The reality show Li Yi secured for Ling Wei was called Mom, Go For It! As the name suggested, it featured mothers taking their children to complete various challenge tasks and experiencing the joys of raising kids along the way.
In recent years, parent child reality shows had emerged one after another. The content was largely similar, essentially old wine in new bottles. Yet no matter how often the formula was recycled, there was still a market for it and still an audience. As a result, major television networks continued launching one program after another with great enthusiasm.
At that moment, the chief director of the program was speaking grandly on stage, praising the show to the skies.
“All sponsors are already in place, so there is no need to worry about funding. Although ours is also a parent child reality show, we have our own unique features and advantages. This season focuses on high visual appeal. I believe everyone here can see it clearly. The mothers this season are all top tier beauties in the entertainment industry. Put them anywhere and they would be the face of beauty. As for the children, there is no need to elaborate, they are both good looking and adorable. We have every reason to believe that once the show airs, it will attract a huge wave of fans who care about looks…”
Ling Wei had woken up a little early that day. Combined with the chief director’s hypnotic voice, she was now covering her mouth and secretly yawning. After three consecutive yawns, tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. When she casually glanced to the side, she realized the little boy was staring at her without blinking.
The moment she remembered that the boy was called Xie Ziyu and his father was named Xie Qingyan, Ling Wei instantly lost all sleepiness. Tilting her head, she whispered again to confirm, “You said your dad is who?”
Xie Ziyu imitated her manner, leaning closer to her with a mysterious air and whispering, “My dad is the super invincible and unbelievably awesome big boss of the Xie Corporation, Xie Qingyan.”
Baby, you really do not need to recite that entire string of titles every time. Do you introduce him like that to everyone? Are you not afraid of being kidnapped?
Ling Wei felt a faint headache coming on. Xie Qingyan was clearly single, so how could he have such a big son? Yet judging from his features alone, Xie Ziyu did resemble Xie Qingyan somewhat. Could it be… a child born out of wedlock?
Ling Wei realized that the mere thought of Xie Qingyan having such a grown child made her chest feel tight and heavy, dampening her mood. But what did it have to do with her? She was only a fake lover, a fake girlfriend.
She glanced around, then secretly took out her phone and hid it under the table, using the tabletop as cover while her fingers quickly typed a message to Xie Qingyan.
“Do you have a son?!”
A few minutes later, Xie Qingyan replied, “Who dares to spread rumors about Daddy?”
Ling Wei frowned. She opened the camera app and gestured for the little boy beside her to lower his head toward the lens. He cooperated readily, bending down and lowering his head, presenting his entire bun like face to the camera, then grinning broadly. Ling Wei snapped the photo. On the screen appeared a giant, slightly distorted bun face. She sent the picture to Xie Qingyan with the message, “He said it himself.”
This time, Xie Qingyan replied quickly. “Oh, then let us count it as yes.”
Ling Wei: …
Count it as yes? So is it yes or no?
Ling Wei felt she might go crazy if she continued talking to him. She jabbed at the screen. “Speak like a normal human!”
Realizing he had provoked her, Xie Qingyan finally responded seriously. “It is a long story. We will talk when we meet. Are you in the capital now?”
“Yes, back for a meeting. Preparing to partner with your son and play his mom.”
“Do you even need to act? You already are.”
Ling Wei: …
The agreement only said she had to be his girlfriend. It never mentioned she also had to be his child’s mother.
This deal was a total loss for her.
Xie Qingyan continued analyzing things for her. “You are my girlfriend, which is equivalent to being my wife. If you are my wife, then my son is your son. You are his mother. There is absolutely no problem with that logic.”
When he put it that way, it almost sounded reasonable.
But…
“Brother, did you forget that our relationship is fake? Watch my mouth, f_a_k_e, fake.”
“Is there any difference between a fake girlfriend and a fake wife?”
Apparently not much difference.
“Is there any difference between a fake wife and a fake mother?”
Apparently not much difference either.
“Then it is happily settled.”
What was happily settled? Becoming his son’s stepmother? Who would feel happy about that?
“Daddy, when you trick people like this, does your conscience not hurt?”
“Is my conscience not in your hands? Touch it yourself and see whether it hurts.”
Ling Wei decisively locked her screen and shoved the phone back into her pocket. Ignoring him was already being lenient. She really should just block him outright.
As she fumed, she looked up and was startled by the little bun face right beside her. She had been too focused on messaging and had not noticed that the boy had been leaning against her, watching her phone the whole time.
At such close range, the little boy was genuinely adorable. His skin was fair and tender, his brown hair slightly curled, his features delicate, his eyelashes long and naturally curled upward, and his pink lips looked like jelly.
Seeing that she had finished messaging, he blinked his bright black eyes and asked innocently in a soft voice, “Mom, who is Xie the Tycoon?”
Ling Wei was shocked, and for several reasons. First, he called her Mom so naturally, without the slightest hesitation. Second, he was only five years old, yet he could recognize those characters. When she was in third grade writing essays, she had replaced most characters with pinyin. Were children nowadays really this smart?
“Uh… take a guess?”
“Is it my dad?” the innocent boy continued.
