Chapter 11: What a Silly Dad!

Chapter 11: A Clumsy Dad!

Zhong Chen was delayed by traffic for a few minutes. Rushing to the kindergarten gate, she saw a tall figure and a small one gazing at each other—complete strangers.

Last night, Sister Tan had mentioned that Xiao Chu’s dad would come to pick her up. As a normal person, Zhong Chen was incredibly curious—who wouldn’t want to know who Song Tan’s daughter’s father was? But professionalism kept her lips sealed.

Now, as she quickly glanced at the masked man, she was stunned. His demeanor and aura screamed VIP!

She hurriedly apologized, "Sorry, the traffic was bad. I’m late."

Ji Fuxi said nothing. Song Chuqing shifted her gaze from him and reached for Zhong Chen’s hand, saying sweetly, "Sister Chenchen, let’s go."

Huh? We’re leaving? Just like that?

The two exchanged glances. Song Chuqing tilted her head: *What? Aren’t we leaving? Mom only said Dad would come see me, and now I’ve seen him.*

The atmosphere turned awkward. Ji Fuxi cleared his throat softly. "Xiao Zhong, hello."

Zhong Chen snapped out of her wordless exchange with the little one and responded hastily, "Hello, hello!"

"The car is over there."

"Okay."

Ji Fuxi walked ahead while Zhong Chen followed, holding Song Chuqing’s hand.

"Sister Chenchen, aren’t you driving today?"

She *had* driven, but there was no way she could let a VIP ride in her modest Volkswagen! Zhong Chen lowered her voice, "We’re taking your dad’s car."

"Okay."

When she saw the black Rolls-Royce and its impossibly rare license plate, Zhong Chen bit her lip. *Wow, Xiao Chu’s dad really is the real deal!*

Song Chuqing, oblivious to cars, found the two men standing by the door—one tall, one short—odd. They kept staring at her suspiciously.

She climbed into the car, her little nose twitching at a pleasant scent. Her dislike for the "new dad" faded slightly.

Zhong Chen got in too, and Ji Fuxi closed the door before walking around to the other side.

The back seat was roomy, but Song Chuqing, unfamiliar with her "new dad," held onto Zhong Chen tightly, gripping her arm.

Ji Fuxi wasn’t used to sitting so close to others either, so there was enough space between them for another adult—a clear boundary.

Zhuang Cheng glanced in the rearview mirror, marveling at the exceptionally pretty porcelain doll before cautiously asking, "Mr. Ji, where to?"

Ji Fuxi turned, his gaze lingering on the little girl’s clutching hands. After a pause, he asked in a calm tone, "Should we eat first?"

Zhong Chen was about to nod, but the little girl made a pouty face at her. Understanding, she replied apologetically, "Xiao Chu usually doesn’t eat out."

"Alright, then let’s head back. Where do you live?"

"Building 16 in Rong Garden."

Ji Fuxi instructed, "To Rong Garden."

The Rolls-Royce started smoothly, driving past the crowd outside Little Sun Kindergarten.

No one spoke. The silence in the car felt heavy.

When Zhong Chen looked over again, the man had removed his mask. Her eyes widened—*he’s unbelievably handsome!* Another discreet glance, and it clicked. If she wasn’t mistaken, this was Ji Fuxi of Yuanhe Group—the man who often featured in financial headlines?!

*Oh my gosh, he’s Xiao Chu’s dad…*

Her heart pounded, her hands shaking a little.

Song Chuqing noticed. "Sister Chenchen, what’s wrong?"

"I’m fine."

Rong Garden wasn’t far—just a four- or five-minute drive.

On the way, Song Tan called. Zhong Chen answered, "Sister Tan."

"Did you pick her up?"

Glancing at the awkwardly distant father-daughter pair, Zhong Chen said quietly, "Yes."

She handed the phone to Song Chuqing, who pressed it to her ear and said brightly, "Mommy!"

