Ex seems to lead me on but left me hanging.

My ex and I separated 9 years ago but we have a daughter so the communication is still on but only consistent in the last 4 years. He’s been living overseas and seldom comes back to visit the country. We split because of miscommunication and petty fights as were both very young then. I never had any bf after him and honestly not totally over him yet. I’ve made same mistake as other women when I tried to chase him many times in the past. He avoided me like a plague which made me feel devastated. I’ve managed to somehow calm myself and just be civil with him.I rarely spoke with him and tried to be as chill as I can be with him.
Then he came back last month. We met when I brought our kid to their home to stay with him for a few days. He asked me ro stay for the night. I agreed since it’s not easy to commute nowadays.
He started teasing me and flirting with me which I tried to brush off at first but later responded. We almost had sex that night. Next morning, we acted as if nothing happened.
The next weekend, I went back to pickup my kid. I also stayed the night and we had sex.
We still acted as normal. We went back together to my city coz he’s visiting some relatives.
Later that night, his cousin invited me for a drink with them (with him and some friends). I’m hesitant bit still went.
People kept teasing us and though I brush them all off, he’s joining in on it. He even said words like he wants to get back together but I’m the one refusing.
I thought about it for more than a week but I’m not sure if I should treat it as joke or if he’s being serious. So I built up my courage and sent him a text asking if the things he said about wanting to get back together is serious or just a joke. At first he wouldn’t answer but when I insist that I just needed to know, he said “We’re okay the way we are. We can have normal conversations”. I asked if he doesn’t want to get back together. He said “As I said, we are okay the way we are. If I said something that confused you, I’m sorry”. Honestly, he did say quite a lot of confusing things in front of his cousins and friends.
I’ve texted him for almost everyday since just about random stuffs ang our kid, and now I feel like he wants to avoid me again.
It’s been 24 hrs since I last texted him. I want to have some space but I’m not sure how long I can last.
Honestly, I feel like it’s the past all over again, and I’m really sad coz of what’s going on. I don’t feel like there’s still any hope for the two of us but I can’t fully let go.