His son Zhao Xiaoshi was energetic, loud, and fearless. He ran into the courtyard with a small dinosaur backpack and immediately stopped in front of Xiao Heng.

“Do you like dinosaurs?”

Xiao Heng looked at him. “No.”

Zhao Xiaoshi froze.

Xiao Nian stepped forward with a smile. “I like them.”

Zhao Xiaoshi instantly turned to him. “Which one?”

Xiao Nian said, “The one that wins.”

Zhao Xiaoshi’s eyes widened. “That’s not a type.”

“It is a standard.”

Zhao Xiaoshi stared at him for three seconds, then said, “You’re weird.”

Xiao Nian smiled. “Thank you.”

Zhao Kai laughed so hard he nearly dropped his luggage.

Shen Qingyu glanced at Xiao Nian, while Xiao Nian looked back with pure innocence.

The third family arrived after them: veteran actor He Yunting with his seven-year-old niece, An’an. He Yunting was an Alpha actor in his forties, respected in the industry and known for being steady. He had no children of his own, but his sister was a doctor and had entrusted her daughter to him for the show.

He greeted everyone politely. When his gaze fell on Shen Qingyu, it paused for a brief moment, not with hostility but with recognition.

He had been one of the senior actors who presented awards at the Golden Orchid ceremony five years ago.

“Teacher Shen,” He Yunting said.

Shen Qingyu nodded. “Teacher He.”

The greeting was brief, but the livestream immediately noticed.

【Another Teacher Shen.】
【Why are all the seniors so polite to him?】
【Because he has status as Best Actor. The internet scolding him doesn’t erase the award.】
【He disappeared for five years. What status?】
【Professional circles may know more than we do.】
【Or they’re just polite on camera.】
【He Yunting doesn’t fake politeness to people he dislikes. He’s famous for being direct.】

The courtyard gradually became lively. Children looked at one another, adults exchanged greetings, and staff moved around checking microphones.

Shen Qingyu stood slightly away from the centre with Xiao Chen in his arms and the twins close by. He did not avoid people, but he did not take the initiative to occupy attention either.

This was not what many viewers had expected. They had imagined arrogance, a cold-faced Omega demanding special treatment, and a difficult celebrity parent whose children would be spoiled and unruly.

Instead, Shen Qingyu greeted people politely, answered when spoken to, and kept his focus mostly on the children. He was distant, yes, but not rude.

At least, not yet.

The comment section was unwilling to admit disappointment, so it simply waited harder.

【Don’t worry, Shen Jianing hasn’t arrived yet.】
【Yes, wait until the old acquaintances meet. That will be interesting.】
【I heard Shen Jianing is on this show too. Is that true?】
【Official hasn’t announced all guests yet, but melon accounts said yes.】
【If Shen Jianing comes, Shen Qingyu’s real face will appear.】
【Exactly. He can pretend in front of strangers, but not in front of the person he bullied.】
【Still no evidence of bullying though.】
【Why are you everywhere asking for evidence?】
【Because accusations usually need it.】
【Stop washing.】

The debate lasted less than one minute before a black commercial vehicle stopped outside the courtyard.

The next guest had arrived.

Before the door opened, Shen Qingyu already knew who it was. It was not because of any mysterious intuition, but because the atmosphere around the staff changed.

Several camera operators subtly adjusted their angles. The assistant director near the monitor straightened. Fang Yao’s expression cooled. Director Zhou lifted his teacup but did not drink.

In the livestream comments, the scrolling speed doubled.

【He’s here!】
【Is it Shen Jianing?】
【It must be!】
【Finally, the real drama.】
【I want to see Shen Qingyu’s expression.】
【Shen Jianing, run!】
【Why run? There are cameras everywhere. Shen Qingyu wouldn’t dare do anything.】
【That’s why it’s interesting.】

The car door opened, and a young man stepped out.

Shen Jianing was twenty-five now. Compared with five years ago, he had become more polished. His features were gentle rather than striking, his skin was fair, and his eyes lowered slightly when he smiled. He wore a pale blue sweater and white trousers, soft colours that made him look clean and harmless beneath the afternoon light.

Beside him, a little boy about five years old climbed out of the car. The child was Shen Jianing’s eldest brother’s son, Shen Zhaozhao.

He was round-faced, well-dressed, and clearly used to being taken care of. He held Shen Jianing’s hand tightly and looked around nervously.

Shen Jianing bent slightly and said something to him in a soft voice.

The camera caught the scene perfectly.

A gentle uncle, a nervous child, and warm sunlight.

The bullet comments immediately softened.

【Jianing is still so gentle.】
【He looks nervous. Poor thing. He probably didn’t expect to meet Shen Qingyu again like this.】
【He even brought his nephew. So warm.】
【Compared with Shen Qingyu’s cold face, this is what an Omega temperament should be like.】
【Is Shen Jianing an Omega? I thought he was Beta-presenting?】
【Doesn’t matter. His temperament is really soft.】
【Shen Qingyu is looking at him. I’m nervous.】

At the courtyard entrance, Shen Jianing raised his eyes, and his gaze found Shen Qingyu almost instantly.

For a very brief moment, his expression froze. It was too quick for most people to catch, but Shen Qingyu saw it.

Xiao Heng saw it too.

Xiao Nian also saw it.

