Volume 1, Chapter 23: Difficult Mission Options Targeting the Diva of Joyful Songs

Shen Xiaokun devoured his meal under the eager and envious gazes of the netizens. As a child, he didn't understand the intricacies of culinary appreciation; he simply knew that the food Shen Qi made was genuinely delicious! A cook often feels a deep sense of satisfaction when seeing others enjoy the food they have prepared, and Shen Qi couldn't help but eat a little more himself. The four exquisite dishes were wiped clean, leaving countless viewers sighing with regret.

It seemed that fewer netizens were commenting on Shen Qi "lying flat" or "living off his wife," which left Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu feeling very displeased. Especially after the sarcasm they had endured from Lin Yiming, they harbored a growing grudge. This time, Shen Xiaokun was exceptionally well-behaved, voluntarily clearing the dishes as if he were terrified of missing out on Shen Qi's cooking in the future. Li Huangue, meanwhile, had fully embraced Shen Qi's strategy for managing Shen Xiaokun, finding this approach far superior to coddling the child.

After the meal, Shen Xiaokun went to attend to his own affairs, while Shen Qi changed into sportswear and headed to the third floor for a workout. Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu finally found their opening.

"I mean... a househusband who has the habit of working out? Who is he trying to impress?"

"Exactly! It's not like he’s some social elite who needs to be out and about..."

Zhuo Yiyi seemed unable to bear it any longer. By rights, as a younger pop star in the music industry, she lacked the seniority of these two veteran actresses. However, Zhuo Yiyi had a fiery, straightforward personality and a bursting sense of justice. Having become a fan of Shen Qi, her words carried a hint of defense.

"Sister Lin, Sister Bai, I don't think that's a fair thing to say. Working out is a healthy lifestyle habit. Everyone has the right to have such hobbies. Sometimes, exercise isn't meant to be shown off to others; it's just for oneself..."

Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu were immediately annoyed. We acknowledge Li Huangue's high status, but who are you, Zhuo Yiyi, to lecture us? Who gave you the nerve?

Li Huangue patted Zhuo Yiyi’s hand, turned to look at Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu, and spoke in a flat tone. "Do both of your husbands exercise?"

The two nodded. "Of course."

"Yes, his personal habits are excellent."

Li Huangue asked, "Then who are your husbands working out for?"

Lin Xiaolu laughed, "Of course, for..." She suddenly froze, sensing a trap. "Well... he appears in public every day, so he needs to maintain an image."

Li Huangue let out an "Oh" and asked again, "So... who is it really for?"

Lin Xiaolu was no fool; the smarter she felt, the more she realized how tricky the question was. Bai Qinghe smiled and said, "Exercise, of course, is for health..." She also stopped mid-sentence.

Zhuo Yiyi immediately understood and broke into an unmasked laugh. Sister Huangue is truly formidable. Li Huangue let out a soft "Hmph."

"So why can't Shen Qi work out?"

The answer was painfully obvious.

[Wait... what exactly are these two here for?]
[Why does it feel like they're always looking down their noses at Shen Qi? Isn't this a bit too targeted?]
[The key is, what right do they have to look down on him? Are their own husbands really that great?]
[They're even nitpicking him for working out? Is exercise a crime now?]
[I swear, I really want to curse them out!]
[That's enough! No voice messages!]
[Queen Huangue is so dominant. Those few calm questions immediately stripped away their masks.]

"Wow! Look!" Zhuo Yiyi pointed at the big screen, her eyes sparkling.

After a brief warm-up, Shen Qi had already dove into his workout. His tight-fitting clothes clung to his body, outlining a toned, athletic physique. While it wasn't the explosive, bulky look of a bodybuilder, the lean, well-defined lines perfectly matched modern aesthetics. It made men genuinely envious and left countless female netizens drooling.

Li Huangue watched the screen, seeing Shen Qi drenched in sweat, and couldn't help but feel moved. Although she could see his physique at home, seeing him under the scrutiny of so many people on the show made her feel as if she had discovered a new world. This physique was far superior to that of the entertainers currently setting "fitness persona" trends in the industry.

