"No," Yuanfeng interrupted flatly.
The rejection was immediate, cold, and sharp enough to cut through the air like a blade.
Xu Meilin blinked, clearly not expecting such bluntness in front of Luo Ming and a child.
Her smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly composed herself. "I… see. Then I'll retire for the night."
She gave one last forced smile at Huaijin, who responded by clutching her father's sleeve tighter and whispering, "Daddy, she's scary"—before retreating with quiet, graceful steps.
The moment the door closed behind her, Lou Ming couldn't hold it anymore and burst into quiet laughter. "Well," he said, "looks like your little princess just saved you from a disaster."
Yuanfeng exhaled heavily. "That woman is persistent."
Huaijin peered up at him with a mischievous smile. "Daddy, don't worry. I'll protect you."
"Oh?" Yuanfeng raised an amused brow. "And how will my brave protector do that?"
"By sleeping in your room!" Huaijin declared proudly. "If I'm there, she can't sneak in!"
Lou Ming let out another laugh. "Truly a knight in shining pajamas."
Yuanfeng sighed, though there was unmistakable fondness in his eyes as he lifted Huaijin into his arms. "Fine, you win. But only tonight."
Later that night, the lights in the manor dimmed one by one, leaving only the soft glow of lanterns flickering in the corridors. The cold marble floors reflected the moonlight from the tall windows, casting silver streaks along the hallway.
In the guest room, Yuanfeng sat at the edge of the bed, reading through some documents under the dim bedside lamp. Huaijin was already tucked under the blanket beside him, her small figure barely making a bump under the thick quilt.
"Daddy," she murmured sleepily, her voice muffled. "Is that woman still outside?"
Yuanfeng's lips curved faintly. "No, she's gone."
"Good," she whispered, then yawned. "If she came again, I was gonna throw my slipper at her."
He chuckled softly, reaching over to smooth her hair. "You're too fierce for your own good."
"I'm fierce like Daddy," she mumbled proudly, eyes already fluttering shut.
Yuanfeng's hand paused for a second, then continued gently brushing her hair until her breathing steadied. "Yes," he whispered, "you are."
Lou Ming passed by the doorway sometime later, peeking in silently. Seeing the father and daughter peacefully asleep, he smiled faintly and shook his head.
"Looks like the little princess won this round," he muttered before leaving to keep watch for the night.
In another part of the manor, Xu Meilin sat in her room, her red robe trailing around her like a pool of wine. Her smile was long gone.
Her reflection in the vanity mirror looked calm, but her eyes glinted with venom. "Chi Huaijin," she whispered, "you think you can get between me and your father?"
Her lips curled into a bitter smile. "We'll see about that."
But little did she know that the very "wild girl" she looked down upon was wide awake, pretending to sleep, one eye peeking from under her blanket as if she already knew trouble was coming.
*
*
*
The soft rays of sunlight filtered through the wide windows of the guest room at the Chi Manor, stretching across the floor in gold and silver streaks. The quiet hum of early morning birdsong mixed with the faint clink of the maids preparing breakfast downstairs.
The manor, usually filled with grand, echoing footsteps and muffled conversations, seemed unusually calm, holding its breath in the stillness.
Chi Huaijin, however, wasn't awake yet. The previous night, though filled with excitement, laughter, and minor drama, had taken its toll on her small body.
Her eyelids fluttered slightly but remained heavy, and her tiny chest rose and fell with the steady rhythm of sleep. Even in slumber, her face carried that soft, innocent glow that made her father's heart constrict in ways words could not describe.
Chi Yuanfeng, on the other hand, was wide awake. Leaning against the headboard for a moment, he quietly observed his daughter's peaceful face.
Her hair, slightly tousled from sleep, framed her small features in golden light, and the faint rise and fall of her breathing reminded him of just how small and fragile she was, yet also how strong she had already become.
He exhaled slowly, a hand brushing the sleeve of his pajama. Then, almost instinctively, he rose from the bed, careful not to disturb the little girl beside him.
Yuanfeng's bare feet barely made a sound on the cool floor as he moved to the balcony door. Outside, the morning air was crisp, carrying a faint scent of dew and the distant hint of blossoms from the garden below.
The balcony overlooked the entire manor, the early sunlight catching the edges of the stonework, making the vast estate appear as if it had been carved from gold.
But Yuanfeng wasn't admiring the beauty. His attention was on the phone in his hand, a call he hadn't expected. The screen displayed a number, foreign and unfamiliar, digits arranged in a way that suggested it wasn't local.
The usually calm and composed father, who spent his days as a researcher and scholar in modern science, seemed almost to transform in that moment.
The tired warmth of last night's laughter and father-daughter conversations was gone. His eyes, dark and sharp, glinted with a strange intensity.
There was a subtle aura that emanated from him, a presence that suggested not just authority, but power and the capability to make the impossible happen.
"Hello," he said into the receiver, his voice low and measured, devoid of all paternal softness.
"Yuanfeng," a voice on the other end replied. Calm, commanding. "The arrangements are ready?"
"Yes. Make sure no unnecessary parties interfere. This ends tonight." Yuanfeng's words were precise, carrying a weight that seemed far heavier than his usual measured tone.
On the balcony, he paused for a moment, listening carefully to the reply before giving a few brief, deliberate instructions. The words were short but absolute, the kind of commands that left no room for interpretation.