Live Stream: Overly Pampered Education Creates Three Superstars in One Family

On a late autumn afternoon, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a long, slanted golden line across the floor.

The study was quiet, with only the occasional hesitant and intermittent clicking of the mechanical keyboard.

The fluorescent light from the computer screen shone on Chen Chu's face. His face, which usually carried a carefree and nonchalant air in the live broadcast room, as if he could cover himself with a blanket even if the sky fell, was now filled with unprecedented solemnity and struggle.

A Word document is open on the screen, with the words "My Educational Approach (tentative title)" in bold at the top.

But the main text below consisted of only a few lines. The cursor blinked impatiently after the period on the last line, as if urging him to continue typing.

Chen Chu's fingers hovered above the keyboard. After a long while, he sighed, pressed the "Backspace" key, and deleted the few sentences he had just typed.

He is genuinely trying to write a book.

Ever since the millions of viewers in the live stream last night went crazy with messages urging him to publish a book, the idea seemed to have taken root in his mind. On the surface, he always acted like he was the best in the world and didn't care about anything, and he was even more arrogant in front of Chen Ziran.

But in reality? Chen Chu knew very well that he was now somewhat afraid.

This fear stems from something called "responsibility".

He used to be a nobody, spouting nonsense and even occasionally hurling profanities during his livestreams as a way to vent his emotions. But now things are different. Any random sentence he utters can be compiled into a video clip and go viral online, even directly impacting the life trajectory of a child like Xu Ziang.

When a person realizes that their words and actions have a tremendous power to change others, they can no longer act as recklessly as before.

Chen Chu himself didn't realize that now, when he's in the live stream, he doesn't swear anymore, and he even goes over slightly offensive words in his head before saying them.

"Writing a book...does that really mean printing all this out in black and white?"

Chen Chu lit a cigarette but didn't smoke it; he simply held it between his fingers, watching the smoke rise in wisps. He was lost in deep self-doubt.

Are his so-called "educational methods" for dealing with Chen Ziran truly universally applicable? If they are written down and others try to imitate them, will they really be effective?

Everyone else was idolizing him, but Chen Chu knew perfectly well what was going on. Chen Ziran's remarkable comeback from the bottom to 615 points was definitely not solely due to Chen Chu's efforts. In fact, it could be said that Chen Chu merely gave him a slight push, removing the weeds that had been growing in Chen Ziran's mind. What truly propelled this kid to new heights was his own inner drive to prove himself and become better.

If a child doesn't have the desire to break free from their cocoon and transform themselves, even if the father is a saint and recites the Analects of Confucius to him every day, it's like casting pearls before swine.

"There's no universal formula for education..." Chen Chu shook his head with a wry smile, reached for the mouse, and prepared to close the document and abandon this idea that made him feel like he was walking on thin ice.

"Click".

Just then, the sound of the security door being pushed open from the outside was heard.

"Dad! I'm back!" Chen Ziran's loud voice rang out from the entrance hall.

As he changed his shoes, he habitually glanced at the sofa in the living room. Usually at this time, his dad would either be sprawled out on the sofa scrolling through short videos, or wearing headphones and playing video games in front of the TV, muttering something like "on the road, on the road."

But today, the living room is quiet, and even the television screen is black.

Where are they?

Chen Ziran frowned, somewhat puzzled, and walked down the corridor. The master bedroom was empty, his sister's room was empty too, and finally, his gaze settled on the study, whose door was half-open.

He tiptoed over and peeked through the crack in the door.

Upon seeing this, Chen Ziran almost burst out laughing.

Chen Chu sat upright, wearing a pair of blue light blocking glasses, scratching his head in front of the computer screen. His usually defiant face now showed the constipated expression of a primary school student struggling to write an essay.

Although it was impossible to see what was written on the screen, the large areas of white text on a black background, coupled with the serious and tense posture, clearly indicated that someone was typing!

Chen Ziran's eyes darted around, and he pushed the door open, leaning against the doorframe. He teased in a drawn-out tone, "Hey, Dad, busy? Are you in seclusion writing a book, preparing to start your own sect?"

Chen Chu: "..."

Holy crap!

