SFBF CH97

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It was already known that the fair, chubby, turnip-like toddler was Shen Qing’s son—his stepson, a child he had taken in after marrying a certain big shot.

It was also known that just moments ago, this adorable little kid had suddenly run over, thrown his arms around President Gu’s leg, and called him Dad.

Which meant…

This…

After all this time, Shen Qing’s other half was actually President Gu?

…

Gu Huaiyu???

Didn’t the rumors say he had married some old geezer?!

Everyone had disbelief written all over their faces. However, one mystery was finally solved: previously, everyone had found it odd that Shen Qing dared to bring his child to the company without worrying that the media might stir up scandal.

Now the answer was crystal clear—this wasn’t just Shen Qing’s kid; this was President Gu’s kid!

The little crown prince coming to inspect his own family’s business couldn’t be more normal. What was there to be so shocked about?

Besides, saying the child was just accompanying Teacher Shen to work was completely plausible… Being a celebrity was probably just one of Teacher Shen’s side hustles anyway!

…Shen Qing and their President Gu were actually a couple!

How could such massive news have zero whispers circulating on the outside?!

Shen Qing’s sudden explosion in popularity had prompted everyone present to thoroughly research his past background.

Yet no media outlet, tabloid, or even a single passing rumor had ever mentioned that the legendary husband of Shen Qing was actually Gu Huaiyu!

And from the looks of it, their relationship was exceptionally close!—

When Ao-zai ran over to hug his Big Dad’s leg, Gu Huaiyu casually scooped the child up and set him comfortably on his lap.

Once the soft, round human toddler sat on Gu Huaiyu’s lap, contrasted against President Gu’s lean yet imposing frame, he appeared even tinier.

But also even cuter!

When Shen Qing asked President Gu why he had come, President Gu simply replied: “Seeing that you weren’t finished after so long, I came over to check on you.”

His tone was flat and his voice deep, yet it sounded inexplicably mesmerizing.

It also had to be said that President Gu was remarkably young.

…Setting aside the legends, fame, and achievements associated with him, President Gu didn’t look old at all! Far from an old geezer, he looked like he wasn’t even thirty yet, right??

On top of that, President Gu was undeniably handsome.

His face was striking—if a bit pale—and he possessed a broad, powerful build. Even seated in a wheelchair, he still appeared tall and commanding; his natural height was clearly impressive.

Of course, even more worthy of attention was the icy, noble aura surrounding him. Dressed in a tailored suit, he sat with a perfectly straight posture. Using a wheelchair didn’t diminish his presence in the slightest; instead, he completely outshone the several corporate executives standing around him.

…

A President Gu like this reached out a hand directly toward the young man standing across from him.

Shen Qing had already walked over and naturally laced his fingers with that hand. Under the bright lights of the hallway, their matching wedding rings were striking.

Shen Qing’s reaction was completely calm, as if President Gu suddenly showing up to pick him up from work was the most ordinary, routine occurrence.

He nodded with a brilliant, clear smile on his face. Showing none of the flattered surprise others might have expected, he spoke in a completely natural tone: “Then you arrived just in time. Let’s go somewhere together tonight.”

President Gu nodded slightly, agreeing without a hint of hesitation: “Alright.”

The onlookers: …

Zhan Yu, who had been preparing to record a video clip moments ago to land a heavy blow on this father and son, silently put his phone away.

Lord knew Zhan Yu had practically drafted the clickbait headlines in his head:

About to be reverse-supported by a four-year-old toddler, Teacher Shen weeps with joy!

Sending a four-year-old stepson out to work: A loss of humanity or a collapse of morals?

Washed-up celebrity’s comeback actually driven by massive family tragedy!

Looking at the situation now… tragedy my foot!

Perhaps Shen Qing’s sudden emotional reaction earlier was simply being moved by his child’s filial affection.

Whatever the case, it was absolutely, positively not a lack of money!

…

As this realization dawned, countless pieces of information flashed wildly through Zhan Yu’s mind. For instance, since Shen Qing held such a relationship with President Gu, becoming famous would be effortless for him!

