Chapter 1 – A Little Cub Randomly Calling Someone “Daddy”

“Can’t you even keep an eye on a child?”

The voice was magnetic and slightly hoarse, tinged with laziness and weariness. After speaking, as if his throat was still uncomfortable, he gave a couple of light coughs.

“We’re truly sorry, Mr. Yu. The weather turned so cold that we panicked trying to find something to keep the child warm. We didn’t expect her to sneak out again.”

Inside the security office of the luxurious Jinxiu Menting estate, two newly hired young guards looked flustered and lowered their heads as they apologized to a man.

The man was tall, wearing a black face mask. His short black hair fell slightly messily over his eyes, which were stunning but void of any spark, only holding a lazy, indifferent light.

He raised a hand to adjust the slightly crooked mask caused by his coughing, and his voice grew hoarser.

“I don’t want to see that child anywhere near my house again.”

His gaze landed on a tiny figure sitting on the bench at the entrance.

The weather had turned cold, and the wind was blowing outside. Though the glass door to the security room was shut, it couldn’t stop the chill. The little one was curled into a ball from the cold. Her clothes were a bit dirty, and she looked to be about three or four years old. When she heard his words, her small body trembled slightly. She cautiously looked up, revealing a pair of large, round eyes.

Though her small face was dirty and red from the cold, it was clear she was an adorably pretty little girl. Her fingers twisted nervously in front of her, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears—but still clear and beautiful.

“D-Daddy…”

A soft, milky voice came out weakly. She had been outside in the cold for too long, and her sweet little voice had turned a bit hoarse. Her watery eyes gazed up at him, little dimples showing on her cheeks as she tried to melt his heart with cuteness.

“Don’t call me Daddy. I’m not.”
The man furrowed his brows slightly. His cold eyes held no emotion. He simply didn’t understand where this little cub, who suddenly showed up and started calling him Daddy, had come from.

Just an hour ago, this dirty little cub had knocked on his door, head tilted up, holding a wilted little wildflower from who-knows-where. When she saw him, her eyes lit up and she called out, “Daddy.”

It wasn’t unusual for kids at that age to mistake people and have fuzzy memories. Normally indifferent to meddling in others’ affairs, Yu Mozhi had used the greatest amount of patience in his life. The weather was cold, and the child looked like just a three- or four-year-old toddler. So he brought her inside and called security.

Who could’ve guessed that the child would be taken away by security and somehow sneak back to his doorstep not even half an hour later—gazing at him with teary eyes and calling him a bad daddy, like he was some scumbag who had abandoned wife and child.

“We’re really sorry, Mr. Yu. This time, we’ll definitely keep a better eye on the girl. Sorry for the trouble.”

The security guards repeatedly apologized. After all, Jinxiu Menting prided itself on top-tier privacy and security for its residents. Letting a little girl run wildly around the villa district and disturb the residents—if someone filed a complaint, they could kiss their jobs goodbye.

Yu Mozhi only responded with a flat “Mm.” He didn’t spare the soft, chubby cub another glance. His hands lazily slipped into his pockets as he turned to leave.

“Daddy!!”
Seeing Yu Mozhi about to walk away, the little cub panicked. She quickly jumped down from the bench, eyes full of tears.

But the bench was a bit high, and her shivering body made her unsteady. She nearly fell but caught herself against the side of the bench. Her tearful eyes watched his figure walk away. Big teardrops immediately streamed down her cheeks, accompanied by several loud gurgle gurgle stomach growls