House Number Five was a bit of a distance away. Naomi Kenway had two large suitcases, filled with clothes and a first-aid kit. She struggled a little, pulling one with each hand.
At a pointed look from the director, a staff member ran over and offered to carry her bags. Everyone around was already used to this. It was a standard routine whenever Naomi participated in a variety show. She was known for acting like a diva and would throw a tantrum and threaten to quit whenever faced with hard labor. To ensure filming could continue, the production team always provided her with a little help.
Of course, this was also why Naomi Kenway had been torn to shreds on Weibo more than once.
Naomi hefted the suitcases and refused the staff member's offer. "No need, I can manage."
The staff member looked at her with obvious surprise before finally stepping back.
The country path was a bit muddy. As Naomi walked, she kept an eye on Ian Shaw. Thinking about what had just happened, she asked, "Ian, why did you choose to live in the run-down house with Mommy? Aunt Jennings's house is much bigger and prettier, and besides..."
'And besides, I did so many things to hurt him when I wasn't in control.'
Ian Shaw was only four, but he didn't complain once on the long, muddy walk. He seemed a little taken aback by Naomi's question. "Ian can't be without Mommy, and Mommy can't be without Ian. If Ian isn't here, no one will tell Mommy to eat. And if Mommy doesn't eat, her tummy will hurt."
"Ian is a good boy. I can help Mommy with lots of things. Please don't leave Ian behind, okay...?"
Ian Shaw looked up, his eyes filled with adoration.
'My son is afraid of me, but there's not a trace of resentment.'
Naomi felt a surge of gratitude that she had gained awareness. She set down her suitcases and gently hugged Ian Shaw. "Mommy will never, ever leave you, because you're my one and only treasure."
'This time, I absolutely have to protect him and take good care of him!'
*
The state of House Number Five was appalling. Aside from the jujube tree in the yard, practically nothing else was salvageable. The dilapidated little mud-brick house was drafty, and wind-blown dust choked the air. You could even see bugs crawling on the floor.
Naomi casually placed the cup in her hand on the table. The next second... with a CREAK, the wooden table collapsed.
At that moment, Ian Shaw frantically tugged on Naomi's sleeve, looking terrified. "Bugs, Mommy! There are bugs..."
Naomi quickly scooped him up and placed him on the relatively clean wooden bed. "Wait here for Mommy."
Ian grabbed her sleeve, looking uneasy.
Naomi soothed him in a gentle voice, "Mommy's not going anywhere. I'm just going to clean up the house a bit."
Only then did Ian let go and nod obediently.
Naomi rummaged around for a long time before finding a few thick newspapers. She roughly measured the window, then climbed onto a stool and pasted the newspapers over the drafty opening. To make it more secure, she found a few wooden sticks in a corner and wedged them against the inside of the window to hold the paper in place.
The howling wind was now sealed outside the mud-brick house. Naomi dusted off her hands and climbed down from the tall stool. She hadn't done any physical labor in a very long time, and she felt a brief wave of dizziness as her feet hit the ground, but she quickly steadied herself.
These few actions alone were enough to make Naomi's livestream comment section explode:
[Isn't Naomi famous for never lifting a finger? When did she become so capable?]
[I just saw Naomi carrying Ian to the bed and thought she was going to take a nap. I can't believe she actually... became hardworking?]
[I don't believe this for a second. It's definitely scripted. Naomi must have planned this all along. She's really going all out to build this new persona.]
[This is absolutely an act. I'm just waiting to see when Naomi shows her true colors.]
[Thinking about Ian having to stay here with Naomi for three days and two nights... I just feel worse and worse for him...]
...
The house was no longer drafty, but plenty of problems remained. For instance, the broken furniture and the collapsed stove.
Remembering that her son was afraid of bugs, Naomi found a broom behind the door and swept the entire floor. Only after confirming there were no visible bugs did she lift him down from the bed.
"Mommy..." Ian Shaw whispered. "Can we go home...?"
Naomi guessed that her son couldn't adapt to such a harsh environment. He had never been to a place like this before.
"This place... people can't live here," Ian said.
"Ian, give Mommy a little time. How about Mommy performs a magic trick for you? Trust me, you're going to love it here."
Naomi finished cleaning the house, but it still felt extremely empty. The table was one thing, but without a stove, there was no way to cook.
Naomi turned to the cameraman. "Is there a carpenter in the village?"
"Yes, I think there's one nearby."
Naomi nodded, then left with her son, making sure to take a large bag of wood that had been piled up in the house.
[I knew it. Naomi isn't a hard worker at all. See? Now she's off to the carpenter to ask for a table and stools. She'll probably ask him for a stove, too.]
[Can you just ask the villagers for furniture? Naomi sure has some nerve.]
[What's she doing with that wood? Is she trying to trade it for finished products? What about the labor cost?]
[No wonder she was so confident. So this was her plan all along.]
...
Naomi was completely unaware of these comments. Right now, all she wanted was to find the carpenter and ask for his guidance on how to build a stove. They would definitely need one to cook over the next few days. And the table and stools... 'I have to do my best to create a comfortable living space for my son.'
The carpenter lived on the east end of the street. Naomi knocked on the door. An elderly man with white hair and a wood-dusted apron came out. He was hale and hearty, with a kind smile on his face. "And you are?"
Naomi bowed. "Hello, sir. We're here for the show. The stove in our house is broken so we can't cook, and a lot of the furniture is broken too. I was hoping to ask you for some advice on how to make them."
The old man understood immediately. "Oh, so you're here to film the show. No wonder you looked unfamiliar. Not having a stove is a real problem, especially with this cold weather."
"What's going on, old man?" An old woman came out from behind the door. After hearing about Naomi's situation, she sighed. "Oh my, that mud-brick house on the west side is so run-down, how could anyone live there? You poor thing, you must be suffering."
She pulled a piece of candy from her pocket and offered it to Ian Shaw. "Miss, this must be your son, right? He's such a handsome boy."
Ian hesitated for a moment before accepting it. "Thank you, ma'am."
"You're welcome. Oh, what a sweet-talker."
Naomi and her son were welcomed into the house.
[No way, Naomi is here to ask for instructions?]
[Is she serious? Does she really think a stove is easy to make? Please, if you're going to show off, at least know your own limits.]
[A stove is one thing if you're just stacking bricks, but tables and stools require fine craftsmanship.]
[Spoken like a true A-list celebrity. She probably has no idea how hard it is to make furniture. She'll regret this in a minute.]
Naomi had a secret. After her consciousness awakened, she discovered that her mind worked much faster, and she could learn things several times more quickly than before.