Yet Shen Qing possessed looks that perfectly fit modern aesthetic tastes, a stunning ancient-costume visual, and charming behavior that struck a chord with audiences.

A person like this—sitting on vast resources, practically sitting on all of Xingcheng itself—never engaged in self-marketing.

He was genuinely low-key.

Simply too low-key!

…For someone so outstanding to stay this humble—wasn’t that just absurdly powerful?!

It was like thinking your competitor just had a bit more luck than you, only to realize that what you saw was merely the tip of the iceberg. Their true background and strength were countless times greater than what was displayed on the surface—they were just keeping a low profile.

Once you realized this, facing a person like that left no room for jealousy.

Zhan Yu was now filled with lingering fear and relief: relieved that he was a nobody, relieved that his manager had scolded him earlier, and even more relieved that he hadn’t had the chance to commit a stupid mistake!

Otherwise, he wouldn’t just be facing abandonment by his manager!

Meanwhile, Zhan Yu’s manager was equally dumbfounded. Lin Wenjue felt fortunate that he hadn’t overreached by trying to become Teacher Shen’s manager. But remembering that he had just recommended President Gu’s young master to shoot commercials! …And had even judged others by his own standards, assuming Mrs. Gu lacked money!

Standing frozen in place, Lin Wenjue couldn’t squeeze out a single word.

He was terrified.

After all, over there, the little master was already recounting to President Gu the story of being invited to shoot commercials…

The young master articulated clearly and possessed strong narrative skills.

As President Gu listened attentively to the chubby toddler babbling and sharing stories on his lap, his cold, strict gaze—for a brief second—swept over Lin Wenjue.

Lin Wenjue: “…”

He instinctively adjusted his posture… snapping straight into a military stance!

—He finally understood what Manager Bai meant by shooting him all those subtle glances earlier!

“Does Ao-zai want to shoot commercials?” After listening to the general idea, Gu Huaiyu slowly summarized and asked.

Perhaps due to his naturally powerful aura and serious demeanor, or perhaps because his status was simply too exalted, when President Gu spoke to the young master, even the nearby company executives didn’t dare interject.

If it were anyone else, the executives of an entertainment agency could have made jokes or offered differing opinions.

Yet in front of the young President Gu, no one dared to make a sound.

Instantly, the atmospheric pressure in the hallway dropped noticeably.

Lin Wenjue was scrutinized in turn by the three accompanying executives, as if every single one of them was saying: Nice going, kid. I’ll remember you.

Lin Wenjue: …

No, wait! I really didn’t know he was President Gu’s young master!

Even now, Lin Wenjue didn’t feel there was anything wrong with letting children shoot commercials or act, provided it didn’t interfere with their studies or run counter to the child’s wishes.

Yet Lin Wenjue genuinely regretted it.

He had interacted with wealthy figures before; among true wealthy families, very few would support their spouse continuing to work in the entertainment industry.

Wealthy families had endless rules.

Being a celebrity meant being busy, engaging in extensive social circles, and constantly dealing with fabricated scandals. The wealthy detested these things and avoided them whenever possible.

He assumed Teacher Shen’s situation in the Gu household was similar—except President Gu currently doted on Teacher Shen and supported his desire to remain in the industry.

But that didn’t mean President Gu would allow his own young master to join the industry too!

After all, he was a legitimate heir of noble blood! Among prominent families, no one had ever heard of a young master stepping out to film commercials… If the goal was to build character and broaden his horizons, did the young master lack opportunities for that?

If the goal was to receive praise, did the young master lack people to encourage and flatter him?

They simply didn’t need it at all!

Lin Wenjue desperately wanted to explain himself to President Gu, to say it was just a casual mention.

Even Bai Meng beside them grew nervous, calculating how she might help Lin Wenjue out.

Yet the little master, when asked by President Gu if he wanted to shoot commercials, didn’t sense the tension at all.

Sitting on his Big Dad’s knees, Ao-zai swung his chubby little legs and expressed his thoughts directly: “Ao-zai wants to go!”

