After Alex Ye left, Lizzy Xia continued to sit on her little stool, drawing.
Well, calling it "drawing" might be a bit generous. It was really just the doodlings of a child with colored pencils on paper. Regardless, Michelle Xia had never been able to decipher her daughter's artwork.
Having completed two drawings, Lizzy held them up, admiring her own work with a hint of pride. She wanted to show them to her mother.
However, glancing up, she saw that Michelle was still engrossed in her writing. Lizzy hesitated, not wanting to disturb her.
Watching her still-busy mother, the young girl heaved a deep sigh, thinking, "Mommy writes so slowly. I've already finished two drawings!"
Because the promotional live stream for the game "Star Path" had brought considerable attention to Michelle Xia, Alyssa easily secured a top spot on the homepage recommendations, much to the chagrin of Lulu. Every time Lulu saw Alyssa, she'd roll her eyes in evident displeasure. Lulu didn't hide her annoyance with Alyssa, but Alyssa didn't seem bothered in the least. In fact, Alyssa was quite pleased whenever she saw Lulu upset. Unable to contain her glee, Alyssa reached out to share the news with Michelle. Alyssa texted, "I bet Lulu's regretting trying to push you down now. Serves her right!" Michelle, engrossed in her writing, didn't respo
A couple of days later, Alyssa relayed some surprising news to Michelle.Alyssa: "Michelle, you sold the rights to your work to Makka Comics."She then sent Michelle a price.Soon after, Alyssa messaged again: "GreenMango Comics says they look down on our works and don't plan on purchasing?! Who do they think they are? This is infuriating! 😠"Michelle, unsure of how to comfort Alyssa, replied: "It's okay, we've sold the rights anyway. And isn't Makka Comics better than GreenMango Comics?"Alyssa: "Yes, Makka Comics is better, but it's not GreenMango Comics' place to snub us! It's infuriating!"
Behind them was a vibrant tapestry of brilliant fiery trees against a broad, warm-hued sky. In the foreground, the cool, composed silhouette seemed to melt into the velvety backdrop of the night, accompanied by a delicate and fragile one.The first time Michelle Xia kissed a man was when she was twenty, though her physical age was twenty-four. It was during her first winter in this world and subsequently her first spring. The nights bridging winter and spring were chilly, and her hand found warmth tucked inside the pocket of a man's coat, held securely by his grasp. The world outside was filled with the raucous noise of fireworks; sharp and jarring, but to her, it was as if she heard nothing.Alex Ye's first kiss came at twenty-nine, just four months shy of turning thirty. By then, he had built a little family - Michelle, Lizzy, and
Michelle Xia fiddled with the red envelope Alex Ye had handed to her, feeling unsure, debating whether to return it.In romance novels, there was always a trope where the domineering CEO stuffed a bank/credit card into such an envelope. Whenever Michelle came across or wrote such a scenario, she found it utterly nonsensical. Why would anyone do this in real life when a simple bank transfer would suffice?She never understood the thought process behind such writers. Yet, since the readers seemed to love such plotlines, she followed suit whenever she saw other authors penning them down.But here was Alex, looking as calm as ever, as if giving her a red envelope was the most natural thing in the world—let alone one with a card inside.
In the end, Mr. Ye gave her a new password – it was her birthday. Michelle Xia smiled as she accepted his bank card, not offering further comment. She didn't like accepting handouts, and besides, she was doing well financially now. To her, Alex Ye's bank card held no real significance; she didn't need his money. But if he was brave enough to offer, what reason did she have to refuse?Years ago, when Alex Ye worried she might be strapped for cash, he'd extended her the offer of a bank card. Back then, their relationship could best be described as "strangers," so she naturally declined. Eleanor Ye had made a similar gesture, but Michelle had also refused.Michelle wasn't surprised that Alex knew her birthday. After all, if he could know Lizzy's birthday, why wouldn't he know hers? She turned to him, her smile soft and gentle. With no hint of guilt, she inquired, "Mr. Ye, when is your birthday?"Lifting his gaze to hers, Alex replied, "May 28th, Gregorian calendar."Michelle nodded,
In truth, Mr. Alex Ye was rather innocent.He looked into Michelle Xia's accusing eyes, paused for a moment, and subtly glanced in the direction of his study. His study happened to be right next to Lizzy Xia's room.Michelle followed his gaze and had a hunch about what he meant. Still, this didn't deter her from continuing her accusations.Alex sighed silently.From what he'd heard from his married or dating peers, when the other party was upset or unhappy, simply apologizing could avoid 80% of potential unpleasant situations.With utmost sincerity, Alex apologized to her, "I'm sorry."His apology was so earnest that Michelle found herself unable to continue her blame game, so she reluctantly looked away. In reality, the bump hadn't been hard, but the nose was sensitive, which caused a sharper pain. For a moment, she couldn't help but blame him.Michelle knew she was being slightly unreasonable and quickly composed herself. Rubbing her nose, which still throbbed a little, she briefly
