My Years as the Pure Love Interest at the Noble Academy

【Hahahaha this is exactly how dads shop】

【Bargaining for nothing, hahahaha】

Of course, none of the four dads realized this, and they all happily walked away with their Ultraman toys.

Next, they went to the mall to buy decorations like balloons, streamers, and party poppers, and then they ordered a small cake together. Overall, the process went smoothly.

By noon, the kids were still at their extracurricular classes and hadn’t returned yet. The dads went home, ate instant noodles for lunch, and then started cleaning and decorating the house.

Meanwhile, at the cafeteria of the extracurricular classes.

The four kids were led by their teachers to the same table and began their lunch.

The cafeteria food was pretty good, at least better than what the dads could cook. Plus, after a morning of classes, the kids were hungry and happily digging in with their spoons.

Until Little Qi snatched the cheese stick from Jerry’s plate and popped it into his own mouth.

Jerry froze, chopsticks in hand, and looked up at Little Qi with teary eyes, his face turning red.

The teachers immediately sensed trouble and tried to comfort Jerry, saying, “Jerry, don’t cry. The teacher will get you a new cheese stick, okay?”

Jerry shook his head, threw his spoon on the table, and pointed at Little Qi, his voice trembling with tears, “No… I want that one…”

Despite the teacher’s efforts to console him, Jerry couldn’t stop crying.

Realizing he had done something wrong, Little Qi quickly ran over and handed Jerry a new cheese stick, saying, “Here, take this one. Please stop crying, okay?”

Jerry shook his head again, crying even harder.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qi, looking at Little Qi and then at Jerry, seemed to get caught up in the emotions and started wailing too.

The scene quickly descended into chaos.

The teachers were busy comforting Little Qi and Jiang Qi, while others tried to explain to Little Qi why his actions were wrong.

The live chat also erupted in debate over the incident.

【I’m so annoyed with Little Qi. He’s so rude and always causing trouble.】

【How is Little Qi rude? He’s only a year older than Jerry, and he always apologizes when he does something wrong. Don’t judge kids by adult standards, okay?】

【Jiang Qi is so adorable, hahaha. Even though she doesn’t know what’s going on, she just starts crying along with everyone else.】

【This reminds me of my kindergarten days. All the kids were crying because they missed their parents, and even though I wasn’t sad, I started crying too just because everyone else was.】

【Wait, look at Song Chaochao. She’s just quietly eating her food, completely unaffected by the chaos around her.】

【Haha, Chaochao’s only focus is on eating. The world’s drama doesn’t concern her.】

And indeed, that was the case.

While Song Chaochao understood what was happening, she thought it was Little Qi’s fault, and since the teachers were handling it, she didn’t need to intervene. She just kept eating, not wanting to add to the teachers’ workload.

But even after Song Chaochao finished her meal, Jerry was still crying, his voice hoarse from sobbing, looking utterly pitiful.

Song ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‍Chaochao wiped her mouth, picked up the untouched cheese stick next to her, and handed it to Jerry, saying, “Here, you can have mine. Don’t be sad anymore.”

Jerry shook his head again, his voice choked with tears, “You… eat it.”

At that moment, Song Chaochao noticed that the teachers had already brought all the cheese sticks to Jerry, but he was still crying.

She realized that Jerry wasn’t just crying over the cheese stick—there had to be another reason.

With that thought, Song Chaochao hopped off her chair and walked over to Jerry, asking, “Jerry, why are you really crying?”

Jerry looked at Song Chaochao, his long lashes wet with tears, making him look even more pitiful.

He spoke with a trembling voice, “I… I want my mom. She used to give me cheese sticks every day… wuwu…”

The live chat was filled with sympathy. Meng Shang and his wife had announced their divorce six months ago, and custody had gone to Meng Shang, who had only recently brought Jerry back to the country.

【I’ve been enjoying the show so much that I almost forgot about this.】

【Sigh… adult issues always end up affecting the kids.】

【Seeing such a little kid cry like this makes me feel so sad too.】

【My parents divorced a long time ago, and I haven’t seen my dad since elementary school.】

【Same here. My mom has a new family, and I only get to see her once a year during the holidays.】

【Only people from divorced families can truly understand this feeling.】

Many viewers were reminded of their own experiences, but Song Chaochao just looked at Jerry and continued, “She gave you cheese sticks? And then what?”

“Then…”

Jerry’s crying was interrupted by the question, and he thought for a moment before answering, “Then she would pat my head and tell me I’m a good boy.”

