Chapter 9 Daughter, I'm Your Father!

"Auntie, please, could you lend me twenty bucks?" "You promised to give me twenty bucks after I finished killing these ten fish. You can't go back on your word. My mom hasn't eaten yet, and five bucks is not enough for both of us!" Mengmeng clung to the landlady's leg, pleading desperately. "Go away." The landlady showed no mercy and kicked Mengmeng into the water basin. "I'm already being kind by allowing a criminal's daughter like you to kill fish. How dare you try to negotiate with me? Who do you think you are? Take the money and leave, or I'll make you regret it!" Mengmeng was drenched, her hands even cut by the knives, but she didn't cry. She stood up with determination and said, "Auntie, please." "Don't touch Mengmeng." Jiang Nian threw away the stick and rushed over, standing in front of Mengmeng, glaring at the landlady. Despite trying to appear tough, her innocent face and clear eyes lacked any real intimidation. "How dare you glare at me, you little brat?" The landlady raised her hand to slap Jiang Nian. Facing the aggressive landlady, Jiang Nian didn't flinch. Even though she was acting foolishly, she knew that behind her was her daughter, the person she needed to protect at all costs! "Bang!" At that moment, a tall figure stood in front of Jiang Nian and Mengmeng, blocking the slap with his hand. "What did she do wrong? Why are you treating her like this?" Qin Ye glared at the landlady, demanding answers. Confused, the landlady asked, "Who... who are you?" "I'm asking you again, why are you treating her like this? What did she do wrong?" Qin Ye's eyes were slightly red as he shouted at the landlady in anger. Why? Why was this old woman bullying his daughter like this? He wanted to know what his daughter had done wrong. She had worked hard to earn money by killing fish for her mother, yet she was still being mistreated. Where is your conscience? "Do I need you to meddle in my affairs? Do you know who I am?" "Bang!" Qin Ye slapped the landlady, knocking her to the ground, angrily exclaiming, "I'm going to teach you a lesson!" This slap left the landlady stunned. She had been a prominent figure in the area for years and was used to getting her way. Although she was often unreasonable, she was well-acquainted with the local tough guys, and no one dared to challenge her. Being slapped suddenly made her go berserk. She grabbed a kitchen knife from the ground and charged at Qin Ye. "Clang!" Qin Ye kicked her away. Then, he rushed at the landlady and repeatedly slapped her with all his might. "What did a child like her do to deserve this treatment?" "Does she want to be labeled as a criminal's daughter? Does she want to be called a wild seed by you all? It was the criminal's mistake, so why are you punishing her like this? Are you even human?" "Are you even human?" Qin Ye was on the brink of breaking down. Besides giving life to Mengmeng, all he had brought her was endless suffering! He never imagined that because of him, Mengmeng would face such injustice. No wonder Mengmeng felt inferior! Even giving her a fish to kill had become a form of charity in the eyes of others. "Well done, well done!" Jiang Nian clapped from the side, urging, "Keep going... keep hitting." "Uncle, stop hitting her, she knows a lot of tough guys." Mengmeng was much calmer than Jiang Nian, quickly pulling Qin Ye and Jiang Nian away from the scene. But as they left, tears streamed down Mengmeng's face. Is this... what it feels like to be protected? ... "Mengmeng, why aren't you going to school?" Back at home, Qin Ye carefully tended to Mengmeng's wounds while questioning her with confusion. "I'm not going anymore," Mengmeng said, lowering her head with a tinge of sadness in her tone. "Grandma works as a cleaner, only earning two thousand yuan a month, which is not enough to pay for my tuition. And, my mom is alone at home with no one to take care of her..." "A child must go to school, how can you not go?" Qin Ye's heart trembled. His daughter, so young, didn't want to go to school. As a father, he naturally couldn't agree. "Not going to school can also lead to a way out," Mengmeng stubbornly insisted, tears welling up in her eyes. She doesn't want to go to school! But there is no money at home, and her mother has a mental regression and can't take care of herself. "What is your way out?" "My way out is to take care of my mother well and not let her be bullied by others." These words pierced Qin Ye's heart like a needle. He couldn't help but reach out and rub Mengmeng's head, then stretched out his arms to embrace her, saying, "Mengmeng, if you are worried that your mother has no one to take care of her, then... I will help you take care of her. I will take care of her while taking her to see a doctor. How about that?" Upon hearing this, Mengmeng suddenly looked up at Qin Ye, her eyes instantly turning red, tears falling like a flood. She hugged Qin Ye and cried loudly, "Uncle, why are you so good to me!" Daughter... I am your father! Dad wants to be good to you, always wants to be good to you, but Dad didn't know you existed! He really wants to explain everything that happened in the past to Mengmeng. He wants to stay by his daughter's side, watching her go through every day in the future, watching her grow up and be happy forever... However, these words, Qin Ye can only say in his heart. He dare not tell Mengmeng his true identity. Qin Ye slowly reached out and hugged Mengmeng tightly, carefully feeling the warmth of his daughter. The exhaustion left by ten years of nightmares was slowly dissipating at this moment... "Don't cry, don't cry, Uncle will always be with you! Always protect you!" Night falls! Li Yuying returned home with a tired body and was surprised to see a table full of delicious food. Especially when she saw Mengmeng and Jiang Nian sitting at the table, looking so happy, her nose suddenly felt sour. It had been a long time since her home had been so warm and cozy! "Auntie, wash your hands and come eat." At that moment, Qin Ye walked out of the kitchen with a steaming bowl of chicken soup, a smile on his face. "Did you make all of this?" Li Yuying asked in astonishment. "Yes," Qin Ye smiled, "it's just some home-cooked dishes, I hope you don't mind." These were just home-cooked dishes! With fish, chicken, and pork, the dishes were delicious and appetizing, even more so than the meals at the 5-star hotel where she worked. "Come on, let's eat!" Li Yuying couldn't wait to sit at the table and after taking a bite, she couldn't help but praise, "Dr. Qin, you are truly amazing. Not only are you skilled in medicine and martial arts, but you also have great cooking skills." Seeing the three of them so happy, Qin Ye smiled sincerely, feeling very happy. He truly had to thank his mother, who had taught him how to cook after he was kicked out of the family. Son... in the future, take care of yourself and eat well when Mom is not around! Looking at the table full of food, Qin Ye missed his mother even more. Mom, once he finished things here, he would come find her. "Doctor Qin, stop staring and come eat, look how delicious Nian Nian is eating." Jiang Nian was eating voraciously at the table. When she heard Li Yuying's voice, she looked up at Qin Ye and smiled foolishly, saying, "So delicious, so delicious, I want to eat this every day from now on." "Okay, I'll make it for you every day." Qin Ye sat beside Jiang Nian, carefully serving her a bowl of soup and even wiping away the food residue from her mouth with a tissue, just like a husband taking care of his beloved wife. This scene was observed by Li Yuying and Mengmeng. "Grandma, just imagine having a father who could take care of us and protect us! Not like that monster who hurt my mother and then vanished without a trace. I despise him, I despise him!" As Mengmeng sat on the side, her little face contorted with anger as she spoke.