As mentioned earlier, before setting up this birthday party, Yang Yi had done a lot of preparation work, like browsing parenting forums online to read posts from mothers and even paying to consult some party-planning companies that specialized in setting up events.
But the answers he got all shared one common trait: the number of guests they hosted was never small!
That’s because other people’s kids had friends their own age!
And Xixi didn’t. When Yang Yi took her to play with the kids on campus, Xixi preferred chasing after those playful little dogs. As for that earlier "Little Kai" brother, he had stopped showing up because of Yang Yi’s involvement.
Of course, Yang Yi could also invite the shop owners near the back door, with whom he had casual acquaintances from daily comings and goings. However, due to his own lack of a sense of security, he found it hard to connect deeply with ordinary neighbors, so he decided against it after some thought.
Oh, and there was Guo Ziyi, that chubby guy. Because he was so simple-minded, though a bit goofy, he really had no ulterior motives. Yang Yi admired talented people, so their relationship was pretty decent.
Originally, Yang Yi had wanted to invite Guo Ziyi to attend, but when Murphy decided to come back and celebrate their daughter’s birthday, he dropped that idea. After all, Murphy’s identity was far too special!
But regardless, as a family of three, they really seemed to have no friends.
Was it truly good for Xixi to keep growing up like this?
Yang Yi’s thoughts were interrupted. Murphy was urging their daughter, "Xixi, hurry up and open this gift. See if you like what Mommy bought you!"
Xixi couldn’t wait any longer. She deftly pulled off the ribbon bow and then opened the box.
"Wow!" Xixi held the box in her left hand and covered her little mouth with her right, exclaiming joyfully, "It’s a pretty ring!"
"It’s a bracelet, actually. It’s made of silver, pure sterling silver!" Murphy said with a slight smile. She took out the bracelet, opened the clasp, and said, "Come on, let Mommy put it on you."
After putting it on, Xixi happily twisted her left wrist, admiring the engravings on it, and said, "It looks a lot like Mommy’s!"
Murphy did have a silver bracelet, a family heirloom said to have a long history. But she rarely wore it, especially lately with frequent commercial performances in chaotic environments. Yang Yi had seen it once before, but he hadn’t expected Murphy to buy Xixi a silver bracelet.
"Mommy’s is too big. When Xixi grows up, Mommy will give it to you!" Murphy said with a gentle smile.
Watching his daughter’s delighted expression, Yang Yi said somewhat sourly, "A child this young wearing jewelry—is that really okay?"
But Murphy had anticipated he’d say that. She replied calmly, "The ancients said silver has the effect of ‘calming the five organs, settling the mind, curing palpitations, strengthening bones, soothing the heart, and brightening the eyes.’ More than that, it carries wishes for blessings and safety. Why can’t she wear it?"
Yang Yi pursed his lips. He still thought giving such a young child a silver bracelet as a birthday gift was too strange!
"Alright, go open Daddy’s gift and see if you like Daddy’s or Mommy’s more!" Murphy said, glancing at Yang Yi with a hint of smugness.
Xixi didn’t understand her parents’ little bet. As she dragged over her father’s big box, she said innocently, "I like Mommy’s gift, but Daddy’s is the biggest. What should I do?"
Yeah, what should she do? Which one to choose? Urgent, waiting online!
Yang Yi’s box was finally opened. Murphy leaned in to look, as curious as a little kid, seeming even more eager than Xixi to know what was inside.
But when she saw it, she was dumbfounded.
Xixi picked it up from the floor, holding it with both little hands, and lifted out the wooden sword inside.
That’s right... Yang Yi’s birthday gift to his daughter was a wooden sword, a traditional Chinese-style sword crafted to match Xixi’s size. Of course, it was unsharpened and blunt.
Murphy wasn’t just dumbfounded; she was speechless, utterly at a loss. She stared at Yang Yi as if he were an idiot, her eyes seeming to say, "And you had the nerve to criticize me? What kind of birthday gift is this? Giving a sword to such a young child? And to a girl at that!"
But Yang Yi was completely oblivious. He had put a lot of effort into making this sword, so he took it from Xixi’s hands and began explaining enthusiastically, "To make this sword light enough for Xixi to hold, I specially picked the best neem wood, then shaped, carved, and polished it into this form!"
"Xixi, look, what’s on the sword?" Yang Yi pointed at the engravings on the blade, smiling.
Xixi cooperated, leaning curiously on her father’s arm to examine it. Her eyes lit up as she said, "It’s a little bunny! And a big bear, and a little fox..."
Yes, Yang Yi had carved many of Xixi’s favorite toy figures on it. That was just one side; the other side featured some anime characters she liked from TV cartoons. A sword that was originally full of masculine energy had suddenly become brimming with girlish charm.
At first, Murphy saw it as a joke, her face darkening with exasperation, probably thinking, "I’m betting against an idiot—am I lowering my own IQ?"
But the story didn’t go as she expected. Xixi was full of enthusiasm for the sword, and the more she looked at the cute carvings, the more she loved it!
"And this!" Yang Yi chuckled. "See these two slots?"
He took the "Elsa" and "Anna" wooden figurines from the cake, wiped off the cream and food coloring with a towel, and showed them to Xixi. To her amazement, they fit perfectly into the two slots on the sword’s handle!
"Wow, so cool!" Xixi hopped up and down excitedly. "How do you take them off?"
Yang Yi demonstrated, and from then on, Xixi couldn’t bear to let it go.
"This isn’t fair! How can you do this?" Murphy pouted, protesting. "No way, how can you give your daughter a sword?"
"Why not?" Yang Yi had it all planned out. He said, "Precisely because Xixi is a girl, I want her to learn some skills so she can protect herself in the future! So, starting tomorrow, I’ll take Xixi to practice martial arts and learn swordsmanship every day."
Why swordsmanship?
Because Yang Yi himself was an expert with blades and swords—his skill with cold weapons surpassed even firearms. Teaching Xixi swordsmanship was naturally his way of passing down his craft!
Of course, at the beginning, he would only teach the little girl simple moves to strengthen her body. Later, when Xixi understood boundaries, he would teach her the more lethal techniques.
"Xixi is only four!" Murphy had initially wanted to say that Yang Yi was playing dirty by using Xixi’s favorite cartoon characters to win her over, but now her thoughts were getting sidetracked by Yang Yi.
"So what if she’s four? I was forced to start horse stance training by my grandfather when I was three!" Yang Yi was referring to his past self; in his previous life, at three, his little knife had already tasted blood!
"But, but..." Xixi didn’t understand what her parents were arguing about. She hugged the wooden sword like a toy, refusing to let go, and said weakly, "But Xixi really likes it!"
"Then which gift from Daddy and Mommy do you like the most?" Yang Yi and Murphy asked almost in unison.
{PS: Didn’t see that coming, did you? After seeing Yang Yi’s gift, does it feel like your worldview just got shattered? Haha~}