Chapter 52: Lifting a stone to hit one’s own foot

Chapter 52: Shooting Oneself in the Foot

Dr. Wang arrived swiftly.

Upon seeing Fu Cheng awake and sitting up in bed, Dr. Wang couldn't help but exclaim, "This is a true miracle, sir! In all these years, very few vegetative patients ever regain consciousness."

"Most people suffer brain damage upon waking, but you, sir, only need a period of rehabilitation to fully recover."

Fu Cheng's brain had entered a dormant state due to excessive blood loss, and even specialists couldn't predict when—or if—he would ever wake up.

After conducting a thorough examination, Dr. Wang found that the wounds from Fu Cheng's car accident had healed completely and remarkably well, leaving only faint, almost invisible scars.

Such a self-healing ability was one in a million, and Fu Cheng was one of those rare individuals.

Despite his excitement, Dr. Wang still advised Fu Cheng to undergo a comprehensive check-up with a specialist.

Before his surgery, doctors had mentioned a large blood clot in his brain.

Dr. Wang's equipment wasn't precise enough to determine if the clot was still present, so he urged Fu Cheng to visit the hospital for further examination.

To his surprise, Fu Cheng waved a dismissive hand and stated, "We'll discuss that this afternoon."

Dr. Wang was astonished. "But if that blood clot isn't removed, your life could still be in danger..."

"This morning, I have to accompany my daughter out. You're single, so you wouldn't understand. My safety is nowhere near as important as my daughter's."

"Besides, don't I know my own body? Since waking up last night, I haven't felt any discomfort. If it weren't for my daughter insisting I stay in bed and rest, I would have been up and about long ago."

Every word Fu Cheng spoke revolved around his daughter, and a smile played on his lips as he spoke, leaving Dr. Wang both conflicted and envious.

He had also met the Fourth Miss—a soft, tiny little girl whose voice had an endearing upward lilt when she spoke, utterly charming.

For years, he had never considered finding a partner, dedicating himself to his research. But ever since meeting the Fourth Miss that night, when his mother again tried to set him up, he actually hesitated, then agreed to meet the woman.

Just in case.

He meant, just in case he could also have a daughter as adorable as the Fourth Miss someday?

A flicker of a smile crossed his eyes as Dr. Wang made his final concession. "You may go out, but until you undergo a full body check-up at the hospital, I must remain by your side."

Fu Cheng didn't mind this condition.

He nodded, agreeing to the request. Just as Fu Cheng was about to ask if there was any way he could immediately get up and walk, the half-open door suddenly swung inward.

The little dumpling's sweet voice rang out from the doorway, "Daddy, breakfast is ready!"

The aroma of breakfast instantly filled the bedroom. Fu Cheng, who had been sustained by nutrient solutions all this time, instinctively swallowed.

He saw his second son holding his daughter, with his eldest son following behind carrying a tray, and a smile involuntarily spread across his face.

Reaching out, he pulled his daughter into his arms, letting his eldest son set up a makeshift dining table. His gaze never left his daughter.

"Did Zhi Zhi eat already? Would you like to join Daddy for a little more?"

The little dumpling had already had breakfast downstairs after her morning routine, carried by her second brother.

Now, hearing her father's invitation, she shook her head, saying, "This is Daddy's breakfast. Zhi Zhi is all full already!"

The little dumpling puffed out her round little belly and giggled, "My tummy's all round and full!"

Fu Cheng's eyes lit up at the sight; everything about his daughter delighted him.

Seeing her stick out her tummy, he couldn't resist reaching out to gently poke her little belly, chuckling, "It really is, all round and full."

Fu Yuchen, still holding a milk bottle, watched as his sister proudly showed off her belly to their father. He curved his lips slightly and handed the bottle over.

"Zhi Zhi has to drink her milk after breakfast, Dad. Don't feed her any more food."

The little dumpling's eyes lit up the moment she saw the milk bottle.

Clutching the bottle with both hands, the little dumpling sweetly thanked her brother, "Zhi Zhi is all full! If I eat more, I'll turn into a chubby fishy!"

Her chubby little finger pointed to the small fat fish in the nearby fish tank, and her tiny face scrunched up in distress. "Zhi Zhi doesn't want to be a little fat fish."

Fu Cheng found it amusing when his daughter said she would turn into a little fat fish.

