Midnight.
The baby's sudden cries startled the couple awake, dragging them out of their lingering intimacy.
Flustered, they separated. Zhang Yichen quickly prepared formula, placed the baby safely near the wall, then warmed Chen Xiaoxi's medicinal soup.
That night, he finally climbed onto the bed he had dreamed of for so long.
His restless hands explored places he had never dared to touch in either lifetime.
Before sleep, with shameless persistence, he tasted something he had never once had the chance to taste before—"mother's milk."
That night, he learned many things.
That night, he tasted the most delicious thing in the world.
That night, he thought he would be too excited to fall asleep.
But instead—he slept deeper than ever before.
Like a child resting in his mother's embrace.
(Alright, maybe the guy has a bit of an Oedipus complex!)
The next day, Zhang Yichen woke early.
Beside him, the mother of his child was still fast asleep, lips slightly swollen, a faint smile lingering there.
She must have been having a beautiful dream.
Unable to resist, he leaned down and gently kissed her lips before pulling away.
When he turned his head, he froze.
The baby, eyes wide like tiny crystals, was staring at him curiously.
Lesson learned—never do anything bad in front of the baby.
Fortunately, she'd been asleep when he "stole her rations" last night. Otherwise, wouldn't he have died of embarrassment?
"Yiya~"
The baby stretched out her tiny arms—clearly asking for a hug.
Zhang Yichen scooped her up, changed her diaper, and fed her breakfast—formula again.
While she drank, he washed up quickly, keeping everything neat and orderly.
"Another day full of expectations."
Looking in the mirror at his own swollen lips, Zhang Yichen couldn't stop smiling.
Today, they would move.
He gathered the garbage, carried the baby downstairs with one arm, and held the trash bag in the other.
Breakfast was also on his list.
Before, when he lived alone, his only requirement for breakfast was "something to fill the stomach." He never stocked ingredients.
But now, they were a family of three… plus the unwanted "extra" tagging along—Li Yue.
He decided from now on, he'd cook breakfast himself.
Street food? Who cared if it was healthy or not—it would never taste as good as what he made.
After buying breakfast, he carried the baby home.
She babbled in his arms, waving her tiny hands and occasionally tugging at his shirt collar, fascinated by the outside world.
He looked down at her, lips curving into a gentle smile. "Don't worry. We'll be home soon."
But just as he turned the corner, a black luxury car screeched to a halt in front of them.
The window rolled down, revealing Li Yue's mischievous grin.
"Well, well. Looks like you got what you wanted last night, huh?"
"No." Zhang Yichen's reply was curt.
"No?" Her gaze flicked over him, lingering on his swollen lips. "A battle that fierce, and you're telling me nothing happened?"
"You—why is a woman who's never married so interested in that kind of thing?"
He really didn't want to discuss his private life, especially not with her.
"Tch, forget it. Get in. Considering you didn't get to eat meat last night, I won't hold it against you." She patted the passenger seat.
"No need. We're almost home."
"You're carrying a baby and breakfast. Isn't that inconvenient? Hurry up, get in."
After a pause, Zhang Yichen lowered his head. The baby was waving her little hands, babbling as though she missed her mother.
"…Fine." He finally nodded and climbed into the backseat with the baby. At least this way, Li Yue wouldn't keep prying.
The car was quiet, the soft hum of the engine the only sound.
"You're out early today," Zhang Yichen broke the silence casually.
"Building the recording studio. Meeting the construction team to sign contracts," she said, glancing at him through the rearview mirror. "And you? You're up pretty early too."
"Habit." He lowered his gaze to the baby, rocking her gently.
Their awkward small talk didn't last long. Soon, they arrived at the building.
The contractors were already waiting. Li Yue signed both the studio contract and, conveniently, the orphanage construction contract right there in the car.
Then she handed Zhang Yichen a stack of design drafts. "See if you want to make changes."
"You drew these?" His brows furrowed, then slowly relaxed as he skimmed through them. "Not bad. You put in effort."
"Of course. If we're doing it, it should look professional. Can't just throw something together." She lifted her chin proudly.
Zhang Yichen tapped his fingers on the edge of the paper, thoughtful.
"What? Not satisfied?" Her smile wavered. "If you've got suggestions, it's not too late."
"Everything's fine except the recording studio. It needs to be completely sealed off from the offices. Best to add a password-protected security door."
"Easy fix. No need to change the blueprint, I'll tell the contractors."
"Good. I'll leave it to you."
When everything was settled, Zhang Yichen carried the baby inside. After a few steps, he turned back.
"…Thanks."
"Drama queen." She rolled her eyes and headed upstairs on her own.
She had to inspect last night's "battlefield."
No way they hadn't left traces.
But when she opened the door, she froze.
The room was spotless.
Too clean.
Not a single sign of chaos.
Her eyes narrowed.
What the hell?
No way they hadn't done anything.
This wasn't scientific at all!