After tidying up the dishes, Zhang Yichen glanced at the clock on the wall. The hands were about to strike one.
"I need to make a trip to the college. If you get bored, you can play on your phone or look through some sheet music." He casually slipped on a shirt as he spoke.
"College?" Chen Xiaoxi, sitting on the sofa with the baby in her arms, raised her head in surprise. "Didn't you just graduate?"
"The counselor's on duty today," Zhang Yichen answered while fastening his cuffs, sounding nonchalant. "The college has a business incubation program. I'm going to ask about it."
He had looked into it before. Sichuan Vocational College not only offered startup support but also housed one of the largest server clusters in the country—something a tech company desperately needed.
That was one of the main reasons why, despite being the top scorer in the college entrance exam, the original Zhang Yichen chose Sichuan Vocational instead of a prestigious university.
"I see. Go handle your business," Chen Xiaoxi said softly. She didn't ask further; such things were outside her expertise.
"Alright." Zhang Yichen suddenly turned his head and smiled. "Oh? Little Yixi is awake? Hungry already? Come to Daddy!"
He quickly strode over and scooped the baby into his arms. With one hand holding her, he skillfully prepared a bottle of formula with the other.
The movement was smooth, practiced—clearly, he'd done this countless times back in the orphanage.
"Yiya… ya ya…"
The little one, freshly awake, blinked groggily, her tiny hands flailing in the air, her voice soft and needy. Hungry.
Watching the scene, Chen Xiaoxi couldn't help but smile, warmth rising in her chest.
He was so young, yet his patience and gentleness with the baby far exceeded her expectations.
Twenty-two years old… Wasn't that supposed to be an age for playing, for dreaming, for chasing freedom?
But Zhang Yichen was different. At twenty-two, he was steady. At twenty-two, he already had a clear vision for the future.
What kind of man are you, Zhang Yichen?
"Little Yixi, dinner's ready!" In the midst of her daze, Zhang Yichen had already finished mixing the formula.
"You should go. I'll feed her." Chen Xiaoxi reached out her hands. From last night until now, aside from one breastfeeding, almost everything had been handled by Zhang Yichen. A trace of guilt flickered in her heart.
But that guilt vanished in an instant.
Faced with her open arms, the baby only blinked at her, then nestled deeper into Zhang Yichen's embrace, happily drinking her milk.
"This little traitor… Got Daddy now and doesn't want Mommy anymore?" Chen Xiaoxi sighed in mock defeat, tapping her daughter's tiny nose. Her eyes, however, brimmed with affection.
Zhang Yichen gently rocked the baby, his voice soft as a spring breeze. "Kids are simple. Whoever feeds them, that's who they cling to."
Still, that smug look in his eyes… why did it make her want to smack him?
Chen Xiaoxi huffed, pretending to pout. "Go ahead and be proud now. Let's see if she still sticks to you when she grows older."
"Don't be so sure." Zhang Yichen raised a brow, his lips curving into a teasing smile. "Haven't you heard? Daughters are their fathers' little cotton jackets."
"More like drafty jackets." Chen Xiaoxi rolled her eyes, but her laughter betrayed her.
She… liked this feeling. This warmth. This sense of belonging.
But how long could she really enjoy it?
She stood and walked to the window, opening it to the late-summer breeze. The wind brushed against her weary face, fanning the fire of her determination.
You're strong. But so am I.
If you don't abandon me, then I'll never leave you.
No one… no one will change my resolve.
In that moment, Chen Xiaoxi's aura transformed. The shadows of inferiority, of weakness, of hesitation—all swept away.
She was radiant, a queen in her own right.
Returning to the sofa, she pulled a few sheets of paper from her luggage and handed them to Zhang Yichen. "I've decided. I want to sing my own songs."
"Oh?" He accepted them with one hand. The moment his fingers brushed the ink, he felt the emotions buried deep within her heart.
Each lyric carried weight, bleeding with her struggles and her past.
After carefully reading them, he finally looked up, surprise and admiration flickering in his eyes. "You wrote all this?"
"Yes." Her gaze was firm, her voice clear. "I've been through so much this past year. I want to tell my story… with my own voice."
Zhang Yichen closed the papers, silent for a long moment. His eyes softened, layered with pain, admiration, respect, and tenderness.
These weren't just lyrics. They were her heart, her scars, her triumphs, her despair, condensed into words.
But still… of all her work, only eight songs truly had professional-level potential.
Dreaming of becoming a queen with these alone? Unrealistic.
Yet… with some polishing, they could shine.
"I respect your decision," he finally said, his tone steady, reassuring. "I'll help you refine these eight songs to perfection. The rest… just let them go."
Chen Xiaoxi's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of joy hidden beneath her calm mask. Her trembling fingers betrayed her excitement.
"You'd… help me?" Her voice was soft, almost afraid to disturb the fragile moment.
Zhang Yichen smiled, a warmth impossible to describe in words. "Haven't I been helping you all along? From the moment you decided to return to the stage, I've been here."
Her lips curved upward before she could stop them. His acknowledgment… felt so good.
But an album needed ten songs. What about the missing two?
Almost as if reading her thoughts, Zhang Yichen said, "For the other two, just record Invisible Wings and Bless. They'll help boost your momentum."
"…Thank you." Her voice trembled with gratitude. She knew those songs were destined to be hits, no matter who sang them. He was only giving them to her to ease her burden.
"Don't thank me." Zhang Yichen's smile deepened, tinged with mischief. "Just don't forget me when you're soaring in the sky."
Chen Xiaoxi laughed, her brows curved like crescent moons. "Fine. When that day comes, I'll keep you as my sugar baby."
"Deal." Zhang Yichen grinned. "I'll happily live off you."
"Stop joking. The baby's full now. Go handle your things." She playfully patted his arm and reached out for the child.
"Alright, alright. Before I get to eat live off you, I'll keep working like a mule."
Reluctantly, he placed the baby in her arms.
"Come, sweetheart. Mommy's turn to hold you. Daddy needs to earn milk money."
At that moment…
They truly looked like a family.