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

Inside the cramped rented room, the air seemed to stagnate, the stuffy heat mixed with the faint musty smell of old sewers. Some of the wallpaper in the corner was peeling, and the pale incandescent light overhead cast long shadows from the cluttered furnishings.

In the corner, two cameras from the production crew were flashing faint red lights, like two indifferent eyes, silently watching this family about to stage countless daily dramas.

Zhou Liying is indeed very tired.

Today at work, she was berated by her supervisor for a full half hour. To keep her meager salary, she could only bow and apologize repeatedly like a grandson. After get off work, she squeezed into the sardine-can-like subway during rush hour, standing for more than an hour before dragging her leaden legs home.

The moment she pushed open the door, she barely had the strength to even change her shoes. But looking at the empty dining table and then at her daughter doing her homework at the desk, that sense of maternal responsibility forced her to walk into the narrow, stuffy kitchen.

The sound of chopping vegetables echoed in the cramped space, the clatter of the knife against the cutting board growing louder and more rapid. It wasn't cooking; it was more like a silent catharsis. The roar of the range hood couldn't mask her heavy breathing, and sweat streamed down her slightly sallow cheeks. She felt like a donkey pulling a millstone, blindfolded, with no end in sight.

Finally, two slightly charred plates of stir-fried vegetables and two bowls of rice were slammed heavily onto the chipped wooden dining table.

"Let's eat." Zhou Liying's voice was filled with exhaustion and barely concealed frustration.

Like a frightened kitten, Wu Jiajia cautiously moved from her desk and pulled out a chair to sit down. She picked up her chopsticks, looked at the plate of charred, bitter-tasting stir-fried green peppers and pork, and frowned almost imperceptibly. She had a sensitive stomach, and the greasy, burnt food made her instinctively nauseous.

She simply stirred the white rice in the bowl with her chopsticks, picked up a few green peppers with less burnt edges and put them in her mouth, chewing very slowly.

All of this, of course, did not escape Zhou Liying's eyes.

In that instant, the string that had been taut in Zhou Liying's mind all day finally snapped with a "snap".

"What kind of expression is that?" Zhou Liying slammed her chopsticks on the table with a loud "smack," which sounded particularly jarring in the quiet rented room.

Wu Jiajia trembled with fright, quickly swallowed the food in her mouth, and looked at her mother with terrified eyes, stammering, "No...no expression, Mom..."

"You still won't admit it?!" Zhou Liying's voice suddenly rose, so sharp it almost pierced the cramped space. Her face, haggard from long hours of work, appeared somewhat distorted. "You think my cooking is bad? Who are you trying to impress by picking and choosing with your chopsticks like that?!"

"I didn't, Mom, I just..." Wu Jiajia tried to explain, but her voice was already trembling with tears.

"What are you?! You're just an ungrateful wretch!" Zhou Liying didn't give her daughter a chance to speak. The grievances, anger, and exhaustion she had suppressed all day found the perfect outlet at this moment. She packaged all the anger she had suffered outside as "for your own good" and "you don't understand me," and poured it out on her defenseless daughter.

She pointed at the dishes on the table, spitting as she spoke: "Do you know how tired I was outside today? I was scolded to my face by people just to earn a few hundred yuan more for perfect attendance! After work, I didn't even have time to drink water before squeezing onto the subway to come home and take care of you, my little princess, every need! And what do you do? You're complaining!"

The more Zhou Liying spoke, the more wronged she felt, tears welling in her eyes. Her tone became increasingly harsh and vicious: "Do you think you're some rich heiress? You're lucky you even have anything to eat! Look at other people's children, they come home and help their parents with chores. What about you? What can you do besides eat? You even put on a deadpan face while eating. Do you have any conscience at all?! Do you have to drive me to my death before you're satisfied?!"

This barrage of accusations was like an invisible mountain, pressing heavily on Wu Jiajia's frail shoulders.

The girl's defenses crumbled instantly. She bit her lip tightly, and tears streamed down her face like broken beads, falling onto the white rice in front of her. She dared not cry out loud, but could only suppress the sobs in her throat, her thin shoulders trembling violently.

"I'm sorry... Mom, I'm sorry, I'll eat it, I'll eat it right now..." Wu Jiajia cried as she frantically picked up the charred meat with her chopsticks, swallowing it whole without even daring to chew it.

Seeing her daughter's terrified and submissive appearance, Zhou Liying felt a surge of anger finally released, and the tightness in her chest lessened considerably.

As reason gradually returned, she caught a glimpse of the camera flashing red in the corner and suddenly realized something.

The ferocity on Zhou Liying's face vanished instantly, replaced by a suffocating facade of "motherly love." She took a deep breath, her eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her cheeks. She walked to Wu Jiajia's side and pulled her trembling daughter into her arms.

"Jiajia, it's all Mommy's fault, it was Mommy's fault." Zhou Liying's voice became incredibly gentle, even filled with deep self-blame and regret. She gently patted her daughter's back, tears streaming down her face. "Mommy shouldn't have yelled at you so loudly, shouldn't have been so harsh with you. But Jiajia, Mommy is just so tired, under so much pressure. Mommy is struggling alone in this city, every day I open my eyes to rent and your tuition fees, Mommy's heart is breaking..."

