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

Chen Chu squatted on the steps, put the empty bowl aside, and turned to look at Chen Ziran.

The last rays of the setting sun slanted in from under the eaves of the kitchen door, casting a warm yellow band of light between the two people.

"Just average?" Chen Chu repeated the word, as if he had heard something unbelievable. "You really underestimate yourself. You're practically a model student."

Chen Ziran, holding the bowl, paused with his chopsticks in mid-air: "A role model?"

"Of course." Chen Chu's tone was serious, not like he was trying to flatter him. "How many children have you seen who can be like you, arriving in a strange place, calm and collected, communicating with strangers on their own, figuring out how to solve problems independently, and getting things done without relying on their parents? Do you know how many people hesitate for ages just to say a word to a stranger?"

He paused for a moment, then said, "Many people stutter even when speaking to strangers. So your strength is beyond your own imagination."

Chen Ziran held the bowl, his ears feeling a little hot.

He lowered his head, took a bite of rice, chewed for a long time before swallowing, and his voice carried a hint of uncertainty.

"Dad..."

You've praised me so much I'm embarrassed.

You're not just trying to fool me, are you? Don't flatter me unnecessarily.

"Trying to exaggerate?" Chen Chu waved his hand. "Let me tell you, when I was your age, I didn't even know how to ride the subway."

Chen Ziran looked up, frowned, and asked with a hint of doubt in her eyes, "Really?"

"Of course it's true. If I were lying, I would never play mid lane again."

He silently added in his mind that he wasn't lying, because when he was Chen Ziran's age, the subway hadn't even opened yet.

Chen Ziran looked at his father's confident face, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up.

He lowered his head and pretended to be eating, but the smile on his lips was impossible to suppress.

"Okay... well, I guess I might actually be pretty good."

He thought for a moment, then added, with a barely suppressed modesty, "It's just so-so, isn't this the kind of thing we're supposed to do anyway?"

Netizens burst out laughing at his attempt to be humble but his smile was barely contained.

[The "praise-to-kill" approach to education has worked. Ziran has completely adopted these high standards as his own.]

You call this just so-so? Do you know how long your dad spent building up the conversation so you'd say "just so-so"?

[I'm so touched, I'm crying. The standards I set for myself are much better than the standards imposed on me by others.]

[Ziran, please stop studying and just play games, okay? How can you make me feel so guilty?]

The most insidious aspect of Chen Chu's "praise to death" tactic is that every word he said was sincere. He wasn't acting; he genuinely believed his son was exceptional. This sincerity is what's most lethal.

As the afternoon sun began to set, the charity event came to a successful conclusion.

The crew members carried their equipment and gradually left. The director stretched and patted Chen Chu on the shoulder.

"Xiao Chen, we're all tired today, so we're not filming anymore. You and your son should get some rest."

Chen Chu thought for a moment, "I don't feel that tired..."

director:"……"

Want to play me?

"Haha, just kidding."

Chen Chu waved his hand.

They said goodbye to each other.

Just as Chen Chu was about to leave with Chen Ziran, a figure dressed in a gray monk's robe walked over from the direction of the kitchen.

The old monk, holding a plate of peanut brittle, stood at the doorway, looking at Chen Chu with a calm but expectant tone: "Layman Chen, when will you come to cook again?"

Chen Chu was taken aback: "Huh?"

"Many worshippers said today's vegetarian meal was delicious."

The old master's tone remained calm, but his eyes held an undisguised sincerity.

"They all asked me when the lay Buddhist who cooks will come again."

Chen Chu looked at the old master's expectant face, which was etched with wrinkles, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded solemnly.

"I'll definitely do it next time."

The old master glanced at him.

Based on his experience of living for over sixty years, "next time for sure" basically means there will be no next time.

He didn't expose her, but just smiled, then lowered his head, took out a small brocade pouch from his sleeve, and turned to Chen Ziran.

It was a dark blue purse with a lotus flower embroidered in gold thread, the stitches fine and dense.

He bent down and handed it to Chen Ziran: "Young benefactor, this is a blessed sachet for calming the mind. I'm giving it to you, hoping that everything will go smoothly and as you wish in the future."

Chen Ziran paused for a moment, then did not immediately reach out to take it.

He looked up at Chen Chu.

Chen Chu didn't make a decision for him, and looked to the side.

Chen Ziran thought for a moment, realizing this wasn't a random gift, then reached out and accepted the purse with both hands, carefully cradling it in his palms. He then bowed respectfully to the master, saying, "Thank you, Master."