Ao-zai tilted his head up: “Ao-zai likes it! Ao-zai wants to do the same things as Little Dad, wants to work, and wants to protect Little Dad and Big Dad!”

By the end, clever little Ao-zai even remembered to include his Big Dad.

Others didn’t catch the nuance, but listening to it, Shen Qing just wanted to laugh—a self-reliant overachiever like President Gu was definitely not on the care list of the two brothers, Duo-duo and Ao-zai.

However, little Ao-zai was far too smart and kind-hearted; he knew that if he only mentioned Little Dad and left out Big Dad, Big Dad might feel sad and it would seem unfair, so he added him in…

Heavens, how was his child so adorably clever!

Shen Qing couldn’t help wanting to scoop Ao-zai into his arms and squish his cute face again.

Over there, Gu Huaiyu was indeed in a good mood.

Even if onlookers couldn’t detect any change from his facial expression alone.

Lin Wenjue’s heart, which was already in his throat, was about to leap out. He mustered the courage to interject and explain to President Gu: “I’m so sorry, President Gu! It’s all my fault…”

Before he could finish, he heard the high-and-mighty man in the wheelchair speak: “Alright, then go film.”

Lin Wenjue: ?!

“Mm-hmm!” Ao-zai accepted naturally.

Everyone around was shocked—no one expected the cold, rule-bound President Gu to be so easygoing. Yet Ao-zai reacted as if he had never worried his Big Dad would object in the first place. Once President Gu agreed, he nuzzled against his Big Dad’s cheek and politely said, “Thank you, Big Dad!”

The manager and executives on the side: …

Who could have imagined that the formidable President Gu, famous for his sternness and strict rules, doted on his child like this in private!

“Mm.”

Gu Huaiyu’s large hand gently encircled Ao-zai’s small body to keep him from tumbling off, adding: “But what did your Little Dad say? Did he agree?”

“Oh, right!” Only then did Ao-zai remember that Little Dad had merely asked if he liked working, without explicitly stating whether he agreed or not.

Ao-zai immediately turned his gaze toward his Little Dad.

Facing his child’s clear, innocent eyes, Shen Qing naturally had no objections and stated directly: “I have no objections.”

Ao-zai: Yay!

Clenching his little fists, Ao-zai thanked his Little Dad as well. Behind him, his Big Dad listened, nodded again, and raised no further issues: “Good.”

The others: “…”

So… the matter was settled just like that???

Do wealthy families always act with such swift efficiency?…

Finally, President Gu shifted his gaze onto Lin Wenjue. After assessing him thoroughly, he asked: “What is your name?”

His voice was calm yet carried natural authority, leaving his thoughts completely unreadable.

Lin Wenjue: “…”

…

In short, Lin Wenjue—who had reached a career dead-end with no standout artists left—inexplicably became the manager for President Gu’s young master.

It wasn’t until President Gu’s party departed and the surrounding trainees offered their congratulations that Lin Wenjue snapped back to reality—he hadn’t just scouted a remarkably talented child star.

The child was President Gu’s young master.

…

Recalling that President Gu’s assistant had exchanged phone numbers with him before leaving…

Lin Wenjue could only sum it up in one word: Heavens!

Oh my goodness, Lord above.

Happiness had arrived so suddenly he felt like fainting!

.

After saying goodbye to Xingcheng’s executives and thanking Manager Bai, Shen Qing’s party of two adults and one child boarded his van.

As the vehicle pulled away from the company building, Ao-zai—placed in his child safety seat in the back—swung his tiny feet and read a children’s comic book accompanied by Nanny Zhang.

In the front, Gu Huaiyu turned to look at Shen Qing: “Where are we going?”

He still remembered the young man saying earlier that they should head somewhere together.

Shen Qing’s eyes sparkled as he said, “Let’s go pick up Duo-duo from school!”

Gu Huaiyu replied, “Alright.”

Without asking why he suddenly wanted to pick up the child, Gu Huaiyu checked the time and noted: “It’s a bit early, though.”

Ever since joining the training camp, Duo-duo didn’t finish class until around seven in the evening, sometimes even waiting until past eight.

