She was used to conditional praise, gifts as status symbols, and affection granted only when she achieved high marks or performed flawlessly.
Huaijin, watching Yuanying's expression soften as she listened to the fantasy story, felt a surge of genuine hope.
She understood Yuanying's core issue: a deep, aching need for unconditional love that was currently being twisted into a desperate hunger for external validation, which would eventually mutate into the villainess's destructive envy.
During a break, when Yuanfeng was briefly in the kitchen making sure everything was locked up, Yuanying approached Huaijin, who was half-asleep on the sofa.
"Huaijin," Yuanying whispered, her voice surprisingly tentative. "Your Uncle Yuanfeng… he's really nice."
Huaijin cracked one eye open. "He's the best, Yuanying. He's my Daddy."
"He doesn't scold you for clinging to him," Yuanying noted, a hint of envy in her tone. "My parents would tell me I was being infantile."