He reached out and pinched his daughter's plump little cheek, laughing, "Indeed, if Zhi Zhi eats any more, she really will become a little fat fish."

In the past, whenever Zhi Zhi said she would turn into a little fat fish, her brothers would comfort her, telling her she wouldn't.

But now that Daddy was awake, he flat-out said Zhi Zhi was chubby.

The milk in her bottle instantly lost its appeal.

Zhi Zhi hugged the bottle, her face falling, and she whimpered, "Zhi Zhi doesn't want to be a little fat fish!"

Third Brother said little fat pigs would become dishes, and little fat fish would too.

If Zhi Zhi became a little fat fish, she would be eaten.

At this thought, the little dumpling's rosy cheeks instantly turned pale with fright from her own vivid imagination.

Fu Jingyi sighed helplessly at the sight. "Dad, don't scare Zhi Zhi. Last time, Si Yuan spent ages comforting her, and it was only after Yu Chen bought Zhi Zhi some small fish that she finally calmed down."

"If you tease her like this, she'll call you mean again."

Just as Fu Jingyi was speaking, he saw the little dumpling pout and look up, whimpering pitifully, "Daddy's bad! Zhi Zhi doesn't want to play with bad Daddy!"

Clutching her bottle, she raised her arm, looking at her brother with tearful eyes. "Brother, hold me."

Fu Jingyi sighed and bent down to scoop his sister into his arms. "Zhi Zhi won't turn into a little fat fish. Look how small the fish tank is; Zhi Zhi can't fit in there, so Zhi Zhi won't turn into a little fat fish."

The little dumpling shook her head, hiccuping, "Will turn into a little fat fish... Mama said Zhi Zhi is tiny... Wuwu, brother, Zhi Zhi doesn't want to be in the fish tank! Zhi Zhi wants to play with brother!"

Her small hands clutched tightly to her brother's collar, refusing to let go. As the little dumpling spoke, she scared herself into crying, hiccuping, and big tears rolled down her cheeks.

Fu Cheng hadn't expected his daughter to be so easily frightened.

He had only said one sentence, and his daughter was so scared she hid in his eldest son's arms, not daring to peek out.

Wincing, Fu Cheng looked at his eldest son with a troubled expression. "So, there's no way to fix this? Even if I buy Zhi Zhi lots of small fish, it won't work?"

"No," Fu Yuchen chimed in, enjoying the drama with a hint of schadenfreude in his voice. "Zhi Zhi herself said she only wanted five small fish. Look, there are already five in the tank. Dad, don't underestimate Zhi Zhi just because she's young; she's actually just as stubborn as you are."

Fu Cheng was the type who, once he made up his mind about something, wouldn't change it due to external factors.

Back when he adopted his three sons, he faced countless misunderstandings and criticisms.

Yet he remained steadfast, unconcerned by public opinion.

To his surprise, his daughter was just like him, equally stubborn; once she set her mind on something, she wouldn't change it.

Fu Cheng found it both amusing and heartbreaking.

He inwardly cursed himself for teasing his daughter for no reason—daughters, unlike sons, were precious.

But the words were already out, and Fu Cheng gnawed at the problem for a long time, still unable to come up with a solution.

Seeing his daughter crying so hard she was hiccuping, Fu Cheng quickly said, "Zhi Zhi, don't cry. Daddy was wrong. Please don't cry, Zhi Zhi."

But the little dumpling continued to cry intensely.

Fu Cheng scratched his head, and a sudden idea flashed through his mind. "Zhi Zhi, my little darling, weren't we going to find Third Brother? It's getting late, and Third Brother must be waiting anxiously. How about we go find Third Brother now?"

It never occurred to Fu Cheng that he could craft multiple unique proposals for multi-billion dollar contracts,

yet he couldn't comfort his crying daughter. In the end, he had to use his son as a shield, just to give himself, this old father, another chance to redeem himself.

Sure enough, as soon as she heard "Third Brother," the little dumpling immediately stopped sobbing.

"Third Brother! Zhi Zhi wants to bring Third Brother his food!"

Fu Cheng immediately chimed in, "Yes, yes! Let's go together to bring Third Brother his food. How about we give Third Brother a surprise?"

The little dumpling turned her tear-filled eyes to glance at her father, then quickly buried her head back in her brother's arms.

"Want brother, not Daddy."

Now Fu Cheng had truly experienced the taste of shooting himself in the foot.