Chapter 8: The Flight of the Insects

She stared at her father in a daze, her heart overwhelmed by a shock that could not be described. Having studied music since childhood, she could feel the "terrible" power of this song more deeply than anyone else.

This song was simple, yet far from ordinary. This was not the way pop songs were written at all; it was more like a work of art capable of being passed down for centuries. How could her father sing a song like this?

In the VIP lounge, everyone held their breath. The mockery on Gu Ningning’s face had long since vanished, replaced by a complex expression mixed with shock and jealousy.

As for Jiang Qianyun, she was completely frozen. She stared blankly at the man on the screen. The profile of his face looked exceptionally soft under the lights, and his eyes—which usually carried a hint of mockery and impatience—were focused entirely on his daughter, brimming with a tenderness she had never seen before.

This voice... At this moment, she was not the decisive and formidable CEO of the Jiang Group; she was just an ordinary woman, deeply moved by the melody. Who exactly was this man? How many more secrets was he hiding that she knew nothing about? For the first time, Jiang Qianyun’s heart was thrown into chaos because of Chen Yu.

As the song ended, the lingering melody seemed to echo in the rafters. The piano room fell into a profound silence. After more than ten seconds of dead air, the livestream chat exploded in an unprecedented frenzy.

"Ahhhhh! What kind of divine song is this! I’m crying!"
"Is this his original work?! It has to be! I’ve scoured the entire music library and can’t find this song anywhere!"
"It’s so beautiful! So atmospheric! Compared to this, 'Promise Under the Starlight' is nothing! I’m officially quitting the fandom!"
"Count me in, sister! I was wrong, Daddy, I was wrong! You were right, that song is trash!"
"Requesting the audio file! Requesting the full version! Daddy, please debut! I’ll vote for you with a hundred million!"
"I take back everything I said about him, and I’m willing to punish myself three times over! This is what a real musician is!"

Public opinion underwent a stunning reversal in the span of a single song. Niannian was completely conquered. The tears in her eyes had dried, replaced by an adoration that shone brighter than the stars. She threw herself into Chen Yu’s arms, rubbing her little head against his chest, her voice filled with deep affection: "Daddy... you’re amazing! This song... is the best song I’ve ever heard!"

Chen Yu felt a bit awkward at his daughter’s sudden display of intimacy, but he reached out and patted her back somewhat stiffly. "It was just alright," he said, maintaining his usual infuriating tone.

However, Niannian looked up from his arms, gazing at him with earnest eyes, and asked a soul-piercing question: "Daddy, since you’re so good at singing and writing songs, why... is Mommy the one working and making money outside, while you... stay at home?"

This question was exactly what every viewer in the livestream and Jiang Qianyun in the VIP lounge wanted to ask. Indeed, with such stunning musical talent, why was he content to be an obscure stay-at-home dad? It was a complete waste of genius!

Chen Yu was stunned for a moment. His first thought was, "Because your mom is rich, you silly child; you can't imagine the joy of living off a woman." But looking at his daughter’s clear, pure, and inquisitive eyes, he felt that saying it that way might be wrong and could warp her worldview.

So, he pondered for a moment, cleared his throat, and put on a profound expression, as if he had seen through everything in the world. He stood up, walked to the window, and with his hands behind his back, looking up at the ceiling at a forty-five-degree angle with a melancholic air, he slowly began to speak:

"Niannian, you must understand that everyone in this world has their own mission."

"Your mother is like a fire phoenix destined to soar through the nine heavens. Her battlefield is the turbulent world of business, and her goal is the stars and the sea. She was born to shine and to be admired by thousands."

The livestream went quiet; everyone was stunned by his sudden display of pretension. Chen Yu paused, turned around, fixed his deep gaze on his daughter, and continued in a righteous tone:

"And I... my mission is to be the paulownia branch where that fire phoenix can rest securely after enduring storms and returning in exhaustion. To shield her from the wind, to block the rain for her, and to protect our shared home and you, our most precious treasure."

"For a man, the greatest success is not standing on the highest peak himself, but enabling the woman he loves to chase her sky without any worries. This is a responsibility even greater than conquering the world."

He spoke with such passion and conviction that it sounded as if he weren't a stay-at-home husband, but someone engaged in an incredibly holy and great cause.

"..."

The livestream fell into a long silence once more. A few seconds later:

"6666666666666"
"Holy crap! What the hell did I just hear! He managed to make living off a woman sound so fresh, refined, and stirring!"
"I almost believed him! With this eloquence, it’s a waste that he isn’t a public speaker!"
"Learned something today! Brothers, take notes! This is the highest realm of living off a woman with dignity!"
"One word from you is worth ten years of reading! I understand now! From today on, my dream is to be the solid paulownia branch behind my wife!"
"Whose husband is this? Did he save the galaxy in his past life? To find such a talented and 'family-oriented' godly husband!"

In the VIP lounge, Jiang Qianyun’s cheeks turned bright red in an instant. Listening to Chen Yu’s twisted logic about "phoenixes and paulownia branches," she felt both angry and amused, along with a hint of... an indescribable shyness and fluttering of the heart.

That jerk... what kind of nonsense is he spouting! Who asked him to be a paulownia branch! But... why is my heart beating so fast?

...

The night grew deeper. After a day of commotion, it was time for bed. Chen Yu glanced at the wall clock and said to Niannian, who was still lingering in his arms, "Alright, little princess, it’s getting late. Time to go to sleep."

Niannian rubbed her eyes and let out a small yawn. At home, every night, Auntie Zhang, the nanny, would help her wash up, change into pajamas, and organize her little school bag for the next day. But now, Auntie Zhang wasn't there.

Niannian looked up and said to Chen Yu in a soft, spoiled tone: "Daddy, can you help me... please? Help me run the bathwater, get my pajamas, and also... my little yellow duck needs to be in the bathtub."

"Oh, and my school bag. I have art class tomorrow, so I need to bring my colored pencils..."

She counted on her fingers, one by one, clearly accustomed to a life of being waited on.