Chen Chu shuddered in fright, nearly dropping the cigarette between his fingers into his crotch. With a speed that even twenty years of being single might not be enough to master, he slid the mouse with his right hand and snapped a shortcut key with his left.

"Whoosh!"

The computer screen instantly switched back to the desktop, and the landscape wallpaper looked incredibly out of place between the two of them.

Chen Chu, feigning composure, took off his glasses, cleared his throat, and glanced around: "You little brat... when did you get in? Why are you walking so quietly, like a cat?"

Seeing his father's embarrassed attempt to cover up his embarrassment, Chen Ziran couldn't suppress the smile on his face: "Dad, stop pretending. Just write a book, what's there to be embarrassed about? Be more confident! I firmly believe that with your level of understanding, you're not just packaging your words and actions as toxic motivational rhetoric to spread across the internet; you're preaching!"

Chen Chu's lips twitched twice, and his face flushed red. "You brat, have you gone too far? Entering an elder's room without knocking, don't you have any manners?"

"You're the one who didn't close the door, okay?" Chen Ziran pointed to the open door with a self-righteous air.

"Okay, okay, I got it." Chen Ziran raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, and knocked twice on the doorframe in a very perfunctory manner. "Knock knock, Mr. Chen, may I come in now?"

Chen Chu rolled her eyes, stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray, rolled her eyes again, and said, "Stop arguing with me."

"No way, I'm a top student with status now."

Chen Ziran walked in, pulled up a chair and sat down next to Chen Chu. His expression suddenly became somewhat mysterious. "By the way, Dad, I have something to report to you. This afternoon after school, Principal Li personally ambushed me in the corridor."

"The principal blocked your way?" Chen Chu raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down.

"What are you thinking! Your son is practically a protected animal at the school!" Chen Ziran slapped his thigh. "The principal is here to invite you!"

"Invite me?" Chen Chu was taken aback. "Invite me for what?"

"We'd love for you to give a speech at the school!" Chen Ziran vividly described his encounter with the principal that day, embellishing the story. "The principal said that next week our school will hold a pep rally for the senior students and will also commend outstanding students. As the fastest-improving dark horse, I'll be speaking on stage. And you, as the mastermind behind this success, the school sincerely invites you to come up on stage and share your advanced educational experience with everyone!"

After hearing this, Chen Chu felt not excited at all, but rather speechless. "Nonsense. We've seen it before, and he's going to give a speech on stage? Isn't he afraid I'll go up there and teach you guys how to skip class?"

"It's true! And..." Chen Ziran lowered his voice and leaned closer, "According to what the principal implied, this time the education bureau leaders personally requested that he make sure to invite you over."

Chen Chu was genuinely surprised this time. He leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowed slightly. "Surely not? I was just rambling on online. How would the education bureau leaders know about me?"

Seeing his father's incredulous expression, Chen Ziran couldn't help but sigh, "Dad, do you have some kind of misunderstanding about your current status? You underestimate yourself! Don't forget, you had a real million viewers watching your live stream last night!"

Chen Ziran raised a finger, his tone serious: "Although a large part of this buzz comes from the 'Effective Parenting' program, buzz is a double-edged sword. Why don't people watch Sun Xuerong's show and instead come to your live stream? This proves that your viewpoint and your excellence have truly resonated with society and have even caught the attention of the authorities!"

Chen Chu stroked his chin thoughtfully: "That's true..."

Seeing that his father's attitude was softening, Chen Ziran immediately put on a fawning smile and began his practiced flattery: "Right, Dad? I believe in you, you can definitely do it! You absolutely have to go to that speech at school this time!"

Chen Chu glanced at him, still somewhat hesitant: "What could I possibly say? Facing thousands of students and parents in the audience, am I supposed to go up there and tell them, 'If you want good grades, let your son play a few games to relax first'? That's ridiculous."

"What are you thinking about, Dad!" Chen Ziran exclaimed anxiously. "You can't hide away the good stuff and secretly admire it yourself!"

Chen Chu looked completely bewildered: "What good stuff did I hide?"

"Of course it's your words and actions! Your thoughts!" Chen Ziran's expression was exaggerated, and he made a large circle in the air with his hands. "Those principles you casually spout at the dinner table are practically the most profound sayings in the Analects of Confucius! Can you bear to let so many parents and students struggling in the school miss a chance to hear sacred words?"

