, “You don’t have to come. We understand.”

Zhou Yexuan immediately caught on to her plan. Didn’t she really want to have dinner with him?

He had indeed hesitated due to the cameras, but Shen Qingqing’s resistance actually made him curious.

So he smiled and said, “It’s fine. I was already on camera earlier. The footage must have spread all over the internet by now. It won’t make a difference. What’s more important is spending time with Yanyan.”

Zhou Jiayan cheered, “Great! Dad, you’re the best!”

Shen Qingqing was speechless. Had she just shot herself in the foot?

She tried another excuse. “But I’m worried the production team only prepared dinner for two. What if there’s not enough for three?”

Before Zhou Yexuan could respond, Zhou Jiayan said cheerfully, “It’s okay! I’m small. I’ll give my share to Dad.”

At that moment, Director Xu Xiang appeared and reassured them seriously, “Don’t worry, tonight’s dinner is very generous, and there’s enough for three. Do you think our production team is that stingy? Even if it’s not enough, we’ll allow extra meals. So please, enjoy.”

Shen Qingqing was speechless. Why did she feel like Zhou Yexuan had two devoted sons?

Since they couldn’t go to dinner in their current messy state, Shen Qingqing and Zhou Jiayan returned to Zhuangyuan Mansion to change.

After washing up, Zhou Jiayan was once again a clean and handsome little boy. However, for the first time, he was conflicted about his outfit.

Normally, Shen Qingqing had to force him into nice clothes, but this time, Zhou Jiayan took out several sets from his suitcase, laying them on the bed and comparing them one by one.

Unfortunately, aside from the small suit he wore on the first day, the rest were casual sportswear. He sighed dramatically, “I always feel like I don’t have enough clothes when I need them.”

At only five years old, he had already experienced the universal struggle of choosing an outfit.

Shen Qingqing couldn’t help but laugh when she heard this. If someone didn’t know Zhou Jiayan, they might think he was going on a date.

“Just wear that yellow tracksuit with the bee pattern on it. I think it’s cute. And it’s already dark outside. Do you really think Dad will even notice what you’re wearing?”

“But Dad is finally having dinner with me… I want to dress up nicely,” Zhou Jiayan was still hesitant.

“Do you even have other clothes right now?” Shen Qingqing sighed. “Come on, change quickly, or you’ll be late. Trust me, you look adorable like this.”

Although Zhou Jiayan was still a little dissatisfied, he realized he would be late if he kept hesitating. So, he obediently changed into the outfit Shen Qingqing suggested.

What Shen Qingqing didn’t expect was that after changing, the little boy actually started criticizing her outfit. “How can you dress so casually when you’re having dinner with Dad? You should at least wear a dress.”

Shen Qingqing looked at her blue T-shirt and jeans and fell into deep thought. She was just going to have dinner and then rest—did she really need to dress up?

Zhou Jiayan was obviously excited. He ran to Shen Qingqing’s suitcase and started picking out clothes.

Since he had packed the suitcase himself, he knew exactly what she brought. Besides the dress she wore on the first day, he remembered that Shen Qingqing also had a yellow floral dress. In his opinion, it wasn’t fancy enough, but it would do.

Zhou Jiayan pulled out the yellow floral dress and said seriously, “You and Dad don’t get to be together often. You should cherish the moment. Even though I’m young, I know that everyone likes looking good.”

Shen Qingqing was speechless. Was she seriously getting lectured by a kid? Why did this little brat think he already understood love?

Maybe it was because she was caught off guard by Zhou Jiayan’s serious expression, or maybe she just knew how stubborn he could be. Either way, Shen Qingqing gave in and changed into the floral dress.

Forget it. He meant well, and if she argued any longer, they really would be late.

But Zhou Jiayan wasn’t done yet. He grabbed Shen Qingqing’s makeup bag from the bathroom and handed it to her. “Since you’re wearing a dress, as a lady, you should also wear some makeup.”

Shen Qingqing stared at him in shock. This little brat knew way too much and was way too nosy!

Still, she couldn’t bear to disappoint Zhou Jiayan, who was looking at her with bright, expectant eyes. So, she reluctantly took the makeup bag and started putting on makeup.

Of course, she didn’t go all out. In her mind, Zhou Yexuan wasn’t even worth her best effort. In fact, she didn’t even consider that man human!

As Shen Qingqing put on makeup under Zhou Jiayan’s watchful eyes, the viewers in the live broadcast room couldn’t stop laughing.

[Little Yanyan is really worried about his parents’ love.]

[Shen Qingqing is such a straightforward girl. I think Yanyan understands love better than her.]

[Yanyan: Who would’ve thought a five-year-old like me would be so concerned about my parents’ relationship?]

[I hope Mr. Zhou will be amazed when he sees the beautiful Qingqing.]

[By the way, did Mr. Zhou dress up today? Though honestly, he looks good no matter what.]

As the chat filled with playful comments, Shen Qingqing quickly finished her makeup and took Zhou Jiayan out the door.