Chapter 126

An An was briefly stunned, then quickly caught on and winked back at her. Once the two little ones had silently reached an understanding, he ran back behind his mother.

Li Lulu had always doted on her younger brother at home, which was part of why he’d developed this kind of personality. And now, facing He Dongling, she had no intention of backing down or admitting fault.

“My brother shouldn’t have hit him, sure. But wasn’t it your son who said something like that first?”

An An sniffled, tears quickly welling up in his eyes. He walked up to her, bowed deeply, and said,

“I’m sorry, An An was wrong.”

“Haha was scolded. An An is sad. It won’t happen again.”

His soft, childish voice trembled with a hint of crying. This pitiful yet polite apology instantly tugged at the hearts of countless viewers online.

【Wuwu, what did my son do wrong? Li Lulu is being so unreasonable!!】

【Don’t cry, come here and let Mama hug you. Poor little thing.】

【I’m also a large dog owner. In most cases, large dogs are actually very gentle and emotionally stable. They won’t attack people without reason, and even if provoked, they usually won’t bite.】

【Haha was wearing a muzzle at first, but Xiao Yangyu pulled it off.】

【Forcing a child to apologize to her? And this is supposed to be the most polite and gracious of the trending starlets?】

【She even scared Xiao Yangyu into tears. What kind of person is this?】

Li Lulu had originally wanted He Dongling to apologize to her. She hadn’t expected An An to speak up first.

When it comes to adults, a few words can shift the whole dynamic. But that doesn’t work with a child. A three-year-old is naturally in a vulnerable position, and no matter what Li Lulu said, she came off as aggressive.

Especially since this was Lu Mingzhe’s biological son. Even if Lu Mingzhe acted indifferent toward the boy now, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t regret it later.

Li Lulu quickly adjusted her expression, forced a smile, squatted down, and said,

“It’s okay. I was just worried about my brother. I didn’t mean to blame you.”

She even reached out, intending to pat his head as a gesture of goodwill.

But the moment her hand lifted, An An immediately turned and ran back to his mother on his short little legs, hugging her leg tightly and saying in a wronged voice,

“An An is scared.”

He Dongling gave Li Lulu a doubtful look before picking up her child to comfort him.

An An had always been a well-behaved and easygoing child. It was rare to see him cry like this, and He Dongling was deeply worried.

Over on Zhu Yinghou’s side, her daughter Xiao Yangyu, who had grown up under her meticulous care, was usually cheerful. Though a bit timid, Zhu Yinghou never saw that as a problem.

She and her husband had the means to protect Xiao Yangyu from harm.

The production team, seeing that a fight was about to break out, quickly stepped in to keep the show on track. They hurriedly invited everyone to go check out the room setups.

Because Zhu Yinghou had joined this time, the director didn’t dare act carelessly like before. After all, he was afraid her fans and those of Film Emperor Jiang would tear him apart.

Each room had been beautifully decorated to ensure that whichever one Zhu Yinghou chose, she’d be comfortable.

The styles varied, but all were equally cozy.

After all, Zhu Yinghou wasn’t like the other celebrities they’d invited before. She had even brought her precious daughter along, so they had to treat her well.

Under the staff’s guidance, the five mothers took their children to their rooms. Meanwhile, the livestream audience continued to buzz about the earlier incident.

Some drama-loving viewers even flocked to Lu Mingzhe’s Weibo, asking how he felt about his wife and his rumored CP appearing on the same variety show.

Others were curious: if Li Lulu and He Dongling ended up fighting, whose side would he take?

Lu Mingzhe was currently filming in the mountains, where the signal was poor and news traveled slowly. He hadn’t yet caught wind of the situation.

An An had drawn a room with a European-style interior. Once he saw that Li Lulu wasn’t around, he immediately perked up.

He struggled to unzip his suitcase and pulled out Haha’s toys to play with.

Zhu Yinghou had originally planned to let her daughter rest for a bit. But after a quick look around the room, Xiao Yangyu said she wanted to find An An.

Of course Zhu Yinghou could tell—her daughter was just using that as an excuse to go play with the husky.

