From that day forward, Yu Mingxi felt as though their home had turned into a cold, hollow cave, devoid of the warmth it once had. His father’s personality changed drastically, and soon, Yu Jinxiao became infamous in Jiangcheng.

People said his methods were ruthless—he never left any opportunity for his opponents to recover, no matter how small the threat. Even if it was as insignificant as an ant, he would crush it without mercy.

If anyone dared to scheme against him in business, Yu Jinxiao would show no mercy, driving them into ruin, ensuring they could never rise again.

Smaller companies didn’t dare collaborate with him, but larger firms admired his aggressive style. Yet, they treaded carefully when working with him, fearful of angering this tyrant.

Back then, Yu Jinxiao earned his position as heir to the Yu Group through sheer ability. His two brothers had branched into other industries.

After word spread of Yu Jinxiao’s merciless reputation, there were few who dared to stand against him.

As long as deals were clean and straightforward, he wouldn’t cause trouble, no matter the outcome. In fact, many businesspeople appreciated this clear-cut approach.

He lived by a simple creed: Do no harm unless someone harms you. If they do, destroy them completely.

His personality had become especially dark and violent after his sister’s tragic incident.

At that time, Yu Mingxi was too young to understand what the adults had eventually uncovered. But he vaguely remembered overhearing a conversation between his father and Uncle Gao:

They had never found the mastermind behind his sister’s kidnapping.

The perpetrator had covered their tracks well. The kidnappers had drowned in the river, and after a year of investigation, there was no breakthrough.

Perhaps it was this unresolved fury that had fueled his father’s increasing volatility.

He investigated every possible suspect, but with no solid evidence, the bitter truth remained—his sister had been kidnapped because of him.

As Yu Mingxi grew older, he began to understand that his father’s transformation was rooted in his inability to forgive himself.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to his mother’s request for a divorce.

Unable to forgive himself, how could he expect anyone else to forgive him?

The house was forever devoid of his sister’s cries and laughter. Their mother was never coming back, and the once-happy family had crumbled into a cold, lifeless shell.

Until—

Yu Yuanyuan appeared, and for the first time, Yu Mingxi saw a different side of his father.

When he first met the little girl, he had naively wondered if it was possible that his sister hadn’t died—could it be her, returning to them?

But after calming down, he realized how ridiculous that thought was.

His sister had been only three months old when she was kidnapped. Even if by some miracle she had survived, there was no way she could remember the Yu family… how could she possibly find her way back?

Still, Yuanyuan’s presence was like a ray of sunshine, bringing warmth and life back into the once cold and suffocating home.

Reflecting on the past was exhausting. As Yu Mingxi replayed the painful memories, it felt as though he was reliving the trauma, leaving him drained.

Meanwhile, the little girl watched her brother staring blankly at the photograph, deep in thought. She too was lost in her own world.

Before coming to this world, Yu Yuanyuan had visited other story worlds in search of her father.

She knew that people in these story worlds had lost their original memories, their minds shaped by the plotlines given to them.

At first, she thought it was fun, but after hearing her brother’s story, she felt an overwhelming sadness.

Why did this world give her father such a terrible backstory?

Yuanyuan sighed, staring at her tiny hands, lost in thought.

She knew that once someone died, they couldn’t come back.

If she took her father out of this story world one day, her brothers would be left lonely and sad.

The little girl’s imagination ran wild, and she nearly burst into tears.

Wait! The mother in this world was still alive! Maybe she could find a way to bring their mother back to keep her brothers company!