LIGHTNOVELONLINE
Chapter 10
Zhengzheng raised her head, shaking her little head and waving her hands, saying, "I don't want to take a bath, no baths."
This puzzled Shen Yin.
"Zhengzheng, all the little kids have to take a bath. After bathing, you'll smell nice," Shen Yin said.
Zhengzheng blinked her big eyes, seemingly contemplating.
Seeing this, Shen Yin continued, "Zhengzheng, you can only go to sleep after taking a bath. How about this? If Zhengzheng promises Mommy, Mommy will take Zhengzheng out to play tomorrow, okay?"
As soon as Zhengzheng heard about going out to play, she immediately agreed. Shen Yin carried Zhengzheng into the bathroom.
Yan Yan had already prepared the bathwater. Shen Yin was still a bit uncertain.
"Yan Yan, I've never given Zhengzheng a bath before. Can you please help me?" Shen Yin asked.
"No problem. Let's start by taking off Zhengzheng's clothes," Yan Yan replied.
After saying that, the two of them cooperated. Shen Yin held Zhengzheng in her arms while Yan Yan undressed her.
The baby's skin was simply perfect, so smooth and tender. Yan Yan couldn't help but envy it when she took Zhengzheng from Shen Yin's embrace. She said, "The skin of children is really amazing."
Shen Yin smiled and teased, "His mommy's skin is not bad either, you know."
Yan Yan carefully observed Shen Yin and saw that her skin was fair, with no visible pores, and her features were delicate. She realized that Shen Yin was joking. With that, the tension of the day eased.
Curiously, Yan Yan asked, "Madam, do you look like you're 18? You seem so young."
Shen Yin burst into laughter and said, "I'm already 24."
In her heart, she secretly thought, "Actually, I'm only 16."
One person entertained Zhengzheng while the other washed her hair. Zhengzheng didn't cry or make a fuss; instead, she played with the foam in her hands.
With Yan Yan's assistance, Shen Yin successfully finished bathing Zhengzheng. They blew dry her hair and dressed her in pajamas.
Shen Yin said, "Yan Yan, please take Zhengzheng outside and apply some baby lotion to her body. Let her play for a while. I'll take a bath and join you later."
Yan Yan loved children, especially adorable ones like Zhengzheng. She was eager to accompany Zhengzheng and play with her.
After Shen Yin finished bathing and came out, she saw Yan Yan and Zhengzheng happily laughing.
Shen Yin said, "It's getting late. Zhengzheng needs to sleep. Yan Yan, you can go take a bath and rest. He will sleep with me tonight."
Yan Yan replied, "Okay then, I'll go first."
Zhengzheng also grew tired from playing and lay on the bed, squinting her eyes. Shen Yin covered her with a blanket and lay down beside her. She kissed Zhengzheng's forehead. In this world, Zhengzheng was the person she loved most.
After returning to her own room, Yan Yan made a phone call to report everything that happened today to Xu Xiuhe. Initially, she had been reporting to her employer, Chang Zhiyuan, but then she received a phone number from him and was instructed to report to that number instead.
In the morning, Shen Yin was awakened by Zhengzheng. Zhengzheng lay in her arms, reaching out to touch Shen Yin's face.
As soon as Shen Yin opened her eyes, she saw this adorable little Zhengzheng with an innocent expression. She said, "Baby, are you awake?"
Zhengzheng replied, "Yes, Zhengzheng wants to get up."
Shen Yin said, "Okay, Zhengzheng, wait for Mommy for a moment. Mommy will get up first and then change your clothes, alright?"
Zhengzheng nodded eagerly.
Shen Yin got up and went to the bathroom to change clothes before returning to the bedside where Zhengzheng was already standing.
At the age of two, a toddler can already walk, run, hop, sway, imitate adult speech, and even think. However, the previous host disliked Zhengzheng. Children are the most perceptive and sensitive beings, and Zhengzheng could sense that his mother didn't love him, so he wasn't happy. His father was often absent, leaving only Song Ma to take care of him.
A child who lacks love is fundamentally different. They don't speak much, don't want to walk, lack a sense of security, and feel nervous and uneasy when facing Shen Yin.
But now, things are different. After spending a few days together, Zhengzheng could feel that his mother no longer disliked him and treated him well.
The thoughts of a young child are pure, and once they feel loved, the whole world seems brighter to them.
Shen Yin also noticed that Zhengzheng seemed a little different these past few days.
After changing his diaper, putting on clothes, and wearing shoes, Zhengzheng sat at the edge of the bed, wanting to come down. However, his little legs were struggling to reach the ground, but he never gave up.
Shen Yin found it amusing as Zhengzheng's two eyes looked at her, like a clueless little deer, as if saying, "Help me."
Shen Yin picked up Zhengzheng.
As soon as Zhengzheng reached the ground, he happily shook his head and stamped his feet, heading towards the door.
"Sweetie, you can't go out yet. Zhengzheng hasn't washed his face," Shen Yin said.
Shen Yin herself hadn't realized that she had unconsciously become gentler in her speech these past few days because of the baby, even using a gentle tone.
When Zhengzheng heard this, he turned around and returned to Shen Yin's side. Shen Yin lifted him up and went to the bathroom.
Zhengzheng: "I need to pee."
Shen Yin took off Zhengzheng's pants and remembered that the diaper was still clean when she changed it in the morning. During the day, when Zhengzheng wanted to use the toilet, he would say so. So, maybe he didn't need the diaper anymore? After all, wearing it might be uncomfortable.
