69. Belated Fatherly Love
However, things did not go as planned.
The next day, Ke Qi went back to school for her last morning class before the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday. Before Gu Zhao could get off work and go with her to get their marriage certificate, she was greeted by an unexpected person.
—Ke Hengyuan.
Right now, outside the classroom corridor.
"Qiqi, your counselor said that you can have a holiday after this class today."
The unpleasantness of the past few days seemed to have never happened. At this moment, he looked at Ke Qi with the concern of a loving father: "So, Dad has come to pick you up to go home for the holiday."
His appearance was so unfamiliar that Ke Qi felt as if he had taken the wrong medicine.
"I'm not going back."
She suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and said coldly, "There's only one day off for the Mid-Autumn Festival. I've been very busy lately and want to stay at school to paint. Dad, you can go back by yourself."
Upon hearing this, a fleeting look of hurt crossed Ke Hengyuan's eyes.
"Qiqi".
He looked at the glaring unfamiliarity and indifference on her face and sighed softly: "Are you still angry with your father?"
“Dad was wrong last time. He didn’t consider things from your perspective and said those hurtful things to you.”
"But after reflecting on this, Dad has realized his mistake and hopes you can forgive him."
"Don't be angry anymore, okay?"
He said sincerely, "Xiao Yin, I've already had her move out. From now on, no one will be allowed to enter your room."
"Even if you get married in the future, Dad will always keep that room for you."
He reached out to ruffle her hair: "Qiqi, let's go home. Daddy made your favorite dumplings from when you were little. They'll be ready when you get home..."
"No, thank you."
Keqi took a step back and gave him a faint smile: "Dad, I don't like dumplings anymore."
"I've taken on a lot of new painting jobs recently, I'm really busy, I have to go paint now, you go back, I won't see you off."
She turned around without hesitation after she finished speaking.
Seeing this, Ke Hengyuan frowned slightly and subconsciously reached out to grab her arm: "Qiqi, wait... Ouch~"
Before he could finish speaking, he gasped.
Ke Qi was startled and stopped in her tracks, turning around to look.
Then, by sheer coincidence, I noticed his two fingers wrapped in bandages.
"Um~"
Feeling her gaze, Ke Hengyuan smiled sheepishly.
"I haven't cooked in so long, I was clumsy when I was chopping dumpling filling and I accidentally cut myself with the knife."
He probably felt embarrassed, so he secretly hid his injured hand behind his back.
"Qiqi," he said earnestly, "Daddy really knows he was wrong. Come back with Daddy, okay?"
At this point, as if remembering something, he took a mooncake out of his pocket and handed it to her, saying, "This is a snow skin mooncake."
“Your mother used to say that you loved this kind of mooncake the most, so I tried to learn how to make a few from the aunties.”
He chuckled and said, "It doesn't look very good. I hope you won't think your dad is clumsy."
Ke Qi did not respond.
She lowered her eyes quietly, staring intently at the crookedly made, almost melted, snow skin mooncake he handed her.
Then, she couldn't help but look at his two fingers, which were cracked and bleeding.
At this moment, the surface of his heart, which had been frozen by his father's love, began to crack and gradually warm up.
A sudden stinging sensation appeared on the tip of her nose. Ke Qi bit her lower lip tightly, unsure how to react.
What does this mean now?
After neglecting his duties for so many years, has he finally remembered to be a good father?
"Qiqi".
Seeing that she remained silent, Ke Hengyuan said hopefully once more, "Let's go home with Dad, okay?"
Okay?
I had secretly vowed not to forgive him.
But at this moment, looking at his cautious yet expectant gaze, Ke Qi's words of refusal stuck in her throat, and she couldn't bring herself to say them.
Two hours later, on Binjiang East Road, at the Blue Zone Research Base.
After finishing his inspection of the laboratory, Gu Zhao immediately took out his phone, as usual, to send a message to his girlfriend.
However, as soon as I opened WeChat, a string of messages popped up.
Little Sheep: [Gu Zhao, I'm sorry, can we go get our marriage certificate together in a couple of days?]
Little Sheep: [My dad came to school to apologize to me in person and wants me to come home and spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with him.]
Little Sheep: [I think his apology this time was really sincere, so I want to give him another chance. /awkward/]
Little Lamb: [Perfect timing! Would you like to come home with me to formally meet them?]
Little Sheep: [I'll be waiting for you at the school gate! /kisses//kisses//kisses/]
Little Lamb: [Why haven't you replied yet?]
Little Lamb: [Then I won't wait for you anymore, it's your own fault for not replying to me. /spanking.GIF/]
The message was sent an hour and a half ago.
It's too late to reply now.
Gu Zhao's smile froze, then gradually cracked.
...
Ke Qi returned to the Ke family home more than five hours later.
At that time, as evening approached, the sunset painted the sky a fiery red.
Ke Hengyuan didn't lie to her this time.
He did indeed make a lot of dumplings for her by hand and put them in the freezer, just waiting for her to come home.
In addition, he instructed the chefs to prepare a large table of delicious and visually appealing dishes to welcome her home.
all is well.
Aside from those dishes, there were hardly any that she liked to eat.
Shi Yin was also there.
In addition, there was an unfamiliar man at the table.
"This is Mr. Zhu Wenhao, your father's good friend, and the son of your Uncle Zhu Weiguo."
Jiang Yashi displayed the demeanor of a matriarch, thoughtfully placing a piece of food on Ke Qi's plate and saying with a smile, "He's three years older than you and also graduated from A University, so he's your senior."
"He happened to be in S City today to handle some business with your father, so we invited him to our home as a guest."
"Qiqi, why don't you say hello to your senior Wenhao?"
The atmosphere was silent.
Ke Qi's gaze swept over the refined yet unremarkable face, but she showed no reaction.
"Qiqi".
Ke Hengyuan, who hadn't said much, smiled and reminded her, "Didn't you hear what your Aunt Jiang said? Quickly greet your senior Wenhao."
To be honest, Keqi didn't want to.
The boy's gaze made her feel inexplicably strange.
But under Ke Hengyuan's gaze, out of politeness, she still said to Zhu Wenhao, "Hello."
Seeing this, Ke Hengyuan was finally satisfied.
Shi Yin, who was standing to the side, poured herself a glass of orange juice as if watching a show, and said, "Why does Sister Qiqi look so pale?"
"Was it because you were tired from the car ride again, or—"
She drew out the last syllable, a half-smile playing on her lips, and asked, "What complaints do you have about Mr. Zhu?"
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere at the scene became awkward.
Hearing such divisive words, Ke Qi frowned, not intending to hold back, and was about to retort.
Unexpectedly, at this moment...
"It doesn't matter."
Zhu Wenhao extended his hand and smiled at Ke Qi, saying, "Hello, junior Ke Qi."
His gaze swept over her stunningly beautiful face, and he smiled slightly, striking up a conversation with her familiarly: "Uncle Ke told me that you majored in animation in college, junior?"
Ke Qi responded coldly, "Hmm."
"Like this~"
He laughed and said, "What a coincidence, I majored in visual communication design. Our majors are very similar, so we should have a lot in common."
"It's fate that I met this junior while I was here as a guest. How about we become friends and get to know each other..."
"Senior Zhu."
Ke Qi interrupted his conversation, looked at him with a faint gaze, and said, word by word, "I already have a boyfriend."
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