Chapter 14
As the top idol in the Chinese entertainment industry, He Nianzhu has fresh and outrageous photos every day. His stunning looks and incredible body proportions allow him to easily pull off exaggerated styles that others can't.
However, on the third day after returning home to take care of his young mother, he suffered a professional Waterloo.
The top idol with millions of fans had pink hair clips and beads all over his head, and wore a pearl necklace that exuded a girlish vibe on his swan-like neck, which fans praised.
"...Mom, do we really have to wear nail polish?"
"Of course! A princess should be beautiful from head to toe!"
“I understand that, but—” He Nianzhu stared at the brightly colored fingernails with a pained expression, closing her eyes in anguish, “Does it have to be a different color for every finger?”
He tolerated the nail polish, and he tolerated that each finger was different, but!
Why do these nail polishes contain gold powder?
Have nail polishes gotten this fancy and over-the-top? These manufacturers are really ripping people off!
He Nianzhu couldn't bear to look at her own blindingly bright fingernails; it hurt, it hurt so much.
After applying the nail polish, Xu Yirou started fussing over her son's hair. He Nianzhu had a pretty boy look, with hair that was longer than most men's, making it easy to tie up.
The baby has a strong imagination and ability to act. Although the baby's short, chubby hands can't tie their own hair well, they can skillfully tie up their son's hair in one go.
Xu Yirou dressed up in a very professional manner, standing behind He Nianzhu like a little Tony, humming a little tune leisurely, her soft cheeks trembling with joy.
The cub's joy was infectious, and a soft smile appeared on He Nianzhu's otherwise lifeless face.
"Mom, what song are you singing?"
"Little donkey, how is it? Does it sound good?"
He Nianzhu, who hadn't actually noticed anything, exclaimed, "So beautiful! Mom, your voice is so lovely, it's like it's been kissed by an angel! It's amazing!"
The mother cub, with her sweet, soft dimples, proudly puffed out her little belly: "Thank you, I'm great."
"I even participated in a singing competition at kindergarten, and I had the most little red flowers in my class!"
As she said this, the little tuft of hair on her head swayed proudly.
He Nianzhu was hearing about her mother's childhood experiences for the first time, and couldn't help but crane her neck to ask more questions out of curiosity: "What prize did Mom win? Do you still have the certificate?"
One sentence silenced the talkative little one.
Xu Yirou kept her mouth tightly closed, her eyes darting around, looking at the sky and the ground but refusing to look at him.
She didn't want to tell her son that singing competitions and getting a little red flower were two different things; she was just a cannon fodder to make up the numbers, cough cough, the kind who didn't even get a consolation prize...
He Nianzhu understood instantly and chuckled softly.
Xu Yirou blushed and hurriedly went around to patch up her face: "That was a long, long time ago, how could I possibly remember? How dare you laugh at me!"
He Nianzhu wore the same little bun as his mother, with two bright red cherries hanging next to it, making him look very cute.
"Mom, my artistic talent must have come from you. Thank you for giving birth to me so well, so that I can be who I am today."
He Nianzhu's little mouth was sweet as honey, and sure enough, Xu Yirou, who was angry just a second ago, turned back into a sweet little girl the next second.
"Okay, don't be so polite."
Looking at her mother, who had fair skin and black hair and looked as exquisite and beautiful as a New Year's painting doll, He Nianzhu couldn't help but have an idea pop into her mind: why not help her mother debut as a celebrity?
Anyway, his mother is so lively and lovely, and she likes to travel around. Being a child star means he can stay by her side and take care of her all the time, so it's like taking his mother out to play.
However, as soon as this thought came to mind, the serious and cold face of his elder brother, Xu Qingyan, also appeared.
He Nianzhu felt a chill run down her spine.
—Forget it, my older brother will definitely break his legs.
Xu Yirou spent the entire afternoon meticulously transforming her son into a beautiful princess. It was the first time He Nianzhu, who had been in the entertainment industry for over three years, had ever seen herself dressed up so extravagantly.
