Become a mother in a night

Chapter 52

Ever since Michelle Xia debuted her work on ScribeSphere, Eleanor Ye was hooked, checking for updates religiously every single day. Eleanor, a novel enthusiast, couldn't get enough of Michelle's writing. Every chapter ended on such a cliffhanger, making readers eagerly anticipate what would come next. She wished she could delve straight into Michelle's backlog of drafts and quench her insatiable hunger for the story.
Alex Ye didn't share Eleanor's luxury of immersing himself in novels daily, but he did keep a watchful eye on Michelle's rising stardom. Unlike Eleanor, who was engrossed in the plot, Alex was quick to notice something amiss with the data surrounding Michelle's work. His memory was sharp, and he recalled data trends of previously popular articles on ScribeSphere. Hence, when he saw Michelle's numbers, he couldn't help but furrow his brows.
Using such underhanded tactics was a common practice, but for Michelle? She should be more concerned about her reputation. Alex had already ensured that Michelle's work would be featured prominently on ScribeSphere, with a robust marketing plan backing her. The need for fake engagement was beyond his comprehension.
Initially, Alex had assumed Michelle was behind this, so he simply hinted to ScribeSphere's tech team to keep a close watch. While short-term numbers can be manipulated, an author's reputation is enduring. Knowing Michelle's age and inexperience, Alex felt a talk was in order. She was young and naive and might not fully understand the ramifications of her actions.
However, when Derek Lin from the tech team relayed the information back to him, Alex was left pondering: any author with a hint of sense would know not to make their numbers glaringly fake. Could Michelle really be that naive?
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Lizzy Xia had been feeling a bit down these past few days because Michelle Xia hadn't been watching cartoons with her in the evenings. She would watch them alone, and once the shows were over, she'd go to bed by herself.
Oh, and her father, Alex Ye, had been incredibly busy lately. Sometimes, he wouldn't come home for dinner, and when he did, he'd only watch a short bit of the cartoon with her before leaving.
To be fair, Lizzy used to watch the shows by herself, glued to the TV without company. But for quite some time now, her mom would join her, and so would her dad. She had grown used to it.
Children, after all, tend to be a bit greedy, feeling almost entitled to certain things without malice. And what harm could come from a child wanting her parents to watch a cartoon with her?
So, Lizzy decided - tonight she'd act a bit extra cuddly, asking her parents to join her in watching her favorite show!
Lizzy and Sophie Ye were the best of friends. When Lizzy confided her feelings to Sophie, the latter was quick to offer a strategy. Sophie, with her rich experience in these matters, advised, "Lizzy, you should look really sad, almost on the verge of tears. That way, uncle and aunt will ask, 'What's wrong, darling?', and that's when you can act all sweet. They'll agree to anything you say!"
That's exactly how Sophie would get her way every time. Her parents would always give in!
Lizzy nodded earnestly, "Ah, so that's the trick!" She looked at Sophie with admiration, "Sophie, you're so clever!"
Sophie blushed at the compliment but felt elated inside. "As your elder, it's my duty to help you," she said, holding Lizzy's hand. "Whenever you're unsure about something, just ask me."
Lizzy replied, "Okay! Sophie, you're the best!"
The two children sat in their classroom, whispering secrets, waiting for their parents to pick them up. They always had an endless list of things to talk about. At one point, Sophie mentioned the baby brother in her mother's belly.
This reminded Lizzy of the technique Sophie had taught her earlier. She decided that once she got her parents to watch cartoons with her this time, next, she'd ask her mom for a baby brother.
The thought made Lizzy incredibly happy, her chubby cheeks lighting up, lips curling into a huge grin.
When Alex Ye finally came to pick her up, Sophie quickly reminded her to put on her saddest, almost-teary face. And Lizzy caught on in no time.
Lizzy Xia had instantly put away the smile on her face, her lips pouting slightly and her head tilting downwards, appearing rather forlorn and pitiable.
Today, it was Alex Ye's turn to pick up the children. As he saw the dejected demeanor of his daughter, he paused for a moment. Quickly quickening his pace, he squatted down in front of her, ensuring their eyes were on the same level. Alex gently patted Lizzy's head and in a soft, comforting tone, inquired, "What's the matter, Lizzy? Why are you not in high spirits today?"
