Spring ebbed away, and by the swift turn of May, summer was fast approaching. At the beginning of the month, Aria Cheng joyfully welcomed a baby boy into the world, affectionately named "Liam." Sophie Ye was thrilled with the addition of a baby brother and shared her excitement with Lizzy Xia, "My little brother is also your brother, Lizzy. From now on, we'll both be Liam's big sisters!" Though she too was Liam's sister, Lizzy couldn't help but envy Sophie. Returning home, Lizzy once more cozied up to Alex and Michelle Xia, expressing her desire for a little brother. Michelle nodded in response and then, with an air of seriousness, began discussing with Lizzy which street's trash bin they should visit to pick up a brother. Lizzy's young mind filled with confusion. She pondered, "So, is that how you get a little brother? By picking him up like trash?" Lizzy felt a sudden repulsion at the thought of a brother from a trash can – stinky and unclean! She was having second thoughts,

Ye Corporation doesn't hold an annual meeting every year, mainly because organizing one involves a lot of fuss, time and manpower. At least, that was what the young Mr. Alex Ye believed. In his opinion, it was better to devote that time to work on new projects and use the money for year-end bonuses rather than unnecessary events. However, this year, Mr. Alex Ye seemed to take a keener interest in the annual meeting, rather than just delegating it to his assistant and not bothering about it. He would frequently ask his assistant about the event's proceedings, like the agenda, any refreshments planned, and if he needed to deliver a concluding speech. He received a detailed plan for the annual meeting, which, barring any last-minute changes, would be strictly followed. On the chilly winter night of the annual meeting, the indoor heating of Rivenhold was cranked up to fend off the biting cold. As a stakeholder in Ye Corporation and the wife of the Ye family, Eleanor Ye would, as always,

Recently, Lizzy made a startling discovery. Every morning when she'd go to have her father, Alex Ye, do her hair, she'd find her mother, Michelle, in his bedroom. Sometimes Michelle would already be up, but more often, she'd still be in bed.Because of this, Lizzy heaved a profound sigh.Her mom was lazy in the mornings, and her dad was afraid of the dark. They really weren't mature or brave at all!When would they be like her, not lazing about in bed or being afraid of the dark, able to sleep on their own?As Alex was doing Lizzy's hair, putting it into small braids, he heard her sigh and asked absentmindedly, "What's on your mind, Lizzy?"Lizzy looked up at Alex with big, round eyes that seemed to say, "I know everything." Seeing the look in Lizzy's eyes, Alex was clearly puzzled about what she was thinking.Speaking on her own accord, Lizzy said, "It's okay! Lizzy used to be scared of the dark too. But then I got a unicorn toy, and now I'm not scared anymore when I sleep at night."

Lizzy Xia promised to give her unicorn toy to Liam, and when she made promises, especially to kids, she kept them. Though parting with her toy was painful for her, the thought of little Liam, who was afraid of the dark and would cry when awakened by nightmares, tugged at her heart. She couldn't bear the idea of him being scared. The next day after kindergarten, Lizzy hurried home. Clutching her unicorn toy, she entered Michelle Xia's room. Approaching Michelle's computer desk, Lizzy gently tugged at the hem of her mother's skirt. Lizzy noticed that her mom had been wearing skirts a lot lately. Before, Michelle had always favored long pants, especially those unattractive blue-gray jeans. Lizzy caressed the skirt's fabric, thinking about how pretty it looked. Michelle had been engrossed in her writing. An old employer had reached out, and she'd been chatting with him. But now, this little clingy bundle of joy had caught her attention. After sending a message to her former boss, Michel

Michelle Xia woke up to find something warm and soft tucked into her embrace, providing an added comfort. Without a second thought, she knew it was her sticky little daughter, Lizzy, who must have sneaked into her bed for some shared slumber. Even though she was now awake, Michelle was in no hurry to rise, especially with a snuggly little one in her arms. The desire to stay in bed was even stronger. Lizzy, despite being an early riser unlike her mother, was half-awake. Sensing Michelle's alertness, Lizzy too came to full consciousness.Lizzy Xia's voice was soft and sweet as she cooed to Michelle Xia, wanting kisses, cuddles, and to nuzzle against her cheek. Yet, she carefully avoided mentioning why she was on her mother's bed.Michelle playfully asked the little one, "Lizzy, how did you end up on mommy's bed?"With wide innocent eyes, Lizzy feigned innocence, saying, "Because mommy wanted Lizzy to sleep with her, so Lizzy appeared on mommy's bed!"Michelle tried to stifle her laugh