Song Chaochao forced the cheese stick into Jerry’s hand and then reached up to pat his head, saying, “Jerry, you’re a good boy. Stop crying, or you’ll get ugly.”

Jerry was stunned for a moment, looking at Song Chaochao, who was about the same height as him. He wiped his tears and actually stopped crying.

【This is so heartwarming! Kids’ friendships are the purest!】

【Chaochao is such a sweetheart!】

【Jerry is so well-behaved too! Kids are so easy to comfort.】

【Everything’s perfect, except for Chaochao’s half-hearted head pat, hahaha!】

After lunch, it was time for the kids’ nap.

The four were taken to two separate rooms. Jiang Qi and Song Chaochao were in one, while Little Qi and Jerry were in the other.

Song Chaochao lay down on the bed, and just as the teacher was about to close the door and leave, she sat up again.

The little girl stood on the bed, looking at the teacher with pleading eyes, and said, “Miss, I want to make a phone call.”

At that moment, all the staff were outside eating, so no one was there to stop Song Chaochao from making this unusual request.

When Song Chaochao got the teacher’s phone, she dialed a number she knew by heart.

“Uncle Jiang, I have a friend named Jerry—not our Uncle Jerry, but a little boy my age.”

“It’s his birthday today, and I heard my dad say they want to make him happy. I want to make him happy too.”

…

When the camera returned to the house.

The cake had been placed in the fridge, and the dads had decorated the living room with balloons and other decorations, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Despite a few mishaps like popping balloons and tripping over decorations, the final result was quite nice.

After finishing the decorations, the dads went back to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Shen Yujing made a braised chicken that looked, smelled, and tasted amazing, no less impressive than the stew from the day before.

As for the other dishes… well, they were edible.

By 5 p.m., the kids were brought back by the show’s car.

Each of them had attended different extracurricular classes and couldn’t wait to show their dads what they had learned.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Little Qi had taken a calligraphy class and handed Cheng Chen a piece of paper, saying it was a birthday gift for his dad.

When Cheng Chen opened it, he couldn’t help but laugh. The paper had only one word written on it:

“Handsome.”

The live chat exploded with laughter.

【Hahahahaha, what a sincere compliment!】

【Cheng Chen: Thanks, son.】

【No need for this, Cheng Chen. We all know you’re handsome.】

Jerry, on the other hand, presented a small cup he had made in his pottery class. Though the teacher had helped him quite a bit, it was the first birthday gift he had ever given Meng Shang, and Meng Shang was deeply moved.

As for Jiang Qi, she sang a song for her dad, but she forgot the lyrics after just a couple of lines. The usually quiet little girl was so upset she almost cried.

Finally, there was Song Chaochao, who was holding a rolled-up piece of paper.

Shen Yujing asked curiously, "You also went to learn calligraphy? Let me guess, does it say 'the most handsome' on it?"

Laughter erupted around him, and the barrage of comments followed suit.

【Hahaha, Shen Yujing, are you being narcissistic or what?】

【Cheng Chen: Who dares to challenge me?】

【But I agree! Shen Yujing is indeed the most handsome!】

【The person above +1, it would be a lifelong regret if Shen Yujing doesn't act in a Mary Sue idol drama.】

【His life itself is an idol drama, no need to watch him act—just see how he lives!】

【Hahaha, Song Chaochao's expression looks so done with Shen Yujing.】

Amid the laughter, Song Chaochao unfolded the paper in her hand, revealing her drawing from the day.

Shen Yujing held the drawing, and the camera zoomed in on his face, capturing his complex expression.

Viewers began speculating about Shen Yujing's thoughts.

【I remember Chaochao mentioned she wanted to draw a family portrait. Can't wait to see it!】

【Chaochao is so smart; her drawing must be beautiful too!】

【Is Shen Yujing tearing up from being moved?】

【Well, receiving a gift from your daughter, who wouldn't be touched?】

【Ugh! Shen Yujing, the grudge of stealing my wife and daughter will never be forgiven!】

Cheng Chen also asked curiously, "Shen Yujing, let us see it too."

When Shen Yujing turned the drawing around, everyone fell silent.

In the picture, a woman held a little girl's hand, presumably Song Yi and Song Chaochao.

At their feet lay a golden... something. It was hard to tell what species it was.

Cheng Chen glanced at Shen Yujing's golden hair and tentatively asked, "Is this... you?"

Shen Yujing shook his head expressionlessly.

Shen Yujing: "We have a golden retriever at home."

That thing clearly wasn't human, with its limbs so close together!

