The Villain’s Daughter is Four and a Half

Jiang Boyuan, too, had no appetite, but hearing his daughter say she was hungry, he supported his weary body and staggered into the kitchen. He was a good man who cared for his family, always doing the laundry and cooking when he was free. However, these occasions were few and far between. Xu Xiangying was also a very virtuous wife, cooking for him, making tea, and raising their daughter without a single complaint. They were a loving family. But she went missing. When Jiang Boyuan thought of her, he was overwhelmed with grief: Where is she? How is she doing? Has she eaten? Is she hungry? Is she cold? Is anyone bullying her? His mind was filled with thoughts of her. A burnt smell entered his nostrils. Jiang Ruyi tugged at his pants, shrieking, “Daddy, it’s burnt! The food is burnt!” Snapping back to reality, Jiang Boyuan immediately turned off the stove. Dinner was ruined. His heart wasn’t in it. Seeing his distracted state, Jiang Ruyi felt uneasy about him cooking and pulled him out by his shirt, saying, “Daddy, let’s not cook. We can order takeout.” Jiang Boyuan agreed, lifting her onto his lap to show her the Meituan app: “What do you want to eat? Congee or noodles?” “Either is fine,” she replied, not picky, glancing at the food pictures on the screen and adding, “Order what Daddy likes.” Children are usually greedy and self-centered, so for her to say such a thing was truly heartwarming. This obedient and understanding daughter was all thanks to his wonderful wife. Jiang Boyuan felt a surge of tenderness, embracing her tightly, cherishing the moment, and even kissing the top of her head. After a while, suppressing his overwhelming emotions, he asked softly, “Ruyi, how about having burgers with Daddy?” Burgers are a treat many kids can’t resist, and Jiang Ruyi was no exception. Jiang Boyuan, as an adult, still considered his daughter’s preferences when ordering. Jiang Ruyi didn’t reject his paternal love and nodded, “Okay.” “What about the drink? Coke or milk tea?” “Milk tea.” “Do you want chicken wings?” “Yes.” “How about sausage?” “Yes.” “Chicken nuggets?” “Yes, too.” Unknowingly, father and daughter ordered a heap of food. While waiting for their meal, many calls came in, mostly regarding the six million reward. Jiang Boyuan responded with a grave expression, “I’m not joking. It’s real. If you can provide valuable clues, I will pay…” Sadly, no one provided any useful information. “I’m sorry.” “If I see her, I’ll call you immediately.” “We at the detective agency will do our utmost to help you find her.” … Xu Xiangying had been missing for three days. If she was in danger, they were past the golden window for rescue. Jiang Boyuan hung up call after call, growing increasingly frantic. He squeezed his temples hard, the pain helping him calm down: rather than hoping for others, he should search for her himself. But what about his daughter? Who could he entrust her to? His wife Xu Xiangying was an orphan with no family, and he was a late-born child; his parents died in a car accident when he was just two, and his older sister Jiang Qiuyue, then twenty, struggled to raise him, only marrying and having children at forty. Now, he had to entrust Ruyi to her—it wasn’t ideal, but there was no other choice. As he was thinking of her, Jiang Qiuyue called. He shared his plan, and she had no objections: “I’m your sister, of course, I’ll help. Plus, Ruyi is the same age as Mingzhu, they’ll get along.” Jiang Qiuyue married at forty, her husband’s surname was Feng, and they had a daughter named Feng Mingzhu, now four, who was cherished like a pearl. Jiang Ruyi had been listening to his conversation, and upon hearing she was to be sent to her aunt’s, her heart raced: Was the plot about to unfold? No! No! According to the plot, she would become a poor, mistreated child with a short, tragic life! Author’s Note: Thank you for your support. Please leave your comments. sob ☆ Chapter 3 Jiang Ruyi didn’t want to be a mistreated, short-lived child. As soon as he hung up, she tugged at his sleeve, pleading, “Daddy, I want to stay with you, not go to Auntie’s.” In her sparse memories, her aunt Jiang Qiuyue wasn’t kind to her. During New Year’s visits, she was warm on the surface but would call her a freeloader behind her back, often criticizing her mother for being pretty but impractical, spending money recklessly. Several times, she even moved into their home under the pretext of visiting, rummaging through Jiang Boyuan’s money and asking her mother for loans, which were never repaid. Jiang Ruyi analyzed these memories, concluding that her aunt was selfish and opportunistic. The reason she agreed to take care of Ruyi was probably for the money. Jiang Boyuan, unaware of these thoughts, still held deep respect for his sister. He gently patted Ruyi’s head, comforting, “Be good, Ruyi. Once Mommy comes back, Daddy will come to get you.” But you didn’t come. Because Mommy didn’t return, you forgot about your daughter, unaware of the life she led. A four-year-old girl, with her mother missing and her father absent, living with a calculating aunt—short visits might be fine, but long-term, she would surely be unwelcome. Jiang Ruyi remembered her cautious days after leaving the orphanage, always careful not to make mistakes or upset anyone. She didn’t want to relive that life and insisted, “No. I want to stay with Daddy. If Daddy is looking for Mommy, I’ll go too. I’ll be very good.” A four-year-old promising to be good is adorable, yet adults often don’t believe it. Jiang Boyuan didn’t take her words to heart, answering a call about the takeout’s arrival, then opened the door to retrieve it. He placed the takeout boxes on the coffee table, “Ruyi, come, have your chicken wings.” The chicken wings smelled delicious, and the chicken burger was tempting too. Jiang Ruyi’s stomach growled, but she didn’t eat. Instead, she knelt on the carpet, hands supporting her cheeks, continuing the previous conversation, “Daddy, I really don’t want to go to Auntie’s.” Jiang Boyuan was curious, “Why?” “I don’t want to be away from Daddy.” This reason obviously wouldn’t work. Jiang Ruyi scratched her head and started to lie, “I don’t want to be separated from Daddy. Mommy said if she’s not here, I should stay with Daddy and learn to take care of him. I promised Mommy, or else I’d be breaking my promise.” To sound like a child, she added, “The salt is too salty. I don’t want to eat.” Jiang Boyuan: “…” He quietly pondered the first part: Why would his wife say that? If she’s not here, what does that mean? Was her disappearance an accident or intentional? Wait— He asked nervously, “Ruyi, did Mommy ever say anything like ‘if she’s not here’ to you?” She didn’t know. She couldn’t remember. Jiang Ruyi was thrown into the narrative with no clear sense of direction, relying mostly on guesswork and deduction for the plot, while the original body’s four-year-old brain couldn’t retain much memory, making her even more clueless. However, these issues did not stop her from getting involved in this wife-finding event. “Ruyi, what did Mama say to you before she left?” This was something the original body remembered. Three days ago, Papa went abroad for an award ceremony, and Mama, who gets airsick, didn’t go with him. She had put the original body to sleep. When Papa returned the next day, she was gone. Everything at home was in its place, including her ID card. Surveillance footage showed her leaving at 10 PM, never to return. The first half of the story had been recounted many times by the original body, while the second half was discovered by Jiang Boyuan himself. Now, Jiang Ruyi recalled and recounted it again, pondering a question: Why did Xu Xiangying go out so late? For such a stunningly beautiful woman to venture out at night, wasn’t she afraid of danger? Especially since the original body’s mama seemed so gentle and timid. Jiang Boyuan was also pondering this, but despite racking his brains, he found no answers.