Jiang Leyi kept fiddling with the water cup in her hands, letting out a silent sigh. Her voice carried a hint of awkwardness and shyness. "Though my words might not hold much weight, my dad is truly a good man and a great father. Choosing him won’t let you down."
Ever since childhood, even now, Jiang Leyi had always longed for a mother. Back then, it was because her classmates had moms with them daily while she didn’t. Though her aunt cared for her deeply and shared some maternal duties, it never quite felt the same. That childhood yearning had almost become an obsession.
But now, Jiang Leyi’s wish wasn’t for herself—it was for her dad. As his dutiful daughter, the thought of Jianglai spending life alone felt unbearably lonely. When a potential love interest for her dad finally appeared, Jiang Leyi was determined to play matchmaker no matter what.
Jianglai bit her lower lip tightly, fighting to keep her emotions from crumbling. It was the first time she’d heard her daughter’s opinion. Being called a good father made all those years feel truly worthwhile.
Just then, Yingyu Chi, who’d been watching Jianglai closely, spoke up. "We were just passing by to check in. We have other things to do, so we’ll take our leave now." She handed the gift to Jiang Leyi, then pulled the nearly breaking-down Jianglai out of the room, leaving Jiang Leyi alone with slightly flushed cheeks.
Watching her aunt and future stepmom leave, Jiang Leyi couldn’t wait to share the news with her best friend. She sent a flurry of happy emojis, then slowly typed her big update:
[I’m getting a stepmom soon!!]
Her best friend was a college roommate she’d met years ago. Though they’d never crossed paths before, Jiang Leyi always felt an inexplicable familiarity with her—an urge to draw close. More importantly, this friend was unreasonably kind, like a mother’s deep, bone-deep love for her own daughter. That’s why Jiang Leyi shared everything with her, down to the smallest detail.
Staring at the chat window, Jiang Leyi found it strange—her friend always replied instantly, priding herself on a 100% rate. It made Jiang Leyi wonder if she had superpowers. No response now? Something must have delayed her.
While Jiang Leyi wondered, her friend stared coldly at the message. Her gaze was icy, as if Jiang Leyi getting a stepmom was an unforgivable sin—like being cheated on. On the verge of collapse, she slowly typed something unrelated:
[Can I visit your home this winter break, Lele?]
---
At the apartment stairwell, Jianglai stepped out and cried uncontrollably. Her red-rimmed eyes held only her daughter’s praise. Tears surged, unstoppable. These days, even heavy blows couldn’t make her shed a tear—difficulties only brought annoyance. But this was different. One compliment shattered her composure. Her eyes instantly reddened, an irrepressible ache rising, making her look pitiful.
Yingyu Chi pulled her into a tight hug. Thanks to their height difference, she cradled Jianglai easily, stroking her back soothingly.
"Yingyu… thank you for pulling me out."
Startled by the sudden embrace, Jianglai instinctively tried to pull away, but Yingyu held tighter. Jianglai took a deep breath, forcing calm and suppressing the thick sob in her voice.
"You probably don’t want others to see you crying. Just stay put in my arms."
Yingyu wasn’t worried—this was tears of joy, all part of her plan. She just hadn’t expected her brother-in-law to react so intensely. Gazing at the tear on Jianglai’s eye, she wanted to lick it away. Becoming a woman had made Jianglai more emotional. Her brother-in-law now had many facets to explore. Yingyu had exchanged silent glances with her niece earlier, tacitly agreeing to most of what Jiang Leyi said. Without that approval, Jiang Leyi wouldn’t have been so direct.
After Jianglai slowly recovered, the question of where to stay arose.
"Until your identity is revealed, stay with me, okay?"
"Stay with you?"
Jianglai felt deep down this wasn’t right. Yingyu wasn’t a child anymore—she was an adult. What would living together mean? Even ignoring everything, she had to consider her sister-in-law’s reputation. What if Yingyu had a love interest? It’d be messy.
"That won’t work. We’re of different genders."
"Different genders?" Yingyu looked at Jianglai leaning against her. Here she was, nestled in her arms, talking about that. Yingyu didn’t argue. She lowered her head, eyes tender. "But where else can you go? You can’t stay at a hotel." In this digital age, Jianglai—a ghost without an ID—could do little, leaving her at Yingyu’s mercy.
"How big is your apartment?"
"One bedroom and a living room~"
