The Useless Stepmom Brings Her Kids to Reality TV Shows to Photograph Them

Chapter 278: A Negative Example

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Ning Xiaoxiao and the rest followed Xiao Yi inside his room.

Xiao Yi took out his precious blind box. He opened it to reveal numerous pens. Li Zexuan leaned down and counted them. There must be more than fifty pens inside the box.

He didn’t understand what the hype was about. “What’s the difference between this and ordinary pens?” he asked. There was a stationery store in his school. Even there, the blind box stationery was the most popular item bought by students. He couldn’t understand why they were so popular.

The pen and keyboard were part of Xiao Yi’s collection. He patiently explained the appeal of the blind box. Some of the pens were bought, some gifted to him by friends and fans, and others were exchanged for different items.

Ning Xiaoxiao and Wheatley were very interested in the blind box.

“I also have the same collection,” said Ning Xiaoxiao. “But mine are dolls instead of pens. It is especially thrilling when I receive a rare item!”

Wheatley also had a blind box full of pens , but she wasn’t really collecting them deliberately. Other than Li Zexuan, they all had a common topic to talk about.

Xiao Yi, Ning Xiaoxiao, and Wheatley talked at length about their collections and even agreed to exchange some of them.

Li Zexuan stood at the side and listened to them silently. “Do you have any hobbies?” asked Ning Xiaoxiao.

“Me?” asked Li Zexuan.

“Yeah. Do you like doing anything in your spare time?” asked Ning Xiaoxiao again.

“I know what Brother Xuanxuan likes doing when he is free!” said Wheatley.

“He plays the guitar.”

Li Zexuan was about to say he didn’t really have a hobby when Wheatley beat him to it. “Uh…” he stammered. “Yeah. I do play the guitar.”

Ning Xiaoxiao had won the Best Newcomer Award in the entertainment industry. However, she didn’t have any knowledge about music. She had participated in a variety show which made her match each song to its respective lyrics, though.

She had tried to learn to sing from a vocal coach, but she wasn’t very good at it. She was almost as bad at singing as Li Yanchen.

Her seniors often joked with her about her singing skills. Ning Xiaoxiao always played along and told them that just because someone had good looks didn’t mean they had a good voice too.

Ning Xiaoxiao didn’t have any musical talents, but she did admire other celebrities with musical skills. Li Zexuan happened to be the person she admired the most. He was a good actor, had a decent voice, and was proficient in playing a few musical instruments.

“You all are so good at what you do,” said Ning Xiaoxiao. “I don’t understand why the Festival Group even invited me when they have people who are so talented.”

“I am not really that good,” said Wheatley. “I mean, Brother Xuanxuan can act, sing, and play guitar! I just barely play the violin.”

“Oh, please! Don’t be so humble. You all have real skills. I just hide behind my books and my laptop,” aid Xiao Yi.

That surprised everyone. Xiao Yi was a role model. Every parent compared their children with him. He not only excelled at games but also excelled in his studies. He was a top scorer in the college entrance examination, for god’s

“You are the one being so humble. Do you know how many parents wish their children were like you? When my mom nags me for using my laptop too much, I always tell her how you excel at both games and studies. You have become an example and a role model for us. I always tell her that you study and play games, so the two things don’t have to be mutually exclusive,” said Ning Xiaoxiao.

Wheatley agreed.

Xiao Yi’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure that is not a negative example? Do children really use me as an excuse to play games? I need to be more careful. I will clarify in the livestream that I am fully devoted to my studies.”

“I used you as an excuse against Ms. Lin once,” said Li Zexuan. “She was having none of it. She told me that you might be putting double the effort in your studies and that you might not really be sacrificing your study time to play games.”

Xiao Yi nodded. “She is right. I do play games during the holidays, but I put in double the effort when I have to study.”

Xiao Tianlin appeared at the door of Xiao Yi’s room. “Why do you all look so serious? Anyway, stay for lunch. After eating, we can all go to the field together.”

Ning Xiaoxiao looked at the clock on the wall. It was already half past eleven. “Thank you for the offer, Uncle. But I have to go back.” Ning Xiaoxiao’s parents had repeatedly told her not to eat at other people’s houses.

Wheatley and Li Zexuan were frequent visitors in Xiao Yi’s house. “Thank you, Uncle,” they said.

Ning Xiaoxiao looked at Wheatley. “Are you not going back as well?”

“It’S alright. I can eat here. Uncle Xiao is such a great cook and Auntie Xia always has some dessert ready after a meal,” said Wheatley. “You should stay. The food is so good.”

Ning Xiaoxiao really wanted to stay. She didn’t care about the food, but she wanted to eat together with Li Zexuan at the same table. However, she couldn’t disobey her parents.

“My mom might have already cooked. I didn’t even inform her. I will come back after I am done eating lunch,” she said. “Goodbye for now.” She jogged back home.

Zhou Pei was indeed cooking. Ning Jingyuan was in the courtyard.

[Xiaoxiao’s dad, how does Xiaoxiao manage her shoots with her schoolwork?]

[Why are other people’s children so outstanding? They can film and go to school at the same time.]

[Yeah. Xiaoxiao, Xuanxuan, and Xiao Yi are all the same.]

“I think that depends on interest and passion,” said Ning Jingyuan. “Xiaoxiao was always interested in acting. When she was young, she would imitate other actors and ask us to record it for her. We encouraged her but also made it clear that she needed to focus on her school at the same time.” Ning Jiangyuan had explained his daughter’s success in the same way when he was interviewed in the past.

[My daughter likes to draw and paint. Once I caught her neglecting her homework to paint. I hid her brush after that. I told her she had to finish her homework if she wanted her brush back. She hastily did her homework but made a lot of mistakes. I don’t know what to do. I want to encourage her, but I also want her to focus on her studies.]

“Perhaps you can tell her to do her homework correctly and then encourage her to paint. If she doesn’t focus on her homework, then tell her she won’t be allowed to paint anymore.”

[My child has a lot of interests. I can accept it if she follows her interest diligently. Once, she told me she loved playing Guzheng and wanted to pursue an artistic path in the future. She wasn’t very good at her studies. She played Guzheng for a while but stopped after a while. Then she said she wanted to learn to play the drums because she wanted to be in a band. After two years of learning to play the drums, she quit. She doesn’t stick to one interest.]

[It’s the same with my son. He diligently learns a new thing, then he abandons it after a while.]

“You need to encourage them to continue. Tell them that if they make their choice, they have to follow through, otherwise, you can’t support them. Set the rules before they dive into something new.”

[That’s right. If the parents give up when their child abandons a hobby, then it will be a waste of time. My son said he wanted to learn piano. He learned it from his kindergarten days. He wanted to give up after a while. I encouraged him to continue practicing it. Now, he practices it without anyone having to tell him. He sets aside at least an hour every day for piano practice.]

[I think I will do that from today. I will let them choose but make it clear that the only rule is that they have to follow through with their choice and become better at it..]