Chen Chu: "..."

If hitting someone weren't illegal, he would have loved to slap this unfilial son across the face. This flattery was utterly shameless, giving him goosebumps.

"Alright, alright," Chen Chu rubbed his arms, waved his hand helplessly, and finally agreed, "When is the rally?"

"It'll probably be next week. I'll ask my homeroom teacher for the exact date when I go back to school on Monday."

"Okay, let me know when you've decided on a time. I'll go and support your principal." Chen Chu sighed. Since things had come to this point, it would be a bit pretentious to refuse any longer.

"Alright! Dad, you're so selfless and radiant! You're even willing to generously share such a family heirloom!"

"Stop joking around and go wash your hands. Let's get ready to eat!"

"Okay!" Chen Ziran chuckled and dashed out of the study.

……

After dinner, it was completely dark outside the window. The city's neon lights flickered through the glass, casting a warm glow inside the room.

After Chen Chu finished clearing away the dishes, he glanced at the clock on the wall, then turned to Chen Xiayu, who was sitting on the carpet building blocks, and called out, "Nannan, stop playing. Put the blocks away and get ready to take a bath."

Chen Xiayu obediently responded, put the building blocks in her hand into the storage box, and ran into the bathroom with her short legs.

Chen Ziran, who was sprawled on the sofa playing on her phone to aid digestion, looked up in surprise upon hearing this: "Dad, it's only a little past eight. Doesn't my sister usually take a bath and go to bed around 9:30? Why is she here so early today?"

Chen Chu picked up a rag and wiped the coffee table, casually replying, "Tomorrow's Saturday, you forgot?"

Chen Ziran paused, as if remembering something, and his previously relaxed expression visibly darkened. He put down his phone, his voice much colder: "Is Mom coming to pick up my sister tomorrow to go to her place?"

"Yes." Chen Chu tossed the rag into the sink, his tone calm. "According to the last ruling, she has the right to take the child to see her for one day each week. She can come pick her up tomorrow morning, so that the little girl can wash up and rest early tonight and get up early tomorrow, so we won't be in a rush."

Chen Ziran pursed his lips, his brows furrowed tightly, and a hint of undisguised disgust and worry flashed in his eyes.

"Dad..." Chen Ziran sat up straight on the sofa, scratching his hair in frustration. "How about... I go with you tomorrow? I'm really worried about leaving my sister alone with you."

Chen Chu paused for a moment while wiping his hands.

He turned his head and looked at his son, who was now almost as tall as him.

Chen Ziran's face was full of wariness, as if the person coming to take his sister away tomorrow was not their biological mother, but a human trafficker who could harm his sister at any time.

Chen Chu felt conflicted. He didn't know how to describe the feeling.

Chen Ziran's malice towards Chu Qiuyue seems to be even greater than that towards him, the ex-husband whom Chu Qiuyue abandoned like trash.

During that time, the atmosphere at home was so oppressive it was suffocating. Chen Chu single-handedly shouldered all the hardships and raised the two children.

Although Chen Ziran was still in junior high school at the time, he understood everything. He witnessed firsthand how his mother hysterically belittled his father and how she resolutely dragged her suitcase away without looking back. From that day on, Chu Qiuyue was "dead" in Chen Ziran's heart.

Chen Chu opened his mouth.

According to the prevailing moral standards in society, as a father, he should have adopted the demeanor of an elder and offered some heartfelt words of advice.

"She is, after all, your own mother. Don't hate your mother so much."

Children shouldn't meddle in adult matters.

"Blood is thicker than water; there is no hatred that cannot be resolved."

However, no matter how hard Chen Chu tried, he couldn't bring himself to say these words.

He thought about it carefully. What right did he have to ask his son to be magnanimous? What right did he have to forgive the woman who had caused this family so much harm on Chen Ziran's behalf?

Moreover, he felt that he also had a lot of problems and was not qualified to say such things.

Since the knife didn't pierce those saintly figures, they can of course casually say "put it down."

The pain of being disliked and abandoned by the closest people is something that is truly etched into Chen Ziran's bones.

