Jiang Ruyi didn’t want this obsession to ruin him, but she knew things had to change gradually. So she changed the subject: “To find Mommy, Daddy shouldn’t drink. Mommy doesn’t like it.” In the memory of the original four-year-old child, Mommy was like a fairy, never drinking alcohol and disliking others who did.
Jiang Boyuan knew this, always abstaining from alcohol, but the pain of losing his wife was tearing at his heart, making him crave the oblivion of drunkenness. Thus, he ignored his daughter’s words, reached for a bottle, and continued drinking.
Jiang Ruyi couldn’t bear to see him so despondent and tried to snatch the bottle from him, but her small strength was no match for him, and she was pressed back into his embrace.
“Little Ruyi, be good, Daddy’s heart hurts, let Daddy drink a bit.”
“You’ve had too much; you’re drunk.”
“No. Daddy’s not drunk.” His breath reeked of alcohol.
Jiang Ruyi, feeling suffocated, struggled out of his embrace, scanned the scattered bottles on the floor, and picked up the remaining unopened ones. She planned to hide them so he couldn’t find them, but the bottles were heavy, tiring her arms. A child’s body was really too weak. After several trips, she had hidden the bottles, then took a broom to clean the floor.
Jiang Boyuan, heavily drunk, couldn’t keep his eyes open, seeing only a small figure running back and forth, thinking she was playing, he murmured instinctively, “Ruyi, slow down, be careful not to fall~ Yingying, watch Ruyi~”
Finally, Jiang Ruyi cleaned the floor. Seeing he had no more alcohol, she tried to help him onto the sofa, but he was too heavy for her. She ended up falling onto him.
The soft little body crashed down. Jiang Boyuan wasn’t hurt, still half-asleep, his body unprepared, he hugged her and rolled onto the floor. His head hit the floor with a loud sound, which should have been painful, but he didn’t make a sound, probably too drunk to feel the pain. However, he didn’t forget the little one on him, immediately sitting up: “Ruyi, are you okay?”
Seeing his worried look, Jiang Ruyi, as if inspired, started to cry, “Daddy, Ruyi hurts—”
Her tears seemed to sober Jiang Boyuan up a bit. He carefully checked her head and body: “Where does it hurt? Ruyi, be good, don’t cry, tell Daddy where you’re hurt.”
Jiang Ruyi wasn’t hurt; she had just wanted him to sober up. Now that he was awake, she stopped pretending, sniffing, “Ruyi is hungry.” Since Mommy went missing, this little one hadn’t eaten properly. One reason was her pickiness, with meals prepared solely by Mommy, very delicate foods, which she needed to be fed, or she wouldn’t eat; another was her longing for Mommy, fearing she wouldn’t come back, which naturally took away her appetite.
