A Wealthy Family’s Married-In Alpha Redemption On A Parenting Variety Show - Chapter 8

After driving home, Qin Shiyue personally went into the kitchen to make dinner.

She made Chu Xiao’s favorite braised pork and Coca-Cola chicken wings.

She even unprecedentedly let Chu Xiao drink a cup of cola.

In the end, Chu Xiao patted her round, stuffed little belly and asked contentedly, “Mommy, what day is it today? Why do I get to eat so many yummy things?”

Qin Shiyue only said, “A very important day.”

But she did not specify exactly what day it was.

Chu Xiao half understood and half did not. After helping Mommy wipe the dining table clean, Mommy took her by the hand and led her into the courtyard for a walk to help digestion.

In the middle, Mommy fiddled with her phone for a while, then said she had something to do and took her back inside to bathe.

Chu Xiao did not understand what Mommy had to do. The world of adults was a little complicated.

After Qin Shiyue blow-dried Chu Xiao’s hair, she made a video call to Chu Siyun.

Chu Siyun answered very quickly. She was probably in the car on the way back to the hotel, and she looked quite tired.

Qin Shiyue pointed the camera at Chu Xiao and said from the side, pretending not to care, “About that thing you mentioned today, I changed my mind.”

Chu Siyun immediately perked up. “You agreed?”

Qin Shiyue said, “No, no, no. Ask the child. If she agrees, then I agree.”

Chu Siyun asked, “Baby, do you agree?”

Chu Xiao did not understand. She did not know what Mama and Mommy were talking about, so she glanced at Mommy in confusion.

Qin Shiyue said, “She doesn’t know. Explain it clearly to her. Tell her both the pros and cons, then let her make the choice herself. You’re not allowed to interfere.”

Hearing this, Chu Siyun knew there was still room for a reversal, so she immediately nodded. “Okay.”

Qin Shiyue sat down on the sofa by the bed with her laptop in her arms and began typing, while also pricking up her ears to listen to the conversation between mother and daughter.

Chu Siyun said, “Xiaoxiao, there’s a parent-child travel variety show that invited our family of three to participate. Mama and Mommy want to ask your opinion.”

Chu Xiao asked, “What is a parent-child travel variety show?”

Chu Siyun explained, “It means the production team invites several families to travel together. The production team is, um, a team made up of a group of people. They’ll find several suitable scenic spots and let our families take turns going there to play. But they’ll film the whole process and record us having fun, then share it with more people.

“This show won’t only have our family of three. There will also be other children and their mommies and daddies.

“But it probably won’t just be letting us play around casually. They’ll arrange tasks for us, so we’ll have to complete tasks while we play.”

Chu Xiao summarized sharply, “So not only can I go play with Mama and Mommy, I can also play with lots of other children?”

That seemed about right.

Chu Siyun nodded.

Chu Xiao agreed in one breath. “Then I want to go.”

Chu Siyun was extremely satisfied.

Qin Shiyue, who had been listening from the side, leaned over in dissatisfaction. “Why did you only talk about the parts that attract children? Why didn’t you mention the drawbacks?”

Chu Siyun smiled awkwardly. “I just hadn’t gotten to them yet.”

Qin Shiyue said in a completely flat tone, “Xiaoxiao, you need to think carefully. That’s recording a show. It’s not purely going out to play.

“First of all, after the show airs, more viewers will see the process of us having fun. Many people might like you, but there will definitely also be people who don’t like you, or even hate you.

“Second, the tasks arranged by the production team may not be simple. You’re still too young, so for you, they might be very difficult to complete.

“And also, someone will be following you with a camera the whole time. A camera is a machine with a long lens, even bigger than Mommy’s camera. You’ll lose a lot of freedom, okay? Because the camera teacher will film your every move.”

Chu Xiao’s little face scrunched into a ball as she began to think.

Should she go?

