Yang Yixue scoffed dismissively and didn’t reply.

She didn’t want to discuss Jiang Liu in front of others. They were simply not in the same social class.

A waiter led them to an elegant private room.

"Waiter." Yang Yixue snapped her fingers.

Without even looking at the menu, she ordered:

"One cheesy potato, two of your specialty fruit juices, and two of the Romantic French Herb-Seared Steaks, medium rare."

"Your order will be out shortly."

The waiter collected the menus, closed the door, and left.

Only then did Yang Yixue continue their earlier conversation. "So, Jiang Liu is making money now? Which shop is he working at? I can find some time to give him some pointers."

She looked down disdainfully, playing with her freshly manicured nails.

Tongtong said, "My daddy owns a shop now. He makes a lot of money every day, way more than you. He doesn’t need your pointers at all."

"What kind of shop? It’s not a street stall, is it?"

Yang Yixue heard the part about him making more than her and treated it as a complete joke.

"Hmph, no! It’s a steamed bun shop! Lots of people come to buy them!"

Tongtong lifted her chin and announced proudly.

She was proud of her father.

"A steamed bun shop?"

"Yep! That’s right."

Yang Yixue’s hands froze. Then, she covered her mouth and burst out laughing.

She asked with amusement, "Tongtong, what’s the daily revenue? I mean, how much money does your daddy make each day?"

"Hold on! Let me guess. A hundred? Two hundred? Or maybe... less than a hundred?"

"No, no, you’re wrong! My daddy can make seventy thousand a day. It’s a lot!"

"Seventy thousand??"

Yang Yixue’s smile stiffened and froze for a moment. The next second, she said contemptuously, "Don’t tell me Jiang Liu put you up to this, making you lie to me?"

"Is he trying to get back together with me?"

"Does Jiang Liu think I’ll have a change of heart if he tricks me into believing he’s making a lot of money?"

Tongtong waved her hands. "No, no! Daddy didn’t tell me to lie to you."

’Would Yang Yixue believe it? Of course not. Did Jiang Liu think she was an idiot?’

’Seventy thousand a day from a steamed bun shop? He must be crazy desperate to get back together.’

"What kind of steamed buns does he sell?"

Tongtong frowned, counting on her fingers as she tried to remember. She wouldn’t let anyone look down on her father.

"There’s... Shrimp and Rice Buns, Three-Delicacy Buns, Chive and Roast Chicken Buns, and Pork and Scallion Buns. Oh, right, and juice! It’s super tasty. The buns are amazing too."

"That’s it? Selling that junk, and he makes seventy thousand a day? Is there something wrong with your dad’s head?"

Yang Yixue tapped her own head, her expression a mix of pity and, more so, amusement.

’Good thing I divorced that idiot when I did. Otherwise, look at him. It hasn’t even been that long, and he’s already started daydreaming.’

’The stupidest part is, he’s using his own daughter to lie for him.’

Tongtong got very angry. She stood up and glared at Yang Yixue. "Don’t! You’re not allowed to insult my daddy!"

She slammed her hands on the table in a fit of anger.

Even a little person can have a big temper.

This was the first time she had ever been so furious.

Yang Yixue was getting angry too. She reached out to pinch Tongtong’s ear.

But the girl dodged it.

"Lower your voice! Have you no shame? This is a high-class establishment. Can you stop bringing up that father of yours?!"

Yang Yixue glanced at the surprised look from the waiter who was bringing their food and felt deeply embarrassed.

’How humiliating would it be if people heard her ex-husband was a steamed bun seller?’

"Hmph! If you don’t believe me, I’ll take you to see it right now! My daddy is amazing, not like what you said!"

Tongtong continued to defend Jiang Liu.

Yang Yixue had lost her appetite. Every time Jiang Liu was mentioned, Tongtong would vehemently oppose her.

She pointed at the Western food on the table. "Are you sure you’re not eating?"

"I’m not eating. This is all stuff Tongtong doesn’t like. You eat it yourself. I want to go home."

Tongtong sighed. She was already used to it. Yang Yixue never considered her feelings and always made decisions on her own.

Yang Yixue’s patience ran out. She frowned. "If you’re not eating, fine. We’ll get it to go."

"That will be one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, ma’am."

"Card."

After leaving the restaurant, Yang Yixue watched Tongtong walking silently with her head down and suddenly realized her own mistake.

When she’d ordered, she hadn’t even asked Tongtong what she wanted and just got two orders of her own favorite food. And on top of that, she’d lost her temper with Tongtong.

’No wonder Tongtong doesn’t like me.’

Yang Yixue felt a little guilty. "Tongtong, Mommy was wrong just now. Next time we eat, I’ll ask you first, okay?"

"Please forgive Mommy this once. I promise I’ll be good to Tongtong next time."

As she spoke, she reached for Jiang Tongtong’s little hand, but the girl pulled it away.

Tongtong sighed and shook her head. "It’s okay. I don’t blame you."

’It had happened so many times, she was already used to it. What difference did one more time make?’

’It wasn’t so much that she hated her, just that she never wanted to see her.’

Yang Yixue sighed in relief, thinking Tongtong had already forgiven her.

"Tongtong, why don’t you come live with me? If you stay with your father, you’ll have no future."

"He doesn’t have the money to give you the best life, or the ability to give you the best education. Come with Mommy. When you’re older, how about Mommy sends you abroad?"

Tongtong just kept shaking her head, not saying a word.

The two of them got in the car.

With Jiang Liu not there to help with her seatbelt, Tongtong clumsily fastened it herself.

Yang Yixue continued, "Tongtong, you just don’t get it. Your father is lying to you. There’s no way he earns that much money. Tell me, is a father who teaches you to lie a good father?"

"If he wants to get back together, he could have just talked to me, but he absolutely shouldn’t have incited you to lie. Do you understand?"

Tongtong clenched her little fists, her temper flaring up.

"That’s not true! It’s not! You’re the bad guy! Daddy is the best person in the world to me! I only believe in Daddy!"

After saying it, Tongtong felt a pang of regret.

Yang Yixue flew into a rage again. She slammed on the brakes, pulling the car over to the side of the road, and roared at Tongtong, "What do you know?!! You idiot! He’s just using you, lying to you, don’t you get it?!"

"You call me the bad guy?? I’m your mother!!"

"How could your mother be the bad guy? That father of yours is! You just can’t see it!!"

"Waaaah..." Tongtong was so scared she started to cry.

She curled up in her seat, trembling.

Her little hands clutched the juice bottle tightly as she stared at the pedestrians outside the window.

’Her daddy would never lie to her. Daddy was the best.’

’Just like how Daddy had never, ever been truly fierce with her since she was little.’

’He always took care of her so gently and meticulously.’

’Every time she was with Daddy, she felt completely safe.’

’She would never feel scared and worried like this.’

For a moment, the only sound in the car was Tongtong’s crying.

Yang Yixue rubbed her temples in frustration.

"Tongtong, Mommy will prove it to you. Your father is lying to you."

"Lies can’t last forever. Once Mommy exposes your father for who he really is, you’ll come live with me."

With red, swollen eyes from crying, Tongtong shook her head. "No! I want to be with Daddy."

She felt deeply wronged.

She wanted to call her daddy, but he was probably busy making money right now. She didn’t want to be a bother to Jiang Liu.

Yang Yixue took a deep breath.

Swallowing the anger that was rising again, she said, "Just wait. You’ll understand eventually."