Chapter 10: Fatherly Love, Filial Daughter  

Is this really the daughter I know?  

Why does she seem like a completely different person from my memory?  

Jiang Lai was led to the living room sofa, sitting down nervously, still reeling from her daughter’s near-absurd comment.  

Stepmother?  

Even as a joke, that’s not something to say!  

Hearing such words, Jiang Lai naturally wanted to act like an elder, hoping her child would be more polite.  

“Red tea, juice, or plain water—what would you like?”  

“Uh, plain water is fine…”  

Jiang Lai responded like a robot, answering only when prompted.  

As Jiang Leyi went to get drinks, Jiang Lai and Chi Yingyu sat on the sofa.  

Jiang Lai had never seen her daughter act this way with strangers.  

She had so many questions.  

“Why don’t you seem surprised at all?”  

Jiang Lai could feel Chi Yingyu’s intrigued gaze, as if her sister-in-law was used to this.  

“Because this is Leyi’s true self—lively, cheerful, always like a little sun since childhood.”  

Chi Yingyu’s words hit like a bombshell, shattering Jiang Lai’s understanding of her daughter.  

If there were a mirror, Chi Yingyu would’ve shown Jiang Lai her expression—head tilted, full of questions, almost adorably so.  

To keep their conversation from being overheard, Chi Yingyu scooted closer on the sofa, their bodies nearly touching, her head resting on Jiang Lai’s shoulder.  

“But around you, she’s always been a quiet, obedient child, hiding her true self.”  

Jiang Lai and Jiang Leyi, now more like mother and daughter, both underestimated each other’s love.  

Jiang Lai would give everything for her daughter, while Leyi tried not to burden her father.  

Some private matters girls face couldn’t be shared with a man.  

But now that her brother-in-law was a sister-in-law, even if her identity was revealed later, she could connect better with her niece.  

“My dear brother-in-law, don’t you want to understand your daughter more?”  

Chi Yingyu’s tempting voice whispered in her ear, her fingers unconsciously intertwining.  

Growing up, her daughter was indeed too obedient around her, almost like a lifeless puppet.  

This wasn’t a normal family dynamic, not a healthy parent-child relationship.  

“Of course I want to, but I don’t know how…  

I tried so hard to make time for her, but it didn’t help.”  

Jiang Lai sighed softly, her eyes drooping, a shadow of gloom settling over her.  

Her pitiful look was heart-wrenchingly endearing.  

Chi Yingyu watched her, inching closer, her right hand resting on Jiang Lai’s shoulder, gently comforting her.  

To an outsider, they looked intimately entwined, almost ambiguously so.  

Chi Yingyu knew her brother-in-law only showed vulnerability when it came to her daughter—a weakness she could exploit.  

“Don’t worry, leave it to me!”  

Though she felt guilty toward her niece, Chi Yingyu saw this as her chance for happiness.  

Jiang Lai’s heart was filled with unease.  

Deceiving her daughter felt wrong, but if this white lie could help her understand Leyi, it might be worth it.  

Though subtle, Jiang Lai desperately wanted to connect with her daughter, to know all her big and small moments.  

If her daughter fell in love and brought someone home without her knowing, Jiang Lai would truly break down.  

In her mind, her daughter was the type to stay quiet but make bold moves, unassuming yet capable of shocking everyone.  

Though mentally prepared, when Jiang Leyi returned with drinks, Jiang Lai still felt uneasy.  

Her daughter’s relentless stare felt like it could see through her, freezing time, making every second eternal, almost suffocating.  

Jiang Lai could only pin her hopes on Chi Yingyu.  

The living room became an oddly tense scene.  

Jiang Lai was constantly scrutinized by her daughter, unable to handle it, her pleading gaze fixed on her sister-in-law.  

Chi Yingyu watched them with a sly smile, scheming something in her mind.  

Finally, unable to bear the awkward silence, Jiang Leyi spoke up.  

“Why is my big sister wearing my dad’s clothes?”  

Though she hadn’t been home in months, Jiang Leyi could recognize her father’s clothes.  

Despite their financial stability, Jiang Lai never bought new clothes unless the old ones were worn out.  

She could identify them at a glance.  

“This kind of thing suggests a special relationship.  

My dad’s stingy with himself, but you can trust he’s generous with others.”  

Jiang Leyi kept eyeing the woman, close in age to her aunt, praising Jiang Lai’s merits.  

Though this woman was stunning, her dad wasn’t far behind.  

She hated to admit it, but despite his age, her dad still looked youthful, outshining most celebrities with his charm and mature allure.  

When he dropped her off at school, within hours, people were snapping photos and posting them on campus forums, asking for his contact.  

If she weren’t embarrassed, Jiang Leyi would’ve asked her dad for his skincare secrets or considered selling his contact info for profit.  

But she’d stopped pulling such stunts since growing up.  

As a child, selling his info to a rich woman led to endless harassment—homemade cakes, tightly wrapped “original” items, and unspeakable things.  

Adults sure played dirty.