"......"
Shen Qingtang's eyes suddenly widened in that moment.
She watched as the little girl frowned and walked in with a bitter expression.
The nanny, standing by, gloated: "She must have angered the master. Maybe she'll really be sent away this time."
Shen Qingtang instinctively felt something was off. Though young, she was very perceptive.
She felt that Ji Tingzhou's voice seemed angry on the surface, but in reality, he wasn't truly upset. Instead...
Was he anticipating something?
"Are you hungry, Tangtang?"
The nanny finally remembered the child hadn't eaten and asked softly.
Shen Qingtang nodded.
In fact, she had plenty of opportunities to eat breakfast while traveling, but the nanny didn't allow it.
Knowing that resistance would make the other person angry, Shen Qingtang subconsciously didn't refuse.
When she was very young and had a fever, the nanny stayed up all night watching over her. From that time on, she regarded the nanny as her own family.
She didn't want to make her family sad.
...
Ji Nian knew that Ji Tingzhou had woken up. After learning from Zhiliao that he was fine, she completely relaxed.
She had thought that her father, upon waking up and seeing Shen Qingtang guarding him, would be touched. So, she deliberately timed her arrival to allow the father and daughter to bond first.
But as soon as she arrived, Ji Tingzhou called her by name.
"You finally came to see me."
If it weren't for the fact that he had been conscious that day, he would have believed the rumors that Shen Qingtang had been guarding him all along.
With his eyes closed, he seemed peaceful, but once he opened them, Ji Tingzhou reverted to his usual smirking, sarcastic self, speaking in a way that was either rhetorical or confrontational.
Ji Nian picked up the pillow he had thrown on the ground and quickly climbed onto the chair beside the bed.
"Master, do you have any pain anywhere?"
Ji Nian greeted him cheerfully, unfazed by her father's sarcastic remarks.
"Everywhere hurts."
Ji Tingzhou leaned lazily against the pillow behind him, scrutinizing the little girl.
He noticed the wound on her forehead and then looked at her hand.
"What happened to your hand?"
Having kept this question in his heart, Ji Tingzhou felt a strange sense of relief upon asking it.
Ji Nian glanced at her hand and explained, "I fell and got scratched."
She didn't mention it was the nanny who did it.
After all, in Ji Nian's mind, Ji Tingzhou was very protective of Shen Qingtang. Even if she said something, it wouldn't make a difference.
Between Shen Qingtang and herself, Ji Tingzhou would undoubtedly side with Shen Qingtang.
Realizing the child wasn't telling the truth, Ji Tingzhou let out a cold laugh.
It didn't matter; he would ask Zhiliao.
Having gone through hardships together, their conversations were now more familiar than before.
Pushing away the spoon held to his lips, Ji Tingzhou, who hadn't eaten in a long time, casually said, "You helped me."
"What do you want?"
Though his voice was casual, Ji Tingzhou's eyes were fixed intently on Ji Nian.
He wanted to know.
Giving the child this opportunity, what would she ask for?
Would she take this chance to ask to be with that annoying boy who raised dogs?
If she dared to say that, he would definitely throw both of them onto the street without hesitation.
Ji Tingzhou thought maliciously.
"Can I ask for anything?"
Hearing Ji Tingzhou's offer, Ji Nian was excited, her emerald eyes lighting up.
When Ji Tingzhou mentioned that Ji Nian had helped him during the chaos, Zhiliao was a bit surprised.
But in her eyes, nothing was more important than the reconciliation of the father and daughter's relationship.
Ji Tingzhou's lips curved, and his handsome face suddenly lit up, a sight so visually striking that it captivated Ji Nian, who had a fondness for beauty.
"Of course."
She didn't notice the danger hidden beneath that smile.
Immediately, she blurted out what she most desired.
"I want MiMi shrimp sticks."
Ji Tingzhou: "......"
Is that it?
Ji Nian: What else?
If I really asked for all your wealth, you wouldn't be happy.
Isn't MiMi shrimp sticks more practical?
Hehehe, MiMi shrimp sticks...
Ji Tingzhou looked utterly speechless.
"I can give them to you, but there's a condition."
"But you said it was a reward for me!"
Ji Nian's eyes widened, looking like a small animal deceived by a villain, her face full of disbelief at this untrustworthy person.
"What reward? Did I say that?"
Ji Tingzhou raised an eyebrow.
Ji Nian's shoulders slumped.
"Fine."
Stingy.
"Stay away from that Sha Da from now on."
Ji Nian looked puzzled.
"Who is Sha Da?"
Ji Tingzhou pinched her cheek, squeezing until two red marks appeared before he satisfiedly released his grip.
"Heartless thing, you don't even know the man you wanted to call your father?"
Ji Nian was dumbfounded: "......What... father?"
Her confused expression seemed genuine.
Sensing something was off, Ji Tingzhou frowned.
"Da Dan's caretaker, the man who carried you around that day."
"Didn't you say you wanted him to be your father?"
When he said the word "father," he enunciated it very clearly, as if to ensure Ji Nian heard it clearly.
Ji Nian, with red marks all over her face, was completely stunned.
She never said that.
It was only after the system reminded her that she recalled saying something similar.
However—
"I said, 'I want to poop, and I want the brother to take me to poop, meaning poop-poop.'"
Ji Nian blinked and repeated what she had said at the time.
Hearing her explanation, Ji Tingzhou's body stiffened.
What he had heard was clearly—
Seeing Ji Nian's utterly confused expression, Ji Tingzhou realized he must have misheard.
But a princess never admits her mistakes.
"Fool, you can't even speak Mandarin properly."
He retracted his hand, his eyes disdainful as he looked at Ji Nian.
Ji Nian: "......"
I surrender.
【Could it be that he was suddenly angry that day because of this?】
No way, do I have that much influence?
Even Ji Nian found it hard to believe.
It seemed that her previous attempts at strategy had some effect; her father seemed to care about her a bit.
Ji Nian's expression was thoughtful.
"What are you looking at?"
"Come over and sleep; I'm tired."
Seeing Ji Nian staring blankly at him, Ji Tingzhou slightly tilted his head, signaling Zhiliao to bring the child over.
Huh?
Didn't he just wake up?
Ji Nian was a bit puzzled but obediently let Zhiliao hold him.
Afraid of hurting her father's wounds, Ji Nian didn't dare to move and obediently leaned against Ji Tingzhou. Even after lying in the hospital bed for so long, he still smelled of that soothing incense, warm and slightly drowsy.
Ji Nian secretly took several deep breaths.
Seeing the child's consideration for him, Ji Tingzhou's fingers stroked her curly hair, and he curled his lips.
Little silly.
...
"My lord, all our men sent out have been wiped out."
The messenger hurriedly knocked on the door and entered.
By the large floor-to-ceiling window, a man sat in a wheelchair, gazing at the photo frame in his hand.
In the photo, a woman with naturally curly hair and strikingly beautiful features held a little boy's hand, smiling joyfully at the camera.
"Sister..."
The man murmured, his dark eyes filled with sorrow and pain as he gazed at the woman.
Then, his gaze slowly turned sinister, filled with murderous intent.
"I will avenge you."
