Become a mother in a night

Chapter 56

Perhaps it was the differences in life experiences, past history, and personal character, but Alex Ye's and Michelle Xia's views on raising Lizzy Xia were not exactly aligned.
Living under someone else's roof, for the time being, Michelle didn't voice her opinion when she overheard Alex's playful deceptions with Lizzy. To her, it was harmless fun. However, that night after Lizzy went to bed, Alex felt compelled to clarify things with Michelle.
Michelle, absorbed in the plot of her novel, wasn't really bothered by the whole situation and only listened half-heartedly, nodding her head in a noncommittal manner.
Michelle: "Mhm, mhm, mhm."
Alex: "..."
Seeing that she wasn't bothered by it, he felt it was best not to press the matter. If she was fine with it, then there was nothing more to say.
...
As autumn gave way to winter, Rivenhold was covered in layer upon layer of snow, creating a uniquely beautiful winter scene, though it was indeed chilling. Before arriving in this world, Michelle had always lived in the warmer south and had only witnessed snow a few times. Therefore, seeing snow this early in the year surprised her. She also realized that her 24-year-old post-childbirth body wasn't as resilient to the cold as her 20-year-old pre-transmigration body. In addition to this, the cold of Rivenhold was much harsher than the mild winters she was used to.
Given the cold weather, Michelle had no intention of leaving the warmth of her home. Yet, Lizzy, undeterred by the cold and exhilarated by the snow, pestered Michelle about building a snowman.
Looking up with her little head tilted, Lizzy blinked at Michelle, "Today, Lizzy and Sophie built a really big snowman at kindergarten. Lizzy wants to build a snowman with mommy too~~"
Michelle: "...No, you don't."
She glanced at the day's temperature on her phone, feeling no desire to go outside, yearning only for the warmth of her bed.
In reality, if Lizzy wanted to play in the snow, Michelle could have asked Nora Su to accompany her. But what Lizzy really wanted was not just to build a snowman, but to do so with her mother. So, reluctantly, Michelle agreed to join her downstairs.
Lizzy's face lit up in pure joy. She quickly ran back to her room to grab her bear-themed hat and mittens, holding them up for Michelle to help her put on. Even though she had grown taller, Lizzy still had to tilt her head to look up at Michelle, her round face radiating sweetness.
Michelle patiently helped her wear the hat and mittens. Seeing her daughter's adorable appearance, she couldn't resist taking out her phone and snapping a few pictures. Equally wary of the cold, Michelle donned her hat and mittens, then hand-in-hand with Lizzy, they descended the stairs to play in the snow.
While Michelle had only seen snow a few times in her life, she wasn't overly excited by it, unlike the stereotype of southerners on social media platforms. In her heart, she felt nothing but coldness.
Lizzy Xia dashed about, treading on the snow, amusing herself to no end. After a while, she finally approached Michelle Xia with the idea of building a snowman together.
It was her idea to build a snowman, yet she also admitted she didn't know how to. The result was a misshapen, odd-looking snowman that left Michelle torn between laughter and tears.
Yet the child seemed to see it differently. Bursting with pride, she declared, "Our snowman looks better than the one Sophie made!"
Michelle glanced at their quirky "snowman" and then at the proud little girl. She couldn't help but humor her, saying, "Oh yes, Lizzy, you did a fantastic job."
When Alex Ye returned, he spotted Michelle and the child playing on the open ground below their apartment, beside their peculiar snowman. Whatever Lizzy said to Michelle made her laugh with an affectionate exasperation, projecting a subtle but palpable sense of happiness.
In the cold days following the snowstorm, Alex often reminisced about this scene, finding it incredibly heartwarming. It was a simple, genuine warmth, filling him with a deep sense of contentment.
With her sharp eyes, Lizzy instantly lit up upon seeing Alex, and ran towards him with a beaming smile.
She held onto Alex's hand, tugging him closer to show off their "masterpiece." She excitedly said, "Lizzy and mommy made a snowman earlier. Next time, Lizzy wants to make one with daddy too!"
As Alex came closer, he realized their snowman looked even more unusual than from afar. Suppressing his amusement, he let out a soft chuckle.
Hearing Alex's laughter, Michelle felt a bit embarrassed. After all, she had a hand in creating the odd snowman. Attempting to divert the topic, she looked up and said with a smile, "Mr. Ye, you seem to be home early today."
Perhaps due to the cold, Michelle's voice trembled slightly. Her voice, inherently soft and ethereal, now carried a shiver that seemed to resonate with Alex's heart.
Michelle's nose was tinted with the red of the cold. At a loss for words, Alex unwound his scarf and gently wrapped it around her. Her pale face looked up at him, her light brown eyes reflecting his image.
Coming to her senses with a soft "ah", Michelle finally snapped back to reality.
Touching the scarf draped over her shoulders, she hesitated before asking, "Mr. Ye?"
Alex, ever so composed, didn't find his gesture out of place. He looked at Michelle and said in a calm tone, "If you're so cold, you shouldn't be outside."
Alex continued, "And you should wear something warmer."
Michelle replied, "...I'll remember that next time."
She felt a whirlwind of emotions. The way Alex spoke to her felt like how she would scold Lizzy for not dressing warmly enough. She never expected to be on the receiving end of such a comment.
