Chapter 26: I can’t let her take off her clothes anymore…

That “Dad,” went straight to his heart. Gu Chengfeng didn’t react immediately.  Niu Niu had just called him what? Dad?! She called him Dad…

He stiffened, overjoyed, looking at her, but met a pair of resentful little eyes. Niu Niu’s face was already thin, and her pouting made her look even thinner, pitifully so.  She was puffed up with anger, her brow furrowed, clearly unhappy with his reaction.

Gu Chengfeng, however, was oblivious, unable to suppress the smile playing on his lips. He bent down, meeting the little girl’s gaze at eye level, his voice trembling slightly: “Niu Niu, what did you just call me?”

Niu Niu snorted coldly, turning her face away, ignoring him. Gu Chengfeng was frantic, scratching his head. The little girl had been fine a moment ago; why was she suddenly angry?

Picking up on Niu Niu’s sulky signal, Shen Sisi stroked her round little head: “Mom’s good baby, what’s wrong?”

Niu Niu threw herself into Shen Sisi’s arms, rubbing her face against hers for comfort, sulking silently.

Shen Sisi didn’t scold her or show any impatience. She gently patted her back: “Sweetheart, didn’t Mom say that getting angry doesn’t solve problems? We need to talk about it, right?”

Her tone wasn’t condescending but equal, gently and patiently guiding her, a stark contrast to the sharp-tongued, aggressive woman she had been moments before.

At that moment, a ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, bathing Shen Sisi in a soft, golden light. Gu Chengfeng was captivated by the light, his heart skipping a beat, its rhythm disrupted.

Even the military wives found it remarkable. In those days, most parents were rather “rough” with their children.  For inexplicable sulking and tantrums, a good beating would usually settle them down. They didn’t have the time or patience to deal with children’s unreasonable tantrums.

Shen Sisi, however, was surprisingly patient…

Guided by Shen Sisi, Niu Niu mumbled, her voice still tinged with grievance.

“I called him Dad, and he didn’t respond…”

“Doesn’t he want to be my Dad?”

Realizing Niu Niu had misunderstood him, Gu Chengfeng felt a pang of heartache and helplessness.

“Niu Niu, Dad didn’t mean to ignore you; Dad was just too excited. I really like Niu Niu…”

“Will you forgive Dad and give Dad a chance?”

In front of everyone, he openly acknowledged Niu Niu, announcing to the entire compound that Niu Niu was now his child.  This was a warning to anyone who might try to use the child to bully them.

Niu Niu’s eyes blinked, clear and innocent. Should she agree?  She secretly glanced at Shen Sisi. Seeing Shen Sisi nod, Niu Niu reluctantly agreed: “Okay!”

Gu Chengfeng was overjoyed, forgetting his injury, insisting on carrying his daughter home.

“Your injury…” Shen Sisi softly reminded him.

Gu Chengfeng took the child: “Minor injury, it’s nothing…”

Back home, Gu Chengfeng had just put down the child when he pulled out a square, flat metal box: “Chocolate, eat it!”

Niu Niu’s eyes lit up at the sight of the mud-colored squares in the box.  Afraid Shen Sisi would confiscate it, she grabbed the chocolate and ran into her room.

Shen Sisi chided: “You spoil her. She’s eaten more candy these days than in the past three years.”

Gu Chengfeng chuckled, pulling out a pearl-encrusted butterfly hair clip from another pocket.

“Here’s one for you.”

Shen Sisi’s eyes widened in surprise.  It was a beautiful, exquisite hair clip… she had only seen them in magazines before.  The small, streamlined butterfly clip was studded with dozens of tiny pearls, clearly handmade and expensive!

Gu Chengfeng was spending money again…  He knew from his years of knowing Shen Sisi that she would like it.

“Let me put it on for you.”

Gu Chengfeng was about to lift his arm when he accidentally pulled his wound, wincing in pain.

Shen Sisi’s heart tightened: “Don’t move, let me see…”

In her haste, she didn’t consider propriety and instinctively reached into his padded jacket, undoing his shirt buttons.  The buttons popped open, the tight collar loosened, revealing a long, slender neck. Below, she could see his sexy collarbone and chest muscles, stained with blood, making Shen Sisi’s eyes widen.

She tried to avoid looking, but the image was like a snake, coiling around her heart.

Touched by her pale fingers, Gu Chengfeng unconsciously lifted his chin, his prominent Adam’s apple clearly visible. He struggled to control his racing pulse. Shen Sisi was… undressing him!!!

Gu Chengfeng looked down at her serious face, then at her slender fingers. Each one was soft as a feather. His skin tingled where she had touched him. His eyes flushed, his breathing quickening.  No, he couldn’t let her continue…  His secret would be exposed!

Gu Chengfeng hesitantly grasped her wrist, and with lightning speed, pulled his coat to cover his lower body.

“Stop!” Gu Chengfeng suppressed his racing breath: “Don’t undress me, I’m really fine…”

Shen Sisi’s hand froze, surprised by his strong reaction. Was he angry at her boldness? Or… disgusted by her?

Shen Sisi weakly withdrew her hand, awkwardly smiling: “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it, I was just worried about your injury…”

Gu Chengfeng was sweating but still clutched his heavy coat, buttoning it up with one hand.

“If it was serious, Commander Chen and Feng Yanzhou would have taken me to the hospital, not let me come back.”

Shen Sisi thought that made sense. If it were a severe injury, they wouldn’t have let him return.  But how to explain all the blood?

She insisted on checking him, even if nothing was wrong, at least to wipe away the blood.

But Gu Chengfeng stubbornly refused to let go, his resistance making Shen Sisi even more curious and suspicious that he was hiding something.

Just as they were at an impasse, a car roared outside.

Taking advantage of Gu Chengfeng’s distraction, Shen Sisi disregarded everything and pulled open his collar, ripping the buttons off.  A bloody shoulder was exposed, a half-inch-long “centipede” scar slowly oozing blood.

“Brother Feng… Brother Feng…” Heizi burst open the door, seeing an unbelievable sight.  A large portion of his chest was exposed, with a woman leaning over it.

Wow, not even married yet, and they’re so eager?  Broad daylight, too… no discretion at all…