Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

As soon as she said this, footsteps were heard from beyond the door. They ceased right outside the hospital ward.

Knock, knock, knock.

There was a series of knocks on the door.

Yun Shishi knitted her brows and walked toward the door to open it. Yun Yecheng stood outside with a weathered and sullen face.

For some reason, he seemed to have aged a lot within a night.

Shocked, she looked past his shoulders but did not catch the presence of Li Qin or another.

He noticed her guardedness and immediately said, “There’s no one else; I came alone.”

“Dad…” She looked up at him with mixed feelings. She opened her mouth to speak several times, but even after a while, she was still unable to voice out anything.

Hopelessness, heartache, regret, decisiveness – these feelings were written all over her face, and they did not escape his eyes.

He owed this child of his too much. He came to explain everything clearly this time.

“Shishi, let me take a look at Youyou. I also need talk to you about something.”

Her lips curled upward. “Dad, the doctor said that Youyou is already fine. He probably just had a relapse. He’s now asleep.”

Her father sighed and spoke unhurriedly, “Don’t worry; I’ll just take a look. Just one look, and I’ll leave.”

She nodded and pushed the door slightly ajar.

He entered the room and made his way to the bed, seemingly not noticing Mu Yazhe standing at the side.

The man had carefully carried Youyou to bed and covered him up with a blanket. The little boy was, right now, peaceful and docile in his deep sleep.

Yun Yecheng sat beside the bed and gazed at his fragile appearance. He wanted to reach his hand out to caress him, but midway through, he retracted his hand back in remorse. He broke down in pain.

“I don’t deserve to be called ‘grandpa’…”

“Dad…”

He suddenly stood up, moved to the balcony, and beckoned her over with his hand for a private talk.

She immediately stepped into the balcony and closed the glass door behind her.

The father and daughter stared at each other for the longest time. This stifling silence ended when he abruptly broke down into tears.

“You’ve suffered so much all these years! I’ve let you down terribly for failing to protect you!”

Her eyes turned watery and reddened at his words.

No one could understand the complexity of the emotions she was currently experiencing.

All these years, he had always treated her like his own, and although Li Qin and Yun Na had never accepted her, he had faithfully carried out his duty as a father by providing her with all her needs.

He had done this despite them not being related by blood.

Over a decade, as Yun Yecheng lost his fertility after coming down with an illness and Li Qin pestered him for a son, the two proceeded to visit the welfare center to adopt one.

He had first seen her inside a room back then.

He stood by the window and spotted the then nine-year-old Yun Shishi cuddling her shivering body and huddling in a corner of the room. Her eyes were empty and lifeless, and she looked very depressed.

Observing her closely, there were lacerations in green and purple all over her body and she appeared to have a weak mental constitution.

For some reason, he felt a throbbing pain in his heart.

Regardless of her facial features or demeanor, this girl was remarkably beautiful and sweet. She seemed to be a pretty clever child, and her clear-cut brows indicated spiritedness.

However, for reasons unknown, she shut herself in the empty room while other children were out playing. She hugged her knees and shivered intensely in fright.

She was probably under the other children’s constant bullying, was she not?

Li Qin prompted him to leave, but he indicated to their accompanying teacher that he wanted to meet this poor child instead.