The Villain's Doomed Mother

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Chapter 1: I'm the Villain's Doomed Mother

Nanzhi had just finished her mission in the gourmet world with a perfect evaluation, fully expecting to return smoothly to her original world.

Instead, she had a dream.

In the dream, she followed a self-proclaimed "conqueror" from another world into a showbiz romance novel. The target was a mysterious big shot who had once helped the male lead. The conqueror, however, had transmigrated into the body of the genius villain's biological mother!

The conqueror knew that her son in this body would grow up to become a paranoid, vicious, murderous villain. She felt nothing but disgust and contempt for him. She only kept him around reluctantly because abandoning a child would cause trouble.

"Keeping" was a generous term. She treated him worse than a stray cat or dog. Verbal abuse and physical punishment were routine, and the long-term psychological violence cast a shadow over the child that would never fade.

But the conqueror didn't see this as abuse. She thought she was helping him reform!

Meanwhile, to get close to her target, the conqueror managed to become a minor actress in the entertainment industry.

She thought she could conquer all with the original owner's stunning beauty. But she was lazy and arrogant, unwilling to start from small roles. She dreamed of overnight fame instead.

The result? After years of struggle, she was still stuck in the B-list. She had, however, successfully earned herself a reputation for wooden acting, being a liar, loving drama, and being unprofessional. She had terrible public appeal.

Not only had she made no progress on her mission, she hadn't even managed to catch a glimpse of the big shot!

Frustrated and anxious, the conqueror decided to take her child on a parenting variety show to salvage her image.

She tried to portray herself as a gentle, loving mother. But the child, resentful towards her, refused to cooperate, ruining the pilot episode.

The sharp-eyed audience noticed the estrangement and coldness between mother and son. They disliked the mother's hypocrisy and arrogance, and they disliked the son's gloomy and strange demeanor. They were bombarded with insults and boycotts.

Finally, the conqueror broke down.

She got into a screaming match with her son, calling him a monster and grabbing him by the throat.

The usually silent child, who never fought back, pushed her away this time.

The conqueror stumbled, hit the back of her head on the corner of the nightstand, and passed out on the spot.

As she lost consciousness, she was frantically calling out to the system in her mind to take her away.

---

"...Did you see the look in his eyes when he pushed me? It was terrifying! No wonder he grows up to be a murderous villain! He's a sociopath! Born evil! I can't stand another day here! This body is beautiful, but it's useless. A sickly person like this won't last long anyway. I've made up my mind!"

The terrified female voice was like a sharp awl, chipping away at the fog in Nanzhi's mind.

Dawn broke.

She opened her eyes. Her stomach was cramping, and cold sweat was pouring from her pores.

Nanzhi struggled to get up. Relying on muscle memory, she found the bathroom and threw up over the toilet.

When she finally recovered, Nanzhi looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings and froze.

Where was this?

Nanzhi leaned against the wall and stood up, looking at the face reflected in the mirror. Everything felt strange.

The features were still hers.

But her face was caked with thick foundation, sporting exaggerated, poorly done blue-purple cut-crease eyeshadow and sunburn-style blush. It looked jarring and amateurish.

Her outfit—a sexy "party girl" look—was the complete opposite of her usual style. A few thin strips of fabric were wrapped tightly around her, digging into her bones.

And that wasn't all.

Nanzhi felt a throbbing pain at the back of her head. She reached up instinctively and touched blood.

Luckily, the wound wasn't deep, and the bleeding was minimal.

This situation looked familiar.

Then, a flood of unfamiliar memories rushed into her mind...

It turned out that her son, Ian, was that villain!

And she was the villain's doomed mother!

According to the original plot, after her death, Ian was sent to an orphanage. His miserable childhood led him down the wrong path. He built a vast business empire through shady means, only to be exposed by the male lead in the finale, sent to prison, and end his young life with a bullet.

Now, the conqueror had taken over her body. Had Ian's situation improved?

Not at all!

It had only gotten worse!

