Chapter 30: The School Bully (30)

Zai Ye stared at the photo his daughter’s teacher had sent him on his phone, remaining silent for a long time.

The photo was of his daughter’s essay.

The title was simple: 「My Dad.」

The beginning was fine, but later, there was this passage:

«My dad is handsome, but he’s never had a girlfriend or a wife. My uncle said he could introduce someone, but my dad always refused. I know it’s because of me; it’s hard for him to find someone because I’m here. His friends make fun of him for it, but that’s wrong. We shouldn’t laugh at people for being single or lonely.»

«Grandma said if someone doesn’t have a companion, they’ll be pitiful when they grow old. I don’t want my dad to be pitiful, so I decided to find him a wife… Teacher, you’re so pretty, and I like you. Can you marry my dad?»

…This essay had already gone viral at her school. When the teacher sent a voice message, she tried to sound serious, but Zai Ye could hear her struggling to suppress her laughter.

Zai Ye was utterly speechless, his fists clenched. It had been years since he’d felt the urge to punch someone, not since he gave up being the school bully.

For a moment, he didn’t know whether to grab his daughter who wrote such nonsense in her essay for a spanking, call his friends to scold them for their loose tongues, or lecture his mother about filling his child’s head with strange ideas.

Reading those innocent yet infuriating words once more, Zai Ye stood up, face dark as he headed to his daughter’s room.

He found her lying on the bed, completely absorbed in her game, small hands tapping away at the tablet.

Approaching silently, he glimpsed the game’s world chat on her screen:

「Hahaha!」

「How old are you, little girl?」

「First time seeing a kid trying to find a wife for her dad. Does your dad know?」

Then he spotted her unfinished message: 「The little fairy says finding a wife is urgent…」

Before she could finish typing, Zai Ye wordlessly picked her up.

The child received her first-ever spanking.

Yu Qian, who had rarely been punished in all these years, wailed in protest: “I’m not your daughter anymore! You’re not my dad!”

Zai Ye couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction, giving her two more light smacks.

*

“So you had another fight with Xiao Qian,” Li Xiu nearly choked on his drink laughing. “And came out without her?”

“She’s the one who refused to come,” Zai Ye replied, drinking his lemon tea like it was whiskey.

“You all need to watch what you say around her. Kids take things seriously.”

“It was just a joke!”

“Children can’t tell what’s a joke. Don’t say such things.”

“Alright, alright, won’t happen again,” Li Xiu promised. Then added, “But seriously, Zai Ye, are you really planning to stay single forever because of Xiao Qian? When she grows up and understands, she’ll feel like she ruined your youth.”

“Youth?” Zai Ye scoffed. “Who cares about that?”

*

After leaving the lounge, halfway while driving past the Xinqiao Road Police Station, Zai Ye remembered the day, years ago, when he’d first taken her home from there.

It seemed like just yesterday, yet he could barely remember how he used to live before she came into his life.

Looking back, he saw his pre-twenty self as pretentious and foolish, lost in a dark mood. Before this child mysteriously appeared, he hadn’t thought about living properly.

Everything had been mechanical – eating when hungry, sleeping when tired. His desire for anything was minimal. Studying held no interest; the future seemed meaningless.

His classmates studied hard, chasing dreams of good jobs and wealth. But he didn’t lack money – his parents’ divorce had left him with plenty of that.

His second-generation friends either chased pleasure or prepared to inherit family businesses. But he wanted neither his father’s company nor his mother’s enterprises – they both had other children they favored more.

Even racing cars brought him no joy. His friend Ning Zeyi would light a cigarette after their races, begging him not to drive so recklessly, not to gamble with his life.

Because he had no reverence for life, no love for racing – he only chased that moment of near-death at extreme speeds. Only then did he feel anything at all.

Until suddenly, he had a child.

He stopped questioning life’s meaning and found purpose in watching her grow, understanding his responsibility. This guidance prevented him from self-destructing during his most confused years.

His father’s irritating words had struck home: “What can you give your child in the future?”

What can I give this child? Zai Ye pondered. He wanted to give her not just wealth and stability, but a happy childhood like other children had. He wanted to become a father she could be proud of. At least, not be like his own father.

Even now, Zai Ye didn’t know where she came from, but he no longer cared. He was simply grateful for her appearance in his life.

Grateful as he was, if this little troublemaker dared write about finding him a wife again, he’d still spank her.

“Still angry? It’s been two days,” Zai Ye said while driving.

Yu Qian crossed her arms, looking stern: “Don’t talk to me. You’re not my father.”

“You’re the one who did something wrong. I should be angry.”

“How was I wrong?!”

“You tried to find me a wife without asking.”

“I did ask!”

“When?”

“That morning! I asked ‘Dad, do you want a wife or not?’ and you said ‘Whatever!'”

“Don’t ask me things when I’m half-asleep. Those answers don’t count.”

The child kicked wildly, “You’re going back on your word! You’re going back on your word! Ahhh!”

She screamed in anger.

Zai Ye tried to hide his smile. “Sit properly. We’ll discuss who was wrong when we get home.”

Despite his words, seeing the child fuming made him want to laugh.

That smile still lingered on the corners of his eyes and brows when suddenly, his expression changed, and he fiercely turned the steering wheel.

But it happened too fast. The truck beside them lost control, and they couldn’t escape its shadow. In that final moment, Zai Ye had only one thought:

Please, let my daughter live.

“Qian!!!”

Yu Qian didn’t understand at first. One moment she was angry about her father’s unfairness, the next the car was spinning, something was falling, and her father was wrapping her tightly in his arms.

She heard him call her name, but another voice spoke in her ear – the strange little fairy that followed her daily.

