The Road to a Divine Harem Starting with a Stepmom Companion

Chapter 49: Changing the Perspective of the Shot

Home.

Even though his stepmother had more or less “kicked him out,” and despite informing her yesterday that he wouldn’t be coming home for the night, Cao Shaoyang still decided to check back in.

Since he had plenty of time, he opted for a leisurely bus ride instead of taking a cab directly to his neighborhood.

After scanning the QR code to pay a single yuan for the ride, he boarded the bus during the late morning lull. There weren’t many passengers, and several seats were available.

Cao Shaoyang chose an empty spot in the back row, sat down, and casually scanned the other passengers.

Well, no beauties here. Disappointing.

He took out his phone, popped in his Bluetooth earphones, and checked on his little servant girl’s livestream.

Once he entered the stream, it was obvious that “Milk Cow Doesn’t Drink Milk” was nearing the end of her broadcast.

Since he had entered in stealth mode, his presence didn’t draw any attention. The streamer was dancing far from the camera and hadn’t noticed him tuning in.

With nothing else to do, Cao Shaoyang settled into being a silent observer.

He watched the livestream while glancing up every time the bus stopped to see if any scantily-clad young ladies boarded.

Unfortunately, by the time he reached his stop, no one particularly striking had gotten on.

Coincidentally, as he stepped off the bus, the livestream ended, almost perfectly synchronized with his arrival.

Walking while staring at your phone is dangerous, so with the stream over, he tucked it away.

At the elevator in his apartment building, he watched the floor numbers decrease as the elevator descended. Suddenly, he remembered the task he had assigned to his servant girl, Xin Chun Jiao.

She had just finished her stream. Was she obediently completing the punishment he had set for her?

Cao Shaoyang felt an unexpected urge to go check on her.

Once the thought took hold, he acted on it. As he stepped into the elevator, instead of pressing the button for the 3rd floor where his apartment was, he hit the button for Xin Chun Jiao’s floor instead.

Sometimes plans can’t keep up with changes. Meeting Xin Chun Jiao hadn’t been part of his original agenda.

But plans, he mused, were for other people. He didn’t need plans—he only needed to follow his whims.

As the elevator numbers ticked upward, so did his anticipation.

He opened his phone, activated the camera, and waited for the elevator doors to open.

Ding!

The sound of the elevator doors sliding open.

In that moment, his anticipation was rewarded.

Right outside the elevator stood a woman, wearing nothing but a simple apron. Her hands were clasped behind her head, and her legs were spread about 20 centimeters apart as she performed squats.

Hearing the sound, she paused mid-squat, tilting her head upward in confusion.

The sight that greeted him was a boy holding a phone pointed directly at her—someone Xin Chun Jiao recognized. He was a senior in high school, one grade above her daughter, and had recently finished his college entrance exams.

Before Xin Chun Jiao could react, the flash from the phone’s camera and the repeated clicking sound of pictures being taken sent her into a panic.

Her legs gave out, and she fell to the ground with her legs splayed awkwardly. The already skimpy apron she wore failed entirely to provide any coverage.

Worse, under her horrified gaze, the boy appeared to adjust the camera angle deliberately.

The elevator, sensing no one entering, began to close its doors gradually.

In the last split second, Xin Chun Jiao scrambled to her feet in desperation. Ignoring her exposed state, she lunged toward the control panel and slapped the door-open button just before the gap completely closed.

The doors slid open again, but instead of stopping, the camera flash went off once more, accompanied by the relentless sound of the shutter clicking.

The boy, far from retreating, stepped out of the elevator confidently. He moved closer to Xin Chun Jiao and deliberately shifted his position to capture her from a different angle.

The elevator, now empty, closed its doors and descended to the first floor.

At that moment, Xin Chun Jiao finally snapped out of her stunned state. Letting out a sharp, shrill scream, she gave up trying to confront him. Instead, she hurriedly covered herself with one hand while pressing down her apron with the other. She bolted toward her apartment, frantically unlocking the door and darting inside.

Watching the flustered mother from next door retreating into her apartment, practically bare, Cao Shaoyang couldn’t hold back the smirk he had been suppressing. Finally, his lips curled upward.

“Haha! Hahaha!”

Unexpected, wasn’t it?

Although his original plan had changed, this improvised one worked just as well—if not better—providing an even more delightful surprise.

He opened his photo gallery, leisurely scrolling through the pictures he had taken. Leaning casually against the elevator door, he reviewed them one by one, deleting any blurry or unsatisfactory shots.

No rush. Absolutely no rush.

Cao Shaoyang knew that, sooner or later, Xin Chun Jiao would come out to check the situation. All he needed to do was wait patiently.