Thinking of the conqueror, wherever she was, Nanzhi's face grew cold. Only four words echoed in her mind:

I want her dead.

*Swish, swish.*

A faint sound came from behind her.

Nanzhi frowned and turned around.

She found herself unexpectedly locking eyes with a pair of stubborn, wolf-cub-like eyes by the door!

That was...

The child hiding behind the door seemed startled. He immediately pulled his head back and scurried away.

"Ian!"

Nanzhi quickly gave chase.

As soon as she left the bathroom, she saw the small figure trip over an ill-fitting slipper and fall hard towards the ground!

Without thinking, Nanzhi instinctively rushed forward, caught the child, and used herself as a cushion!

"Hiss."

Nanzhi's head spun.

The wound on the back of her head seemed to have reopened. A small trickle of warm liquid was slowly running down the back of her neck.

Nanzhi didn't pay it any mind. All she could feel was the stiffness of the small person in her arms.

"Did you get hurt? Let me see!"

But before she could get a good look, the wrist she reached out was bitten hard!

It hurt, but Nanzhi didn't let go.

Instead, she used her other hand to gently stroke the back of the child's neck.

Ian slowly loosened his teeth, raised his wary eyes, and let Nanzhi see him clearly.

He was a beautiful child. His bone structure was smooth and delicate, his skin had a pale, indoor quality. His features were truly picturesque.

But he was too thin. His hair was yellowish, his cheeks were sunken rather than baby-fat plump. He was clearly malnourished. At four and a half, he looked barely three, like a fragile kitten.

What was even more shocking were the bruises on his skin and the crisscrossing red finger marks on his slender neck!

Nanzhi's heart was in turmoil.

Suddenly, she heard Ian's young, hoarse voice:

"Don't pretend. Just hit me if you're going to. As long as you don't kill me, when I grow up, I'll pay back every single grudge."

The eyes set in his gaunt face were like bottomless black holes, gradually overlapping with the image of the villain from the conqueror's memories.

But Nanzhi just pulled him closer, holding him tight, feeling the fear and trembling he couldn't hide in his small body:

"No more hitting. Not ever again."

After a pause, she added,

"What if I told you... I'm not the mother I used to be? Would you believe me?"

Ian's face, radiating bone-chilling cold, clearly said:

Absolutely not.

Nanzhi didn't know how to explain that her body had been taken over by the conqueror.

Looking at Ian's face, full of resistance and resentment, so different from the chubby, adorable, smiling half-year-old in her memories, she could only sigh.

"Hungry? Want something to eat?"

"No!"

The next second, Ian's stomach growled loudly.

He was immediately furious, glaring angrily at his traitorous stomach.

Nanzhi smiled silently.

Chapter 2: Balance: 666

Nanzhi let go and was about to stand up.

Ian, still in her arms, seized the opportunity. He leaped up nimbly, like a whirlwind, and rushed into his room.

Then, *bang!* He slammed the door shut and locked it!

Nanzhi didn't chase after him this time.

She first found the first-aid kit in the living room, disinfected and bandaged the wound on her head. Her movements were slow but practiced.

Then, she went to the bathroom and washed off all the makeup, leaving her face clean.

She went to the walk-in closet and, from a mountain of sexy, skimpy clothes, found a relatively decent and thick plain gray knit dress.

As she took off her clothes, she caught a glimpse of her emaciated figure in the mirror.

No, not just thin. She was skin and bones, pathologically so.

That conqueror had no regard for someone else's body. She starved herself to look good on camera. At 1.7 meters tall, she weighed barely 40 kilograms!

When Nanzhi was a child, she was abandoned in the snow, which left her with a chronic illness. She had nearly died. Her grandfather had spent a lot of effort to barely raise her to be healthy.

Now, it was all ruined.

Just standing there, Nanzhi felt dizzy. She had thought it was a concussion earlier, but now it was clear she was simply starving!

She didn't need to go to the hospital to know she had a host of problems: malnutrition, stomach issues...

Nanzhi closed her eyes, barely suppressing her anger.

