"Xixi, time to get up! Come have breakfast!" This morning, it was Auntie Zhu, the nanny, who woke Xixi up.
Rubbing her eyes, Xixi slumped onto Auntie Zhu's shoulder, still half-asleep. The little girl's voice was drowsy as she asked, "Where's Mommy? I want Mommy..."
"Mommy? Mommy went to work! But she said Xixi has to be good and stay home!" Auntie Zhu, already used to this, comforted her smoothly.
"I don't want to be good, I want Mommy..." Xixi mumbled.
Of course, Xixi was just throwing a little morning tantrum. Used to not having her mom around, she was still well-behaved enough not to cry or make trouble for Auntie Zhu.
Auntie Zhu did her duty, helping Xixi wash up and eat breakfast, but she couldn't possibly be as attentive as a real parent. While feeding Xixi porridge, she kept the TV on, her attention drifting to the screen.
"I want a sandwich and juice," Xixi said, grabbing her own little foot in protest.
With Murphy not around, the little one was letting loose. Normally, Murphy, who was focused on raising Xixi to be a little lady, wouldn't allow her to play with her feet like that!
Dad might allow it, but Yang Yi would definitely make her wash her hands afterward...
"Auntie will buy you a sandwich tomorrow. There's juice in the fridge. Finish your porridge first, then you can have some," Auntie Zhu said, shoving another full spoonful of porridge toward her.
Xixi's mouth was stuffed with the thick meat porridge. She swallowed it uncomfortably before managing to speak again: "No, I want the yummy sandwiches Daddy makes, and juice made from oranges."
"You still need to eat properly!" Auntie Zhu said dismissively, eyes still on the TV as she added, "You have to eat well first before you can have all the tasty stuff."
What kind of logic was that? Xixi didn't even understand. At her dad's place, sandwiches were a meal, and during meals, he'd make all sorts of delicious things! The little girl, spoiled by good food, found what she had at home unappetizing.
But before Xixi could throw a little fit in protest, Auntie Zhu suddenly said, "Xixi, look! It's your mom!"
Xixi's attention was instantly caught. Her big eyes fixed on the TV, completely focused, because her mom really did appear on screen!
"Last month, former pop diva Murphy made her comeback and released her new album 'Nine Years of Dreams,' but its market performance has been lackluster so far. Experts analyze that Murphy's struggles stem from a significant drop in the quality of her post-comeback work, which is truly disappointing."
The TV showed clips from a music program Murphy had attended, but the news then cut to a so-called expert and music critic, who rambled on: "I predicted a month ago that Murphy's new album wouldn't do well! Why?"
"First, her new album was too rushed. From the first whispers of a comeback to the album's release, only a few months passed. Any great album requires a singer to meticulously polish it. How can an album made without care sell well? Here, I have to mention Li Manman. Her current status in the music industry is no less than Murphy's before she retired, but Li Manman still spent a long time perfecting her music. I believe the new album she promised her fans for next January will sell like hotcakes!"
"That's just one reason. There's another! I think Murphy has poor character. Remember when Teacher Liu Shifang publicly criticized her on a show? Later, many in the industry expressed significant dissatisfaction, though they didn't go public. I know because I'm close with them!"
"With bad character and having offended so many people, how can Murphy expect to easily return to the top after her comeback? If she could still be popular, wouldn't that be unfair to other hardworking kids, like Li Manman?" The guy went on and on, but it felt like he was trashing Murphy and boosting Li Manman.
In reality, he was paid by Li Manman. Only a small TV station like this one, which Auntie Zhu liked for its endless soap operas, would invite such a person to spout nonsense.
Auntie Zhu, of course, was on Murphy's side. She fumed, "This guy's talking nonsense! How is your mom not working hard? I feel so bad for her—such a good girl, practicing singing every day, working so hard. How can he say she's not putting in effort?"
Xixi had been listening to the man's words in a daze. As a little kid, she couldn't grasp all those big words, but she could tell he wasn't saying anything nice.
Hearing Auntie Zhu's reaction, the little girl puffed up angrily and said, "My mommy is not not working hard! Mommy is amazing!"
She seemed to equate "working hard" with "being amazing"...
"Oh dear..." Auntie Zhu sighed. "But your mom's in a tough spot right now. The news says she released a new album, but it's not doing well."
"Mommy isn't!" Xixi froze, feeling a bit upset. She rubbed her eyes and argued back.
Auntie Zhu didn't notice. Still watching TV, she said offhandedly, "It's really bad. Very few records sold. Some say no one would take it even for free."
"That's not true!" Xixi's big eyes brimmed with tears. She choked out, unable to accept the fact that her most admired mommy was being called no good.
"Oh, my little darling, why are you crying?" Auntie Zhu finally noticed. She quickly put down the bowl, scooped up Xixi, and started soothing her. "Do you want some juice? Auntie will get it for you right now, okay?"
But Xixi shook her head and sobbed softly, "I don't want juice. I want Mommy..."
"Oh dear, where am I supposed to find your mom right now? She's working hard, isn't she? Otherwise, how would she have money to buy Xixi pretty clothes?" Auntie Zhu said.
"Then I don't want pretty clothes. I want Mommy!" The little girl thought for a moment and added, "Daddy has money. I'll ask Daddy to give Mommy money!"
That seemed like a great idea!
"Your daddy's money is his own. How could your mom take his money?" Auntie Zhu, much like Mo Xiaojuan, felt sorry for Murphy and had some resentment toward Yang Yi. She snorted.
But Xixi wasn't listening. She felt like she'd found a perfect solution!
Mm-hmm, she'd find a chance to talk to Daddy and ask him to help Mommy!
Xixi brightened up, suddenly missing her dad!
Murphy had no idea that her daughter's quirky little brain would end up doing her a huge favor!
Of course, that's a story for later.
Right now, Murphy was unknowingly being set up for a big mess.