CHAPTER 62: A FATHER’S LOVE

"Done," she announced.

Yuanfeng looked at the pages with awe.

"My daughter is a genius... a prodigy... incredible... perfect..."

"Dad, it’s literally addition and subtraction."

"Still! Masterful!"

Huaijin rolled her eyes and grabbed the remote.

It’s finally TV time!

On the screen, bright colors flashed, and a children’s host bounced around like an overcaffeinated rabbit.

"WELCOME TO— Little Stars Big Dreams—!!"

Huaijin munched her chips, studying the children running around, shouting answers, and tripping over props.

They were small, energetic, and chaotic.

Exactly like her classmates.

Not intimidating at all.

She nodded to herself. "So that’s what the show is like."

Yuanfeng, however, watched with visible stress.

"She’s going to go on stage? And do missions? And puzzles? And interact with strange kids??!"

"...Dad, I’m six. All kids are strange kids."

"But what if they bully you?" Yuanfeng whimpered, clutching a pillow. "What if someone pushes you? What if they speak rudely? What if the lighting is too bright? What if the floor is slippery? What if the microphone shocks you? What if—"

"Dad, Dad, Dad." Huaijin patted his knee. "Please stop having a mental breakdown. It’s disrupting my research."

"R-Research?"

"Yes. I’m studying to be a top-tier variety show kid!" The pride in her voice made Yuanfeng tear up.

"Who taught you to be so hardworking...?! My cute little munchkin..." he sobbed as he hugged her.

"Technically, it’s you."

"Aaaaaaaaaa!"

"Oh god."

He hugged her head, burying his face in her hair.

"My baby grew up! She’s so strong! So independent!"

"Dad, you’re suffocating me."

"Sorry!"

He released her, rubbing his nose.

But the moment she returned her attention to the TV, he began muttering under his breath again.

"What if she falls...? What if she’s scared...? What if she gets hungry mid-show...? What if she cries...? What if she gets stage fright...? What if the other kids push her...? What if—"

"Dad. You need therapy."

Yuanfeng sniffled pitifully. "Possibly..."

.

.

.

Later that night, after brushing her teeth and washing up, Huaijin snuggled into bed. Her soft blanket was pulled up to her chin, and her stuffed rabbit was tucked under her arm.

"Goodnight, Dad," she said sweetly.

Yuanfeng hesitated at the doorway, staring at her with the eyes of a soldier sending his only child off to war.

"Are you sure you’ll be okay tomorrow...?"

"Yes, Dad."

"What if you can’t sleep?!"

"I am literally already in bed."

"What if you get nightmares?!"

"Dad."

"What if you suddenly think the show is scary—"

"Dad."

"What if someone on the show—"

"DAD."

He shut up.

But his eyes looked moist again.

"Alright... goodnight, my baby."

He turned off the lights and closed the door gently.

Silence.

Five seconds later—

Click.

The door opened again.

"Huaijin..."

"Yes?" she said through gritted teeth.

"I brought your favorite midnight snack, just in case you get hungry."

"It’s 9 PM. I’m not going to starve."

"I also brought extra water. In case you get thirsty."

"...Put it on the table."

"And I placed a soft nightlight so you won’t be scared—"

"Dad, I fought Yuanying today in a dance battle. I’m not scared of the dark."

"Right..."

"Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight."

Door closes.

Silence.

Click.

It opens again.

"...Do you want a bedtime story?"

"GO TO SLEEP, DAD! YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE OFFICE TOMORROW!"

He squeaked and closed the door for the final time.

The moment her slow breathing signaled she was asleep, Yuanfeng tiptoed out of her room like a nervous cat.

Then—

He sprinted to the balcony and dialed his secretary at lightning speed.

RING... RING...

"Sir?" the poor secretary answered groggily. "It’s ten at night... did something happen?"

"Yes!" Yuanfeng hissed. "Huaijin is going on a live broadcast variety show soon!"

"...Is that not... good news?"

"No! It’s dangerous! She’ll be exposed to bright lights, loud noises, uncontrollable children, unpredictable props, what if she gets hurt?!"

"...Sir, it’s a kids’

show. The worst injury might be a bruised knee."

"That’s catastrophic!"

"...Sir..."

"Listen!" he said sharply. "Call the producer. I want! To become! A sponsor!"

The secretary blinked.

"...A sponsor?"

"Yes. Buy a share of the show. Buy several shares. Buy the whole episode if needed!"

"...Why?"

"So—" Yuanfeng inhaled deeply, voice trembling with fatherly devotion, "—I can CONTROL EVERYTHING."

The secretary pinched the bridge of his nose. "...Sir, you sound like a villain."

"I AM NOT A VILLAIN!" Yuanfeng whispered angrily. "I am a responsible father!"

"...Of course."

"Make sure the staff treat her well! Make sure the props are safe! Make sure the children don’t bully her! Make sure she gets extra snacks!"

"...Sir, the show is not designed to feed the kids endlessly."

"Then redesign it!"

The secretary gave up.

"Yes, sir. I’ll handle it."

"Good. My heart, my baby, is going on TV. I must prepare."

He hung up, exhaled shakily, and placed a hand over his chest.

"...Yes. This is fine."

Behind him, the balcony light flickered.

He did not see Huaijin sleep-twitching inside, dreaming of snacks.

Despite Yuanfeng’s relentless nagging, Chi Huaijin didn’t genuinely feel irritated.

Annoyed? Yes.

Overwhelmed? Sometimes.

But angry? Never.

Because deep down, she understood that her father wasn’t nagging out of control, nor was he suffocating her on purpose.

He was simply terrified.

Terrified that she would be hurt, she would cry, terrified that life would treat her with the same cruelty it dealt him after her mother disappeared.

And in a way that only a daughter could sense, Huaijin felt how fragile that fear was, how tightly he wrapped himself around her because she was the one thing he had left in this world.

So yes, his long-winded worries about microphones exploding and children pushing her over and LED lights giving her emotional trauma were absurd.

Yes, his meltdown over the variety show bordered on comedic hysteria, and she sometimes felt like she was the adult in the house, not the six-year-old child. And father was the one who might need looking after by her.

But—

She loved it.

She loved every bit of it.