The time flow in the two worlds was different. Four years had passed in this world, but a full twelve years had gone by in the other!

From a position of low status and little influence, Nanzhi had risen to a place of power and authority. She had learned to keep her emotions hidden. It had been a long time since she'd been this angry!

Nanzhi quickly put on the dress, found her phone, and planned to order some ingredients for medicinal food.

Both she and Ian urgently needed to recuperate.

The conqueror had spent money lavishly, selling Nanzhi's small house and blowing through all the savings over the years.

Nanzhi didn't expect much money in the account. Medicinal food therapy required a gradual approach. Expensive herbs like ginseng would be too strong for them. For now, they only needed some affordable, mild ingredients...

[XX Bank Available Balance: 666]

*Slap!*

Nanzhi flipped the phone over, screen down, out of sight, out of mind.

As she left the room, she saw that the bedroom door opposite was still tightly shut.

She paused for a moment, then walked into the kitchen.

Soon, the sounds of whisking eggs and clinking dishes came from the kitchen.

A faint aroma of food also spread rapidly through the warm air, seeping through the cracks into the second bedroom.

*Click.*

The doorknob turned.

A pair of pitch-black eyes peered out from the crack, secretly looking out.

That woman... was cooking?

Ian shook his head. Impossible.

Ever since they moved here, that woman had never set foot in the kitchen.

Once, she went out to film, forgetting he was locked inside. She left no food or water. He went hungry for three whole days and nights, surviving only on tap water!

Why would she suddenly change her personality and start cooking now?

Was she trying to poison him?

Ian couldn't help but let his imagination run wild.

But the hot, fragrant aroma was too tempting.

Having grown up eating bread and drinking cold water, Ian couldn't resist the temptation.

By the time he realized it, his body had already left the room, walked to the dining table, and was staring intently at the bowl of plain congee.

He swallowed. He first glanced into the kitchen to make sure the woman wasn't watching, then quickly leaned over, put his mouth to the rim of the bowl, and took a big slurp!

Hot! Scalding hot!

But that didn't stop the rich rice fragrance from exploding in his mouth!

For the first time, Ian realized that plain congee could be so delicious!

Just as he couldn't wait to take a second sip, a cold voice dropped from above him:

"Who told you to drink it now?"

Ian's back stiffened.

In the next second, he skillfully raised his hands to shield his head, ready for the ensuing beating, his resentful eyes fixed on the bowl of congee he had only managed to take one sip from.

Nanzhi sighed. She put down the plate of egg and scallion pancakes and gently pulled Ian over:

"Let me see if you burned yourself."

Ian stared at Nanzhi without blinking.

He was like a wounded little beast, afraid of the mother who had hurt him, yet unable to resist the warmth she was offering.

...No, no!

He quickly shook his head, suppressing the faint longing spreading in his heart, and bared his teeth threateningly.

Nanzhi took the opportunity to pinch his mouth and look inside:

"It's okay, just a little red. The congee just came out of the pot, it's very hot. Eat slowly."

Ian was stunned again.

He forgot to resist and let Nanzhi carry him to a chair and put a spoon in his hand.

Nanzhi: "Blow on it."

Ian mechanically puffed out his cheeks: "Hoo... hoo..."

A faint smile bloomed in Nanzhi's eyes, like peach blossoms on a spring river, shimmering and radiant.

"Alright, let's eat."

Nanzhi was about to pick up her chopsticks when she was interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

Ian flinched, his shoulders shaking. He slid down from his chair and hid under the dining table.

"Don't be afraid. I'll go see."

Actually, through the remnants of the conqueror's memories, Nanzhi could roughly guess who it was.

She walked over and opened the door.

An irresistible force pushed her aside, barged in, and slammed the door shut.

