Yan Xiaopei's son was six years old, but she was actually only twenty-eight.
Her first marriage was hard to talk about, almost like a melodramatic soap opera: a naive rural girl came to the big city to work, became infatuated with urban life, and latched onto a wealthy man to stay. But within a few years, he cheated, she got a divorce settlement, reinvented herself, and started living her own city life.
Fortunately, the man she had a slight crush on now didn't pry into her past, even though she was subtly hinting that she had a child but was still single.
Living alone wasn't easy, especially since she had to worry about her son. As he grew older, the burden on her shoulders became heavier, and the loneliness and emptiness she faced at night made it hard to sleep.
Her inner desire grew stronger—she longed for a strong and caring man to share the pressure with her and give her the warmth of love.
The first time she saw Yang Yi, Yan Xiaopei felt her heart stir!
Unlike the boys who came to her flower shop, their eyes always darting away from her chest, Yang Yi had an intoxicating mature aura. Unlike the men who chased her for her beauty, he didn't have that hollowed-out look from indulgence. On the contrary, up close, his strong masculine presence nearly made her swoon.
So, when facing Yang Yi, Yan Xiaopei found herself shy as a young girl, even stumbling over her words—completely unlike her usual self!
When Yang Yi invited her upstairs, Yan Xiaopei didn't think to refuse. Even as she followed him up, she reproached herself: "Am I being too forward? How can I so easily go to a strange man's home?"
But soon, she found a reason for her actions: "It's fine, he has a daughter! And she's so cute. A man with a daughter can't be a bad person."
...
While Yan Xiaopei was lost in her thoughts, Yang Yi led her to the bathroom, then went out and sat down between the awkward Xixi and Yan Yingkai.
With her father there, Xixi seemed to find her anchor. She trotted over, snuggled into his arms, and whispered, "Daddy, I don't like him!"
"Why?" Yang Yi smiled softly, speaking quietly to his daughter. "Because the little brother won't play with you?"
"Mmm, I just don't like him." Xixi pouted.
Yang Yi recalled the books he'd been reading recently, which touched on children's social issues.
Because of Murphy's identity, it was nearly impossible for her to take Xixi to play with kids her age, and Yang Yi wasn't much better. Whether it was his reclusive nature or his strong wariness of others, he rarely went out to interact with strangers.
There was a big lawn near the school where grandparents brought their kids to play every afternoon, but Yang Yi had no interest.
After reading those books, he gradually realized that he was partly responsible for Xixi's somewhat withdrawn personality.
To help his daughter grow, Yang Yi had to change himself first.
He turned to the little boy, smiled as warmly as he could, and said, "Yan Yingkai, can I call you Little Kai? You're older than Xixi!"
Yan Yingkai looked at Yang Yi, but his eyes seemed hesitant to meet an adult's gaze. He lowered his eyelids and nodded slightly.
"Your mom says you're learning piano? How long have you been studying?" Yang Yi awkwardly tried to make conversation, but at least his opponent was just a child.
"Just started, a month." Yan Yingkai replied softly.
"I see. Would you like to share some fun stories from your piano lessons with Xixi?" Yang Yi pulled Xixi forward and asked.
Xixi was now looking at Little Kai too, no longer throwing a tantrum.
Yan Yingkai looked a bit nervous but nodded anyway.
"Then Xixi, would you like to bring out your toys and play with Little Kai?" Yang Yi nudged his daughter with a smile. "Little Kai is your friend now! Friends should learn to share, okay?"
Xixi was very obedient. In her clear voice, she said, "I'll go get them!"
Before she finished speaking, she dashed off to the bedroom to fetch the toys her father had bought her.
Among the toys Yang Yi had gotten her, besides the plushies Xixi loved, there were some educational ones—like magnetic tiles that could be assembled in various ways, similar to LEGOs, and a maze ball game.
Xixi dragged her toy box over with effort. Although Yan Yingkai was also a bit withdrawn, he was still a child, and the toys caught his attention. Soon, the two kids were playing together.
While Yang Yi watched them, a crack appeared in the bathroom door, and Yan Xiaopei softly called his name.
Puzzled, Yang Yi walked over but politely turned his face away, not looking at Yan Xiaopei's petite, graceful figure reflected on the frosted glass door.
"Um, Yang Yi, my, my top got wet..." Yan Xiaopei sounded on the verge of tears, her voice shy.
It turned out that after washing her feet, she had tried to take off her slightly rain-soaked top to wring it out, but "accidentally" dropped it, and it "just happened" to land in a puddle. Now it was unwearable.
Yang Yi was also at a loss. After a moment's hesitation, he went to his room and brought out a shirt he had only washed once and never worn, handing it to Yan Xiaopei.
He wasn't keen on strangers using his things, but what else could he do? He couldn't let her come out half-naked.
After some rustling sounds, Yan Xiaopei finally emerged, holding a bag with her wet top and soiled stockings inside.
Yang Yi was in the living room watching the kids play. When he heard her and glanced over, his mouth went dry.
The first thing he saw was Yan Xiaopei's flushed face, her skin smooth and radiant from the steam. A few damp strands of hair curled against her cheek, adding to her allure.
His short-sleeved shirt hung loosely on her petite frame, almost like a dress, but Yan Xiaopei had her own trick. She gathered the hem diagonally and tied it in a knot, which not only failed to cover her denim shorts—making it look like she wasn't wearing pants—but also revealed a sliver of her pale waist, with her smooth stomach and tiny navel faintly visible.
Beneath the denim shorts, her stockings were gone, leaving only two slender, fair thighs...
Yang Yi only glanced briefly before quickly looking away, pretending not to notice.
"Thank you, Yang Yi!" Yan Xiaopei sat down beside him, her eyes shimmering.
Having been through a failed marriage, Yan Xiaopei wouldn't dream of poaching someone else's partner. But just now in the bathroom, the perceptive woman had noticed only two sets of toiletries—one for an adult, one for a child.
And so, some tender thoughts began to stir within her.