Ling Wei blinked. “How did you know?”
The little boy said in his milky voice, “I often hear Uncle Zhou Jian call him that.”
Ling Wei nodded in understanding. Soon after, she heard him ask again, “Then why do you also call him Dad?”
How much of their chat had he actually understood?
Ling Wei pondered in distress how to explain that this was merely an odd sense of humor between adults.
In the end, she answered cleverly, “It is very normal. I call him Dad, he calls me Mom, you are the baby, we are a family.”
Well then. Just moments ago she had been troubled about suddenly becoming a bargain mother, and now she had admitted it rather quickly.
After the meeting ended, it was free activity time. The participants could use the opportunity to get to know each other. However, Ling Wei did not go to mingle with the others. She felt she needed to have a proper talk with Xie Ziyu.
“Baby, did you know me before this?”
“I have seen your photos. Grandma showed them to me.”
“Grandma?” Xie Ziyu’s grandmother, that would be Xie Qingyan’s mother, the empress dowager of the Xie family. Just imagining it made her seem formidable.
But how would the empress dowager have her photo? Did Xie Qingyan give it to her? Or did she have someone secretly take pictures? That was how it always played out on television. When a wealthy matriarch heard that her son had fallen for an ordinary girl, she would have someone investigate her, then pick a time to show up with a check and humiliate her.
Ling Wei thought, would the old madam also follow that script and bring a check to humiliate her? If that happened, should she accept it?
That seemed a bit far ahead.
She continued chatting with the little boy. “So because you knew me, that is why you like calling me Mom?” Otherwise, the show had not even started and he was already calling her Mom so naturally.
“Grandma said you are Dad’s girlfriend, which means you are Dad’s wife, which means you are my mom.”
Ling Wei: …
Why did that sound so familiar? Xie Qingyan had said the exact same thing just now. Truly mother and son, even their tone was identical.
“Then why did you come to join this show?”
“I like it, and Grandma said it is very fun.”
Ling Wei: …
“But it will also be tiring,” Ling Wei said.
The little boy waved his chubby hand boldly. “I am not afraid. I am very good at acting.”
Right after that, he gave Ling Wei a rapid series of exaggerated expressions, like taking ten emoji selfies in a row.
So adorable.
Ling Wei felt that this might actually turn into a very interesting journey.
After the meeting ended, staff escorted Xie Ziyu all the way to the entrance of the television station. Ling Wei followed Li Yi outside as well. The two were speaking quietly when a Rolls Royce slowly pulled up to the entrance.
A tall driver quickly stepped out and ushered the little boy into the car. After closing the door, he did not return to the driver’s seat. Instead, he strode toward Ling Wei.
“Miss Ling, my family’s old madam invites you to our home for dinner tomorrow evening. We hope you will honor us with your presence.”
Ling Wei: …
Was this the prelude to being handed a check?
She immediately recalled that the agreement also included a clause requiring her to accompany the other party to various occasions, including events with relatives and family members.
“All right, I will be there on time. Please convey my thanks to the old madam for the invitation.”
After delivering the message, the driver returned to the car. As it began to move, the rear window slowly rolled down. Ling Wei instinctively glanced inside and saw an exquisitely dressed woman looking at her expressionlessly, while Xie Ziyu happily waved at her.
Ling Wei: …
The old Madam Xie had been in the car all along.
Before she could gather her thoughts, the car quickly drove away from the station entrance.
Li Yi, who had been standing beside her watching, suddenly said, “That must be Madam Xie. She looks formidable.”
More than formidable, she looked exactly like the stereotypical wicked mother in law from a wealthy family. Ling Wei shuddered. She had just recklessly agreed to the invitation on the spot.
Thinking of that, she quickly called Xie Qingyan.
As soon as the call connected, Xie Qingyan said gently, “Baby, what is it? I am already on my way to the station. Wait for me.”
Ling Wei had no energy to react to his syrupy term of endearment. “I just saw your mother. She invited me to your house for dinner tomorrow. Is this going to be a Hongmen banquet that I cannot come back from?”
Xie Qingyan chuckled softly on the other end. “Do not be nervous. It is just dinner. We will go together.”
Knowing he would accompany her the next day, Ling Wei finally regained a bit of security. She let out a breath. “Your mom looks so fierce.”
Xie Qingyan sighed. “She is probably playing the wealthy villainous mother in law role today. My mom has rather special hobbies.”
That sounded like there was a story behind it. Ling Wei thought, Xie Qingyan is a drama king, Xie Ziyu is a little drama king, Madam Xie… could she be an old drama queen?
Xie Qingyan had not arrived yet, and Li Yi left first to handle other matters. Ling Wei leaned against a pillar, bored, scrolling through her phone. Checking Moments had become a new habit.
Then she saw that Xie Qingyan had just updated his Moments.
“New bedding, perfect for my baby. Going home tomorrow to try it out.”
The photo showed an enormous double bed with luxurious European style bedding.
Ling Wei: …
Daddy Xie truly never took the usual path. She was here worrying about whether his mother was setting up a Hongmen banquet, while he was already fantasizing about how to use his big bed.
As if she would try it out with him.