The old monk smiled, waved his hand, and turned to walk back to the temple gate.

Chen Ziran stood in the sunset, looking down at the brocade blue purse in his hand. The lotus flowers embroidered with gold thread shimmered with a warm light in the sun.

He looked at it over and over several times, then carefully put it into his shirt pocket, patted the edge of the pocket to make sure it wouldn't fall out, then looked up at Chen Chu with a bright, youthful light in his eyes.

"Dad, let's do more charity work next time."

Chen Ziran's tone carried a sense of fulfillment from just being satisfied and an expectation of doing it again.

Chen Chu reached out and lightly slapped the back of his head: "You brat, trying to work your dad to death, huh? Don't you know your dad's fragile?"

Chen Ziran covered the back of her head, and before she could even feel aggrieved, Chen Chu's second half of the sentence followed.

"However, if you really want to do it, your old man can still help you. Let's go pick up your sister."

He turned and walked ahead, his shadow stretching long in the setting sun.

Chen Ziran rubbed the back of his head, stunned for a moment, then grinned and quickly followed.

……

The other side of the city.

The sun had already set, and the sky was about to darken. The lights in the living room were not on, and the dim light shone through the window, casting distorted shadows of the furniture.

Xu Danian sat at the dining table, watching Xu Ziang's money transfer.

His face was grim, like the oppressive calm before a storm.

He called Boss Wang again this afternoon and explained things in more detail.

On the other end of the phone, Boss Wang clearly told him that his shop was indeed short-handed these days and that he had called Xu Ziang to see if he would be willing to come and help, but Xu Ziang had not shown up.

Xu Danian remained silent for a long time after hanging up the phone.

He's not stupid.

The facts are already clear.

His son lied to him.

That money wasn't earned through work; I don't know how it came about.

He glanced at the camera in the corner of the living room.

The photographer following the camera is standing behind it, the lens quietly glowing red.

He stood up, walked up to the photographer, and said in an unquestionable tone, "No more taking pictures."

The photographer paused for a moment, put down his camera, and looked at him: "Mr. Xu, we signed a contract..."

"I said no, and that means no!"

His voice exploded in the quiet living room, like a heavy hammer hitting the glass.

His eyes were bloodshot, burning with rage, like a bull.

The photographer was startled by the sudden outburst and took a half step back. After a moment of silence, he put down the camera, walked to the end of the corridor, dialed the director's number, and briefly explained the situation.

The director was silent for a moment on the other end of the line: "I understand. I'll handle it when I get back."

After hanging up the phone, the photographer left the living room, leaving the camera on the tripod, but the lens cap was already closed.

At 11 p.m., most of the windows in the residential complex had their lights off.

Xu Ziang walked home, his steps unsteady.

There was an exam at school today. After the exam, he said he had to attend a make-up class in the evening, so he left the exam room early to give himself more than two hours of free time.

He had previously taken on a game boosting job and played for several days in a row until his eyes were dry and his fingers were stiff, finally finishing that big job.

The boss readily paid after inspecting the goods.

Five hundred yuan.

He looked at the balance change notification on his mobile banking app, a satisfied smile appearing on his tired face.

He put his phone in his pocket and opened the door.

The living room lights were off. But a sliver of light from the streetlamp outside shone through the window, casting a shadowy figure.

Xu Danian sat at the dining table, motionless like a statue.

Xu Ziang's heart skipped a beat. He stood at the door, his hand still gripping the doorknob, his voice a little dry.

"Dad...why aren't you asleep yet?"

Xu Danian did not answer. In the darkness, he remained silent for a long time before speaking, his voice low and hoarse, as if he were suppressing something.

"Where did you go tonight? Didn't you say you were having extra classes at school? Do you have extra classes until 11 pm at your school?"

Xu Ziang stood at the door, his lips moved, but he hadn't had time to come up with a reasonable explanation.

Xu Danian had already stood up and held up his phone screen in front of him.

The screen showed the teacher saying there would be no extra classes for the exam.

Xu Ziang's face lost its color under the white light of the phone screen.

He opened his mouth, but found himself unable to utter a single word. The lie, like a house made of paper, collapsed instantly in the winds of truth.

Xu Danian turned off his phone screen, plunging the living room back into darkness.

His voice rang out in the darkness, carrying a suffocating calm: "Do you have anything else to say?"