It was just a harmless little joke, but Yu Yingze couldn’t shake the guilt that gnawed at his chest. He didn’t understand why this feeling hurt so much, tugging at his heartstrings in a way he wasn’t used to.

Even after the car had driven quite a distance, he couldn’t forget the image of that little cub standing there, staring blankly at the car’s retreating tail. She looked just like a small abandoned animal.

Maybe when he got back from school, he could use some of his allowance to buy her a treat. Their father gave him quite a bit of pocket money, and he had been saving up to buy a big Transformers toy. Normally, he was very stingy with himself when it came to snacks, but the thought of how happy Yuanyuan would be when she got the treats made him think it might be okay to buy the toy a little later.

After saying goodbye to her brothers, it wasn’t long before Gao Zhou arrived. Yuanyuan hadn’t even made it back inside the house before he handed her a lollipop.

Gao Zhou had specifically bought it for her, but just as he and Yuanyuan were “celebrating” with the candy, Yu Jinxiao scolded them. He had always been strict about Yuanyuan’s diet, making sure she didn’t have too much sugar, as it wasn’t good for her teeth. He’d even given Aunt Chen strict orders to monitor her food intake.

Every day, Yuanyuan’s sugar consumption was carefully regulated, and only occasionally was she allowed a sweet treat.

“Uncle Gao, did you come to pick up Daddy for work?” The little cub unwrapped the lollipop without hesitation and popped it into her mouth. “Wow, strawberry flavor! So yummy!”

Gao Zhou loved seeing her so happy. Leaning against the car window, he stuck his head out to chat with her.

“Aren’t you leaving? Or are you waiting to get your head stuck in the window?” came the icy voice from the back seat. It echoed through the car, sending shivers down Gao Zhou’s spine.

“Miss Yuanyuan, we have to go now. Don’t run around—be good and stay inside, okay?” Gao Zhou started the car and waved goodbye, only pulling away once Yuanyuan had safely reached the front door.

“Goodbye, Uncle Gao! Goodbye, Daddy!” Yuanyuan waved enthusiastically as she hopped in place at the entrance of the courtyard.

But as she waved, her little hand slowly dropped, and she stood there staring at the car’s tail lights, looking somewhat forlorn.

Gao Zhou glanced in the rearview mirror and felt a pang of guilt stab at his heart. “There’s no one at home with Miss Yuanyuan today. Do you think she’ll be lonely?”

“She’ll have to get used to it,” Yu Jinxiao said without looking back, as if knowing the scene behind him would tug at his heartstrings too. “What about the arrangements I asked you to make?”

“Almost done,” Gao Zhou answered, understanding the unspoken message.

Yu Jinxiao nodded with satisfaction, then refreshed his phone for updates.

Yesterday’s viral topic had cooled slightly, thanks to his efforts to manage the situation. It was a hassle having that discussion linger in the top spots for too long.

However, the comments this time were starkly different from before. Most people were now expressing a newfound respect for Yu Jinxiao. At the same time, though, some had brought up the tragedy involving his daughter.

With the change in public perception, many sympathized with his tragic past, and some had even pieced together a timeline proving that his transformation into a ruthless businessman had occurred only after the incident with his daughter. They believed it was the trauma that had driven him to become the man he was.

Precisely because of this, Yu Jinxiao wanted to decrease the buzz. He didn’t want anyone to discuss the past. Reopening old wounds wouldn’t just hurt him—it would hurt her too.

Left all alone, little Yuanyuan wandered back into the house.

Aunt Chen, Sister Bei, Brother Jiang, and Uncle Yang were all busy with their tasks. They seemed to have a lot on their plates, and the considerate little cub didn’t want to disturb them.

She sat quietly on the carpet in the living room, her little lion plushie by her side, flipping through a picture book with nothing better to do.

As she stared at the pictures, a shadow suddenly loomed over her, blocking the light from the book.

“Are you home alone?” A strange yet somewhat familiar voice spoke from above her.

Yuanyuan blinked, looking up in surprise. “Ah… it’s… Grandpa Car!”