The Angel Welfare Home… In other words, an orphanage.

That little girl is actually an orphan?

Since Yu Jinxiao picked up the call, he hadn’t said much, but the contents of the conversation were clear enough for Yu Mingxi to overhear.

His gentle eyes softened with sympathy as he glanced over at the little girl sitting obediently in the living room.

True to her promise, Yuanyuan had been quietly sitting on the sofa since Yu Mingxi had placed her there, not moving an inch. She was surprisingly well-behaved.

This sweet, obedient little girl—an orphan with no one to care for her?

“Are you certain about this?” Yu Jinxiao wasn’t so easily convinced by surface-level information.

He had encountered many intricately layered conspiracies in his life, so his instinct was to remain skeptical of everything.

Gao Zhou, still out in the field, sounded out of breath on the phone, with the wind howling in the background. “I’ve already been to the orphanage to investigate. Yuanyuan was abandoned there as a baby, left at the doorstep, and she’s been there ever since, never leaving the place. I’ve checked every family that expressed interest in adopting her—nothing unusual came up. I also interviewed every staff member at the orphanage…”

“Alright, I understand. Take her back tomorrow morning,” Yu Jinxiao said decisively, never one to doubt Gao Zhou’s abilities.

“Understood!”

“Yuanyuan’s life is so tragic,” Yu Mingxi murmured. At first, he had assumed that Yuanyuan might have been left at the orphanage due to some unusual circumstances, but it now seemed clear that her parents had intentionally abandoned her.

No matter the reason, Yu Mingxi couldn’t comprehend how any parent could do something like that.

“Your dessert is getting cold,” Yu Jinxiao said, glancing at the sweets in Yu Mingxi’s hand, his tone as detached and emotionless as ever, like an unfeeling stone.

Jolted from his thoughts, Yu Mingxi hurriedly picked up the spoon and rushed out of the kitchen.

Watching his son’s tall, slender figure walk away, Yu Jinxiao suddenly realized he might not have been a particularly attentive father himself, and perhaps he wasn’t in any position to criticize other parents.

A strange warmth began to fill his chest, something long buried, as he gazed at the three children in the living room. The scene before him felt almost surreal.

“Dad!”

“Daddy!”

The sweet, crisp voices of the children snapped Yu Jinxiao back to reality. Yuanyuan was holding a small bowl while Yu Mingxi fed her tiny spoonfuls of dessert.

The little girl’s bright eyes sparkled as she looked at him, her joy radiating outward like fireworks, filling the room with warmth and happiness.

“Don’t…” Yu Jinxiao wanted to tell her not to call him “daddy,” but then remembered the phone call. For once, his usually impenetrable heart felt a pang of discomfort.

Taking advantage of Yuanyuan’s focus on their father, Yu Mingxi quickly pulled Yu Yingze aside to explain the situation. He hoped they could at least get through tonight peacefully.

As soon as Yu Yingze learned that Yuanyuan wasn’t his father’s illegitimate child, his mood improved dramatically. Even the sight of the little girl seemed less bothersome.

“Are you full?” Yu Jinxiao asked, walking over with his usual stern expression, eyeing the empty bowl in her hands. “If you’re still hungry, I can…”

“I’m full! I’m full!” Yuanyuan piped up, her cheeks puffed out as she chewed her food, her head tilted upward as she spoke—looking like an adorable little pufferfish, so cute it melted hearts.

In the corner, the house staff whispered amongst themselves, gushing over how impossibly cute she was.

“Prepare a room for her,” Yu Jinxiao said, shooting a glance at the staff members who had been sneaking peeks at Yuanyuan. “Take care of the arrangements.”

“Yes, sir.”

He then turned his attention to Yuanyuan, looming over her with his imposing presence. “An auntie will take you to bed in a bit, understand?”

“And… what about Daddy?” Yuanyuan asked, glancing up briefly before lowering her head again, mumbling softly, “Daddy is too tall, it’s tiring to look up at you.”

“I have work to do. Don’t disturb me.” His cold voice trailed off as Yu Jinxiao walked toward the stairs, his rigid back disappearing from view. While he seemed aloof, Yu Mingxi could sense a hint of warmth and compromise in his father’s actions.

But even so, everyone knew that once tonight was over, this sweet little girl would be returned to the orphanage.