Gu Xingyi clutched his growling stomach—he couldn't wait any longer. As the saying goes, “man is iron, rice is steel—miss a meal and you’ll feel faint.”

He gently pushed open the bedroom door, leaving only a crack, peeking out like a thief. Just in time, he saw Xia Xiyao carrying Xiao Nainai away from the dining table.

Her eyes were red, like she had just been crying.

She clearly saw him too. She froze for a moment, then quickly turned and carried the child back into the master bedroom.

Gu Xingyi let out a breath of relief, opened the door, and walked over to the dining table.

Finally, time to eat!

Seeing the food clearly left out for him on the table, Gu Xingyi felt a little happy. He immediately picked up the millet porridge and began gulping it down in big mouthfuls.

Perfect!

No wonder—he’d made it himself!

The feeling of being full really was amazing.

After clearing every last bite, Gu Xingyi patted his bulging belly and let out a satisfied belch.

He cleaned up the dishes and strolled aimlessly around the room, taking in the layout of the house.

It was a two-bedroom apartment with a living room, only 70 square meters, bought together when they got married. All the furnishings dated back to that time.

In the past two years, they hadn’t added a single new item. Everything looked quite worn out.

The place wasn’t big to begin with, and now it was quiet, so only the sound of Gu Xingyi’s footsteps echoed, making the space feel oppressive.

Gu Xingyi shook his head and plopped down onto the sofa.

It was hard to imagine how Xia Xiyao had lived here for two years with a child, barely stepping outside.

It felt like prison.

Even someone who had just transmigrated like Gu Xingyi was finding it hard to endure.

It was the atmosphere—there wasn’t even a trace of warmth in this home.

Gu Xingyi knew he couldn’t change much overnight, so he curled up on the small sofa and fiddled with his phone.

He was looking up how to maintain a household, how to make a child happy, how to be a good papa.

The answers online were all over the place, and Gu Xingyi scratched his head as he read. Still, he kept going—this was his first time being a papa, and he was terrified of messing it up.

Just then, the master bedroom door suddenly creaked open. Gu Xingyi looked over and saw a little head peeking out, her two braided pigtails bouncing.

It was Xiao Nainai. She tilted her head, staring at him with the same almond-shaped eyes as her mama, filled with curiosity.

Those clear, innocent eyes nearly melted Gu Xingyi’s heart.

But her little face was far too thin—just like her mama’s. If it were a bit rounder, she’d be even cuter.

Of course, up until now, this mother and daughter had only been eating leftovers. And if the food had alcohol in it, the little one couldn’t eat it. The original owner didn’t give them any money, so they had to get by on scraps—sometimes eating, sometimes not.

Gu Xingyi’s face instinctively tried to form a smile when he saw her, but before it could appear, Xiao Nainai panicked, slammed the door shut, and scrambled back inside.

Inside the room, Xia Xiyao’s crisp voice rang out as she comforted the child.

The smile froze on Gu Xingyi’s face. He awkwardly scratched his nose.

Looks like he still had a long way to go.

Time passed quietly. One scroll after another on his phone, and four hours flew by. In the meantime, he could occasionally hear Xia Xiyao coaxing the child.

By noon, Gu Xingyi’s brain was spinning and aching, stuffed full of parenting knowledge.

He put down his phone, rubbed his temples, and stood up.

Time to make lunch.

Just then, the bedroom door opened, and Xia Xiyao walked out, expressionless, holding a pile of laundry in her arms. She didn’t even glance at Gu Xingyi standing near the sofa, heading straight for the bathroom.

Gu Xingyi clearly saw her body stiffen the moment she came out.

Was she going to do laundry?

Suddenly, he remembered—his clothes from yesterday were still in the washing machine.

Thinking of that, he quickly headed toward the bathroom as well.

Xia Xiyao was tense. She hadn’t expected Gu Xingyi to still be home. Normally by this time, he would’ve gone out drinking with his gang of useless friends.

When she heard his footsteps coming closer, she grew even more nervous. Her heart began racing, and her body trembled slightly.

“Uh... um, my clothes are still in the washing machine. Can I take them out to hang up real quick?”

Gu Xingyi’s familiar voice came from behind her. Xia Xiyao, who was bent over opening the washing machine, was startled. She stumbled slightly and shrank further into the bathroom.

“Careful.”

Gu Xingyi couldn’t help but add.

That’s when Xia Xiyao realized... was he asking for her permission?

Her gaze darted away. She didn’t dare look at him, but still replied, “Okay, y-you can go first.”

“Mm, thank you.”

Gu Xingyi clenched his fists, his hands trembling slightly, and his eyes filled with anger and pain.

He had just seen, clearly, beneath Xia Xiyao’s neck—those purplish-red scars and bruises.

Even though he had inherited the memories of the bastard who’d done this, seeing it in person was still beyond what he could stomach. How could someone in this world treat a woman like that?

He had never laid a hand on a woman in his life, and the sight filled him with overwhelming rage and sorrow.

Gu Xingyi busied himself pulling the laundry from the machine. He didn’t look at her again. His mind was already racing.

“I’ll make lunch in a bit. Don’t forget to call Xiao Nainai to eat.”

“Ah?... Um, Xiao... Xiao Nainai is asleep. I-I’ll wake her in a bit.”

Xia Xiyao shrank back again, her whole demeanor in complete disarray—even her words were getting jumbled.

Gu Xingyi knew his presence was only pressuring her. With a sigh, he rubbed his nose, grabbed the laundry, and quickly went to hang it on the balcony, then headed into the kitchen.

Inside the bathroom, still clutching the clothes, Xia Xiyao stood frozen until the sounds of cooking came from the kitchen. Only then did she snap out of it.

She placed the clothes into the machine with trembling hands, her eyes unconsciously drifting toward the kitchen.

What was going on with him? Was he really cooking for her and the child again?

She instinctively touched her nose, then suddenly paused.

When did he develop this habit?

Xia Xiyao stood dazed in front of the machine, listening to the drum spin, her heart in turmoil.

Once the laundry finished, she took it to the balcony to hang. That man was still busily working away in the kitchen.

Xiao Nainai didn’t wait for Xia Xiyao to wake her.

She woke up on her own, toddled barefoot to the door, and opened it. Her little hands were still rubbing her sleepy eyes.

The next moment, she saw Gu Xingyi moving around in the kitchen. Her big, pretty eyes lit up. She curiously leaned on the kitchen doorframe, watching his back.

When Xia Xiyao turned around after hanging the clothes, she saw this scene.

Little Nainai’s face full of anticipation. Gu Xingyi busily cooking.

Xia Xiyao’s emotions collapsed in an instant. She spun around, pressed her back against the wall, covered her face with both hands, and slowly crouched down. Tears fell silently.

This… this was a scene she had only seen in her dreams, a long, long time ago.