A Billionaire CEO Brings His Child Home: The Awakening of the Stay-at-Home Dad System

The painting, a full three-foot scroll, is adorned with antique-style floral brocade at the top and bottom, and the wooden scroll rod is simple and elegant. The whole painting looks more exquisite, more complete, and more textured than before.

As the sunlight shines on the scene, the blue of the rocks, the blank space of the clouds and mist, the flowing water of the waterfall, the emerald green of the bamboo forest, and the pale yellow of the thatched cottage all present different layers under the light.

The distant mountains are like dark eyebrows, and the nearby waters are shrouded in mist; the whole painting seems to be breathing.

Shen Xiaoting looked up at the painting hanging on the clothesline, her mouth agape and her eyes bright.

She didn't know what framing was, but she thought the painting looked even better now than before—like a little princess wearing a beautiful dress.

"Dad, the painting looks even better with clothes on!"

Chen Hao smiled, picked up his daughter, and let her see more clearly.

Viewers in the live stream witnessed the entire framing process from a god-like perspective, and the chat section exploded with excitement.

"Host, you really know how to frame pictures?! This is the work of a professional framer!"

"The technique of applying the paste is so standard. The brush moves from left to right, and each stroke overlaps by half. This is the work of someone with formal training."

"The 6:4 ratio between the top and bottom of the painting is the standard ratio for traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy mounting. Even the host knows this."

"The shaft is polished very smoothly, and the wood wax oil is applied evenly. The attention to detail is impeccable."

"Buying this painting for 65800, plus such professional framing, the buyer got a great deal."

"Is there anything you can't do, host? Tell me all at once so I can be mentally prepared."

Gifts started raining down on the screen: carnival, TikTok No. 1, helicopter, Porsche, hot air balloon, love launcher, fireworks, heart gestures, bunny ears, sunglasses, lollipops, and hearts.

Various gifts were presented one after another, and special effects filled the screen.

The system notification sounds in Chen Hao's mind were as dense as a machine gun, ringing incessantly.

[Received a donation: Carnival x2, gained 12000 popularity points!]

[Received donation: 3 Douyin accounts, gained 9000 popularity points!]

[Received donation: 5 helicopters, gained 2999 popularity points!]

[Received a donation: 4 Porsches, gained 960 popularity points!]

[Received a donation: 6 hot air balloons, gained 624 popularity points!]

Chen Zhenhua stood in the courtyard, still holding the teacup in his hand; the tea in the cup had gone completely cold.

He looked at the painting hanging on the clothesline, then at the transaction price of "65800" on his phone screen, his face turning red and white in turns.

He remembered what he had just said—

"It's just so-so, not very good." "You're a coder, you shouldn't embarrass yourself with drawing."

Every word he utters now feels like a slap in the face.

Sixty-five thousand eight hundred yuan.

Chen Hao earned in two hours what it took him two months to earn.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but it felt like something was blocking his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

He raised the teacup to his lips and took a sip of the now-cold tea. The bitter taste spread in his mouth, making him frown slightly.

He tucked the teacup into his coat, turned around, and walked away without looking back.

Shen Xiaoting leaned on her father's shoulder and watched Chen Zhenhua walk away. She whispered, "Dad, that annoying Third Grandfather is gone."

Chen Hao glanced at Chen Zhenhua's retreating figure—

He walked very fast, as if something was chasing him.

Chen Hao looked away and kissed his daughter on the cheek.

"It's good that you're gone."

Chen Hao turned off the live stream and tidied up the tools on his worktable.

He washed each brush thoroughly, gently pinching the tip with his fingers to squeeze out the ink, until the water flowed clear before hanging it on the brush holder.

I used half a ream of Xuan paper, then folded the rest and put it back in the drawer.

He couldn't bear to throw away the ink in the inkstone, so he sealed it with plastic wrap and saved it for tomorrow.

When the paint on the palette dried, he scraped it off bit by bit with a scraper and then wiped it clean with a damp cloth.

The framed landscape painting was still hanging on the wall. The ink had completely dried, the silk was smooth and even, and the whole painting looked simple and elegant.

He stood there for a while, looking at his work—

The mountains stretch endlessly, shrouded in mist, with babbling brooks and a few thatched cottages nestled among the pine trees.

He was quite satisfied; although it wasn't his best painting, he had captured the tranquil atmosphere.

He rolled up the painting, wrapped it in rice paper, put it in a long cardboard box, sealed it with tape, wrote the buyer's address and phone number on the box, and placed it on the shoe cabinet by the door, ready to mail it out the next day.

"Tingting, let's go, let's go to Grandma's house for dinner."

"Okay!" Shen Xiaoting ran out of the inner room, holding the cartoon drawings she had made that afternoon. "Dad, I'm going to show them to Grandpa and Grandma!"

"Okay, take it to show Grandpa and Grandma."

Chen Hao squatted down and helped his daughter straighten the drawing paper, folding each sheet neatly with the edges aligned.

Shen Xiaoting clutched the painting tightly, as if afraid of losing it.

Chen Hao took his daughter's hand and walked out of the yard, heading towards the small shop along the village road.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the two people, one long and one short, onto the concrete road.

Shen Xiaoting skipped and hopped as she walked, the drawing paper in her hand rustling in the wind. She quickly pressed it down with her other hand and turned back to shout to her father:

"Dad, the wind is going to blow my drawing away!"

Chen Hao laughed: "Hold on tighter."

At the entrance of the convenience store, Chen Bingzhong sat on a plastic chair, his right arm still wrapped in gauze, drinking tea from a thermos.

The thermos is an old-fashioned stainless steel one, with a faded peony printed on the lid.

He took a sip, smacked his lips, and then took another sip.

Meng Meiling was setting out the dishes in the room when she saw the father and daughter coming over. She called out, "You're here? Wash your hands and eat."

"Grandma!" Shen Xiaoting ran into the convenience store, her shoes clattering on the cement floor. She reached Meng Meiling, holding the drawing paper high above her head.

"Grandma, look! This is what I drew!"

Meng Meiling wiped her hands, rubbed them on her apron, took the drawing paper, and looked at them one by one.

Five drawings: Big Bear, Little Bear, Pleasant Goat, Pretty Goat, and Peppa Pig. They're crooked and the colors are a mess.

The bear's nose was drawn on its forehead, the sheep's horns were uneven, and Peppa Pig's body was drawn like a sausage.

But you can tell what each one depicts; that feeling is just right, you can tell at a glance that it's one of these characters.

She smiled, squatted down, cupped her granddaughter's face in her hands, and gently pinched it:

"Did Tingting draw this? It's so beautiful! Tingting can draw now?"