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

Chapter 453: My Throat Feels Like It’s Smoking

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“It’s 3:30 p.m. Today’s live broadcast will only last an hour and a half,” said Xia MO, who wanted to avoid the question in the comments too.

The fans in the live chat shut their mouths wisely.

The dessert used light green chocolate and edible gold foil for decoration. It looked very posh and luxurious.

[Let’s begin.]

[Notebooks are ready. Waiting for Xiao Huan to start the class]

[I’m just here to watch the show. I’m at the venue queuing up. I’ll come again before New Year’s Eve, just to buy the cake Teacher Xia made.]

[Can anyone at the scene take a few pictures of Xinxin? I want to see him.]

[Xinxin is working. He and Xiao Yi are attending to the customers today.

They’re busy.]

[Take photos? We have limited time because too many people are here. We only have time enough to select the dessert, pay, and go out. I didn’t even get to see Xinxin much. Who has time to take pictures?]

“The method of making cake batter is the same as a regular birthday cake. If you like fruits, add more fruits between the layers. If you like cream, add more cream. If conditions permit, you can sprinkle gold foil in the middle. This way, when you take a bite, you can see something shiny,” said Lin Wan.

Xia MO was in charge today.

[Easy to learn, but hard to master. Even though I followed Sister Lin’s steps, why does mine look completely different?]

[Try a few more times, and you’ll succeed.]

[It seems cooking and making desserts really depend on talent. Sometimes, effort doesn’t necessarily guarantee results.]

[I suspect you’re talking about Suster Lin’s cooking.]

[Absolutely not! I’m talking about myself. I understood every step clearly. Still…

Why does it look so strange when I bake it?]

[Are you still trying to make it pretty? I just want to make something edible.

Isn’t this requirement low enouzh?l

[Hahaha… it’s as if I can see your struggles vividly.]

Lin Wan’s eyes darted between Xia MO and the comments.

In the hall, Li Zexin was getting more and more enthusiastic about selling the desserts. He even started selecting items for customers.

In the evening, Li Zexin was exhausted, and he hadn’t even taken off his apron. He slumped on the sofa in the lounge.

Li Zexin sipped some water. “I thought live broadcasting in Lan Village was tiring, but it seems like we’re so fortunate there. Working here is the real challenge. I’ve been shouting all afternoon. My throat feels like it’s smoking, and my mouth is starting to cramp.”

Xiao Yi rolled his eyes. “My ears are going deaf from your shouting. Who told you to describe so many things, like vine pepper chicken cheese soft euro, and whatnot? You actually told them it’s silky, sweet, and fragrant. Don’t you know vine pepper is spicy? And everyone believed you! There are also chocolate-flavored seaweed scallops. It’s the taste of first love. It’s a bit astringent but when you savor it, it feels sweet… Who even says that?”

Li Zexin’s description of the bread was outrageous, but the customers who came to the store seemed really foolish. Or maybe they just didn’t hear what Li Zexin said at all. They just picked up the things, paid, and left.

“I put in so much effort, and you still criticize me. I was just promoting the products based on my own understanding, ” said Li Zexin sadly.

“Well, thank you.”

“You say that so begrudgingly, Wind God. So, how much is my commission today? Is it around two hundred bucks?” “Sure, but you still owe me 19,800.”

“Thanks, boss.”

After half an hour, Lin Wan’s live broadcast ended.

Xia MO had hired someone specifically for post-show clean-up, so after the broadcast ended, she and Lin Wan didn’t need to do anything.

The two of them walked into the lounge and saw Li Zexin and Xiao Yi sprawled on the sofa.

“Why do you both look like this?” Lin Wan looked at Li Zexin, who looked even more tired than herself.

Li Zexin’s eyelids twitched. “Exhausted.”

“Did you fight with someone? Why is your voice so hoarse?” Lin Wan asked.

Xiao Yi briefly summarized the events of the afternoon.

“We left you alone for just a few hours, and Xinxin went wild?” Xia MO laughed.

“Indeed, I feel like Pingping’s face turned green from the descriptions. Li Zexin exaggerated so much that it feels more outrageous than those TV commercials.”

“You did your best to sell the products.” Lin Wan burst into laughter.

“Well, at least Ms. Lin understands my good intentions. Alright, I won’t argue with you. After all, you’re my mentor.” Li Zexin pretended to be magnanimous.

“Can we go home now?” Lin Wan asked.

“It’s almost mealtime. How about we have dinner together?” Xia MO asked.

Li Zexin nodded.

“Mama Bao is at home. I didn’t have time to take her and Ms. Huang out for lunch. We’re leaving tomorrow, so we should be there with them. I still have to check everything I packed, in case I forgot something,” said Lin Wan

“In that case, we won’t keep you. We’ll make plans after the holidays. Have a good time!”

On the way home, Li Zexin sat huffily in the front passenger seat.

Lin Wan noticed his bad mood. “Oh, who offended our second young master? Your cheeks are puffed up like a puffer fish.”

“No one,” said Li Zexin and pouted. Clearly, he was bothered by Xiao Yi undermining his efforts, but he felt embarrassed to admit that he was upset over such a small matter.

“I’ll take a guess. Is it because your labor today wasn’t appreciated by your idol? Xiao Yi didn’t sound like he meant it. He was even smiling. I think he found it interesting.”

Lin Wan’s explanation made sense.

Li Zexin straightened in his seat. “Right, no wonder I felt his face contradicted his words. Normally, when you criticize someone, you scowl, right? But he was clearly happy.”

“Now you’re happy? I’ll treat you to dinner tonight. What do you want to eat?

I’m asking you first. I don’t know if Xuanxuan and Jiejie are home.”

In the morning, after Lin Wan left, the two other stepsons left for their friends’ houses.

“They should be back. They won’t play for so long. I want Sichuan cuisine. On such a cold day, it’s satisfying to have something hot and spicy.”

“My phone is in the bag on the left side. Take it out and call and ask if everyone is at Royal Water Bay.”

“Alright.”

Auntie Huang answered the phone. She said that everyone was there except for Li Yanchen.

So, Li Zexin called his father and found out that he was on his way as well.

At Royal Water Bay Villa, the two children were playing with Lego in the toy room, while Auntie Huang and Auntie Bao were waiting in the living room for Lin Wan and the others to return.

The wives from the neighborhood had visited in small groups to ask for Lin Wan occasionally. They found out that Lin Wan wasn’t home and left after a while.

Mama Bao chuckled. “I used to think that people in the neighborhood in the city didn’t care much about each other, but it turns out it’s even more busy than in the village.”

Auntie Huang narrowed her eyes. “It used to be like that. Throughout the year, you wouldn’t see any of the other ladies ever visiting. At most, a few would come to ask to borrow onions or ginger. But these past few months have been completely different. The threshold at the door has practically been worn out from all the visits.”

“It’s so lively this way.”

“Yeah… and all because of Wanwan…

The two old women were still discussing it when they heard a voice outside. Auntie Huang opened the door and saw Mrs. Liu holding a water bucket..