Shen Zhaozhao hid slightly behind Shen Jianing’s leg, while his eyes moved curiously toward the twins.

Shen Jianing touched his head. “Zhaozhao, say hello to everyone.”

Shen Zhaozhao mumbled, “Hello.”

Xiao Nian smiled at him. “Hello.”

Xiao Heng nodded.

Tangtang waved enthusiastically.

Zhao Xiaoshi immediately asked, “Do you like dinosaurs?”

Shen Zhaozhao looked overwhelmed, so Shen Jianing quickly said, “Zhaozhao is a little shy. Please take care of him.”

The sentence sounded normal, but Xiao Heng looked at him.

Xiao Nian also looked.

Shen Qingyu noticed both, but did not stop them.

Xiao Heng said calmly, “Taking care should be done by his guardian.”

The courtyard quieted again.

Shen Jianing paused.

Xiao Heng continued, “We can be friendly, but responsibility belongs to the adult who brought him.”

Zhao Kai nearly choked. Jiang Meng turned her face away. He Yunting calmly patted An’an’s shoulder, although his eyes carried clear amusement.

Shen Jianing smiled gently. “Of course. I only meant I hope everyone can play together happily.”

Xiao Nian tilted his head. “Then why didn’t you say play together happily?”

His voice was soft, his face was innocent, and he looked like a perfect four-year-old asking a simple question.

Shen Jianing’s fingers tightened slightly on Shen Zhaozhao’s shoulder.

The pause was very brief, but the camera captured it.

Shen Jianing smiled again. “You’re right. I didn’t express it clearly.”

Xiao Nian nodded. “It’s okay. Adults sometimes say complicated things when they want simple things.”

Xiao Heng added, “Or when they want more than one thing.”

Shen Jianing’s smile almost cracked.

Shen Qingyu lowered his eyes and adjusted Xiao Chen’s sleeve, as if he had not heard anything. However, the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

The livestream comment section became chaotic.

【Xiao Heng, what are you implying?】
【Or when they want more than one thing hahaha.】
【Children are children. Don’t overinterpret.】
【But Shen Jianing did say “take care of him” in a way that put responsibility on everyone.】
【That’s normal politeness!】
【Is it? Maybe I’ve watched too many variety shows, but it sounded like setting up a pit. If something happens later, others didn’t take care of Zhaozhao.】
【The twins are scary.】
【No, they’re just logical.】
【Why does Shen Qingyu’s family speak like a legal team?】
【Because their other father is probably rich and terrifying.】
【Still waiting for the husband reveal.】

Shen Jianing sensed that the rhythm was slipping.

This was not right.

It should not be like this.

In the past, when he spoke gently, others naturally filled in the softness around him. If he looked embarrassed, someone would comfort him. If Shen Qingyu answered too coldly, the contrast would make Shen Qingyu look unreasonable.

Now, Shen Qingyu was not answering coldly. He was answering correctly.

Worse still, the children were not behaving like ordinary children. They were not crying, clinging fearfully, or acting arrogant in any simple way that could be attacked. Instead, they listened, observed, and spoke with the kind of logic that made adults unable to refute them without looking foolish.

Shen Jianing lowered his eyes slightly, and when he raised them again, his expression had become gentle once more.

“Qingyu,” he said softly, as if he had forgotten the earlier professional-title boundary, “your children are very smart.”

Shen Qingyu looked at him.

This time, he did not correct the address immediately. He only said, “Thank you.”

Shen Jianing smiled. “They really resemble you.”

It was a compliment on the surface, but anyone familiar with the old rumours could hear the second layer.

They resembled Shen Qingyu.

Sharp. Unforgiving. Difficult.

Shen Qingyu had not spoken yet when Xiao Nian suddenly smiled.

“Uncle Shen, which part resembles Dad?”

The question was bright and curious.

Shen Jianing looked down at him. Xiao Nian’s eyes were clear, far too clear.

Shen Jianing said gently, “You’re all very clever.”

Xiao Nian nodded. “Then thank you.”

He paused, then added, “I thought you meant something else.”

Shen Jianing’s smile stiffened. “What else could I mean?”

Xiao Nian blinked. “I don’t know. That’s why I asked.”

The child’s tone was innocent from beginning to end, but Shen Jianing felt as if he had stepped on empty air.

Xiao Heng looked at his brother and said calmly, “Clarification prevents misunderstanding.”

Xiao Nian nodded. “Yes. Dad said questions are useful.”

Shen Qingyu finally spoke. “Xiao Nian.”

His tone was mild, not scolding, only reminding.

Xiao Nian immediately turned back and stood obediently beside him. “Yes, Dad.”

Shen Qingyu looked at Shen Jianing. “Children speak directly. I hope Teacher Shen doesn’t mind.”

There was nothing wrong with this sentence. It was even polite.

However, Shen Jianing had said similar things too many times in the past.

Jianing is sensitive. I hope you don’t mind.

Qingyu speaks directly. I hope you don’t blame him.

He is still young. Don’t take it seriously.

Now, hearing Shen Qingyu return the same structure calmly, Shen Jianing felt his throat tighten.

The camera was there, so he could only smile.

“Of course not. Children are very cute.”

Xiao Heng said, “We are not only cute.”

Xiao Nian added, “But thank you.”