Gu Huaiyu was usually busy, but he kept track of when the child returned home.

And right now, it was only four in the afternoon.

Shen Qing suggested: “Then let’s grab some afternoon tea or eat something delicious first. We can see what Duo-zai likes and bring some for him—that should timing-wise bring us right on schedule.”

The corners of Gu Huaiyu’s lips curled upward: “Alright.”

“Dad, are we going to pick up Brother right now?” Ao-zai suddenly asked from the back seat.

Ao-zai’s happily swinging feet stopped immediately. Hearing that they were going to pick up his brother, he instantly had Nanny Zhang hand over his small backpack, briskly put away his comic book, pulled out his children’s tablet, and loaded a foreign language tutorial video.

“…What are you doing?” Shen Qing couldn’t help asking with a smile.

This series of actions was far too smooth and practiced—it looked suspiciously like last-minute cramming.

Since Duo-duo went to the training camp and lacked time to tutor Ao-zai, he had assigned homework to his younger brother instead.

Shen Qing recalled that every night before bed, Duo-duo would specify how far his younger brother needed to progress in listening and speaking the next day.

Before Shen Qing left for work, Ao-zai had hesitated on whether to accompany his Little Dad—weighing whether to run out and play or focus on studying at home first before going out.

Then he had been persuaded by his Little Dad’s line: “There’s plenty of time to study when we get home tonight!” He had promptly packed his backpack and set off together!

So Ao-zai had spent the entire afternoon playing.

While Little Dad was working, with Auntie Bai and others keeping him company, Ao-zai hadn’t wanted to study even more.

Now, hearing that he was about to see his brother, Ao-zai finally remembered his studies.

…It truly was last-minute cramming.

Holding the large tablet in his child seat, the device almost covered his entire tiny frame. The sight was so adorable that Shen Qing felt both amused and touched.

Yet he had to intervene: “You’ll ruin your eyes watching like that. Be good, don’t study just yet. In a moment, we’ll find a place to sit down and study properly.”

“Okay then,” Ao-zai cooperatively set down the tablet and said with a serious face: “Then hurry up, Ao-zai still has so much stuff he hasn’t learned today!”

Shen Qing: “…Alright, President Ao.”

In truth, it was obvious that Ao-zai didn’t particularly enjoy studying either.

Usually, studying alongside his brother made it feel like a game, and Ao-zai could learn with great relish.

With Duo-duo away from home, self-directed learning was difficult for Ao-zai. He was too young and had far more energy than average toddlers, making it hard to focus; even with a private tutor watching, his mind would wander.

From Shen Qing’s perspective, he shouldn’t bother studying during this period at all. After all, Duo-duo’s training camp lasted only 15 days, and missing 15 days of study wouldn’t delay anything.

The crucial point was that Ao-zai was only four years old!

Yet no matter how much he disliked studying, Ao-zai still set aside two hours every day to complete his work conscientiously.

It was just that those two hours felt like enduring a trial.

Having seen the child’s struggle over the past few days, Shen Qing had suggested bringing him along to get some fresh air.

—In any case, Duo-duo had assigned the tasks, but failing to complete them didn’t carry any punishment.

Looking at Ao-zai’s current anxiousness to study, Shen Qing understood completely: since Ao-zai had agreed to complete the tasks his brother set for him, he felt bound to fulfill his word.

This was the rule the little protagonist set for himself.

Although Shen Qing didn’t advocate for children studying this intensely, he strongly supported the child’s virtue of keeping promises.

Thus, he quickly located a relatively quiet tea restaurant and booked a private room. The adults sat quietly sipping tea while little Ao-zai sat off to one side studying.

With the tablet’s speaker on, the instructor’s voice echoed clearly. The four-year-old lay flat against the clean white tablecloth, diligently repeating the words.

The waiter who entered to serve tea and pastries was startled by the scene.

…A row of adults sitting leisurely sipping tea, looking completely relaxed, while a four- or five-year-old child beside them was hunched over studying with intense dedication… Wasn’t this role-reversed?

Pushing academics on a child this tiny?

