CHAPTER 60: SILENT PAIN

A cinnamon-roll father and his tiny genius daughter, a stoic little brother, and two rivals clashing in their silent war.

One overexcited boy protagonist, who was left to catch up to his butler.

And the beginning of a new Chapter, none of them were quite prepared for.

But Huaijin?

She simply held her new certificates close and thought:

’I can earn a lot of money this time.’

***

When Chi Yuanying returned home after the festival, the afternoon sun had just dipped behind the high courtyard wall, painting the stone path in long shadows.

The Chi estate was grand, cold, and majestic; it looked even more oppressive in the dusk.

The carved dragons on the beams glimmered like watchful eyes; the lanterns swayed slightly in the breeze, casting trembling light on the path as if warning her of what awaited inside.

Her slippers slapped softly against the polished floor tiles as she stepped past the foyer, still wearing her dance costume, a glittering pastel dress now wrinkled and dirt-stained from her fall during the competition.

Her knees stung from the earlier scrape Huaijin had cleaned for her, the bandage peeking out beneath the ruffled hem.

She hoped, just maybe, that she could sneak past the living hall and hide in her room before anybody saw her like this.

But fate was rarely kind to her.

Just as she reached for the stairs, a sharp voice came from behind her.

"Yuanying! Come here."

Her breath hitched.

It was her father.

Chi Haoran strode out from the living room, hands clasped behind his back, wearing a business suit even though he had no business meetings today.

It was as if he used it like armor, a reminder to the world, and to himself, that he was still competent, still useful, still someone worth something in this powerful family.

Yuanying lowered her head. "...Dad."

Haoran’s gaze flicked over her messy appearance. His brows pinched together.

"You didn’t take first place."

It wasn’t a question.

Yuanying bit her lip hard. "...No."

"How could you not?" His voice tightened, agitation leaking through each syllable. "I hired the best teachers in the city, dance, etiquette, piano, balance training, and movement coaches. Do you know how much that costs?"

She stayed silent. Her fingers curled in the skirt.

Her father continued as he paced.

"Your cousin, that little girl Chi Huaijin, she hasn’t even received half the training you have, yet she beat you in front of everyone!"

Yuanying felt that familiar sharp pain twist inside her chest.

Huaijin...

She didn’t hate her cousin. She didn’t truly want to lose to her either. She didn’t want this rivalry.

She didn’t even want the inheritance her father kept drilling into her head. All she ever wanted was...

"Dad,

I’m tired...", she whispered. "I just wanted to dance because I like it. Not because—"

"Not because of what?" Haoran’s voice hardened. "You think this family will wait for you to play around?"

Yuanying’s throat locked.

Her father continued relentlessly, "The heir of the Chi family must be excellent. Your grandfather made that clear. If your uncle’s daughter," his expression twisted slightly, "if Yuanfeng’s girl continues to outshine you, then do you think the heir position will still belong to you? To your brother? To this branch of the family?!"

Yuanying stared at the floor so hard her vision blurred.

"...I didn’t want to be heir," she murmured, voice tiny.

Haoran froze.

Yuanying’s fingers trembled as she added, almost afraid of her own honesty, "I just... want you and Mom to... look at me. To smile at me. To tell me you’re proud of me, not because of the inheritance, not because of some family competition..."

Haoran’s face stiffened. His pride swallowed his ability to comfort.

After a long, tense silence, he said coldly:

"Wanting love has nothing to do with responsibility. You were born into this family. You must be excellent. That’s all."

Her small shoulders shook, but she didn’t dare cry.

Not here. Not in front of him.

Haoran sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead.

"You’re eight years old now. Don’t make me repeat myself again. Go change. Practice harder tomorrow. The next school event is next month. You cannot embarrass the Chi family again."

The words landed like stones in her chest.

Yuanying bowed her head and answered softly, "...Yes, Dad."

She turned around, lifting her skirt so the hem wouldn’t drag as she climbed the stairs with slow, heavy steps.

Her father didn’t notice the way her eyes shone.

*

*

*

Yuanying pushed the door to her pink, luxurious room.

Everything was decorated like a princess’s dream, lace curtains, velvet pillows, and shining porcelain dolls lined neatly on shelves.

But none of it made her feel warm.

She shut the door quietly.

Then she sank down beside her bed and hugged her knees.

No sobs escaped her throat, only silent tears dripping down her face one by one.

"I don’t want to be heir... I don’t want to compete... I don’t want Song Jue, I don’t want prizes... I just want—" her voice cracked, "—I just want to be loved..."

But who would listen?

Her father only saw the inheritance.

Her mother only saw face and status.

Her brother... didn’t care about anything; she didn’t know what he truly thought.

And her grandfather...

Her grandfather never looked at her the way he used to look at her uncle, Chi Yuanfeng, before he left.

Because years ago, Grandfather Chi pinned all his hopes on the brilliant middle son, Chi Yuanfeng.

A genius, a prodigy.

A man who could shoulder the entire Chi empire.

Until he met that woman.

Yuanfeng threw everything away for her, family status, inheritance, power, in exchange for a quiet life with the woman he loved... who vanished mysteriously soon after.

And now that Huaijin appeared, a legitimate daughter of Yuanfeng and that woman, and Grandfather Chi’s interest in her was... unmistakable.

As if Huaijin were the rightful princess.’

As if the Chi family bloodline loved her more than Yuanying.