The woman’s voice warmed immediately. "Did you have fun today, little one?"

*Not exactly. I don’t like this new dad, but he’s here, so I can’t say that.* "Yes!"

"Did you see Daddy?"

"Yes."

"Will Daddy eat with you later?"

Song Chuqing wasn’t sure. Her lips turned down as she turned and held out the phone, murmuring, "Mommy’s asking if we’re eating together."

Ji Fuxi: "Together."

Song Chuqing put the phone back to her ear. "Mommy, together."

"Then eat with Daddy, okay? Don’t worry."

"Mhm."

The call ended just as the car stopped in front of Building 16.

Zhong Chen led the little girl inside while Ji Fuxi got a text.

Song Tan: *"Did you make her unhappy?"*

Song Tan: *"Xiao Chu is shy around strangers. Try to be friendlier, Mr. Ji."*

Even through text, the displeasure was obvious. Ji Fuxi paused for a few seconds before typing: *"Got it."*

As his screen dimmed, he loosened his tie a little and smiled wryly.

No one had ever spoken to him like this in his life.

Before stepping out, he suddenly remembered something and turned. "Zhuang Cheng, where’s the gift?"

Zhuang Cheng immediately retrieved the prepared Paw Patrol playset from the trunk.

...

The rented villa had only been partially moved into recently, so the living room still looked a bit bare.

The housekeeper was prepping ingredients in the kitchen when she heard movement and came out. Zhong Chen quickly summed it up, "Auntie Zhou, Xiao Chu's dad is having dinner with us tonight."

"Xiao Chu's dad?" Auntie Zhou looked past her and indeed saw a tall man stepping inside.

They shared a look full of unspoken meaning.

With Song Tan absent and Song Chuqing still so young, Zhong Chen had to step up. "Mr. Ji, what would you like to drink?"

"Nothing, feel free."

"Oh, okay then."

The little girl was nowhere to be seen. Ji Fuxi scanned the room—the house wasn’t large, but it was clean. The living room had plenty of toys, all neatly arranged.

He placed the gift on the table and turned around to see Song Chuqing emerging from a room, with a black-and-white mutt at her side.

Ji Fuxi frowned.

Aqi wasn't fond of strangers either and immediately started barking. Song Chuqing patted its head to soothe it, whispering to it, "Aqi, this is Daddy. Don’t be scared."

Aqi stopped barking.

Earlier at the kindergarten gate, he'd worn a mask. Now that he’d taken it off, Song Chuqing could finally see his full face.

He had the exact same eyes as hers, and he was handsome—but he never smiled, which made him look scary, like the mean mayor in Paw Patrol.

Girl and dog made their way to the living room sofa. Song Chuqing looked up and asked softly, "Do you want some water?" Mom says to be polite to guests.

Remembering the warning text before entering, Ji Fuxi pasted on a polite smile. "Sure." But his voice was flat, far from warm.

Song Chuqing drank a lot of water, so there was a pitcher and cups on the coffee table within her reach. She took a clean cup, gripped the pitcher handle with her small hands, poured water, and carefully carried it over. "Here."

The four-year-old handled it like a pro, surprising Ji Fuxi. He took it and said, "Thank you."

After a couple of sips, he set the cup down and pushed the gift toward her. "Your mom said you like Paw Patrol."

Song Chuqing had already noticed the Paw Patrol set, but Mom had bought her the exact same set just recently to coax her into going to kindergarten.

Mom says not to look a gift horse in the mouth, so she obediently took it and said, "Thank you."

Watching them, Zhong Chen scratched the back of her head. Were these two actually related?

All these "thank yous"—were they strangers? Could this really be their first meeting?

She'd figured that, being family, they’d warm up eventually. They just needed more time.

But when she returned after helping Auntie Zhou with the meal prep, Zhong Chen did a double take and had to snap a photo to send to Song Tan.

In the picture, Song Chuqing and Aqi sat on the carpet playing with puzzles, while Ji Fuxi sat in a corner of the sofa replying to messages. They didn’t look like they’d spoken at all.

