The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 214: You Must Study

"So, Jane, what’s your plan? Just let this drag on with her? Why torture yourself like this?"

Jane Chandler continued to sip her tea, as poised as ever, a dark glint flashing in her eyes. "I know my son. He’s never one to waste energy on matters of the heart. Once he meets someone better, he won’t be so fixated on Naomi Kenway anymore."

"So you’re planning to...?"

*

The ride in the car arranged by the production team was perfectly smooth.

The road near Six’s house was pitted and bumpy, making it difficult for the vehicle to pass. Naomi Kenway didn’t give the production team a hard time; she just got out with Ian to walk the rest of the way. It was only about two hundred meters, after all.

As soon as Naomi Kenway stepped into the courtyard, she saw Joelle Lynch, wearing a headscarf, washing baby diapers. Naomi’s heart skipped a beat, and she hurried over.

When Joelle Lynch saw them, she gave a weak smile. "You’re back."

She glanced behind them. "Where’s Six? Isn’t she back yet?"

"Six is right behind us." Naomi Kenway frowned and stepped forward to help Joelle Lynch up. "Why are you washing diapers yourself? I heard you’re not supposed to exert yourself during postpartum confinement. Come on, let’s get you inside."

"It’s nothing, Little Sis Kenway." Despite her words, Joelle Lynch let Naomi Kenway help her into the house.

Naomi Kenway helped her to the bed just as a baby’s piercing cry rang out.

Exhaustion was etched on Joelle Lynch’s face, but she still pulled the baby into her arms to nurse him. "Sorry to make you worry," she said. "It’s just that we were running out of diapers for Silas, and I figured I might as well since I was just sitting around."

Hearing the name "Silas," Naomi Kenway remembered what Six had told her: Phoenix Holloway had asked a village elder to choose it. Meanwhile, Six herself, already ten years old, didn’t even have a proper given name. Her household registration simply listed "Sextus Jacobs."

"No. If you have free time, you need to rest. Childbirth is already so hard on a woman’s body; you absolutely have to recover properly. And where’s your mother-in-law? I saw her just last night. No one’s home, and she’s not coming over to look after you?" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

A helpless look crossed Joelle Lynch’s face. She looked down and gave a bitter smile. "She comes over twice a week to see her grandson. The only other times she shows up are to ask for food."

Naomi Kenway couldn’t help but curse under her breath.

Joelle Lynch wasn’t old, but her face was etched with the marks of a hard life.

The sound of footsteps approached, and Six burst into the room. Without even stopping to drop her schoolbag, she threw her arms around Joelle Lynch.

Her voice, thick with anguish, rose to a shout. "Mom, did you go outside and do chores again?!"

Joelle Lynch forced a smile. "Of course not. I’ve been resting in here the whole time. If you don’t believe me, ask your Fairy Sister."

As she spoke, she shot Naomi Kenway a pleading look.

’A mix of emotions churned within Naomi Kenway.’ "...Yes," she said.

Six turned to Joelle Lynch. "That’s a lie, Mom! I saw the washbasin in the yard! Didn’t I tell you to get some rest?" Her voice choked with a sob. "Did Grandma bully you again?"

Joelle Lynch gently stroked her hair. "You’re only ten, and you have to go to school. How could I leave all the chores to you? I just washed a couple of diapers. Don’t be upset, Six. Mommy is perfectly fine."

"You’re lying!" Six cried. After giving birth to seven children, Joelle Lynch’s health had been completely drained long ago.

Joelle Lynch just stroked her hair gently, comforting her.

Six’s gaze suddenly landed on the nursing infant, full of resentment. "It’s all his fault!"

He was the valve meant to stop this cycle, but he was also the original sin that had set it all in motion.

Six started to hate herself, too, feeling as if she and her siblings were the ones responsible for draining the life out of Joelle Lynch.

"Don’t think like that, Six. No matter what, Mommy will never, ever blame you." She gently caressed Six’s cheek, which was weathered and rough from the sun and wind, not soft and delicate.

Six threw her arms around Joelle Lynch and sobbed. "I don’t want to go to school anymore! I’ll stay home and take care of you and my baby brother, Mom!"

"No!" Joelle Lynch’s gentle expression instantly hardened. Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes as she insisted, "You *have* to go to school. Education is the only way out. Or do you want to live your whole life like me?!"

Six’s sobs grew louder. "It’ll be okay," Joelle Lynch soothed. "All of this hardship will pass. Six, you have to study hard. It’s the only way to get out and see the world. It’s the only way to keep people from walking all over you."

Not wanting to disturb them, Naomi Kenway slipped outside. She and Ian Shaw went into the courtyard. As she replayed the scene in her mind, Naomi had a feeling that there was something special about Joelle Lynch’s way of speaking and her general demeanor. She later found out from the director that Joelle had been an excellent student. Back in the day, she’d gone to high school and had been at the top of her class. But then a family member got sick, and they desperately needed money, so they married her off to Six’s father in exchange for a bride price.

Naomi Kenway was still lost in thought when she heard a noise from the main gate. She looked up to see Phoenix Holloway sauntering in, humming a little tune and muttering, "Got a grandson, I’m so, so happy. Not a care in the world, just waiting for him to become an official and get rich so I can live a life of ease..."

The moment she saw Naomi Kenway, her expression changed dramatically. She had always been one to bully the weak and fear the strong, so her face became more restrained. "What are you doing standing out here?" she asked with a smile. "The mosquitoes are terrible."

"Waiting to live a life of ease?" Naomi Kenway snorted, clearly having overheard the little chant. "I’ve studied physiognomy, and forgive me for being blunt, but your face doesn’t look like one that’s destined for a life of ease."

Annoyance flared in Phoenix Holloway’s chest. No one likes to hear such unlucky things. But she wasn’t very educated and had always held a certain superstitious awe for things like physiognomy. Besides, Naomi Kenway was from a big city; she surely knew more than they did.

She sidled closer. "Is there... a way to fix it?"

"Of course," Naomi Kenway said, her voice lilting.

"Quick, tell me, missy."

"You need to take good care of your daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Your favoritism is so blatant, I’m afraid even the heavens can’t stand to watch. Six is such a good student; she’s bound to have a bright future. If you treat her well, she’ll be the one to give you that life of ease."

The attentive look on Phoenix Holloway’s face vanished, replaced by utter disdain. "And here I thought you actually knew something about physiognomy. How can you count on a granddaughter? She’ll just get married off into another family. It’s like the old saying, ’A daughter married out is like water splashed out.’ The same goes for granddaughters. If I want to live a good life, I have to rely on my grandson, Silas! My grandson weighed over nine pounds at birth! Everyone in the village says he’s blessed with good fortune!"

By the end of her speech, her face was beaming with pride.

Naomi Kenway sneered, feeling the woman was a lost cause. "Fine. You do that."

Seeing Naomi Kenway turn to leave, Phoenix Holloway hurried to block her path. "Wait, don’t go! You haven’t finished! Tell me about my grandson’s fortune. Will our family get rich? Am I going to have a life of pure bliss?"

"Someone like you will never live a life of ease."

With that, Naomi Kenway turned and walked away, leaving Phoenix Holloway standing there, muttering curses.