After asking, he turned his gaze towards Sophie Ye, who stood beside Lizzy, and asked, "Sophie, did someone bully Lizzy today?"
Sophie hurriedly shook her head, "No one bullied Lizzy!" Sophie had quite the reputation in kindergarten; no child dared to mess with her. Since Lizzy usually played with Sophie, the other children wouldn't dare to pick on Lizzy either. If anyone tried to bully Lizzy, Sophie would undoubtedly step in to protect her.
Thinking about it, Sophie confidently told Alex, "Uncle Alex, don't worry, I'll always protect Lizzy!"
Upon hearing this, a smile formed on Alex's face. Knowing that Lizzy wasn't bullied put him somewhat at ease. He wondered, if not bullying, then what could possibly have upset his little girl?
Lizzy remembered the technique Sophie had taught her and continued to exhibit an incredibly sorrowful, almost teary-eyed expression. It took Alex asking her twice before she managed to respond with a truly pitiable tone, "Daddy and mommy don't watch cartoons with Lizzy anymore." As she spoke, her eyes, round and gleaming, blinked rapidly, genuine sadness evident in them. It had been several nights since she had watched cartoons all by herself.
Hearing this, a sense of guilt washed over Alex. He had been utterly engrossed in a project lately and hadn't spent evenings with Lizzy for a while. Seeing the tear-filled eyes of his daughter, his heart softened, and he felt a pang of regret.
Trying to console her, he said tenderly, "It's Daddy's fault. How about tonight Daddy watches cartoons with Lizzy? Would that be good?"
Lizzy nodded her head, thinking to herself: Sophie's advice really works.
She cooed to Alex, "Lizzy also wants to watch cartoons with mommy."
Alex would've loved to promise on Michelle Xia's behalf, but he couldn't. So he tried to placate Lizzy, "How about when we get home, you can also ask mommy to join us in watching cartoons, alright?"
Lizzy nodded vigorously and hummed in agreement.
She then ran over to hug Sophie, bidding her farewell, before heading home with her father.
Once they got home, Lizzy Xia was about to use her usual tactic of being adorably whiny with Michelle Xia, but then she remembered Sophie Ye's advice and instantly put on an exaggerated sad face, pretending she was about to cry.
Seeing her daughter's swift change in demeanor, Michelle was taken aback. "What happened to her today?" she thought to herself. She glanced up at Alex Ye for answers, but he looked back with his usual inscrutable dark eyes, devoid of emotion, giving nothing away.
If Alex didn't provide any information, it meant that the possibility of Lizzy being bullied at kindergarten could be ruled out. So if it wasn't bullying, what could have made their little girl so upset?
Michelle gently ruffled Lizzy's hair and, seeing her daughter's continued pouting face, couldn't help but chuckle. This adorable child, thinking she's such a good actress with her pretend sad face, was just too cute to resist. Michelle pulled Lizzy into a hug, nuzzling her cheek with her nose and planting two little kisses on her round face. "What's got you so down today, Lizzy?" she whispered gently.
Lizzy could usually hold out when Alex questioned her, waiting until the second time he asked before answering. But facing Michelle, her resolve crumbled. She couldn't help but whine, "I wanna watch cartoons with you~~"
Michelle thought to herself, "Is that all? And she had to act all pitiful for that?" But on the outside, she responded with gentle patience, "Okay, sweetie. Tonight, I'll watch cartoons with you."
Lizzy was ecstatic upon hearing the promise. "Sophie's method really does work," she thought. Lizzy then made a mental note to use this tactic next time to convince her mom to give her a little brother.
That evening, for once, Lizzy wasn't watching cartoons alone. Both her parents, Alex and Michelle, joined her. Lizzy felt so happy she even considered sharing the gummy candies her teacher had rewarded her with. After dinner, she eagerly took her candies and sat on the couch, waiting patiently for her parents to join her.
Michelle emerged from her room with her laptop in hand, planning to work while watching cartoons with her daughter. But the moment she sat down, she felt the gazes of the two people next to her. Lizzy's eyes were a mix of reproach and slight accusation, probably thinking that Michelle, with her laptop, wasn't truly "joining" her. Alex's look contained disapproval, seemingly believing that spending time with their child meant setting work aside entirely.
Michelle thought, "Well, aren't you two demanding."