Read The Hated Omega Became Famous on a Parenting Show :: Children Don’t Know How to Lie [2]

Sometimes, however, children’s logic was the cruelest mirror.

The bullet comments slowed to a crawl.

【…】

【Xiao Nian.】

【Why does this hurt so much?】

【If you know it is wrong and still do it again, sorry is not useful.】

【The Shen family needs to hear this.】

【They are probably watching.】

【I hope they are.】

They were.

In the Shen family’s old residence, the large screen was still on.

Old Madam Shen covered her mouth again. Shen Zhiyuan’s eyes were red. Shen Yunting lowered his head, his expression hidden in the shadow, while Shen Huaijin stood still, as if the child’s words had nailed him in place.

If you know it is wrong and still do it again, then sorry is not useful.

They had known Shen Qingyu was wronged. They had known at least part of it. Yet after that night, whenever Shen Jianing and Shen Qingyu clashed, they still instinctively asked Shen Qingyu to endure.

Again and again.

Sorry was not useful because they had never stopped.

Back in the courtyard, the staff member forced a smile. “Xiao Nian is very thoughtful.”

Xiao Nian looked up. “Did I answer wrong?”

Shen Qingyu stood. He walked over, crouched before him, and held out his uninjured hand.

“No.”

Xiao Nian looked at him.

Shen Qingyu said softly, “You answered very well.”

Xiao Nian’s eyes lit up a little before he ran into Shen Qingyu’s arms.

The halo trembled faintly.

It had wanted forgiveness. The child had given boundaries.

Then Xiao Heng drew his card.

The moment the card opened, Shen Qingyu felt the halo press forward harder.

The staff member’s expression changed slightly as she read it.

“Question: If a family member hurt Dad in the past but regrets it now, should Dad forgive them?”

The whole courtyard went cold.

Even Qin Zhao, who had been joking all evening, stopped smiling. Tang Mianmian’s face darkened. Wen Xuci looked toward Director Zhou.

Director Zhou’s expression changed at once.

That card should not have been in the children’s question box. He knew the prepared question list, and he had approved every card personally after yesterday’s incident.

This question was not one of them.

The bullet comments erupted.

【What kind of question is this?】

【Programme team, are you crazy?】

【Asking the child this?】

【This is obviously about the Shen family.】

【Who put that card in?】

【Director Zhou looks angry. I don’t think he knew.】

Lu Jingheng’s gaze turned completely cold, and this time, the pressure around him was almost visible. The staff member holding the question card felt her fingers go numb.

Shen Qingyu straightened slowly.

The firelight moved over his face, painting his cold brows and red lips in warm colour, although his expression held no warmth at all.

He looked at the card, then at Director Zhou.

Director Zhou immediately said, “This question is invalid. It was not approved by the production team. Xiao Heng does not need to answer.”

The halo surged.

For one moment, Shen Qingyu heard something almost like a whisper.

Avoiding it?

Afraid?

Cold-hearted.

Ungrateful.

Family should reconcile.

His fingers curled slightly.

Then Xiao Heng spoke.

“I can answer.”

Shen Qingyu looked down. “Xiao Heng.”

The little alpha held the card and looked up at him. His face was still serious, but his eyes were very clear.

“Dad, can I answer?”

Shen Qingyu did not immediately respond. He crouched down in front of him.

“You don’t have to.”

“I know.”

“If you don’t want to answer, you can refuse.”

“I know.”

Shen Qingyu looked at his son for a long moment before he asked softly, “Do you want to answer?”

Xiao Heng nodded.

Shen Qingyu’s gaze softened. “Then answer.”

Xiao Heng turned toward the camera.

The child was small, holding a card almost too large for his hands. His cheeks still had baby softness, and the firelight made his eyes look especially bright.

Yet when he spoke, his tone was calm enough to make adults ashamed.

“Forgiveness belongs to the person who was hurt.”

The courtyard fell silent.

Xiao Heng continued, “If Dad was hurt, then only Dad can decide. Other people cannot decide for him.”

He looked at the card again.

“If the family member regrets it now, that is their feeling. It does not automatically cancel Dad’s feeling.”

The staff member’s eyes widened.

