Chapter 7

The sweet and melodious voice of the young girl swept away a bit of his fatigue. Shen Chunjiang raised his eyes and saw his daughter, who had only recently been acknowledged, standing before him. She looked vibrant with her disheveled mane of dark hair.

In a daze, he was reminded of that woman again.

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” His voice carried a softness, tinged with concern.

Shen Wan revealed a smile resembling shyness. “I… I’ve never lived in such a beautiful house before. It feels a bit strange.”

Shen Chunjiang blinked slightly, gently touching her hair with compassion. “From now on, you’re a child of the Shen family. You’ll get used to it gradually.”

“Dad, I’m so happy.” The young girl’s eyes reddened slightly. She bit her lip, attempting to push back the mist in her gaze, but her efforts were in vain. Two crystalline tears welled up, flowed down her cheeks, and fell to the ground. “I’m really, really happy…”

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In an instant, a sentiment called “compassion” surged within the man.

He wasn’t fond of melodrama, yet at this moment, as he looked into the teary eyes of the girl, he couldn’t help but reveal a longing for paternal love. It would be best to hold her in his arms and gently comfort her, just as he would with a two or three-year-old child.

That was what his mind thought, and in reality, Shen Chunjiang did just that.

Even as Shen Wan was drawn into his embrace, a brief flicker of surprise crossed her.

However, it didn’t take long for her to ease into it, as if she were a little boat finding a safe haven in a tranquil harbor. The sensation was deeply treasured, utterly satisfying.

This embrace brought a distinct feeling to Shen Chunjiang, one that his other two daughters hadn’t given him.

That sense of being needed, an achievement, instinctively made him emanate more paternal love.

“You’re already a nineteen-year-old young lady, yet you’re still fond of shedding tears?”

Shen Wan gently disengaged from his hug and stood up straight. Her eyes, freshly washed by tears, glistened brilliantly in the lamplight, a mix of delight and a palpable sense of exhilaration dancing within them.

“I normally don’t cry, but Dad is just so wonderful… I couldn’t control myself!”

As she spoke, she even adopted a slightly pouting tone.

“Alright, alright. We’ll have plenty of time to spend together as father and daughter in the future.”

“Mm!” She smiled, sniffed, and said, “Then… I’ll go back to my room for now.”

“Go ahead.”

Watching the girl’s figure disappear around the corner on the second floor, Shen Chunjiang sighed. Initially, he hadn’t felt much sentiment towards this daughter, as she hadn’t grown up by his side. However, he hadn’t expected her dependence on him to run so deep.

Oh well, it wouldn’t hurt to be more attentive in the future; after all, she was his own flesh and blood.

Shen Wan returned to her room, hastily placing down the glass, and then swiftly headed into the bathroom, thoroughly cleansing herself from head to toe for ultimate comfort.

Steam enveloped her as goosebumps disappeared.

She lay on the bed, gazing at the ceiling, suddenly unable to contain her laughter.

The more she laughed, the happier she became, yet not a sound escaped her lips; only her body trembled uncontrollably. If anyone were to witness this scene, they might think she was mad.

In the end, her laughter even brought forth tears, which she wiped away with a tissue before continuing to laugh.

Shen Chunjiang not only consoled her verbally but also embraced her?

Haha…

However, it was four years ahead of schedule. Shen Yan hadn’t shed her childishness, Yang Lan’s status was insufficient, and even Shen Chunjiang was displaying such immaturity and foolishness. He actually wanted to derive a sense of accomplishment as a father from her?

Well then, if that’s the case, Shen Wan would give him that sense of accomplishment!

At the same time, in the bedroom to the west.

Shen Chunjiang lifted the blanket and lay down on the bed, about to close his eyes, when Yang Lan suddenly spoke—

“Next month is my father’s 70th birthday celebration. Make sure to plan your schedule in advance. Don’t repeat what happened last time, when you couldn’t be found for the toasts.”

“Mm.”

Yang Lan sighed softly, “I agreed to let that illegitimate daughter in. If you can’t even show me some respect…”

The man suddenly opened his eyes, but in the darkness, his true emotions were difficult to discern. “Go to sleep, I understand.”

Only then did the woman feel at ease, her tone gently calling out, “Chunjiang…”

The light went out, and the night grew deep.

…

At six o’clock, Shen Qian’s internal clock promptly woke him up.

He changed into his workout clothes and went out for a morning jog.

A pale glow emerged on the horizon, the remnants of the night’s mist lingering and bringing a slight chill.

After running for half an hour, he retraced his steps, passing by the garden when his pace slowed.

Shen Wan felt her room lacked a certain liveliness. Since she moved in, it was her intent to ensure she felt happy and content to the fullest extent possible.

Two pots of flowers were still missing from the windowsill. She had come to find the gardener early in the morning.

“What about this one? It’s so delicate…” Her pale fingers twirled the fine tendrils, soft and gentle to the touch.

“This is called the Hypericum. They also call it the Gouhu Flower in Huizhou Province. It’s great for ornamental purposes and its fruits can be used for medicinal purposes.” The experienced gardener explained.

Shen Wan listened attentively, nodding from time to time.

“Mr. Ding—”

“Master Shen.”

Shen Wan glanced over, hesitantly clutching her fingers in a small gesture as if it was a casual movement.

Shen Qian glanced at her, so swiftly that it was hard to catch.

“The cherry blossoms in my room have already bloomed.”

Mr. Ding quickly grasped the situation. “I’ll replace them with new ones shortly.”

“Mm.”

With that, he turned and left.

Shen Wan caught up.

Shen Qian sensed the footsteps closely following behind him but didn’t hear a “wait” or “hold on.” He didn’t voluntarily turn around either.

Shen Wan continued to follow, silently.

As if she simply wanted to follow.

Oh, he almost forgot that this was just a little white rabbit, someone so timid and trembling even when speaking to him.