"I really am rich!" Yang Yi explained his income sources to Murphy with a mix of amusement and exasperation, barely managing to convince her of his wealth.
But Murphy still had concerns. "Yang Yi, the entertainment industry might not be what you think. Money can't solve everything. For example, when I release an album, we need to source songs, hire producers, handle promotion, and so on. The most important thing is the support of a company's resources. It's not every time we get a songwriter like Mu Zi'ang to write an entire album for me!"
"It's fine. Trust me, Mu Zi'ang will write songs for you again next time!" Yang Yi smiled, gesturing with his right hand as if slicing downward, joking, "I'll put a kitchen knife to his neck and see if he's willing."
"You're talking nonsense!" Murphy couldn't help but laugh, chiding him. "If you mess around like that, forget Mu Zi'ang—no one will ever write songs for me again!"
"Just kidding!" Yang Yi patted Murphy's hand, still smiling. "Anyway, whether it's the songs or the studio, you don't need to worry. I have ways to help you solve it."
Even the most troublesome issue of record distribution, Yang Yi had a solution. He had a good relationship with Tianxiang Records in Hong Kong. At worst, he could write two more songs for Chen Yijie and call in a favor—they wouldn't refuse to help.
"I've got everything covered," Yang Yi said softly.
Murphy felt a warmth in her heart. Though her rational mind told her that Yang Yi, someone with no ties to the entertainment industry, was just being chauvinistic by saying this, her emotions were stirred nonetheless.
A surge of impulse grew like wild grass in spring. Murphy's eyes reddened slightly, a glimmer of something flowing in her lively gaze, and her hand gripping Yang Yi's grew warm and damp.
Yang Yi knew Murphy inside out—how could he miss the signs of her arousal? If not for their daughter nearby, this dining table, with a sweep of an arm clearing away the dishes, could have become their fiery battlefield...
But Xi Xi's presence turned all those wild thoughts into bubbles. The little girl appeared just in time, interrupting the mood her parents had been building.
"Daddy, Daddy! Xiao Hui and Duo Duo are being bad. They, they pooped on the balcony!" The little girl ran over to tattle, shouting from a distance.
Seeing Yang Yi's helpless expression, Murphy stifled a laugh, a faint blush rising on her face.
Yang Yi glared at Murphy's smirk, reached out, and pinched her delicate nose, saying, "Come to my room tonight!"
Xi Xi had already run over, tugging her father's hand toward the balcony. "Daddy, come see! Xiao Hui and Duo Duo pooped on the balcony again!"
"How do you know it was Xiao Hui and Duo Duo? What about Xiao Guai?" Yang Yi asked with a smile.
"Xiao Guai is very good. She wouldn't go to the balcony!" Xi Xi quickly defended.
Led by Xi Xi, Yang Yi went to the balcony and found two dark clumps—one on the floor, the other in a flowerpot. They differed in shape and slightly in color.
"Xiao Hui, Duo Duo, come here. Confess—did you do this?" Yang Yi called out.
Duo Duo, perched on the cat tree, glanced at her owner, then lazily turned away and crawled into a fake cave, leaving only her rear end visible.
Xiao Hui, on the other hand, was eager. Tail swishing, he slowly approached, with Xiao Gui trotting behind him like a follower.
"Xiao Hui, did you poop these two?" Yang Yi asked accusingly with a smile.
Seeing Xiao Gui come over, Xi Xi bent down, picked her up, and habitually scratched under her chin, pouting, "It definitely wasn't Xiao Gui, right? She's so good."
Xiao Gui nuzzled her little master's hand, thinking she wanted to play.
But the overly clever Xiao Hui was guilty as charged. He meowed, circling Yang Yi's feet, rubbing against him ingratiatingly, and finally extended his slightly clawed paw to hook onto his owner's pant leg, trying to get him to leave.
"Don't look anymore—I have my dignity, you know?" Xiao Hui seemed to be whining.
"So it was you!" Yang Yi laughed, crouching down to hold Xiao Hui's round face and gently flicking his forehead.
He didn't use much force, just scaring the naughtiest one.
Xiao Hui winced, meowed, twisted away, and crouched to the side, rubbing his head against his paw as if it still hurt.
"Hey, don't hit him! Cats aren't people—they don't understand your scolding," Murphy said, walking over and crouching to comfort Xiao Hui, chiding Yang Yi.
"I didn't use much force, did I?" Yang Yi scratched his head.
"Cats are very sensitive emotionally. If you hit them, they'll be scared of you and won't play with you anymore!" the seasoned cat owner Murphy explained. "They might be pooping outside their litter boxes because you haven't changed the litter in too long."
In Xi Xi's arms, Xiao Gui grew restless. Taking advantage of Xi Xi's loose grip, she twisted, kicked off Xi Xi's little belly, and jumped down.
"Xiao Gui, where are you going?" Xi Xi hurried back to the living room, forgetting she had come to tattle on the cats. She giggled, pulled out a plastic toy with a bell inside, and started playing with Xiao Gui.
"Ring, ring, ring!" The toy instantly grabbed all the kittens' attention. Even Duo Duo jumped down from the cat tree, and Xiao Hui forgot his grievance, leaping from Murphy to chase after it.
Yang Yi and Murphy cleaned up the mess. He swept the two clumps of cat poop into a trash bag and mopped the floor several times, while Murphy helped replace the litter in all three litter boxes.
Cats are territorial creatures. Though siblings, Xiao Hui and the others wouldn't share a litter box, so Yang Yi had bought each a covered litter box. These enclosed boxes were a hit with the three British Shorthairs when first introduced.
After some training, they had gotten used to using the litter boxes. But today, they pooped outside again, puzzling Yang Yi.
Murphy explained, "You clean up their waste regularly, but not changing the litter is a problem. Over time, the cats get disgusted because the old litter starts to smell."
"Litter is a consumable. When you scoop the poop with that special little shovel, remember to remove the soiled litter too and add fresh litter. That way, the cats will keep using the boxes," Murphy said, dumping all the litter from the three boxes into the trash bag Yang Yi held.
Then Yang Yi brought over a heavy bag of fresh litter and refilled the boxes.
Soon, facing the litter boxes in the corner of the study, Xiao Gui, Duo Duo, and Xiao Hui stood in a row. Even the restless Xiao Hui lay quietly.
Xi Xi brought a small stool and mischievously sat with the cats, grinning at her mother.
Murphy wasn't as stern as Yang Yi. She picked up each cat one by one, even the aloof Duo Duo, who squinted in enjoyment as Murphy cuddled her.
As she stroked Duo Duo's fine fur, Murphy pointed at the litter box and said softly, "This is your box, Duo Duo. From now on, be good and poop in here. If you listen, Mommy will give you a reward."
Xi Xi, sitting on the stool and rocking back and forth like on a rocking horse, chimed in, not wanting to be left out, "What about me? Me?"