Let alone fans, even his manager, Brother Wen, might not recognize him.
I thought it would be over after I tied my hair into a little bun, but I didn't expect that this was just the beginning.
The bottles and jars in her mother's small suitcase were a mixed bag; He Nianzhu didn't even recognize them as children's cosmetics.
Everything from foundation to lipstick is available.
Addicted to dressing up, Xu Yirou kept dressing up her son, applying blue eyeshadow to her eyelids, thick and dark nose contouring, two bright red blushes on her fair face, and even her lips, which were praised by fans as the rose of the world, were painted into goldfish lips.
He Nianzhu stared blankly at her reflection in the glass window: ...
I was on the verge of tears. If I had known it would turn into a brightly colored rooster, I would have preferred to take my mother out instead.
The mother of the baby muttered to herself, "Second baby, you're too fat to fit into the princess's dress."
His tone was full of regret.
Is he fat? ?
He Nianzhu wanted to call the police!
Even if he folded his body in half, he still couldn't fit into a children's princess dress!
He Nianzhu collapsed onto the sofa, utterly dejected, when his phone popped up with a video call request from his brother, Xu Qingyan. He immediately answered, choking back tears.
Xu Qingyan was caught off guard when a large, painted face suddenly appeared in his line of sight. His eyebrows shot up, and his phone nearly flew out of his hand.
"elder brother!"
"...What is this?"
“Brother.” He Nianzhu wiped his face, his words earnest and sincere: “So this is how you play with Mom when we’re not home. Brother, you’re really amazing.”
Still shaken, Xu Qingyan frowned as she looked at him, then her eyes revealed admiration as she asked slowly, "Is this your mother's doing?"
While her mother was in the bathroom, He Nianzhu poured out her grievances: "Mom insisted on playing a princess game with me, and she didn't even spare a single finger. She also complained that I was too fat to fit into her dress... Brother, does Mom usually complain that you're fat?"
"No, not at all." Xu Qingyan coughed lightly, covering his lips with his fist to hide the upturned corners of his mouth, and said calmly, "Since Mom likes it, you should play with her and not complain."
"Oh, I knew it! Mom is definitely biased!"
Xu Qingyan hung up the phone in a good mood, unaware of what her silly younger brother had imagined about him getting jealous.
I was originally planning to work overtime for a while, but my mind wandered back home.
Xu Qingyan glanced at the time, stopped hesitating, and neatly got up to shut down the computer.
Xu Qingyan returned early, and He Nianzhu handed her mother over to him with peace of mind, then rushed back to her bedroom to remove her makeup.
In front of the black dressing table, the boy grimaced as he removed all the hair clips and rubber bands, carefully placing them away so he could return them to his mother later.
Then she frantically pulled out makeup remover wipes to wipe off her makeup, ignoring the calls from her manager, Brother Wen.
"Tsk, the young master is so happy at home that he doesn't even answer the phone anymore," Wen Ge muttered dejectedly.
drop--
The video call unexpectedly went through.
Wen Ge instantly became solicitous: "Nianzhu, are you busy right now? Is it convenient for us to talk?"
"Speak."
"Here's the thing, the director of the Lemon TV program 'Our Trip' just contacted me and asked if I had the time and if I would like to participate in the program."
Lemon TV is the highest-rated satellite TV channel in the Chinese entertainment industry. Many hit variety shows come from it. It is a lifeline for fading artists and the icing on the cake for popular artists.
Many hastily-lived celebrities have experienced a meteoric rise to fame after appearing on Lemon TV programs, returning to the public eye and reaching stardom comparable to A-list celebrities – a remarkable revival.
But this doesn't matter to He Nianzhu; he's already famous enough.
Brother Wen didn't really have high hopes, but out of a sense of responsibility, he still advised, "You've been in the industry for over three years and haven't participated in a reality show yet. This is a great opportunity, and there's a lot of demand from your fans. You can consider it."
He Nianzhu casually leaned back, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who do you think I can take on a trip?"
