Chapter 18: Mi Xiaoyue's New Life
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Yan Xuan picked up the unfamiliar object and saw it was a remote control. He hesitated for a good thirty seconds. However, he didn’t press the switch as Fang Lian had hoped, but instead handed the remote back with a dark expression.
“This is a university classroom. Be more serious!”
Yan Xuan’s sour face startled Fang Lian, who quickly apologized repeatedly, “Godfather, I’m sorry, I... I...”
“Don’t ever do this again, got it? What kind of father would tolerate his daughter degrading herself?”
Even Yan Xuan couldn’t help but smile at the words in his heart, but he had to keep a stern face in front of Fang Lian.
What kind of father would watch his daughter degrade herself? But then again, what kind of father would endure seeing his daughter grovel before others, calling him godfather at every turn?
Although Yan Xuan felt he was being hypocritical, Fang Lian was so moved her eyes blurred. If not for being in class, she might have already buried her head in his chest and cried.
“Godfather, I know I was wrong...”
“Don’t be all sniffling. After class, go to the restroom and fix yourself so no one suspects anything.”
“Don’t worry, godfather. I’ll handle it well and won’t embarrass you at school.”
The “fatherly love” was a powerful charm for Fang Lian, each time boosting Yan Xuan’s favorability rating.
Yet recently, Yan Xuan was puzzled.
Before National Day, Fang Lian’s favorability rating had already reached 89. Although they didn’t meet during the holiday, Yan Xuan had tried to boost it, curious about what rewards came after 90.
But no matter how hard he tried, Fang Lian’s favorability stayed stuck at 89 with no change.
Could there be some special condition to reach 90?
When class ended at 11:30, Yan Xuan asked Fang Lian as usual, “Let’s go out for a walk at noon. What do you want to eat?”
Fang Lian shyly replied, “Godfather, I need to pick up a friend at noon, probably can’t accompany you.”
“No problem, you go handle your business. I’ll just rest in the dorm.”
“Thank you, godfather.”
Yan Xuan never interfered too much in Fang Lian’s private life, and she appreciated that.
Having witnessed all sorts of men around her mother, Fang Lian thought that if it were some overly possessive, jealous type, they would want to keep her tied to them twenty-four-seven.
After parting with Fang Lian, Yan Xuan grabbed a quick meal in the cafeteria and returned to his dorm.
Opening the app, he hesitated about whether to contact Mi Xiaoyue.
He certainly wouldn’t let the app erase Mi Xiaoyue from reality, but he worried that once he reached out, Yu Jiangxiong might trace it back to him.
As the richest man in the province, Yu Jiangxiong’s rise was something Yan Xuan had heard about.
If the rumors online were true, then petty criminals like the fish vendor in those dramas were nothing but ants before Yu Jiangxiong.
The idea of being targeted by someone like that sent chills down Yan Xuan’s spine.
Of course, rumors were just rumors. Yan Xuan preferred to believe his future father-in-law was a man of integrity!
Summoning his courage, Yan Xuan opened Mi Xiaoyue’s chat window.
“Are you there?”
No, too casual.
“Xiaoyue, I saw you on the news.”
No, too deliberate; it sounded like he had an agenda.
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“Xiaoyue, are you feeling better?”
After much deliberation, Yan Xuan clicked send and gave a self-deprecating smile.
No one is immune to vanity. If Mi Xiaoyue were still the humble, invisible internet addict she used to be, he wouldn’t hesitate to message her like this.
Moments later, a large red exclamation mark struck Yan Xuan like a blow.
She deleted me just like that?!
His heart suddenly sank, the pain from being beaten by Mi Fenjin flared up again.
So much for enduring the blows in vain.
Her favorability rating was already 70—would she really delete him?
Feeling the harshness of reality, Yan Xuan pondered how to reconnect with Mi Xiaoyue, or even meet her in person.
If a woman could be unkind, he could not be unjust.
No matter what, a life is a life. Yan Xuan refused to watch helplessly as Mi Xiaoyue was erased from reality by the app.
———
At six in the morning, Mi Xiaoyue, dressed in a Disney princess nightgown, slowly opened her eyes on the large princess bed.
Rising, she looked around the two-hundred-square-meter bedroom that resembled a fairy-tale park, feeling as if in another world.
Three days had passed, and she still hadn’t adjusted to everything around her.
For instance, two days ago at lunch, she casually mentioned liking a certain Hong Kong pop king’s songs. That evening, the star himself called her via video, congratulated her on finding her parents, and invited her to a concert.
Or yesterday morning, when she suddenly mentioned her rustic dog Da Huang from the countryside, by noon several purebred Chinese rural puppies were brought for her to choose from.
Faced with their long-lost daughter, Yu Jiangxiong and his wife Bai Hui had almost fallen into an obsessive frenzy to make up for lost time, eager to give her everything—even pluck stars from the sky.
