Become a mother in a night

Chapter 55

When Alex Ye made such a gesture, Michelle Xia couldn't decline any further. She took the cake he offered, murmuring a polite, "Thank you."
Hearing her words, Alex lifted his gaze to meet hers, an evident displeasure at her formal courtesy. "Stop always saying 'thank you'," he hinted.
Understanding dawned on Michelle. "Alright, next time I'll bring you something tasty in return," she replied. Instead of verbal gratitude, she grasped the idea of expressing appreciation through actions. "I get it," she said, nodding her understanding.
Alex merely pressed his lips together, observing her without response. For a moment, he wondered whether Michelle was genuinely naive or just pretending.
Maybe his gaze was too intense, a little piercing. Michelle hesitated, asking, "Is something wrong, Mr. Ye?"
Alex responded, "...Nothing." Then, he turned away, deciding to get some fresh air on the balcony.
Watching his retreating figure, Michelle pondered, *Mr. Ye seems a bit off lately.*
Although consuming sweets at night might lead to weight gain, Michelle couldn't resist the temptation. She savored the brown sugar, bubble tea, and molten cake dessert before dinner. At her first bite, she thought, *Not only does it look good, it tastes heavenly.* By the second bite, she was exclaiming internally, *This is divine! I need to buy more tomorrow!*
As she took her third bite, little Lizzy Xia approached, tilting her head up with those big, pleading eyes. Her cherubic face seemed to spell, "I want some too."
Lizzy made a pleading face, "Lizzy wants cake too~~."
Lizzy was an adorable child, soft and endearing, especially when she put on her charming act. Michelle couldn't help but melt at the sight. "How can a child be this cute?" she mused. And the fact that Lizzy looked so much like her!
Michelle scooped up the child, seating her on her lap, and they both happily shared the cake.
When Alex returned from the balcony, he was met with the sight of mother and daughter delighting in the cake. Recalling Michelle's earlier reprimand about Lizzy having too much sweet, he gently reminded her, "Too many sweets aren't good for kids. It's bad for their teeth and can stunt their growth."
Michelle paused mid-bite, then pretending nonchalance, countered, "It's fine. Once or twice won't do any harm."
Alex didn't comment further, thinking to himself, *Well, it's always as you say.*
Seeing Michelle Xia and Lizzy Xia indulging in desserts before dinner meant they didn't have much appetite left for the main course. Alex Ye cast a disapproving look at Michelle when he noticed that Lizzy left most of her food untouched.
Ironically, it had been him who had introduced the cake to the duo earlier. But as long as Michelle remained unaware of this, he wasn't the one to blame.
Michelle felt the weight of Alex's accusing gaze. She feigned ignorance, avoiding meeting his eyes, silently taking responsibility.
Nora Su, concerned that Michelle and Lizzy might get hungry in the night, had set aside some snacks for them. Knowing Michelle and Alex's limited cooking skills, she even provided instructions on how to use the microwave, which modes to choose, and for how long.
"Thank you, Nora," Michelle said gratefully, "...you've been a big help."
She felt somewhat patronized, being cared for like someone with no common sense, but appreciated Nora's efforts nonetheless. Nora, however, didn't seem to notice the awkward undertone in Michelle's gratitude, simply replying with a smile, "It's no trouble."
Once dinner was over, it was time for the children's cartoons. Michelle, having spent the afternoon chatting with Alyssa, hadn't managed to work on her manuscript for the day. Now, she was torn between accompanying Lizzy to watch cartoons or focusing on her writing.
Had this been a while ago, she'd have unquestionably chosen writing. But lately, she hadn't spent much time with Lizzy, and she felt their bond slightly waning. This realization was reinforced the previous night when Lizzy cried and Michelle couldn't soothe her. The memory stirred feelings of guilt and unease in her.
As Michelle weighed her options, Lizzy made the decision for her. The little girl adorably whined, "Mommy, go write. Once you're done, I'll come to find you~~"
Seeing Lizzy act as her usual affectionate self, Michelle felt a weight lifted off her chest. She affectionately ruffled the little girl's hair and shared a few playful moments with her before heading to her room to write.
Once Michelle was gone, Lizzy immediately sought out her father for company. With a sweet smile and a hint of mischief, she asked, "Daddy, will you watch cartoons with me~~?"
Faced with his daughter's charming request, Alex Ye could hardly refuse. He smiled gently, rubbing Lizzy's head, his voice soft and loving, "Of course, darling."