"I remember you have a younger sister?" Brother Wen hesitated for a moment, then his eyes gradually lit up. "A brother-sister trip is also very interesting. Last season, a has-been singer made a comeback with his brother-sister duo and is now a top star."
The more I thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
He Nianzhu chuckled. What's the difference between bringing that crazy girl Xu Niancheng to the show and carrying a landmine around?
He still wants to have a long-term career in the entertainment industry.
"No, I won't bring it."
"Then... bring your brother?"
He Nianzhu grinned: "Do you think our busy CEO Xu has the leisure to participate in variety shows?"
Wen Ge, caught off guard by his profession, couldn't help but shudder.
"If all else fails, you can bring kids," Wen Ge casually remarked to ease the awkwardness. "There were kids on the show last season."
He Nianzhu didn't even finish listening before waving his hand to interrupt, his legs still clinging to the world.
On the other end, Brother Wen seemed to have seen something incredible. He suddenly rubbed his eyes hard twice and brought his whole face close to the object.
"I'm not seeing things, Nianzhu, what's wrong with your nails?"
In just three days, has this young master's taste deteriorated to this extent?
My goodness, that gold and pink color is so wild and flashy! And it seems like every finger is a different color!
Wait, this young master wouldn't be—
transvestite?!
Brother Wen was deeply shocked by his own guess, and his eyes showed obvious panic as he stared at the boy.
He Nianzhu's brow twitched violently, her eyes narrowed sharply, and her tone was dangerous: "What are you thinking?"
With an extremely strong survival instinct, Wen Ge shook his head frantically: "I don't know anything, I didn't see anything."
Click, the call ended.
He Nianzhu: "..."
Something just doesn't feel right.
*
He Nianzhu finally understood how terrifying it was to take care of a child alone. In the following days, he became smart and stopped staying at home. Instead, he put on sunglasses and a mask and took his mother to other neighborhoods to play with other children.
Most of the people accompanying the children out to play in the neighborhood are the children's grandparents or nannies.
As the youngest member of the parenting army, He Nianzhu stands out like a giant light bulb.
I had only been there for five minutes when some talkative middle-aged women came up to chat with me.
"Hey young man, you're not from our neighborhood, are you? I don't think I've seen you before."
He Nianzhu certainly wouldn't mention that his family owns properties all over the country, including the neighborhood where they are currently living.
"I just moved here."
"Oh, no wonder. Which building do you live in?"
He Nianzhu pointed to a building with an aloof air, trying to ward off the old lady's enthusiasm with his indifference.
To everyone's surprise, the woman became even more enthusiastic: "What a coincidence! We live in that building too! Which floor are you on?"
He Nianzhu turned her back silently, took out her phone, and pretended to answer a call.
Seeing this, the older woman wisely walked away.
He Nianzhu secretly decided that next time he went out, he would definitely wear headphones the whole time. As an i-person, he just wanted to be a quiet background figure.
However, he underestimated the women's strong curiosity. As soon as he put down his phone, one of the women leaned over with a smile, and He Nianzhu's temple twitched.
"Young man, is that girl your daughter? She's really pretty."
"no."
"Oh my, I guessed it. You look so young, you don't look married. Is that your sister?"
This really stumped He Nianzhu. He couldn't honestly tell outsiders that the two were mother and son. No one would believe him, and he might even be mistaken for a child trafficker.
"Erbao! I'm so thirsty!"
The clear, childlike voice in his ear lifted his spirits: "They're here!"
As he lifted his foot, a sudden inspiration struck him. He turned back and smiled slightly: "She is my great-aunt."
The older woman: "..." Huh?
Xu Yirou loves shoveling sand and plays in it. Every day, she carries her little bucket and shovel and plays in the sand with the children she knows.
Several children were having a great time playing in the sandpit. Xu Yirou tilted her head back and gulped down a big mouthful of water, then wiped her mouth with a bold gesture.
"Meatball, what are we going to play today?"