Time seemed to slow around them. She watched dust particles float through the air as a blue light flickered before her eyes.

「Host, your mission is complete. You can now inherit the protagonist’s luck and live out your life in this world.」

“Dad?” Yu Qian asked, confused.

「As the protagonist, there will naturally be ups and downs in life, this is his destined tribulation. He will die here, but his luck can be transferred to you through mission points. If you choose to stay in this world, you can replace him and become the new protagonist!」

「Congratulations! I thought this mission would be difficult, but you did it so easily. You’re amazing!」

Yu Qian finally understood what the fairy meant. Her eyes – so like Zai Ye’s – filled with tears.

“No!” she screamed, clutching his clothes. “I don’t want Dad to die! I don’t want this!”

Her hysterical crying troubled System 65, who tried its usual coaxing:「 He wants this. Your dad wants you to live. Shouldn’t you listen to him?」

“No! I won’t! I won’t listen!” The black-hearted child was never obedient to begin with.

System 65 was at a loss. Child hosts were even harder to control than adults. It could only watch as frozen time flowed rapidly, making one last attempt: 「If you refuse, though the protagonist will live, you can’t stay in this world. Without his luck boost, your future worlds will be very difficult. And for this mission, you can only get the basic points. At this rate, you’ll never be able to save up enough points…」

But the child wouldn’t listen. Terrified, she could only scream her refusal, calling for her father and trying to burrow deeper into his embrace.

“Beep—”

The countdown ended. System 65 announced regretfully: 「Host completed basic mission. Additional Luck gained: 0. Preparing to leave this world—」

*

Something felt wrong to Zai Ye.

He sat on his couch at home, but couldn’t remember how he’d gotten there. His last memory was driving his daughter home from school, arguing in the car.

“Dad.”

The child ran over and obediently sat in front of him.

Zai Ye hugged her, placing his head on top of hers and rubbing it, feeling an inexplicable uneasiness in his heart.

“Weren’t you just angry with me? Why the sudden change? Realized you were wrong?”

She looked up, uncharacteristically docile: “I’m sorry.”

“Alright, since you apologized, I’ll forgive you.”

“I’m sorry, Dad. Can you live well on your own in the future without me?”

Zai Ye fell silent, holding her tighter: “No. Not until you grow up.”

“I have grown up.”

“Not until you’re as tall as me.”

His tears fell on her cheeks. She blinked, then said: “Dad, I have a secret.”

She always had secrets.

Zai Ye leaned closer to hear: “I’m actually from the future. I’m the child you’ll have with the person you love most.”

Zai Ye said nothing.

The warm little body in his arms grew cold. His home fell silent once more.

The dream ended. His child would never call him “Daddy” again.

*

“Don’t be sad, Zai Ye. Xiao Qian wouldn’t want to see you like this.” Li Xiu burst into tears himself, his wife unable to console him.

Their social circle – those who had watched the child grow – were inconsolable. The young ladies who had showered her with gifts and dresses sat crying on the sofa.

Among all these grief-stricken people, Zai Ye, who had actually lost his daughter, only had reddened eyes.

His cousin Wen Cheng worried about his unusual calmness: “Zai Ye, are you alright? What are you thinking?”

“I’m wondering if this little troublemaker is lying to me.”

If she wasn’t lying, who did he need to marry to have her? Wasn’t it said that even he couldn’t have a child who looked so much like him?

So, was she really in the future?

Zai Ye didn’t know. He only knew that if he didn’t believe it, he might not be able to accept everything that had happened.

*

Five Years Later

At the Cloud Restaurant, gaming mogul Zai Ye, thirty-year-old golden bachelor, had just finished another failed blind date.

The woman had left early, put off by his indifferent attitude. He sat alone in his suit, watching the bustling city below.

Li Xiu called to ask about the date.

“No results.”

“How many is that now? Still haven’t found anyone you like?”

“Don’t like.”

“Zai Ye… are you really trying to find someone?”

Li Xiu couldn’t understand him. If he wasn’t interested, why agree to meet everyone they introduced? But if he was interested, how had he not liked anyone after all these years?

Zai Ye gave a perfunctory response and hung up, sipping his wine.

He sat there for a long time, and no one dared disturb him – after all, the famous Boss Zai wasn’t known for his good temper.

Suddenly, a yogurt bottle appeared on his table, bumping his elbow.

He looked down to find a little girl, so short she had to tiptoe to reach the table. She was extraordinarily beautiful.

She pushed the yogurt closer: “For you to drink.”

Zai Ye stared at her. Though she looked nothing like him, something felt…

“Qian, why did you run over here?” A man approached.

“Qian?” Zai Ye looked at the man who approached. He seemed a bit familiar. Zai Ye didn’t pay much attention to the entertainment industry and only vaguely remembered that he seemed to be a best actor winner.

The actor politely greeted, “Boss Zai, sorry for the disturbance. This is my daughter.”

The two weren’t close, and he had no intention of saying more. He quickly left with the child.

Watching them leave, Zai Ye saw the girl peek back at him with a guilty expression he knew all too well – the same look she’d had after playing with his shaving cream, using his razor on his leg hair while he slept, or that time she’d hijacked his computer for an impromptu company-wide chat.

Something compelled him to follow, overhearing their conversation:

“Qian, do you know Boss Zai? Why did you run over and disturb him?”

“I know him, he’s my…” The child thought for a moment and spit out two words, “Wild Daddy!”^[1][1] “野爹” (ye die) is a Chinese slang term that literally translates to “wild dad” or “unrelated dad”. It is used colloquially, often in an online context, to … Continue reading

Zai Ye froze.

There was that familiar feeling of being backstabbed by his black-hearted child…

*

End of the School Bully Arc (Temporary Ending)