Chapter 61 Godmother

Xiao Yao took the beautiful pianist by the hand and led her to the edge of the performance stage, gave her another slight bow, and then returned to the stage alone, taking his seat at the piano.

Located in the center of the spacious dining hall, the performance had already captured the attention of the diners and restaurant staff from the moment Xiao Yao first approached the pianist. Their conversation had been quiet enough that no one else could hear the words exchanged, but the sight of Xiao Yao gesturing toward the keys had been enough for everyone to guess his intentions.

While impromptu performances by customers were not entirely unheard of, witnessing one firsthand was still a rare treat, especially from someone as young as a child. Several of the more enthusiastic patrons even offered encouraging applause before Xiao Yao had even begun to play.

"Thank you," Xiao Yao said loudly, projecting his voice so that everyone in the restaurant could hear. Mindful of the mixed crowd of Chinese and foreign guests, he spoke in English this time. "I will play a piece called *Childhood Memory*, dedicated to my mother." With that, he raised a hand and pointed in the direction of Ye Jiaying's table.

Following the direction of his gesture, the audience's eyes turned to a pair of women, one standing and one seated in a corner booth. The standing woman was dressed in luxurious haute couture yet wore a sullen expression, while the seated woman, dressed casually, beamed with an expression of complete and pleasant surprise. It was easy for everyone to identify who the dedication was meant for, and several foreign diners even raised their glasses to her with friendly, envious smiles.

*I called him uncultured and ill-bred, and he pulls this stunt just to slap me in the face on purpose?* Xu Lili thought with lingering resentment, casting a disdainful look at Ye Jiaying. "The little brat is barely bigger than the piano stool—what kind of music could he possibly play? I just hope he doesn't make a complete fool of himself."

Having heard Xiao Yao play before, Ye Jiaying felt no such anxiety. Xu Lili's sarcastic remark merely helped her recover from her initial shock, and she smiled as she raised her glass in return to the diners who were toasting her.

*Childhood Memory* was a piece Xiao Yao had heard countless times in his past life, one of the most representative masterworks of the legendary "Piano Prince" Richard Clayderman. In terms of global recognition, its fame was truly universal. Though the piece was relatively short and not overly complex technically, its exquisite melody made it the perfect choice for Xiao Yao's current abilities.

The opening tempo was unhurried, its gentle and soothing melody effortlessly drawing listeners into a romantic atmosphere. As the rhythm gradually picked up a notch, it felt like a fresh evening sea breeze sweeping across a coastline—cool and soft, seemingly accompanied by the faint sound of ocean waves, washing away all worries and leaving only contentment in the heart. After four bars, the tempo returned to the tranquil pace of the beginning, as if, once the breeze had passed, one was left strolling alone with a loved one through the quiet, romantic night by the sea. Then, a slightly quickened rhythm stirred again like another passing gust of wind...

The entire composition possessed a gorgeous tone and an elegant melody. While not an especially grand piece, it was like a romantic poem capable of awakening the romantic sentiments buried deep within human hearts. Although the notes were not overly intricate, the subtle shifts between accelerating and decelerating tempos, coupled with the flawless harmony between the melody and the chords, clearly demonstrated Xiao Yao's impressive piano skills. Consequently, when the final notes faded and the lingering romantic mood allowed everyone to snap back to reality, the entire restaurant showered Xiao Yao with enthusiastic and generous applause.

"Thank you," Xiao Yao said as he stood up, offering a polite bow to the patrons before stepping down from the stage and returning to his corner seat.

Xu Lili had quietly slipped away from the restaurant halfway through the performance, and Ye Jiaying only realized she was gone once Xiao Yao had finished playing and sat back down.

"Huh? Where did that auntie go?" Xiao Yao asked, looking at Ye Jiaying sitting alone at the table.

"She left, I suppose," Ye Jiaying said with a laugh. "I have no idea when she snuck off. I was too absorbed in your piano playing, and by the time you finished, I noticed she had already vanished."

"She ran away just like that? Her fighting spirit leaves a lot to be desired," Xiao Yao said, curling his lip in mild disdain.

"You publicly slapped her right across the face, little one. Did you expect her to stay here and humiliate herself further?" Ye Jiaying teased, before asking with a puzzled expression, "Are you really only seven years old?"

"I'll let you in on a secret: I'm actually a person of short stature, and I'm well into my thirties," Xiao Yao replied with an air of mock mystery.

"Oh, please," Ye Jiaying rolled her eyes. "You're nothing short of a little monster."

"Hey, I was bailing you out back there. To help you save face, I even went as far as calling you 'Mom'," Xiao Yao said, glancing at her rolled eyes.

"I've been taking care of you for an entire day and night, playing tour guide and feeding you all day long. Besides, I'm thirty-two years old—did calling me Mom really cost you that much?" Ye Jiaying asked with mock indignation.

Xiao Yao kept his mouth shut, lowered his head, and resumed eating.

After a moment of hesitation, Ye Jiaying murmured, "Do you think that woman is going to go around spreading rumors that I have an illegitimate child now that she heard you call me Mom?"

"What illegitimate child? A godmother is still a mother, isn't she?" Xiao Yao said dismissively. "Besides, didn't that woman say you couldn't have..." He caught himself when he saw Ye Jiaying's expression shift and abruptly stopped talking. After a brief pause, seeing that Ye Jiaying hadn't erupted in anger, he couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Was what she said... true?"

"More or less," Ye Jiaying's mood visibly dampened, and she said softly, "It's not an absolute impossibility. Because of an old injury, the doctor told me the chances are exceedingly slim."

