Chapter 16
Bubble's grandma already knew about the relationship between the two from the other parents of the cubs, and she smiled and praised, "Your little aunt is so cute, no wonder my Bubble likes to play with her."
He Nianzhu gave a dry laugh.
There weren't many people in the villa. Apart from the young servants, everyone else attending the birthday party was his grandparents.
When it was time to eat, He Nianzhu took off her mask with peace of mind, but as soon as she took it off, she heard a sharp explosion.
Everyone present was startled.
"You...you...you...!" Bubble jumped off her seat. "Demon Lord!"
He Nianzhu turned around stiffly.
"You're the Demon Lord, aren't you? You definitely are!" The little dumpling jumped up, her cheeks flushed.
Xu Yirou was full of questions: "Bubble, what Demon Lord?"
Bubble was incredibly excited: "It's the Demon Lord who flies around in the sky, can use blue magic, and keeps lots of crows! Haven't you seen him?"
This is a fantasy drama that made He Nianzhu a hit last year. He played the male lead, a demon lord who was invincible and could defeat anyone. Because of his mature acting skills, outstanding appearance, and high-quality script, the drama became a hit as soon as it aired and even became popular overseas, setting off a craze for demon lord male leads in the Chinese entertainment industry.
He Nianzhu also won the highly prestigious Best Actor award for his role as the Demon Lord.
But last year, Xu Yirou was bedridden and had no idea that her son had starred in another hit drama or that he had received an award, so she is quite confused right now.
Bubble's mother is rarely home. Because of her mother's job, Bubble often watches TV dramas. When she saw He Nianzhu's face, she was stunned.
Then they recognized He Nianzhu, and even Bubble's grandparents vaguely recognized her.
"Hey young man, you look familiar. Have you acted in any TV dramas?"
He Nianzhu thought that since the elderly people who spend their days playing mahjong with their children don't watch TV dramas, no one would recognize him. However, he was unexpectedly recognized by a little dumpling.
The person's toes were already digging into the floor. He Nianzhu hesitated whether to admit it or not. The mother of the baby next to her said in a loud voice, "My second child has acted in so many movies. He is a big star."
"Yes, yes, he played the Demon Lord!" Bubble confirmed without a doubt.
They weren't ashamed when filming, and they weren't ashamed when holding fan meetings, but they suddenly felt much more ashamed when the little fan was replaced by a toddler.
He Nianzhu forced himself to admit, "My great-aunt is right, I did act in movies, I was a minor actor."
“He’s not a minor actor, he’s a big star!” Xu Yirou quickly sold out her son. “My second son has filmed a lot of commercials, you can often see him on TV, he’s really amazing.”
An old man suddenly realized: "Oh, I think I saw the young man's poster on the street. What's your name again? He... He what?"
He Nianzhu gave an awkward but polite smile and reminded her, "He Nianzhu."
"Oh, right, right," the old man said with a smile, "I never thought we'd get to see a big star in person."
...Well, we probably won't even see the dead.
As soon as she finished speaking, He Nianzhu immediately received starry-eyed looks from a bunch of kids: "Wow, a big star!"
Then came the cubs' barrage of questions: "Big brother, can you really fly? Can you fly and show us?"
"Big brother, crows are so black and ugly! Why do you keep crows instead of dogs? Don't you like dogs?"
Do crows bite? Does a crow bite hurt?
"Big brother, you're so big, how can you squeeze into the TV? Can you teach me?"
He Nianzhu's back was covered in cold sweat: Someone, please save me!
Amidst the noisy atmosphere, a servant's call, "Madam," diverted everyone's attention.
A slender, graceful red figure descended the stairs. It was a woman with pale skin, delicate eyebrows, and lips like painted rouge. Her long, straight black hair, like something out of a comic book, exuded a touch of allure.
The babies went wild! What a beautiful auntie! Is she a fairy?
Bubble was overjoyed and ran to the top of the stairs with her arms outstretched: "Mom, are you feeling better? Can you eat cake with me?"
The woman smiled and effortlessly picked up her daughter, saying, "I feel much better now. I can eat cake with my baby."
"That's great, Mom!" Bubble hugged the woman's neck, her smile radiant.
Amidst the admiring gazes of the crowd, only He Nianzhu's eyes revealed a hint of amusement and inquiry.
Rumors circulated that actress Jiang Yan, a triple threat in the film industry, had taken a three-year hiatus from acting because she was pregnant with her businessman boyfriend's child and went back to have the baby. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be true.
Noticing a peculiar gaze, Jiang Yan, carrying her daughter, slowly descended the stairs. She looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes before returning to her usual composure.
"Teacher Jiang," He Nianzhu greeted her.
Jiang Yan nodded, responding politely but distantly, "Hello."
