Chapter 189 Chapter 189 [VIP]
At the end of the semester, Megan's photography skills had improved a lot with Jason's help. When the video assignment she submitted was reviewed by the teacher, she received a B+ grade, and Megan was already very satisfied.
When Megan packed up and left school at the end of the semester, she waved to Sarah with her schoolbag on her back. After saying goodbye to her good friend, she trotted to Arthur, who had already packed her things to take back. He was holding a cardboard box and had been waiting for who knows how long, but there was no trace of boredom or impatience in his eyes.
He was a stark contrast to his former self! Not only had his bent back straightened, but even his once weathered face had lost its wrinkles and become more energetic. He no longer looked ordinary and frail, because achieving success always brings about noticeable changes in people, which are easily observed by everyone.
Megan and Arthur walked together. The tall man with long legs deliberately slowed down his pace and walked slowly side by side with her. They were the most ordinary and warm father and daughter pair in the world.
The sunflower hanging on Megan's backpack swayed with her steps. She looked up at Arthur and said, "Dad, after Christmas, are you still going out to work?" In fact, she was asking the Joker what his plans were for her winter vacation, and whether they were going back to Arkham Asylum or somewhere else.
The child has now learned to speak nonsense, but the meaning is the same.
Arthur lowered his head and looked at her, revealing a gentle and temperless smile, but he was only temperless with Megan, "I resigned from the company..." This sounded like bad news, because Megan's funding quota had been cancelled. Arthur also donated a considerable amount of money to the Special Children's Care Fund. He still had some savings, which could support his living expenses for quite some time, but what about the future?
But Arthur was able to tell Megan this news, of course not to make the child feel anxious. He pondered for a moment and said: "Maybe you are interested in the cause? Megan, I have to teach you some social experience and tell you what kind of people there are in this world, right?"
To be a successful parent, you can't hide your family's situation, the turmoil and setbacks it encounters, from your children. Arthur has another reason, "You have to understand the 'bad' so you can do the 'good'. Otherwise, how are you any different from those who sit around dreaming and do nothing?"
This became a matter of Megan's own wishes, and she needed to pay attention to it, not just let what he said go in one ear and out the other, and then ask the stupid question "Are there bad people in the world?" in the end. He really didn't want to go through it a second time and experience that incredible feeling again. Even he thought about it carefully and felt that the question was crazy enough, and he would laugh when he thought about it.
Arthur had driven here. Yes, he had bought a car! A pickup truck that was definitely not expensive, and certainly not considered a luxury car. It had four seats in the front and a small bed in the back. Given their family size—only two people—they didn't really need four seats, but for more space, so Megan could sleep in the back while Arthur drove, he bought a four-seater truck.
But the journey from school back to downtown was not long, and Megan was not prone to motion sickness. She preferred sitting in the same row with her father rather than in the back seat, so Arthur put the cardboard box containing Megan's personal belongings in the back seat.
They both got in the car, and as Arthur drove, he said, "You know I got into management there, right? I did a good job, and was assigned to do more things out there, managing a small brand under the company, and also supervising the construction of a new factory there..."
Arthur didn't mind doing more work. After all, he could get a higher salary and learn something from it, such as gaining experience for what he wanted to do in the future. But who told him to be treated unfairly first?
"In order to be able to come back and spend Christmas with you, I made sure that the small brand's affairs were on track. The new factory was also completed and the company sent people to inspect it together with the construction party."
"These are all achievements I worked so hard for, right? Yet, when I returned to the company, my boss turned around and gave the credit to someone else, and even withheld the bonus I'd agreed upon earlier... Even my supervisor offered a few indifferent, nonsensical remarks. What can I do?"
"So I quit." Arthur said calmly, and even laughed at the end. He had encountered worse things before, and at that time he had to tolerate it for the sake of his livelihood, but now everything is different. He can make more choices and move forward on other paths.
This little setback was not enough to hinder him, nor could it hit him, but it could become material for educating Megan, and it was consistent with his plans for the future... Of course, it was hard to say that what happened to Arthur Damon was not his deliberate arrangement.
The car just arrived at the traffic light, and the thirty-second countdown on the red light was jumping. He said in a seductive tone: "What a disgusting person, isn't he?"
He saw that Megan had no temper at all. She was only angry with him, doing those reckless, non-aggressive little tricks just to attract his attention. What about outsiders? This was not something she could get away with by saying she was stingy with her emotions. If she couldn't learn to deal with it, she would suffer a great loss sooner or later.
She has to recognize the 'bad' and hate them.
Megan nodded fiercely, "Bad! So annoying."
The best bear in the universe turned around and looked at Arthur steadily. She said seriously, "Dad, they bullied you. They are super bad people. Do you want to beat them up? I will help you get the cane and pretend that I didn't hear or see anything." It sounded like she was sensible and willing to help the evildoer.
However, Arthur always felt that her tone and words were strange. It was not difficult for him to figure out the problem. As he watched the red light turn green and started the car, he smiled and said, "But if I use my identity as Arthur to beat them up, it will cause trouble for me. Even if I use my identity as the Joker or let someone from the Joker Gang do it, it will leave us with hidden dangers."
Can't Meghan figure this out?
But when he was doubting this, Megan shook her head, looked at him in the rearview mirror and said, "I'm just coaxing you, Dad."
"They are all bad, only you are the best."