But when Xiao Yangyu clung to her neck and started acting cute, Zhu Yinghou couldn’t resist. She took her daughter’s hand and asked the staff to bring them over.

Xiao Yangyu loved huskies and liked An An too. The two kids, close in age, seemed to have endless things to talk about. When their two fluffy little heads leaned together, the scene was heart-melting.

Zhu Yinghou usually didn’t interfere when her daughter was playing. She didn’t want to disrupt her focus, preferring to leave that time for her to enjoy freely. So she sat on the sofa and chatted with He Dongling.

“Do you still plan to continue working in the entertainment industry?”

Since they were on camera, Zhu Yinghou couldn’t be too direct. She just wanted to offer a bit of guidance, especially since their kids got along so well.

She and her husband had tried finding playmates for Xiao Yangyu before, but none had truly connected with her. It was rare to see her bond so well with someone.

“Yes. To be honest, Sister Zhu, the reason I joined this show was to gain more exposure so I could land some roles.”

He Dongling didn’t try to hide anything. She spoke plainly about her goals for joining the show.

Zhu Yinghou was slightly surprised. Her own career had always gone smoothly, and she’d almost forgotten that in this industry, many people struggled to even get a basic role.

“Let’s exchange contact info. If there’s ever an opportunity, I can recommend you.”

“Thank you so much, Sister Zhu.”

After exchanging contacts, Zhu Yinghou kept watching the two kids and smiled at He Dongling.

“Xiao Yangyu really likes An An.”

He Dongling wasn’t clueless. She immediately understood what Zhu Yinghou meant and responded,

“If there’s time, they can definitely play together more.”

【Wow, did He Dongling just get Zhu Yinghou’s approval?】

【I can’t believe He Dongling got this lucky. Just one variety show and she’s already caught the attention of a film queen.】

【Low EQ: Your son plays with my daughter, so I’ll give you a role. High EQ: I’ll keep an eye out for opportunities.】

【Are we finally going to see He Dongling in a drama again? I used to love her when I was little! I was so sad when she disappeared.】

【An An and Xiao Yangyu are such a good match. They’re even playing Go on the husky’s belly, Haha.】

【The husky: This family’s falling apart without me!】

【You are not a husky, so how could you understand a husky’s joy?】

In the industry, He Dongling hadn’t even been able to land auditions, let alone actual roles. So now, with Zhu Yinghou’s promise, she was so excited her hands trembled slightly.

Though she’d never been on a livestream variety show before, she’d watched plenty in her spare time and knew that even the smallest movement could be magnified under the camera.

She knew her reaction might stir up some controversy, but she couldn’t help it. She broke into a wide, genuine smile and sincerely thanked Sister Zhu.

An An had brought a lot of toys this time. Both kids loved playing board games, so they spread out the game board on Haha’s belly.

Thankfully, this husky was big enough that it fit perfectly.

Every now and then, its tail would twitch, as if to remind everyone it was still alive and not just a prop.

That evening, the production team had chefs prepare dinner. The moms just needed to bring their kids downstairs to eat. The entire meal would be filmed.

With Zhu Yinghou around, the production team had become much more considerate.

Each guest’s dishes were tailored to their personal tastes, and they’d even checked in advance for any potential allergies among the guests and their children.

In front of He Dongling and An An was a bowl of vegetable and shrimp porridge, a serving of white rice, steamed shrimp, and vegetables.

An An first went to wash his little hands thoroughly, then sat at the table and moved the shrimp plate in front of him. He carefully peeled the shrimp one by one and placed the meat neatly on the edge of his mom’s bowl.

Each piece was lined up perfectly, clearly the work of a little one with a touch of OCD.

【Wuwu, An An is so small, so sweet, so adorable. I want a kid like this who’ll peel shrimp for me too.】

【I admit, in my twenty-something years of life, I can’t compare to a kid. He peels so fast and cleanly.】

【How can there be such a sweet little darling?】

【My husband and I have been talking about having a child lately. After watching this show, we’ve decided this one is the best. We’ll take him, please ship him over, thanks.】

【Damn it, my boyfriend and I wanted this one too!】

On the first day, the production team didn’t schedule much. After dinner, everyone headed upstairs to help the kids wash up and get ready for bed.