Guoguo was stunned, biting her finger and saying blankly, "Bubble, your mom is so beautiful, I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."
"Because my mom is a big star too!" Bubble jumped down from Jiang Yan's arms, very proudly. "You must have seen my mom's TV dramas."
Xu Yirou suddenly realized, "So that's why it looked familiar."
"Mom, they are all my good friends, the chubby prince, and by the way, this is chubby's son, he is the Demon Lord, Mom."
Facing the little ones, Jiang Yan's expression softened considerably. She bent down slightly and said gently, "Hello, children, I'm Bubble's mom. Thank you for coming to celebrate Bubble's birthday with me. Please let me know if you need anything."
After finishing their meal, the cubs started noisily dividing the cake.
Maintaining a good physique is a basic requirement for celebrities. He Nianzhu has always avoided high-calorie foods like desserts, as he doesn't like sweets.
He Nianzhu sat on a sofa not far away, fiddling with her phone, bored and ready to start a game.
Xu Yirou turned around and called to him, "Erbao, come and eat some cake, it's super delicious!"
He shook his phone and laughed, "Grandma, I've started the game. You eat more, I won't eat anymore."
After saying that, He Nianzhu lowered her head and focused on the game. Not long after, she was suddenly patted on the shoulder.
He looked down and saw a small, delicate hand, like a lotus root, resting on his shoulder.
"Here." Xu Yirou handed over a piece of cake. "Eat up, it's really delicious. If you don't like it, I'll give you your money."
If a mother, who's usually quite frugal, is willing to spend money on a dish, it must taste pretty good.
The little pink dumpling was already brought to her, so it would be ungrateful to refuse, and He Nianzhu accepted it.
In an instant, a sweet but not cloying, naturally refreshing scent wafted over, which pleased He Nianzhu. He gently scooped out a spoonful and put it in his mouth.
Then, she paused slightly, a hint of surprise appearing in her pale, glassy eyes, and her gaze involuntarily turned to Jiang Yan.
Xu Yirou's two little braids bounced: "How is it? I didn't lie to you, did I? Isn't it delicious?"
He Nianzhu gave a thumbs up: "Delicious, thank you, my dear aunt."
"You're welcome," Xu Yirou replied sweetly. "The cake was made by Bubble Mom, you should thank Bubble Mom."
He Nianzhu's lips curled slightly: "Yes, that's right, I should thank them properly."
He immediately got up and walked towards Jiang Yan's direction.
"Teacher Jiang's cake was unexpectedly delicious. Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Jiang."
Jiang Yan's attitude was not exactly warm: "No need to thank me. Today is my daughter Paopao's birthday, so it's only right to make her a birthday cake."
He Nianzhu has been in the industry for three years, but this is the first time he has met her. Jiang Yan took a break from acting two years ago and only suddenly returned this year.
Jiang Yan is ten years older than him. Contrary to her cold and fiery appearance, she comes from a martial arts background and started her career as a martial arts instructor in the entertainment industry, gradually becoming the youngest action queen in the Chinese entertainment industry.
He Nianzhu had seen many of her works before entering the industry, and she was one of the few seniors he admired.
He Nianzhu said with some respect, "Teacher Jiang, I would like to collaborate with you if there is an opportunity. I hope you won't mind."
You're too kind.
"Xiao He," the woman's voice was as cold as jade, "I hope you will keep today's events a secret."
“Of course.” He Nianzhu smiled faintly. “Please keep this a secret for me, Teacher Jiang.”
The two were some distance apart, and although they didn't say it outright, they both understood each other implicitly.
Seeing her son return, Xu Yirou rushed to his side, rubbing her hands together and whispering in his ear, "Erbao, what did you two talk about?"
"Thank you for the cake."
"And then? Is there anything else?"
"Praise her cake for being delicious."
"Oh, and then what?"
"That's all." He Nianzhu said, somewhat puzzled. "Mom, is there something you want to say?"
The little glutton Xu Yirou lowered her eyes in disappointment: "I thought you had learned how to make cakes..."
He Nianzhu paused for a moment, then subconsciously said, "Don't we have a pastry chef at home?"
Those are all Michelin-starred chefs with six-figure monthly salaries, so why would they be afraid of not being able to make good cakes?
Xu Yirou licked her lips: "But the cake that Bubble Mom made is the best cake I've ever eaten."
The cubs have the pickiest palates; they can crave something they really like for a long time.
He Nianzhu agreed with this point, wondering how the other person made their cake, as the cream was whipped exceptionally light and refreshing.
This cream fanatic can eat a whole cake without feeling overwhelmed. The cake base under the cream is baked fluffy and soft, melting in your mouth like a marshmallow. You absolutely need some skill to make such a delicious cake.
