Chapter Twenty-Seven: Mother Prefers Expensive Gifts

Su Wan-ning was completely off-key.

Even Qiu Rui, who was dancing earnestly beside her, failed to attract any attention.

[Lol, did I hear that right? Was that really Su Wan-ning singing?]

[Help, how can someone sing like that?]

[I suddenly feel confident—my passionate shower concert last night sounded better than this. I’m debuting too!]

[Why does she look so absorbed when her singing is that awful?]

[Her singing is so ordinary, yet she’s so confident.]

Su Wan-ning had barely gotten through a few lines before the two children next to her joined in the chorus.

To everyone’s amazement, the tune, which had wandered off to who-knows-where, was miraculously pulled back on track.

Especially Nian-nian, who showed no stage fright during her solo part, holding the microphone with a steady, flowing voice—her childlike timbre melting the hearts of the audience.

[Is Nian-nian really Su Wan-ning’s biological child? How does she sing so beautifully?]

[That’s a heavenly voice. I’d trade thirty percent of my looks in my next life for a voice like that!]

[Su Wan-ning must have spent all her attribute points on looks.]

[Are the standards for actors really this low now? Look at Yin Shan-shan—she’s the full package!]

Qiu Rui, dancing alongside, tried desperately to keep his eyes from wandering toward Su Wan-ning, but her soulful singing still drilled relentlessly into his ears.

It was truly unbearable.

And so, everyone watched this performance with a mix of amusement and discomfort. When it ended, thunderous applause broke out—for Qiu Rui, and for the two children.

After the performance, all the residents and online viewers voted. Unsurprisingly, Su Wan-ning came in last.

Yet there was not a hint of discouragement on her face. She even crouched down to pat the two children encouragingly on the shoulder, then hesitated before giving Qiu Rui a fair pat as well, beaming as she declared, “Don’t mind the ranking, you were all fantastic!”

[Can’t stop laughing. Of course they were fantastic—it’s her who dragged them down!]

[Does Su Wan-ning really not know she’s off-key?]

[I’m realizing she’s got a thick skin—but what can I do? I kind of like her.]

Qiu Rui felt exasperated, but he managed to smile without giving anything away. Only when they were on stage did he lean toward Su Wan-ning and whisper quietly, so only the two of them could hear, “Maybe you shouldn’t sing again.”

Su Wan-ning rolled her eyes inwardly but said nothing.

After the rankings were announced, the production gave each group’s children funds to buy gifts for their mothers.

Sui-sui and Nian-nian received the smallest amount—twenty yuan. When the show sent them to the local market, Nian-nian’s face was full of confusion.

“Brother, what should we buy for Mom?”

Sui-sui’s little brows were furrowed, the light twenty yuan note in his hand as he surveyed the bustling market.

After thinking it over, Sui-sui said, “I don’t think there’s anything here Mom would like.”

The local market was crowded with vendors, each setting up a blanket wherever they found space and hawking their wares. Some sold handmade hairpins, others embroidered cloth shoes, and everything from food to daily essentials was on display, dazzling the eyes.

The other three children darted eagerly into the market with their money, but Sui-sui and Nian-nian hesitated at the entrance.

A dedicated cameraman followed the two little ones, and the livestream chat was abuzz.

[Forget it—there’s no way a place like this has anything Su Wan-ning would like.]

[Twenty yuan—those two should just buy themselves some snacks. Nian-nian’s little face has gotten thinner recently.]

“I’ve got it!” Nian-nian’s eyes lit up. “Brother, let’s ask Dad! He’ll definitely know!”

Sui-sui always did his best to grant his sister’s wishes, so he took her hand and borrowed a phone from a local.

The phone rang a few times before someone picked up.

“Hello, who is this?”

The viewers couldn’t hear the other side, but their excitement was undiminished.

[The legendary brother-in-law appears!]

[Nian-nian is so clever—of course he knows what Su Wan-ning likes.]

“Daddy, what kind of gift does Mom like?” Nian-nian asked eagerly.

“Nian-nian, you don’t know your mom? Just buy the most expensive thing—you’ll win her over for sure.” Qin Jingchen’s voice was gentle.

He answered without the slightest hesitation.

“Expensive gift…” Nian-nian had no concept of money, and turned a pleading look to her brother.

[Lol, brother-in-law knows her perfectly—just flash the cash.]

[Su Wan-ning is so vain. Does her husband really not mind?]

[Why do you care? If I were rich, I’d gladly splurge to keep a pretty actress by my side too.]

[But the kids only have twenty yuan. What expensive gift can they buy?]

Sui-sui took the phone. “It’s me, Dad. We only have twenty yuan.”

Qin Jingchen paused, silent for a long moment. Clearly, the idea of buying a gift with just twenty yuan was inconceivable to him.

After a while, he decisively said, “Then I’ll buy it and send it over. Don’t worry.”

“Okay.”

The conversation between father and son was brief. Nian-nian took the phone and sweetly said goodbye before handing it back to the local.

[What just happened? What did Dad say at the end?]

[Why do these two talk so little? They said barely anything and hung up. What are they going to buy?]

The viewers’ curiosity was thoroughly piqued, but Sui-sui just stood there with a solemn little face, giving no explanation whatsoever.