She hugged her daughter tightly, wiping her tears on the girl's clothes: "Everything I've done, all this anger I've lost, is for you, isn't it? As long as you study hard, it's all worth it, no matter how much suffering I endure outside. Please forgive me this time, okay?"

This apology, laden with moral blackmail, is like an airtight net, trapping Wu Jiajia inside.

Wu Jiajia was held in her mother's arms, her once bright eyes now filled with deep numbness and emptiness. She felt no warmth, only suffocation. But she had long been accustomed to this routine, accustomed to this "tragic drama" after her mother's stormy weather.

She didn't say anything accusing, but mechanically reached out and patted her mother's back, her voice flat and submissive as she said, "It's okay, Mom. I know you've worked hard. It's my fault, I was being inconsiderate and made you angry. It's all my fault."

Hearing her daughter take all the blame, Zhou Liying finally let go, a relieved smile on her face. She felt she was still a great mother, still in control of the family.

Meanwhile, the cameraman sitting opposite quietly recorded this chilling scene of "motherly love and filial piety".

……

at the same time.

Sun Xuerong had just finished a large-scale parent-child relationship lecture in another city and rushed back to the studio to officially join the recording of the program as a special guest observer.

Sun Xuerong wore a well-tailored cheongsam, her hair was neatly styled, and her face carried the gentle and dignified air characteristic of older intellectuals. She represented the most traditional and mainstream "compromise-seeking" family values ​​in this society.

On the big screen, a video had just finished playing, showing Zhou Liying scolding her daughter in their rented apartment, followed by them hugging and crying and apologizing to each other.

The host turned to Sun Xuerong and respectfully asked, "Ms. Sun, what are your thoughts on Ms. Zhou Liying's performance in the video just now, and the way they interact as mother and daughter?"

Sun Xuerong pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses, nodded slightly, and showed a very approving and gratified smile on her face.

"I was deeply moved," Sun Xuerong said softly but firmly as she took the microphone. "Zhou Liying, as a single mother, has indeed had a very difficult time. We can all feel the pressure she faces while working hard outside. Nobody's perfect. When people are extremely tired, it's only natural to lose control of their emotions and lash out at their loved ones. Everyone can understand that."

She then shifted her focus, praising Zhou Liying's subsequent actions: "But I strongly agree with Ms. Zhou Liying's later actions. You see, although she lost her temper, she was able to immediately realize her mistake, put aside her maternal authority, and proactively hugged her daughter, apologizing, 'It was my fault, I shouldn't have yelled at you.' This is truly commendable!"

Facing the camera, Sun Xuerong seemed to be making a declaration of family harmony: "This is what it means to be connected to one's child, to be bound by blood. When a family lives together, how can there not be some clashes? It's not terrible to have conflicts or lose your temper. The key is to be like Zhou Liying and her daughter, to understand and tolerate each other. The mother understands her daughter's grievances, and the daughter can also understand her mother's hard work and take the blame. When the family talks things out and compromises, life can continue in harmony."

"So I think that although Zhou Liying's parenting style was a bit rough, her starting point was good, and the ending was heartwarming. As a family, it's much better to be more understanding of each other than to be like some young people who always escalate things and create deep-seated hatred."

Sun Xuerong's seemingly impeccable and high-sounding commentary immediately sparked a polarized discussion in the live stream. Some older viewers nodded in agreement, finding Sun's analysis perfectly reasonable; while younger viewers, looking at Wu Jiajia's numb and empty eyes on the screen, felt a profound and visceral sorrow. This poisonous remedy of using "mutual understanding" to mask emotional abuse is far more terrifying than direct insults.

……

At the same time, in the director's office of the provincial television station.

In the spacious and impressive office, the station director was holding a cup of premium West Lake Longjing tea, standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city's night view.

The red, confidential internal telephone on the desk suddenly rang.

The station director frowned slightly, walked over, and answered the phone: "Hello, this is..."

A deep, slightly official-sounding laugh came from the other end of the line: "Old Li, did I disturb your rest?"

Upon hearing the voice, the station chief instinctively straightened his back and his expression instantly changed to a warm smile: "Oh, it's Director Wang! You're too kind. I'm always ready to give instructions."

After exchanging a few meaningless pleasantries, the person on the other end of the phone got down to business: "Old Li, it's like this. I heard that your station's family education observation program, what's it called... 'Effective Parenting,' is really popular and has caused quite a stir in society."

"It was all just luck; the young people on the team were willing to work hard," the station manager said modestly.

"Haha, it's good that young people are energetic. Coincidentally, I have a junior colleague here who just returned from studying media and psychology abroad and is very interested in this kind of family observation program. I see that your program is currently short-staffed, so I'll let him join as a regular guest to enhance his resume and also bring you some advanced international educational concepts. You see, reserving a spot for him is no problem, is it?"

Although the other party spoke in a consultative tone, the unquestionable commanding tone was almost palpable even through the telephone line.

