Halfway there, something had occurred to Zhouzhou, and he walked back over and said to Lu Shaoyan, “Uncle, remember, you have to bring me to see Great-grandpa. I miss him a lot.”


  Zhouzhou’s eyes were so clear that they were able to clearly reflect Lu Shaoyan’s fake, ugly, and plotting smile back at him.

  Lu Shaoyan saw how awful he was.

  “Alright. When Uncle has some free time or when Great-grandpa is back, I will take you to visit him.”


  Zhouzhou ran happily in the direction of the door. He was only halfway there when the door was opened up. Lu Beichuan was in the very front, followed by a group of men.

  “Daddy!” Zhouzhou’s excited voice resounded in the entire underground parking garage. Reaching out his arms, he ran toward Lu Beichuan.

  Lu Beichuan didn’t care about anything else. He bent down and scooped Zhouzhou up into his arms. He looked Zhouzhou up and down carefully and finally let out a sigh of relief when he found that he was not hurt otherwise.

  A Mercedes drove past them and Lu Shaoyan, sitting in the back seat and looking at the people who became farther and farther from them in the rearview mirror, finally turned away.

  The strong driver looked at Lu Shaoyan and asked in a low voice, “Boss, why did we……”


  He wanted to ask why Lu Shaoyan had changed his mind at the last minute, but seeing Lu Shaoyan’s tired look, he stopped himself.

  “Forget it.” Lu Shaoyan closed his eyes. “I brought this onto myself.”


  ***

  The security team at the hotel was able to quickly identify the individual who brought Zhouzhou with him from their surveillance videos. Zhouzhou had, however, left with him voluntarily and said himself that he was just playing a game with his father. Lu Shaoyan was also his uncle on paper. So, this could all be chalked up as a misunderstanding.

  Lu Beichuan looked very unhappy ever since Zhouzhou was found. He had a long face, and he hadn’t said a word.

  “Daddy…” Zhouzhou had been carried by his dad the entire time. Although that fulfilled his desire to be carried by his dad, he could still tell that his father was very unhappy. Intimidated, he said, “I’m sorry, Daddy. Zhouzhou was wrong. I shouldn’t have left with Uncle when you told me not to.”


  “Why did you leave with him?”


  Zhouzhou thought about it some and said in a low voice, “Because Uncle told me that Daddy doesn’t like me. I know that Daddy does but Uncle doesn’t believe me. I want to show Uncle that Daddy does like me……”


  “Daddy has always liked you. Why do you need to prove it to others?”


  Zhouzhou pouted and a mist appeared over his eyes. “But… if Daddy likes me, how come you have never picked me up from the kindergarten? The father of the other kids will go and pick them up. Everyone except for me.”


  Lu Beichuan frowned deeply.

  “All the uncles and aunties and the teachers said I am cute. They will smile at me and pick me up, even though I don’t like it when they do that… but Daddy, you don’t smile at me, or pick me up. Do you not like me, Daddy?”


  Lu Beichuan looked at Zhouzhou. He had conflicted feelings.

  He knew that, as a father, he had spent way too little time with his son. The occasional empty words were not enough to make up for what his son had missed while growing up.

  But he could only give him obscure and empty words right now. “Don’t be silly. You are Daddy’s favorite child.”


  “Mmm! I know that! I know that from earlier! Daddy found me in no time! Daddy, you are so amazing!”