The Useless Stepmom Brings Her Kids to Reality TV Shows to Photograph Them

88 Buy One, Get Three Free

“Fatty, your face is round again.” Li Zexin rubbed his friend’s face.

Chubby Jiang shook off Li Zexin’s hand. “You’re so annoying. Are you coming or not?”

“No. I don’t want to go,” Li Zexin said without hesitation.

Big Mouth was speechless. So was Preserved Egg.

The three roommates wondered if they had heard it wrong and moved to the stool next to Li Zexin. “I heard you participated in a variety show. We couldn’t watch it because we were locked up in school. It was only a week, but you have changed. Before, it was you who would help us all climb over the wall and break rules.”

“You’re not taking the exam? How many days are left until the end of the term?” Li Zexin mimicked the form teacher, Abbess Miejue, to perfection.

“If you get into a good high school, you can do whatever you want. The computer won’t disappear, the phone won’t disappear, but your youth will run out.”

Big Mouth held Li Zexin’s shoulder and shook it as though that might help him come back to his senses. Li Zexin simply put down his book and began to give a speech.

He told them that he had met the Wind God and he had proof but his phone was taken away so he couldn’t show it to them. When he went back for summer vacation, he promised to send it to them.

The three people, including chubby Jiang, were stunned. It took them a while to digest what they had just heard. They all looked at him with envious eyes. When they heard that Li Zexin might get to join the XX Dream Battle Team, their eyes widened in shock.

“But you are our leader,” complained chubby Jiang. “If you join someone else’s team, our team will lose its heart and soul!”

“Buy one, get three free,” said Preserved Egg. “We come as a package.” Big Mouth praised him for his words.

“There is a condition,” blurted out Li Zexin. “I need to make it to the top ten in my results to be eligible.”

The three roommates cheered unanimously. “Then you definitely wouldn’t get in!” Their mood was lively again.

They felt a gold gaze on their faces. Li Zexin looked at them bitterly.

“If you cannot really get into other people’s team, then don’t,” said chubby Jiang. “There is no need for you to do that. You are still the leader here.”

“What about the Wind God? It’s so fascinating that he is only twenty years old! Do you think he also spent all his time in an internet café in middle school like us? He must have! Otherwise, how would he be able to have such a good record?” Preserved Egg was very interested in the progress of the Wind God.

“Last year, he got the top score in the Humanities division for the college entrance examination in Lan City,” Li Zexin shot back. “Do you think a person like him would waste his time in internet cafes in middle school? Fine, I don’t want to study today. I will tell you about the live broadcast that I was a part of.”

Preserved Egg quickly opened a bottle of juice and handed it to Li Zexin. “This is your favorite drink! Please enjoy! Does the Wind God walk with the wind?”

“No! At first glance, he looks like a quiet bookworm. He wears glasses. He is not as tall as my big brother. He looks dark and thin. He looks like an ordinary nerd. But you can never judge a book by its cover…” Li Zexin’s eyes lit up when he talked about Xiao Yi.

The description made their blood boil. Chubby Jiang tied a towel on his head and threw the magazine on the desk. Preserved Egg vowed that dormitory 407 would turn a new leaf from now on.

Every time they heard an inspirational story, their entire dormitory would be full of fighting spirit and would boast to do better. But every time, the perseverance would last only for three days, then they would revert to their old selves. So, Li Zexin didn’t believe their declaration one bit. But he still cheered for his roommates.

Li ZeKai was in Yun Xi Primary School, which was a part of the Yun Xi Junior High School. Although he was only in the first grade, he had more friends than his two brothers combined. As soon as he entered the school, he was surrounded by his friends. He went directly to his dormitory. His desk mate, He Shuting, was crying because she couldn’t go back to the dormitory with Li Zekai.

The little boy’s table was covered with candies. These colorful candies came from different friends, and they were all his favorite. He thought school was fun because the written exam had been canceled for first graders.

But this time was different. The summer break started on the 24th. Li Zekai had asked Assistant Qin about it and found out that he would be able to go home in a few days. Assistant Qin had also mentioned that his father might be too busy because he had to put off a lot of work these past few days. Before he got out of the car, he told Assistant Qin to come over early to pick him up on the 24th. He emphasized that Assistant Qin had to arrive at one in the afternoon.

…

At the Royal Water Bay Villa, Lin Wan’s footsteps were heavy as she went upstairs. Although she had received 1.4 million yuan in funding, the fine for breaching the show contract was 4 million. She felt as though her money was soap bubbles which could burst and disappear anytime.

Lin Wan hugged her thermos and took out a blank piece of paper, preparing to plan her life.

She had wanted to lie flat and sleep. She had wanted to live peacefully in this world. ‘Who was the one who said that after transmigrating into a book, one could cheat life itself? Who was the one who said that transmigrating into a book would mean possessing someone else’s body and enjoying their life?’

Lin Wan was frustrated. Now she knew about the original owner’s past and she wanted to set things right. The original owner’s savings wasn’t even that good.

Thinking about her own house and her car in her own world, Lin Wan felt even more depressed. She had wasted valuable time. She had wanted to laze around and be a salted fish but now she was forced to do business and work!

Lin Wan spent an hour sighing sadly. It was only three in the afternoon when Auntie Huang brought an edible bird’s nest as a snack for her that she felt that there was still hope. At least she had the title of Mrs. Li and didn’t have to worry about food and accommodation.

She started scribbling on the white paper. On one side, she wrote about things she needed to do if she couldn’t go back. On the other side, she listed down the things she would do if she could go back. The white piece of paper was full of her plans. She stuffed the paper into her purse, then she crawled into the closet. She rummaged through the pockets to find any sort of clue. She couldn’t find anything at all!

Li Yanchen got off work right on time. He arrived at the Royal Water Bay Villa just past five in the evening.

“Sir.” Auntie Huang was preparing dinner when Li Yanchen walked inside. “Are you eating at home today? I could order more food.”

“Thank you. That won’t be necessary. I wanted to take Lin Wan out for dinner. Is she upstairs?” Li Yanchen was already halfway up the stairs.

“So, I don’t need to cook for you?”

“Yes. That would be correct” Li Yanchen did not enter the bedroom right away. Although the live broadcast had brought them closer, Lin Wan’s bedroom was still her personal space. He knocked a few times.

Lin Wan assumed it might be Auntie Huang. “Come in,” she said.

She crawled out of her closet. She wasn’t even wearing shoes. She was crouching on her carpet when the door opened. She looked up to see Li Yanchen standing there in her room. She stood up in a hurry.

“Don’t you work overtime?” she asked him in confusion.

“Well, yes but I have to leave on a business trip tomorrow. So, I came back early today. What are you…?”

Lin Wan looked at her messy closet. “Oh… uh… I was just looking for some clothes.”

Li Yanchen recalled that other than the wedding dress and a gown, he had never bought any clothes for Lin Wan. The thought made him immensely guilty.