To make matters worse, before this, Ao-zai—who was lying on the table diligently repeating words and drawing—had rubbed his eyes.

His eyelashes were naturally long, and after being rubbed by his chubby hands, a few teardrops hung from the tips.

Yet Ao-zai paid no mind.

His focus remained glued to the tablet as he repeated the lessons obediently. Because he exhibited an unnatural detachment from his surroundings for his age, combined with the way he lay there looking like a tiny dumpling… it was easy for onlookers to assume the little dumpling was suffering under severe parental pressure to study.

The waiter looked at the child lying on the table, eyes overflowing with pity.

Shen Qing beside them: “…”

He had no idea how to explain… This really is my kid wanting to study on his own!

…Forget it, better not disturb President Ao’s studies.

Shen Qing pulled out his phone, opened WeChat, and began typing.

Before long, Gu Huaiyu’s phone chimed.

President Gu turned his head toward him.

Shen Qing blinked at him playfully.

Gu Huaiyu looked at him deeply, then retrieved his own phone.

Unsurprisingly, it was a message from the young man.

Because their home was so large, ever since President Gu got a smartphone, the two of them frequently communicated via messaging in addition to chatting face-to-face.

…In fact, whenever they weren’t together, they exchanged messages with notable frequency.

And Gu Huaiyu had no one else on his contact list.

So whenever the notification tone sounded, it was guaranteed to be from Shen Qing.

Yet this time, the young man was sitting right beside him…

Gu Huaiyu suddenly let out a low chuckle, his pale lips curving into a distinct arc. He opened WeChat, read the message from the young man, and typed a reply.

[Shen Qing: How did your checkup go today? Why didn’t you tell me in advance that you were coming over?]

[Gu Huaiyu: It went well.]

[Gu Huaiyu: After thinking for a long time, I realized I missed you. Came to pick you up.]

Shen Qing’s phone vibrated twice in succession.

He opened WeChat, glanced at the screen, and then—clap—slapped the phone face-down onto the table in front of him.

…Chatting with President Gu was getting impossible!

Lately, it was always like this: Gu Huaiyu kept flirting with him out of nowhere.

A person who used to seem cold and emotionless had suddenly maxed out his romantic talking skills, pouring them out intensely and exclusively in front of him… He had only asked a casual question, look at what President Gu was replying!

Shen Qing instinctively rubbed his cheeks.

He had used the brand’s skincare products during the afternoon shoot; truth be told, his skin felt remarkably smooth afterward.

It was just that the weather felt stuffy… Why did his face feel so hot?!

A moment later, Shen Qing’s phone chimed again; Gu Huaiyu had initiated another message.

[What happened in Xingcheng earlier? Why did it seem like someone was looking at you the wrong way?]

After Gu Huaiyu appeared, Zhan Yu had behaved completely.

Yet President Gu, unaware of the background, had still sensed something amiss, prompting his question.

However, Shen Qing had already forgotten about that artist whose name he didn’t even know; to him, it didn’t even count as a minor conflict.

What left a deep impression on Shen Qing at Xingcheng was chatting with Manager Bai and the others, as well as the fun moments during the photo shoot afterward.

So when Gu Huaiyu asked who looked at him the wrong way, Shen Qing began thinking seriously about who might have looked at him strangely.

Was it when the makeup artist saw him for the first time, freezing for several minutes before declaring no makeup was needed at all and bare skin was best? Or was it when he walked in front of the lens for his first shot, and the photographer’s assistant accidentally shattered a vase holding roses?

At the time, roses scattered across the floor, and the blushing assistant panicked, apologizing and explaining: Teacher Shen was so handsome that he had been dazed.

—Vain Shen Qing instinctively assumed President Gu meant that kind of “wrong look.”

Yet after thinking for a long time, he couldn’t recall anyone being particularly off.

Shen Qing had no choice but to ask: [Who are you referring to that looked at me the wrong way?]

Gu Huaiyu paused with his phone in hand, instantly sensing that the young man’s idea of a “wrong look” differed completely from his own.

