The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show

Chapter 70: I’m Young, But Not Stupid

Naomi Kenway stepped out of the wooden boat and pulled her son into her arms. "Ian, Mommy got first place! We can live in a big house now!"

"Mommy worked so hard! I don’t want to live in a big house! I don’t want a big house!" Ian Shaw said, looking at Naomi Kenway’s reddened palms, his eyes welling up with tears.

"It doesn’t hurt, Ian. It just looks a little scary, but I really can’t feel a thing." Naomi didn’t have a handkerchief, so she just used her hand to wipe the tears from the corner of Ian Shaw’s eyes. "Why are you such a little crybaby? It breaks Mommy’s heart to see you cry. Don’t cry, sweetheart."

Ian Shaw suddenly took Naomi’s hand and blew on it gently. "HOO, HOO... pain pain go away, pain pain go away..."

Naomi’s heart was filled with emotion. She put on an energetic expression and flexed her hand. "Does Ian know magic? Mommy’s hand doesn’t hurt at all anymore."

Ian asked doubtfully, "Really?"

"Really!" Naomi reached out and wiped his tears again. "It’s windy out here, so don’t cry. If you ruin that handsome face of yours, you’ll make Mommy sad. You’re my handsome little man."

Ian Shaw’s tears turned to laughter.

The other guests came ashore one by one, and the children ran over to greet them.

Nathan Lynch affectionately wrapped his arms around Renee Jennings’ waist. "Mom, did you get first place?"

Renee Jennings looked awkward. "Nathan, Mommy isn’t a superhero. It’s impossible to get first place every time. You have to be understanding."

"But..." Nathan Lynch tilted his head and asked earnestly, "But you always tell me to get first place, and you get angry when I don’t. If I fail, will you be understanding with me too?"

"That’s..." Renee Jennings said angrily, "How can you compare the two? I want you to get first place for your own good! If you don’t work hard now, you’ll end up crying on a construction site later in life!"

"Oh..." Nathan Lynch said as if he understood. "So only moms are allowed to want what’s best for their kids? Kids aren’t allowed to want what’s best for their moms, is that it?"

Renee Jennings was speechless for a long moment. She had almost been tripped up by Nathan’s logic.

Chelsea Raines, who was standing nearby, had grown tired of listening. "Nathan, why are you talking so much? Kids should just listen to their parents. Renee is your mother, she would never hurt you. Stop talking back to your mom."

Nathan Lynch fell silent. He felt like a million questions were tangled up inside him, all contradicting and clashing with each other, and he couldn’t find an answer to any of them. He was still too young to understand such complicated problems.

The tour guide blew a whistle. "Everyone, gather around me to choose your houses."

All the guests gathered together.

The tour guide took out several cards. "Next, I will introduce this episode’s houses."

"Number one is a very unique stone house. It has a minimalist style, but it’s fully furnished inside..."

Margaret Jennings nodded. "This house isn’t bad. It looks quite tidy, too." She looked down and asked Carina Sanders, "Carina, do you like this house?"

Carina Sanders shook her head. "I want a pink princess room, and it has to have a swing that goes back and forth!"

"Where are we going to find a pink house, my dear..." Margaret Jennings said helplessly.

"Number two is a red-tile brick house. There are little chicks and ducks inside, and the neighbors next door make rice cakes."

Jared Woods’s eyes lit up when he heard "rice cakes." He tugged on Chelsea Raines’s clothes. "Mommy, cakes..."

"All you think about is food." Chelsea Raines’s face was full of disdain. "The yard must smell terrible with all those chickens and ducks. Besides... we’re in fourth place, we probably won’t get a chance to pick it..."

Jared Woods immediately looked crestfallen. His stocky little body squatted on the ground. "It’s all your fault!"

"House number three is very spacious and has a private courtyard. The surroundings are quiet and secluded. The downside is that it’s a bit far, so you’ll have to walk quite a bit. House number four is a small bamboo building designed by the local villagers. There’s a bamboo forest right in front of the door. The house is two stories high, and from the balcony, you can look out at the green mountains and clear waters in the distance. The view is absolutely superb."

Naomi Kenway’s heart skipped a beat the moment she saw the small bamboo building. She had never lived in such a unique house before. But she didn’t know what her son would like, so she would let Ian choose the house later.

When the smiling tour guide took out the photo for house number five, all the guests gasped.

Chelsea Raines was utterly disgusted. "Why is house number five always a wreck? Can’t the production team even change the order?"

The tour guide continued to introduce it with a smile. "As you can all see, house number five is a thatched cottage. It has a history of over fifty years and is still standing strong."

The thatched cottage was dilapidated, with a large water vat of questionable usability in front of the door. It wasn’t much better than the rundown mud-brick house from the first episode.

Ruby Preston sighed. She already knew her fate.

Simon Sawyer said like a little adult, "Don’t always look so gloomy. There are always more solutions than problems."

Although her son’s way of comforting her wasn’t cute or gentle, Ruby Preston still felt a little comforted. She draped her arm over Simon Sawyer’s shoulder. "You have a point. As long as I’m with my son, any place we live is a mansion."

Simon Sawyer uncomfortably shrugged off Ruby Preston’s arm, but his face was a little red. "Mom, why are you being so cheesy?"

"You little brat, are you dissing me now?"

Naomi Kenway had won first place and had the right to choose her house first. She gave Ian Shaw a gentle push forward. "Son, go take a look. Pick whichever one you like! Our luck has finally turned! We finally don’t have to live in a broken-down house."

But Ian Shaw didn’t move. Naomi remembered what he had said earlier and instantly understood why he was reluctant. "Son, I know you’re worried about me. Listen to me, only if you go choose a house will all of Mommy’s hard work not have been for nothing, right?"

Realization dawned on Ian Shaw. He started walking, pondering the cards in the tour guide’s hands.

Jared Woods snuck up next to Ian Shaw and whispered conspiratorially in his ear, "Ian, house number five is the most fun. You can play with the dirt and play house. Quick, pick number five."

Ian Shaw glanced at house number five, then turned to give Jared Woods a look. His expression was one of sheer speechlessness.

Ian announced loudly, "I want house number four!"

"House number four? An excellent choice." The tour guide pulled out the corresponding house card and handed it to him.

"You..." Jared Woods pointed a finger. "You... why didn’t you listen to me!"

Ian Shaw walked right past him and returned to Naomi’s side.

[I’m dying at the look Ian just gave him. Ian’s thoughts must have been: ’I may be young, but I’m not an idiot.’]

[Jared Woods has a thousand little schemes, and they’re all written on his face.]

[House number four is nice! Just looking at it makes you feel relaxed. I wonder what it’s like to live in a little bamboo building. The owner who built this house must be a person of refined taste!]

[Why is Jared Woods so mean? Did Chelsea Raines put him up to it?]

[It’s just a little petty scheming, you can’t really call it ’mean’!]