"Mom, I'm a little tired." Nathan Lynch's head drooped. "I've been studying since this morning. I don't want to study anymore."
His small hand tugged at the hem of Renee Jennings's shirt as he blinked his big eyes, trying to look cute. "Can we please stop studying?"
Renee Jennings paid him no mind. Bending down slightly, she coaxed, "Mommy knows you're tired, but how can you give up when you haven't finished your tasks? Last month you slacked off a little, and the spot in the kindergarten performance was snatched away by Kiki Chandler from Class Five, wasn't it? There will always be people in this world who work harder than you. If you don't work hard, you'll be left behind."
Nathan Lynch's bangs were a bit long, and Renee Jennings reached out to brush them aside for him. "Do you understand, Mona?"
The rims of Nathan Lynch's eyes turned red. "But I'm really tired."
"How can you be tired from just sitting on a stool? I bet you just want to watch TV, right? Watching too much TV is bad for your eyes. You don't want to start wearing glasses at such a young age, do you, Mona? When that happens, none of the other kids will want to play with you."
Renee Jennings's voice remained gentle, patiently guiding him. "Mona is so smart, you'll surely understand Mommy, right? How about this? We'll eat dinner first, and then we'll study some more, okay? Mommy will stay right here and study with you."
"You have to study hard. That's the only way to be worthy of your father and me."
For a moment, no one answered. Renee Jennings took Nathan Lynch's hand and led him inside the house.
[OMG, I seriously find this parenting style so suffocating. I much prefer Naomi Kenway's approach.]
[Isn't the poster above being a little too sensitive? What's so suffocating? Every family wants their kids to be successful. If you don't rein them in when they're this young, they'll go astray!]
[I don't get why people like Naomi Kenway's parenting style. It'd be one thing if it were genuine, but she's obviously just using her kid to create a persona. Before this show, she treated him horribly, and now she's doting on him. Just think about it, and it's pretty obvious what's going on, isn't it?]
[It really isn't easy being a celebrity's kid. I used to envy their privileged lives, born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Now I feel like my life is pretty good. It's ordinary, but I'm happy enough.]
[No wonder our dear Mona is so good at his studies. It's all thanks to Rachel's great teaching! (Like) (Like)]
...
"Nina, time to get the new mission."
Naomi Kenway had just finished breakfast with Ian Shaw. She stood up at the sound of the voice and took the mission card handed to her by a staff member.
"A new mission already?"
She opened the card:
"Please assemble at the plaza at 13:00 sharp..."
Naomi Kenway murmured the words aloud. She glanced up at a clock—it was already ten. Since she wasn't familiar with the village and knew asking for directions would take time, Naomi decided to leave early.
Around twelve o'clock, Naomi Kenway finished getting her things ready.
"Ian, we need to head to the plaza for the mission."
Ian Shaw raised his head very slowly, his expression a mixture of hesitation and fear.
"Mommy, I don't really want to go."
Naomi Kenway knew this was because her son lacked experience interacting with others; he was even repulsed by contact with strangers. Her most important reason for bringing her son on this reality show was the hope that he would become more positive and outgoing. Every time she remembered that her son had died from depression in the original book, her heart ached unbearably.
"Ian, this mission might be fun. How about we try something new together, just you and Mommy? I'll be right by your side the whole time."
Ian Shaw looked into Naomi Kenway's sincere eyes. After a moment of internal conflict, he finally, slowly nodded.
'Trying something new with Mommy.' For Ian Shaw, the temptation of those words was just too great. He made a secret wish every day, and it was always the same simple one: for his mommy to love him a little more. Even though his mommy sometimes had a bad temper, he still longed for her love. Like how Doudou's mom baked cakes for Doudou, or how Sunny's mom took Sunny to buy pretty clothes...
'He could be a very, very good boy. He just wanted his mommy to love him a little more.'
Once outside, Naomi Kenway asked a villager for directions. It was some distance from their earthen house to the village plaza, but luckily, a kind villager offered them a ride along the way.
It was a three-wheeled cart. Ian Shaw had never experienced anything like it. He sat in the back, gazing at the flowers and grass along the road. "No windows... the cart has no windows! Mommy, look, flowers! The flowers are so pretty..."
Ian Shaw's voice was soft and sweet, sounding incredibly well-behaved and adorable. The old woman driving up front chuckled when she heard him. "What a delightful little one. How old are you this year?"
Naomi Kenway looked at Ian Shaw with a smile. "Go on, tell the nice lady how old you are."
Perhaps because the old woman had such a kind face, Ian Shaw wasn't as guarded as usual. "Ian is four."
"Four years old? You're just adorable," the old woman's voice drifted back, mixed with the sound of the wind.
The sun had been shining brightly just moments before, but now a wind had suddenly kicked up, and the air instantly grew chilly. Fortunately, Naomi Kenway was prepared. She quickly pulled another jacket from her backpack and wrapped it around Ian Shaw.
Naomi Kenway was the second guest to arrive at the plaza. Margaret Jennings was already there, sitting on a wooden bench and chatting with her daughter.
"Pearl."
Margaret Jennings looked up when she heard her name, a hint of confusion in her eyes. She hadn't expected Naomi Kenway to be here so early.
Being in the same industry, Margaret Jennings had heard a thing or two about Naomi Kenway's antics. She gave a perfunctory smile. "Oh, it's you."
She looked down again, clearly indicating she didn't want to chat any further with Naomi Kenway.
Greeting someone upon meeting was just basic courtesy, but since the other party clearly didn't want to talk, Naomi Kenway saw no reason to give a warm reception only to get the cold shoulder.
Naomi Kenway led her son to a spot with plenty of flowers and began teaching him to identify the various wildflowers and weeds. However, Naomi's own botanical knowledge was quite limited, and she often had to turn and ask the well-traveled director for help.
Seeing that Naomi Kenway wasn't being pushy, Margaret Jennings found herself glancing in her direction a few more times.
The Naomi Kenway from the rumors was an absolute pest, someone who couldn't read a room and loved the sound of her own voice.
Margaret Jennings narrowed her eyes, staring at the woman in the distance who was being so patient with her son. She felt that the real Naomi Kenway didn't seem much like the rumors.
The Naomi Kenway she remembered was someone who loved to flaunt her wealth, dripping in jade necklaces and red agate bracelets, never caring if they matched, and incredibly ostentatious. But now, as she looked closer, she realized Naomi wasn't wearing a single piece of jewelry. Even in a simple tracksuit, her beautiful face made her the most striking person in the crowd—clean-cut and sharp.
'Why is Naomi Kenway so different from my memory of her...?'
"Mommy." It was Carina Sanders's voice.
"What is it, Carina?" Margaret Jennings snapped back to reality.
Carina Sanders was still in her princess gown, a diamond tiara on her head, looking just like a real princess.
"Mommy, I want to go play with Ian!"