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

It was seven o'clock on Saturday morning, just as dawn was breaking.

Chen Chu pushed open Chen Ziran's door and saw that he was already dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed. His school uniform zipper was zipped up to the top, his sneakers were tied with meticulous care, and his hair was combed neatly than usual.

He saw Chen Chu come in and stood up: "Dad, I'm ready."

His tone was calm, but his grip on the backpack was tight.

Chen Chu didn't expose him, but simply nodded.

"Let's go."

As Chen Chu passed by Chen Xiayu's room, he gently pushed open the door a crack and peeked inside. A small bulge appeared under the blanket, revealing only a tuft of messy hair; she was fast asleep.

He gently closed the door, turned around, and followed Chen Ziran out.

The streets were quiet in the early morning, and steam rose from the steamers in the breakfast shops.

Chen Chu bought a steamer of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and two cups of soy milk from a roadside vendor, and handed one cup to Chen Ziran.

Chen Ziran took it and held it in his hand. He took two sips and put it down. His gaze fell on the roadside trees that were constantly receding, and he felt as if he was being pressed down by some invisible weight.

Chen Chu, seeing his preoccupied expression, asked, "What's wrong? Are you nervous?"

Chen Ziran was silent for a moment, then put down the paper cup in his hand, lowered his head, and said in a muffled voice, "Dad... what do you think we should do if I do poorly on the test?"

He looked up at Chen Chu, his eyes slightly red.

"I told so many people in front of me that I wanted to take the entrance exam for No. 7 Middle School... Hundreds of thousands of people were watching in the live stream, and all sorts of clips were being circulated everywhere... If I do poorly on the exam, will I be ridiculed online for the rest of my life?"

His voice trailed off, "Will people give me nicknames at school... Will people say I'm all talk and no action... Will they say I'm just a clown trying to attract attention..."

He lowered his head, his voice filled with a despair unique to teenagers, "Dad, if I do poorly on my exam, should I jump off a building or jump into the sea?"

Chen Chu was drinking soy milk when he almost choked. He put down the paper cup, turned to look at his son, and remained silent for a moment.

"No, it's not that serious! If you do badly on a test, you can roast sweet potatoes. Why are you so desperate all the time?"

Chen Ziran did not laugh.

He kept his head down, his fingers gripping the edge of his backpack strap, which was already deeply wrinkled from his grip.

Seeing his expression, Chen Chu slowly dropped the joking look on his face.

Ultimately, Chen Ziran is still just a junior high school student.

At the age of fourteen or fifteen, people are most sensitive to the opinions of others.

He made a boast in front of hundreds of thousands of people, and now he has to hand in his answer sheet. He is afraid of becoming a laughing stock. How many children of this age do not care about other people's opinions?

Chen Chu clicked his tongue inwardly.

He was silent for a moment, then reached out and patted Chen Ziran on the shoulder.

He didn't speak immediately, but waited until Chen Ziran looked up at him before he spoke seriously.

"I don't care what others think. Even if you do poorly on the test, even if you don't get into No. 7 Middle School in the end, you'll still be the best in your dad's heart."

Chen Ziran was stunned: "Dad..."

"You've given it your all." Chen Chu's voice wasn't loud, but every word was steady. "I've seen all your hard work these past few days. You've fought so hard to keep your promise, and in my heart, you're a real man, a true hero."

Chen Ziran sat in his seat, feeling something that had been stuck in his heart for a long time finally loosening.

His nose tingled, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly: "Dad, am I really a real man? Am I really a man?!"

Chen Chu nodded vigorously: "Yes. You are a real man."

Chen Ziran took a deep breath, sat up straight, clenched his fist tightly and then released it, as if he wanted to crush all his anxiety with that clench.

"Yes! I am a real man!"

Chen Chu watched as Chen Ziran's relaxation level on the system panel slowly rose from a low point to 76, and stopped dropping further.

He felt a little relieved and patted him on the shoulder.

"Good boy, do well on the exam. No matter how you do, Dad will take you to an internet cafe after you're done."

Chen Ziran's eyes lit up, but he immediately restrained himself and calmly said in a tone that said, "Dad, I want to play mid lane."

Chen Chu was silent for a moment: "I'll let you eat the middle line after the exam."

"I want to play mid lane."

"Let's talk about it after the exam."

Chen Ziran pursed his lips, picked up his schoolbag, pushed open the car door, and strode towards the school gate.

The morning sunlight fell on him, and the reflective stripes on his school uniform shimmered slightly in the light. His steps were much more determined than before he got off the bus.

A chorus of cheers floated across the screen.

[Good luck, Ziran! I'll let you play mid lane after the exam!]

[Ziran has indeed grown into a real man, although he still hasn't secured the mid-lane position.]

[Go for it, Ziran! If you score over 600, I'll help you get Zhao Shuilang!]

……

Chen Chu leaned back in the driver's seat, watching Chen Ziran's figure disappear around the corner of the stairwell. Just as he was about to start the car and go home, his phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID, and the smile vanished from his face.

He answered the phone but didn't say anything, letting the other end speak first.

"Chen Chu, did you receive the court summons? The court hearing is next week."

Chu Qiuyue's voice came through the receiver, carrying a businesslike indifference devoid of any personal emotion: "Can you find a lawyer? Do you need me to recommend one? After all, you probably haven't been in court for a long time, and you might not be familiar with the procedures."

Chen Chu gripped the steering wheel, remaining silent for a moment before asking, "What exactly do you want? Do you think the children will go with you?"

"Whether you come with me or not is not up to you, it's up to the court."

Chu Qiuyue's tone remained calm, but that calmness carried a sense of unwavering determination.

"The child is so old now, the court will respect the child's wishes..."

"Hehe." Chu Qiuyue chuckled, interrupting him. "Maybe. But I still suggest you just give me custody. It'll save you trouble. It's inconvenient for you to do anything with a child, isn't it? You can't have a proper job, you can only take on part-time jobs; you can't find a girlfriend, you don't have the time or energy. Giving me the child is a good thing for you, for me, and for the child. Don't you understand that at all?"

Chen Chu leaned back in the driver's seat: "You think I'm like you? Don't give me that nonsense."

The tone on the other end of the phone turned colder: "Chen Chu, why are you so selfish? Why can't you give me custody? Do you have to drag everyone down with you?"

Chen Chu didn't answer, hung up the phone directly, and tossed his phone onto the passenger seat.

He leaned back in the driver's seat, looked at the gray sky outside the windshield, and took a few deep breaths.

He knew Chu Qiuyue's personality very well; she would definitely get what she wanted.

She even dared to target her own father, taking over the nearly bankrupt company from him and turning it around. She was just as ruthless and cunning as he was.

He hung up the phone, but the feeling of irritation did not disappear.

He sat in the car and thought for a long time.

He didn't know what leverage Chu Qiuyue might have over him, but he never doubted that Chu Qiuyue would stop at nothing.

He began to mentally replay everything he had done during this period: playing video games, getting caught smoking with his child, his parenting style being discussed across the internet...

Then his thoughts stopped at a certain point, and his expression slowly changed.

The court will respect the wishes of older children.

However, Chen Xiayu has no capacity for independent action at all.

If Chu Qiuyue can find a way to make the court believe that Chen Chu is incapable of raising Chen Xiayu, then... it's quite possible!

"...Could they really be planning to harm Nannan?"