While He Dongling was in the bathroom, An An used Haha as a cushion and made a video call to his grandparents. He spoke seriously, telling them not to worry.

He chattered away, explaining every step of the filming process in detail, like a little chatterbox who couldn’t stop talking.

In the original storyline, Grandpa He and Grandma He only agreed to help because of their daughter, wanting to ease her burden. Who would’ve thought that the child they raised would one day push their beloved daughter into the abyss?

An An remembered all of it. Even though he wasn’t the one who did it, he still felt guilty and subconsciously treated his mom and grandparents even better because of it.

That night, the variety show crew was still working overtime, double-checking the pre-planned schedule to make sure absolutely nothing went wrong.

Especially when it came to Zhu Yinghou and Movie King Jiang’s precious daughter, Xiao Yangyu. If anything happened to her during filming, the entire show would be done for.

Any potentially risky activities were all scrapped, leaving only the ones that seemed fun and safe.

On the second day, the moms took the kids to plant vegetables. The crew handed out seeds and tools at random, with a professional on-site to guide them.

All the tools for the kids were mini versions. An An held a tiny shovel and rake in his hands, wobbling as he made his way to the plot assigned to them.

Haha wagged his tail as he followed behind An An, while He Dongling carried the seeds at the rear.

Xiao Yangyu really loved Haha. If Haha had been willing, she would’ve taken him back to sleep with her. Every day she pestered her mom to buy snacks for Haha.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, Haha still liked An An best—the one who had worn him out and broken his spirit.

Just like today’s vegetable planting activity. Xiao Yangyu kept waving at Haha from the side, but Haha stayed loyally behind An An. If An An slowed down, he would let out a couple of soft howls to hurry him along.

With someone guiding them on how to properly farm, Haha even used his paws to help loosen the soil.

Being outdoors fully awakened the husky’s instincts. He dug enthusiastically with both paws, flinging dirt everywhere, his tail wagging happily.

This husky, beloved by the daughter of a movie star, had also won over the hearts of many viewers. Some even created a dedicated fan thread for Haha, checking in daily.

The little rabbit Zhu Yinghou brought had already been taken back by her assistant a few days ago. The director just wanted to add some variety to the show and didn’t require guests to bring pets for the entire filming.

The two pets that remained were Haha, the husky brought by He Dongling and An An, and a small gray toy poodle brought by Li Lulu and her younger brother.

The poodle looked smart, walking upright like a human with a little backpack. It even knew how to bow and often helped out during filming.

In the livestream, aside from Zhu Yinghou and Xiao Yangyu, the most popular were He Dongling and Li Lulu.

Even a simple glance or accidental encounter between them was enough for viewers to spin entire dramas in their heads.

Like now, when Li Lulu accidentally took the wrong water bottle. As He Dongling walked over to get it back, she was just about to accuse her of being petty when An An came running over, bouncing with excitement.

“Mommy, it’s okay! An An asked Auntie Zhu and borrowed the water bottle~”

As he ran, An An held up the bottle to show his mom. Now that they had their own, He Dongling didn’t bother getting into it with that woman.

From what He Dongling knew of Lu Mingzhe after all these years, if she and Li Lulu had any conflict, he would definitely assume she was acting out of jealousy.

Even just thinking about it made He Dongling feel sick.

【Is it just me, or was Li Lulu kind of rude?】

【Even my kid knows to ask before borrowing something. Did she just take it because she saw it lying around?】

【How are there adults in this world who are less sensible than children?】

【Wait, does anyone actually believe An An borrowed that water bottle?】

Li Lulu’s fans, who hadn’t been watching the other livestreams and had no way to refute the criticism, suddenly latched onto this comment like it was a lifeline.

【Exactly, maybe he just took it without asking.】

【It’s just a water bottle. You’d think it was some priceless treasure the way people are acting.】

【Adults can learn from their mistakes, but kids? Not necessarily~】

The tone of the comments quickly shifted. Many of Li Lulu’s fans tried to use the opportunity to clear her name.

Someone had just used An An to criticize Li Lulu. Now they were using An An to defend her.

But a viewer who had just come back from Zhu Yinghou’s livestream couldn’t believe how much Li Lulu’s fans had twisted things based on a single sentence. They quietly sent another comment.