Song Tan was probably filming and didn’t reply for a long time.

Zhong Chen didn't know what to do. Should she do something?

But this was Ji Fuxi—a big shot in the capital. She had nothing to say to him. After some thought, she decided to beat a retreat to the kitchen.

Twenty minutes later, dinner was served. Song Chuqing ran to the bathroom to wash her hands, then climbed into her usual seat.

Ji Fuxi sat across from her.

Song Chuqing called out, "Chenchen Jiejie, come sit!"

Usually, Zhong Chen joined her, but today… Zhong Chen glanced cautiously at Ji Fuxi.

"Join us."

"Yes, Mr. Ji."

Zhong Chen perched nervously.

The girls were light eaters. Auntie Zhou had originally planned to make just lotus root and pork rib soup, fry Song Chuqing’s favorite cola chicken wings, and add some greens as Song Tan had specifically requested. But with Xiao Chu’s dad suddenly joining, she threw together some tomato and eggs.

Standard home cooking, but it looked appetizing.

Still, the food wasn’t the point. The goal was to accompany her for the meal and fulfill the agreement. Ji Fuxi waited until the kid across from him picked up a chicken wing before starting to eat.

Chicken wings were tricky with chopsticks for Song Chuqing. After placing one in her bowl, she deftly slipped on plastic gloves and ate with her hands.

She ate quietly, taking small, careful bites to keep her face clean.

Ji Fuxi stopped eating to study her.

From the moment they’d met, Song Chuqing had been perfectly behaved—shy and a little afraid of him, but polite. Nothing like that hellion Yao Peiqiu.

She resembled Song Tan, especially in the nose and mouth. Even her mannerisms echoed her mom's.

Ji Fuxi scrutinized her. Aside from the shape of her face, none of her features seemed to resemble him.

Maybe he was staring too hard. The little girl looked up, and he quickly averted his eyes, going back to his food.

He didn’t eat greens or chicken wings, opting instead for the scrambled eggs with tomatoes—slightly sweet, perfect for a child.

Before long, the assistant opposite him spoke softly, "Xiao Chu, you need to eat your greens."

The kid made a face. "But Chenchen, I don't wanna. Don’t tell Mom."

"You have to. Your mom specifically said you need to eat greens."

Ji Fuxi was surprised. When he looked over, Song Chuqing was glaring at the veggies in her bowl as if they were her mortal enemy.

The ghost of a smile touched his lips. It seemed he’d finally found something they had in common.

Grownups knew better than kids. After a moment’s thought, Ji Fuxi tried to persuade her. "Just a little."

Song Chuqing pouted, still reluctant.

Finally, Zhong Chen resorted to her usual tactic. "If you don’t eat them, I’ll call your mom."

"No, no! Wuwu, I don’t want veggies!" Her eyes welled up as she sulked and pushed the greens forward. "Daddy, you eat them for me."

This was the first time Song Chuqing had called him "Daddy."

Ji Fuxi froze.

The idea of having a "daughter" had always felt unreal. Five years of absence meant they were practically strangers. Fatherhood and blood ties meant little yet. The slight fondness he felt for her now stemmed from her quiet, well-behaved nature.

He had no experience being a father. After the age of five or six, he’d stopped longing for one or for paternal love. That single word—"Daddy"—stirred mostly strangeness in him. He wasn’t used to this role yet.

Lost in thought, the girl kept staring at him with big, pleading eyes to get her way, a spark of mischief and playfulness in her gaze. Ji Fuxi's heart softened, and he gave in, "Alright."

"Yay!" The girl's face instantly lit up with a smile, her voice turning sweet. "Thank you~"

Zhong Chen, who had been quietly staying out of it: Please don’t let Sister Tan find out about this.

...

After dinner, Song Chuqing was about to take her bath.