Arthur raised his eyebrows slightly, and deep wrinkles appeared on his forehead and the corners of his mouth, but his eyebrows, eyes and facial features were relaxed. He smiled and said, "Oh my God, you are such a sweetheart. Who taught you to say such sweet words?"
His tone was light and he seemed particularly moved, but it also revealed another meaning - he was very concerned about this issue, as if he would not give up until he got an answer.
The sweet baby said, "I learned it from you, Daddy." This is exactly the consequence of teaching by example, not to mention that Megan only liked to hear nice words before. Everyone compromised for her, and she would filter out those who didn't compromise for her. So it was normal for her to learn to say nice words.
The topic at the beginning was lightly touched upon. Anyway, he knew in his heart the unfair treatment Arthur had suffered. Even though the disguise of his identity prevented him from doing anything big to avoid arousing suspicion, he still had many ways to play tricks on others!
The car drove in front of the two-story building. When Arthur was walking towards the door with the cardboard box in his arms, Megan, the troublesome child, insisted on sticking to him. She ignored the things in his hands and directly hung herself on his arm. She was so willful that she pulled his arm and body slightly crooked. But if it weren't for Arthur's indulgent pretense, she wouldn't have had the strength to even shake him a little.
He looked down and saw that Megan's height didn't seem to have changed much. He said in a teasing tone, "I just realized something, Megan. It looks like you won't be as tall as me in the future."
Because he knew what the child always liked to say, and whether she had any thoughts related to it in her mind -
Megan loved to imitate him, thinking she must have a lot in common with him, or at least with Arthur, but how could everything be perfect? There were always things that didn't go her way, which was even more difficult than her wishes. He couldn't break her bones to make her taller, right?
Megan suddenly stopped, grabbed Arthur's arm like a weight, and yelled at him angrily, "Oh." She had a bit of a temper. Besides butting people with her head and punching and kicking without any deterrence, she would act crazy and stupid and be very clear about it.
Arthur saw that she thought she had fought back, but still lowered her eyes in grievance, so he supported the cardboard box with one hand, released the hand that was hugged by Megan, and touched her forehead instead, "Okay, kid, you see, we both have black curly hair and green eyes, and we look like parent and child. Besides, you have the potential to grow taller, so don't be angry with me." He coaxed her easily, but the words inevitably sounded familiar.
Back in the small building, Arthur took the cardboard box upstairs to Megan, and she waited in the living room. Not long after, the clown in a suit and tie came downstairs, adjusting his cuffs, and sat next to her. But Megan suddenly remembered something and tried to run away, but the clown stopped her.
"Don't be too anxious, okay? My child," the pale-faced man said slowly, making it clear that it was time for another heart-to-heart talk. Megan sat obediently beside him. It was already the second half of December, and the temperature outside was very cold. Even if the air conditioner was on inside the house, Megan loved to stick to him no matter whether it was hot or cold, and it was the same now, leaning tightly against his arm.
The Joker said, "After listening to Arthur's experience, don't you have any ideas?" He stroked Megan's jaw in his hand.
"I will fulfill your wish, Megan, but you must be prepared to do it yourself. I will provide you with the conditions, and some decisions must be made by you." But he was not so strict, "You can seek help from me and others, as long as you can."
She has a wish that she wants to fulfill, but that is not something that the Joker must fulfill for her. She must pay something. The Joker will let her participate and let her make some decisions that are closely related to it. Otherwise, he will take care of everything for her and do purely good things?
Megan was pleasantly surprised when she heard his words. She hugged the clown's waist and looked up at her father, her eyes filled with unreserved love. "Dad, I love you so much! I learned handicrafts and made you a bow tie."
She had just wanted to go upstairs to get it, but was stopped by the clown. She ran upstairs and then ran down again. The thing in her hand was wrapped in a hand-cut cardboard. She handed it to the clown with joy. Her face was full of anticipation. She urged her father anxiously, "Hurry up and open it! Hurry up and open it!"
When the clown opened the simple cardboard box and saw a bow tie inside that was made of expensive materials and had neat workmanship, Megan smiled with her eyes squinting before he could react. She said, "Dad, I took a handicraft class and studied for a long time. This is the best I've ever made." She didn't mention that she went to the street and visited many stores before she chose the fabric. Although it was just a small bow tie, she secretly bought a large piece of cloth.
The clown's leather-gloved fingers stroked the bow tie. He raised an eyebrow and saw Megan, his smile growing wider. But before he could say anything, Megan said, "Dad, I don't seem to be in pain anymore."
Even though she hadn't received a response from the Joker, she had paid the price—
Even though it was just a small bow tie, she felt her heart was filled with more love than ever before. She believed that giving brought her more love than receiving.
She always believes that she is a loved child, so after giving, she will feel a greater sense of accomplishment than what she gains.
Megan's face was full of smugness and pride, and she looked very proud. The clown took the gift, bent down and hugged her, but he said: "Your healing is just an illusion, Megan, you don't understand a lot yet."
When it comes to her illness, Megan accepts whatever her father says with an "Oh", but she keeps asking: "Do you like this gift? Dad, am I great?" She feels a sense of accomplishment in her heart, but still needs recognition!
The clown patted her shoulder and said, "Who wouldn't like that? Megan, you're the best child in my eyes."
The author has something to say:
Sweetheart Megan: Get it!
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