After making sure the neighbors couldn't hear, a torrent of abuse came crashing down on her—

"Nanzhi, have you lost your mind? Quitting the show just like that? You were the one who said you'd do anything to get on the show! We've only been filming for a few days! Do you know how many people I had to beg to get you on this show? And you just go dark on me? Get your ass back there! Even if you have to stand in front of the camera like a wooden post, you will finish this show! Otherwise, do you think you can afford the penalty for breach of contract?"

Standing in front of Nanzhi was her agent, Xu Li. They had been working together for almost three years, ever since Nanzhi debuted.

Xu Li had gone from high hopes to utter disappointment.

Now, her tone was filled with intense irritation and frustration, making Nanzhi seem calm in comparison.

Nanzhi's voice, clear as a spring striking jade, rang out:

"Okay, I understand. When's the filming?"

This time, it was Xu Li who was stunned:

"Y-you're really going?"

She had been ready for a fight, and Nanzhi just agreed like that?

Xu Li calmed down and realized Nanzhi was different somehow—

The old Nanzhi was arrogant, empty-headed, thought she was clever, but her little schemes were obvious to everyone.

She had the foundation of a perfect ten beauty but managed to make herself look like a seven, or even less.

Now, with her makeup washed off, she had also shed her vulgarity and restlessness.

She was like a mountain forest after a fresh rain, or a rough gemstone after being polished.

Standing there, she exuded a thousand charms.

...She was like a completely different person!

"Didn't you say there's a penalty for breach of contract? I can't afford it, so of course, I have to continue the show."

Nanzhi finished speaking casually, then paused and asked,

"We're about to eat. Want to join us?"

Chapter 3: Sacrificial Guest, Unlimited Power

J Television Station Headquarters.

Backstage at Studio 3 was a flurry of activity as the upcoming live broadcast was about to begin.

The assistant director in charge of artist coordination squeezed over to the head director, Xu Lin, and said in a low voice:

"Xu Li said she's bringing Nanzhi and her son over soon."

Xu Lin frowned, dissatisfied with the outcome:

"She actually made it?"

He had already found a backup guest, ready to replace Nanzhi the moment she defaulted on her contract!

The assistant director glanced at Xu Lin's expression and whispered a suggestion:

"Why don't we reduce Nanzhi's screen time?"

Xu Lin rejected it outright:

"Reduce it? I'm going to increase her airtime and give her a good 'roasting'!"

The assistant director was also a shrewd person and quickly understood Xu Lin's intention.

The fastest way to gain popularity for a variety show is to sacrifice a guest, using negative publicity to attract viewers.

After all, it takes time to build liking, but disliking can happen in an instant.

Is the guest not hated enough?

No problem! With "careful" editing, black can be turned into white!

This was quite cruel for Nanzhi and her son, but the assistant director felt no sympathy, only a sense of satisfaction.

—To manage to earn the disgust of the entire production team in such a short time was truly a skill in itself.

Having received his orders, the assistant director turned around and told the colleague in charge of the live stream to "guide" the comments at the right moment.

The colleague was helpless:

"Do we need to guide them? They're already cursing!"

There was still half an hour before the live broadcast started, but tens of thousands of viewers were already waiting in the stream, posting comments to warm up.

The two most mentioned people were Fu Zhao and Nanzhi.

Fu Zhao was the biggest draw of the show. He was a top-tier actor and movie king. He rarely appeared on variety shows. Bringing his nephew this time was highly anticipated!

The comments were filled with praise for him, including from non-fans who were also looking forward to his performance.

As for Nanzhi?

Her public appeal in the entertainment industry was notoriously bad. Add to that her tantrum and walkout during yesterday's live broadcast, and the audience's disgust for her was at its peak!

Every comment about her was a curse or an insult!

This hatred even extended to Ian. Even the four-and-a-half-year-old child was subjected to the most vicious words!

From another perspective, even before the reshoot began, the buzz factor was already maxed out!

Watching the soaring viewer count, the assistant director nodded with satisfaction:

"This is exactly what we want!"

Just then, the assistant director ran over and said Nanzhi had arrived.