"call……"

Chen Chu let out a soft breath, swallowing back all the hypocritical preaching. He neither reprimanded Chen Ziran for his rudeness nor tried to resolve the hatred.

"No need." Chen Chu walked over, ruffled Chen Ziran's hair, his voice gentle yet firm. "She's only taking her there for a day; she'll bring her back tonight. With Dad around, she won't dare do anything to Nannan. You go do what you need to do tomorrow, go study your lessons."

Chen Ziran bit her lip, looked at her father's calm eyes, and finally nodded: "Then... alright. If she dares to make my sister suffer, I will never allow it."

As the father and son were talking, the bathroom door clicked open.

Amidst rising steam, Chen Xiayu emerged, dressed in a pink fluffy pajama set, looking like a freshly steamed bun. Her face was flushed from the hot water, a few strands of wet hair clung to her fair forehead, and she carried a slightly oversized dry towel in her hand.

She walked up to Chen Chu, stopped, looked up, and called out in a soft, sweet voice, "Dad."

Then, she stretched out her finger and pointed to her own little head that was still dripping with water.

The meaning is obvious: I'm asking for services.

Looking at his daughter's adorable appearance, Chen Chu's earlier gloom caused by Chu Qiuyue instantly vanished. He smiled and took the towel: "Daddy will dry your hair."

Chen Ziran, who had been feeling down because of his mother, suddenly lit up like a light bulb when he saw his cute little sister who had just come out of the bath. His "sister complex" soul immediately ignited, and he sprang up from the sofa.

"I'll do it! I'll do it! I'll do it!"

Chen Ziran rushed over like a gust of wind, a broad smile on his face, rubbing his hands together and blocking Chen Chu's way, looking like a salesman. "Dad, you can rest. I'll blow-dry your sister's hair today! I promise to be gentle and use the perfect temperature, like a spring breeze! Sweetie, how about letting your brother blow-dry your hair?"

Chen Ziran stared longingly at Chen Xiayu, wishing he could transform into a gentle, warm breeze and personally dry his sister's hair.

Chen Chu, holding the towel, looked at his son's eager attitude and a few black lines appeared on his forehead: "Uh... are you even capable of this?"

Chen Xiayu stood there, blinking her big eyes as she glanced at her overly excited brother, and then at her father holding a towel.

The next second, she calmly bypassed Chen Ziran, who stood in her way like a mountain.

She took small, quick steps to the cabinet by the wall, stood on tiptoe, and took out a white hair dryer. Then, she walked back to Chen Chu, silently handed him the hair dryer plug, turned around, and sat down quietly with her back to him.

The entire process was smooth and seamless. She didn't look at Chen Ziran once, nor utter a single word, yet the rejection was deafening.

Chen Chu looked at the hairdryer that had been shoved into his hand, then at Chen Ziran, who was frozen to the side, as if petrified.

"It seems your sister doesn't trust your skills and doesn't want you to brag about them," Chen Chu added sarcastically.

Chen Ziran was greatly disappointed, like a deflated balloon, and retreated back to the sofa, looking at the father and daughter who were working together so well: "Discrimination, this is absolutely blatant discrimination..."

Chen Chu ignored his wails. He skillfully plugged in the power, set it to medium heat, gently stroked Chen Xiayu's soft hair with one hand, and moved the hairdryer back and forth at an appropriate distance with the other.

The hair dryer emits a uniform, low-pitched "humming" sound.

A warm breeze slipped through his fingers, carrying away the moisture from his hair. Chen Chu's touch was very gentle, as if he were caressing a precious piece of porcelain.

"Is this wind power okay? Is it too hot?" Chen Chu lowered his head and asked softly, "Nannan, if you feel uncomfortable, or if the wind is too hot, remember to tell Daddy."

Chen Xiayu didn't say anything; she just sat obediently in place like a comfortably petted kitten.

She squinted slightly, her little head swaying gently as Chen Chu fiddled with her fingers.

The little guy seems to be getting happier and happier lately...

Chen Chu thought to himself.

A good father should naturally be able to observe micro-expressions.

The little guy used to have a deadpan expression most of the time, but now he's showing a little bit of relaxed and happy expression. That's a huge improvement...