I Filmed the Kid—Then Sent Proof of Life to His Father

Ning Shixue declined the role of the little monster and slumped back on the sofa, continuing to play his Tetris.

The cameraman leaned over to ask,
Teacher Ning, can I film your screen?

Sure.
Ning Shixue had no objections.

His score skyrocketed, now ranking first on the real-time leaderboard.
The blocks fell faster and faster, colliding endlessly with his pale fingertips in a dizzying blur.

The bullet comments were shocked.

[Holy crap, he’s this good at this?
Hard to believe he has this kind of brain.]

[I feel like Ning Shixue really has changed.]

[I’m actually going to die laughing.
My dog just came over, slapped me, and said: even Ning Shixue can change, so why can’t I speak human?! doge]

When dinner was finally served, Xie Yaoyao and the others, along with three or four village children, had gone practically wild.
They were still running around nearby, screaming and laughing.
Only Little Tangyuan sat quietly in Ji Qing’s lap, obediently clutching his spoon and eating.

He wasn’t picky either.
Whatever Ji Qing fed him, he ate, stuffing big mouthfuls into his mouth.
His fair cheeks puffed up, truly looking like a little glutinous rice ball.

[Sniff, I want to hug the baby.
My poor darling, why are you so well-behaved?]

[Isn’t anyone going to control these bratty kids?]

[I was just a casual fan of Ji Qing, but now I’m suddenly turning into a fan.
He raised this child so well.]

Tang He’an had been calling Tang Haohao to come eat since earlier, but Tang Haohao completely ignored him.

Tang Hao!
Tang He’an’s face visibly darkened.
His arm muscles were well-developed, and he’d starred in many police-gangster films, giving him an intimidating aura.
Only Tang Haohao wasn’t afraid of him at all.

Bringing Tang Haohao on this parenting show was actually to get him to spend time with kids his own age.

Maybe he’d learn to behave a little.

Who knew not only would he not listen, but he’d also lead the other children astray?
Tang He’an was practically dizzy with anger.

You little rascal, stop right there!
Tang He’an finally lost patience, standing up to grab him.
Don’t let me catch you!

Tang Haohao shrieked and ran away.

Ning Shixue also turned his head, raising an eyebrow as he asked Xie Yaoyao,
Are you really not eating?

I not eat!
Xie Yaoyao’s fair, tender face was now flushed pink.
He shook his head vigorously at Ning Shixue as if being forced to eat poison, not a meal.

Ning Shixue didn’t bother with him anymore.

He picked up a piece of steamed pork with preserved mustard greens for himself.
The pork belly was stewed to a soft, glutinous texture, melting in the mouth, with a beautiful caramelized hue.
Eaten with rice, he could barely stop his chopsticks.

[Director: We invite you to film a variety show, and you end up feasting????????]

[Hmph, I knew we couldn’t count on Ning Shixue.
Never seen an adult like this.
He doesn’t even care if the child eats, just sits there eating by himself?]

[I originally wanted Little Tangyuan to play with them, but now I’m glad he didn’t.
Otherwise, he’d learn bad habits.]

Ning Shixue never understood.

If a child doesn’t want to eat, why force them to?
When they get hungry, won’t they come eat by themselves?

Ning Shixue picked up a siu mai.
The wrapper was rolled thin as paper, and biting into it released a mouthful of rich broth.

He counted down in his heart.
Sure enough, after about ten minutes, Xie Yaoyao came pattering over.

After all, Xie Yaoyao was only three.
His stamina couldn’t keep up with the older kids.
After playing this long, his face was already flushed red with exhaustion.

He grabbed his little spoon and wanted to eat some chicken.

Seeing he was being somewhat polite and didn’t directly grab the meat with his dirty little hands, Ning Shixue let him be.

He picked up his phone, tapped it a few times, and placed it beside Xie Yaoyao.
Instantly, the sound of children roughhousing came through.

Tang Haohao and the others were still noisy, the village head and director were talking with the guests, and Ning Shixue hadn’t turned the volume up high.
Only he and Xie Yaoyao could hear the commotion from the phone.

