The three little ones sat shoulder to shoulder on the sofa, their cheeks pale and soft. They looked especially well-behaved, like three little milk dumplings.
The cartoon had reached its climax. The righteous protagonist was fighting evil little animals to protect his home and friends.
Fu Xiaoxiao and Yu Xuanxuan were straining along with him. Their hands clenched into fists, their bodies leaned forward involuntarily, and their eyes stayed fixed on the TV. Their faces were red from the effort, and they wished they could rush into the television and help the protagonist defeat the evil little animals!
The protagonist made a careless mistake and fell into the villain's trap. Fu Xiaoxiao sighed heavily, while Ji Youyou knitted her little brows and shook Yu Xuanxuan's arm. "Brother Xuanxuan, what do we do?"
Yu Xuanxuan waved his fist, cheering Fu Xiaoxiao and Ji Youyou on. "Don't be scared. Someone will definitely come and save the protagonist!"
Fu Xiaoxiao nodded vigorously too. "We'll definitely win!"
Inspired by the other two little ones, Ji Youyou gradually looked less worried. "We definitely will!" she said in her milky little voice.
The three little dumplings had just finished speaking when an oversized panda descended from the sky and sat on the villain, flattening him.
He turned around, revealing a resolute face, though his eyes were gentle. "Son, don't be afraid. Daddy's here to save you!"
Seeing the protagonist win, the three little ones jumped off the sofa in delight. Holding hands, they spun around together, thoroughly excited.
"Daddy's amazing!" Yu Xuanxuan said, his eyes sparkling. "I wish I had a daddy like that."
An image of Fu Jingfan appeared in Fu Xiaoxiao's mind. He snorted twice through his little nose and said boastfully, "My daddy's super amazing too!"
Ji Youyou looked at him with her big, dewy eyes and asked curiously, "Is he more amazing than the panda?"
"Of course he's more amazing than the panda!" Fu Xiaoxiao tried to imitate Fu Jingfan's usual manner. "My daddy's super tall and super handsome! Lots of people listen to him, and no matter what problem he runs into, he can solve it. My daddy's the most amazing person in the world!"
Yu Xuanxuan asked curiously, "Is your daddy more handsome than my big brother?"
Fu Xiaoxiao held out his chubby hand and drew the biggest circle he could. "He's this much more handsome than your brother!"
Yu Xuanxuan couldn't help letting out a "Wow!" His big brother was super handsome in his eyes, so if Fu Xiaoxiao's daddy was even more handsome, what did he look like?!
Ji Youyou rested her chin in her hands as she imagined it too. Her eyes lit up. "He must be as handsome as Feng!"
"Who's Feng?"
"Feng is my idol. He's super handsome. Haven't you seen that cartoon?"
"No," Yu Xuanxuan and Fu Xiaoxiao said in unison.
"Then I'll show you." Ji Youyou picked up the remote with her little hand and looked for the cartoon. The other two little ones crowded over.
It was a lovely scene, but the viewers in the livestream had no mind to appreciate it.
[Fu Xiaoxiao just said his dad is tall and handsome. He probably isn't the greasy middle-aged man from the rumors, right?]
[Exactly. I thought it was strange before. Xiao Xiao is the cutest, most adorable human cub I've ever seen. How could his dad be ugly?]
[Kids don't lie, so were the rumors online wrong?]
Su Huaiming's haters were making a huge fuss and immediately jumped out to muddy the waters.
[Fu Zhongli is so rich. Whoever married him can't be that ugly. Fu Xiaoxiao must take after his mom!].
[What kid doesn't think their dad is tall and handsome? Surely no one actually believes Fu Xiaoxiao?]
[So many people are whitewashing him. I have reason to suspect Su Huaiming's paid posters have joined the chat.]
[Bad bamboo can't produce good shoots. No wonder Xiao Xiao is such a badly behaved brat with no manners!]
[Just thinking about the two precious little ones staying with someone like that suffocates me. Can the production team hurry up and kick Su Huaiming out?]
The production team didn't hear what these people were thinking. Not only did they not kick Su Huaiming out, they called everyone over to go to a new filming location.
After receiving the message, Su Huaiming came out of his room.
Hearing him, Sun Siyuan immediately looked up.
Su Huaiming's expression was normal, his eyes weren't red, and he walked steadily. He didn't look at all like he was about to fall apart.
Only then did Sun Siyuan breathe a sigh of relief.
Su Huaiming looked at the snacks and cup of water on the floor in confusion. "Whose are these?"
"I brought them for you." Sun Siyuan sounded quite concerned. "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat first?"
"No," Su Huaiming said. "I had a very filling lunch."
Sun Siyuan nodded and added, "If you want something to eat or drink, just tell me. I'll go get it for you."
He was treating Su Huaiming exactly like a patient, but it seemed a little ambiguous, causing the viewers in the livestream to misunderstand.
[Tsk, tsk, tsk. Even someone like Su Huaiming has people sucking up to him.]
[No wonder Su Huaiming managed to turn things around. His methods are so slick, he even managed to win over Sun Siyuan and his prince syndrome.]
[Still, Sun Siyuan is really doting. I so want to ship these two.]
The livestream was a mess, but the atmosphere among the people present was pleasant. They sat on the bus the production team had prepared, chatting and laughing.
Taking advantage of the situation, Su Huaiming's haters and some people who wanted to drag him down continued to curse him as morally corrupt and a mistress who had broken up someone else's family.
But just then, the Fu Group's official Weibo account, which had been quiet for a long time, suddenly reposted a Weibo post.