Xiao Heng thought for a moment, then added, “Also, regret after being seen by many people may not be the same as regret before being seen.”

No one moved.

Even the fire seemed quieter.

Then Xiao Heng turned to Shen Qingyu.

“Dad does not need to forgive quickly. Dad can decide slowly. Dad can also decide not to forgive.”

The bullet comments stopped completely for several seconds.

Then the screen filled.

【Forgiveness belongs to the person who was hurt.】

【I’m sobbing.】

【A child said what so many adults refuse to understand.】

【Regret after being seen may not be the same as regret before being seen.】

【Xiao Heng, baby, you are three years old. Why are you destroying the Shen family’s entire moral defence?】

【This child is logical, but he loves his dad so much.】

【Dad can also decide not to forgive.】

In the Shen family’s living room, Old Madam Shen broke down. She bent forward, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.

Old Master Shen closed his eyes, his hand shaking on the cane.

Shen Zhiyuan finally turned away from the screen.

He could not watch anymore.

Shen Yunting laughed once, hoarse and bitter.

“Regret after being seen…”

His eyes reddened.

“That child is right.”

Before the livestream, had they regretted?

Truly?

They had occasionally thought of Shen Qingyu. They had complained that he was too heartless. They had said he refused to come home. They had said he had become Lu Jingheng’s person and no longer cared about blood ties.

Yet had they regretted?

Or had they only felt uncomfortable because Shen Qingyu no longer stood where they could reach him?

Now that the whole internet was watching, now that netizens had begun asking what Shen Qingyu did wrong, and now that the old story was being cut open frame by frame, they finally felt pain.

Was that regret?

Or humiliation?

Or belated fear?

No one in the Shen family could answer.

In the courtyard, Shen Qingyu looked at Xiao Heng. His son’s expression was still serious, but his small fingers were gripping the card tightly.

Shen Qingyu reached out and gently took the card from him. Then he held Xiao Heng’s hand.

“Very good.”

Xiao Heng’s lips pressed together, and a faint, almost invisible happiness appeared on his face.

Xiao Nian squeezed over and hugged Shen Qingyu’s other side.

“Dad, you can decide slowly.”

Shen Qingyu’s throat tightened.

The old story had once forced him to move too quickly. At sixteen, he had been forced to calm down. At eighteen, he had been forced to accept the plot ending. After marriage, he had been forced to endure public hatred. When Shen Jianing cried, everyone forced him to become the unreasonable one. When the Shen family regretted, the world would probably try to force him to become forgiving.

Now, his sons told him that he could decide slowly.

He could also decide not to forgive.

Shen Qingyu lowered his eyes, and for a moment, his expression became very soft. It was so soft that the viewers almost did not recognise him.

Then Lu Jingheng stood up and walked over.

He did not say anything. He only placed one hand lightly on Shen Qingyu’s shoulder.

The gesture was restrained because the cameras were there, but the meaning was unmistakable.

I am here.

You are not alone.

Shen Qingyu looked up at him.

Lu Jingheng’s eyes were dark and steady. There was no demand in them, no persuasion, and no instruction. There was only the same silent promise he had given again and again since the day by the sea.

Whatever you choose, I stand with you.

The halo pressed harder.

It wanted Shen Qingyu to say something cold, something that could be cut into a clip.

Something like, “I will never forgive them.”

Then the narrative could change.

Too harsh. Too unfilial. Too unforgiving.

After all, they were family. After all, they regretted it. After all, Shen Jianing was pregnant. After all, Shen Qingyu was already living well.

Shen Qingyu smiled.

The smile was faint, beautiful, and cold.

He turned toward the camera.

“Since the question has already appeared, I’ll answer too.”

Director Zhou frowned slightly but did not stop him.

The bullet comments held their breath.

Shen Qingyu said calmly, “If the Shen family regrets it, that is their matter.”

His voice was steady.

“I do not need to cooperate with their regret.”

The courtyard was silent.

He continued, “When I was sixteen, no one asked whether I wanted to calm down. No one asked whether I wanted to forgive. No one asked whether I wanted to keep calling them family after that day.”

The firelight reflected in his eyes.

