Lin Yizhou had imagined countless possible reactions from her, but this was the last one he expected. After a brief moment of stunned silence, he let out a self-deprecating laugh.
“Su Ziling, has anyone ever told you that your ability to accept reality is a bit beyond the norm?”
Even he himself had been stunned for a long, long time when faced with a suddenly appearing daughter, but Su Ziling showed no reaction at all.
This included his own extremely distant, even somewhat harsh words just now.
“For someone who has already died once, everything seems extraordinarily ordinary.”
Lin Yizhou naturally assumed that “died once” referred to the serious illness she had suffered long ago.
But in reality, Su Ziling wasn’t talking about that—she meant her previous life.
Still, that didn’t take away from the original meaning of the words.
“You’re really something…”
Lin Yizhou let out an emotional sigh.
“Why would you say that all of a sudden?”
Su Ziling couldn’t understand how being good at accepting reality was impressive, but Lin Yizhou patiently explained.
“No… what I mean by impressive is the mask-like surface image you always wear.”
With that, he took a sip of cola to wet his throat before continuing.
“Approachable, always smiling, and eager to help others—practically every man’s ideal.”
“What?” Su Ziling interrupted him. “Got your eye on me?”
“But an ideal is still an ideal, not reality. If someone were actually to take action on their feelings, they’d probably just smash their head against the copper wall of your heart.”
“Heh…”
Just as Lin Yizhou was making his serious analysis, Su Ziling let out a soft laugh.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing,” Su Ziling shook her head and steered the conversation back to the beginning. “So what’s your decision? Accept or reject the deal I proposed?”
“When you’ve put it that way, can I even refuse?” Lin Yizhou sighed. “Besides, you’ve already cornered me with no way out, haven’t you?”
Su Ziling put on that usual fake, gentle smile.
“The choice is yours. I never forced you.”
“Tsk…” Lin Yizhou clicked his tongue in irritation, then pulled out his phone and said to Su Ziling, “Can we exchange contacts? Who carries cash around these days?”
“Of course.”
After swapping contact info, Su Ziling picked up the lunchbox Lin Yizhou had returned and left the classroom, looking like she was heading off to wash the dishes.
Once she was gone, Lin Yizhou finally slumped back onto his desk in relief, staring at the ceiling with a mix of emotions.
Lin Yizhou didn’t think of himself as slow or stupid.
He could see a lot of human nature, and it was precisely because he could see it that he chose to stay isolated and alone.
Su Ziling’s kindness toward him wasn’t the admiration between a man and a woman. She was gentle.
That gentleness was like a mother’s—stern on the surface, but different underneath.
But precisely because of that, she was like the warm sun in the sky, always right beside him, yet forever out of reach.
This ambiguous distance might have been thrilling at first. Whenever he felt her warmth, a smile would unconsciously creep onto his lips.
But the deeper he got, this uncontrollable, unobservable distance became like an abyss, dragging him step by step into despair.
So… rather than hold onto hope and misunderstandings from the start, it was better to give up hope outright.
That was the best and safest choice.
Lin Yizhou closed his eyes, ready to enjoy this rare moment of peace.
“Dad? Dad!”
After who knows how long, a familiar crisp voice rang out from the hazy darkness. At the same time, Lin Yizhou felt a slightly heavy yet soft weight settle on his lower abdomen.
He wasn’t fully awake yet, and instinctively reached out to feel what was sitting on him.
“Huh… hm?”
When his fingers touched the smooth texture of stockings, he snapped awake as if shocked by electricity.
As he propped himself up, he realized Su Lili was sitting directly on his stomach, with a small jacket draped over him.
“Dad, you’re finally awake!”
The little girl looked extremely excited, as if she’d found a million dollars.
“So? So? Did you make big progress with Mom?!”
“Not at all…” Lin Yizhou said with a wry smile. “Feelings don’t just happen overnight.”
“But I clearly saw Mom bring you lunch and add your contact info!”
“That did happen…” Lin Yizhou nodded subconsciously, then suddenly thought of something. “Wait, you didn’t sneak out, did you?”
“Hehe~” The little girl knocked on her head innocently. “It’s too boring at home, so I wanted to come play with you, Dad.”
“It’s raining outside…” Lin Yizhou looked at the light drizzle outside and sighed. “Wouldn’t it be better to just sleep at home in this weather?”
“Sleeping is nice, but sleeping all day will turn you into a pig!”
Su Lili put her hands on her hips and spoke with the air of a grown-up.
“I want a figure as slim as Mom’s, so of course I have to go out and exercise more!” At that, she rubbed her little face shyly and muttered under her breath, “And I’m a little hungry…”
“Huh? Didn’t your mom leave you lunch?”
“She did…”
Seeing Su Lili’s hesitant attitude, Lin Yizhou was a bit confused.
This reaction didn’t seem like she was given too little. Had she spilled the food and felt embarrassed?
“Did you knock over the food?”
“No, no!” Su Lili shook her head like a rattle. “It just wasn’t enough. I ate five bowls, but I’m still hungry.”
“Pfft!”
He had thought it was Su Ziling’s fault, but now it looked like… this kid’s appetite was really something else!
“You ate five bowls and still weren’t full? If you’re not a pig, then what are you?”
“Li Li is not a pig!” The little girl blushed, puffed out her cheeks, and retorted, “Dad is the pig face!”
With that, she pulled out her magic wand and said, “I eat that much to store mana, you know! It’s not my appetite’s fault, okay!”
Seeing Su Lili’s magic wand, Lin Yizhou recalled something.
Not long ago, when the Red Rose people fished out the Drill Monster and Metal Monster from prison, they found that the two had all their mana drained and couldn’t recover it.
Both had fought with Su Lili…
Could this be related to Su Lili’s wand?
“Li Li, can I take a look at your magic wand?”
“Sure…”
Su Lili didn’t refuse and handed the wand to Lin Yizhou, though she asked with some curiosity, “But why do you want to see my magic wand, Dad?”
“It’s a long story. First, get off me. This position is a bit uncomfortable…”
As Lin Yizhou reached out his hands to lift Su Lili off him, he suddenly felt a cold stare.
Turning his head, he saw Su Ziling, back from washing the dishes, half-hidden outside the door like a patrolling discipline supervisor.
“Hello, is this 110…”
“Wait!” Lin Yizhou hurriedly interrupted her spellcasting. “It’s a misunderstanding! Li Li sat on me on her own!”
“Oh, is that so…” Su Ziling nodded coldly, then raised her phone again. “Do you think the police will believe your lies?”