"Pfft—"

Jiang Chun couldn't hold back her laughter and, after meeting Shen Yujing's resentful gaze, quickly covered her mouth, saying, "Sorry... hahaha, I can't help it!"

The others burst into laughter as well.

Shen Yujing looked seriously at Song Chaochao and asked, "Then where's Dad?"

Song Chaochao pouted and shouted, "Bad Dad!"

Shen Yujing: "?"

He hadn't even scolded her yet, so why was she upset?

Meng Shang picked up the drawing again, examined it carefully, and said, "It looks like this is you."

Song Chaochao nodded in agreement.

Shen Yujing: "?"

He found it hard to believe and took another look at the drawing, still unable to make sense of it.

Shen Yujing asked, "Can you explain to me how this is supposed to be a person?"

Song Chaochao pointed at the drawing and said seriously, "You're sitting on the sofa, lowering your head to massage Mom's legs."

Shen Yujing: "..."

Laughter erupted once more.

The cameraman gave the drawing a close-up, satisfying the viewers' curiosity.

【Hahaha, Shen Yujing: I don't get it.】

【Chaochao's drawing skills are... well, not great. Haha, even geniuses aren't good at everything!】

【True, I'm with Shen Yujing on this one. That golden thing doesn't look very human.】

【Song Chaochao: Hmph, QAQ!】

Since Song Chaochao insisted it was him, Shen Yujing looked again and finally managed to vaguely recognize it as... maybe... possibly... a person.

Shen Yujing immediately apologized to Song Chaochao and promised to frame the drawing in the living room once they got home, finally earning back his daughter's smile.

The children played for a while longer, and before they knew it, it was 6:30 PM—time for dinner.

The TV was still playing *Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf*, and the kids were called to the dining table.

After dinner, the cake was brought out amidst Little Qi's excited screams and the applause of Song Chaochao and Jiang Qi.

They all put a birthday hat on Jerry and sang "Happy Birthday," creating a heartwarming scene.

Finally, Jerry closed his eyes, blew out the candles, and everyone asked him what he wished for.

Jerry blinked at Meng Shang and said, "I want Dad and Mom."

Meng Shang's smile faltered for a second before he patted his son's head and said, "Mom and Dad will always love you."

By 8 PM, the children had all gone to bed.

What Shen Yujing didn't understand was why his daughter had repeatedly reminded him to wake her up at 11 PM.

Though puzzled, Shen Yujing respected his daughter's wishes and agreed.

At 11 PM in the living room.

All the families had gone to bed, leaving only Shen Yujing and Song Chaochao sitting in the living room.

Shen Yujing asked curiously, "Chaochao, what are we doing?"

Song Chaochao shook her head, her little face serious.

The live stream viewers chimed in again.

【Hahaha, it's Shen Yujing and his daughter again.】

【Why do you two never sleep at night?】

【True, this live stream always ends up focusing on Shen Yujing and Song Chaochao.】

Song Chaochao looked at Shen Yujing and said, "Dad, let's wait a little longer. If the auntie comes, we need to open the door for her."

"Auntie?" Shen Yujing asked, confused. "What auntie?"

Song Chaochao thought for a moment and replied, "A very beautiful auntie."

Shen Yujing: "...?"

That had even less to do with him.

Shen Yujing was even more bewildered, but seeing his daughter struggling to keep her eyes open yet determined to stay awake, he felt both amused and touched. He agreed to wait.

Shen Yujing said, "Then close your eyes and rest for a bit, Chaochao. I'll wake you up when the auntie arrives, okay?"

Song Chaochao nodded obediently, sitting next to Shen Yujing, and soon her little head drooped again.

Shen Yujing adjusted her into a comfortable sleeping position, covered her with a blanket, and leaned back on the sofa, his own eyelids growing heavy.

Though exhausted, Shen Yujing remembered his daughter's task and dared not fall asleep, glancing at the door every few minutes.

By 12:30 AM.

He thought the auntie Song Chaochao mentioned probably wasn't coming, or perhaps it was just something someone had said that the child took seriously.

Shen Yujing rubbed his eyes and was about to carry Song Chaochao upstairs when he suddenly heard a knock at the door.

Shen Yujing walked over, puzzled, and frowned when he opened the door to see a woman with brown curly hair and a striking figure.

Shen Yujing asked, "Who are you?"

The woman, though of Western appearance, spoke fluent Chinese. "Hello, I'm Jerry's mom. Mr. Jiang Yiheng contacted me. May I come in?"

