Yun Zhiyi hesitated when he saw his daughter’s call coming in.

“Brother Yun, your phone’s ringing,” said a young man in the same hospital room, noticing Yun Zhiyi hadn’t answered after a while.

Yun Zhiyi glanced at the boy, silently blaming him for the accident. If it hadn’t been for this reckless kid speeding around the corner, he wouldn’t be lying here in the hospital. Even though the boy’s family had covered all the medical expenses, the pain from his injuries was real, and now he had to face this “firecracker” of a kid every day.

Of all his family members, his daughter was the one he feared the most. If he answered the call, she would undoubtedly lecture him, turning him from a father into a scolded child.

The boy, noticing Yun Zhiyi’s stern look, gave a nervous smile. He truly regretted his actions and vowed never to speed on a motorcycle again. He also couldn’t help but wonder if the hospital staff had deliberately put him in the same room as his victim to amplify his guilt.

“I don’t dare answer,” Yun Zhiyi muttered, eyeing the still-ringing phone. “Why don’t you take it and tell her I’m in the bathroom?”

The boy glanced at Yun Zhiyi’s leg, which was in a cast, and couldn’t help but think that excuse was pretty weak. How could someone who seemed so sharp be so unreliable?

Seeing the boy’s doubtful expression, Yun Zhiyi sighed. “Never mind, I’ll take it.”

Just as he was about to pick up, the phone went silent.

Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, the screen lit up again.

The boy glanced at the screen and read aloud, “Leaky cotton-padded jacket…”

Yun Zhiyi grimaced, but when he answered the phone, his tone immediately softened, becoming almost obsequious. “Tutu, did you miss your dad?”

“More like you didn’t miss me at all,” Yun Tutu replied calmly. “It’s been a while since you last called me.”

“I’ve just been busy…”

“Oh? Busy running, were you?”

The boy had to stifle a laugh, realizing that the hospital room was so quiet he couldn’t help but overhear the conversation.

“You know about that,” Yun Zhiyi said, feeling wronged. “It wasn’t my fault, Tutu. I was just unlucky to run into some trouble.”

The boy in the next bed, who had been chuckling at Yun Zhiyi’s misfortune, suddenly felt awkward. “Uncle, that’s not very polite, talking about me like that right in front of me.”

“I’ve been telling you to replace that old tricycle,” Yun Tutu said sternly. “If you had just gotten a small van, you wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

The boy nodded in agreement. Exactly!

“It’s better to bump into someone else than get hurt yourself. Is it really so hard to choose between their pain and yours?”

The boy was left speechless. Truly, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…

Yun Zhiyi looked over at the boy and, for once, didn’t argue back. He even nodded in agreement. “You’re right, Tutu. Once I’m out of the hospital, I’ll go buy a van, and I’ll crash into anyone who dares cross me.”

The boy muttered under his breath, “I really can’t stay in this room any longer…”

“Uncle, I’ve already learned my lesson,” the boy pleaded, clasping his hands together.

This time, he had truly learned his lesson. Fortunately, he had only collided with a tricycle. If it had been a van, he might not have survived. He didn’t believe in the saying “eighteen years later, you’ll be a man again.” He wanted to live in the present.

“No matter what vehicle you’re driving, you need to stay safe,” Yun Tutu reminded her father, her voice tinged with lingering fear. “How could you keep something like this from me? Did you make Mom promise not to tell me?”

“No, no,” Yun Zhiyi quickly denied, not daring to take the blame. “Your mom said you’re working hard out there and didn’t want you to worry.”

“So you think I’m not working hard, and by not telling me, I won’t worry?”

Great, she’s the leaky little jacket again, Yun Zhiyi thought. No matter what he said, it was wrong.

“That’s not it at all,” Yun Zhiyi quickly explained. “I’m just worried about you out there by yourself. Why don’t you come back home?”

This was a sentiment he genuinely felt. He had suggested it when Tutu first graduated, but she had refused. Looking back, he blamed the elderly women in their neighborhood for gossiping so much. Couldn’t they just enjoy their square dancing? Instead, they constantly compared their kids, making it so that anyone who left home reluctant to return.

Boys should go out and make their way in the world, but his daughter had never suffered a day in her life. Now, fresh out of school, she was out there facing the harsh realities of the world. Who knew what kind of hardships she was enduring?

“It doesn’t matter whether you work or not. Your dad can still provide for you. Come back home, and I’ll take care of you,” Yun Zhiyi said, his voice full of fatherly love. Before they had their younger son, Tutu had been his entire world. Even after their son was born, most of his fatherly affection remained with his daughter.

“I’m healthy and capable, and I don’t want to come back home and mooch off you,” Yun Tutu retorted. “But that’s not the issue here. Why did you hide this from me?”

“I didn’t mean to keep it from you,” Yun Zhiyi said, feeling more guilt-ridden. “I’m just injured, and I’ll recover after a while.” He glanced over at the boy in the next bed. “It wasn’t my fault either—it was that kid, speeding without watching the road. He’s taken full responsibility. Don’t worry, he’s covering all the medical and nutrition expenses. I’m just lying here all day, not doing anything, and I’ve already gained a few pounds.”

“But you’re still suffering,” Yun Tutu said angrily. “And what about Mom? With you out of commission, she has to handle everything at the shop by herself, without even a break to eat.”

Yun Zhiyi’s eyes flashed with guilt. Ever since Ajuan married him, her life had been full of hardships. She had never had an easy day.

“Once I’m better, I’ll make sure your mom gets some rest, or maybe send her over to visit you for a while,” Yun Zhiyi offered, hoping to reassure his daughter. “If she refuses, I’ll buy her a ticket and push her onto the train.”

“Just focus on getting better first,” Yun Tutu said, opening a payment app on her phone and transferring 20,000 yuan to her father. “Dad, I’ve sent you some money. Use it to buy yourself some good food.”

In matters of spending, Yun Zhiyi was much more generous than Ye Juan. If the money were left with her, she would probably save most of it.

“I don’t need your money, Tutu,” Yun Zhiyi protested, shaking his head even though he knew she couldn’t see him. “I’m more worried about you. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

He knew his daughter had been struggling to find work recently, and he didn’t want her to deprive herself just to send money home.

When he opened the payment app to return the money, he was shocked to see the amount. “Tutu, why did you send so much money?”