Thus, President Gu asked sharply: [Who else looked at you the wrong way?]

Shen Qing: [?]

Realizing they might not be on the same page, he slowly turned his head to look at Gu Huaiyu.

Gu Huaiyu was already looking back at him.

His pale face remained expressionless, yet Shen Qing could distinctly feel the overwhelming aura and chill radiating from him.

The depths of Gu Huaiyu’s eyes turned dark and intense.

“Who… looked at you?”

Shen Qing: …

It seems we both misunderstood something.

Shen Qing then explained the fun highlights of his photo shoot to President Gu.

Naturally, he didn’t just mention people being mesmerized by his looks, but shared all the enjoyable details.

He also recounted how Ao-zai had verbally dismantled that artist. To avoid interrupting President Ao’s intense study session, they communicated in hushed whispers close to each other’s ears.

In reality, even if they spoke aloud, it wouldn’t have mattered.

Ao-zai, fully absorbed in his studies, was completely oblivious to his surroundings; unless someone physically pushed him or lifted him away, he wouldn’t even know what was happening nearby!

With the toddler dutifully lying down to study and the two adults leaning close to converse—their necks practically overlapping—everyone else had sensibly stepped outside the room.

Shen Qing had recently risen to fame, so being liked, envied, or resented by others was completely normal and expected. Gu Huaiyu listened quietly, his eyes occasionally flickering as if weighing countermeasures. Most of the time, he responded softly to indicate he was listening, or offered brief advice.

From time to time, he would reach out, lift the teapot, and refill the young man’s cup.

Whenever that happened, Shen Qing’s eyes would curve into a warm smile as he thanked him with bright eyes and red lips.

Gu Huaiyu’s gaze grew increasingly profound, yet held a gentle warmth.

Time flew by amid their quiet glances. Over on the side, Ao-zai performed exceptionally under time pressure; with intense focus, he finished all his material in just over an hour.

“So fast?” Communicating with Gu Huaiyu was always pleasant and comforting; with bright eyes and a great mood, Shen Qing showered Ao-zai with praise.

Ao-zai loved receiving praise and immediately puffed out his little chest: “A mere… tiny bit of homework, nothing worth mentioning!”

It had to be said that playing with unfinished homework weighing on one’s mind felt completely different from playing after it was done. Ao-zai clearly let out a sigh of relief, instantly regaining his full energy and vigor.

Without needing an adult to hold him, he jumped down from the chair on his own: “Dad, let’s go find Brother!”

Ready to go.

The adults had only eaten a little during afternoon tea, packing up the rest, while Shen Qing bought extra treats that Duo-duo liked.

Afterward, the party headed to Duo-duo’s training camp. The camp was located on a mountain in the nearby suburbs, quite far from the city center. Factoring in buying dinner on the way and evening traffic, they arrived right on time.

The training camp operated as a closed campus during the day, renovated from a mountain resort. It covered a large area with a great environment; simply arriving here, far from the city’s hustle and bustle, refreshed the mind.

Naturally, there were surrounding resorts nearby, costing thousands per night, and the camp tuition was steep.

Duo-duo’s class was the beginner group with younger children. Some parents weren’t comfortable leaving their toddlers alone away from home for half a month, so they commuted instead.

Children over ten were required to stay on site.

Because of commuting, Gu Duo had to set off at 5:30 every morning over the past few days, far earlier than his usual school routine.

Waking up early was tough for young children, and Gu Duo was no exception.

Yet Gu Duo was far more mature than peers his age, never uttering a single complaint about the hardship.

No sooner had they parked in the lot than the training camp bell rang, signaling the end of class.

The grand, traditional gates opened, and a few scattered children walked out. Among them, Shen Qing spotted Gu Duo.

Gu Duo walked with his back held straight.

However, the toddler’s head drooped slightly and his pace was slow, looking a bit spiritless and drained.

Shen Qing: ?

“Duo-duo!” Shen Qing quickly rolled down the car window and waved at the human toddler in the distance.

Gu Duo had been walking toward the side parking lot to find his driver’s car.

