C8 Tuantuan Was Injured

In the office of Red Apple Kindergarten, Yu Haoran arrived in a hurry, having called ahead to the teacher. He made a beeline for the office and found a boy and a girl standing together, the girl noticeably shorter than the boy. Across from them sat a female teacher with glasses, earnestly engaging with the children.

"Tuantuan, let's not fight next time, okay?"

"And Liu Lu, why are you picking on Tuantuan? No teasing, understood?"

Yu Haoran caught this lecture upon entering, but he was more concerned with reaching his little princess. He strode over, inspecting her closely, and his face grew stern upon discovering several scratches on her tiny arms. His gaze then shifted to the teacher.

"You're her homeroom teacher, right? I'm her father, Yu Haoran. What happened here?"

His direct approach and icy stare sent a shiver through Wang Yueya, who suddenly found herself at a loss for words. She had always thought Tuantuan had no parents, as it was always her aunt who attended meetings and made small talk. But now, confronted by this stern man, Wang Yueya was taken aback.

"Well... it went like this... The kids were playing, got into a little scuffle... and this is the result," she managed to say, mustering a forced smile at Yu Haoran.

Disinterested in such patronizing explanations, Yu Haoran turned his tender gaze to his daughter, lifting her into his arms with a soft whisper, "Is that what happened, Tuantuan? Remember, lying makes a child's nose grow longer."

Tuantuan clung tightly to Yu Haoran's neck, burying her head in the warmth of his chest, a place she knew to be the safest and warmest.

"Daddy... Daddy, Tuantuan is okay. Can we... go home now, please?"

Her voice was shaky and grew fainter. Yu Haoran had been proud of her resilience, but a growing sense of unease washed over him as he realized his chest was damp.

Tuantuan was in tears!

"Don't be scared, Tuantuan. Daddy is here. Remember what I said this morning? You won't have to endure any hardships from now on."

He spoke gently, then made an effort to keep his voice down, not wanting to frighten his beloved little princess.

When the God-King's wrath was kindled, blood would flow for miles. Though he was no longer the God-King, his anger could still make an adult quiver with fear, like Wu Shaohua, to say nothing of a child.

"Wang Yueya, what exactly happened here?"

He narrowed his eyes, fixing a steady gaze on Wang Yueya, who seemed to be evading his look.

"It was just a little quarrel between two kids playing around. Liu Lu accidentally scratched his arm. I've already taken her to the school clinic, and the doctor assured us it's nothing serious."

Wang Yueya had managed to regain her composure after the initial shock, and she spoke much more fluently.

Yet, her explanation did not satisfy Yu Haoran.

"Why is Tuantuan crying then? I want you to tell me the truth."

As Wang Yueya hesitated, the office door swung open again.

A portly middle-aged man with a menacing look entered. One glance at his face and it was clear he was not to be trifled with. Wang Yueya breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this parent arrive.

"Wang Yueya, what's all this fuss about? Kids roughhousing is perfectly normal, isn't it? Do you have any idea how busy I am? Do you know how much my time is worth?"

He barged in, dominating the conversation and carrying himself with an air of arrogance, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

He had been informed over the phone that his child was at fault for insulting someone and scratching a little girl. The school couldn't take the blame, so he had to make a personal appearance.

Initially concerned about who the other party might be, he sized up Yu Haoran, noting his outdated casual attire and slender frame. Without seeing his full face, he concluded that Yu Haoran was a man of humble means, someone who could be easily intimidated.

Hearing her father's voice, Liu Lu felt a sudden sense of security. The kid was small but shrewd, aware of her wrongdoing and too scared to speak up in the presence of the other father.

"Dad, you're finally here! They said Tuantuan has no dad, and I wasn't supposed to talk about it!"

The little rascal bounded over to his father, Liu Tianyi, while he was talking.

"Hey, that's not right. She's already unfortunate enough not having a father, and you're making it worse by talking about her. Above all, she shouldn't be fighting."

Liu Tianyi's voice carried a tone of reproach, yet the smile on his face and his demeanor lacked any real sincerity. He figured a token gesture would suffice.

"No, Dad, my classmates always used to say that about her, and she never responded. But today, she actually talked back in front of the whole class. It was so embarrassing!"

Liu Lu stood her ground, seemingly justified, without a trace of guilt for her bullying behavior.

Liu Tianyi couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this. He affectionately patted Liu Lu's head by his knee, his voice tinged with encouragement.

"Well, she's always let it slide before, so why shouldn't she speak up today? This isn't on you. It's the fault of that fatherless child who dares to talk back!"

What?

His own son hadn't been taught properly, and now he was deflecting the blame?

Liu Tianyi was the epitome of a social chameleon, tailoring his words to his audience. Upon his arrival, he had quickly pegged Yu Haoran as someone of lower status, and since Yu Haoran hadn't uttered a word, Liu Tianyi felt even more emboldened.

Yu Haoran's silence didn't mean others were silent.

"Stop it! I have a father! He is my father, and I won't let you talk about him like that!"

Tuantuan couldn't hold back any longer. She looked up and yelled defiantly at the father and son duo.

"This is no way to behave. A child yelling all the time shows no manners. Lu Lu, we can't afford to pick up such habits from society's underbelly."

She finished her statement with a contemptuous gesture toward Yu Haoran.

Wang Yueya observed Yu Haoran's composed demeanor. Although she had never met him before, she had never encountered a man who remained so serene. Aside from showing distress when the child was hurt, he had not let any of his emotions show.

"What kind of man is he? Is he truly timid, or..."

Wang Yueya silently pondered.

Yu Haoran finally turned around, his face graced with a faint smile. It wasn't meant for the father and son standing opposite him, though. His gaze settled on Tuantuan as he spoke with a gentle yet earnest tone,

"Tuantuan, Daddy's going to teach you something special today. Will you learn it from me, okay?"

The little girl, upon seeing Yu Haoran's encouraging smile, ceased her tears. She nodded earnestly, her lips curving into a blissful smile.

"Okay!"

"Do you, a mere ant, dare to bark before the likes of me?"

Yu Haoran's words were solemn, bearing no trace of jest.