The moment Shen Qingyu liked the official announcement post from Our Little Home, Weibo crashed for forty-three seconds.

Forty-three seconds was not long. It was barely enough time to drink half a cup of water, yet on the internet, forty-three seconds was enough for marketing accounts to prepare three drafts, gossip bloggers to change their headlines twice, fan circles to rise from their graves, anti-fans to gather screenshots, and passersby to refresh until their fingers hurt.

When Weibo finally recovered, the hot searches had already changed shape.

#ShenQingyuLikedTheAnnouncement
#ShenQingyuParentingShow
#ShenQingyuThreeChildren
#WhoIsShenQingyuHusband
#ViciousOmegaReturns
#OurLittleHomeOfficialAnnouncement

The platform became noisy in an instant. At first, most people came because of the school bullying video, but once they arrived, they stayed because of Shen Qingyu.

Five years was long enough for traffic stars to rise and fall twice, for idols to debut, collapse, apologise, and attempt comebacks, and for scandals to become jokes before the jokes themselves turned into nostalgia. Shen Qingyu, however, was different.

He had disappeared too abruptly. Five years ago, he had stood on the Golden Orchid Awards stage as the youngest Omega film emperor in history, yet five days later, he had become a name no director dared to mention.

After that, there had been no clarification press conference, no tearful interview, no comeback attempt, no variety-show appearance, no carefully staged airport photo, no public apology, no angry lawsuit, and no bitter long post. He had simply vanished.

For a while, the internet had enjoyed his silence because a silent target was easy to shape. People could say he was guilty because he did not explain, arrogant because he did not apologise, hiding because he had no defence, or married into wealth because he no longer needed a career.

For five years, Shen Qingyu had been more rumour than person. Now, without warning, that rumour had liked a Weibo post and announced that he was bringing three children onto a parenting variety show.

The internet immediately boiled.

Marketing accounts moved the fastest.

【Entertainment Gossip Frontline V:
Shocking! Former youngest Omega film emperor Shen Qingyu officially joins parenting variety show Our Little Home after school bullying controversy. Is this a genuine family-life reveal or a reputation-washing attempt using children?】

【Melon Field Daily V:
Five years ago, Shen Qingyu left the industry after a character scandal. Five years later, he returns with three children. The timing is very interesting. Yesterday his children were involved in a kindergarten conflict; today the variety show announces him. Coincidence?】

【Old Entertainment Tea House V:
Some people may not remember Shen Qingyu. Let’s review: youngest Omega film emperor, S-level movie breakout, former fiancé Xie Linchuan, cousin Shen Jianing, bullying rumours, agency termination, sudden wealthy marriage. Now he brings children to a parenting show. This plot is richer than a drama.】

【Capital Circle Whisper V:
Rumour says Shen Qingyu’s hidden spouse is connected to the Lu family. If true, this variety show may not be simple.】

【Parenting Watch V:
As a parenting account, we do not focus on old entertainment gossip. After watching the kindergarten video, however, one question matters: what kind of family environment teaches four-year-old children to speak so sharply? We will follow the show.】

The last post received more than twenty thousand comments in an hour. Some agreed, some scolded, some laughed, and some asked why a child requesting evidence was being treated like a moral failure. The replies fought until the comment section could no longer load smoothly.

Meanwhile, in the livestream-preview room, the show had not yet begun, yet viewers had already arrived. The screen showed only a countdown.

Our Little Home — First Stop: Qinghe Village
Livestream begins tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

Beneath the countdown, bullet comments rolled endlessly.

【I’m camping here first. I want to see how fake his family is.】
【Same. I bet the children will be terrified of him.】
【Will his husband appear?】
【Don’t dream. Wealthy old men don’t like showing their faces.】
【What if the husband is ugly?】
【If he were handsome, would Shen Qingyu hide him for five years?】
【Maybe the Lu family doesn’t allow him to appear.】
【I still think he married some old shareholder.】
【Three kids in five years… he really secured the position.】
【This comment section smells disgusting. Children are involved. Can you speak like humans?】
【Oh, his fans are here.】
【Fans? His fans died five years ago.】
【I only remember his river scene. His acting was really good.】
【Acting good doesn’t mean character good.】
【Then character bad needs evidence too, right?】
【The evidence is that everyone said so back then.】
【Everyone saying so is not evidence.】
【Why are people suddenly defending him?】
【Not defending. Waiting to watch.】

As the countdown continued, the number of reservations for the livestream rose from three million to six million, then to eight million.

Director Zhou sat in the production office, staring at the data with a complicated expression. The assistant director beside him swallowed.

“Director Zhou, this popularity…”

Director Zhou took a slow sip of tea, then said, “Whether it becomes fortune or disaster depends on whether Shen Qingyu can hold the camera.”

The assistant director hesitated. “Can he?”

Director Zhou did not answer immediately. He had met many celebrities. Some were beautiful but empty, some were clever but false, and some were good at performing sincerity until the camera turned off.

Shen Qingyu was different.

Director Zhou had only spoken to him once through video call after Fang Yao finalised the agreement. The Omega on the screen had been pale, beautiful, and calm—too calm for someone standing at the centre of a storm.