She would have no freedom. She did not like that. There would be people who did not like her. That was really sad. There would be difficult tasks to complete, but that part was fine.

But if she went, Mama and Mommy would both be with her.

Even though there would be camera teachers filming her, she would be filmed together with Mama and Mommy.

On one side were things she had not experienced yet, and on the other side were Mama and Mommy.

Of course Mama and Mommy were more tempting.

In the end, Chu Xiao still chose, “Mommy, Mama, I want to go. Can I?”

Qin Shiyue hugged her laptop and slunk back to the sofa in defeat.

Chu Siyun was as happy as if she had won a battle.

She had known it would be like this.

Qin Shiyue did not want to speak. She furiously typed on the keyboard, venting all her indignation onto it.

Chu Siyun had arrived at her destination and walked toward the hotel with her phone.

There were fans waiting at the hotel entrance. Chu Siyun nodded in acknowledgment while entering the lobby.

After she went in, Chu Xiao asked curiously, “Mama, there are so many people?”

Chu Siyun explained, “Those are my fans. They’re people who like watching the movies I act in.”

Chu Xiao said in amazement, “Mama acted in movies?”

Chu Siyun said proudly, “That’s right. Mama’s movies are amazing. The trophies in that little room were all given to Mama because Mama acts well in movies.”

Chu Xiao let out a “Wow.”

So Mama was actually this impressive.

“Then can I watch the movies Mama acted in?”

Chu Siyun thought about the works she had done over the past few years.

For a child a little over three, they seemed too complicated, too bloody, and even a little too erotic.

“No, okay? You’re too little, so you won’t understand them. Wait until you’re a little older.”

Chu Xiao was somewhat regretful.

As they spoke, Chu Siyun had already reached her room.

She was used to showering first, so the video call ended there.

Chu Xiao climbed into the blanket by herself and called, “Mommy, tell me a story. It’s time to sleep.”

Qin Shiyue was busy with something in her hands and said, “Look at your picture book by yourself first. When your Mama finishes showering later, we’ll video call her again and let her read to you.”

Chu Xiao compromised. “Okay.”

Before, there had been a smart speaker in Chu Xiao’s room for listening to stories, but later, Qin Shiyue discovered that Chu Xiao always stayed up very late just to listen to stories, so she took the speaker away.

Chu Xiao liked being patted on the back while listening to stories, and she could fall asleep very quickly that way.

Later, Qin Shiyue personally told stories every day to coax the child to sleep.

Now, it was basically decided that they were going on the show.

She could more or less confirm that Chu Siyun wanted to be a little better to the child and wanted to participate in the child’s growth.

It just so happened that she was busy now, so letting Chu Siyun coax the child was the best strategy.

Chu Siyun delivered lines so well. Surely she would not be bad at telling stories either.

Maybe Chu Siyun would also be very willing. Then Qin Shiyue would have it much easier in the future.

A dozen minutes later, Chu Xiao finished flipping through the picture book in her hands. “Mommy.”

Qin Shiyue answered, “Mm?”

Chu Xiao was a little confused. “This picture book is obviously so good. Why did Sister Yaoyao say it wasn’t good?”

Qin Shiyue was even more confused than her daughter. “What?”

Chu Xiao said, “Last week, I recommended this picture book to Sister Yaoyao. She said it was too childish and not suitable for a big kid like her.”

???

As far as Qin Shiyue knew, this “Sister Yaoyao’s” full name was Feng Yunyao. She was Chu Xiao’s classmate in kindergarten and also her best friend.

They were in the same class. How much of an age difference could there be?

Chu Xiao was born in June, and Feng Yunyao was at most only a few months older than Chu Xiao. How was she calling herself a big kid?

Quite funny. Pretending to be mature at such a young age.

Chu Xiao was like a little fool, only knowing how to eat candy every day. They just happened to complement each other.

Estimating the time, Qin Shiyue made another video call to Chu Siyun.

The other side answered, but this image seemed a little wrong.

