Shocking! A three-year-old brings his aloof mother to their door.

Mo Ye was taken aback, and subconsciously retorted, "...Is it really that exaggerated?"

He Wanqing sorted and put the gifts away, then turned around, leaned against the cabinet, crossed her arms, and regained a somewhat aloof expression, but her eyes held a hint of grievance that she herself was unaware of:

"Can't you sense how my mother treats you?"

She paused, as if wanting to emphasize something, and then added:

"However, we are only in a marriage of convenience, so you don't need to worry about it too much."

"Is it really... just a marriage of convenience?" Mo Ye suddenly took a step forward, closing the distance between them, looking intently into her eyes, and asked softly.

He Wanqing's heart skipped a beat at his sudden approach and blunt question.

She forced herself to remain calm, slightly raised her chin, and tried to appear haughty. Her red lips parted slightly, uttering a defiant declaration:

"Of course! I'm a woman you'll never have!"

However, as soon as she finished speaking, Mo Ye's light and cheerful laughter rang out again, this time even more pronounced than before, with a smile spreading across his eyes and brows.

He Wanqing was even more annoyed and frustrated: "What are you laughing at again? Why do you keep laughing at me today!"

Mo Ye pursed his lips, trying to suppress his smile, but the tenderness and amusement in his eyes were impossible to hide.

He looked at He Wanqing, his voice gentler than ever before:

"It's nothing... I just think that you can be quite cute sometimes."

"Boom—" He Wanqing felt her cheeks, which had just cooled down, turn bright red again, and even the tip of her small nose seemed to slowly turn pink.

The impact of this statement was even greater than the term "wife" I just used.

She could no longer withstand it, and felt the air around her become thin and scorching.

She turned abruptly, took long, straight strides, and practically fled from the kitchen, this "place of trouble."

She needed to be alone to calm her racing heart and the heat on her face.

Mo Ye watched her slightly hurried yet still elegant back, his gaze lingering on her slender waist and long, straight legs swaying gently with each step. As if possessed, he lowered his voice and added to her retreating figure:

"The way you walk... is so sexy~"

He Wanqing, who had already reached the living room, stumbled and almost tripped over her own slippers.

She turned around abruptly, glared fiercely at the man at the kitchen door who was smiling innocently yet mischievously, and then stormed upstairs in a huff.

An hour later, Jiang Shuya returned carrying Tongtong, who was already a little sleepy.

As she entered, she felt a secret anticipation. Her eyes scanned the living room and stairwell, but she didn't see anyone. A surge of joy welled up in her heart: Could it be... that it's done?

Then, she saw Mo Ye walk out of the guest room alone, holding a professional book in his hand, looking calm and natural, not like he had just gone through some "intense exercise".

Jiang Shuya: "..." Well, all my expectations were dashed. My daughter really is useless!

She felt disgusted, but didn't show it on her face. She handed Tongtong, who was already rubbing her eyes, to Mo Ye and said, "Tongtong is a little sleepy. You take care of her to wash up and go to bed."

It's getting late, I should head back.

Mo Ye took his daughter and said gently, "Auntie, please wait a moment. I'll ask Wanqing to come down and see you off."

"No need!" Jiang Shuya quickly waved her hand, her tone filled with undisguised disdain. "I don't want to see that...useless thing of hers."

She swallowed back the words "useless" and used a slightly more elegant way of saying it, but her disdain was still evident.

Mo Ye watched his mother-in-law's graceful departure, and then thought of the person upstairs, and could only smile helplessly.

There's nothing we can do; this is the "producer," so we can only listen to the criticism.

When He Wan finished showering, dried her hair, and changed into a comfortable silk nightgown before coming downstairs, the living room had already returned to peace.

Mo Ye was holding Tongtong, who had already been bathed and changed into pajamas, nestled on the sofa watching a gentle children's cartoon.

Tongtong lay on his lap, her little hands supporting her chin, her little feet swinging happily in the air.

Mo Ye had one arm around her and the other hand holding a bag of potato chips. He ate a chip himself and occasionally fed Tongtong a small chip.

The warm yellow light from the floor lamp shone on the father and daughter, creating a heartwarming scene that was too precious to disturb.

He Wanqing stood at the top of the stairs for a while before walking over and asking softly, "Where's my mom?"

"I'm home." Mo Ye looked up at her. Under the lamplight, her skin, which had just finished showering, shone with a radiant glow. Her long hair was slightly damp, and she looked less sharp and more gentle and domestic than during the day.

"Why didn't you tell me before you left?" He Wanqing sat down on the single sofa next to her, her tone carrying a hint of resentment that she herself didn't realize.

Just then, Tongtong, who was lying on Mo Ye's lap, suddenly raised her head, blinked her sleepy but still clear eyes, and repeated clearly and earnestly in her little voice:

"Grandma said she doesn't want to see you, you useless thing..."

The air froze instantly.

He Wanqing: "…………"

Mo Ye: "..." He quickly lowered his head, pretending to be focused on studying the characters in the cartoon, but his shoulders began to twitch suspiciously.

He Wanqing took a deep breath, looked at her daughter's innocent face, and then at the man next to her who was struggling to suppress his laughter. In the end, she could only lean back helplessly on the sofa and cover her face with her hands.

She felt a lump in her throat, unable to escape or come down.

She felt her status in the family was declining at lightning speed, and there was no hope of ever recovering.

In the stillness of the night, only a warm yellow bedside lamp remained in the master bedroom.

Mo Ye originally thought that after his mother-in-law's "surprise attack" and the subtle "under-the-table confrontation" at dinner, he could at least catch his breath in the peace and quiet of his own room tonight.

However, he underestimated his youngest daughter's boundless energy, and he also underestimated He Wanqing's...sudden "interest".

After giving Tongtong a fragrant bath, the little guy seemed to be injected with new energy. Wearing a fluffy bunny onesie, he bounced around on the bed for a while before finally landing precisely in Mo Ye's arms, hugging his neck and snuggling affectionately.

"Daddy, tell me a story! I want to hear Daddy tell me the sequel to Sun Wukong and the Calabash Brothers!"

Again.

Mo Ye felt a chill run down his spine and looked for help at He Wanqing, who was leaning against the other side of the bed, holding a financial newspaper and seemingly engrossed in reading.

He Wanqing felt his gaze, raised her eyes from above the newspaper, her gaze cold and her tone flat and emotionless:

"Go ahead and tell me, I'd like to hear it too." After saying that, she lowered her eyes as if nothing had happened, but the slight upturn of her lips betrayed a hint of anticipation for a good show.

Mo Ye: "..." Well, there's no escaping this "calamity" tonight...