The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 18: Delicious Knife-cut Noodles

[I suddenly feel like Renee Jennings’s parenting style is a bit discouraging. Mona was already doing a good enough job! Mona looks really down!]

[I don’t think what Rachel did was wrong. Mona was the one who forgot to get the green peppers. For those of you calling Rachel discouraging, aren’t you being a little too sensitive? And Naomi Kenway is just being ridiculous, praising everything. Her kid is going to get a huge ego sooner or later!]

...

This clip comparing the attitudes of Renee Jennings and Naomi Kenway quickly sparked a heated discussion online.

「 」

Margaret Jennings returned home with Carina Sanders to cook dinner. She walked over to the stove, only to find her precious daughter staring blankly at the basket of vegetables on the round table.

"What’s wrong, Carina?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Mom..." Carina Sanders didn’t know where to begin.

"Is something on your mind? Come on, tell Mom."

"Mom, the eggs in the basket aren’t the ones I found. I fell on the way and broke all of mine. Annie gave me all of his eggs. I don’t know how to thank him. Mom, do you think I should write him a thank-you letter?"

"Annie?" A complicated expression crossed Margaret Jennings’s face. When she had seen Ian Shaw’s nearly empty basket in the square, she had thought the boy was just awkward and not good at socializing. She never expected this to be the reason.

A wave of guilt washed over her.

"Annie is a good kid," Margaret Jennings said. Then, she stood up, grabbed an empty basket, and walked into the yard.

One of the natural advantages of their small, fenced yard was the variety of vegetables planted within the enclosure.

「 」

To make the knife-cut noodles, the ingredients Annie had gathered weren’t enough. Naomi Kenway had gone out to borrow some seasonings from a kind neighbor.

Naomi Kenway looked down at the ingredients on the table. It seemed like she was short on greens. Without some green vegetables for garnish, the knife-cut noodles wouldn’t look nearly as appealing.

’Should I go ask the neighbors for some greens?’

But she had just borrowed seasonings, and Naomi Kenway was a little hesitant to ask again.

Just as she was hesitating, there was a sudden knock at the door. Naomi Kenway was a bit surprised. ’Who would be looking for me at this hour?’

She opened the door and saw someone she didn’t expect.

"Pearl?" Naomi Kenway stepped aside slightly. "Please, come in."

Margaret Jennings walked in carrying a bamboo basket, her expression a little reserved. When she got a clear look at the room’s furnishings, she froze for a moment.

Naomi Kenway was famously lazy in their circle. Margaret Jennings had been prepared for a place so messy she could barely step inside, but who knew...

"I remember this place didn’t look like this at first... It didn’t have this much furniture, and it seemed much more run-down?"

"That’s right. I tidied it up a bit myself." Naomi Kenway passed over a clear fruit platter filled with large red dates that looked crisp and sweet. "I don’t have much to offer you. Try one of these dates. They’re from the jujube tree in the yard."

Margaret Jennings tried one. "It’s very sweet."

She sat down on a stool, her curiosity piqued again. "And these stools? Did you borrow them?"

"No, I made them myself."

Margaret Jennings was stunned. She remembered hearing that Naomi Kenway was going to make furniture and had treated it as a joke. She never thought she would actually do it.

Naomi Kenway sat across from her. "Hard to believe, right?"

"Not at all," she explained with a smile. "This table has a few deep scratches, and the legs are a little uneven. It’s clearly the work of a novice carpenter."

Naomi Kenway hadn’t expected her to be so observant and felt a little warmer toward Margaret Jennings.

"Pearl, was there something you needed?"

"There is, actually." Margaret Jennings lifted the cover of her basket, revealing the dewy vegetables inside. "These are for you and Annie. I just picked them from my yard, so they’re very fresh."

Naomi Kenway thanked her, but she was a little confused.

She didn’t believe Margaret Jennings would be nice to her and her son for no reason.

"It’s like this: Carina broke her eggs on the way, and Annie gave his to her. I’m really grateful. I also put half of the eggs in the basket. I know my daughter well. If Annie hadn’t given her the eggs, she probably would have run home in tears."

Naomi Kenway was taken aback. Ian Shaw hadn’t told her about this.

"You’re too kind. I was just running short on greens, so these vegetables are a godsend. In that case, I’ll happily accept them, Pearl."

A smile touched Margaret Jennings’s lips. She stood up. "I won’t bother you any longer, then. See you tonight."

After seeing Margaret Jennings off, Naomi Kenway keenly felt that the distance between them had closed a little. At first, Margaret Jennings’s eyes had been full of vigilance and contempt when she looked at her. Now, there was more sincerity and less wariness.

For the next few hours, Naomi Kenway devoted all her energy to making the "knife-cut noodles."

She deftly tied on an apron, washed her hands, and began to cook.

As she skillfully started kneading the dough, the livestream viewers gasped in amazement. They realized Naomi Kenway was definitely not the type of person who, according to the rumors, never set foot in a kitchen.

Kneading the dough was the most important and exhausting step. She kneaded from the outside of the dough ball toward the center until it was firm yet elastic—a process that required considerable physical effort. Yet Naomi Kenway didn’t seem tired and never paused, occasionally wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.

When she finished kneading, Naomi Kenway’s palms were slightly numb. She shook out her hands and continued to the next step: shaving the noodles.

Shaving the noodles was delicate work. The thickness and length of the strands greatly affected the texture. Naomi Kenway carefully compared her noodles to those in the chef’s instructional video, making countless adjustments.

Gradually, she started to get the hang of it.

She held the blade flat against the dough, applying even pressure. With a straight, 90-degree push from top to bottom, she shaved off noodles that were both thin and uniform.

After boiling the noodles, Naomi Kenway followed the chef’s video to prepare the sauce.

The soft yet chewy noodles, paired with the crisp green vegetables, looked exceptionally tempting, and the aroma was overwhelming.

Naomi Kenway took a bite. It was surprisingly good.

’I wonder if Annie will like it?’

Just as she was wondering about this, Ian Shaw walked over, clutching a science fiction book. He was obsessed with sci-fi, and Naomi Kenway never interfered with his interests. She would never force him to study ancient poetry or memorize multiplication tables. All she wanted was for her son to be free and happy.

With their family’s wealth, Ian Shaw could become anyone he wanted to be.

"Mom, that smells so good..."

His mother had never cooked for him before. The sight of his mom together with this delicious food formed a beautiful picture; this was Ian Shaw’s happiest moment.

Naomi Kenway served Ian Shaw a bowl of noodles piled high with meat. "Here, give it a try. Is it good?"

Ian Shaw picked up his chopsticks. After one bite, his eyes lit up instantly. "It’s so delicious! It tastes exactly like the food at that restaurant Dad took me to! You have some too, Mom!"

Naomi Kenway ate the bite Ian Shaw offered her, her heart filled with joy and happiness. "I’m just glad you like it."

[Is it really that good? Is Annie just saying that to make Naomi Kenway feel better?]

[It looks really good. I thought Naomi Kenway would make a total mess, but this is a complete surprise!]

[Naomi Kenway has so much perseverance! She spent hours just on this one bowl of noodles. It was the same when she was making furniture. She seems so focused on whatever she does. How did I never notice this good quality of hers before?]