A Little Trick, the Scumbag Dad Can’t Hold the Knife After Understanding Love

Commemorating This Cry.

Zhiliao, who had been anxiously following Ji Tingzhou to check on her injuries, suddenly stopped in her tracks. She grabbed Wei Yang by his tie and dragged him out of the room.

Wei Yang, being hauled away like a dead pig by Zhiliao: "……"

The room fell completely silent, leaving only Ji Nian's sobs.

Watching the endless stream of tears from Ji Nian, Ji Tingzhou stiffened slightly.

Though it wasn’t the first time he’d seen the kid cry, Ji Nian had never wailed this hard before.

By the time her school uniform collar was soaked with tears, Ji Tingzhou—having savored the rare sight of her bawling—finally pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her face.

When he reached her nose, he swiftly swapped his handkerchief for hers, fishing it out of her pocket to wipe her snot.

Ji Nian: "……"

Sometimes, sheer disbelief can make you laugh out loud.

"Done crying?"

Her sobs had quieted, leaving only red, rabbit-like eyes glaring at him.

Ji Tingzhou inspected her wound. Even though he’d braced himself, the sight of the raw, bloody gash made his heart twinge.

He’d seen far worse injuries—ones he wouldn’t even bother bandaging if they were on himself.

But on the kid? It felt inexplicably jarring.

"Idiot. Daydreaming during P.E., not even dodging when the ball came at you. What was all that training with Zhiliao for?"

Ji Tingzhou had already reviewed the security footage. Watching the ball hurtle toward Ji Nian, he’d wished she weren’t a kid but something tougher—a durian, maybe—so she wouldn’t get hurt.

He ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‍pinched her fingers, signaling for her to open her palm so he could check the injury. But she didn’t budge.

When he looked up at her expression—

Wow. Still mad.

Ji Tingzhou, uncharacteristically exasperated: "Could’ve just sent me a photo. Did you really need me to come in person?"

Ji Nian’s eyes widened.

[You’re sending me to the Chen Family without even seeing me? A photo would’ve sufficed?]

"Ji Tingzhou! I misjudged you. Promised to change your bedpan at eighty, and this is how you repay me?"

Tears welled up again.

Even though they’d only spent two years together, those years had given Ji Nian something she’d never felt in her past life.

But now, those heavy emotions seemed weightless to Ji Tingzhou—something he could casually hand off to others.

Ji Nian’s earlier fury suddenly fizzled out.

Before emotions could override logic, she always cooled down fast.

[He knows my identity. He knows I’m the core of the Chen Family’s pharmaceutical collaboration. So why send me away?]

[Is he so blinded by short-term gains that he thinks the formula alone is enough, no need for the pharmacist?]

[Ji Tingzhou isn’t that shortsighted…]

[Unless… something’s wrong with him, and he doesn’t want me to find out?]

A jolt ran through Ji Nian as she recalled Ji Tingzhou’s vegetative state in the original novel.

Just as Ji Nian’s overthinking engine revved up—

Ji Tingzhou sensed their conversation had gone off the rails.

"Repay you how?"

He frowned.

"You mean skipping your heart-shaped poop this morning? That’s ‘repayment’ now?"

Ji Nian’s conspiracy-laden expression froze.

"What heart-shaped—"

Then she remembered her early morning mischief: "……"

"Uh… that’s not what I meant…"

Ji Tingzhou withdrew his hand, wondering if the fall had damaged her brain.

"Then what are you talking about?"

Ji Nian blinked, realization dawning—but her mouth was faster: "You sending me to the Chen Family…"

Her father’s brow furrowed instantly. "Sending you to the Chen Family? You want to go!?"

His voice turned icy, the unspoken threat clear: Nod, and I’ll flush you down the toilet.

Ji Nian was baffled.

"Didn’t my grandma and Old Master Chen ask you to—"

She cut herself off.

It hit her—Wei Yang’s idiotically oversimplified guess had misled her.

[……I give up.]

System: [HAHAHAHAHAHA SERVES YOU RIGHT!!!]

The always-calculating Ji Nian, brought low by emotions!

Worth not warning her just to see this spectacle.

Ji Nian gritted her teeth, adding another black mark to Wei Yang’s record.

[Never again.]

Though Ji Nian didn’t finish, Ji Tingzhou pieced it together from her half-sentence.

Now it was his turn to be angry.

He scoffed coldly, stood, and walked out without a word.

Ji Nian, guilt-ridden, grabbed his sleeve. "Daddy?"

Ji Tingzhou spun around, jabbing a finger near her nostril.

"What ‘Daddy’?"

"Wasn’t it ‘Ji Tingzhou’ earlier? Keep it up."

He yanked his hand back and turned again, the gust from his movement flipping Ji Nian’s bangs.

"Wait, Daddy, let me explain!!"

Ji Nian threw off the blankets, scrambling to chase him.

Ji Tingzhou’s hand was on the doorknob when—thud—followed by a yelp.

A sigh came from the doorway.

Then footsteps approached.

Ji Nian’s lips curled, her emerald eyes flashing with mischief.

When she looked up, her expression was pure pitifulness. "Daddy, it hurts."

Ji Tingzhou was still mad.

Mad that she’d doubted him so easily.

He hauled her up, checking the injury.

In her rush, Ji Nian had tripped on the sheets, scraping her elbow against the fabric, reddening the wound.

"Sit."

After a glare, Ji Tingzhou called for help.

Zhiliao finally re-entered with the doctor.

As the doctor tended to Ji Nian, Zhiliao eyed the two. The tension had eased—still odd, but better.

"Extra training when you’re back. Daydreaming or not, how’d you get hit by such a slow ball?"

The merciless Coach Zhiliao issued her verdict.

Ji Nian stiffened.

Another debt added to Wei Yang’s tab.

Wei Yang, peeking over the doctor’s shoulder at her scrapes: ?

Why do I feel a chill?

In a corner of the infirmary, behind a drawn curtain—

A boy resting on the bed fluttered his lashes, lips quirking at the noise.

He didn’t know what had happened.

But at least she wouldn’t be as down as today…

Though.

He Xiang slowly opened his eyes, dark pearls of confusion in his gaze.

Somehow, Ji Nian’s father’s voice… felt familiar.

Even though they’d never met.