"Yang Yi, you bastard!" Murphy's curse wasn't entirely unjustified—what he said was truly too much!
Let's go back to just over ten minutes ago. Murphy was discussing kindergarten options with Yang Yi. She was quite satisfied with the teaching staff at one particular kindergarten because they hired current college students. Murphy felt they could teach Xixi more things.
"Is academic qualification really that important?" Yang Yi suddenly spoke up.
This question had been weighing on his mind for a long time—or rather, it had always bothered his former self. Although these days of peaceful, happy life had almost made him forget this conflict, Murphy's words now brought that buried rift to the surface again.
Murphy hadn't quite grasped what Yang Yi was asking. She thought they were still discussing the kindergarten. "Of course it is," she said with a laugh. "Do you want someone who hasn't even studied to teach your daughter?"
"I don't have a college degree. I didn't even finish high school..." Yang Yi lifted his head, his gaze somewhat indifferent. "Does that mean I'm not qualified to be Xixi's father?"
Murphy was taken aback by Yang Yi's words. She was stunned for a long moment before saying, "Why would you say that? Why say you're not qualified? What does this have to do with education? You are Xixi's father—her biological father!"
Murphy still couldn't understand why Yang Yi's tone had suddenly turned cold, but she felt as if something precious to her was being questioned, and a sense of grievance welled up inside her.
Biological father? Yang Yi frowned.
"Because I'm her biological father, that's why you want to be with me?" Yang Yi figured since they were already discussing this, he might as well lay it all out and voice all the doubts in his heart.
Murphy stared at Yang Yi in shock.
Yang Yi, who had never been in a relationship before, bluntly continued, "I read an article that said a father's love is very important in a girl's growth."
To be precise, it was an article blending gossip and child development studies. It used the tragic love stories of a female singer who encountered several极品渣男 (scumbags) and had her privacy exposed after breakups as examples, discussing how girls lacking fatherly love are more likely to fall for scumbags!
A father is the first male a girl comes into contact with. If a girl receives her father's care and affection from a young age, she'll handle relationships with ease when she grows up, and might even use her excellent father as a template for finding a boyfriend.
But if she misses out on this important emotional bond and never experiences fatherly love, she'll become overly desperate and dependent on romantic love. If someone treats her even slightly well, she'll be completely submissive to them.
Obviously, that's very dangerous!
Yang Yi had read all this in the article, and he certainly didn't want Xixi to end up as tragically as that female singer. So he poured everything he had into doting on his daughter, giving her the best fatherly love in the world.
But now, the problem wasn't with Xixi—it was with his relationship with Murphy.
This question had troubled Yang Yi's former self for a long time, and now Yang Yi wanted to know the answer: Where did the feelings between him and Murphy come from? Was it true love? Or was Murphy simply making a "sacrifice" to give her daughter a father?
So Yang Yi asked directly, "Is it because you want to create a good environment for Xixi, to give her a complete family, that you're willing to set aside your prejudice against my lack of education, ignore your disdain for my lack of money, and pretend to be with me?"
That was truly too much!
Yang Yi was speaking entirely from his own perspective, fueled by his inner pride, questioning Murphy.
Murphy never imagined Yang Yi would say something like this—it practically insulted her character. Her pent-up grievance burst forth. Unable to speak, she just wanted to call him a bastard, then turned and ran back to the bedroom.
But as she turned, Murphy's委屈的泪花 (tears of grievance) couldn't be held back, spilling from the corners of her eyes.
"Bastard! Big bastard! I never want to talk to him again!"
...
The atmosphere at home suddenly turned strange. Murphy had locked herself in her room. Xixi sat timidly to the side, clutching her Remu pillow, but she had no heart to play with the kittens or watch cartoons.
The little girl kept glancing at her father, her small face etched with the word "worry," her delicate brows slightly furrowed, like a little Lin Daiyu that made one's heart ache with pity. But Xixi didn't dare disturb her father...
This feeling wasn't happy at all.
This time, it was Yang Yi himself who felt this thought rising within him.
He inexplicably felt panicked, as if he was about to lose Murphy. Even though the knot in his heart hadn't been untied, Yang Yi was already regretting it.
Why did I bring it up? Wouldn't it have been fine to just muddle along?
Memories of these past days kept surfacing...
"Hey, you're back? What flowers did you buy?" Murphy's bright smile rippled like water. She had her pant legs rolled up, her lotus-root-like fair and smooth calves and her delicate, adorable feet seeming to glow with radiance...
"Let's walk ahead, ignore him! Hehe~" That was after dinner, strolling along the embankment. Murphy's slender silhouette was graceful, her hair fluttering in the wind, dyed a beautiful red in the sunset's glow...
"You want to practice your voice? First, feel how my vocal cords vibrate when I pronounce sounds." That was still from the morning. Murphy took his hand, picked out his index finger, and pressed it against her throat. Yang Yi had forgotten what he was supposed to be doing, just gazing at Murphy. Her neck was slender, her skin like snow, and where his finger touched, it felt smooth as jade.
But Murphy's serious expression seemed bathed in holy light. Even though Yang Yi could see the faintly visible scenery beneath her delicate collarbone, he dared not profane that sincerity...
"Were my words too hurtful?" Yang Yi thought silently.
They really were... Now that he had calmed down, Yang Yi realized that what he had said was truly thoughtless.
"Pretending..." "Because I'm her biological father, that's why you want to be with me?"
Regardless of whether he was right or wrong, these words should never have been spoken—they were too damaging to one's dignity!
"What do you really want?" Yang Yi asked himself a question he had never seriously considered.
Was it to make Murphy admit that she was as "despicable" as Yang Yi thought, and then drive her away?
Of course not. Yang Yi loved the feeling of being with Murphy, especially after these days of contact—more and more common ground, more and more joy. How could he bear to let Murphy leave?
But why did he say such things?
Was there any way for Murphy to save face?
Maybe he wanted Murphy to admit she wasn't like that, so they could be together without any barriers.
But after saying those words, how could Murphy not care? How could she not be hurt? Even if his own knot was untied, wouldn't it leave a scar in her heart?
Yang Yi truly regretted it...
The image of Murphy leaving with tears streaming down her face, resolute and heartbroken, flashed through his mind, and Yang Yi felt as if his heart was being cut.
"You have to do something!" Yang Yi told himself.