Xu Yirou's playmates are all four or five-year-old toddlers, some of whom can't speak fluently yet, and Rou Rou and Rou Rou are indistinguishable.
After several unsuccessful attempts to correct her, Xu Yirou gave up. The name wasn't important; what mattered was that she had a friend!
"Let's play a hospital game today. Guoguo will be the doctor, Paopao will be the nurse, and I'll be the hospital director."
"What about me? What about me?" A chubby little boy rushed up.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Xu Yirou's eyes sparkled: "The prince will be a puppy."
"Ah!" The chubby boy named Prince widened his eyes and immediately refused, puffing out his cheeks. "I don't want to be a dog!"
Why?
Xu Yirou asked, bewildered, "Prince, don't you like dogs? But you have two dogs at home."
"Of course I like it!"
His dogs, "Imperial Concubine" and "Chief Steward," are dogs he's watched grow up; how could he not like them?
"Then why don't you want to be a dog?"
Who in their right mind would want to be a dog? The more anxious the little prince got, the more he stammered: "Because...because dogs aren't allowed in hospitals."
"That's right! Last time I was sick and went to the hospital, my 'Princess' didn't go. Dad said dogs can't go to the hospital!"
Xu Yirou scratched her head: "But we're playing at a pet hospital, and there are dogs in a pet hospital."
"Ah, a pet hospital!" All the children stared in amazement.
The thing these little ones fear most is going to the hospital. Each of them has a sad memory of going to the hospital. Apart from watching cartoons, none of them have ever been to a pet hospital.
"Wow, that's so cool! Let's play a pet hospital game!"
A gasp of surprise rippled through the group of cubs. Guoguo, the youngest only three and a half years old, opened her large, inquisitive eyes and asked:
"Are pet hospitals places that only give injections to dogs, and not to babies?"
Hsu Yi-jou: "Yes, it's not just dogs."
"And cats, turtles, lizards, snakes, mice, elephants..."
She lowered her head and counted on her fingers one by one.
Unexpectedly, the children's faces grew paler and paler as they listened, and the cutest little Guoguo even had tears welling up in her eyes.
"Waaaaah, the rats bite and steal food, and they're black and ugly! I don't want to play this game anymore!"
"Exactly! Lizards have wrinkled skin, and they're even uglier than my grandpa!"
Seeing that the innocent and adorable cubs were about to be frightened to tears by their mother, He Nianzhu's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't even comfort one cub, let alone three.
He Nianzhu, feeling a chill run down his spine, took a deep breath. It's okay, he can do it!
The scene shifts, and Xu Yirou pats Guoguo's shoulder, saying confidently, "Guoguo, don't be afraid, the mouse won't bite you."
Although Guoguo was scared, she still asked in a childish voice with tears in her eyes, "Why...why?"
“Because you’re a doctor, and doctors give injections!” Xu Yirou argued logically. “Adults are afraid of injections, and they cry when they get them, let alone mice.”
Guoguo was stunned for a moment, and after a while, she was actually convinced by her twisted logic.
"Rou Rou, you're right, you're so smart!" Guo Guo was no longer scared, her eyes sparkling with admiration for Xu Yi Rou.
The cubs' attention was easily diverted, and the slightly older Bubble asked suspiciously, "Meatball, my mom said that when I grow up I won't be afraid of needles because adults aren't afraid of needles. Have you ever really seen an adult cry when they get a needle?"
Xu Yirou pointed with her chubby little hand: "Look, that's him."
He Nianzhu, betrayed by the cub's mother: ...
No, he's just afraid of needles, that's why he didn't cry from the beating!
Unable to defend himself, he could only give the cubs an awkward smile, which immediately earned him a group of cubs' shocked yet sympathetic gazes.
"He's a cowardly adult."
Bubble: "This brother is so tall, and he's as brave as me!"
The prince laughed heartily: "Great! My mom can't call me a crybaby anymore, because adults cry when they get shots too!"
He Nianzhu shed a tear of bitterness and silently looked away.
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