---

The show was called *Toddler Observation Diary*. Four celebrity guests would experience the life of ordinary people with their toddlers. By overcoming harsh environments and difficult realities, they would showcase parent-child interactions and the toddlers' reactions and growth.

Each episode, the guests would draw lots for different occupations and family backgrounds. They had to maintain their assigned personas while earning money to support themselves and the toddlers.

Additionally, the filming process would be live-streamed. Points would be awarded based on stream popularity, audience votes, judge votes, and task completion. Violating the assigned persona would result in deductions.

The group with the highest overall score each episode would have the production team donate money to children in impoverished mountain areas in their name.

In short, it was a parenting version of *The X Factor: Extreme Makeover*.

There were four groups of guests:

Top actor Fu Zhao and his nephew Qingxi; New director Xie Yu and his daughter Xie An'an; Singer-songwriter Qi Pei'er and her nephew Qi Zhang; Newbie actress Nanzhi and her son Ian.

—The large screen at the back of the studio had just finished playing the introduction VCR, and the audience was typing furiously:

[Newbie actress? Still a newbie after three years in the business?]

[Are you crazy? Nanzhi almost smashed the camera yesterday, and you're letting her continue filming? Is she the head director's mother?]

[Whatever mother she is, I'm your show's father! Get her replaced! Who wants to see that crazy woman Nanzhi and her son's deadpan face?]

[See! Kids without fathers are psychologically damaged! Ian always looks so sinister. He's probably a sociopath!]

[My Brother Fu finally does a variety show after years, and you bastards ruin it for him. Good job!]

[Nanzhi and Ian, get off the show!]

[Ugh, annoying! Nanzhi, go die!]

...

It was rare for a variety show to have guests attacked so unanimously right from the start.

Coincidentally, the production team, to facilitate interaction between the celebrities and the audience, had "creatively" placed a large screen in front of the stage, showing the live comments in real time.

The others would glance at the harsh words, feeling embarrassed for Nanzhi, and kept looking at her.

But Nanzhi, waiting backstage, ignored the comments and the stares. She only whispered to Ian:

"Remember our agreement? Cooperate with the filming."

Ian's face was gloomy. He grunted noncommittally.

Nanzhi felt his mood was off and guessed:

"Can you read?"

Ian's shoulders trembled. He immediately shook his head in denial:

"I can't read."

He didn't admit it because he knew his mother hated him being smart.

A neighbor's grandmother had once given him a Xinhua dictionary. He treasured it, even wanting to sleep with it.

But his mother saw it, screamed at him, hit him, and tore the dictionary to shreds in front of him.

From then on, Ian never dared to show his intelligence. He was like a sewer rat, following his own survival rules.

Nanzhi looked thoughtful but didn't press further.

Just then, Xu Li walked over, looking displeased:

"...There's no makeup artist. The assistant director said we have to handle it ourselves."

Everyone knew that on-camera appearance depended heavily on makeup!

Nanzhi, with her bare face, no matter how beautiful, would look significantly worse on camera.

As Nanzhi's agent, Xu Li could feel the malice and targeting lurking in the shadows. Even though she was annoyed with Nanzhi, she still felt a pang of worry.

After a moment's thought, Xu Li whispered a warning:

"Be careful. You've probably been given the sacrificial script."

Nanzhi hummed softly, looking unconcerned.

Xu Li pressed her lips together.

Soon, Nanzhi's name was called from the front—

"...Welcome Nanzhi and her son, Ian!"

Nanzhi suddenly spoke:

"Don't worry. Leave it to me."

Xu Li was momentarily stunned.

Watching the unhurried figure walk away, her anxiety suddenly subsided.

How could a person change so much in such a short time?

Had she been possessed?

Xu Li suppressed this strange thought. Remembering the congee and egg pancakes she had eaten that morning, she couldn't help but swallow and started to daydream.

Meanwhile, Nanzhi had already led Ian onto the studio stage.

They were now re-filming the pilot episode. Nanzhi and Ian were the last group.

The previous three groups of guests had already appeared. Under the host's guidance, the atmosphere in the studio was relaxed and fun, filled with laughter.

