The Villain’s Daughter is Four and a Half

Three months later, she spoke to him again: “Hey, I’ve bought movie tickets, would you like to watch a movie together?” How could he say “no”? Even if someone held a knife to him, he would rather die than refuse. He nodded, “Okay.” They left the bookstore hand in hand for the first time. He couldn’t remember what the movie was about, but he would never forget the warmth of her hand, cool as water, which he warmed for a long time. Oh, and he remembered her words. When the movie ended, she said, “Hey, Jiang Baiyuan, let’s be together, okay?” He simply responded with, “Okay.” In the following years, whatever she said, he always said “okay.” If she didn’t like working, he said “okay,” it was his duty as a man to support the family. If she didn’t like socializing, he said “okay,” he didn’t want those old, single men at the research institute ogling her. If she didn’t like recalling the past, he said “okay,” the past was over, they lived in the present. Even if she didn’t say she loved him, he didn’t force it; she was his wife, his daughter’s mother, and his love for her was enough. But how could she just… disappear? No, not disappear. Jiang Baiyuan shook his head, trying to dispel that dreadful thought. “Dad, what’s wrong?” Jiang Ruyi had been watching his expressions, sensing something off: “Are you not feeling well? Or—” During the recollection of their love story, did he find something suspicious? She held back from saying the last part; it was too out of character for a four-year-old.