Director Zhou had carefully explained the format of the show, the filming schedule, the village accommodation, the semi-live rules, the children’s protection clauses, the delay system for emergencies, and the no-malicious-editing agreement. Shen Qingyu had listened quietly throughout.

At the end, Director Zhou asked, “Mr. Shen, do you have any requirements?”

Shen Qingyu said, “Do not use my children’s fear as entertainment.”

Director Zhou paused before he nodded. “Of course.”

Shen Qingyu continued, “Do not ask them leading questions about rumours, my marriage, or the school incident.”

“Yes.”

“If other guests mention it, I will handle it myself.”

Director Zhou had looked at him then, and in that moment, he suddenly remembered The Silent River. He remembered the young Omega standing beside the frozen river, saying calmly, Then from today onward, I will.

Five years had passed, yet Shen Qingyu still had that same quality: cold, restrained, and impossible to ignore.

Director Zhou put down his teacup and said, “He can.”

The assistant director looked at him.

Director Zhou repeated, “He can hold the camera.”

Whether the internet could hold him was another matter.

At the Lu family villa, the person being mocked by the entire internet was still asleep when the first wave of hot searches exploded.

More precisely, he had already been awake once.

At six-thirty in the morning, Xiao Chen had cried because his bottle was three minutes late. At first, the baby’s cry was soft, only a small dissatisfied whimper from the crib, but the sound soon grew louder.

Shen Qingyu opened his eyes almost immediately. Before he could sit up, the man beside him had already moved.

Lu Jingheng got out of bed, picked up the baby with practised ease, and said in a low voice, “I’ll go.”

Shen Qingyu’s voice was still hoarse from sleep. “His bottle—”

“Warmed.”

“Temperature?”

“Checked.”

“Bib?”

“On the chair.”

“Burp cloth?”

“Left side of the cabinet.”

Shen Qingyu’s eyes remained half-closed, and after hearing all the answers, he slowly sank back into the pillow.

“President Lu, your promotion from intern father to regular employee is approved.”

Lu Jingheng stood beside the crib with Xiao Chen in his arms, his expression serious. “Salary?”

Shen Qingyu turned his face into the pillow and laughed softly. “Paid in baby drool.”

Lu Jingheng looked down. Xiao Chen had already placed one small hand on his father’s collar and was drooling very seriously on his expensive sleep shirt.

Lu Jingheng accepted the salary in silence.

When Shen Qingyu woke again, it was eight o’clock. Sunlight fell across the bedroom through sheer curtains, and the air carried the faint scent of cedar, white tea, and warm milk. The other side of the bed was already empty, but the blanket had been tucked carefully around him.

On the bedside table sat a glass of warm water, and beside it was a note.

Breakfast in twenty minutes. Do not read comments before eating.

There was no signature, only that familiar strong handwriting.

Shen Qingyu picked up the note and looked at it for two seconds. Then he reached for his phone.

The moment his finger touched the screen, the bedroom door opened.

Lu Jingheng stood at the door in a dark shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms. His expression remained calm, but his gaze lowered directly to Shen Qingyu’s hand.

Shen Qingyu paused.

Lu Jingheng said, “Breakfast first.”

Shen Qingyu raised a brow. “President Lu, did you install surveillance in our bedroom?”

“No.”

“Then why are you here so accurately?”

Lu Jingheng said, “Prediction.”

“Of what?”

“Your disobedience.”

Shen Qingyu: “…”

He placed the phone back on the bedside table, and Lu Jingheng’s expression eased by a fraction.

Shen Qingyu found it funny and irritating at the same time. He got out of bed, stepped into his slippers, and walked toward him. When he passed by, Lu Jingheng naturally reached out and touched the back of his hand.

Shen Qingyu’s fingers were slightly cold, and Lu Jingheng frowned.

“Wear another layer.”

“It’s not cold.”

“Your hand disagrees.”

“Your son also disagrees with most feeding schedules. Do we listen to him?”

As if summoned by the mention of him, Xiao Chen’s babbling sounded from downstairs.

“Da! Da!”

Shen Qingyu looked toward the stairs, and his expression softened instantly.

Lu Jingheng noticed, then said, “He has been calling you since seven forty.”

“Why didn’t you bring him up?”

“You were asleep.”

“Did he cry?”

“No.”

“Impossible.”

Lu Jingheng was silent for one second before he said, “He negotiated emotionally.”

Shen Qingyu laughed. “Meaning?”

“He stared at the stairs while drinking milk.”

That was indeed Xiao Chen’s style. Soft but persistent, it was baby emotion with strategic endurance.

Shen Qingyu walked downstairs with Lu Jingheng beside him. At the turn of the staircase, Lu Jingheng placed one hand lightly behind his waist. He did not touch heavily; he only guarded, a habit formed during Shen Qingyu’s pregnancies and never fully withdrawn.

Shen Qingyu glanced at him.

Lu Jingheng looked forward as if nothing had happened, and Shen Qingyu did not expose him.

The morning light followed them down the stairs. For a moment, the villa seemed impossibly peaceful. Outside, the internet was waiting for a hated Omega to expose his miserable family. Inside, the hated Omega was being escorted down the stairs by the richest Enigma in the empire because his husband thought his fingers were cold.