Until Nanzhi and Ian appeared. The temperature in the room dropped instantly.

Chapter 4: Oh, I Don't Have a Dad

As they stepped onto the stage, Nanzhi tried to take Ian's hand.

Ian subtly avoided it.

This small detail was, of course, captured by the cameras. The live stream was instantly flooded with mockery.

When Nanzhi and Ian finally emerged fully and stood under the spotlight, the comments went silent for a few seconds.

Then:

[Nanzhi is this pretty without makeup?]

[I have to admit, this mother-son duo has great looks.]

[My god, what did Nanzhi do to her face before?]

[...No, wait. Are you all dogs? What's the use of a beautiful face on a woman with a venomous heart?]

[Dammit, even I was almost fooled. So Nanzhi is going for the pitiful, innocent little white flower look?]

[Look at those skinny arms and legs. I bet they'll starve on the first day.]

[Perfect, then they can get off the show!]

...

The host, responsible for the interview, steadied himself and put on a standard fake smile:

"Our comments are very enthusiastic! It seems everyone is very welcoming to Nanzhi and Ian!"

The audience: You call that welcoming? Are you blind?

So they cursed even harder!

Nanzhi remained expressionless:

"Thank you."

Failing to get the expected reaction, the host didn't waste any more time and quickly moved to the interview:

"Are you confident about the upcoming experience?"

Nanzhi: "Yes."

Ian: "No."

Zero chemistry from the start.

The atmosphere was a bit awkward.

The host immediately focused on Ian:

"So it seems our little one has a different opinion from his mom. Why no confidence? Don't you trust your mom?"

Nanzhi gave the host a long, hard look.

For some reason, the host, who had seen it all, felt a chill run down his spine!

Luckily, Nanzhi didn't interrupt.

Ian's little face was expressionless. He answered succinctly:

"No."

The host steeled himself and continued:

"If our little one had to rate his mom, out of ten, how many points would you give her?"

"Ten."

"What do you think of your mom's job as an actress?"

"It's okay."

"..."

Several questions designed to trap him, and Ian didn't fall for any of them.

His attitude was just a bit cold, like a frozen black sesame dumpling.

It was a stark contrast to the cute, childish answers of the other three children!

The audience didn't like it either, criticizing him in the comments:

[This kid is too mature. Feels very calculating.]

[So calm? The production team must have rehearsed with him. This is favoritism!]

[He might as well have kept his mouth shut like last time. What kind of answers were those?]

[Everything about him screams one word: fake!]

...

In fact, they had arrived in a hurry. Ian had no rehearsal. He was improvising.

Seeing that his answers were watertight, giving him no room to maneuver, the host got a bit anxious and asked a sharp question:

"Do you ever miss your dad, little one?"

The studio fell silent.

Everyone knew Nanzhi was a single mother. What was the host getting at?

Nanzhi, who hadn't said much, a cold look appeared in her eyes. She covered her mic:

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Ian curled his lip imperceptibly.

Then, he looked at the host with his big, dark eyes:

"Do you have a dad?"

The host felt he could read mockery in Ian's eyes. He nodded instinctively:

"Of course! I..."

"Oh. I don't."

Ian bluntly exposed the host's malice, adding by way of explanation,

"I thought you didn't know, Uncle, so I'm telling you."

Nanzhi couldn't help but smile. She naturally and affectionately patted the back of Ian's head.

Ian's back went completely rigid.

But his expression was cold, so it didn't show much and went unnoticed.

In the live stream, someone finally spoke up for them:

[People keep saying the production team favors Nanzhi and Ian, but I feel it's the complete opposite?]

[That was too much. Ian is only four and a half. Was it necessary to bring up old wounds in front of a child?]

[I'm from a single-parent family too. Someone asked me that once. I slapped them so hard they were picking their teeth off the floor.]

[It's fine to criticize Nanzhi, but show some mercy towards the child.]

...

But those defending the mother and son were a minority, quickly drowned out by more insults.