【An An just asked. When he saw Haha and Xiao Yangyu, he gave them the bottle. Zhu Yinghou hadn’t even finished watering yet.】

【Traitor or not, Xiao Yangyu is absolutely adorable!! The way she nervously fiddled with her buttons and didn’t dare look at her mom was just too cute, I’m melting.】

【Xiao Yangyu: I traded a water bottle for a chance to pet Haha’s head. Totally worth it!】

【No wonder she’s the daughter of my favorite actor and actress. She’s got that spark even at such a young age.】

【Movie King Jiang, you better keep a close eye on Xiao Yangyu. Don’t let some mischievous boy steal your sweet girl!】

【Movie King Jiang: I’ve acted in so many martial arts dramas. Knowing a bit of kung fu is totally reasonable, right?】

The topic quickly shifted to Xiao Yangyu, and many viewers rushed to her livestream to check it out.

Sure enough, Zhu Yinghou was watering plants with a ladle, while Xiao Yangyu squatted nearby, giggling guiltily and clapping to praise her mom.

【No wonder Zhu Yinghou can’t stay mad. I’d be the same.】

That comment spoke for everyone. A flood of +1s followed, instantly filling the screen.

Back in the livestream with Li Lulu and He Dongling, the earlier misunderstanding caused by Li Lulu’s fans had left a bad taste in most viewers’ mouths.

She was clearly in the wrong. If she had just apologized and explained, no one would’ve blamed her for a simple mistake.

But instead, she refused to admit it and pushed all the blame onto a child. And her fans were no better.

Sure, a lot of people liked the historical romance drama she starred in with Lu Mingzhe. But this variety show’s audience wasn’t just made up of fans.

There were plenty of viewers with sound values who couldn’t accept people shipping a married man with someone else, let alone rooting for him to divorce and get with another woman.

【It’s just a marriage certificate. If Lulu and Lu Mingzhe had met first, who knows who would’ve gotten married?】

【Can’t people divorce? We’re just shipping a couple. Who are we hurting?】

【Do Li Lulu’s fans not realize that wishing for someone to divorce in front of his legal wife and biological son is basically a curse?】

【There’s no reasoning with people who lack basic decency…】

【I really ship your dad with his first love. So tell me, can your dad divorce your mom and get back with her?】

That last comment was seen by one of Li Lulu’s fans, who flew into a rage and unleashed a string of curses, eventually getting muted by the system.

Because she had traded her mom’s water bottle for a chance to pet Haha’s head, Xiao Yangyu behaved especially well afterward, eagerly helping out.

Normally a little princess who loved staying clean, she didn’t even get upset when her dress got stained with dirt today.

Seeing this, Li Lulu thought it was the perfect chance to win over Zhu Yinghou. She brought over her water bottle.

“Thanks, but we don’t need it.”

Zhu Yinghou smiled politely as she declined the offer. Xiao Yangyu was right beside her, using a ladle to water the plants, clearly showing they really didn’t need it.

Xiao Yangyu had a bit of a grudgeful streak. She still remembered the first time she saw Haha—it was this very aunt who had egged things on, saying something about how Haha might bite people.

She didn’t believe Haha would bite, but that didn’t matter. If her mom heard it, she might stop her from playing with Haha out of love and concern.

Sensing Xiao Yangyu’s resistance, Li Lulu crouched in front of her with a gentle smile and asked in a curious tone, “Xiao Yangyu, why don’t you like Auntie? Did Auntie do something wrong? If that’s the case, you can tell me.”

Her natural demeanor was already soft and gentle, and in moments like this, talking to children, she had the kind of presence that usually made kids warm up to her easily.

Xiao Yangyu seemed like she was about to be the bigger person and let it go, but An An, standing nearby, was already sweating nervously on her behalf.

To everyone’s surprise, Xiao Yangyu didn’t respond at all. She simply pouted, tossed the water ladle aside, and ran off on her short little legs toward Zhu Yinghou, calling out for her mom as she went.

Zhu Yinghou scooped her up and gently patted her back. She gave Li Lulu a polite smile and said, “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine.”