Though Michelle was cold, Lizzy seemed impervious to the chill, eager to play in the snow. However, they soon made their way inside.
Because Alex had told Lizzy it was time for dinner. If they were late, they'd miss the time slot for their favorite cartoon.
While the little girl loved playing in the snow, her love for cartoons was even greater. Hence, she obediently followed them indoors.
Rivenhold School began its winter break at the start of January.
The onset of winter break essentially translated to parents bracing themselves for the exhausting task of caring for their little ones around the clock. Michelle Xia had no illusions that workaholic Alex Ye would stay home during the break to look after their child. His punctuality from work and spending evenings watching cartoons with the child, giving her time to draft her writings, was already commendable.
Michelle was perplexed about how to occupy their child over the break. While she herself disliked venturing out in the cold, she was concerned that their child might get too bored at home. After all, children are naturally inclined to play.
Lizzy Xia and Sophie Ye got along splendidly. The two could easily play together. However, with Aria Cheng being considerably pregnant, either having Aria send Sophie to their home or vice versa wasn't convenient. Michelle sighed at the thought.
Surely, she couldn't let Lizzy spend the entire winter break watching cartoons, could she?
Having just returned from playing in the snow with Lizzy, Michelle felt the onset of a cold. Nora brewed her a rather unpleasant ginger tea. With a grimace, Michelle managed to drink half of it, leaving the other half untouched.
Cup in hand, Michelle approached Alex to discuss plans for the winter break. Alex was aware of Lizzy's impending holiday, but he hadn't expected it to start this soon. Nonetheless, he had given some thought to their winter plans.
After pondering a moment, Alex suggested, "How about a trip? Rivenhold is rather chilly; we could visit a warmer city."
Michelle stared at him, blinking in surprise. How did the term "vacation" even relate to Alex, who was always so engrossed in his work?
Unaware of Michelle's internal musings, Alex queried, "Is there an issue?"
Michelle replied hesitantly, "I have writing to do."
Alex, adopting a disapproving look, countered, "The child has a rare break. We should spend more time with her outdoors."
Michelle nodded noncommittally, not keen on prolonging the conversation. Traveling with Lizzy was one thing, but a trip with both Alex and Lizzy presented a myriad of complications. Michelle, not the most worldly, doubted that someone of Alex's affluent background would be adept at caring for others. The idea of such a mismatched duo, along with a child, embarking on a journey? The mere thought made Michelle apprehensive. She was adamant: she wouldn't dream of traveling with both Alex and Lizzy.
In the end, Alex Ye's idea of a vacation was shelved.
However, he had already planned out Lizzy's winter break. It was primarily centered around art lessons, with the addition of beginner classes in piano and dance. Aware that Michelle hated the cold and was reluctant to ferry their child around, and also knowing she didn't trust Nora to handle that responsibility, he opted for a private teacher to come to their house.
Considering the space constraints in their own home, Michelle suggested bringing in the steward to convert two of the unused rooms in Alex's adjacent property into suitable classrooms. There, the teacher could instruct Lizzy. Alex thought, surely Michelle, despite her aversion to the cold, wouldn't mind walking next door to see their daughter's classes?
As the two were discussing Lizzy's winter break plans, NexRealm Studios was nearing completion on their project, "Star Path". They were gearing up for a beta release. The project had hit snags in the early stages, burning through a significant amount of money. Now, with a big promotional push on the horizon, Leonard Chen was stressed about finances.
Thankfully, NexRealm Studios had the influential Brandon Su on their side. With his significant online following, a simple post on his blog would attract many original content fans. However, relying solely on Brandon's fanbase wouldn't be enough to sustain the game's popularity. There was a significant gap between fans of the original content and potential players. This meant they had to consider other promotional strategies, weigh their costs, and figure out how to present the need for additional funding to their superiors.
The marketing department at NexRealm Studios knew they couldn't afford celebrity endorsements or influencers. However, they suggested a unique promotional approach: a live stream featuring Brandon Su, who was involved in the story and content planning for "Star Path". A live appearance from such a renowned figure would quickly go viral, potentially outshining even celebrity endorsements in terms of impact.
It was a sound proposal. After all, Brandon was on their payroll, so the live stream would cost nothing. Even if it failed to generate buzz, there'd be no loss, aside from perhaps a hit to Brandon's ego. Leonard, knowing that Brandon might be hesitant, was delighted by the idea and quickly settled on it.
The self-proclaimed talent-driven Brandon Su wasn't thrilled about leveraging his face for the game's promotion. With an innocent, non-threatening smile, he suggested to Leonard, "Why not also bring in Michelle Xia for the live stream? After all, she's also been crucial in planning the story and content for 'Star Path'. If only I'm present, while she's left out, it might look bad, don't you think?"
Leonard pondered. The point was valid. Plus, Michelle was undeniably more attractive than Brandon. Younger audiences always had a soft spot for good looks. The joint live stream, featuring both, was bound to be more successful than one featuring Brandon alone.
After some contemplation, Leonard said, "Alright, I'll speak with Michelle later."
Brandon nodded, holding back any further comments. He thought to himself: Alex would never let Michelle join him for a live stream. And if Michelle declined, Brandon would have a perfect excuse to back out as well.