Xie Yaoyao lowered his head to eat, his snow-white profile like a little bun.
His little glutinous rice teeth already struggled to chew meat, and now Ning Shixue’s phone was blaring noise right by his ear.

For the first time in his three and a half years of life, he felt annoyance.

You not allowed noisy anymore,
he said fiercely to Ning Shixue in his milky voice.
Why not be good and eat?

Who’s being noisy here?
Ning Shixue remained unmoved.
‘Whose voice is this?’

[What’s he doing?]

[Did he just film a video of Xie Yaoyao?]

[He’s acting, right?
What does he actually want?
If the kid goes crazy, he goes crazy too???]

[The number one drama queen in the domestic entertainment industry is no joke.]

Xie Yaoyao’s chubby little face was full of confusion.

He hadn’t realized at all that it was his own voice.

He covered his ears with his dirty little hands, but could still hear it.
Tears pooled in his eyes, even the baby fat on his face looked utterly aggrieved.
‘Baby not know.’

This bad stepdad for sure.
Why won’t he let him eat?

Ning Shixue stopped pressing him.
He simply fast-forwarded the video to the end.
It showed Xie Yaoyao squatting by his feet earlier, rubbing sand onto his chubby little feet in sandals, pretending it was bath salts.

And singing a childish little tune in a very tender voice,
‘Baby take bath, not bath is stinky baby.’

“…”

???

Xie Yaoyao, the entire little person, was dumbfounded.

This… this is me?

His little bun face finally flushed with embarrassment.
He started huffing and puffing as he tried to wrestle Ning Shixue’s wrist.

You not allowed play anymore,
Xie Yaoyao said, his little face thoroughly humiliated.
He didn’t want to cry anymore now; he just wanted to snatch the phone.

How could Ning Shixue possibly let him grab it?
He put his hands behind his back and accidentally nudged the volume a bit higher.
Even Tang He’an and Tang Haohao, still in their chase, stopped.

Xie Yaoyao practically sprawled in his lap.

So why not eat properly at mealtime?
Ning Shixue looked down at him, his voice calm.
‘And why keep making noise when others are eating?’

His tone wasn’t harsh, but those eyes were exceptionally composed.
Even a young child would instinctively pause to listen.

Xie Yaoyao was only three, his walking not particularly steady to begin with.
Struggling to grab something while feeling ashamed, his soft, plump little body swayed and suddenly plopped down to his knees.

But his legs were short to begin with.
Even kneeling, he was still so short, making it only seem comical.

[Help, baby, are you trying to kill me with laughter?
Quick, jump up and hit his knees!]

[I think Ning Shixue isn’t wrong either.
I’m a stepdad for the first time too.
Why should I give in to you? doge]

Reasoning with such a young child was hard.
But making him experience the misery of being too disturbed to eat was much easier.
Xie Yaoyao now finally understood the meaning of a ‘pained expression.’
Being noisy really does make it hard to eat.

The big bad guys in cartoons begged for mercy like this.
Now that he was a bad baby, he was the big bad guy.

The big bad guy Xie Yaoyao lay tearfully across the warrior Ning Shixue’s leg.
‘I wrong, Little Dad.’

‘If I promise not to play it, will you eat properly?’
Ning Shixue made a final confirmation with him.

Xie Yaoyao nodded his little head vigorously.

But you already disturbed everyone just now.
What should you do now?
Ning Shixue asked again.
He freed a hand to lift Xie Yaoyao up.
He didn’t dare let the antagonist’s kid kneel for him.

Unless he was tired of living.

I wrong,
Xie Yaoyao bowed to the other guests, the village head, and the director.
‘Sorry.’

[You know what?
Ning Shixue’s method is actually pretty good.
If they don’t listen, just make them empathize.]

[Learned, learned.
I’ll deal with my little brother like this next time.
Just you wait, you little rascal!]

Tang He’an was astonished.
He hadn’t expected it to actually work.
He immediately turned his head and unleashed an upgraded version on Tang Haohao.
If you don’t come eat now, I’ll record you and send it to all your kindergarten teachers and classmates!

Tang Haohao initially thought Xie Yaoyao had no spine, giving in so quickly.