When Alex Ye returned home, he found Michelle Xia and Lizzy Xia arranging flowers in his room.They had procured several gleaming glass vases from somewhere, and pale golden champagne roses were strewn about, creating an almost melancholic scene. Lizzy was leaning over the table, handing flowers to her mother with great care, all the while tilting her head to watch as Michelle inserted the roses into the vase.Upon seeing her father, the little girl immediately hopped off the chair and, with her short legs, made a quick “patter-patter-patter” as she rushed to greet him. Lizzy smiled brightly, briefly acted coquettishly with Alex, then ran back in her “patter-patter-patter” manner, continuing her task of handing flowers to Michelle and watching her work.Alex didn’t get upset upon seeing the champagne roses being used as playthings, but he did feel a pang of frustration, a slight incredulity. To him, Michelle’s demeanor was hardly what one would expect from someone who received flowers
The first to notice Alex was little Lizzy. Her mouth fell open in apparent surprise at seeing him there. "Why is daddy here? Did he come to buy cake for Lizzy?"Blinking her eyes, Lizzy flashed a sweet smile and softly called out, "Daddy."The café, a quiet and relaxed public space, demanded a certain decorum. Lizzy knew she couldn't yell as she usually did. She was a polite and considerate child, always mindful not to disturb others.Michelle Xia looked stunned for a moment, her gaze following the child's to where Alex Ye was approaching. Alex took a seat opposite them, his expression unreadable, revealing no hint of emotion. He acknowledged the little girl with a low, magnetic "Hmm" in response to her earlier call."I originally came to pick up something for you both to take home," Alex began to explain, "but it seems you're already here."Hearing that her father had planned on getting her a little cake, Lizzy's heart soared. She immediately said, "Daddy can bring Lizzy a cake tomor
Alex Ye had once imagined that their baby might be like Lizzy: soft, sweet, and utterly adorable, like a heart-melting marshmallow. However, their baby and Lizzy, the marshmallow, were nothing alike.Ella was not the type of baby who craved affection. Even before she could talk or walk, she rarely smiled or showed interest when adults tried to play with her. If Michelle tried to engage her, she'd give a minimal reaction. But if it was Alex or Lizzy, she'd simply close her eyes and pretend to sleep.In front of a baby, not everyone is treated equally.Thus, both Alex and Lizzy felt a bit defeated.Eleanor Ye, however, was quite surprised by Ella's demeanor. She remarked to Alex, "You were just like this as a baby. When your dad and I tried to play with you, you wouldn't even look at us."So, Alex realized that the baby's temperament was inherited from him; he was the root cause of it all.Even though Ella wasn't particularly sociable, it didn't stop Alex and Lizzy from showering her wi
Lizzy Xia was deeply troubled by the birth of her younger sister. She had often heard adults say that younger sisters were delicate, needing constant pampering, love, and affection. They shouldn't be scolded or disciplined. So, with a little sister in tow, what was she supposed to do?This dilemma haunted Lizzy daily, distracting her so much that she even forgot her routine of seeking affection from her mom.One day, after returning from kindergarten, Lizzy's first instinct was to check on her baby sister, bypassing her usual routine of seeking affection from Michelle. It had been quite some time since she had shown her mother her typical, childlike affection, and Michelle couldn't help but feel puzzled.She asked her husband, "Do you think Lizzy doesn't like me anymore? Why doesn't she come to me for cuddles anymore?"Alex, taken aback by the change in Lizzy's behavior, hadn't expected Lizzy's affection for her sister to surpass her love for Michelle. He had previously assumed that
Lizzy Xia suddenly didn't like her "little brother" that much, because he was bullying her mommy!Her naughty "brother", even though he was still in her mommy's tummy, already knew how to kick!He's such a little rascal!Since the mischievous "brother" was still in her mommy's belly, Lizzy dared not voice these complaints in front of her mother. She was afraid that the naughty “brother” would hear and continue to tease her mother.Thus, Lizzy decided to confide in her father.She scurried with her short little legs into the study to find Mr. Ye, who was once again working overtime.She pouted, looking quite upset, and told him, “Daddy! Little brother is being naughty. He keeps bullying mommy!”Hearing the slightly aggrieved childish tone, Mr. Ye couldn't help but set aside his work and sighed.Alex Ye lifted his daughter onto his lap, his voice gentle, “What did the little brother do?”In reality, they didn't know whether Michelle Xia was expecting a boy or a girl. But, in Lizzy's min