Based on what Shen Qi had displayed so far, if he were to debut, he would undoubtedly be a hit. Li Huangue couldn't help but reconsider the possibility of his debut. The first step... well, the first step had already been taken; *Mom's on a Business Trip* was the perfect launchpad. The second step... well, he had already shown his intelligence and domestic devotion; no packaging or persona-building was needed. The third step... well, he knew instruments, could compose, and seemed to sing quite well. The fourth step... well, our family owns an entertainment company; we aren't lacking in resources or publicity. The fifth step... well, there's no need for hype; he’s the husband of a superstar, and his wife is quite popular...

The more Li Huangue thought about it, the more excited she became. It was so hard to find an artist like this these days, and Shen Qi had it all. Think of how much money that would save on grooming a newcomer!

Fu Qing was thinking the same thing. Outside, the sky had turned dark, and most of the staff at Huangue Entertainment had gone home, but Fu Qing remained in her office, staring blankly at her computer. She was exhausted after the day, but she hadn't done any actual work—she had been watching the livestream the entire time. It wasn't the work that wore her out, but the emotional roller coaster. She even felt a twinge of jealousy toward Li Huangue.

She used to think Shen Qi wasn't good enough for Li Huangue, but now, Fu Qing felt that Shen Qi was the perfect match. Who cares about social standing? If you looked for that, how many people in the entertainment industry were actually good enough for Huangue? Shen Qi could tolerate everything about Li Huangue, treated her like a princess, and was talented enough to boot. Aside from the minor criticism about "living off his wife" and not wanting to work, Shen Qi was perfection itself.

Fu Qing even felt that Shen Qi had become her benchmark for a boyfriend. No, that wasn't right—it seemed like every woman dreamed of finding someone like Shen Qi.

...

The time hit 8:30 PM. Logically, a full day of livestreaming would be exhausting, but *Mom's on a Business Trip* followed a simple principle: immersive, daily life. The guests and audience in the studio were free to move around, and the production team could pause or end the stream at appropriate points. Yet, after a whole day, the netizens were still thoroughly entertained, and those in the studio didn't feel bored or tired; they found it incredibly interesting.

Both Shen Qi and Shen Xiaokun possessed high levels of attractiveness and personal charm, which caught the show's directors by surprise. Even though Li Huangue's appearance fee was high, it was proving to be incredibly worth it.

Fang Qian and Li Lei took a sip of tea and began to host again. "It's evening now. The day's livestream has been full of fun, and we've witnessed Shen Qi's unique style of child-rearing."

"Indeed, the popularity of the livestream is the best proof. We are now reaching the end of the first episode's first segment, and before we finish, we've arranged a little activity..."

"This little segment is very interesting, and it's a task aimed at the hostess, our Queen Huangue!"

Everyone immediately looked at Li Huangue. She was slightly taken aback, feeling a hint of nervousness. Shen Qi and Shen Xiaokun, who were being filmed, were unaware of this; if there was a task, it was bound to be somewhat difficult to complete.

Fang Qian smiled and said, "We've synthesized the most discussed topics from the livestream throughout the day and filtered out many options."

"Using big data, we selected the ten most popular and trending topics and have launched an online vote."

"The option that netizens most want to see Queen Huangue perform will become her task!"

Subsequently, the big screen displayed the tasks netizens were most looking forward to. Zhuo Yiyi and the others were delighted, while Li Huangue felt a mix of laughter and tears. What were these?

—Make Shen Qi play the guitar and sing *The Queen* while wearing only his boxers.
—Make Li Huangue, Shen Qi, and Shen Xiaokun play a team game, where Shen Qi must play Sun Bin in the jungle and secure a pentakill to carry the team.
—Make Shen Qi earnestly sing *Picking Manure* and *Fighting Monkeys*.
—Make Shen Xiaokun call Shen Qi "Daddy."
—Make Shen Qi teach Li Huangue how to sing *Fighting Monkeys*!

...

Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu were suddenly in a good mood, their lips curling into triumphant smiles. Li Huangue began to wail internally.

Oh my goodness!