Shen Yin: "Is Zhengzheng growing up?"
Zhengzheng nodded: "Mm-hmm, Zhengzheng is growing up. Dad says Zhengzheng is a little man."
Shen Yin started to think that Xu Xiuhe was a good father.
Shen Yin: "A little man doesn't need to wear diapers. So, from now on, Zhengzheng won't wear them either, okay?"
Zhengzheng: "Zhengzheng is a little man, Zhengzheng doesn't want to wear diapers."
The expression on the little one's face was determined, and there was even a hint of disdain as he looked at the removed diaper. It truly made Shen Yin find it adorable.
Shen Yin: "Good, starting today, Zhengzheng won't wear diapers anymore. If you need to use the toilet, just tell Mommy, okay?"
Zhengzheng: "Okay."
Shen Yin: "After using the toilet, Zhengzheng needs to brush his teeth." Shen Yin squeezed some toothpaste onto a baby toothbrush and put it in Zhengzheng's mouth, gently brushing it, making Zhengzheng rinse his mouth. Then she wiped his face with warm water.
After Zhengzheng finished getting ready, Shen Yin began her own preparations.
Once the mother and son were done, they went to the dining room and found that Yan Yan had already prepared breakfast.
Yan Yan had just come out of the kitchen. "Madam, Zhengzheng, breakfast is ready. The driver is downstairs, so you can go down after eating."
Shen Yin replied, "Great, Yan Yan, please sit down and have breakfast too."
Yan Yan said, "You go ahead and eat. I'll tidy up the milk powder and snacks Zhengzheng needs during the day."
In that moment, Shen Yin realized how helpful it was to have an assistant. Being a mother was something she hadn't experienced before, and she knew she had to continue striving to be a good one.
Upon entering the film set, Shen Yin felt a sense of novelty. It was surprising to see how many people aspired to be actors in this era.
"Hello, are you this young actor's mother?"
Shen Yin turned around and saw a woman dressed in blue, with delicate features that could instantly captivate anyone.
"Yes, I am Zhengzheng's mother. You can call me Shen Yin."
"I'm Shu Yi, the actress playing Zhengzheng's mother in the drama."
Shu Yi looked at Shen Yin, and she found her to be perfect in both temperament and appearance. In the entertainment industry, there were few actresses who could surpass her.
Shu Yi knew that Chang Zhiyuan, the CEO of Chongzhi Media, was pursuing her, but she hadn't responded to his advances. Everyone knew that Chang Zhiyuan had had several ex-girlfriends. Shu Yi, being a small actress with a low status, only had her looks to rely on. She knew exactly what Chang Zhiyuan wanted from her. Moreover, she was used to her freedom and living as she pleased. If she became someone's kept woman, she would lose everything.
She had her own acting skills, and if there was no other way out, she would quit the entertainment industry.
But Chang Zhiyuan told her that he wouldn't suppress her just because she refused to be his girlfriend. On the contrary, he had been treating her exceptionally well lately, taking her out for meals and drinks and occasionally visiting her on set.
During his last visit, she overheard the director saying that they needed a young actor to play Shu Yi's son in the drama, but they hadn't found a suitable one yet.
Shu Yi felt nervous. She had been acting for several years, mostly in youth campus dramas. This historical drama, "The Legend of Yan Xi," was very important and challenging for her.
Particularly, when the main character, Yan Xi, gave birth to a child while her husband, Jiang Yuyang, went off to war, and at that time, there was a coup in the court. There were rumors that Jiang Yuyang had died in battle, and Yan Xi had to single-handedly support their family with the child.
The timeline of this drama was quite long, covering Yan Xi's life from marriage to old age. Therefore, the role of Yan Xi's son was crucial, especially during the two-year-old period. Different actors were needed for different stages of the character's life.
As a new mother, Yan Xi had to learn how to take care of her child, educate him, and manage a family. It was a true test of an actress's skills.
Chang Zhiyuan could tell that Yan Xi was feeling nervous and uneasy. Other stages of the character's life were easier to find actors for. A newborn baby could be replaced with a fake one that didn't need to appear on screen. For the teenage years, they could select from young actors. However, finding a suitable two-year-old actor was a bit challenging.
Chang Zhiyuan pondered for a moment and thought of his godson, who was intelligent, clever, and incredibly handsome. So he told the director and Shu Yi that he would find the actor from his childhood.
Shu Yi carefully observed Zhengzheng and noticed that despite his young age, he was well-behaved, neither crying nor making a fuss. His appearance was also remarkably outstanding, and his attire didn't resemble that of an ordinary child.
Zhengzheng, too, looked at Shu Yi and became a bit shy, burying his face on Shen Yin's shoulder. But he couldn't resist stealing glances at Shu Yi. After a while, he removed his little hand and revealed his big eyes, sneakily watching Shu Yi.
All these little gestures melted Shu Yi's heart. Judging from the mother's demeanor, it seemed that their family background must be very affluent.
At that moment, the director approached. Chang Zhiyuan had already informed Wang Ming in advance. Wang Ming was a veteran director and highly respected in the industry.
"So, this is the young actor. We'll be shooting the scene in the afternoon, but let's have lunch first," Wang Ming said to Shen Yin.
"The costume department should prepare the costumes and props for the young actor," Wang Ming ordered the other staff members after speaking.
The food on the set couldn't compare to what they had at home, and Shen Yin couldn't eat much during lunch with Zhengzheng.
"Be good, Zhengzheng. When we go back tonight, Mommy will cook something delicious for you."