Seeing that her mother really liked it, He Nianzhu naturally tried to find a way to satisfy her, and turned around to shamelessly ask Jiang Yan for a recipe.
She was nowhere to be found in the living room.
He Nianzhu didn't tell anyone about Jiang Yan's secret marriage and child after she returned home, not even Xu Yirou. She only knew that her good friend's mother was a big star, just like her son.
*
After Xu Yirou shrinks, she does only three things every day: eat, sleep, and play. It's a simple and unpretentious life that many adults dream of.
Xu Qingyan and Xu Niancheng would video call He Nianzhu every day. Even if they didn't say anything, they were content just to see their cub's mother.
He Nianzhu's resilience and tolerance have also been honed through the daily routine of taking care of the child.
He's become so unfazed by Xu Yirou applying bright red lipstick and magenta nail polish to him.
But gradually, the thick-skinned He Nianzhu sensed something was wrong; her mother seemed to be watching too much TV every day.
I remember when the three siblings were young, they could only watch TV for a maximum of two hours a day. The rest of the time they were either doing homework, attending extracurricular classes, or doing outdoor activities.
But her mother, Xu Yirou, was different. When she wasn't going out to play, she could lie on the sofa with her little feet up and watch TV all day.
That won't do; it'll make your eyesight worse.
That evening, He Nianzhu called Xu Qingyan and Xu Niancheng in a group chat to discuss how to take good care of their mother and help her grow up healthy and strong.
The three siblings immediately agreed to implement the same childhood development plan they had implemented for their mother: she could only watch TV for a maximum of two hours a day, and the rest of the time would be devoted to developing her moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and practical skills.
The next day, He Nianzhu took the prepared daily schedule, pondered for a while, and then discussed it with Xu Yirou in a soft voice.
"Mom, we're doing this for your own good. What do you think? Do you agree?"
Xu Yirou scratched the soles of her feet, glancing up every now and then, making He Nianzhu extremely uneasy. He frantically racked his brains, trying to figure out how to coax his mother if she disagreed.
"OK."
The two words, spoken lightly, left He Nianzhu momentarily speechless: "...You agree?"
"Okay, I agree."
He Nianzhu carefully observed Xu Yirou's expression and breathed a sigh of relief when he found that she showed no signs of unhappiness.
"That's great!" he exclaimed, clenching his fist in gratitude. "My older brother was right. Mom is a sensible and easy-to-please little one!"
Even though my mother has shrunk, she is still so understanding and considerate.
But when it came to actually doing it, it gave He Nianzhu a huge setback.
"Mom, our time is almost up for today. We have ten more minutes before we have to turn off the TV."
"I won't listen!"
"Mom, time's up, the TV is going to turn off automatically."
Modern electronic devices have a children's mode, so He Nianzhu only needs to set the shutdown time in advance.
Sure enough, the once vibrant screen was suddenly paused after a pop-up appeared.
Xu Yirou, who was engrossed in watching, cried out, "...Waaaaah!"
Damn it, her Bald Qiang, her Xiong Da and Xiong Er!
"I want to see more! I want to see more!"
Xu Yirou rolled around on the sofa, acting spoiled, completely unlike the obedient and easy-going girl she was the day before.
"Waaaaah, you bully me when Da Bao and Xiao Bao aren't around! You're so mean!"
“Mom, setting a time limit for you was a decision made by all three of us, not something I decided to do unilaterally.”
Feeling helpless, He Nianzhu, now the scapegoat, tried to reason with Xu Yirou, "You watch TV day and night, it'll ruin your eyes. When we were kids, didn't you set time limits for us too?"
It would have been better if she hadn't mentioned it, because once she did, Xu Yirou's tears flowed even more profusely.
"Waaaaah, I get it! The three of you are ganging up on me to get revenge, aren't you?" Xu Yirou babbled on and on. "I raised you all with such care and hardship, and you treat me so badly, you won't even let me watch TV!"
She pouted, tears glistening in her dark eyes, looking utterly pitiful.
A baby cries can be quite powerful, especially if that baby is its mother; you can't hit or scold it, you can only soothe it.
He Nianzhu was at a loss and had a terrible headache. What should she do? This was completely different from the loving mother and filial son she had imagined.
"Mom, calm down, calm down."
He tried to coax her dryly, but suddenly his phone slipped out of his pocket. He fixed his gaze on it and quickly picked it up.
He gave a cold laugh, his eyes suddenly hardening. Ha, they're all his mother's children; he can't be the only one to bear the blame for being unfilial.
Good brothers share joys and sorrows; it's not too much to ask, is it?
He ground his back teeth and initiated a group chat request: Come on, let's get scolded together!
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