The interview ended there.

For the subsequent parent-child games, the production team didn't cause any more trouble.

Finally, the pilot episode was nearing its end. It was time for the draw.

Host: "There are four different identity cards in this box. Some are relatively good, some are particularly bad. To be fair, we'll decide by drawing lots. What you draw will determine your standard of living for the next few days! So, choose carefully!"

The tension was instantly maxed out.

Even the audience forgot to curse Nanzhi, cheering for their favorite guests.

Nanzhi was the last to draw, according to the order of appearance.

When she reached into the box, she touched only one card.

Fair?

Nanzhi smiled faintly.

She knew that no matter when she drew, she would only get this card.

Host: "Please keep your identity cards safe. The results cannot be exchanged! Don't go away, dear viewers! Stay tuned to your personal streams. We'll reveal the answers in two hours!"

As the words fell, the cameras shut off, and the live stream was temporarily suspended.

Nanzhi flipped over her identity card—[Night Market Snack Stall Owner].

She raised her eyebrows slightly, a little surprised, then smiled gently.

The smile that bloomed at the corners of her eyes and brows was like an epiphyllum slowly unfurling.

---

There were two hours until the next live stream.

Nanzhi saw the other three guests and their children gathered in the large backstage lounge, chatting. They were deliberately ignoring her and Ian.

She didn't go over to invite the snub, nor did she think their behavior was unreasonable.

After all, yesterday, when they had offered goodwill, "Nanzhi" had been a snob, treating the most famous Fu Zhao completely differently from the other two!

So their resentment and rejection were understandable!

Nanzhi was just curious, glancing at the two little ones playing games in the corner—Xie An'an and Qi Zhang.

According to the conqueror's memories, this novel, called *Top Couple*, was about a movie king male lead and a popular young actress female lead who meet through a parenting show. They each go through low points, then meet again at the peak, falling sweetly in love.

And the villain, Ian, is gloomy, paranoid, and vicious, but hopelessly in love with the female lead.

...What a passionate love story.

Except.

The female lead, Xie An'an, is four years old this year.

The male lead, Qi Zhang, is five.

And her own little villain, not yet grown, is four and a half.

No matter how Nanzhi looked at it, she couldn't imagine their entanglements of love and hate.

The only thing she was sure of was that the parenting show *Toddler Observation Diary* played a crucial role in the novel. It was the first major plot point. No wonder the conqueror had tried so hard to get on it.

Nanzhi naturally had to be on high alert.

Chapter 5: The Mysterious Big Shot is an Ex-Boyfriend

Nanzhi pulled Ian to a quiet corner to wait for the staff to notify them about the transfer to the filming location.

They had just sat down when Ian secretly furrowed his brows, his legs twitching uncomfortably.

Nanzhi was looking at her phone.

She noticed out of the corner of her eye and quickly understood:

"Need to go to the bathroom?"

"...No."

Ian was as stubborn as ever.

Nanzhi directly took his little hand and stood up:

"If you need to go, let's go. I'll go with you."

After a few similar experiences, Ian was no longer as resistant to Nanzhi as he had been at the beginning. He followed her lead.

The bathroom was just to the right, outside the lounge. It wasn't far.

Nanzhi walked Ian to the entrance of the men's room and whispered a few words of caution.

Ian seemed unaccustomed to such maternal care. When he turned and walked away, his back was stiff, his movements slow, like a little puppet.

Nanzhi watched him from behind in silence.

She knew Ian was used to suppressing his own thoughts, because his requests had never been taken seriously.

Thinking of the thin figure always lurking in the corners, the edges, the shadows in the conqueror's memories, Nanzhi's heart ached with a dense, piercing pain.

She lowered her eyes, leaning against the wall. Her profile was cool and slender. No one knew what she was thinking.

—Fu Zhao walked out of the bathroom and saw this scene.

Fu Zhao was known for being humble, gentle, and good-natured.

Even at the peak of his fame, he never put on airs or gave anyone the cold shoulder. He was always smiling.