Alex Ye and Lizzy Xia sat side by side on the sofa. However, their attention wasn't entirely on the animated film playing on the large screen.
While Alex's eyes were glued to the screen, his thoughts wandered to the day's work. Lizzy, although engrossed in the cartoon, had a different concern: how to pamper her mom, Michelle, after the episode. Indeed, the only reason she'd taken the initiative to let Michelle be tonight was to ask this question.
She felt relieved that her mother hadn't cajoled her this evening. It seemed if Lizzy acted spoiled quickly enough, her mother wouldn't. But what if Michelle did in the future?
With this uncertainty, Lizzy quickly turned to her father for advice after the cartoon ended. She tugged gently at Alex's shirt to grab his attention.
Realizing his shirt was being pulled, Alex came back to the moment. Spotting an empty fruit plate, he inquired, "Lizzy, would you like some cherries?"
Lizzy, who indeed loved cherries, nodded.
Alex headed to the kitchen, returning with a plate of washed fruits. As she relished the fruits, she suddenly remembered her burning question. Offering a particularly large, juicy cherry to her father, she blinked cutely and said, "Daddy, have some too."
Alex chuckled and accepted the fruit. Seeing her father pleased, she gleefully proceeded, "Daddy, I have something to ask."
It was the first time she'd ever said such a thing, and Alex was slightly taken aback. Still, he masked his surprise, replying gently, "Alright, Lizzy, what do you want to ask Daddy?"
Checking the direction of Michelle's room to ensure she wouldn't suddenly emerge, Lizzy turned back with her chubby face and round, captivating eyes. These features made her irresistibly adorable, ensuring anyone she sweet-talked surrendered instantly.
With genuine curiosity, Lizzy earnestly asked, "Daddy, today Sophie told me that if Mommy acts spoiled with me, I should pamper her. But how do I pamper Mommy?"
Alex, still melting from Lizzy's endearing demeanor, was caught off-guard by the unexpected question.
Wait, what did Lizzy just ask? How to spoil Michelle? This was out of his league.
Alex was momentarily lost for words.
Watching little Lizzy's eager expression, Alex Ye felt a weight of mixed emotions.
He paused for a moment, reaching out to ruffle the child's hair.
Thinking about how he had brought cake for Michelle Xia today, only for her to misunderstand his intentions, he thought, "I'd like to know the answer too."
Alex sighed. However, seeing Lizzy's trusting attitude and the expectation written all over her face, he, as a father, really didn't want to let her down.
He managed a smile and said, "Lizzy, you just have to listen to her, eat your meals well, and that's it."
Lizzy blinked her eyes a few times and nodded, "Okay!"
Lizzy thought aloud, "Oh! It's that simple, Lizzy can do it!"
After a moment's thought, Alex added, "And... you shouldn't eat her cake in the future."
Hearing this, Lizzy seemed both hurt and confused.
"Why can't I eat mommy's cake?" she asked, "Mommy likes it when Lizzy shares her cake!"
Alex patiently explained (or rather, fibbed), "Because that's mommy's cake. If Lizzy eats her cake, doesn't it mean you're taking it away from her? If someone took your cake, wouldn't you be unhappy?"
Lizzy seemed to have an epiphany, "Oh," she said, as if understanding everything. The bright little girl immediately nodded and solemnly told Alex, "Okay, from now on, Lizzy won't take mommy's cake!"
Michelle, in the midst of her writing, felt a pang of hunger.
She intended to grab some snacks, but as soon as she stepped out of her room, she caught snippets of Lizzy's gullible conversation with Alex.
She didn't know how to feel about it, thinking, "As long as you two are happy."
Believing she was being discreet, Lizzy clamped her mouth shut and pretended to be engrossed in the television the moment she heard Michelle.
Alex glanced at Michelle, knowing she probably heard bits of his conversation with Lizzy. Adults and children perceive things differently. While Lizzy believed Michelle had missed their talk, Alex reckoned Michelle had probably only caught Lizzy's promise about the cake.
Especially when Michelle shot him a disapproving look, as if blaming him for misleading Lizzy, Alex felt even more certain about this.
Suddenly, he felt that his image in Michelle's eyes might have taken another blow.
Previously, she might have perceived him as "reckless when drunk" or "irresponsible", and now he probably had an added label of "bad influence on the child".
Alex thought, "..."
Maybe he should explain himself to her?