Shen Jianing recovered almost immediately. His eyes reddened slightly, not enough to look like crying, only enough to appear emotionally moved. He held Shen Zhaozhao’s hand and walked forward.

“Qingyu.”

His voice was soft, a little hesitant, a little warm, and a little full of old affection that had never truly existed.

“It’s been a long time.”

The courtyard quieted subtly, and the other guests instinctively sensed the tension. Jiang Meng glanced between them, Zhao Kai’s smile froze, and He Yunting lowered his eyes as he adjusted An’an’s backpack strap, as if he had seen nothing.

The cameras moved closer.

Shen Qingyu stood beneath the tree with Xiao Chen in his arms. The baby had fully woken now. He looked at Shen Jianing, then turned his face away and leaned against Shen Qingyu’s shoulder.

Shen Qingyu’s expression did not change. He nodded politely.

“Teacher Shen.”

Two words, and the courtyard became even quieter.

Shen Jianing’s smile almost failed.

Teacher Shen.

Not Fifth Cousin. Not Jianing-ge. Not even Shen Jianing.

It was a polite professional title between colleagues. The distance was clean enough that no one could accuse Shen Qingyu of being rude, but cold enough to erase all the emotional meaning Shen Jianing had tried to create.

The livestream comments froze for half a second before exploding.

【Teacher Shen???】
【That’s so distant.】
【Is Shen Qingyu pretending they’re not family?】
【But didn’t they sever ties years ago?】
【Where did you hear that?】
【Not confirmed, but they haven’t interacted in five years.】
【Shen Jianing called him Qingyu so naturally. Shen Qingyu calling him Teacher Shen feels harsh.】
【Harsh? It’s a work setting. They’re both guests.】
【Why do I feel like Shen Jianing wanted a more intimate response?】
【You’re overthinking.】

Shen Jianing lowered his eyes, and his voice became softer.

“You don’t need to call me that. We grew up together, after all.”

There it was: the first thread, thin, gentle, and almost invisible.

If Shen Qingyu refused, he would look cold. If he accepted, Shen Jianing would immediately establish the image of old closeness and unresolved misunderstanding. If he said anything sharp, Shen Jianing could lower his head and let the entire internet remember the old rumours.

Five years ago, perhaps Shen Qingyu would have smiled coldly and asked whether Shen Jianing deserved closeness. At sixteen, he might have directly pierced the sentence. At eighteen, he might have walked away.

At twenty-three, Shen Qingyu only adjusted Xiao Chen’s small hat.

Then he said calmly, “We are recording. It is more appropriate to use professional titles.”

There was no accusation, no emotion, and no anger. It was a perfectly reasonable answer.

Shen Jianing paused.

He had prepared for Shen Qingyu’s coldness, sarcasm, and distance. He had not prepared for Shen Qingyu to sound so correct.

Jiang Meng immediately laughed to smooth the atmosphere. “That’s true. We’re all Teacher this, Teacher that on variety shows. I even call my daughter Teacher Tangtang when she refuses to eat vegetables.”

Tangtang, who had been secretly listening, protested, “Mom!”

The courtyard atmosphere loosened slightly.

Zhao Kai quickly followed, “Then my son is Teacher Dinosaur. He only respects prehistoric authority.”

Zhao Xiaoshi raised his dinosaur backpack. “Correct!”

The moment passed, and Shen Jianing had no choice but to smile.

“You’re right. I was too used to the past.”

The words were soft, but the hook inside them was still there.

Too used to the past.

What past?

A close past? A painful past? A past where Shen Qingyu had bullied him?

The viewers could imagine as they pleased.

Shen Qingyu looked at him, then smiled faintly.

“If you are not used to the current filming environment, the staff can explain it again.”

The courtyard went silent for the third time.

Jiang Meng lowered her head and coughed. Zhao Kai looked at the sky. He Yunting’s lips moved slightly, but he held back his smile.

Shen Jianing’s expression stiffened for half a second before he laughed softly.

“No need. I understand.”

Shen Qingyu nodded. “Good.”

Xiao Nian looked up at Shen Qingyu with admiration hidden in his eyes. Xiao Heng’s expression remained indifferent, but he quietly said, “Efficient boundary setting.”

Xiao Nian nodded. “Polite but painful.”

Xiao Heng corrected him. “Polite and precise.”

Xiao Nian smiled. “Precision can be painful.”

The twins’ voices were not loud, but their microphones were working.

The livestream comments instantly went wild.

【Hahahahahaha polite but painful!】
【These children are too much.】
【Xiao Heng: efficient boundary setting. I’m dying.】
【Xiao Nian is definitely Shen Qingyu’s child. That smile is dangerous.】
【Wait, why do I feel Shen Qingyu didn’t do anything wrong just now?】
【He was obviously being cold.】
【But Shen Jianing kept trying to pull private relationship into a work setting. Shen Qingyu just kept it professional.】
【Professional? He embarrassed Jianing.】
【How? By calling him Teacher Shen?】
【This is confusing. I expected him to snap.】
【Same. Why is Shen Jianing the one making me uncomfortable?】

The shift was tiny, barely a crack, but cracks were how walls began to fail.

Shen Jianing did not try again immediately. He had always been patient.

Instead, he introduced the child beside him. “This is my nephew, Zhaozhao. His parents are busy, so I brought him to experience the show.”