The old man gave a heavy "hum," staring at the little girl with sharp, aged eyes, and said coldly:
"Good intentions? Hmph, I think she's just angry because I said 'girls are useless.' Now she deliberately wants to make a fool of me!"
"Dad, Lili really didn't…"
"Enough," the old man interrupted with a wave of his hand, his tone cutting. "I have eyes. I can see for myself!"
If it weren't for fear of rebellion, Song Qingwan—who had always been hot-tempered—really wanted to curse aloud:
You have eyes? You've got fart eyes!
Such a sweet, sensible, obedient little girl, and you still can't see it? You dare to say you have eyes?
But Song Qingwan knew he wouldn't listen.
The old man had always been patriarchal. He looked down on women and disliked little girls, believing only boys carried the Lu family's honor. His heart was cold, ruthless—family and affection were nothing in his eyes, only interests and power mattered.
For the sake of control, he could discard anyone without hesitation. He was no different from a cold, merciless machine.
When his wife Wen Wanwan died, Song Qingwan had cried for days as a child, but her father? He never shed a single tear. In his eyes, there was only work, only career, no warmth at all.
Even to Liu Huilan, who had saved him many times, his heart remained hard as iron. He had wanted to settle her with money at first, but because she bore him a child, she barely entered the Lu family. Even so, she was treated more like a servant than a wife.
Now, although he seemed to favor Lu Junhan, it was only because he was an orthodox Lu family boy. That alone earned him a little tolerance.
But even then, the old man's care was shallow. His real preference had always been for heirs—sons who could carry the family bloodline.
And while Lu Junhan had a child, that child was a girl. For the old man, that alone was difficult to accept.
Especially since Liu Huilan's grandson, Lu Tianhua, was a boy. The old man doted on him deeply, for he carried the Lu family's blood. The only flaw was that his status was not legitimate.
---
Upstairs, Liu Huilan's beautiful, gentle face had gone pale. Seeing that no one paid her any attention in the living room, she clutched her phone and hurried upstairs.
Locking herself in the room, she quickly dialed her grandson's number.
"Hey, grandma, what's wrong?"
Lu Tianhua's voice was noisy, clearly playing cards in some box, laughter and chatter in the background.
Liu Huilan gritted her teeth: "Why are you out fooling around again? Can't you learn from your cousin Lu Junhan and take the lead for once?"
"Learn from him? Ha!" Lu Tianhua sneered, his tone full of disdain. "What's so great about Lu Junhan? Isn't he just relying on that woman, Song Qingwan, to prop him up? You want me to rely on a woman too? I don't need that."
Even through the phone, his contempt was obvious.
"This isn't the time for nonsense!" Liu Huilan snapped. "Go home right now and bring Qiqi to the old house—"
"Didn't I just bring her a few days ago?" Lu Tianhua's voice grew impatient. "Why again…"
"Because Lu Junhan is here," Liu Huilan said anxiously, lowering her voice. "And he brought his daughter! Your grandfather just promised him 9% of the shares!"
"What?!" Lu Tianhua was so shocked he dropped his cards. "Grandpa really gave it to him?"
"Not yet, but it's as good as done!"
"Grandma, why didn't you stop him!"
"You think I didn't try?" Liu Huilan's voice trembled with anger. "But you know your grandfather's temper. When has he ever listened to a woman?!" She lowered her voice further, urgent. "Stop asking! Hurry up and bring Qiqi here. Your grandfather has always loved that girl the most. If he sees her now, he'll be happy—and if he's happy, those 9% shares might fall into your hands instead!"
---
Outside in the courtyard, Lu Junhan had just finished answering a call.
As soon as he turned back, a small pink figure launched into his arms.
"Daddy!"
The little girl's soft voice was full of joy. She tilted up her delicate face, her black eyes sparkling. "Daddy, Auntie said we're not going home today!"
"Mm."
"Then, Daddy, are we going to sleep with Grandpa tonight?"
She remembered the storybooks—bad guys were written inside them, but Grandpa wasn't. So Grandpa must be a good person.
She liked good people.
If she could sleep beside Grandpa tonight, she'd be so happy. And if she could hug Auntie too, she'd be even happier!
"You're dreaming! Who would want to—"
Before Lu Junhan could reply, the old man, carrying a fishing rod, happened to pass by. Hearing her words, his beard bristled in fury. He glared with wide eyes and snapped:
"A little girl daring to speak such nonsense—shameless! Insulting!"
Song Qingwan: "…"
What's wrong with this old man today?
Why was he picking on a three-year-old everywhere?
The little girl clearly meant sleep as in rest, but this stubborn old man had already twisted it into something dirty. Sure enough—once men get old, their thoughts get more crooked.
The little girl, unaware of his meaning, tilted her head curiously.
Then, blinking her big eyes, she asked softly: "Daddy, what is a white pig? Is it like family?"
Lu Junhan: "…"
Song Qingwan: "Pfft—!"
Lu Junhan was too lazy to explain. He only said flatly: "Your grandfather is complimenting you for being beautiful."
The little girl's cheeks flushed pink. She hadn't expected Grandpa to like her so much. Shy but delighted, she beamed at him.
"Thank you, Grandpa! You're also very beautiful!"
The old man's face turned green. "You—!"
Song Qingwan almost burst out laughing.
The mighty, rigid, military-straight old man, praised for being "beautiful"? No wonder he nearly spat blood.
Finally, the old man managed to choke back his fury. His face was flushed with anger, but he couldn't explode outright. He could only shoot the little girl a fierce glare, snort heavily, and march toward the pond with his fishing rod and bucket.
Fishing and gambling—those were his only hobbies besides work.
When he was younger, it was amusement. Now that he was old, it was obsession.
A large pond had even been dug in the yard just for his fishing.
But after a few steps, the old man seemed to recall something. He turned back suddenly, his voice harsh and commanding:
"Since you're here, boy, I'll have someone bring you a rod. Come fish with me for a few rounds!"
"Not going." Lu Junhan rejected flatly, his face impassive. "No time."
Fishing wasn't like golf or mahjong, which only took an hour or two. Fishing could last from dawn till night. And with the old man, the game only ended when a fish was caught.
Lu Junhan neither had the patience, nor the interest, to waste time here.
"No time?" The old man barked out a cold laugh. "You think you're so busy?"
"I am busy," Lu Junhan said lightly.
"Busy? Busy with what?" The old man's face darkened. "Don't you dare tell me it's the company—you've already caused me enough trouble there!"