Li Lulu forced a stiff smile and walked away. No matter what, she couldn’t afford to argue with a child. She didn’t even dare to! All she could do was grit her teeth and take the water bottle away.

An An, who had been worried about Xiao Yangyu, now crouched to the side with wide, curious eyes, watching her intently. He even gave Haha a pat on the head.

Haha let out a pitiful whimper and nudged An An gently.

An An, who hadn’t been squatting steadily, was knocked sideways. He quickly scrambled back up, dusted himself off, and angrily grabbed Haha’s ear, refusing to let go.

To An An, Haha was his best buddy. It was perfectly normal for them to roughhouse a bit. He Dongling was already used to their way of interacting.

If she were to intervene, she’d just be ruining their bond.

As her mother would say, it’s good for kids and animals to tussle a bit. You can’t raise a child too delicately.

After using the water bottle, He Dongling figured Zhu Yinghou might need it too, so she told An An to bring it back.

An An, too lazy to run over himself, took Haha’s basket, placed the bottle inside, gave Haha a pat on the head, and sent him off.

When Xiao Yangyu saw Haha coming, she lit up and ran toward him, giggling as she went.

【This must be what they call a mutual rush toward each other.】

【Is Movie King Jiang’s allergy really that bad? Xiao Yangyu clearly loves dogs so much.】

【I believe that if it weren’t serious, with how much he dotes on his daughter, Jiang would never stop her from having one.】

【Zhu Yinghou mentioned before that they had a dog once, but had to give it to Grandma because the allergy was too severe.】

Xiao Yangyu, eyes full of joy, ran straight toward Haha, completely focused on the husky and not watching her step. She tripped and fell.

Luckily, Haha wasn’t far away and lunged forward just in time to cushion her fall.

“Ow.”

The sudden fall startled Zhu Yinghou. She rushed over to pick up her daughter, tugging at her clothes to check for injuries.

“Mommy, Haha… Haha… woo.”

“Did you hurt yourself anywhere?”

“No. Haha.”

Xiao Yangyu was still very young, and Haha was well-fed and fluffy. She had landed right on him, not even getting her clothes dirty.

He Dongling came over to help check on Haha and reassured them, “Haha’s fine too.”

Originally, Zhu Yinghou had only tolerated Haha because her daughter liked him. But after this incident, she was ready to take the dog home herself.

Xiao Yangyu was a little girl who loved being pretty. In summer, her clothes were thinner, and if she had fallen and scraped her delicate skin, it could have left a scar. She would’ve been upset for a long time.

“Are you really okay?”

Xiao Yangyu sniffled, her voice tinged with a barely noticeable sob.

An An gave Haha’s butt a pat. Haha reluctantly got up, ran a few laps, then flopped back down in his original spot.

“See? He’s really fine.”

“Mm.”

Over on the other side, Li Lulu watched He Dongling getting along so well with Zhu Yinghou’s family, and her jealousy was almost enough to make her grind her molars to dust. Using the excuse of going to the bathroom, she sent a message to Lu Mingzhe, playing the victim and complaining.

She had joined this variety show hoping to use He Dongling as a contrast. The worse He Dongling and her child looked, the better she and Lu Mingzhe would come off in the public eye.

That way, when Lu Mingzhe announced the divorce, the backlash would be minimal.

But things hadn’t gone as planned. He Dongling wasn’t struggling at all post-divorce. And now the show had even brought in Zhu Yinghou.

Li Lulu was self-aware enough to know that her performance on the show wasn’t exactly stellar. Some of her actions could easily be misunderstood.

After multiple interpretations, those moments might even become black marks on her record.

Lu Mingzhe had just finished work and returned to the city when he received Li Lulu’s message. His manager also got a message from the company’s PR department.

【Don’t worry about it. I’ve got this.】

After comforting Li Lulu, Lu Mingzhe rubbed his sore temples. The recent filming schedule had been packed, leaving him completely drained. He had no energy left for emotional drama.

Seeing how exhausted he was, the manager, who had originally planned to bring something up, decided to stay silent.

After spending some time together, Zhu Yinghou realized that He Dongling wasn’t at all like she had imagined. She was one of the rare actors in the industry who genuinely loved performing.

