"Wow, Yang Yi, I never realized you were this rich before?"
Mo Fei had finally returned, but what followed was her questioning and interrogation.
As Yang Yi expected, she quickly discovered his comfortable lifestyle—not only had he furnished the coffee shop with many expensive pieces and equipment, but he'd also bought Xi Xi a whole wardrobe full of brand-name clothes, filling up a large closet!
Earlier, Mo Fei had asked Yang Yi to send photos, but since phone pixels in this world were still quite low, she couldn't see clearly and had no idea that the clothes Yang Yi bought for Xi Xi were so pricey!
On this point, Mo Fei was still only at the level of suspicion. But when she saw Yang Yi's Ba Lang—a car that looked expensive just from its appearance—her suspicion escalated into worry!
"Tell me honestly, have you been up to something bad?" Mo Fei bit her lower lip, holding back until they went upstairs and Xi Xi was watching TV in the living room. Then she pulled Yang Yi into the kitchen, practically cornering him against the wall.
"Up to what bad thing?" Yang Yi feigned ignorance.
Mo Fei's eyes were red with anxiety: "You're still lying to me! If you haven't done anything wrong, where did all this money come from? Buying clothes and a car?"
Yang Yi was stunned. Mo Fei's emotional outburst was sudden, and it caught him off guard—so much so that it made him uneasy. Especially seeing her reddened eyes, he felt as if he had truly done something wrong, inexplicably filled with shame.
Seeing Yang Yi's evasive gaze and silence, Mo Fei stomped her foot in frustration and said, "If you're short on money, just tell me! I'm Xi Xi's mom, wouldn't I help you? Besides, I have plenty of money too! Why go and do something bad?"
Looking at Mo Fei like this, Yang Yi felt awful too. For some reason, he suddenly thought back to the two million he had "retrieved" when he was reborn. Back then, he thought it was perfectly justified, but now, facing Mo Fei's sincere eyes, why did he feel it was the most shameful thing he had ever done?
He simply didn't dare to be straightforward with Mo Fei!
"Where has your mind gone? What bad thing could I possibly do?" Yang Yi forced a faint smile, sticking to the script he had planned earlier.
"Then tell me! Where did all this money come from? Don't tell me you've been... dealing drugs?" Mo Fei started off tough, like before, but then her voice gradually softened. "Don't hide it from me, okay? Even if... even if it's something bad, we can figure it out together. I still have a lot of money; maybe I can help you get out of it..."
This fool...
Yang Yi was human too, with flesh and blood, and he was moved by Mo Fei's words. But he wasn't the type to show his emotions easily. The more unfamiliar this feeling was, the more he wanted to act normal.
"Mo Fei, calm down." Yang Yi grabbed her shoulders. Mo Fei, standing at just over 1.7 meters, looked tall and slender, but her frame was delicate, typical of a southern woman.
Mo Fei wouldn't relent, just like Xi Xi, insisting that Yang Yi give her an answer.
"Fine, I'll tell you. I do have another source of income, but it's all legitimate!" Yang Yi led Mo Fei to his study, turned on the computer, and pointed to the novel he was currently serializing and gaining popularity. "I published a book online, and it turned out to be quite popular."
Yang Yi deliberately blurred the publication date, and Mo Fei didn't think to question it. She sat down skeptically, scrolling the mouse to read the book's synopsis.
Seeing it was a military novel, Mo Fei breathed a slight sigh of relief. She didn't read the main text, but she believed Yang Yi could indeed write such a story—after all, the guy did have military experience.
"You wrote a book and made that much money? Enough to buy a car?" Mo Fei frowned, puzzled.
Yang Yi smiled faintly and said, "Yes, I should be getting over a million in royalties this month."
It was already June 3rd. According to the system's backend statistics from yesterday, Yang Yi's sales share plus tip share for May, calculated at the new ratio, amounted to 1,174,214.08 yuan...
Of course, tips still made up a large portion; online sales hadn't yet shown the full power of *Soldier Assault*.
Mo Fei gave Yang Yi a strange look, a hint of jealousy in her tone: "Writing books pays that well? If I'd known, I wouldn't have turned down that offer for an autobiography a few years ago. I've been running myself ragged doing gigs and barely making a few bucks a month!"
Of course, Mo Fei was exaggerating. She was, after all, a diva-level superstar from four years ago. Even if her influence had waned significantly, her appearance fee for a commercial show was still far beyond what an average second-tier star could command!
Over the past two weeks of commercial shows and promotional tours, her income could rival Yang Yi's!
If her new album helped her return to the top, the revenue from a single concert could be two to three million! And song sales would bring in even more.
(Andy Lau's concerts were the most profitable—box office earnings of over ten million, with Andy taking a 30% cut, netting over four million per show.)
Clearly, Mo Fei's jealousy was feigned. The faint smile at the corner of her mouth betrayed her relief.
Now she could confirm that Yang Yi hadn't done anything illegal for personal gain. As for him making so much from writing, Mo Fei was genuinely happy for him!
"Are you staying for dinner?" Yang Yi asked, a bit helpless, as he watched Mo Fei, who was lounging with her long legs crossed in black stockings, engrossed in reading his novel. She showed no sign of moving, so he poured her a glass of water.
Mo Fei glanced at the water he handed her, took a generous sip, leaving a lipstick mark on the glass with her crimson lips.
"No, Sister Ling said she's treating me to dinner tonight, and Xi Xi has to come too." Mo Fei paused, glanced at Yang Yi, but didn't say what was on her mind.
*It's not time to tell others about Yang Yi yet...* Mo Fei felt a bit lost herself. What exactly was her relationship with Yang Yi?
*Forget it, I won't think about it!*
...
Mo Fei left with a reluctant Xi Xi, but she didn't pack up Xi Xi's clothes, toys, or daily necessities.
With the release date of her new album approaching, she was getting busier. She might take Xi Xi back for a few days, then hand her over to Yang Yi again.
"You've got a car now! Next time, you'll have to come pick up Xi Xi from my place!" Before leaving, Mo Fei made Yang Yi take her and Xi Xi for a drive along the canal embankment in the Ba Lang. She pursed her lips, a little sulkily, and said, "And forget about today—I'll go straight to the hotel. But from now on, you have to drive me back!"
Yang Yi focused on driving, his tone calm: "No big deal. Just give me a call, and you'll find me."