Chapter 1: Dad

Yan Xi dug into her ice cream while listening to the woman at the next table complain on the phone about her son's ex-girlfriend.

"She dresses all flashy, with heaps of jewelry and makeup, looks like the type who wouldn't settle down. And that flimsy figure of hers—definitely not built for childbearing."

Yan Xi put her spoon down, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and pulled a mirror out of her bag to touch up her lipstick.

"My son even said he'd bring her home for New Year's," the woman went on, her voice growing louder, "I told him, what's so great about bringing a girl like that home? The family could save on a few greeting envelopes..."

As the woman's voice got louder, some young people at nearby tables started turning around, casting her looks of disdain. Yan Xi caught this in her mirror as she finished reapplying her lipstick. She put the mirror and lipstick back in her bag, got up, and headed to the door, only to run into a familiar face.

"Xiao Xi..." The man in front of her hesitated, a hint of sorrow and surprise flickering across his handsome face.

"Xiao Xi? More like a river," Yan Xi retorted, glancing at her watch before turning away. She wasn't about to put on some soap opera act just for him.

But the man blocked her path.

The airport PA system softly announced a delay for a flight due to weather conditions. Yan Xi looked at the man standing in her way, her hand gripping her bag with an itch to use it.

"Min Dong," she said, just as the woman who had been on the phone walked over. She looked at Yan Xi and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Chen Min Dong shook his head, "Mom, you go sit and rest first."

"So you're mother and son?" Yan Xi's brow arched, remembering everything this woman had just said over the phone. She turned to Min Dong's mother, "Well, you two do resemble each other."

Without waiting for their reaction, Yan Xi sidestepped Min Dong, making her way toward the boarding gate.

"Xiao Xi!" In a moment of panic, Chen Min Dong reached out to grab Yan Xi's wrist.

As his hand reached toward her, Yan Xi instinctively swung her bag at him. Right after she hit him, she felt a pang of regret—she'd only bought this bag a few days ago, and she was fond of it. If it broke, who'd compensate her?

"Didn't anyone ever teach you that it's rude for men to touch women without permission? That's called having no manners." She rolled her eyes. "Move. Don't block my way."

Chen's mother, shocked to see this seemingly delicate girl suddenly lash out, opened her mouth to scold her. But before she could say anything, Min Dong stopped her.

"Min Dong, who is this girl with such a temper..."

Ignoring his mother's complaint, Min Dong just stared after Yan Xi, sighing, "Alright, Mom, stop making a scene—everyone's watching."

Yan Xi found a seat in the boarding area and took out her phone. She posted a message to her social media:

Dahe, I'm Xiaoxi: Ran into an idiot, certified purebred. [Image of a hilariously ugly wrinkled dog]

The history between her and Chen Min Dong was practically the stuff of trashy, low-tier soap operas. Back in the day, he'd been a big deal at school—a student council leader with fair skin and good looks. Her teenage heart hadn't been able to resist when he pursued her, and she eventually agreed to date him.

But big shots come with big problems, it seemed. By the time summer break was over, he'd already cheated on her—with one of her classmates, no less. With her naturally innocent appearance, Yan Xi hadn't even had to say much before others took her side out of sympathy.

The two cheaters had faced a fair amount of public scorn after that, to the point that when they graduated, the other girl even called her a "white lotus." Well, a white lotus is still a flower, isn't it? Better to be a delicate flower than a shameless cheater.

Two or three years had gone by, yet the cheater's legs hadn't broken—lucky for him, those legs must be strong.

After scrolling through her game for a bit, Yan Xi checked her social feed again. Friends who usually kept in touch with her had liked her post, some even jokingly asking why the poor dog had to take the blame.

Just then, her flight began boarding. She put her phone in her bag, got up, and joined the boarding line.

From Hai City to the capital, it would be about a two-hour flight. Yan Xi turned off her phone and slept through the entire trip. When she arrived at the baggage claim area, she still felt groggy.

The capital airport was bustling with people. Yan Xi hadn't been to the capital in years, and now she felt a little nervous, like coming home.