She had a good personality and a unique way of raising her child. The An An she raised was incredibly well-behaved, and his occasional thoughtful gestures were enough to make even Zhu Yinghou envious.

That night, after washing his hands and face, An An carried his foot basin to the bathroom to fill it with water.

He brought it back out, set it down beside him, sat on his little stool, took off his shoes and socks, and dipped his feet into the warm water. He closed his eyes in contentment, clearly enjoying himself.

A few seconds later, An An suddenly opened his eyes wide, startling Haha, who had been creeping closer.

An An grabbed Haha’s ear and scolded him in a righteous tone, “You can’t put your paws in my basin!”

Rejected, Haha drooped his ears and let out a series of indignant whines. He seemed determined to go against his little master but didn’t have the guts to do it. All he could do was whimper to vent his frustration.

An An’s little basin had been specially brought by He Dongling. It was just the right size for his feet.

Haha, being a husky, had paws about the same size as An An’s feet—except he had four of them!

After soaking his feet, An An dried them off with a cloth, slipped on his slippers, poured out the water, and returned the basin to its proper place.

Haha followed behind with his tail drooping, occasionally letting out a pitiful whine to make his presence known.

An An had already taken a bath that evening, but he considered brushing his teeth, washing his face, and soaking his feet a sacred bedtime ritual. Without warm feet, he simply couldn’t sleep.

Since he handled everything himself without adding to He Dongling’s workload, she let him do as he pleased.

Once he was done, An An, now dressed in his onesie pajamas, led Haha back to his dog bed, tucked him in, and gave him a pat on the head like he was casting a special spell.

He Dongling was leaning against the headboard, holding a script in her hands. Zhu Yinghou had given it to her that afternoon, asking her to read it over and prepare for an audition once the variety show wrapped up.

The blanket beside her had a corner lifted, waiting for a certain little someone to crawl in.

“Mommy~”

“Hmm?”

“Bedtime story.”

“Once upon a time, there was a little red riding hood…”

“Heard that one already.”

An An frowned, clearly displeased with her half-hearted effort. His lips pouted so far they could’ve held an oil pot.

“What if Mommy doesn’t remember that many stories?”

An An’s arrival had been completely unexpected. Back then, He Dongling hadn’t been remotely prepared to become a mother.

Even though she’d read plenty of fairy tales over the past few months, it still wasn’t enough to keep up with his nightly demands.

“But the production team said they’ll have a surprise for us tomorrow.”

“A surprise?”

An An’s big eyes sparkled with curiosity. It was clear he was really looking forward to it. Even after he fell asleep that night, he mumbled about the surprise in a dreamy daze.

The next morning, after breakfast, they boarded the show’s van. Today’s filming location had been moved to a high-end mall in the city center.

The five guest groups took their seats. Xiao Yangyu made a point of sticking close to An An and Haha.

Haha’s left paw was being held by Xiao Yangyu, and his right paw was wrapped in An An’s arms. The remaining two paws were left for standing. He had been arranged quite thoroughly.

After a brief introduction by the host, not only were the guests intrigued, but even the audience’s curiosity was thoroughly piqued.

Given that this director had managed to invite Zhu Yinghou, and had even brought Lu Mingzhe’s legal wife and a popular CP into the same variety show, the level of chaos he could stir up was clear. This surprise was bound to catch everyone off guard.

The host held the microphone and began reading from the pre-prepared script.

“I’m sure each of our guests has someone very important to them. After filming for so many days, it’s time for you to see the people you’ve been missing.”

“Let’s welcome these five special guests to the stage!”

As soon as he finished speaking, five men in tailored suits walked down the aisle.

When the door to the room opened and the first person appeared before them, the live comment feed exploded so wildly that it even lagged. The five people present were so stunned they froze on the spot.

—Translator’s Notes—

• Weibo: Weibo is a popular Chinese social media platform, similar to Twitter, widely used for microblogging and celebrity interactions.

• Film Emperor: “Film Emperor” is a Chinese title given to a highly respected, top-tier actor who has won prestigious film awards. It’s similar to being called an ‘Academy Award-winning actor’ or ‘Best Actor’ in the West.