Song Mama never realized her own issues, instead blaming everything on the child.
Young as Song Yicheng was, he didn't dare openly defy her. But as he grew older, she would lose control completely.
At this moment, Song Yicheng stood there, holding his head, his expression a mix of grievance and anger, refusing to yield.
Seeing him like this, Liu Yifeng knew the days of his rebellion were not far off.
Once a child reached the rebellious phase, mere scolding and punishment would be counterproductive.
Song Mama, however, still didn't see her own fault. With a stern face, she said, "I will educate my child well; you don't need to worry about it.
Seeing you all preparing to go out for a meal, I won't disturb you. Please, go ahead!"
With that, she pulled the unwilling Song Yicheng back into their room.
Liu Yifeng shook his head helplessly, watching someone who wouldn't listen to advice. He had said all he could; there was nothing more he could do if she refused to heed him.
In the elevator, Xu Muqing remarked, "The mother's education is flawed. If she doesn't correct it, the child will surely have problems sooner or later!"
As a mother herself, though her child was younger, she had considerable experience in parenting.
She truly couldn't agree with Song Mama's approach to raising a child.
Yao Yao, her face etched with fear, said, "That auntie is so scary, treating big brother like that!"
"Don't be afraid, Yao Yao. Mama won't treat you like that. Your safe and happy growth is more important than anything else. So no matter what happens, you must never pretend to faint to scare Mama, okay?" Xu Muqing said gently.
"Mm-hmm, I know!" Yao Yao nodded emphatically.
Soon, the elevator reached the first floor. The group exited and headed out of the hotel.
Liu Yifeng noticed Tongtong, who had been absent-minded, and stopped, asking with concern, "Tongtong, what's wrong? Did something happen?"
Ever since they saw Song Mama and her son, he had noticed Tongtong wasn't fully present.
Tongtong managed a strained smile and shook his head, "Daddy, don't worry about me, I'm fine!"
"I know you're fine, but your expression tells me you're hiding something. Tell Daddy quickly, what is it?"
Xu Muqing and Xia Qianqian also looked at Tongtong, curious to know what was bothering him and what he was keeping from them.
Seeing all attention on him, Tongtong immediately took Yao Yao's hand and walked ahead briskly, "Yao Yao, let's go! We need to eat a lot later. Are you hungry?"
"Hungry!"
...
Seeing that Tongtong wasn't responding, Liu Yifeng didn't press further.
However, the more Tongtong acted this way, the more it indicated that whatever he was hiding was significant, fueling Liu Yifeng's curiosity to know what secret he, his father, couldn't be told.
With a sense of unease, they arrived at their dining destination.
They didn't go far, choosing a restaurant near the hotel, only a seven or eight-minute walk away.
During those seven or eight minutes, everyone felt as if they might be blown away by the wind.
Liu Yifeng and Xu Muqing each held their children's hands, fearing they might be swept away by the gusts.
"The wind in City C is really strong. If I were any thinner, I'd probably be carried away by it," Xia Qianqian exclaimed, the wind whistling past her ears, its impact on her face feeling like a sharp cut.
Unable to bear the wind, Liu Yifeng put on the hood of his jacket, which made him feel much more comfortable.
However, this fierce wind was unexpected. "I thought the wild winds in Haicheng were bad enough, being a coastal city. I didn't expect the wind in City C to be any less intense than Haicheng's. Fortunately, we're dressed warmly, or we'd be out of commission by tomorrow."
"This wind is indeed stronger than Haicheng's. We should eat quickly and head back to the hotel, otherwise, it will get colder as it gets later!" Xu Muqing chimed in.
The restaurant they chose was in an alley, a private kitchen known for its good food.
Due to the cold weather, there weren't many diners even at mealtime.
The dishes were served quickly, and they ate rapidly, eager to finish and rush back to their rooms to watch the premiere of "The Most Powerful Brain" that evening.
The show had generated considerable buzz on television these past few days, with many viewers expressing great anticipation for the evening's broadcast after seeing the contestants' performances.
However, to maintain an air of mystery, the television commercials had deliberately not revealed the faces of the contestants or special guests, saving the reveal for the broadcast.
"Everyone can come to my room later. My room is more spacious and has a central sofa, so we can all watch the show together!" Xu Muqing suggested while eating.
Liu Yifeng's room, booked by the production team, wasn't very large. To watch television, they could only sit near the head of the bed; otherwise, being too close would be bad for their eyes.
Xu Muqing's suggestion saved him the trouble of proposing it himself, as he had already been considering it.
"Brother Tongtong, can you win the championship?" Yao Yao suddenly asked while intently eating.
Before Tongtong could answer, Xu Muqing interjected, "Yao Yao, why are you asking that? Who can predict if he'll win the championship? Don't ask that anymore, to avoid putting psychological pressure on your Brother Tongtong."
Yao Yao felt deeply wronged by her mother's words, and tears welled up in her eyes, falling like large drops.
Xu Muqing was confused by her daughter's tears. "Yao Yao, why are you crying? Mama didn't scold you. I just told you not to ask if Brother Tongtong can win the championship. No one can predict such things in advance. Let everything unfold naturally, so your Brother Tongtong can have a good mindset for the competition, understand?"
Yao Yao sobbed and nodded, "I understand, Mama!"
"Does Yao Yao want me to win the championship?" Tongtong suddenly asked.
Although Yao Yao was young, she knew that winning a championship was no easy feat. She looked at Tongtong and said earnestly, "Of course I hope so! I believe Brother Tongtong is the best!"
"Alright, then I'll win a trophy for Yao Yao!" Tongtong said with a smile.
His words amused everyone. Except for Liu Yifeng, Xu Muqing and Xia Qianqian thought Tongtong was just trying to cheer Yao Yao up and didn't pay much attention to his words.
Only Liu Yifeng knew that winning the championship was simply a matter of whether Tongtong wanted it or not.
However, since Tongtong had said so, the championship was as good as his.
After dinner, as Liu Yifeng was about to pay, Xu Muqing informed him that she had already settled the bill.
"When did you pay? I didn't see you," Liu Yifeng thought Xu Muqing was saying that deliberately to pay the bill herself while he wasn't looking.
Xu Muqing then explained, "I paid while I went to the restroom just now."
Seeing that Xu Muqing had indeed paid, Liu Yifeng felt a bit displeased. "You came to see me, so I should be the one paying. How could I let you treat me!"
"We're friends, so who pays is the same, isn't it? If you really feel like you're getting a free ride, then you can treat us to supper tonight. I won't be polite!" Xu Muqing replied.
Liu Yifeng immediately agreed, "Okay, then I'll treat everyone to supper tonight!"