What exactly was the camera pointing at?

Qin Shiyue quickly pushed away Chu Xiao, who wanted to lean over.

Why was that person answering the phone without clothes on???

Was that appropriate?

What kind of behavior was that?

At last, Chu Siyun shook out her long hair, unplugged the hair dryer, picked up the phone resting on the sink counter, and asked, “Why aren’t you talking?”

So she was not naked. She was still wrapped in a bath towel.

It was just that this bath towel was completely useless. Her shoulders, collarbone, and a whole patch of that area were exposed.

Qin Shiyue urged, “Hurry up and put on pajamas.”

Chu Siyun walked toward the wardrobe in the room. “Oh.

“Is there anything else?”

The camera was facing empty air. Qin Shiyue said, “I’m a little busy. Tell Chu Xiao a story and coax her to sleep.”

Chu Siyun could not be seen; only the rustling sounds of her getting dressed could be heard.

One minute later, the phone was picked up. Chu Siyun had already changed into long-sleeved pajamas. “I’m telling the story?”

Qin Shiyue nodded and handed the phone to the long-expectant Chu Xiao.

Chu Xiao carried the phone back under the blanket.

Chu Siyun asked, “Baby, what do you want to hear?”

Would Mama know how to tell stories? Chu Xiao picked a relatively simple one. “Cinderella.”

Chu Siyun searched for children’s stories on her tablet. “Put the phone beside your pillow, then close your eyes. You’ll fall asleep very soon.”

Chu Xiao obediently did as she was told.

Soon, Chu Siyun’s clear, standard voice came from the other end of the phone. “Spring had come to the kingdom. The grass was a vivid green, and the flowers in the nursery stood graceful and tall. The little lambs…[1]”

Listening, Qin Shiyue felt something was a little off. Had she found the translated version of the original Disney English edition? When telling bedtime stories to children, she should be telling the kind that was easier to understand.

Forget it. It was her first time, so Qin Shiyue would not interrupt the two of them. She could talk about it after today’s story was finished.

In any case, the child would fall asleep after listening for a while. It did not matter.

Half an hour later, Chu Siyun paused to take a sip of water.

Chu Xiao asked softly, “Mama, are you tired?”

Chu Siyun forced up a smile. “Not tired. Let’s continue. The prince sighed. He was tired of hunting again and again. Every time, it was done with great fanfare…[2]”

Qin Shiyue really could not keep watching.

She climbed onto the bed and took Chu Xiao into her arms, gently patting her back.

Sure enough, this was the most effective method. Paired with Chu Siyun’s story, Chu Xiao fell asleep in less than two minutes.

Qin Shiyue carefully tucked Chu Xiao in, then took the phone and carried her laptop, tiptoeing out the door.

Once outside, Qin Shiyue looked at the woman on the phone screen, who was exhausted beyond measure, and said, “Next time, look for children’s reading material. The one you read was too complicated.”

Chu Siyun said, “Oh.”

Qin Shiyue gave a light laugh.

Chu Siyun keenly caught that sound and asked, “What are you laughing at?”

Qin Shiyue quibbled, “Nothing.”

Chu Siyun dared to be angry but did not dare speak.

She was definitely laughing at her for not even being able to tell a story properly.

Qin Shiyue went to the study and leaned back against the chair, just about to say that she was hanging up.

Suddenly, something flashed through her mind. She changed the topic and asked, “Want to know what you said last night?”

This again. Was it never going to end?

Chu Siyun gave up struggling. “What?”

Qin Shiyue spoke extremely quickly. “Not telling you. Sleep early. Hanging up.”

Then, with equally quick hands, she hung up the video call.

Chu Siyun was left alone, holding her phone in front of the table, completely disheveled.

This person—this person was too much!

Absolutely speechless.

Author’s Note:

Notes [1] and [2] are excerpts from Cinderella: Disney Big-Screen Bilingual Reading.

I wish everyone a happy life!