Once the misunderstanding was cleared up, Murphy didn't bring up taking Xixi back again, but she couldn't stay long with Yang Yi either. Not long after, Murphy received a call from Sister Ling, who was so furious her voice trembled as she tore into Murphy. "...Do you think just because you have talent and skill, you can waste it all? Do you think this entertainment industry is a place you can come and go as you please?" "Look at your current results—wake up! You're not the diva you were four or five years ago! If you don't work harder, you'll be crushed by those newcomers! You'll never make a comeback!" "...Do you even know who you've offended by skipping this show? Liu Shifang alone could make things this miserable for you, and now it's Shanghai TV! Offend Shanghai TV, and do you think you can still survive in this industry?" "I don't care what business you have, Murphy, or where you are right now—get back to the recording immediately! I've already told Xiaojuan not to say anything to the station, so you'd better get back now! Otherwise, don't bother coming to see me again!" Sister Ling was genuinely furious this time! Murphy was scolded so harshly she didn't even get a chance to explain. The brief clearing in her mood was now clouded over again. Yang Yi heard the commotion and roughly understood the situation. Frowning, he asked, "Did you drop work to come back?" Murphy nodded a little aggrievedly, staying silent. Whether she worked or not didn't really matter to Yang Yi—like running his shop, he could keep it open all day or just close up and take his daughter out for a stroll. But this job seemed important to Murphy! Having learned to consider others, Yang Yi could see that clearly: Murphy cared so much about her records; if she abandoned her work, it could lead to big trouble! "Is it going to affect you a lot?" Yang Yi asked. Murphy silently nodded again. "Then head back now!" Yang Yi said. "Don't worry about Xixi—I'll take good care of her!" "How can I make it back in time? The show starts recording at eight, and it's almost four now. How can I get back to Shanghai?" Murphy said. "I still need to find my driver... who knows how long that'll take!" The fastest way would be by plane, but that meant dealing with flight schedules, and all the back-and-forth might not save much time compared to driving. After all, Shanghai and Jiang City are close! Yang Yi stood up abruptly, grabbing his keys. "Isn't there still four hours? That's plenty! Come on, I'll drive you to Shanghai!" "I want to go too! Xixi wants to go!" The little girl, playing with her toys, perked up like an automatic alarm at the keywords, jumping up happily and running over. "Of course Xixi's coming too." Yang Yi smiled and ruffled her head. "Daddy wouldn't dare leave you home alone." "We won't make it." Murphy was skeptical, but Yang Yi took her hand, led her downstairs, and bundled her into the car. Though the moment was brief, Murphy's ears turned red—was this their first time holding hands? This time, Yang Yi settled both Xixi and Murphy in the back seat. For this arrangement, he even took out the car seat, reinstalled it in the back, and securely strapped Xixi in with the seatbelt. "I want to sit in front and see the view," the little girl pouted. But Yang Yi ignored her, quickly finishing everything and reminding Murphy, "Buckle your seatbelt." "Even in the back seat?" Murphy asked, puzzled, but she obediently complied. Soon, Murphy understood why Yang Yi said that! This guy was already very familiar with Jiang City's roads. After a few turns, he headed straight for the ring road, bypassing the busy downtown to connect to the Jiang-Shanghai Expressway toward Shanghai! Once on the highway, Yang Yi started accelerating—100, 120... pushing right up to the speed limit! If not for Xixi and Murphy in the car, for safety and their comfort, he could have easily hit over 100 or 200 kilometers per hour. "Slow down, slow down," Murphy said nervously, especially when she saw Yang Yi changing lanes and overtaking without slowing down, her palms sweating. "Giggle, giggle! This is so fun!" Xixi reacted differently, waving her little hands, thrilled by the exhilarating speed. "Close your eyes and take a nap—there's a blanket in the back," Yang Yi said without turning around. "Rest up; you've got the show tonight." "Bossy!" Murphy muttered to herself, wrinkling her nose and making a face at Yang Yi's back, then obediently hugged the blanket and settled in to sleep. She was truly exhausted. She'd barely slept a few hours the night before, then woke up early to the blow of poor sales, followed by the panic of Xixi suddenly disappearing. On the way back to Jiang City, she hadn't been able to rest, her mind full of all the entanglements with Yang Yi... Thankfully, she got the answer she wanted. And now, being cared for like this felt wonderful! In this sweetness she'd never quite experienced before, Murphy gradually drifted off to sleep. Actually, sleeping in the car wasn't very comfortable... Yang Yi's Ba Lang was great in many ways, but the suspension was terrible—maybe because it was originally a military vehicle that didn't prioritize comfort? Rocking and swaying, Murphy dozed fitfully, but she could still clearly hear Yang Yi and Xixi's conversation. "Wow, Daddy, look over there—so many boats!" "That's because we're crossing the river!" "Daddy, those cars can't catch us! So happy!" "With Daddy driving this fast, are you scared?" "Not at all! Xixi's not a little kid anymore!" "Haha, who told you you're not a little kid?" "Mommy said so. Mommy said Xixi has grown up and needs to be good, not bother Daddy." "Alright, don't listen to your mom's nonsense. If you miss Daddy when you're not at his place, just call him, okay?" "Mm-hmm!" "Daddy, can you open the window?" "Why?" "Because the windows are all covered, and I can't see clearly..." "Not now." "Why not?" "Because Mommy's sleeping! Xixi, you need to be quieter too, don't wake her up—she's very tired." "Mm-hmm, shh!" ... Before she knew it, the car stopped. "Murphy, Murphy, we're here!" Yang Yi turned around and gently shook her awake. Murphy groggily opened her eyes and saw Shanghai TV in the distance. She murmured, "Huh? We're here already? What time is it?" "Still early. Mission accomplished—we're almost an hour early," Yang Yi said with a slight smile. He'd been speeding the whole way, covering nearly 300 kilometers in three hours, weaving through Shanghai's city traffic without getting pulled over—lucky break. Murphy didn't rush to get out. She first called Xiaojuan over. "Sis, you're back?" Xiaojuan was almost in tears when she saw Murphy. But when she spotted Yang Yi in the car, she jumped, looking at him and Murphy with a strange expression. "Want me to wait for you?" Yang Yi ignored her and said to Murphy. Murphy shook her head gently, her voice unusually soft. "No need. You can head back, or take Xixi to hang out in Shanghai for a day or two. My schedule's tight—after the recording, I have to catch a flight to Beijing." Xiaojuan nodded, adding, "Yeah, the tickets are already booked!" "Alright, then I'll grab a meal and take Xixi back while it's still early," Yang Yi said, unconcerned. "Hehe, another ride!" Xixi, now addicted to car rides, cheered happily. "No way!" Murphy said sternly. "You're not in a rush going back—don't drive so fast! Safety first!" Xiaojuan looked between them with a puzzled expression, a bunch of gossip brewing in her mind. What happened today? How did they suddenly get along? She'd have to grill them for details later!