The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 301: Ethan Shaw Cooks

Renee Jennings noticed Nathaniel Lynch was spacing out and grew annoyed. "Why aren’t you talking? Nathaniel, what’s on your mind?"

Renee Jennings’s voice snapped Nathaniel Lynch out of his thoughts. His expression was complicated as he shook his head distractedly. "It’s nothing."

His gaze shifted. When his eyes landed on Renee Jennings’s hands, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of disdain. ’She actually picked them back up...’

Unaware of his thoughts, Renee Jennings went on, telling amusing stories from the past few days.

If one ignored the odd expression on Nathaniel Lynch’s face, it was truly the picture of a loving, harmonious couple.

[Do these two even spend any time together? If they can bicker over prepping vegetables, they must be totally out of sync in their daily lives.]

[Best Actor Lynch is all talk. Sweet nothings and smooth lines, but when it’s time to prep the veggies, his hands don’t move. And the way he looks at Renee Jennings is pure disdain.]

[Maybe Naomi Kenway was right. These two are just acting for the cameras, faking a relationship to boost their popularity.]

[I used to really like Best Actor Lynch, but ever since he’s been on screen with Renee Jennings, I feel like his whole look has changed.]

[But you can’t pin it all on Renee Jennings. I always thought Nathaniel Lynch looked like bad news—he has such a treacherous and cunning vibe.]

[You can’t really say who’s right or wrong about prepping the vegetables. They were just thinking differently. But their attitudes are very telling. They say your gut reactions don’t lie, and I keep getting the feeling that Nathaniel Lynch looks at Renee Jennings with a hint of disdain.]

[You guys need to stop trying to stir up drama. It’s just about prepping some vegetables. Netizens will blow anything out of proportion.]

...

After finishing the vegetables in her hands, Renee Jennings looked up and saw that the bunch of greens in Nathaniel Lynch’s hands was almost untouched.

She froze for a moment, her smile stiffening.

"Nathaniel, what’s going on? You haven’t even picked off the yellowed leaves. Are we supposed to eat them?"

Nathaniel Lynch snapped out of it and complained in a gentle tone, "I told you we shouldn’t have cheaped out and bought these vegetables. See? Now it’s so much trouble."

Renee Jennings took the greens from his hand. Though she was annoyed, her tone was very considerate. "I know you’re not used to this kind of detailed work. Here, let me do it."

Nathaniel Lynch seemed to sigh in relief. He dusted off his hands, straightened his tie, stood up, and walked over to hug Renee Jennings. He lowered his voice, whispering in her ear, "Don’t wear yourself out, or I’ll feel bad."

Renee Jennings leaned into his embrace and looked up at him with a shy smile. "Oh, I know."

*

Hazel Preston went up to the second floor and brought several bags full of ingredients into Naomi Kenway’s room. She placed them on the round table in the center. "You two really brought back quite a haul."

Naomi Kenway was already sitting on the bed, and Ethan Shaw was sitting next to her, gently kneading her calves to relax the muscles.

"Hazel, see if you need anything. Please, take some."

Naomi Kenway gave Ethan Shaw’s shoulder a gentle push. "I’m fine. Go get Hazel a glass of water."

"No, no, it’s alright," Hazel Preston said. "I went out with Old Sinclair and Sean today and we bought a ton of food. We have more than we can eat."

Ethan Shaw had already brought over a glass of water, but Hazel Preston waved it away. "I was just about to go downstairs and get water to make some dough, so I can’t stay. Naomi, you get some rest." She smiled at Ethan Shaw. "Thank you, though."

With that, she turned to leave.

"Take care, Hazel."

After seeing Hazel out, Ethan Shaw returned and continued to massage Naomi’s legs, with Ian keeping them company nearby.

"I’m much better, really," Naomi said, tentatively moving her calf. The soreness had faded, leaving only a faint tingling sensation.

As Naomi tried to get off the bed, Ethan Shaw stopped her. "Where are you going?"

"We haven’t had lunch yet, I have to..."

"I’ll figure something out."

"How?" Naomi looked at him, puzzled. "As I recall, you don’t know how to cook."

"You can teach me," Ethan Shaw said. "You can sit nearby and guide me. I’m a fast learner."

"Are you serious?" Naomi remembered what a huge effort it had been just to teach Ethan how to tell Ian a bedtime story.

Ian chimed in, backing his father up. "Mommy, let Daddy try! Ian will help, too!"

Faced with the expectant looks from the father and son, Naomi couldn’t bring herself to refuse. After a moment’s thought, she said, "Alright."

The large house only had a stove on the first floor. Fortunately, none of the other participants came to use it at that time.

Naomi sat in a woven bamboo chair. Worried that oil from the wok might splatter on her, Ethan had deliberately placed her chair a safe distance away. Ian stood beside her, fanning her with a small fan.

Ian fanned away with all his might, his pale little arm rising and falling. The breeze kept lifting his bangs, and a bead of sweat trickled down his cheek.

He asked, "Mommy, are you cool enough? Is the breeze too weak? How about this?"

Naomi was both touched and pained to see him trying so hard. She took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped his sweat. "Mommy’s not hot. You can stop fanning, Ian."

Ian shook his head stubbornly. He could be very persistent about some things. "It’s too hot. If Ian doesn’t fan you, Mommy will feel miserable. Ian wants to be a portable air conditioner, then Mommy will always be cool."

"Silly boy," she said. "You don’t need to become an air conditioner. Just having you by my side makes me very happy."

A loud SIZZLE erupted. Ethan had just tossed the greens into the wok. He probably hadn’t drained them properly, because the moment the water hit the hot oil, it popped and splattered violently, like a small bomb going off.

Ethan jumped back, stirring the vegetables with clumsy movements. He frowned slightly, as if confronting a difficult puzzle.

The loud noise was impossible for Naomi to ignore. "Ethan," she called out, "come here."

Hearing her call, Ethan Shaw put the wok aside and walked over.

She took his hand. Sure enough, a few red spots dotted his inner arm where the oil had splashed him.

"Does it hurt?" She looked up at him.

"It doesn’t... It hurts. It hurts a lot."

Naomi’s brow furrowed. "It’s my fault. I should have reminded you to drain the greens completely. Go rinse it under cold water, quickly. Then I’ll put some burn cream on it for you."

"I’ll go get the medicine for Daddy!" Ian was gone in a flash.

Ian quickly returned with the first-aid kit. Naomi treated Ethan’s arm simply. "Thankfully, it’s not a large burn."

Ethan watched Naomi with a focused gaze. As she applied the cool ointment to the minor burn on his arm, he felt his own heart grow warmer.

After the short rest, Naomi’s legs had truly recovered. Unable to sit still any longer, she got up and went to the stove to cook, with Ethan and Ian acting as her sous-chefs.