Shen Yujing was stunned, realizing this was the person his daughter had been waiting for.

The live stream viewers were equally shocked.

【!!! Jerry's mom?】

【The best birthday surprise for Jerry!】

【Aww, he cried earlier because he missed his mom, and now he gets to see her tonight!】

【Who's Jiang Yiheng? The name sounds familiar. What's his connection?】

【He's Shen Yujing's friend, right? I remember him as the deputy chief physician of the oncology department at Capital Provincial Hospital. Shen Yujing once video-called him during a variety show. He's super handsome!!!】

【Not just handsome! As a nurse at Capital Provincial Hospital, I have to say Dr. Jiang is a rare genius! He joined our hospital right after his Ph.D.】

【It must have been Chaochao who contacted him, right? She's so thoughtful! She knew exactly what Jerry wanted most.】

【Adults have to consider many things, but for a child, the best birthday gift is letting Jerry see the person he misses most.】

At that moment, Song Chaochao was awakened by the noise and mumbled sleepily, "Dad..."

"Please, come in," Shen Yujing said, stepping aside.

As the woman entered, Song Chaochao's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Are you Jerry's mom?"

"Yes," the woman replied with a smile. "And you must be the little girl Mr. Jiang mentioned—Chaochao, right?"

"Mm-hmm," Song Chaochao nodded vigorously, then took the woman's hand and said, "I'll take you to Jerry!"

Watching the scene, Shen Yujing felt both helpless and moved, following behind them.

As they climbed the stairs, the woman kept asking Song Chaochao about Jerry—what he liked to eat recently, if he had been unhappy lately, and how Meng Shang treated him. Song Chaochao answered each question earnestly.

They finally stopped outside Meng Shang and Jerry's room.

The woman's smile faded, and for a moment, her expression stiffened.

Song Chaochao asked, "Auntie, why didn’t you knock?"

"I was a little scared," the woman pursed her lips and admitted her thoughts honestly.

It had been several months since she last saw her son, and she missed him dearly. However, she wasn’t sure how things would unfold when they finally met.

There was also her ex-husband. Although their separation hadn’t been particularly messy, it was still unexpected to see him again after all this time.

Her decision to come here had been impulsive. When she heard that her son had cried because he missed her, she couldn’t hold back any longer.

Song Chaochao tilted her head curiously. "Auntie, you’re so beautiful. What is there to be scared of?"

Though the two things weren’t directly related, the comment effectively eased the woman’s tension.

She smiled and patted Song Chaochao’s head. "Thank you, little one."

With that, she mustered her courage and knocked on the door.

When Meng Shang opened the door and saw his ex-wife standing there, he froze for a moment before realizing what was happening. "You’re here too," he said.

He turned and walked back into the house, calling out, "Jerry, get up and see who’s here!"

The little boy, who had been woken from his nap, was initially grumpy. But the moment he saw the mother he had been longing for, his usually reserved demeanor completely transformed.

He let out an excited shout and rushed forward, throwing himself into the woman’s arms. "Mom!"

"Good boy," the woman said as she picked Jerry up. "Mom was half an hour late and missed your birthday. Are you mad at me?"

"No," Jerry shook his head vigorously, then shyly planted a kiss on his mother’s cheek. "I’m just so happy you’re here!"

The scene moved even the viewers in the comments section.

【This is so heartwarming. Sure, it’s a cliché happy ending, but I’m a sucker for it.】

【Same here. Even in 2022, I still cry over scenes like this.】

【Happy birthday to our dear Jerry! May you always be happy!】

【Let’s not forget to praise Song Chaochao too. Without her, we wouldn’t have seen this touching moment!】

【Does anyone else feel like Song Chaochao treats Jerry differently compared to Little Qi and Jiang Qi? Why is that?】

【Stop talking, I’m not human—I just want to ship them!】

……

This question also puzzled Shen Yujing.

So, he asked his daughter, "Between Jerry, Little Qi, and Jiang Qi, do you like Jerry the most?"

Song Chaochao nodded.

Shen Yujing pressed further, "Why is that?"

Song Chaochao’s eyes curved into a smile. "Because of Uncle."

Both were named Jerry, so she felt a special connection.

Shen Yujing facepalmed. He hadn’t expected that answer.

But... he could understand.

A long time later.

A handsome boy with brown curls and blue eyes sat in the sunlight, a pen in his hand.

On the paper in front of him, he carefully wrote three characters—

Meng Zhaomu.

It was his Chinese name, chosen because of her.