Chapter Seventeen: Fond of This Way of Teaching

While preparing dinner, Su Wannning deliberately told her son to keep working on dismantling his camera by her side.
"Today you dug up the bamboo shoots, so according to our family’s principle of distributing work, you don’t have to help with dinner tonight. I’ll handle it with your little sister!"
[I rather like this method of education, distributing tasks based on effort.]
[Exactly! If you’ve contributed to sourcing the ingredients, you don’t need to pitch in for dinner. Look at the neighbors—mother and children bustling about, and yet no one cooks as deftly as Su Wannning.]
Nian Nian followed close to her mother, enthusiastically helping by passing ingredients, earnestly carrying out the household rule of “distribution by labor.”
Su Wannning finished cooking first. In her hands, even the simplest bamboo shoots seemed to come alive. Fresh bamboo shoot soup, tender shoots stir-fried with pork slices, cold dressed bamboo shoot shreds...
All prepared in record time, each dish was vibrant in color, aroma, and flavor.
By the time dinner finally began, the other families all showed some signs of fatigue, yet only Su Wannning’s family of three remained full of energy, eating with the greatest relish.
“Sheng Ying, I never realized before that you’re not only great at swimming, but also quite a runner!” Feng Rui, having little appetite and aware that the camera was filming her, put on a forced smile and began to flatter.
“Oh, not at all. You all were just being courteous. Miss Yin is impressive herself—your cooking is wonderful.”
Yin Shanshan pressed her lips into a smile, displaying her signature poise: “If you all like it, I’ll make more next time.”
[So boring.]
[Mutual flattery for business?]
[I’d rather watch them argue.]
The number of viewers in the livestream began to drop, but director Wang Zan noticed that Su Wannning’s stream was still drawing more and more attention.
Unnoticed, most of the children had already gathered around Su Wannning.
She was distributing snacks to them—compensation promised by the director after she was wrongly accused earlier that day.
“Mingming, don’t eat too many chips. Here, try this prune, it’s all natural.”
[Is Su Wannning hinting that our Mingming is chubby?!]
[These kids are way more entertaining. The adults next door are so awkward, I’m about to fall asleep!]
Wang Zan observed the stats. In just one day, their show had already landed on three trending lists!

Gaining Popularity
Su Wannning stood out with an unprecedented surge in popularity, much to Wang Zan’s surprise.
That very evening, Yin Shanshan’s agent quietly reported the day’s numbers to her.
Unlike her gentle public persona, Yin Shanshan’s eyes flashed with resentment. “Su Wannning? She’s just lucky, that’s all. Real popularity is built over time, not by grabbing attention for a day or two.”
Her gaze darkened, and she added, “Contact PR. I want dirt on her out by tomorrow.”
“Understood!”
Meanwhile, out of boredom, Su Wannning had created her own livestream account. She didn’t do much, just chatted casually, yet her viewership kept rising.
“Foraging wild vegetables? Can we stop harping on that topic? I clearly dug up bamboo shoots, which are far more valuable than wild greens!”
The comment section erupted with laughter. At the same time, Qin Jingchen sat alone in a dark office, watching the woman on his phone screen—her lively wit and radiant smile made him unconsciously smile himself.
Earlier, seeing the trending topics by chance, he’d discovered that Su Wannning had started a livestream out of boredom.
Curious, he’d tuned in, intending to check on the children, but found himself unexpectedly drawn in by her content.
Just an hour before, he had spoken to Su Wannning on the phone. Then, she had been fierce and overbearing, nothing like the gentle woman now before her audience. On the call, she had scolded him at length, blaming him for nearly being scapegoated by the production team and for all the online backlash.
Thinking of this, Qin Jingchen dismissed the notion of going to see her.
That ungrateful woman!
He reached out and turned off the livestream.
The next morning, all four families had packed their simple bags and gathered at the village entrance at dawn.
Today, the production team would be sending them to a scenic spot called Clear Spring Villa.
Once the livestream began, the director announced that the four guest families would draw lots to decide their mode of transportation to Clear Spring Villa.
Su Wannning let Nian Nian draw the lot, and the director announced the results one by one.
Sheng Ying drew the best option—a luxury car. Yin Shanshan got a taxi, while Feng Rui ended up with the bus.
[I’m curious, what did our little Nian Nian draw? So far, it looks like the luxury car is the best option.]

[I have a bad feeling about this—it seems Nian Nian isn’t the lucky goddess today.]
“It’s okay.” Encouraged by Su Wannning’s gentle smile, Nian Nian opened her slip of paper to reveal a drawing of a dilapidated van.
“Congratulations to the Su Wannning family for drawing three tickets for the van!”
[Laughing so hard—three van tickets, so they’ll be sharing with others?]
[You don’t get it. This is the most popular way to get around here. One van shuttles between attractions—it can fit over a dozen people!]
Nian Nian, still young, could tell from the sympathetic looks around her that she’d drawn the worst lot. Her lips trembled, and her big eyes looked up at Su Wannning, a little aggrieved.
But Su Wannning bent down and stroked her daughter’s head. “It’s all right. The van is Mom’s favorite.”
“Really?” The little one’s face brightened at once.
“Of course.”
[Oh my, Nian Nian is so sweet! Come here and let big sis give you a kiss.]
[Yes, Su Wannning is handling things well so far.]
[Let’s get going! The transport’s already the worst—don’t hold our goddess back!]
The other three families left first. When the village van pulled up in front of Su Wannning, she was about to get on when she noticed an elderly man with white hair by the well. As he was drawing water, he swayed dangerously, and the bucket slipped from his hand—he nearly toppled in himself, making her heart race with alarm.
Su Wannning averted her gaze, lifted her daughter into the van first, then her son.
“Sui Sui, Nian Nian, you two wait in the van. Mama will be right back.”
“Okay!” Nian Nian nodded obediently. Su Wannning handed them the backpack and turned toward the well.
At that moment, Wang Zan discreetly instructed the cameraman through the walkie-talkie, “Film the children, not Su Wannning.”