The Heartless Omega: I Only Want My Daughter - Chapter 9

The group climbed into the car. Wen Ying and Little Doubao took the back seat, while Pei Zhiyun and Zou Jing sat in the front.

Once inside, Wen Ying took off her mask and then helped Little Doubao remove hers. To protect her daughter, Pei Zhiyun always bundled her up tightly whenever they went out, fearing that the media might snap a photo of the child.

Hearing the movement in the back, Zou Jing finally couldn’t resist stealing a glance over her shoulder. That single look left her in a bit of a daze.

In the past, whenever she worked on a project with Pei Zhiyun, rumors would swirl about her and nearly every lead men and women alike. There were even actors who used promotional events to publicly confess their feelings to her. However, Pei Zhiyun usually handled those situations with professional grace, brushing them aside.

In all these years, she had never gone out to dinner alone with any man or woman, fearing scandal. She was, for all intents and purposes, a “scandal insulator.”

Consequently, Zou Jing had been dying to know what kind of person Pei Zhiyun would actually like—who could possibly capture the heart of this “unreachable flower.” Now that this person had finally appeared, her nagging curiosity was finally satisfied.

She had to admit, Pei Zhiyun had excellent taste. The person before her had a stunning facial structure and eyes as bright as a galaxy of stars.

Zou Jing was notoriously picky. For years, Pei Zhiyun was the only one whose looks and temperament combined earned a 9 out of 10 in her book (the missing point was due to her poor fashion sense; she always looked like she was heading to a wet market when caught by the paparazzi).

As for Wen Ying, Zou Jing gave her a 9.5. The missing 0.5 was only because she looked a little dazed and lacked Pei Zhiyun’s sharp, vivid energy.

Having finished her appraisal, Zou Jing turned back around and handed the shooting script to Pei Zhiyun. “We’re shooting promotional photos today. The session is only an hour long, so it’ll be over quickly. There are three outfits in total.”

“Alright,” Pei Zhiyun replied, accepting the script to look it over.

Zou Jing couldn’t help but glance back again. If she had met Wen Ying sooner, she might have scouted her to be a “pretty face” in the industry; with a face like that, she could make money just by standing in front of a camera.

When they arrived at the studio, the staff were already waiting at the door. As the group stepped out, Wen Ying—who was no longer wearing her mask—carried Little Doubao.

“Teacher Pe—” The greeting died in the staff member’s throat. As their eyes landed on Wen Ying walking slowly toward them, they were momentarily dazed.

Is this the wife Teacher Pei has been ‘hiding away’ all this time, the one everyone’s talking about online?

She’s so beautiful.

Though she had a different kind of beauty than Teacher Pei, her features and physique were top-tier even by industry standards. No wonder Teacher Pei loved her so much that she was willing to have a child at the peak of her career—it turned out she was a fan of beauty, too.

“Ahem.” Zou Jing covered her mouth and coughed from the side.

The staff member snapped back to reality, gave an embarrassed chuckle, and gestured for them to enter. “Teacher Pei, Sister Zou, and… Teacher Pei’s family, please come in! You can rest for a bit inside before we start the shoot.”

“Mhm,” Pei Zhiyun acknowledged.

The studio sets had been built in advance. About a dozen staff members were busy working, but when they heard movement at the door, everyone turned their heads at once.

Little Doubao instinctively hugged Wen Ying’s neck a bit tighter. Although she knew her Mommy was a big star who often worked on sets, experiencing it herself for the first time made her nervous.

Noticing this, Wen Ying gently patted her back. “It’s okay.”

A staff member spoke up: “Teacher Pei, let’s go over here to change first.”

“Alright.” Pei Zhiyun looked back at the two of them and touched Wen Ying’s arm, signaling for her to follow while carrying Doubao.

Wen Ying stepped forward to follow. The staff on set stared at the family of three, unable to look away. Once they were safely inside the dressing room, the gossip began to fly.

“So that’s Pei Zhiyun’s wife. I have to say, her visuals are insane. She matches Pei Zhiyun perfectly; no wonder she kept her hidden.”

“God, I finally saw her in person. My years of curiosity are finally satisfied.”

“Do you think they’re legally married?”

“I doubt it. Pei Zhiyun’s pregnancy was so sudden, and she never mentioned having a girlfriend before that. It was probably a one-night stand.”

“I think so too.”

“Then isn’t this a real-life version of ‘marriage first, love later’?”

The staff led them into the dressing room where the stylist had already prepared the outfits. After a detailed introduction, the staff left them to it.

Pei Zhiyun helped Little Doubao into her “parent-child” outfit first, then the two adults changed and emerged one by one.

The first set was a denim-themed family look. The sizes had been provided in advance, so everything fit perfectly. Wen Ying came out wearing dark denim jeans and a matching jacket over a black tank top, which elegantly highlighted her collarbones.

Pei Zhiyun had her back turned and didn’t see her at first. When Wen Ying appeared, Little Doubao couldn’t help but cover her mouth with both hands. “Wow! Mama is so handsome, so handsome, so handsome!”