Hearing the voice and looking up, he froze upon seeing his Little Dad’s car. Instantly shedding his sluggishness, he ran over with swift steps.

The camp was quite far from home, and Gu Duo hadn’t expected Shen Qing to pick him up personally.

Once inside the car, he froze again—not only had Little Dad come, but Big Dad and Ao-zai were here too.

As the car started, Ao-zai pulled out a matcha taro pastry brought for his brother, holding a piece with his chubby fingers and holding it to his brother’s mouth: “Eat, Brother! Ao-zai wiped his hands!”

Gu Duo certainly didn’t mind his brother, though he usually disliked eating inside vehicles.

Despite training for most of the day and feeling very hungry, since Ao-zai had brought the pastry to his lips, Gu Duo took a bite and said, “Thank you, Ao-zai.”

At that moment, Shen Qing handed him a cup of water from the front. Gu Duo accepted it and added, “Thank you, Little Dad.”

Shen Qing said, “Our Duo-duo has gotten thinner from hard work lately. Come on, let me take you to eat something good to recharge.”

Gu Duo blinked softly.

Shen Qing added, “Duo-zai doesn’t need to worry—we’re staying on the mountain tonight, right next to your school! That way, tomorrow you can sleep until seven before waking up.”

Gu Duo’s eyes widened slightly, though he still noted: “…Our class starts at seven sharp.”

“Oh,” Shen Qing said. “Then sleep until 6:50… No, wake up at 6:40! That gives you over an hour and a half more sleep than usual, and tonight we can have a great time!”

Gu Duo: “…”

In Shen Qing’s view, what Duo-duo was experiencing felt harsher than a “996” work schedule—fifteen consecutive days of camp courses, likely designed to forge a child’s willpower through discipline, without a single rest day.

Calling it 996 was an understatement; it was practically 777!

If Gu Duo hadn’t requested to attend himself, Shen Qing wouldn’t have even looked at the schedule.

Since he had enrolled and felt good about it, there was no point dwelling on past choices.

What Shen Qing needed to consider now was how to ensure his child got adequate rest amidst such intense training.

Having fun tonight was partly a joke; getting Duo-duo proper rest was what mattered. The car arrived at the resort shortly, taking only two or three minutes.

Looking at the resort’s name, Gu Duo found it familiar, realizing his camp classmates had mentioned it before.

Unlike Gu Duo, who enrolled voluntarily, other children had been forced by parents seeking to discipline them.

The main motivation wasn’t necessarily forging willpower, but rather a trend among Huacheng’s upper class—if a child reached a certain age without attending such camps a couple of times, other families would mock them.

Yet parents generally doted on their children; sending them to class was one thing, but outside class hours, parents constantly sought ways to minimize their hardship.

Thus, arranging local accommodations became the top choice for most parents.

Given the winding mountain roads, aside from this specific resort, the closest alternative required a long drive, taking around twenty minutes.

Consequently, all of Gu Duo’s classmates wanted to stay in this single resort that was just a two-to-three-minute drive away, eager to gain an extra twenty minutes of sleep. That was why the resort was frequently discussed, which was how Gu Duo knew of it.

Now, staring at the traditional yet luxurious resort, Gu Duo—who had intended to forge his willpower, preferred waking up early every day, and had never complained or requested to stay on the mountain—stood slightly dazed: “…Isn’t this resort supposed to be extremely hard to book?”

Gu Duo asked.

He didn’t pay much attention to such things, but accustomed to staying informed, he had learned from classmates’ chatter just how difficult it was to reserve a spot here.

“Well, it wasn’t that hard to book,” Shen Qing patted Duo-duo’s round head gently.

Gu Duo: “…But I heard from my classmates that this resort only has three guest rooms, the price per night was jacked up to over ten thousand, and most importantly, all rooms for the training period were fully booked far in advance.”

“That’s true, guest rooms couldn’t be booked,” Shen Qing said. “But your Big Dad bought the whole resort just now.”

Gu Duo: …?

???

At this point, Shen Qing looked up toward the sky: “So tonight, we’re staying in the owner’s private courtyard.”

Gu Duo: …