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

After Ji Tingzhou's incident, security had practically sealed off the entire resort, making it extremely difficult to sneak in.

System: [There are almost no blind spots in the surveillance here. How do you plan to get in?]

[If you’re caught, you’ll be sent back.]

Ji Nian chuckled silently.

Just then, a shadow suddenly appeared under the lights near the main gate.

The figure was tall and lean, dressed in the resort’s uniform, casually exchanging a few words with the security guard before stepping out.

Ji Nian, crouched near the public restroom, watched as the person walked straight toward her.

It was He Xiang.

Holding a bag, he took a few quick strides up the steps. Without a word, he handed it to her. "Change into this."

Ji Nian swiftly took the bag and blinked at him playfully. As she stood up, stretching her limbs, He Xiang’s gaze froze when it landed on her neck.

The darkness in his eyes deepened, almost merging with the night.

Ji Nian entered the women’s restroom, where a changing area made it easy for her to disguise herself.

Placing her bag on the bench, she quickly stripped off her original clothes and put on the uniform He Xiang had brought.

The uniform was He Xiang’s spare set—far too big for her—but she managed by tucking in the shirt and rolling up the pant legs.

After donning the wig borrowed from Shen Qingtang and using dye to change her eye color, a slender young boy in resort attire stared back at her from the mirror.

[…If the eyes were fiercer and the features sharper, it’d be the spitting image of Ji Tingzhou at fourteen.]

The system didn’t need to say it.

Ji Nian thought the same.

Her complexion was still too pale, so she dabbed on a darker foundation. It would have to do for the night.

When Ji Nian stepped out, He Xiang, who had been standing with his back to the door, turned at the sound of her footsteps.

His eyes flickered briefly as he took in her new appearance.

As she approached, he didn’t comment on her disguise. Instead, he pointed at her neck.

"What happened to your neck?"

Ji Nian could speak, but her voice came out hoarse, like a duck’s quack. "Swollen… it’s fine."

He Xiang clearly didn’t buy it. If it were just swelling, why was it wrapped in gauze?

Unexpectedly, the usually easygoing He Xiang refused to back down.

He stared down at her, blocking her path, his voice low and insistent. "Who did this?"

It seemed he wouldn’t move unless she answered.

Ji Nian hadn’t expected such a strong reaction.

But if her best friend suddenly showed up with suspicious injuries and refused to explain, she’d probably be upset too.

Still, she couldn’t say it was Ji Tingzhou’s doing.

Without being able to explain his illness, it’d just look like domestic abuse.

‘Trust me, I wasn’t hurt by anyone. I can’t tell you who did it yet, but I’ll explain everything once this is over. Okay?’

The explanation was too long to say aloud, so she typed it out on her phone and showed him.

After reading it, He Xiang pressed his lips together, then met her bright, pleading gaze.

Even with her skin darkened and disguised as a boy, she was still strikingly pretty.

He Xiang averted his eyes and gave a reluctant nod.

"Stay close. I’ll get you inside."

Hearing his equally raspy voice, Ji Nian mused that they both sounded like they were going through puberty.

"Xiao He, is this the kid replacing Old Ma?"

"Look at those skinny arms and legs—so small. Can he even handle the work?"

The security guard eyed Ji Nian skeptically.

She looked downright underage.

Ji Nian grinned back without hesitation. "I can handle it. I can carry two bags of cement, no problem."

Her grating voice made the guard chuckle. "Kid, you sound like Xiao He—going through voice change too."

"Let me see your ID."

He Xiang handed over the documents.

After a quick scan with the machine, the guard waved them through.

Another guard returning from his break blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"We’re on high alert. Who’d you just let in?"

"That’s Xiao He from housekeeping. The higher-ups said not to mess with him. Old Ma’s on leave, so they brought in a temp."

Ji Nian couldn’t believe they’d gotten in so easily. She tilted her head toward He Xiang. "Haki Xiang, you’re the best."

Hearing her rough voice, He Xiang’s eyes darkened with worry.

How much did it hurt?

How much pain would it take to turn her clear, bright voice into this?

When he’d first gotten Ji Nian’s message asking if he could sneak her in, He Xiang had been sitting in the stairwell studying. The request had caught him off guard.

Without a second thought for the consequences, he’d quickly devised a plan.

Even as a lowly cleaner, He Xiang knew exactly who the resort’s biggest client was.

He didn’t ask why Ji Nian needed to sneak in.

But seeing her in this state, still determined to get inside, he knew it had to be important.

"Find me before you leave."

Before parting ways, He Xiang crouched down and sprayed insect repellent on her exposed calves.

The resort’s lush greenery was beautiful, but the bugs were relentless.

"If anyone stops you, say you’re filling in for Old Ma and show them the pass."

Ji Nian nodded, waved, and headed off after getting her bearings.

Truthfully, the hard part was just beginning.

Who’d have thought that after all these years, she’d be scheming to get close to Ji Tingzhou again—just like when she was five?

At least now, unlike back then, Ji Nian was a mature, grown-up kid.

"Stop me, and I’ll kill myself."

Faced with the bodyguards’ blockade, Ji Nian pulled out a small knife and pressed it to her throat without an ounce of guilt.

The lead guard, who’d spotted her disguise instantly: !

He frantically waved his furious subordinates back.

System: […]

Such a mature solution. It was stunned speechless.

[Why didn’t you use this trick earlier?]

Would’ve saved He Xiang the trouble.

Ji Nian replied without missing a beat: [The guards at the gate wouldn’t have recognized me.]

If some rando suddenly threatened suicide to get in, their first instinct would be to call the cops.

The lead guard, now saddled with this mess, was inwardly screaming.

Anyone else, and he wouldn’t have cared.

But this was the boss’s actual treasured daughter. His usual deadpan expression cracked, verging on tears.

He could already picture the Chief kicking his ass later.

Somehow, Ji Nian made it through.

Even when she climbed the wall, a team of human crash pads fretted below, terrified she’d slip.

Luckily, Ji Nian was agile and scaled it effortlessly.

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‍balcony door was open. She kicked off her shoes and padded inside in her socks.

Before she could step fully into the room, a teapot came flying at her head.

She dodged sharply—CRASH!—the porcelain shattered against the floor.

Annoyed that she’d evaded it, Ji Tingzhou arched a brow.

At this moment, there was no trace of his usual composed and dignified demeanor. His bloodshot eyes burned with a frenzied rage, making it painfully obvious to anyone that his mind was unhinged.

Though it was unclear how the rat had managed to sneak in,

its timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

He strode toward the balcony, yanking the curtains with a violent pull—