But when he saw Nanzhi, his face fell, a rare occurrence.

"You followed me all the way here?"

Fu Zhao's voice was deep and magnetic.

But the disgust and irritation beneath the surface were impossible to hide.

Nanzhi was a bit distracted.

It took her two or three seconds to snap out of it.

She tilted her head, her unfocused gaze landing on Fu Zhao like a butterfly.

"Hm?"

She tilted her head in confusion, her cloud of dark hair falling to one side of her face. She was effortlessly beautiful.

A far cry from her previous, overly elaborate attempts.

Fu Zhao thought sarcastically, then issued a stern warning:

"Know when to stop. Don't think everyone else is blind! If you keep this up, I won't hesitate to have you kicked out of this industry!"

With that, Fu Zhao gave Nanzhi one last, deep look.

He remembered how, when he first saw her, he had felt a flicker of fondness because her features seemed so kind. The thought now made him sick.

After thoroughly condemning his own superficiality, Fu Zhao turned and strode away.

As for Nanzhi, she was just baffled.

After thinking it over, she suspected the conqueror was to blame.

It seemed the conqueror had secretly sent Fu Zhao some ambiguous text messages?

No wonder he was so angry.

Nanzhi closed her eyes helplessly, raised her hand to rub her temples, and began to count the number of things she would have to take the blame for...

*Tap, tap, tap.*

A leisurely set of footsteps approached.

Nanzhi thought Fu Zhao had come back. She opened her eyes to explain:

"Actually, that message wasn't from me..."

She froze mid-sentence.

The person not far away also paused, looking up.

In that instant, it was as if the unmoving statue of a deity in a misty, incense-filled temple lowered its eyes, utterly indifferent, to look upon the mortal world.

He was above the clouds, viewing all things in the world as insignificant. Even the most beautiful face was just a skeleton adorned with rouge to him.

He was so aloof, so distant, so mysterious, that the person being looked at felt small, as if they would dissipate like dust between heaven and earth in an instant.

Of course, Nanzhi wasn't that affected.

She just felt as if she were standing in an empty valley, memories like a howling wind piercing her soul.

In a daze, she moved her lips, about to call out that name...

"Sir?"

The assistant following the man asked, puzzled.

The man casually withdrew his gaze and resumed walking. There wasn't a trace of extra emotion in his eyes.

In the blink of an eye, he and his assistant had disappeared around the corner of the hallway.

It was a long time before Nanzhi slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding. Images from a few years ago flashed before her eyes—

'What would you do if we broke up?'

'I would pretend I never knew you.'

...

He really was a man of his word, Lu Shixu.

Nanzhi clicked her tongue softly.

What was it like to accidentally run into your ex-boyfriend and be treated like a stranger?

Nanzhi's answer: No big deal. It felt pretty liberating, actually.

Compared to twelve years of life-and-death struggles in another world, the relationship that had caused her so much pain and grievance back then seemed insignificant.

It was like crying your heart out as a child over not getting a piece of candy. When you grow up and remember it, you might feel a little nostalgic for that innocent time, but you wouldn't still be fixated on that candy.

"I'm done."

Ian walked up behind her and said awkwardly.

Nanzhi gathered her thoughts and took Ian to wash his hands.

As she turned around, only four words echoed in her mind:

That's it, then.

---

Lu Shixu suddenly stopped.

He stood there, expressionless, like a lush green mountain shrouded in mist, mysterious and unfathomable.

His assistant, Tao An, didn't understand the situation and ventured a question:

"Sir, do you remember that person just now?"

"Oh?"

The faint tone made Tao An understand. He nodded and continued:

"That was Miss Nanzhi, an actress. She recently joined that parenting show you and Mr. Tang invested in. However, before this, Miss Nanzhi had tried twice at banquets to inquire about and approach you, but failed."

Tao An remembered the second time. Miss Nanzhi, with the typical fake, fawning smile of the entertainment industry, had mingled into a business banquet that didn't match her status, pretending to