Little Doubao wiggled out of Pei Zhiyun’s arms and ran to Wen Ying, hugging her leg like a devoted little fan. Wen Ying bent down, smiling as she stroked the child’s head.

Only then did Pei Zhiyun turn around. The outfit suited Wen Ying remarkably well—it made her look sharp and capable, giving off a refreshing vibe.

“Let’s go,” Pei Zhiyun said, standing up.

Wen Ying looked up, and her gaze toward Pei Zhiyun became dreamy. Pei Zhiyun wore a denim jacket over a white tank top, paired with a short skirt and tall boots. The stylist had chosen a look that emphasized her soft, feminine grace.

Wen Ying had never imagined she would see her wife looking like this.

As the three of them walked out onto the studio floor, the room was filled with the sounds of awestruck staff.

“Wow, the visuals of this family are through the roof.”

“My god, no wonder the director waited for Teacher Pei for so many years. Even if this show only aired this one photo, the ratings would explode.”

“Handsome, beautiful, and cute—this family is perfection.”

“For the first time, I’m glad I work in this industry. This scene alone makes it all worth it.”

The staff member who had led them in earlier ran over again, looking stunned. To see such simple denim clothes look this good on them was incredible. He was certain this show would be an absolute hit.

Rubbing his hands with excitement, he said, “Um, Teacher Pei, let’s do a test shoot first to figure out the angles and lighting.”

“That’s fine.” Pei Zhiyun held Little Doubao’s hand. Wen Ying stood obediently behind her.

“This way, please.”

Pei Zhiyun led them into the shooting area. Bright lights surrounded them. The photographer stood in front, clicking the shutter a few times to test the setup. Once the lighting and angles were confirmed, the formal shoot began.

The staff stopped what they were doing and gathered behind the photographer to watch. This was a historic moment, after all. To prevent leaks, everyone’s phone had been confiscated upon entry, so they could only watch with their eyes.

Since Wen Ying and Little Doubao had never been in a studio, they were initially stiff and awkward. To get better results, the photographer would speak to Pei Zhiyun first, and then she would help adjust the others.

There were poses that required intimate gestures, like waist-hugging or embracing. Fearing that Pei Zhiyun wouldn’t like it, Wen Ying hesitated to touch her.

Thinking Wen Ying was just nervous because it was her first time, a staff member offered some words of encouragement. To keep the shoot moving, Pei Zhiyun took Wen Ying’s wrist and placed it firmly on her own waist.

Wen Ying’s eyes fixed instantly on Pei Zhiyun. The staff watching from the sidelines felt like they were being fed a massive serving of “dog food” (public displays of affection).

After a busy hour, the shoot concluded. Since the studio was rented by the hour, they packed up immediately. Pei Zhiyun had no more work scheduled, so Zou Jing had the driver take them home. The show was expected to start filming at the end of the month, and they would be notified in advance.

Once home, the three of them headed straight for the bathrooms in a silent, mutual understanding. The studio had been sweltering, and they felt sticky and uncomfortable from the sweat. Wen Ying used the guest bathroom, while Little Doubao and Pei Zhiyun washed up in the master bedroom.

Stepping out after the shower, they all felt much more relaxed.

“Whoo!” Little Doubao flopped onto the sofa and turned on the TV. She pulled an ice cream from the freezer and began watching her favorite cartoons.

Wen Ying couldn’t stay idle. She took the clothes they had changed out of to the laundry room. For Little Doubao’s undergarments, she pulled up a small stool and sat down to wash them by hand.

Pei Zhiyun went to the kitchen to cook. Having worked less over the past two years, she had learned to make many dishes, mainly to ensure Little Doubao had proper nutrition. The child loved fried chicken and burgers; she had to be forced to drink milk, yet she could finish a whole bottle of soda in no time while watching TV. Since realizing that, Pei Zhiyun stopped buying sodas, stocking only milk or probiotic drinks.

After finishing the laundry, Wen Ying joined Little Doubao to watch TV for a bit before heading to the kitchen to help. However, Pei Zhiyun was doing so well on her own that Wen Ying couldn’t find a way to intervene. She stayed by her side anyway, occasionally helping to carry a plate.

Lunch was simple: two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and rice.

The promotional photos were released on the official website two weeks later. As soon as the photos of Pei Zhiyun’s family were posted, they shot to the number one spot on the trending list and—as expected—the internet “exploded.”

【OMG, Pei Zhiyun is actually doing a parenting show! I heard rumors, but I thought they were just fake news.】

【Is this the woman she’s been hiding for years? Wow, those visuals and that figure… she’s so photogenic!】

【The whole family is high-visual tier.】

【I want to see what kind of magic this woman has to make Pei Zhiyun have a child for her at her peak. If she doesn’t give us a good explanation, I’m going to riot.】

【She finally showed her face! If she hadn’t, I would have suspected Pei Zhiyun just went to a sperm bank because she wanted a child of her own.】

【I am definitely following this show.】

The official account announced five families in total: three were actors, one was a singer, and the last was a currently popular theater actor.

Of the other four families, Pei Zhiyun was only well-acquainted with two; she knew the others by name but had no real connection to them.

Along with the official announcement, the filming for the show officially began.

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