CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 28: SPECIAL FAVOR (PART 2)

But at this point, none of that mattered anymore. The only thing Fujikichiro grasped from all this was—the fact that he seemed to be the only "outsider" in the room...

That’s it, it was over. He instinctively lowered his head, staring hard at the floor, not daring to look up, his heart full of bitterness.

He hoped he could muddle through, that Lord Dao San wouldn’t mind this detail, that he wouldn’t later react and feel embarrassed for being tearful in front of an outsider, and then get up in the middle of the night to have him dragged out of the house and executed...

While Fujikichiro prayed to the gods and buddhas, Saito Dosan gradually came back to his senses. His thoughts returned to reality, but the memories from the past still fluttered around him, disrupting his ability to think.

Joy mixed with sorrow, he could hardly control himself. There was the joy of seeing another daughter again, yet he was also submerged in inextricable grief over the loss of his beloved.

Trying hard to restrain his emotions, the man looked at his daughter, remembering that she couldn’t speak anymore, and he felt even more heart-wrenching guilt. Though he wasn’t really at fault, comparing the life of his other daughter over the years with the evident hardships the black-haired girl before him must have endured...

Instantly, Saito Dosan felt overwhelmed by suffocating guilt.

"These years have really been hard for you..."

His voice became somewhat hoarse but was very powerful, as if it was not only a comfort but also a promise of his own will, "Ah Xiu, my daughter! From today on, you don’t have to live like you did before... Just like I promised your mother I would take care of Yoshitaka, I will surely take care of you too!"

Listening to this, the head-bowed Fujikichiro couldn’t help but feel a wave of envy. He knew it would be like this, but it was as expected.

The black-haired girl was somewhat stunned, lifting her head in surprise.

"That’s right, let’s go back, and I will let everyone know this great event, yes, the whole Mino must know..."

Saito Dosan muttered to himself, then sniffled, immediately realizing the situation, and, as if to cover up, continued to laugh boldly. He waved his hand enthusiastically at the people, his gaze fixed solely on Ah Xiu—

"Hahahaha, today is truly a great day, let’s go, Ah Xiu. We’ll talk once we’re home! Oh right, you must be hungry, I’ll have someone prepare something right away..."

He suddenly remembered that Fujikichiro came into town only in the evening, they might not have eaten anything after a whole day’s walk, and immediately paid attention to it.

In that moment, Saito Dosan did not resemble the infamous Mino Viper, known for his ruthlessness, but more like an empty-nest elder finally seeing his children return home... The immense guilt and feeling of owing were driving him to desperately want to make amends for his long-lost daughter, anything he could do.

However, Hidechika seemed at a loss regarding Saito Dosan’s behavior, looking around instinctively—

—with a hint of seeking help in her eyes.

She realized this was indeed her father, everything matched... but, but, it was all too sudden, she was entirely unprepared and couldn’t accept this sudden turn of events, be it his present enthusiasm or his arrangements.

—Make the entire Mino... know?

—And go home... how could she immediately consider that Heaven-Defending Tower her home?!

So, although Saito Dosan spoke with much excitement and eagerness, at this moment, her heart was filled with subconscious resistance and rejection.

"Cough cough, Lord Dao San, listen to me first..."

At this point, Gu Mo finally stepped in to mediate, gently coughing into his fist placed against his chin. Seeing both of their attention shift to him, he leisurely continued speaking.

"It’s like this, I understand how you feel, but have you thought about how all this might be quite sudden? Ah Xiu had no idea about this before, even if she knows you are her father, to her, you are still very much a stranger, someone she only met today. How about giving her some time to adjust..."

It’s only normal to not be able to accept immediately, and he didn’t want to see the girl so troubled.

As long as she knew the matter, making sure there were no regrets in the future was enough, there was no need to demand immediate acceptance, after all, there was plenty of time...the truth is, even if Ah Xiu couldn’t accept it at once, could Saito Dosan really not acknowledge this matter?

Unlikely, so—essentially, the result would be the same.

However.

"...Who are you!"

Saito Dosan looked expressionlessly at this young man, glaring at him for a moment before asking unceremoniously, brows furrowed with a fierce demeanor.

Inexplicably, he found this guy really annoying, daring to call his precious daughter so intimately, was Ah Xiu someone he could just casually call!

This is because the returned lost jewel, mixed with immense joy and guilt, combined with the desire for recompense, propelled Saito Dosan to desperately want to make amends for Hidechika, while simultaneously intensifying his caution and aversion to losing her again. Yet, the young man before him seemed to be the wretched guy who might take Ah Xiu away...

—So in just an instant, he felt Gu Mo’s face became loathsome and no matter how he looked, it displeased him.

"..."

"..."

Well, turns out you really didn’t remember, Gu Mo’s mouth twitched a few times, maintaining a cracked smile, "I’m Gu Mo, and Ah Xiu is..."

"Alright alright, don’t say it...I remembered!" Saito Dosan impatiently waved his hand, rudely interrupting his speech, this kid was really bothersome, still calling her Ah Xiu! He took a deep breath and glanced again at the somewhat bewildered girl beside him.

But despite the annoyance, if it’s someone Ah Xiu likes, he shouldn’t act too overbearing and headstrong...

He just wanted to fulfill his responsibility, be a good father, if he disregarded Ah Xiu’s feelings just after meeting and acted entirely on his own desires, it would only sadden Ah Xiu, completely contrary to his initial intentions.

With a fierce look at Gu Mo, leaving him bewildered, Saito Dosan once again showed an extremely gentle and kind smile, speaking to Hidechika:

"Well, it is my failure to consider...this matter we won’t rush, we’ll do as you please first, when you’re ready to accept, we’ll talk again... However, how about going to Heaven-Defending Tower first, I can’t let you stay in a place like this."

He seemed to be cautiously asking the girl’s opinion, also scanning the surroundings, this long house was clean, but lacked much.

He used to live through hard times before, of course, didn’t see an issue, but that was for himself, he could never accept leaving his cherished treasure in such conditions.

Hidechika still hesitated a bit, but her nature was such that she was amenable even to strangers, let alone to her newly recognized father. Since he was willing to step back, showing everything could be negotiated if she wasn’t pleased, she couldn’t be obstinate.

Successfully persuading his daughter, Saito Dosan immediately brightened, leading the way ahead, not forgetting to throw another fierce glance at someone while passing by.

"You all...come along, follow us!"

The Viper left those words, seemingly reluctantly, then walked out without looking back, chatting cheerfully by the black-haired girl’s side, eager to seize every moment to make up for lost kinship and wrongs.

"..."

"..."

"Phew...saved."

Standing still inside the long house, Fujikichiro finally wiped the sweat from his forehead, his face slightly pale, his legs a bit weak, but his expression was of relief, it seemed Lord Dao San didn’t intend to hold his loss of face in front of an outsider against him.

Yet after the fear subsided, excitement followed, unable to contain it, he looked at the young man beside him with admiration and envy: "Brother Gu Mo, you have such good fortune, with your connection to Miss Ah Xiu, Lord Dao San is bound to treat you differently, you’ll surely rise high and prosper, and when that happens... Don’t forget about this uncle!"

"Emmmm...treated differently?"

Gu Mo frowned, indeed, it seemed that grouchy old man treated others normally, but every time he looked at him, it seemed like he was glaring.