Chapter 64
After the third round of recording ended, the production team arranged for an intermission and a free interaction segment.
This was also the time for the moms to campaign for votes.
After all, the live stream was still running.
Emily was bent over, retying Nina's loose pigtails, while Aiden and Oscar shared cookies prepared by the production team nearby.
The scene was warm and ordinary, yet it attracted quite a bit of attention.
The other moms were also chatting while holding their children.
On the other side, in the guest seating area, Sophia picked up the lemon water in front of her, took a light sip, and a barely noticeable cold smile curved at the corner of her lips.
As a socialite carefully cultivated by the Johnson Group, she had joined this show to enhance her personal image and expand her network.
But every time she encountered Emily, nothing good ever happened.
Since the show started airing, her spotlight had been almost entirely stolen by Emily and her three children.
How was she supposed to build her image now?
She ground her teeth in secret resentment while maintaining a dignified smile on her face.
As soon as the intermission ended, the host immediately took the stage. "Next up is our guest interaction segment. Everyone has seen how the moms and children performed, so now we'll ask our guests for their comments."
Hearing this, Emily's heart immediately tightened.
Besides William and the other male guests, Sophia was there too! She didn't believe Sophia would pass up this opportunity to make things difficult for her.
Emily's hands holding the children unconsciously tightened, then she tried to appear relaxed again.
Sophia's gaze swept past imperceptibly, then she looked away, following the host's rhythm to comment on different families.
Emily and her three children's performance was so outstanding that they were saved for the last group to be reviewed.
When facing those female celebrities and their children, Sophia's compliments flowed endlessly. Yet she put on such a sincere appearance that people felt she was speaking from the heart.
Until Emily came on with her children.
They stood on the center stage. The host asked a few simple questions to liven the atmosphere, then threw the topic to Sophia.
"Ms. Sophia Johnson, what do you think of their performance today?"
Sophia picked up the microphone and smoothly took up the topic the host had tossed her way.
"The three children performed exceptionally well, and Ms. Emily Johnson's performance was also quite good."
When she said this, the entire venue fell silent for a moment.
Compared to her earlier non-repetitive praise, this comment was incredibly perfunctory. Even for an ordinary family, you couldn't do this!
But Sophia acted as if she hadn't noticed the uproar in the venue, her lips still curved in a perfectly measured smile.
"By the way, I have a question I'd like to ask Ms. Emily Johnson."
Sophia's gaze fell on Emily again, her tone concerned.
"Ms. Emily Johnson, as a single mother bringing three children to participate in such a heartwarming family show, it must be really difficult. I really admire your courage. It's just that I'm a bit curious about your profession... It's rather special."
She paused, as if searching for the right words.
"I heard that the work environment for a mortuary cosmetologist is relatively serious, dealing with scenes of life and death. When you spend time with your children normally, do you unconsciously bring some emotions from work back home? The children are still young—do they feel scared or uncomfortable?"
Her question was extremely sharp, yet it seemed to make some sense.
The camera immediately focused on Emily.
She was clearly stunned for a moment, her hands holding the children, tightening slightly.
On the other side in the observation seats, William's brow furrowed instantly, his eyes turning completely cold.
He remembered that Sophia was one of those who had made things difficult for Emily before.
The live stream comments exploded at this moment, with mixed reactions to her question.
"What does that mean? Professional discrimination?"
"But I think she has a point. That profession is indeed... not great for kids to be around long-term, right?"
As soon as this comment appeared, countless people agreed, and the comment section was immediately led astray.
Of course, apart from the live audience, the guests didn't know about this.
But most of the people standing here were from the entertainment industry.
Even if they hadn't seen it, they could guess.
But at this moment, no one spoke up to help Emily out.
Under the camera, Emily took a deep breath, then crouched down to look at the three children, asking softly, "Babies, are you scared of Mommy's work?"
The three children shook their heads in unison, as if they'd rehearsed it.
Nina was the first to speak, her voice crisp and clear.
"Not scared! I already said Mommy is a superhero."
Her words carried the same meaning as before, without a hint of pretense.
Oscar continued, "Mommy taught us that life is precious and we should treasure every day. Her work is helping people say goodbye properly. That's a very important thing."
Since the show started airing, Oscar had always been the quietest of the three children.
But now, to defend Emily, he was saying much more.
Aiden nodded vigorously, "Mommy is amazing!"
The children's innocent words were more convincing than any adult's defense.
Thunderous applause immediately filled the venue.
Emily stood up and faced Sophia again, her gaze calm and firm.
"Thank you for your concern. My work is indeed special. It faces death directly, but precisely because of this, it allows me and my children to understand the weight of life more deeply. This job teaches us respect, reverence, and to cherish the people in front of us. The children aren't afraid. Instead, they've learned about love and being loved."
Her words were neither humble nor arrogant, responding to the doubts while showing her love and respect for this work.
As the applause below the stage grew even more enthusiastic, the smile on Sophia's face stiffened a bit.
But she quickly adjusted, putting on an embarrassed look.
"Ms. Emily Johnson, that was beautifully said. I was overthinking it. By the way, I keep hearing the children call you Mommy, but you haven't mentioned their father. Is there a particular reason? The children are so well-behaved and adorable, their father must be excellent too."
This question was even more sensitive, almost crossing the line into privacy.
The host's expression changed, trying to smooth things over. "This question..."
But before he could finish, Sophia interrupted him.
"Sir, I'm asking Ms. Emily Johnson to clarify the situation, to avoid any misunderstandings."
She explained lightly, but her eyes carried a hint of mockery.
Sophia clearly wanted to see her embarrassed.
Emily's hands at her sides unconsciously clenched, her heart sinking.
She hadn't prepared an answer to this question and hadn't expected anyone to actually ask it.