"Yeah, Mom, I’ll head back as soon as I hang up."
Shen Shuangshuang took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
The moment she hung up, she wiped away her tears.
’For years, her mom had been the one who truly called the shots in the family.’
’Every time her parents argued, it was always Shen Zhenwu who backed down in the end.’
’She’d known for a long time who she could truly rely on in this family.’
...
"Still mad at Dad?"
In the hospital room, Shen Zhenwu approached, his back hunched as he moved cautiously.
Song Yao was leaning against the headboard, her eyes closed as if she were asleep.
Hearing his voice, she replied flatly.
"Mr. Shen, instead of wasting your breath on me, you’d be better off thinking about that whole mess you’ve got at home."
Shen Zhenwu gave an awkward smile and wrung his hands.
"The most important thing for me right now is making my daughter happy again. What else could matter?"
He set a bag down, pulled a chair over, and sat by the bed.
His gaze remained on Song Yao’s face, trying to read her expression for any clues.
"Come on, look at these apples. They’re perfectly in season—crisp and sweet. You’d never find anything like them back in a place like Nanhui. I had someone make a special trip just to get them. I bet you’ve never had one. Dad will peel one for you."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Shen Zhenwu picked up a fruit knife and began to slowly pare the skin.
Aunt Zhang, watching from the side, couldn’t help but be touched.
"Xiao Song, just look at how much Mr. Shen cares for you. No one would believe you weren’t father and daughter!"
The words had barely left her lips when she noticed the corner of Song Yao’s eye twitch.
A single tear slipped silently down her cheek.
"Oh dear, what’s this?"
Aunt Zhang grew flustered.
She quickly set down the food she was holding and took a step forward.
"Child, if something’s wrong, you can tell us. Don’t keep it all bottled up inside."
When Shen Zhenwu heard that, he shot his head up.
His hand jerked, and the blade grazed the pad of his finger, slicing it open.
A bead of blood welled up instantly, dripping down between his fingers.
He didn’t even glance at it. He dropped the apple and rushed forward, his voice strained.
"Daughter, don’t cry, please don’t cry! Whatever’s wrong, you can take it out on me. It’s normal to feel all choked up. Dad’s here to listen. I’ll carry any burden for you, no matter how heavy!"
Song Yao turned her head, dodging his hand, and shrank back.
"Mr. Shen, you really don’t need to be so good to me. This kind of kindness is too intense, and too fleeting. It’s like a lamp in the dead of night that shines for a moment, then goes out."
"My whole life, no one has ever taken me seriously. No one has ever stood up for me. I’m used to the cold stares, to being trodden underfoot. For now, I can still endure it. As long as I don’t acknowledge you as my father, I can still get by on my own..."
Listening to this, Aunt Zhang’s heart ached. Her eyes grew red, and she started sniffling.
She remembered the day Song Yao first arrived, dressed in a worn-out padded jacket, so timid she didn’t even dare to lift her head as she walked.
Over the past few months, she had watched the girl slowly transform.
But she never expected the wounds in her heart to be more piercing than the winter wind.
Shen Zhenwu stood frozen in place, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked.
After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse.
"Are you saying all this because you don’t trust me? Or... are you afraid that one day I’ll abandon you?"
Song Yao took a deep breath.
"But what if I start to believe it? What if I let myself believe this is my home, that you’ll protect me... and then one day you suddenly turn against me, even unintentionally... What am I supposed to do then? I’ll have no path of retreat. The wounds will be too deep to lick, and I’ll struggle just to stay alive."
"That’s impossible!"
Shen Zhenwu roared, his eyes bloodshot.
"You are my daughter! Shen Zhenwu’s daughter! I’d die before I ever let you get hurt!"
"But what if I’m not?"
Song Yao shot back immediately.
Her gaze was direct, filled with nothing but a bottomless exhaustion and wariness.
Shen Zhenwu froze.
"How could that be?"
he murmured.
Song Yao gave a bitter smile.
"What if someone suddenly claims the golden bracelet is a fake? That it was specially crafted by your enemies to plant a girl by your side, have her pose as your daughter, win your trust, and then ultimately betray you? How would I know I’m not just a pawn in their scheme?"
Shen Zhenwu’s brow furrowed, and he began to unconsciously tap his knuckles on the table.
Staring straight at him, Song Yao continued.
"Mr. Shen, I can’t even be sure whose child I am. These days, how can anyone be truly certain about bloodlines? People say even DNA tests aren’t foolproof. So on what grounds are you so adamant that I’m your biological daughter?"
"If someone could forge a golden bracelet to fool you, they could just as easily find another girl to pose as your daughter. How can you be so sure I’m not just another part of their plan?"
Shen Zhenwu blurted out.
"I trust you! In my heart, I know it’s you!"
"I’m not trying to deceive you, but you’re the only one who thinks that,"
Song Yao said softly.
"It’s true, Liu Yumin admitted it herself—she switched the babies because she was afraid I’d compete with her daughter for the family fortune, so she was determined to keep me trapped in that village. And I really did find that golden bracelet at the Song Family’s house, right before I ran into Ji Xianbei and Ling Qinghan trying to harm me."
She paused, her expression darkening, and asked slowly.
"But even with all that, I can’t be sure it’s the truth. I’m just a sheltered girl who’s never faced any real storms. I can’t even begin to imagine how powerful the people who are against you really are."
"What if they’ve already laid the trap, and everyone is just playing a part? What if even the people who approach me are part of the setup? How can you expect me to trust anything that’s happening right in front of me?"
As she finished speaking, Song Yao noticed that Shen Zhenwu’s expression, which had been hesitant just a moment ago, suddenly relaxed.
"No matter what happens from now on, you are the daughter I, Shen Zhenwu, have personally claimed!"
He said this with absolute, iron-clad certainty.
Song Yao’s words and actions throughout this ordeal had made one thing crystal clear to Shen Zhenwu.
’This girl isn’t unwilling to accept him; she’s just been hurt so badly that she’s afraid to even hope.’
’She’s also cautious in everything she does.’
’She refuses to rush into this "family reunion," taking every single step with extreme care.’
In her, Shen Zhenwu saw a reflection of his younger self.
"Child, don’t overthink things."
Instead, he grew calm and looked at her seriously.
"I’m a man of my word. I’m the one who initiated this, who wants to claim you as my daughter. You’re not the one latching onto me; I’m the one trying to pull you into this family."
A flicker of emotion crossed Song Yao’s eyes.
"What if... what if you find someone later who seems more like your real daughter than I do?"
Shen Zhenwu answered instantly.
"Then you’ll still be my daughter! I’ll be honest, I’m already raising the child from the family that swapped out my own flesh and blood, so why would I be afraid of providing for you? You’re the one who pulled me back from the brink of death, and you’re the daughter my heart has chosen. How could I possibly go back on my word? I’m crystal clear on this, and no one can change my mind."
His words sent a powerful tremor through Song Yao’s heart.
Aunt Zhang chimed in with a laugh from the sidelines.
"Oh, Mr. Shen, at this rate, you’ll have a whole flock of daughters! If you spoil them all, how are you ever going to keep the peace?"
Shen Zhenwu raised an eyebrow, replying with bluff confidence.
"Why on earth should I have to treat them all equally? Even the ten fingers on your hands aren’t all the same length. Everyone has their favorites. Even when they’re all your own flesh and blood, a father’s going to have one he treasures the most. Who I favor is my business. It’s got nothing to do with anyone else."