Following the flow of people toward the exit, she accidentally stepped on someone's foot. She turned to apologize.

"Sorry."

The man she stepped on was more than a head taller than her. When she apologized, she didn't even bow her head, just curled her lips slightly. "It's fine, I'm used to it."

Yan Xi: ?

Tall people generally have long legs, and when Yan Xi looked up, all she could see was the back of his head. His thick black hair was combed neatly, giving off an elite, cold, untouchable vibe.

Exiting the corridor, Yan Xi quickly spotted her dad in the crowd. Not because of any strong father-daughter connection, but because his gold watch was so blindingly eye-catching.

"Yanyan!" Song Hai's face lit up with a beaming smile as he waved enthusiastically. As Yan Xi walked over, he turned to his assistant. "This is my daughter, isn't she more beautiful than those celebrities on TV?"

The assistant nodded with a smile. "Your daughter does resemble you, especially her eyes."

"Of course! When she was little, people always said she looked like me," Song Hai patted his slightly protruding belly, "It's good luck for daughters to take after their fathers."

The assistant thought, in that case, Miss Song might be quite unlucky.

"Dad," Yan Xi jogged over to Song Hai, "you've gained some weight."

Song Hai chuckled, taking her suitcase. "Now that you're back, how about settling down here in the capital?" His tone was a bit cautious, his large frame even slightly hunched, as if afraid she might refuse.

Yan Xi looked at him, then wrapped her arm around his. She smiled, "Sure."

"That's great, that's great," Song Hai's excitement was evident, his face practically trembling. "We'll go home and see what's missing. Tomorrow I'll take you shopping."

Yan Xi tilted her head and smiled. "Aren't you going to work tomorrow?"

"What's work compared to my daughter?" Song Hai laughed heartily as he carried her suitcase, looking like he would throw it over his shoulder to show just how happy he was to have her back.

Nine years ago, he and his ex-wife divorced amicably. She had a passion for the arts, while he was a self-made businessman with a strong focus on wealth. Their differences in values grew too large, so they ended their marriage after over a decade together. Since then, his ex-wife had lived with Yan Xi in Hai City, while he stayed in the capital.

Over the years, he never remarried, and his ex-wife seemed to have no interest in other men, so they lived quiet lives, not disturbing each other. Song Hai's only regret was that he couldn't see his daughter often. She even changed her surname from Song to Yan. Two years ago, when his ex-wife passed away, Yan Xi was still in college and later had to handle her mother's affairs, delaying her move to the capital until now. Though he kept in touch with his daughter frequently, their time together had been limited, and he worried that she might feel distant from him.

But now, as she took his arm of her own accord, his 180-pound frame felt as light as if he weighed only 80 pounds.

Once they got in the car, Song Hai pulled a drink from the mini-fridge. "Yanyan, here."

Seeing the familiar drink brand made Yan Xi feel a bittersweet nostalgia. She had loved this drink as a child. Back then, the family wasn't well-off, but her dad would always take her to the nearby shop to buy it, never complaining about her spending.

More than ten years had passed since then. The drink had gone through numerous rebranding changes, even the company owner had changed, but her dad still remembered her taste. Not wanting to tell him that she hadn't drunk this brand in ages, Yan Xi took a few sips, glancing at him and seeing the satisfied smile on his face.

"Our home has a pool and a small garden," Song Hai started, rubbing his hands awkwardly, "You can keep pets, plant flowers, go swimming, whatever you like. The only thing is...it's a bit quiet with no one around."

Living alone, he didn't care much about keeping up a home. He often ate out and stayed in hotels, so besides hiring a cleaning service, he hadn't kept anyone else on staff.

"No worries. It'll be lively now that I'm back." Yan Xi looked out the window at the slowly

Watching her dad's slightly chubby figure hurry downstairs, Yan Xi stepped into the room and opened the wardrobe. Inside hung all sorts of clothes and dresses, along with numerous pairs of shoes. Some of the shoes were rather ugly, but Yan Xi couldn't help but smile.

No wonder her dad had called her a few days ago, asking what colors she liked—turns out it was for this.