{PS: Going on the Three Rivers list this afternoon! Thanks to the esteemed Hu Shuo and the support of Wu Tong!!}
This awkwardness had actually been lingering faintly all along, but neither of them was fond of expressing such extreme emotions. So when they sat together again, they tacitly agreed to say nothing about what had just happened.
Before the midday break, Murphy came to the guest room—the bedroom where Yang Yi slept. Leaning against the doorframe, she said, "Yang Yi, I want to discuss something with you."
Yang Yi nodded and sat up on the bed. He gestured for Murphy to take the chair, but she declined and remained standing.
"I think it's time for Xixi to start kindergarten," Murphy said after a moment's hesitation.
Yang Yi frowned. In his view—having never attended kindergarten himself—it was like a gathering place for child-abusing monsters, influenced by the frequently exposed scandals from his past life.
So he blurted out instinctively, "Why? What's the point of kindergarten? If you don't have time to take care of Xixi, just let her stay at my place!"
He didn't notice his voice rising as he spoke.
"That's not what I meant. I'm not sending her to kindergarten because I don't have time to look after her," Murphy said, surprised by his strong reaction. She was a bit unsettled by his agitated demeanor.
She explained earnestly, "I'll enroll Xixi in the best kindergarten in Jiangcheng, where she can get top-notch bilingual education, and learn music, painting..."
If one word could describe Murphy, it would be "tiger mom." She believed Xixi should receive the finest education, just like she did as a child, and develop comprehensively in morals, intellect, body, and labor...
If Xixi weren't so young, Murphy would probably have her join various training classes, mastering everything from music to chess, calligraphy to painting, just like other moms.
But Yang Yi didn't see it that way. In both his past and present lives—drawing from his predecessor's memories—he had experienced a free-range education. He even felt that learning was only driven by the demands of his assassin profession: he studied on his own, willingly and fiercely, to achieve what he had now.
He didn't believe kindergarten could teach Xixi anything worthwhile. If it came down to a real comparison, the teachers there, teaching music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, wouldn't even match his half-baked skills!
So he said discontentedly, "I can teach her at home! Why does she have to go to kindergarten?"
This remark angered Murphy. She forgot she had other reasons to convince him.
Biting her lower lip, her fair face flushed with anger, she shot back sharply, "Yang Yi, don't think that just because you didn't have the chance for a high-end education as a child, Xixi has to follow the same path! She's going to college, to graduate school! I don't want her to end up like you, without even a high school diploma!"
That was a bit too harsh, and Murphy regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth.
But her anger still simmered, and she didn't know how to apologize. Torn between regret and justifying that Yang Yi deserved the scolding, she huffily turned her head away.
Murphy didn't see Yang Yi's eyes turn icy cold.
She probably had no idea how hurtful her words were. Yang Yi himself hadn't realized how much his predecessor's emotions still affected him.
The old Yang Yi, in his dealings with Murphy, had always harbored two grievances: first, he felt she looked down on him for being poor; second, he believed she disdained him for his low education and social status.
Though it was all presumptuous, the current Yang Yi was also a man with a strong sense of self, easily swayed by such feelings.
He was deeply annoyed by Murphy's words: So what if he had no diploma? Was having one such a big deal?
Yang Yi felt that in his past life, he'd never even attended school and had zero diplomas, but in terms of ability, he far surpassed graduates from prestigious universities.
The closeness they had built over recent interactions now showed a crack. Perhaps they hadn't noticed it yet, but Yang Yi subconsciously wanted to distance himself from Murphy.
"I may not have much education, but I'm more than capable of teaching Xixi the basics!" Yang Yi said coldly. "Besides, children should have a happy childhood, not painful memories of studying! I'd rather Xixi play for a few more years than rush into learning!"
This last part was actually something Yang Yi had gleaned from parenting books. Most experts believed preschool education was unnecessary and counterproductive, harmful to a child's physical and mental health!
But Murphy never bothered with those so-called "experts." Her focus was on Xixi's future development.
"Yang Yi, don't be so naive, okay? If Xixi doesn't learn these things, she'll already be far behind others when she starts school!" Murphy turned back, fuming. "It's like a hundred-meter dash—if you start ten or twenty meters behind, how can you ever catch up?"
Well, it seemed this topic was destined to spark a major clash between Yang Yi and Murphy today.
But just as they were at a standoff, a little head peeked in.
"Oh, you're both here with Daddy!" the bright-eyed little girl giggled.
Xixi had been about to nap, but after waiting and waiting for her mom to return, she got curious, jumped off the bed, and ran out barefoot.
Xixi's appearance instantly diffused the tension between Yang Yi and Murphy.
Though Murphy was still upset, she, like Yang Yi, set aside the argument without a word. Her eyes landed on Xixi's feet, and she scolded, "Yang Xixi, you're not wearing your slippers again!"
"Hehe, I want to sleep with Daddy!" Xixi twisted her body, deftly dodging her mom's grab, and ran laughing like silver bells toward her father.
In a flash, she had climbed onto Daddy's bed. Luckily, Yang Yi mopped the floor spotless every day, so Xixi's bare feet weren't too dirty.
But Yang Yi, a bit of a neat freak, winced at the sight and sighed inwardly: He'd have to wash the sheets again later.
"Yang Xixi, get down! Go back to sleep!" Murphy commanded.
Xixi quickly burrowed into her father's arms, poking out her tousled little head, and playfully made a face at her mom. "No way, I want to sleep with Daddy! Daddy tells me stories!"
"I can tell you stories too!" Murphy said, a little hurt.
"But Daddy's stories are the best!"
Xixi's jet-black, gem-like eyes darted around as she suggested, "How about you come too, Mommy? We can all sleep with Daddy."
"Pfft, out of the mouths of babes, let the wind blow it away!" Murphy blushed deeply at her daughter's words. She shot a glare at the innocent-looking Yang Yi, then turned and walked out. "Fine, you sleep with your daddy. I'm leaving!"
"Bye-bye, Mommy!" Xixi wasn't the least bit reluctant. She waved cheerfully, giggling with delight.
Now she could have Daddy all to herself!