Chapter 28 Part 1

After lunch, Shen Qingqing went straight to her room to take a nap, expecting the other groups to return by the time she woke up.

She didn’t stop Zhou Jiayan from following her like a little shadow, but she refused to speak to him. He had to learn that she wasn’t easy to mess with!

In the past, before going to bed, Shen Qingqing would always tease Zhou Jiayan. But this time, she simply pulled the quilt over herself and went to sleep.

Zhou Jiayan pursed his lips. He wanted to say something nice to cheer her up, but he had no experience in comforting people. In the end, he stayed silent.

He pulled his own blanket over himself, thinking about how to make up with his stepmother when she woke up. Children tend to sleep a lot, and before he knew it, he had dozed off.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yexuan had returned to the headquarters in City A. Despite his busy schedule, he made time to check on Zhou Jiayan’s progress in the variety show.

During lunch, he watched a replay of Shen Qingqing’s live broadcast from the morning.

When he saw his unlucky son picking cabbages, he sighed. His son had the worst luck, drawing the hardest task.

Then, he watched as Shen Qingqing borrowed an electric tricycle and completely outsmarted the other groups.

He chuckled—Shen Qingqing was truly capable to have thought of this strategy.

However, selling cabbages was still challenging. He saw Zhou Jiayan standing pitifully by the tricycle, trying to attract customers while his unreliable mother had disappeared.

Luckily, Shen Qingqing returned after about half an hour. But things took an interesting turn—she made Zhou Jiayan sell cabbages by blowing kisses!

Zhou Yexuan knew his son was naturally reserved, but at least Shen Qingqing didn’t force him to do something outrageous. Instead, she blew him a kiss in return.

Even with that, they still struggled to sell cabbages. Shen Qingqing then complained that Zhou Jiayan’s kisses were worthless, making the little boy’s face scrunch up in frustration.

Of course, they had to continue their mission. Soon, several middle-aged men approached—restaurant owners Shen Qingqing had found earlier!

After that, their mission was a success. Truckload after truckload of cabbages were sold, and Shen Qingqing counted money until her hands were tired.

Zhou Yexuan thought to himself, “I didn’t expect Shen Qingqing to have a talent for business. She really is Lin Chuyun’s daughter.”

His good mood lasted until he heard Zhou Jiayan say, “Yanyan’s kiss is worthless, but mother’s kiss is valuable.”

His smile froze instantly.

Though he and Shen Qingqing didn’t share a romantic relationship, she was still his wife in name. He didn’t like the idea of her kissing other people—it made him feel like he was being cheated on.

Of course, he knew Shen Qingqing wouldn’t actually kiss anyone, but he still felt the need to deal with his “unfilial son” who spoke so freely!

Since the variety show was still ongoing, he decided to call them in the evening and educate his overly “opinionated” child. Besides, the “old man’s” birthday was coming up, and he had to bring Zhou Jiayan back for the celebration.

Around three or four in the afternoon, guests from other groups began returning to Zhuangyuan Mansion, but Shen Qingqing was still asleep.

The first to arrive were Xie Bing and her son, both looking happy. They had successfully sold everything and completed a task they had never thought possible.

The little chubby boy was thrilled. Holding a thick stack of money, even though most of the bills were small denominations of one or five yuan, with rare ten-yuan notes, he excitedly told his mother, “Mom, we can buy a lot of delicious food tonight and won’t go hungry.”

Seeing her son’s excitement, Xie Bing nodded happily.

Next, it was Shen Linyan and her son’s turn. They were the second group to sell peaches, and since peaches don’t spoil as easily as grapes, they managed to earn only slightly less than Xie Bing’s group.

Then, Cui Xia and Song Yiyi returned. Song Yiyi’s face was flushed with excitement because she had once again helped her mother today.

Finally, it was Mo Man and her daughter’s turn. Mo Man looked exhausted, covered in sweat, and her neatly dried hair from the morning had become a mess.

Even Ying Shishuang, who was usually full of energy, looked tired. The pigtails she had tied in the morning had come undone. She complained to Mo Man, “Mom, I’m so tired and so hot.”

Mo Man gently touched Ying Shishuang’s flushed face with a pained expression. “Shuangshuang, dear, we’ve completed our task. We don’t have to run anymore.”

Seeing Mo Man and her daughter in such a state, the other three groups felt sympathy and quickly helped by offering water and towels. At the same time, they felt relieved that the fruits and vegetables they had drawn were not as difficult to sell.

For a moment, everyone thought of Shen Qingqing, who was still missing. Mo Man and her daughter were already exhausted, so Shen Qingqing’s situation might be even worse. Plus, Xianzacai and the others hadn’t returned yet.

Xie Bing was the first to speak. “Sister Qingqing and her group are still missing. I’m really worried. The production team is obviously trying to make things difficult for them.”