Seeing Ye Jiaying brooding with her head bowed, Xiao Yao didn't know how to comfort her. After a moment of hesitation, a sudden impulse moved him to reach across and grab her hand. "Why don't you just officially become my godmother for real?"

"Really?" Ye Jiaying looked up at him in surprise.

"Mhm," Xiao Yao nodded. "Regardless of whether you ever have biological children of your own, you'll always have a son like me to back you up. If anyone ever tries to use that to upset you again like that woman did, just summon me, and I'll go slap them in the face for you."

While Ye Jiaying was still hesitating, the restaurant manager walked over accompanied by a waiter carrying a tray. Addressing Ye Jiaying, the manager said, "Madam, thank you so much for the wonderful performance your son gave our restaurant. As a token of our appreciation, please accept these complimentary desserts. Enjoy your meal, and I wish you both a wonderful time."

"Thank you," Ye Jiaying said with a smile.

After the waiter placed the two plates of dessert before Ye Jiaying and Xiao Yao, the manager and waiter bowed and walked away.

Xiao Yao smiled. "Since you didn't object in front of the manager just now, I'm going to take that as a yes." He smoothly changed the subject. "Who was that woman anyway? Do you have some kind of bitter feud with her?"

Ye Jiaying was both amused and touched by Xiao Yao's thick-skinned persistence. Unwilling to appear too vulnerable in front of him, she decided to answer his question. "Her name is Xu Lili, and she's also an actress. We're considered rivals of sorts and used to be signed to the same talent agency. She's about the same age as me and has similar external qualifications, and she entered the industry earlier than I did, but her career hasn't developed as well as mine. During our internal company competitions, she lost to me a few times and convinced herself that I had resorted to dirty tricks, which made the company biased and intentionally favor me.

"When her contract expired last year, she jumped ship to another agency, thinking she'd finally be able to overshadow me. But she never expected to lose to me again in the auditions for several major film and television roles. Especially after I won the Best Actress Award at the Flying Apsaras Awards late last year—that just made her despise me even more. If we hadn't been in the same company before, there's no way she would have known about such a private medical matter. She married a wealthy businessman last year, and I hear she's pregnant now, which is why she deliberately used that to provoke me."

"With a character like that, it's no wonder her career doesn't measure up to yours," Xiao Yao scoffed. "There's no need to take someone like her to heart. Before long, you'll leave her so far behind she won't even be able to see your dust."

"You actually understand all of this?" Ye Jiaying shook her head in disbelief. "Xiao Yao, is there anything you don't know?"

"I come from a deeply rooted artistic family, you know," Xiao Yao said. "Sure, my dad is a musician, but don't forget I also have a grandfather who is a celebrated performing artist. It shouldn't come as a surprise that I know a thing or two about the entertainment industry."

"Ah, right—Elder Xiao Chengjun. He truly is a senior pillar of our profession," Ye Jiaying said with a sudden realization.

"See? Having me as your godlike godson isn't a bad deal at all. In one fell swoop, you've established ties with a legendary senior," Xiao Yao teased with a grin.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing. My childhood nickname is Bayi. The people closest to me call me by that name. Since you're my godmother now, you're family, so you can call me Bayi from now on," Xiao Yao added.

"Bayi? Ah, I remember two years ago when you were on *Where Are We Going, Dad?*, Teacher Sun and Brother Zhao and the others all called you Bayi. But how did you end up with a nickname like that? It's certainly not very common," Ye Jiaying remarked.

"Because I was born on August first," Xiao Yao laughed. "Now that I've shared my birthday with you, remember to prepare a birthday gift for me next year."

"Oh—what?" Ye Jiaying was left speechless. "Is there really anyone who asks for gifts so blatantly? Have you no shame?"

"Why would I feel any shame in front of my own mother?" Xiao Yao nodded, looking completely righteous.

"Weren't we talking about a godmother?" Ye Jiaying chuckled.

"A godmother is still a mother. 'Mom' is just quicker and more convenient to say; we both know in our hearts that the 'god' part is just a technicality. My biological mother is up in heaven, and she'd probably be thrilled to have someone down here taking care of me—she won't get jealous," Xiao Yao said, pointing a finger upward.

"It's been several years now. Hasn't your dad ever thought about remarrying and finding you a stepmother?" Ye Jiaying asked.

"My old man is surprisingly romantic. It's been three or four years since my mom passed away, and he still misses her terribly. Still, it's been nearly four years, so it's about time. I've actually been thinking about talking some sense into him," Xiao Yao replied.

"You're going to talk sense into him? About what?" Ye Jiaying asked.

"About finding me a stepmother, of course," Xiao Yao said. "He finds happiness, I get peace of mind, and my mom can rest easy up there."

"You certainly know how to look out for your father," Ye Jiaying smiled.

"Of course. He's the only father I've got; if I don't look out for him, who will? Oh wait, now I have a godmother like you, so I suppose I need to look out for your happiness too. How about the two of you pair up? That way, you can legitimately drop the 'god' from 'godmother'—wouldn't that be wonderful?" Xiao Yao suggested with a grin.

"You're talking nonsense again. Are you done eating? Finish up and let's go, time to head back." Ye Jiaying's face flushed red as she grabbed her handbag and stood up to leave.

"Hey, I actually think this idea has great potential! Mom, give it some serious thought—my dad is genuinely a great guy," Xiao Yao said, chasing after her with undiminished persistence.

"Shut your mouth!" Ye Jiaying quickened her pace.

"Mom!" Xiao Yao called out from behind her.

"I said shut it!" Ye Jiaying ignored him, pushing open the door to exit.

"You haven't paid the bill yet! Are you planning to leave me behind to wash dishes to pay for the meal?" Xiao Yao shouted.

"Ah!"