It was Xiao Nainai. She waved her little hand, pouted her lips, and wore an angry little expression on her face.

Mama sings beautifully! Nainai’s heard it! When Mama sings lullabies, they sound even better than Papa’s!

Everyone was stunned. No one expected the little one to speak up for her mama at a moment like this.

Gu Xingyi froze for just a second, then smiled and gently ruffled the little one’s head.

Well done! She really is his daughter! Way tougher than her mama, who always just swallows her anger!

Gu Xingyi had still been a little upset inside, but the moment Xiao Nainai spoke up, his anger vanished into thin air. Now, his eyes and heart were full of nothing but this little bundle of energy.

Without sparing Liu Qian another glance, the group left that trouble-filled spot behind.

By noon, the family of three—plus one little cutie—arrived at a restaurant. Gu Xingyi carried the child inside as the waiter welcomed them warmly.

Xia Xiyao and Tao Lele stayed behind, chatting as they walked.

Tao Lele clearly still didn’t like Gu Xingyi. All along the way, she glared at him, rolled her eyes, and gave him attitude at every turn.

If it weren’t for the fact that his behavior earlier had been decent, she wouldn’t have even bothered acknowledging him.

Once they were seated, Gu Xingyi handed the menu to Xia Xiyao and Tao Lele. After they ordered a few simple dishes, he added a few more that he knew Xiao Nainai liked before giving the menu back to the server.

Xiao Nainai was still a little shy around strangers. Though she’d become more cheerful over the past few days and much closer with Gu Xingyi, she still behaved very reservedly in front of unfamiliar people.

It was similar to Xia Xiyao’s personality, but not quite the same. The little one was clearly livelier. Kids are naturally playful and curious, and her eyes were full of wonder and inquisitiveness as she looked at the unfamiliar environment and people.

Still, her experiences from two years ago had made her much more mature than other children her age—so mature it made one’s heart ache.

Gu Xingyi knew this well, but there wasn’t much he could do. The little one still lacked self-confidence and would need more time to return to her natural, carefree self.

It was going to be a long road ahead.

Meanwhile, Xia Xiyao continued chatting with Tao Lele. Earlier, while walking, she had been too worried to ask certain things, but now that they were finally seated and no one else was around, she gently grabbed Lele’s hand and finally asked the question she’d been holding in her heart.

“Lele, why are you doing grunt work for Liu Qian? And what about Sister Yun? What’s she doing now?”

Sister Yun had been Xia Xiyao’s former manager—almost forty years old, and always treated her with the kindness of a mother.

Back when Sister Yun was around, she had always handled all work matters for Xia Xiyao. She protected her from trouble and pushed back against many company demands, especially those involving social events and drinking parties.

When Xia Xiyao started dating Gu Xingyi, Sister Yun had strongly warned her not to. Sadly, it was the one time Xia Xiyao didn’t listen. And later, she even went ahead and married him, ignoring all objections.

Sister Yun had been furious on countless occasions, but in the end, she reluctantly gave in.

Hearing Xia Xiyao’s question, Tao Lele’s expression visibly dimmed.

“After you left, it wasn’t long before Sister Yun was fired. She looked for work for a long time but couldn’t find anything. Then her mother fell sick and had to be hospitalized. She’s been at the hospital taking care of her ever since, so she ended up working as a nanny.”

Xia Xiyao hadn’t expected Sister Yun’s situation to have become so dire. Her vision blurred a little as memories of Sister Yun’s capable and decisive presence came flooding back.

Both women fell silent. Xia Xiyao pressed her lips together. She knew deep down, this was all her fault. If she hadn’t been so headstrong back then, Sister Yun wouldn’t have ended up like this.

Sister Yun had shielded her from so many storms and defied the company’s orders countless times for her. Back when she had value, the company didn’t say a word. But the moment she turned her back and quit without warning, it was clear what kind of treatment Sister Yun would receive.

The mood grew heavy. After that conversation, neither Xia Xiyao nor Tao Lele had much appetite. They barely touched their food. After eating quickly, Lele chatted a little more with Xia Xiyao before hurriedly heading off.

Xia Xiyao remained quiet and downcast. The three of them had originally planned to take Xiao Nainai to the amusement park that afternoon, but now she didn’t even feel like going.

Gu Xingyi could clearly sense her mood. He wanted to say something but ended up saying nothing.

To this day, he still didn’t understand why Xia Xiyao had married him in the first place. It was like she’d been under a spell. The original Gu Xingyi didn’t know, and neither did he.

Xia Xiyao wanted to go home and be alone with her thoughts. But then she saw the look of anticipation in Xiao Nainai’s eyes, and her heart softened.

Not wanting to let the little one down, the family of three still went to the amusement park as planned.

Maybe because it was Saturday, the entrance was packed with an endless stream of visitors.

The little one was overjoyed. It was her first time at an amusement park. She grabbed Gu Xingyi’s hand and tried to dash in, tugging with all her might.

Xia Xiyao forced herself to perk up a little. She didn’t want Xiao Nainai’s first memory of an amusement park to be clouded with sadness.

Tickets were 200 yuan for adults, and half price for kids. Many attractions inside could be accessed for free with admission, making it pretty cost-effective.

After having their tickets scanned, the family entered the park smoothly.

Xiao Nainai held Papa’s hand in one hand and waved her ticket excitedly with the other. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of all the rides ahead, her face practically frozen in a goofy smile.

Still holding onto Gu Xingyi, the family’s first stop was the carousel.

As the sweet music played, the lifelike white horses began to rise and fall. Xiao Nainai, safely secured in Gu Xingyi’s lap, giggled like a little bell as she laughed nonstop.

Xia Xiyao temporarily set her worries aside. She sat on another horse next to them, holding Xiao Nainai’s hand and playfully teasing her to keep her smiling.

Gu Xingyi held her tightly, and even his face showed a rare, genuine smile. This was a place for joy—not the kind of place to drag in heavy thoughts.

The three of them looked so happy together, they drew envious glances from everyone around them.

Especially from some young couples. Seeing this little family, their eyes filled with hope—hopes of one day marrying, having children, and becoming a family just like this.

After the carousel, Gu Xingyi and Xia Xiyao took Xiao Nainai to play the Snail Commando ride. Together with other families, they boarded snail-shaped boats and used water guns to shoot at the invading bug army.

Whenever the bugs were hit, they let out cheerful sounds and wacky sound effects.

Xiao Nainai was having the time of her life. She mimicked animal noises and called out to Mama and Papa to shoot whichever creature she pointed at.

They played a few more games together. As the sky gradually darkened, the amusement park lit up with colorful lights. Under the dusky evening sky, it looked like something out of a fairytale.

At that moment, Gu Xingyi was sitting beside Xiao Nainai on a flying chair ride as it slowly rose into the air. Surrounded by rainbow-colored lights, a castle straight out of a storybook appeared in the distance.

The sight instantly captivated Xiao Nainai. She stared, wide-eyed, her eyes full of excitement.

Maybe she was imagining it—

Maybe one day, she could live in a castle too, just like a real princess.