[@Fu Zhongli: I respect and admire Su Huaiming and his husband, and I have witnessed their genuine affection for each other... Regarding the false statements online, I will use legal means to protect my rights, and I apologize for the trouble I have caused Mr. Su Huaiming.]
The Weibo post rambled on for several thousand words, but its central message was clear: he was far above me, and I was unworthy.
With the matter at the center of the storm, many netizens heard the news and rushed over.
[??? Is this really him?]
[Of course it's him. Didn't you see the Fu Group's official account reposted it?]
[I knew it. Fu Xiaoxiao is so cute, how could his dad be a greasy middle-aged man?]
[Hahahahaha, this is the fastest turnaround I've ever seen in a scandal.]
[Usually celebrities post clarifications and then get cursed out like crazy. Su Huaiming didn't have to do anything, though, and the other party rushed to clear things up for him. That felt pretty satisfying.]
[Weren't you all shouting so loudly just now? Why aren't you saying anything now? Hurry up and apologize to Su Huaiming!]
[Apologize +1]
[I still remember how Fu Zhongli looked when he apologized three years ago. He was incredibly arrogant, but the tone of this Weibo post is so humble. He practically came right out and said he wasn't worthy of Su Huaiming.]
[!!! Sisters, Fu Zhongli took the initiative to clear things up for Su Huaiming, and the Fu Group's official account even reposted it. Just who on earth is Su Huaiming's husband?!]
[His surname is Fu, he's tall and handsome, and his status is higher than Fu Zhongli's. Doesn't that leave only Fu Jingfan?]
[Don't talk nonsense. My idol doesn't have any children!]
[It can't be Fu Jingfan. I'd be heartbroken!]
[If it isn't Fu Jingfan, then who is it?]
[This is killing me, this is killing me, this is killing me, this is killing me.]
Su Huaiming, hurry up and tell us who your husband is. Don't make me get down on my knees and beg you!]
Not long after the statement was released, the mood in the livestream changed. Only a few haters were still making a fuss, but netizens soon shut them up.
Whenever Su Huaiming appeared on screen, the bullet comments filled it: [Who on earth is your husband?!]
Su Huaiming still didn't know the scandal had taken a turn. He followed the production team to the new filming location.
"We've previously helped sanitation workers clean up and handed out flyers. Today, I've arranged a different job for everyone."
The director continued, "In a little while, the three children will come here to collect their uniforms. Once they've put them on, they can go to their workplaces."
A staff member came forward and handed three transparent plastic bags to the children, then asked the parents to take them to change.
Su Huaiming had intended to help, but Fu Xiaoxiao was already conscious of his personal privacy and angrily chased him out.
Su Huaiming was happy to take it easy. He leaned against the doorway, planning to go in and help if Fu Xiaoxiao ran into trouble.
A full twenty minutes passed, and Fu Xiaoxiao still hadn't come out.
Su Huaiming couldn't take it anymore and knocked gently on the door. "Are you sure you don't need help?"
"No!" Fu Xiaoxiao's milky voice sounded a little anxious, rising at the end.
Seeing that Fu Xiaoxiao was still putting on a brave face, Su Huaiming raised an eyebrow and really didn't go in to help him.
After another ten minutes, Fu Xiaoxiao finally finished getting dressed.
Although he was sweaty and tired, Fu Xiaoxiao felt a great sense of accomplishment. He marched out of the changing room with his head held high and chest puffed out, then gave a proud little huff as he waited for Su Huaiming to praise him.
Su Huaiming merely glanced at him and cut short Fu Xiaoxiao's self-satisfaction. "Everyone's waiting for you outside. Hurry up and go."
Fu Xiaoxiao: "..." Bad stepdad!
Fu Xiaoxiao followed Su Huaiming out with a huff. Seeing his puffed-up cheeks, Sun Siyuan poked one without any regard for his feelings.
Fu Xiaoxiao had been holding his breath in his mouth. When he was suddenly poked, his lips puckered and made a pfft sound.
Yu Xuanxuan was walking in front. He asked in puzzlement, "Did someone fart?"
Ji Youyou, whose father was holding her hand, nodded in agreement. "It was so loud!"
Fu Xiaoxiao: "..."
The tips of his ears reddened, and he lowered his head, unwilling to face anyone.
Su Huaiming smiled and said, "How come I didn't hear it? There wasn't any sound just now."
Ji Mingzhe was good at smoothing things over. He smiled and said, "I didn't hear it either."
Yu Ruicheng nodded and said succinctly, "There wasn't."
Seeing how confidently all three adults said so, the two children were immediately taken in. They scratched their heads, wondering if they had imagined it.
Only after Ji Youyou and Yu Xuanxuan turned around did Fu Xiaoxiao breathe a sigh of relief. His cheeks were red with embarrassment.
He looked at Su Huaiming, who was standing nearby, and after hesitating for a few seconds, awkwardly tried to thank him. "Hey..."
Hearing that, Su Huaiming instinctively responded with a familiar line. "First, my name isn't Hey. It's Su Huaiming."
After speaking, he saw Fu Xiaoxiao's puzzled expression.
Su Huaiming coughed and resumed the serious manner expected of an adult. "What did you want to say to me?"
Su Huaiming thought this stepdad was really strange, but as a child, he ought to be understanding. "Thank you for just now."
Su Huaiming held out his fist to Fu Xiaoxiao. "You're welcome."
Fu Xiaoxiao looked utterly bewildered. After blinking, he finally realized what Su Huaiming wanted to do.