“Now, if they want forgiveness, they can wait.”

He paused, and his lips curved slightly.

“After all, they once told me I was strong.”

The final sentence was soft, almost gentle, yet it cut deeper than anger.

The bullet comments erupted.

【I do not need to cooperate with their regret.】

【This line. This line!!!】

【He didn’t say he would never forgive. He said they can wait.】

【After all, they once told me I was strong. I’m dead.】

【That is such a calm revenge.】

【No screaming. No crying. Just a knife.】

【Shen family, did you hear that? Wait.】

In the Shen old residence, the word wait seemed to echo through the room.

They had made Shen Qingyu wait for justice, wait for comfort, wait for someone to ask if he was hurt, and wait for someone to believe him.

Now it was their turn, and they had no right to complain.

Director Zhou’s face was dark as he ordered the staff to collect all remaining cards immediately.

“Check every card,” he said coldly. “Now.”

The staff moved quickly, and the livestream did not cut.

The audience watched as Director Zhou openly investigated the question box.

Soon, two more unapproved cards were found.

One read: If your parent quarrels with family, should they apologise first?

Another read: Do children want a complete family with grandparents and uncles?

The courtyard atmosphere changed completely.

Tang Mianmian’s expression was ugly. “What kind of disgusting thing is this?”

Qin Zhao rarely looked serious. “Asking children to pressure parents? Who prepared these?”

Wen Xuci looked at the production team. “Director Zhou, this is not a small mistake.”

Xu Zhixia held Xu Xingxing closer, his face pale.

The bullet comments were furious.

【This is insane.】

【Those questions were meant for Shen Qingyu’s kids.】

【Complete family with grandparents and uncles? That’s obviously targeting him.】

【Who is behind this?】

【This show has a ghost.】

【No, this is too targeted to be accidental.】

Director Zhou’s expression was colder than ever.

“These cards were not approved. The production team will investigate publicly and provide an explanation.”

He turned toward Shen Qingyu.

“Teacher Shen, I apologise.”

Shen Qingyu looked at him.

Then he said, “Director Zhou, you don’t need to apologise for someone else’s hand before you know whose hand it is.”

Director Zhou paused.

The words were calm, but meaningful.

Someone else’s hand.

Not a mistake.

Not a coincidence.

A hand.

Director Zhou understood.

Many viewers understood too.

The halo shivered.

For the first time, Shen Qingyu felt not only pressure from it, but something like panic.

It had hidden for too long behind coincidence. Livestreams, however, were dangerous. Cameras were dangerous. Children who spoke too clearly were dangerous.

A calm victim who refused to follow the script was the most dangerous of all.

The evening segment ended earlier than planned. Director Zhou suspended the question game and changed the remainder into free family time around the campfire.

The children roasted sweet potatoes. Qin Zhao tried to tell a ghost story and scared himself before scaring anyone else. Tang Mianmian’s daughters sang a nursery rhyme. Wen Xuci played a simple tune on a small wooden flute borrowed from a villager. Xu Xingxing finally gathered her courage and offered Xiao Nian half a roasted chestnut.

Xiao Nian accepted it carefully and gave her a piece of sweet potato in return.

Xiao Heng watched the exchange and said, “This is a successful barter.”

Xiao Nian whispered, “It’s sharing.”

Xiao Heng thought for a moment. “Sharing with reciprocal benefit.”

Shen Qingyu listened from behind them and felt tired in a strangely gentle way.

It was not the old exhaustion that came from being misunderstood. This was different.

It was the tiredness of a long day, of children, smoke, cold air, warm food, and a husband who silently kept moving closer whenever the wind picked up.

Lu Jingheng sat beside him.

At some point, his hand had moved under the blanket and held Shen Qingyu’s. No camera could see it clearly, but Shen Qingyu felt every inch of warmth.

He looked toward the fire.

“Lu Jingheng.”

“Mm.”

“Did I say too much?”

“No.”

“You didn’t even think.”

“I did.”

“And?”

Lu Jingheng’s thumb brushed lightly over his knuckles.

“You said too little.”

Shen Qingyu turned to look at him.

Lu Jingheng’s face was calm, but his eyes were dark.