Volume One, Chapter Seven: You Have a Four-Year-Old Daughter

Shen Yuting pulled his hand away and strode outside. Jiang Qianqian clenched her fingers in silent frustration. Again! Every time she tried to get close to him, he was this cold and distant. If it weren’t for that one night, Shen Yuting probably wouldn’t even bother acknowledging her existence. That was why she absolutely couldn’t let him know that the woman he’d spent the night with five years ago wasn’t her!

She took a deep breath, forced a smile back onto her face, and hurried to catch up with him.

Shen Yuting arrived at the hospital entrance, stopping right beside Yun Mojiu, who was waiting for a ride. Sensing someone beside her, Yun Mojiu turned to look. When she saw his face, she couldn't help but be surprised. What kind of day was this? She’d run into three people related to her by blood in a single day! Still, she had no interest in her biological parents or relatives.

She’d been found by her adoptive parents beside a trash bin. She figured her birth parents must not have wanted her, which was why they’d abandoned her like that. Besides, her adoptive family had always treated her well. Having been given a second chance at life, she wanted nothing more than to live peacefully and ensure that her adoptive family was well cared for. As for her blood relatives, she had no desire to seek them out or acknowledge them.

As she turned her head, she noticed an adorable little doll by his feet.

“Sir, you dropped something,” she said helpfully.

At her words, Shen Yuting looked down, then shook his head. “That’s not mine.”

“Isn’t it your child’s?” Yun Mojiu asked.

Shen Yuting replied, “I don’t have a child.”

“How could that be? Judging from your features, you should have a daughter around four years old,” Yun Mojiu observed, studying his face and stating her assessment plainly.

Hearing this, Shen Yuting’s thick brows drew together once more. A four-year-old daughter? Impossible. Except for that night five years ago, he’d never been with another woman. But if… he’d been with the wrong woman that night, and she’d gotten pregnant, the timing would mean the child would be about four now.

If that were the case, it would explain the odd feeling he’d always had.

Five years ago, he’d been desperate to find the woman from that night, but after finding Jiang Qianqian, he’d felt nothing at all. His foggy mind suddenly seemed to clear, as if struck by revelation. He wanted to ask more, but saw Yun Mojiu had already opened the taxi door and gotten in. The car sped away, leaving only a trail of exhaust behind.

“Big brother.” Just then, a luxury car pulled up in front of him. The window rolled down, revealing a head of red hair. Shen Fan gripped the steering wheel with one hand, resting the other casually on the window ledge, grinning at Shen Yuting.

Shen Yuting frowned, still staring at the taxi disappearing into the distance. It seemed he’d have to reopen the investigation into what really happened that night. Without a word, he opened the back door and got in.

Jiang Qianqian hurried over and slid into the seat beside him. Seeing her, Shen Fan curled his lip in distaste. Honestly, he really didn’t like this woman. But his brother was too responsible; he believed that spending one night with her meant he should take responsibility. After finally tracking her down, he’d wanted to compensate her with money. But she’d caused a scene—crying, threatening, even threatening her own life—claiming her reputation was ruined, and if he didn’t marry her, she wouldn’t go on living.

So for five years, his brother had been entangled with this woman. They hadn’t married, and his brother kept her at arm’s length, but she was manipulative and dramatic, always causing trouble over the smallest things. Like today: she’d barely grazed her hand but insisted on coming to the hospital. Not only that, she’d demanded her brother leave an important company meeting to come. He’d thought it was something serious, but it was just a minor scrape. Yet she’d insisted on being bandaged up layer after layer, as if her arm was about to fall off.

Once everyone was seated, Shen Fan hit the gas, and the car shot forward. At a traffic light, just as they were waiting for red, a large truck making a left turn suddenly lost control, barreling toward them at high speed. It happened so fast—he reacted instinctively, but couldn’t avoid the collision.

With a thunderous crash, the car was violently struck. Everything spun. When the car finally stopped, he stared at the crumpled hood and the mangled passenger seat, while his own driver’s seat was completely intact. His eyes widened in disbelief.

He was unharmed.

Suddenly, a calm, elegant voice echoed in his mind: “You’d best stay away from cars today, or you’ll face a bloody disaster.”

Quickly, he reached into his pocket where he’d kept a protective talisman. But it was gone—only a pile of soft, ashen dust remained. The charm had burned itself away without fire! Could it really have saved his life?

The thought made Shen Fan’s heart tremble. If he hadn’t accepted that charm, would he already be...

“Aah! It hurts, it hurts! I’m dying, help me!” A scream suddenly rang out from the back seat. Shen Fan quickly turned to look. The back seat behind the passenger side was severely deformed, glass everywhere. Jiang Qianqian’s right leg was trapped, her face and body cut in several places by shards of glass, blood covering her entire body—a ghastly sight.

“Call an ambulance!” Shen Yuting’s voice was low and urgent.

Snapping out of his shock, Shen Fan immediately pulled out his phone.

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Yun Mojiu’s adoptive parents lived in a modest villa community; their house had two stories. Outside was a small yard, not especially large, but lovingly tended by her adoptive mother, Du Qing—flowers blooming, lush green grass, a lively little fish pond, and a sunroom that made anyone feel peaceful and at home.

Inside, the decor was warm and inviting, with a cottage-style theme. Both floors had four bedrooms and a spacious living room. Her adoptive parents lived downstairs; the other three rooms were used as a study, a tea room, and a kitchen. Yun Mojiu and her younger sister, Yun Ruoxia, lived upstairs, each with a large bedroom complete with en suite bathroom and walk-in closet. The remaining two rooms served as their private studies.

Even after Yun Mojiu married Xie Jingling, her room remained untouched. Du Qing would clean it from time to time, saying, “A daughter is always a daughter, whether married or not. If you ever want to come home, the door is always open.”

The moment Yun Mojiu stepped inside, the smell of delicious food wafted through the house. She inhaled deeply, savoring it. It had been so long since she’d smelled this fragrance!

“Big sis! You’re back!” Yun Ruoxia, carrying a dish from the kitchen, spotted Yun Mojiu at the door. She set the dish down and ran over happily, wrapping her arms around Yun Mojiu’s arm and nuzzling up close, affection radiating from her every gesture.