But Xiao Chu's father still hadn’t left, so Zhong Chen had to ask, "Mr. Ji, are you staying overnight?"

"No. I’ll just put her to bed." Picking her up from school, having dinner, and putting her to bed—six times a month. Might as well knock it all out at once.

Song Chuqing also found it strange. Why wasn’t this father leaving? And why was he going to put her to bed?

After her bath, she got into bed and opened her tablet to video call her mom.

They video-called every night at this time, and today was no different. When her mom answered, Song Chuqing held up the tablet, glanced outside, then turned back and whispered, "Mom, Dad is acting weird."

Song Tan, who was still working and had only taken the call during a break, chuckled. "What do you mean?"

"Hmm..." Song Chuqing scratched her head, thinking seriously. "Just... weird. He took me and Sister Chen home, ate with us, and now he’s going to put me to bed."

Song Tan laughed. "Baby, he’s your dad, just like Mom—someone who loves you very much. So he’ll put you to bed instead of Mom."

"Really?" Song Chuqing still didn’t quite understand. She had never had a dad before and didn’t know what the role of a father meant. To her, "Dad" was just like "Uncle"—just a name, really.

"Mhm, it’s okay. Just be yourself with Dad."

"Okay."

A knock came at the door, and Song Chuqing got nervous. "Mom, he’s here!"

Song Tan laughed again. "Then be good and go to sleep. Mom has to get back to work."

"Mhm, bye-bye, Mom."

Song Chuqing set down the tablet and obediently snuggled down.

Ji Fuxi pushed the door open and stood at the entrance. "Xiao Chu, are you asleep?"

"Not yet."

The little girl’s voice, muffled and soft under the blanket, made Ji Fuxi pause again.

Her room was carefully decorated—pink and white, warm and tidy. A transparent storage shelf by the wardrobe held a complete set of *Paw Patrol* figurines, identical to the gift he had just given her. Ji Fuxi glanced at them a moment longer.

The bedsheets and duvet were adorned with white lace, in a sweet princess style. Against the wall, seven or eight plush toys—a panda, a dog, and others—stood in a row like knights guarding a sleeping princess.

At the foot of the bed was a dog bed where Aqi lay, giving him a fierce look—another knight on duty.

Ji Fuxi stepped inside, glanced at his pants, which had gotten dusty earlier, and decided not to sit on her princess bed. Instead, he grabbed a chair.

He had never spent time alone with a little girl, let alone tried to put one to sleep. His voice came out a bit awkward as he asked, "How does your mom usually tuck you in?"

Song Chuqing popped her head out from under the covers, blinking her almond-shaped eyes.

*What a silly dad!*

She rolled over and fished out a picture book from under Ryder’s feet. "Mom reads this to me."

The book was titled *Little Clumsy Bear Is Late*. Ji Fuxi flipped to the first page—mostly pictures with just two lines of text.

He looked at the little girl in the bed, who was also staring at him, her big eyes blinking as if waiting expectantly.

Ji Fuxi looked back at the book, thought for a moment, then began reading flatly:

"Little Clumsy Bear overslept and realized he was going to be late when he woke up."

After finishing, he turned the page. "In a panic, he rushed out the door, constantly urging his dad to drive faster—almost causing an accident."

Another page turn: "Finally, Little Clumsy Bear entered the classroom under Teacher Goat’s scolding. The other animals had waited twenty minutes and were very angry."

Song Chuqing was disappointed.

*So boring and lifeless—not at all like storytelling. I might as well read it myself.*

The little girl felt torn. She was a polite and well-behaved child, but Mom had said she could interact with Dad however she wanted...

In the end, she decided to listen to her mom. Gripping the blanket, Song Chuqing pouted and called out, "Dad!"

This being only the second time she'd called him "Dad," the man was getting used to it. He stopped his robotic reading and looked up. "What is it?"

"You’re no good at this. I don’t want to listen anymore. I’m going to sleep," she declared.

Ji Fuxi was at a loss for words.