Now he has many things he needs to beg me for, even if he doesn’t want to, the old folks from Xin Song will force him. So he wouldn’t dare do anything to me. That’s good, but speaking of which, Jin Du depends on Zhang Rong now. If our father and daughter lose his protection, life will be tough. Seeing the displeased look on Liu Yi’s face, Liu Shiquan knew she didn’t like hearing this, so he quickly perked up and changed the topic: “How are the preparations for your engagement ceremony going?” Liu Yi’s face lit up with a smile, “Almost everything is ready. After all these days of hard work, there’s finally some progress.” Liu Shiquan asked, “When is the actual day?” “It’s the thirteenth, five days from now.” Liu Shiquan’s brows furrowed slightly, “Why choose such an inauspicious number?” Liu Yi laughed, “Dad, you still care about these things? We young people don’t mind, but my godfather had someone check, and they said it’s a very auspicious day.” Liu Shiquan sighed softly, “You call your godfather so affectionately.” Liu Yi didn’t notice Liu Shiquan’s discomfort; she had been thinking about something since earlier, mulling it over and over until she finally couldn’t help but blurt out, “Dad, has that person ever come looking for you?” Liu Shiquan’s heart skipped a beat, looking at Liu Yi, “You mean…” Liu Yi nodded. Liu Shiquan leaned back into the sofa, exhaled softly, and slowly said, “A few years ago, she came to see me once, saying she wanted to meet you, but I didn’t agree. I gave her some money and told her not to appear in front of me again. And she truly never came back to find us.” Liu Yi listened silently, lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly asked in a daze, “Would you be able to find her now if you tried?” “Do you want to see her?” Liu Shiquan was a bit surprised; since Liu Yi grew up, she had never mentioned wanting to find that person, and now she brings it up. He looked up to see Liu Yi’s serious expression, revealing a hint of ruthlessness, and suddenly realized that Liu Yi might not want to see her for the sake of seeing her. His heart tightened, and his voice trembled slightly, “What do you want to do?” Liu Yi’s eyes flashed with a cold light, gritted her teeth, and said expressionlessly, as if it was none of her concern, “Nothing, I just want to ensure everything goes smoothly.” Liu Shiquan stared blankly at her, she was truly beautiful, her features flawless, her demeanor impeccable, both noble and gentle. He had raised this daughter himself, cherishing her like a treasure. Yet, it seemed like today he realized he might not fully understand her. Liu Shiquan couldn’t help but feel a chill from deep within. Liu Yi glanced at him and sneered dismissively, “What’s with that look? So hard to believe?” “Isn’t it you who taught me to be ruthless and leave no loose ends?” “Just because men can do it, does that mean women can’t?” “Besides, you just said, if Zhang Rong finds out we’ve deceived him, we’ll be in big trouble. I’m doing this for both of us, taking a desperate measure.” Liu Shiquan could only smile bitterly inside, “You truly are my daughter, surpassing the teacher.” However, he wondered if, one day, circumstances would force her to abandon him as well. Liu Yi seemed to read his thoughts, forcing a smile, “Don’t overthink it. She gave me life, but she never fulfilled a day of her responsibility as a mother. If we met on the street, we might not even recognize each other. She’s no different to me than a stranger.” Saying this, Liu Yi half-squatted in front of Liu Shiquan, holding his hand tenderly, “How can she compare to you? You’ve given me the best of everything these years, and now you’re taking such a big risk for me. No matter what happens in the future, I won’t let you suffer even a bit.” Liu Shiquan’s heart eased slightly, sighed, “I’m sorry for you, if I hadn’t driven her away, you wouldn’t have been separated for so long, but what you’re doing…” Liu Yi’s face darkened, her voice harsh, “Why are you suddenly so sentimental? What does giving me life mean? What does blood relation mean? Tang Xiaofu’s veins also carry your blood, have you ever considered her your daughter?” Liu Shiquan felt as if he had been struck, his body shook, his face turned pale. After a moment, he looked at Liu Yi, enunciating each word, “I never had the fate to be a husband to Dong Shufang, nor a father to Liu Ai. I treated them that way, knowing one day I would face retribution, I accept it. But I never expected these words to come from you.” Seeing Liu Shiquan suddenly look ten years older, Liu Yi recalled his affection for her since childhood, and felt a twinge of regret for her harsh words, “Dad…” Liu Shiquan waved his hand, “It’s fine, I know you didn’t mean it. That person, I’ve always had someone watch her, fearing she might do something harmful to you. Now, I’ll handle this for you, it’s better if I do it than you. If there’s a thunderbolt from heaven, let it strike me.” Liu Yi called out again, “Dad.” Liu Shiquan looked at Liu Yi, his eyes showing a warmth and tenderness he had never shown to anyone else, “Yi Yi, in my whole life, I’ve only cherished you. I’ve given all the love that should have been for two daughters to you alone. At my age, nothing else matters, as long as you are well!” Liu Yi opened her mouth to say something but was startled by a noise outside the door, raising her voice, “Who’s there?” Song Li pushed the door open with a smile, “Yi Yi, I wanted to say goodbye, I think I’ll head back first.” Liu Yi responded with an “Oh,” somewhat reluctant, “Wait for me a moment, I still want to talk with you.” Liu Shiquan slowly stood up, “You two chat, I’ll leave first.” Liu Yi’s brows slightly furrowed, watching Liu Shiquan, she softly said, “Dad, go home and rest well today. I’ll come see you in a couple of days!” Liu Shiquan nodded indifferently, gave Song Li a deep look as he passed by, said nothing, and left. Liu Yi watched Liu Shiquan’s retreating figure, sighed, and collapsed onto the sofa, looking exhausted. Song Li slightly moved his lips, as if smiling, sat next to Liu Yi, and gently patted her, “What’s wrong, had an unpleasant talk with your father?” Liu Yi turned, leaning against Song Li, slightly impatient, “What’s there to be happy or unhappy about? When people get old, they tend to overthink. He’s just a bit jealous because I report to my godfather every day.” Song Li smiled faintly, “Well, the old man only has you in his eyes now. Seeing his precious little girl, whom he raised with so much effort, suddenly sharing her heart with someone else, he’s bound to be unhappy.” “Hmph, always these nagging issues,” Liu Yi glanced sideways at Song Li, her body becoming even more limp, as if she was about to melt into him. “Once we get married and give him a few more grandchildren, he won’t feel lonely anymore, and he’ll be happy enough to laugh all day.”
Song Li’s body stiffened slightly. The word ‘children’ felt like a thorn piercing his heart, and his mind wandered off into the distance, lost in thought. Liu Yi squinted her eyes, wrapping her arms around Song Li’s neck, her voice hoarse as she asked, “What are you thinking about?” Song Li snapped back to reality, gazing closely at Liu Yi’s delicate, blooming face, and suddenly leaned down to kiss her lips. Liu Yi let out a soft moan, embracing him tightly, secretly thrilled. She couldn’t remember the last time Song Li had kissed her so proactively. They were together again, both aware of why, and things couldn’t be the same as before, but she wasn’t in a hurry; he couldn’t escape her grasp. After all these twists and turns, he was back, regardless of the reason, he would eventually be hers. In her heart, Song Li was quite important, though not as important as herself, probably more so than her father, Liu Shiquan. A father couldn’t accompany her for a lifetime, but a good husband could.