The station director paused slightly, his hand holding the teacup momentarily speechless. Another one of these parachuted-in connections! "Effective Parenting" is currently experiencing explosive popularity thanks to Chen Chu's phenomenal output, with countless business owners waving cash to get in. Every guest seat on the show is now incredibly valuable. Forcing someone in at this time is clearly just a way to reap the benefits and ride the wave of popularity.

But he knew the person on the other end of the phone was someone of high status, with resources and connections that a provincial-level station director like himself couldn't easily offend. In this circle, some rules are ironclad.

The station director didn't dare to refute, maintaining a respectful smile: "The talent recommended by Director Wang must be truly capable! Our program team would absolutely love to welcome him. However, as you know, Director Wang, this program has always been entirely in charge of Director Li Minghui. He's a bit stubborn, so I still need to discuss the specific program flow and guest positioning with Director Li Minghui, just to go through the motions. Is that alright with you?"

"Alright, I trust you to get things done, Lao Li. It's settled then. I'll have that kid come directly to the station to see you in a couple of days."

After hanging up the phone, the station manager let out a long sigh and downed his cold tea in one gulp. He rubbed his temples, pressed the internal phone, and called Li Minghui to his office.

……

A dozen minutes later, Li Minghui, with his messy hair, sat casually on the leather sofa in the station director's office and listened to the station director's account of the "parachute appointment of people with connections".

The executive director who came in with Li Minghui was standing next to the sofa, his brows furrowed and his face very grim.

"Director, this is absolutely unacceptable!" the executive director couldn't help but protest. "Our show's current popularity is all thanks to Chen Chu's authentic and sharp style. What's the point of forcing in a pampered 'young master' or 'princess'? What can someone who got in through connections do besides put on airs, steal the spotlight, and read from a script? This will absolutely disrupt the existing balance of our show. Viewers aren't blind; once it's discovered that this is someone forced in by capital, our show's reputation will be completely ruined!"

The executive director became more and more agitated as he spoke, turning to look at Li Minghui, hoping that the chief director, who was known for his "iron fist" and "dislike of capital intervention," would stand up and argue with the station director.

After all, just last year, Li Minghui overturned the table in front of the investors because a major sponsor insisted on putting his niece into the production team. His bold statement, "My program doesn't need any useless people," is still circulating in the broadcasting building.

"Director Li, don't you agree? Don't you hate this kind of backdoor behavior the most? We can't compromise for the sake of the powerful and wealthy!" The executive director looked at Li Minghui indignantly.

However, to everyone's surprise,

Li Minghui neither overturned the table nor flew into a rage. He didn't even frown.

He simply shifted his posture lazily, took out a cigarette case from his pocket, and without caring that he was in the station director's office, lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

"Sure, let's say yes." Li Minghui exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, his tone as casual as if he were discussing what kind of takeout to eat that night.

"Huh?!" The assistant director was completely dumbfounded, his jaw almost dropping to the floor. "Director Li...you...you really? You just agreed? Don't you hate backdoors the most?!"

The station director raised an eyebrow in surprise. He had prepared a whole host of words to appease this stubborn mule, but he never expected that the mule would actually voluntarily give in today.

Through the swirling smoke, Li Minghui glanced at the shocked executive director with a half-smile. His eyes held no resentment at compromise, but rather a cunning shrewdness and a chilling madness.

"I hated it, but that was before." Li Minghui flicked his cigarette ash, a playful smirk playing on his lips. "The situation is different now. What's the state of our program now? It's a powder keg! Chen Chu is a walking bomb, Zhou Liying is a perfect target, and now Sun Xuerong outside is frantically trying to smooth things over."

He paused, his eyes gleaming with the shrewdness of a top-tier variety show promoter: "At this time, the higher-ups insist on shoving a 'connected' returnee from overseas into our ranks? Great! Excellent! You think I let him in to enjoy himself? No, I let him get scolded! This parachuted-in guy, brimming with superiority, spouting theories, and oblivious to the hardships of ordinary people, once he faces Chen Chu, that ruthless, heartless tyrant, once he gets caught up in the quagmire of Zhou Liying's extreme family situation, guess what kind of chemical reaction will occur?"

Li Minghui slapped his thigh, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "That will be an explosive program effect! Conflict! The ultimate class conflict and ideological conflict! The audience will not only criticize Zhou Liying, but also this 'connected' person! At that time, our program's ratings will definitely break the ceiling!"

The executive director was stunned. Looking at the director in front of him, who seemed to have gone mad, he suddenly felt a chill. He finally understood that Li Minghui didn't dislike capital; he just treated capital as a pawn in his program.

Li Minghui stubbed out his cigarette butt in the ashtray, stood up, straightened his slightly wrinkled collar, and left behind the words that left the executive director unable to calm down for a long time.

"In this industry, you must remember one truth." Li Minghui patted the executive director on the shoulder, his smile carrying three parts helplessness and seven parts arrogance, "If you can't resist the rape of power and capital, then don't make futile struggles."

He turned around and strode towards the door, leaving behind his last three words without looking back:

"Just enjoy it."