While Alex Ye pondered how he might explain the situation to his little girl, Lizzy Xia interjected with visible concern, “Mommy is sick. We need to take her to the doctor!”“Not only that, she’ll need shots and medicine! Last time I was sick, I had to get shots and take medicine. So Mommy will need the same!”Hearing the urgency in Lizzy’s voice, Alex paused before reassuring her, “Don’t worry, Lizzy. Mommy isn't sick.”Relieved, Lizzy thought to herself, "Good, as long as Mommy isn’t sick." However, with her round, inquisitive eyes fixed on Alex, she pressed, “Then why is Mommy always sleeping?”She recalled that, in the past, whenever she returned from kindergarten, her mother, Michelle Xia, would be hard at work writing, always available for a cuddle. Now, it seemed all Michelle did was sleep, depriving Lizzy of her cherished snuggles.Pondering her question, Alex seemed momentarily at a loss. “I honestly don’t know,” he finally admitted.Disappointed in her father’s response, Li
That same night, Michelle Xia was sleeping alongside Lizzy Xia. Lizzy was a well-behaved child when she slept, barely moving when nestled in Michelle's arms, which made it quite a comfortable experience for Michelle. Of course, sleeping next to Mr. Ye was also comfortable, but it could sometimes be exhausting. Moreover, Mr. Ye always woke up early and would occasionally playfully disturb her sleep.Michelle strongly believed that part of her recent fatigue was because she was waking up too early in the morning. She had hoped that by sleeping with Lizzy, she could catch a few more moments of sleep since Lizzy wasn’t an early riser like Alex Ye.However, the next morning, a blaring alarm startled Michelle from her sleep. The sudden loud noise made her heart jump, thinking for a moment she might be having a heart attack.Lizzy, still groggy from sleep, slowly climbed out of bed. She found the source of the noise and turned off the alarm. As she did, realization dawned on her. She had hi
Shortly after the birth of her baby brother, whom they affectionately called "Liam", Lizzy Xia would frequently pester Michelle Xia to let her visit him. It was evident that Lizzy adored her little brother immensely.One day, Michelle curiously asked her daughter whether she would prefer a younger brother or sister. Without hesitation, Lizzy solemnly replied, "I don't want Mommy to be in pain. I don't need a brother or a sister." Michelle was momentarily stunned by the child's sincere expression, then laughed softly, ruffling Lizzy's hair. How could her child be so endearingly considerate at such a young age, empathizing with her mother's discomfort?Michelle had a vague intuition that something might be amiss when she realized her menstrual cycle was off. Recalling the past, it dawned upon her that it had been a while since her last period. Upon mentioning her suspicion to Alex Ye, he looked at her with an "I thought you'd never notice" expression. Alex commented, "I was expecting y
Michelle Xia woke up to find something warm and soft tucked into her embrace, providing an added comfort. Without a second thought, she knew it was her sticky little daughter, Lizzy, who must have sneaked into her bed for some shared slumber. Even though she was now awake, Michelle was in no hurry to rise, especially with a snuggly little one in her arms. The desire to stay in bed was even stronger. Lizzy, despite being an early riser unlike her mother, was half-awake. Sensing Michelle's alertness, Lizzy too came to full consciousness.Lizzy Xia's voice was soft and sweet as she cooed to Michelle Xia, wanting kisses, cuddles, and to nuzzle against her cheek. Yet, she carefully avoided mentioning why she was on her mother's bed.Michelle playfully asked the little one, "Lizzy, how did you end up on mommy's bed?"With wide innocent eyes, Lizzy feigned innocence, saying, "Because mommy wanted Lizzy to sleep with her, so Lizzy appeared on mommy's bed!"Michelle tried to stifle her laugh
Recently, Michelle Xia's temperament and personality had shifted. According to her, it was because of the pressure of writing. In addition to that, some of her previous employers would incessantly chat with her, hindering her progress and adding to her agitation.However, when facing Lizzy Xia, Michelle was as gentle and patient as ever.Even when Lizzy became overly clingy or seemed bothersome, Michelle did her best to maintain a calm demeanor. In reality, Michelle was never a fan of children. But when confronted with the sweet softness of Lizzy, it was nearly impossible for her to stay mad. Especially since Lizzy resembled her so much and had an irresistible charm. Every pout or plea from Lizzy rendered Michelle helpless.One Saturday, after Lizzy and Sophie Ye had finished their painting class at a graffiti museum, Lizzy rushed home to show Michelle her creation. Lizzy was genuinely gifted in drawing, and with time, she had learned to convey her thoughts through lines and colors. A
Lizzy Xia promised to give her unicorn toy to Liam, and when she made promises, especially to kids, she kept them. Though parting with her toy was painful for her, the thought of little Liam, who was afraid of the dark and would cry when awakened by nightmares, tugged at her heart. She couldn't bear the idea of him being scared. The next day after kindergarten, Lizzy hurried home. Clutching her unicorn toy, she entered Michelle Xia's room. Approaching Michelle's computer desk, Lizzy gently tugged at the hem of her mother's skirt. Lizzy noticed that her mom had been wearing skirts a lot lately. Before, Michelle had always favored long pants, especially those unattractive blue-gray jeans. Lizzy caressed the skirt's fabric, thinking about how pretty it looked. Michelle had been engrossed in her writing. An old employer had reached out, and she'd been chatting with him. But now, this little clingy bundle of joy had caught her attention. After sending a message to her former boss, Michel