Mo Man, recalling her own struggles selling watermelons, immediately agreed. “Ah, isn’t that true? It was already tough for me to sell watermelons. Cabbages are even cheaper and harder to sell. I can’t imagine how Qingqing and her team are doing now.”

Shen Linyan secretly rejoiced at Shen Qingqing’s hardship, but she put on a concerned face and said, “Ah, someone had to get the worst draw. If they fail the task and don’t earn enough, I suggest we all chip in so they don’t go hungry.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

At that moment, Shen Qingqing, who had been napping in her room, finally woke up and saw it was already 4:30.

She turned and saw little Zhou Jiayan sitting on the bed, looking conflicted.

Zhou Jiayan had actually been awake for over half an hour. He had checked the time and realized his stepmother had been sleeping for more than two hours. He wanted to wake her up but hesitated, remembering how he had just annoyed her earlier. If he disturbed her now, she might get angry again. After struggling internally for nearly an hour, he finally waited for her to wake up on her own.

Shen Qingqing figured that the other guests had probably returned, so she got out of bed, quickly freshened up, and headed out. Zhou Jiayan followed her closely like a little shadow.

The walk from their room to the main hall of Zhuangyuan Mansion wasn’t far, and within minutes, Shen Qingqing arrived. As she entered, she overheard the other mothers discussing her. Aside from Shen Linyan’s sarcastic remarks, most of them seemed genuinely concerned about her. It seemed she had gained some popularity.

Shen Qingqing stepped into the hall without trying to be quiet, so everyone noticed her immediately and turned to look.

Xie Bing instinctively wanted to offer her water or a towel, but as he was about to speak, he realized that Shen Qingqing didn’t look tired at all. Instead, she appeared refreshed and well-rested, even with a satisfied look, as if she had eaten and relaxed enough.

Everyone was shocked. How could Shen Qingqing be in such good condition? Had she somehow managed to avoid the mission?

Xie Bing, being straightforward, immediately asked, “Qingqing, are you back from the mission?”

Shen Qingqing, aware of their doubts, responded directly, “I came back around noon and just woke up from my nap.”

Everyone suddenly understood. No wonder she looked so energetic. But another question arose—if Shen Qingqing had returned that early, did that mean she didn’t complete her task at all?

Considering how difficult Shen Qingqing’s mission was, Xie Bing and the others wouldn’t blame her for giving up. However, they didn’t want to ask outright, so they decided to let it slide.

But Shen Linyan wasn’t willing to let it go. Seeing that no one else was speaking, she took the opportunity to pretend to be innocent and said, “Qingqing, I didn’t expect you to finish the task so early. You’re really amazing.”

Shen Qingqing found it amusing. She had intentionally left her explanation vague, waiting for Shen Linyan to take the bait. Wasn’t it obvious that Shen Linyan was trying to act sweet but was actually being passive-aggressive?

“Yes, when I saw the mission, I knew I couldn’t rely on just physical strength. When I entered the town, I met a local store owner and borrowed a tricycle from her again. That made transporting the cabbage much easier. Then, I was lucky to find a few restaurant owners who needed a bulk supply, so I sold the cabbages to them directly. If the production team had prepared more stock, I could have sold even more. But I thought if I kept selling, I wouldn’t have time for a nap after I got back. So, this way worked out well.”

Everyone was stunned.

Xie Bing and the others admired Shen Qingqing. She always managed to come up with clever ways to save time and effort. Their admiration for her grew even more.

Shen Linyan, on the other hand, had mixed feelings. Did she fall into Shen Qingqing’s trap again? How did Shen Qingqing always manage to be so capable and lucky? Why?

Xie Bing, ever outspoken, immediately said, “Qingqing, you’re really smart. I wouldn’t have thought of that method.”

Mo Man also said, “Ah, you don’t know how many times Shuangshuang and I moved watermelons back and forth. Fortunately, watermelons are easy to sell. Qingqing, if you can think of a way to help us in the next mission, I will hug your leg in gratitude.”

In response to everyone’s compliments, Shen Qingqing smiled and said, “OK.”

Shen Linyan felt frustrated seeing everyone praise Shen Qingqing. Logically, she knew she should also praise her, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Sometimes, Shen Qingqing caught glimpses of jealousy and unwillingness on Shen Linyan’s face, which amused her. She thought to herself that this was just the beginning.

As the guests completed their tasks and returned to Zhuangyuan Mansion, director Xu Xiang appeared once again.

“After a full day’s work, I believe everyone now understands the hard work of farmers when selling vegetables. You’ve also earned money through your efforts. First place goes to Miss Shen Qingqing and little Zhou Jiayan, who earned an impressive 1,500 yuan. Let’s give them a round of applause!”

Since Shen Qingqing had explained earlier, no one was surprised. They all clapped and congratulated her.

