Yu Jinxiao’s eyes widened as he instinctively grabbed the stuffed toy in his hands.

He already knew.

Last night, when he saw the toy on Yu Yuanyuan’s bedside table, he knew it was a gift from Yu Mingxi.

Did that silly boy really see Yuanyuan as a little sister?

It felt like something had cut deep into his heart. Pain surged in, reminding Yu Jinxiao of his daughter who was no longer here.

No matter what, she could never be replaced. It was impossible.

Even though certain emotions would inadvertently touch him, some things could never be forgotten. There were wounds in this world that would never heal.

And one of those wounds was cruelly carved into his heart.

His fingers unconsciously tightened, and Yu Jinxiao didn’t even realize how thoroughly his calm exterior had been shaken.

The stuffed toy in his hands didn’t just remind him of his lost daughter—it made him think of Yu Mingxi.

What was his gentle and thoughtful son feeling when he gave this toy to Yuanyuan?

He still remembered that Mingxi had refused to give the toy to Yingze, no matter how much Yingze wanted it.

Perhaps the unhealed wound wasn’t just on his own heart.

But his obedient son never revealed his pain to anyone. He would quietly curl up, enduring the sadness alone.

“Gao Zhou, turn around. We’re going back to the Orphanage.” A sudden rush of heat surged through Yu Jinxiao’s chest, shattering the calm he had maintained for so long.

For the first time in ages, his emotions had overwhelmed his rational mind.

It was almost laughable.

Yu Jinxiao couldn’t believe such impulsive behavior was coming from him. Once again, he was shaken by feelings that were unfamiliar and unsettling.

Gao Zhou didn’t immediately turn the car around but slowed down. “Mr. Yu, did you… forget something?”

“Mm, I forgot to give something to the little roundhead,” Yu Jinxiao replied, glancing at the small lion plush in his hand, his long, slender fingers holding it gently as if protecting something fragile.

“Understood.”

The car made a U-turn at the next intersection, heading back toward Angel Orphanage.

---

At that moment, chaos was unfolding in the orphanage dormitory.

The children who had been playing outside were now crowded around the door, watching the commotion, but none dared to intervene. They were too afraid of the group of boys causing the trouble, and even more terrified of telling the teachers.

Those boys were the biggest in the orphanage, and they had formed a little gang that bullied others. Anyone who fought back would face even worse torment later. Even if they reported it to the teachers, it wouldn’t be long before the boys started causing trouble again behind the teachers’ backs.

Ding Miaomiao and Yu Yuanyuan were fighting against the four bullies, but by the end, they were both out of breath. Their snacks and toys had been snatched away, and even their blankets had been thrown to the ground and trampled on.

Exhausted and upset, Yu Yuanyuan suddenly stopped speaking, her eyes red as she stared at the blanket on the floor.

It was the blanket her daddy had bought for her, the soft and fluffy one he had picked out just for her.

Tears began to stream down her face as she cried out, crouching on the floor and desperately trying to wipe away the footprints. “Don’t step on it! Daddy bought this for me! Don’t step on it, you’re all bad!”

One of the bullies sneered, “I’ll step on it as much as I want!” As he spoke, the boys laughed and stomped on the blanket even harder.

“Wahhhh, don’t step on my daddy’s blanket…” Yu Yuanyuan sobbed, trying to gather the blanket into a bundle. But they kept stomping on it, refusing to lift their feet, all the while making faces at her.

“You don’t even have a dad! Stop pretending! Shame, shame, you’re just an orphan! You don’t have a dad!”

Just as Yu Jinxiao reached the dormitory door, he heard the chaos inside.

He had originally planned to quietly drop off the stuffed lion and leave. But when he saw what was happening inside, his expression darkened, his presence becoming downright terrifying.

Even the kids outside, who had been watching the drama unfold, instinctively sensed the danger. They quickly stepped aside, making way for Yu Jinxiao to enter.

Inside the room, the bullies continued to stomp on Yuanyuan’s blanket, mocking her, “You’re an orphan! Stop pretending you have a dad! You don’t have a dad!”

The ringleader, who had been jumping around with the others, suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Something incredibly dangerous had appeared behind him.

A strong hand gripped the back of his collar, lifting him off the ground. The room fell silent.

The boy turned his head and froze in fear at the sight behind him.

Yu Jinxiao held the boy up by his collar, his gaze sharp enough to kill. His voice was cold and firm, “She has a father now.”