This time, even Fang Yao had to turn away. She was afraid the camera would catch her expression.

The final family arrived just before the official main livestream began. It was former idol-turned-actor Li Mu and his adopted daughter, Xiaoyu. Li Mu was an Omega in his late twenties, bright and cheerful, with a fanbase known for being protective. Xiaoyu was five, quiet, and carried a rabbit doll.

With all families present, Director Zhou stepped into the courtyard. He was a middle-aged Beta man with kind-looking eyes and the exhausted aura of someone who had already imagined every possible disaster and accepted that some of them would happen anyway.

“Welcome, everyone, to Our Little Home.”

The guests gathered, the children stood beside their guardians, the cameras adjusted, and the main livestream officially opened.

In the first minute, the viewer count crossed ten million.

Director Zhou smiled toward the guests. “For the next three days and two nights, you will live in Qinghe Village with your children. Here, there are no assistants helping with daily life, no outside takeout, and no special celebrity treatment. Parents and children will need to complete tasks together, cook together, and earn living supplies through cooperation.”

Zhao Kai immediately raised his hand. “Director, when you say no takeout, do instant noodles count?”

Director Zhou looked at him. “Teacher Zhao, instant noodles also need to be earned.”

Zhao Kai looked devastated.

His son Zhao Xiaoshi patted his arm. “Dad, we can survive.”

Xiao Heng looked at Zhao Kai, then at Zhao Xiaoshi. “Survival probability depends on cooking ability.”

Zhao Kai turned to him. “Xiao Heng, do you think Uncle can cook?”

Xiao Heng was silent for two seconds. “Do you want comfort or assessment?”

The courtyard burst into laughter.

Zhao Kai clutched his chest. “I understand. No need to assess.”

Xiao Nian smiled sweetly. “Uncle Zhao, avoiding assessment protects confidence.”

Zhao Kai pointed at the twins. “Director! Are these two children or professional judges?”

Director Zhou smiled so hard his eyes narrowed.

The comment section filled instantly.

【Do you want comfort or assessment hahahaha.】
【Xiao Heng is too cold.】
【Xiao Nian: avoiding assessment protects confidence. This child is evil hahaha.】
【Zhao Kai met his natural enemy.】
【Shen Qingyu’s children are unexpectedly funny.】
【Funny? I think they’re rude.】
【Zhao Kai clearly laughed. Don’t be more offended than the person involved.】
【I came for drama and got roasted cooking skills.】

The atmosphere became lighter.

Director Zhou continued, “Before everyone enters your rooms, we will begin the first task.”

Several staff members carried a board into the courtyard. On the board were pictures of five village houses. Some looked spacious, some looked ordinary, and one looked visibly smaller than the others.

The children immediately became interested.

Director Zhou said, “Today’s first task is room selection.”

Zhao Kai groaned. “I knew it.”

Director Zhou ignored him with practised ease.

“Each family will receive the same basic supplies. However, the room you stay in depends on the result of the first cooperation challenge.”

Jiang Meng asked, “What kind of cooperation challenge?”

Director Zhou smiled. “Parents and children must work together to complete three small tasks: carrying water, sorting vegetables, and answering family-understanding questions. The order of completion determines the order of room selection.”

Zhao Kai immediately looked at his son. “Xiaoshi, our family happiness depends on you.”

Zhao Xiaoshi said loudly, “But you can’t cook.”

Zhao Kai said, “That is unrelated!”

Xiao Heng said quietly, “It may become related later.”

Xiao Nian nodded. “Especially if the room has no kitchen advantage.”

Zhao Kai looked at Shen Qingyu. “Teacher Shen, do your children always attack accurately?”

Shen Qingyu smiled faintly. “Only when the target is obvious.”

Zhao Kai froze, then laughed even harder.

The comments rolled again.

【Shen Qingyu made a joke?】
【Wait, that was funny.】
【Only when the target is obvious hahahaha.】
【Why is he different from what I imagined?】
【He’s pretending.】
【Pretending to have humour? Then he’s pretending well.】

Shen Jianing stood beside Shen Zhaozhao, watching this scene quietly.

The laughter in the courtyard did not belong to him. The focus did not naturally move toward him.

Shen Qingyu had not attacked him, glared at him, or given him a single sharp scene to use. Instead, he stood there with a baby in his arms and his twin sons beside him, answering politely whenever he was spoken to.

Distant. Controlled. Untouchable.

Shen Jianing lowered his eyes, and his fingers tightened slightly around Shen Zhaozhao’s hand. Then he softened his expression again.

“Zhaozhao,” he said gently, “we’ll do our best too, okay?”

Shen Zhaozhao nodded nervously.

Xiao Nian glanced at them. Xiao Heng also glanced once.

Neither spoke this time, but both had already recorded the observation.

Shen Qingyu lowered Xiao Chen’s little hat to shade his eyes from the sun.

Director Zhou raised his hand. “Then, everyone, please prepare.”

The cameras moved, the staff stepped back, the children became excited, and the livestream comments surged.

The first real task of Our Little Home was about to begin.

Shen Jianing, who had arrived wanting to recreate the old dynamic, finally realised one thing with cold clarity.

Shen Qingyu no longer stood in the same place.

If Shen Jianing cried now, Shen Qingyu might not even turn his head.