“The other four groups had similar earnings. Queen Xie and little Ao Liangjun made 380 yuan, which is quite good. Miss Shen Linyan and Liang Tianyi earned 340 yuan from selling peaches, another solid effort. Miss Mo Man and little Princess Ying Shishuang made 230 yuan. Lastly, Miss Cui Xia and little Song Yiyi earned 310 yuan.”

“No matter the amount, it represents your hard work today. Congratulations!”

With that, Xu Xiang led everyone in applause, creating a warm atmosphere.

However, before the excitement could last, Xu Xiang announced a new challenge. “This money will now serve as the budget for tonight’s dinner auction. You can only use your earnings to bid for food—no outside purchases or program loopholes! We will provide ingredients, desserts, and snacks for the auction. The highest bidder wins the item. I’m sure you all know how this works.”

Then, he added with a twist, “This time, the children will be the ones bidding, while the mothers must stay inside the meeting room. They cannot guide or interfere in the process.”

What? The kids would handle the auction themselves? Everyone could already imagine the chaos ahead.

Plus, Xu Xiang had mentioned desserts and snacks. Given how much kids love sweets, they might spend all their money on treats!

The mothers’ expressions changed. The production team was clearly making things difficult. They were setting them up to go hungry! The children might even fight over a single snack.

[Oh my god, the production team is getting crueler. They’re not just testing the kids physically but also mentally now.]

[Won’t the kids just start fighting?]

[Xu Xiang is such a troublemaker. Who came up with this evil idea?]

[I think the show is actually trying to teach the kids self-control, not make them turn against each other.]

[Be honest, do you really believe Xu Xiang is that kind-hearted?]

The mothers were also worried, just like the netizens. They all squatted down to give their children last-minute advice.

Xie Bing was the most concerned. Ao Liangjun was known for his love of food, especially snacks.

“Junjun, take note of the food being auctioned. If they bring out Coke, fries, or other junk food, you must resist! When we go home, I’ll let you eat as much as you want, but today, you need to listen. Understand?”

Ao Liangjun bit his finger, looking conflicted. Then he said, “Today is today, and home is home.”

Hearing her son trying to bargain, Xie Bing felt something was off. But this wasn’t the time for lectures, so she agreed, “Fine. You can have double when we get home.”

Cui Xia worried her daughter wouldn’t know the difference between ingredients and snacks, so she carefully explained everything.

Shen Linyan was confident in Liang Tianyi’s judgment. Still, seeing the other mothers worrying, she also knelt down to talk to him. “Xiaoyi, I trust you to choose the right ingredients. But as the second oldest, you should also take care of the younger ones. Be kind and generous, okay?”

Liang Tianyi, always well-behaved, nodded. “Okay, Mom. I understand.”

Mo Man was helpless about her daughter’s unpredictable nature, so she kept reminding her, “Princesses and queens also need to eat. Shuangshuang, make sure to bid for ingredients.”

Ying Shishuang nodded in confusion.

Meanwhile, Zhou Jiayan watched his friends receiving guidance from their mothers. He suddenly felt left out. Did his stepmother not care about him at all? Had he really upset her that much?

After hesitating, he reached out and poked Shen Qingqing’s waist. “Don’t you have anything to tell me?”

Shen Qingqing turned to see Zhou Jiayan pouting, looking awkward. She immediately understood—he wanted attention, just like the other kids.

After taking a nap earlier, Shen Qingqing’s anger had subsided. The reason she had been ignoring Zhou Jiayan was to show him she wasn’t easy to deal with!

However, seeing him looking so wronged and envious of the other children, she sighed. After all, she had provoked him first this morning, so she supposed she should be the bigger person.

Squatting down, she looked at Zhou Jiayan seriously. “Little rascal, don’t think I’ve forgiven you for what happened this morning. We’ll settle that tonight! The reason I didn’t say anything before is because I trust you. I know you can handle this on your own. Just remember—don’t believe anything those sneaky uncles from the program say. Especially that balding director! Don’t fall into their trap. Find their weak spots, and you can outsmart them.”

When Zhou Jiayan heard Shen Qingqing say she was going to settle the score with him, his heart skipped a beat. But after hearing his stepmother’s explanation, he fell into deep thought. Was this really the case?

Then he nodded and said, “I understand. I’ll try my best to find loopholes.”

[This is hilarious. Yanyan is still so young, but Shen Qingqing is already teaching him to think outside the box.]

[I think Shen Qingqing has a point. If they follow the show’s routine, they’ll definitely get tricked. The only way to beat the production team is to break out of the system they set up.]

[To be honest, that’s true, but Yanyan is just a five-year-old kid. Can he really be this smart?]

[Hmph, whatever. Yanyanyun’s mother said Yanyan is just that smart.]

Once the mothers had finished instructing their children, the production crew led them to a nearby conference room with a 60-inch TV screen. The children were left in the yard, and soon, director Xu Xiang appeared, pushing a small cart.

Several covered plates were placed on the cart, their contents hidden from view.