Murphy's question left Yang Yi stunned for a long time, unsure how to answer.
The word "insincere"—he himself later felt it was too harsh! It had slipped out in the moment, with no real reason behind it.
At a loss for words, Yang Yi could only recount the story of that female celebrity, then honestly said, "What happened between us was an accident, a mistake. Of course, I won't neglect Xixi—she's my daughter. But... I don't want our feelings to be built on the foundation of Xixi. I don't want you to force yourself to be with me just to give her a home."
Hearing this, Murphy felt even more wronged.
She bit her lower lip, seeming a bit angry as she asked, "Are we together? When were we ever together?"
Uh... Yang Yi was at a loss again.
Murphy didn't intend for him to answer. She lifted her chin, looking at him with a hint of pride, and said, "Hmph, Yang Yi, I admit I've developed some feelings for you recently, but don't flatter yourself, okay? I wouldn't stoop so low as to force my feelings onto you just for Xixi's sake!"
After all, she was once a superstar known across the country!
In terms of status, Murphy and Yang Yi were worlds apart. Only Yang Yi, carrying memories from a past life, hadn't adjusted his perspective and was narcissistic enough to think a big star would throw herself at him!
"Earlier, in Ah Ling's story, your analysis was right—a girl does need her father's love. So after meeting you, I still hoped Xixi could spend time with you, and I tried to send her over for two days every week."
Yang Yi nodded. Murphy was right—that was the arrangement. And when Murphy wasn't busy, she couldn't bear to let Xixi stay an extra moment at her dad's place!
Murphy raised her chin stubbornly and said, "But that doesn't mean I have any thoughts about you! I can live well on my own, raise Xixi by myself, and even find another man who's good to me and to Xixi later on, without taking your crap!"
"How can you!" Yang Yi panicked. He paused, then said, "I mean, how is that possible? Someone else isn't Xixi's dad—how could they be good to her? Could they be as good as me?"
"You're not good at all. You're just a jerk who pisses me off every day." Murphy turned her head away, fuming.
Yang Yi couldn't tell if Murphy was deliberately trying to annoy him.
Now, the thought of Murphy finding another man made his heart churn with unease. The idea of Xixi calling someone else "Dad" sent him into a panic: "Wait, didn't you just say you had feelings for me?"
Murphy bit her lower lip, refusing to admit it: "Did I? Did I say that?"
"You did!" Yang Yi thought she'd forgotten and nodded. "You just admitted that recently, you've developed some feelings for me..."
"Ah, ah, ah! I'm not listening, I'm not listening! You're talking nonsense!" Murphy covered her ears and shook her head.
Yang Yi was speechless.
After a long moment, Murphy turned away, refusing to look at him, and said in a voice so soft it was almost inaudible: "It's just recent feelings. Who told you to be so good to me? But now... hmph..."
Now what, Murphy didn't know. She felt Yang Yi was so mean, just as harsh as before—maybe it was best not to have any feelings for him at all!
But Yang Yi stood there foolishly, silent.
He had heard everything Murphy said—his ears were too sharp, catching every word.
Yet after listening, he unexpectedly drew a surprising conclusion from the information:
Murphy indeed had no feelings for the old him. She probably only kept in touch for Xixi's sake, to ensure she had her father's care, which was why she hadn't cut ties completely despite all the times he'd angered her.
But she did have feelings for the current him, because Yang Yi had changed and was good to her...
So, Murphy liked *him*—not the other him?
Reaching this conclusion, Yang Yi didn't know whether to feel relieved, happy, or smugly self-satisfied.
He was Yang Yi, but also not Yang Yi.
The original Yang Yi could be considered him, but also not him.
He was the current Yang Yi. Murphy liked the current him, meaning he was better than the original self?
A chain of logic left Yang Yi confused. Whatever—the important thing was that Murphy had feelings for him!
Yang Yi's silence finally got to Murphy. She turned her head, her gaze landing on the faint, foolish smile he couldn't hide.
Murphy pursed her lips, both exasperated and amused: "You and your clumsy mouth, spouting nonsense. Look how pleased he is!"
"I... I don't want you to be with anyone else." In front of Murphy, Yang Yi had forgotten his usual ease, stammering, "Because... because I'd care."
"Why should you?" Murphy retorted.
"Because... because you're Xixi's mom..." Yang Yi said.
"Hmph..." Wrong answer. Murphy turned away, ignoring him.
But then, for some reason, Yang Yi seemed to have a sudden epiphany. After hesitating for a moment, he blurted out, "And because I like you!"
As he said it, it was as if a string in his heart had snapped into place. He suddenly understood his feelings for Murphy.
This time, Murphy was stunned. She turned her head slowly, staring at Yang Yi. Though she had once hoped for it, she never imagined he would confess his feelings at this moment.
"I like you—I like your songs, your flower arrangements, your smile, and singing with you!" Once Yang Yi started, he couldn't stop.
In this life, he was just an ordinary person living an ordinary life. Why fear commitment and feelings? Why not bravely pursue what he loved? Yang Yi had figured it out!
Murphy pressed her lips together, her eyes reddening, but she was at a loss.
This jerk!
How could she let him move her? She had sworn not to pay him any attention...
"Mommy... Daddy, Daddy's gone. Xixi is so scared." Xixi's voice suddenly rang out from the doorway. The little girl's timid tone instantly broke the awkward, ambiguous atmosphere between Yang Yi and Murphy.
In the end, their daughter was more important! Murphy quickly got out of bed, and Yang Yi almost simultaneously headed for the door.
Murphy opened the door and picked up the anxious Xixi.
"Huh? How come Daddy's here?" Xixi was surprised to see her father, but then her eyes widened in confusion.
Earlier, Daddy had gone to the balcony and disappeared. Xixi was so scared! But why was Daddy in Mommy's room? Xixi couldn't figure it out.
Murphy shot Yang Yi a glare and said to her daughter, "Your daddy is very bad. He left Xixi all alone outside. Let's not talk to him, okay?"
"Yeah, Daddy is very bad!" Thinking about how worried she'd been, Xixi pouted and joined her mother in solidarity.
Yang Yi smiled helplessly and followed Murphy and Xixi out.
No matter what, with their daughter around, any conflict between them couldn't escalate.
But when Murphy saw him still smiling, she felt annoyed and secretly kicked him: "What are you smiling at? Stop it!"
"Then you can't do that either!" Yang Yi couldn't be too explicit in front of their daughter.
"Hmph, says who?" Murphy lifted her chin, a bit proud. "You've never even courted me. Just because you say you like me, does that mean I can't be with anyone else and have to obediently stay with you?"
"Then I'll court you!"
"What?"
"Murphy!" Yang Yi was dead serious, as if taking an oath to join the Party, almost raising his fist. "I said I'm going to pursue you! So that one day you'll be with me!"
"Yay, yay!" Xixi chimed in excitedly from the side, cheerfully ruining the mood. "Xixi wants to pursue Mommy too, so Mommy and Daddy and Xixi can be together forever!"