But upon hearing Tang He’an’s words, he instantly let out a pig-slaughtering wail, then covered his mouth, not daring to make another sound.

He hung his head and went over to be scolded.

He Lin also picked up his phone, aiming it at He Miaomiao.
Miaomiao, daddy’s going to record now.
Daddy’s really going to record now.

No no no no.
Miaomiao immediately ran towards her dad and hugged his waist.

In the end, she and Tang Haohao also apologized to everyone.

Close call.
Only Xie Yaoyao actually got recorded.

[Dying of laughter.
A world where only Xie Yaoyao gets hurt has been achieved.
Hug the baby.]

[Who said Ning Shixue doesn’t take care of the child?
Shouldn’t you come out and apologize now???]

Ning Shixue took Xie Yaoyao to wash his hands, then returned to continue eating.
Xie Yaoyao, rarely not needing to be fed, obediently held a large piece of taro and gnawed on it himself.
His fair, tender cheeks puffed out.
With his long eyelashes, he looked just like a little angel.

Tang He’an, who had been very averse to Ning Shixue, couldn’t help but lift his hand and give Ning Shixue a firm pat on the shoulder.
Didn’t expect you to know how to handle kids.

He had been absolutely driven up the wall by Tang Hao.
Even if he could physically overpower him, this was the first time Tang Hao had willingly apologized.

He breathed a sigh of relief and decided not to hold the previous on-set incidents against Ning Shixue anymore.

Ning Shixue was caught off guard.

Tang He’an was nearly 1.9 meters tall, a regular gym-goer, while Ning Shixue was pale and slender all over.
That pat nearly made him cough up blood; his entire being trembled.
He lowered his head in a violent coughing fit, the corners of his eyes instantly turning crimson.

You okay?
Tang He’an was startled.

[Ahhh, is he going to try to scam Brother Tang again?]

[Can we stop with the conspiracy theories?
I feel like he’s genuinely unwell.
He seems to be in poor health.]

[But I’ve always wanted to say, my wife crying is really… sexy. wolf-whistle.jpg]

The original host had always worn heavy makeup and tried to act tough, refusing to let anyone think he was sickly.

Many people, seeing how thin he was, assumed he was into drugs, never considering poor health.

Ning Shixue coughed until he couldn’t speak, could only wave his hand to indicate he was fine.

Truly helpless.

No one told him a parenting show could be life-threatening.

Finally returning in the evening, Ning Shixue collapsed onto the old sofa, then instantly sat up straight.
He picked a clean spot, had Xie Yaoyao stand against the wall, and said,
Kid, stand here.
I’ll take your picture.

Why take me?
Xie Yaoyao, genuinely knowing he was wrong tonight, blinked his big eyes and stayed put obediently.

‘I’ll send it to your big daddy,’
Ning Shixue said.

Xie Yaoyao’s sudden kneeling earlier, though not forced by him, might still be blamed on him.
After much thought, Ning Shixue decided to send Xie Zhaozhou an update on the situation.

Xie Yaoyao’s eyes instantly lit up.

Big Daddy.

He hadn’t seen Big Daddy in a long time either.

So he was exceptionally cooperative for the photo.

A few minutes later, Ning Shixue opened Xie Zhaozhou’s chat window and sent the photo over.

Xie Zhaozhou was still in a meeting.
Suddenly receiving a message from Ning Shixue, his eyes instantly turned cold.
Thinking something might have happened to Xie Yaoyao, he clicked on the message directly.

“…”

Ning Shixue had sent him a photo.
Xie Yaoyao’s little face was dirty like a little mud kitten.
Behind him was a worn adobe wall covered in newspapers.
The newspaper above Xie Yaoyao’s head was today’s morning edition, stamped with a massive date.

Ning Shixue, perhaps feeling it wasn’t enough, had even made Xie Yaoyao raise a little hand in a slight ‘okay’ sign, striking a pose.

– [snow: Arrived.
Don’t worry. [photo]]

Staring at it for half the night, only then could words be discerned from between the lines: densely packed everywhere were the two characters ‘hostage.’

Xie Zhaozhou: “…”

Are you sure this is to make me not worry?