A wet sensation on her toes revealed that one of the rural puppies Mi Xiaoyue had kept had silently come over and was gently licking her toes.
“Xiao Qiu, that tickles...”
Mi Xiaoyue held Xiao Qiu, softly teasing its chin as she murmured to herself.
“Xiao Qiu, do you think Brother Yan is worried because he can’t contact me?”
“Or maybe he’s seen the news about me online and doesn’t intend to reach out anymore.”
“And what about Xiao Mao and my past parents? My current parents won’t tell me about them. Whenever I mention ‘mom’ or ‘dad,’ especially mom, her expression darkens.”
Three days ago, all of Mi Xiaoyue’s accounts were deleted. She was given a new phone number and ID card.
Yu Jiangxiong was firm and didn’t yield to Mi Xiaoyue on this matter.
He knew well that if she maintained contact with her past, opportunists would swarm to ride her coattails—and Mi Xiaoyue was too naive to refuse them.
So Yu Jiangxiong decided to sever ties cleanly, so she wouldn’t see or know anything.
As for Mi Fenjin and Sun Tao, to protect Mi Xiaoyue’s feelings, Yu Jiangxiong had not told her the truth, only saying he was negotiating with them.
“Miss, are you awake?”
A knock at the door. Mi Xiaoyue put down Xiao Qiu. “Come in.”
The housekeeper, Liu Yan, in her fifties, entered and bowed. “Miss, sorry to disturb you... The new chef would like to know your usual tastes to prepare accordingly.”
“Tastes, huh...”
Mi Xiaoyue’s eyes flickered as she didn’t answer immediately but instead asked, “Housekeeper Auntie, can I go see the kitchen?”
Hours later, Bai Hui, yawning, arrived at the dining table after a long sleep, picked up her chopsticks, and casually took a bite.
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“Ugh, who cooked this today? Want to quit? Are you trying to feed my daughter pig slop?!”
Bai Hui slammed down her chopsticks, instantly silencing the servants around her—no one dared to speak.
“Are you all deaf? I asked who made this dish!”
Just as Bai Hui prepared to continue scolding, she saw Mi Xiaoyue timidly approach her.
“Mom, I cooked it...”
“You cooked this, Xiaoyue?”
Though her ID now read Yu Miaozhi, Yu Jiangxiong and Bai Hui still called Mi Xiaoyue by her old name to help her adjust.
Mi Xiaoyue apologized softly, “Sorry, Mom, I didn’t think you’d dislike the rustic flavors. Maybe I should let the kitchen cook for you instead.”
Bai Hui quickly pulled Mi Xiaoyue to sit beside her and resumed picking up food.
She ate while crying, “It’s delicious! Very delicious! Mom just wasn’t awake before and didn’t taste it right. Anything you cook, Xiaoyue, Mom loves.”
“Mom, don’t cry so much. You’ve been crying every day; your eyes are swollen.”
Mi Xiaoyue raised her hand to wipe away her mother’s tears, obedient and considerate.
“Mom doesn’t want to cry either, but whenever I think about all the grievances you’ve suffered these years, I just can’t help it...”
Bai Hui cupped Mi Xiaoyue’s face with both hands, overwhelmed with emotion. “Xiaoyue, don’t worry. Your father and I owe you so much. We will make it up to you in the days to come!”
Seeing the mood had softened enough, Mi Xiaoyue seized the moment and said, “By the way, Mom, I want to go to Nanjiang the day after tomorrow to meet a friend. Is that okay?”
“What’s not okay about that? I’ll arrange a driver and assistant for you right away.”
“No, no...”
Mi Xiaoyue shook her head like a rattle, then clung to Bai Hui’s arm coquettishly. “Mom, I want to go alone. Just one day, one day! Is that okay?”
Bai Hui’s eyes darted suspiciously. “What kind of friend?”
“Um... a very important friend to me.”
That little girl’s thoughts couldn’t fool the crafty Bai Hui, but since they had only recently reunited, she didn’t want a minor matter to cause a rift between mother and daughter.
She smiled and nodded, “Don’t worry. Your father and I will never interfere with your freedom. But you must keep in touch with me at all times. It was so hard to find you again. I don’t want any more accidents!”
“Okay!”
With the promise secured, Mi Xiaoyue readily agreed, already imagining the moment she would meet Yan Xuan.
Brother Yan is at Nanjiang University; he shouldn’t be hard to find, right?
Watching her leave, Bai Hui beckoned housekeeper Liu Yan over.
“Madam, any instructions?”
“Have Lao Cai follow Xiaoyue.”
“Understood.”
“And...”
Bai Hui took a sip of water, her expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. “If Xiaoyue tries to enter the kitchen again, stop her.”