Chapter 54

Du Xiuzhi came to the door of the Operations Department but did not enter, only pacing outside.

She wasn’t sure if she feared disturbing Shen Siyuan’s work, or if she feared he would reject her request.

Shen Siyuan also noticed her, but said nothing to communicate with her.

He was at work; if he spoke to her, he’d be seen as insane.

If she truly needed Shen Siyuan’s help, she would wait.

Du Xiuzhi noticed Shen Siyuan’s gaze; seeing he had no intention of driving her away, she strengthened her resolve to wait.

She had countless words she wanted to pour out to her husband and daughter—Shen Siyuan was the only person she had encountered so far who could see her.

But soon, she felt a sudden pang in her chest and instinctively glanced toward the Finance Department.

Sure enough, she saw Dou Dou running out of the Finance Department, trotting along with a little bounce.

Children are lively and energetic, but in the past she never dared stray far from her mother.

One reason was fear of losing her mother; the other was the sheer number of grotesque ghosts, which were truly frightening.

The last time she got separated from her mother, she spent days alone in the supermarket, hiding in corners or crouching inside cabinets, too afraid to show herself—those days were a terrible memory.

But now, with Sweet Potato Pot, she feared nothing and no longer feared getting lost, so she loved wandering everywhere.

When Dou Dou saw Du Xiuzhi shrinking back, she immediately comforted her: “Don’t be afraid—I’m a good kid.”

Du Xiuzhi forced back her fear and said: “I know you’re a good kid, but the flame on your head is terrifying—I feel it’s dangerous.”

Dou Dou, upon hearing this, reached up and touched her little head.

The Ming fire atop her head swayed gently, looking utterly dreamlike.

Dou Dou sighed: “Sweet Potato Pot says I’m a little fool—I just can’t learn how to put it out.”

“Sweet Potato Pot?” Du Xiuzhi was puzzled.

Dou Dou, upon hearing this, looked toward the Operations Department.

Du Xiuzhi began to realize who she meant.

“Sweet Potato Pot is so nice—he made Mom and Dad see me,” Dou Dou said.

“Your mom and dad saw you?” Du Xiuzhi asked, her expression suddenly stirred.

She had come to Shen Siyuan hoping he might relay a message—but now…

“Yes, Sweet Potato Pot did it like this, like this…”

Dou Dou raised her fingers to form a hand seal, but her chubby little fingers were short and thick, making the gesture comically awkward.

Du Xiuzhi was amused by her adorable look, but still dared not approach, speaking from far away.

But when Dou Dou saw Du Xiuzhi smile, she took a few small steps forward, eager to get closer.

“I told you—I’m a good kid.”

But Du Xiuzhi was startled by her movement and stepped back repeatedly.

Seeing this, Dou Dou slumped her shoulders and hung her arms, looking utterly dejected: “I really am a good kid.”

Then, as if remembering something, she straightened up: “I’ll go find Sweet Potato Pot.”

Saying this, she walked straight through the wall into the Operations Department.

In Glory Animation, departments were separated by glass walls, so even from far away and through the glass, Du Xiuzhi could see Dou Dou running straight toward Shen Siyuan.

Shen Siyuan was chatting online with Ding Youguang and others when Dou Dou suddenly dove into his arms, popping up a little head beneath his elbow.

Her sudden appearance startled him; he gently pressed down on her head and whispered: “What are you doing?”

“Sweet Potato Pot, the fire on my head won’t stop—everyone’s scared of me,” Dou Dou said, voice full of Weiqu .

Shen Siyuan looked down and whispered: “Didn’t I tell you? You need to learn control. Look at Xiao Yue—she learned it well.”

“But I’m a little fool,” Dou Dou replied matter-of-factly.

“Who says that? You’re very smart.”

“You…” Dou Dou pointed a tiny finger at Shen Siyuan.

“Hahaha~” Shen Siyuan laughed awkwardly.

Then he said: “Remember the movements I taught you and Xiao Yue? Practice more—you’ll control the fire on your head soon. Look, your flame’s already much smaller than before.”

Encouraged by Shen Siyuan, Dou Dou was instantly energized.

She dashed to the side and began bending over, sticking her butt up in the air.

Watching Shen Siyuan’s attitude toward Dou Dou, Du Xiuzhi’s heart ignited with fierce hope.

Du Xiuzhi and Zhu Guangfa’s daughter was named Zhu Tingting; the little girl was nine years old and in fourth grade.

Probably because she had no mother from childhood, she was shy and insecure.

When Zhu Guangfa finished delivering packages and hurried home, Tingting had already returned from school.

“Tingting, look what Dad bought you!” Zhu Guangfa shouted as he opened the door.

Tingting came out of her room upon hearing him; seeing the bag in his hand, she smelled the aroma from afar.

She said happily: “Roast duck.”

“Yes, roast duck. Dad will stir-fry two vegetables, then we’ll eat.”

Zhu Guangfa placed the bag on the table, opened it, and pulled out a roasted duck leg to hand to his daughter.

“Try it first—I’ll be quick.”

He had specifically asked the shopkeeper to save him the whole leg.

But Tingting did not reach out to take it; she shook her head: “I stir-fried some potato shreds, Dad. Let’s eat.”

“You cooked?”

Zhu Guangfa’s hand froze in midair, both heartbroken and proud.

Tingting was only nine—most children her age are pampered, fed and clothed without lifting a finger—but she had already learned to wash clothes and cook.

Everyone says daughters are sweet and sensible, but he wished his daughter weren’t so sensible—only hardship could make a child grow up too early.

“Yeah, I only made one dish—I don’t know if it’s edible,” Tingting said uncertainly.

“It’s fine—even raw potatoes can be eaten,” Zhu Guangfa laughed.

Still, he pressed the duck leg into her hand.

“You need to eat more meat—you’re so thin.”

Tingting was thin, her frame slender, as if a breeze could blow her away.

Her features were delicate, just like her mother’s; she had the same short hair, but her eyes resembled Zhu Guangfa’s—only far more beautiful, large and bright.

Zhu Guangfa himself was always dirty, but his daughter was always neat and clean.

He wasn’t boasting—his daughter truly looked like her mother, and she was very beautiful.

Zhu Guangfa entered the kitchen; on the stove sat a plate of stir-fried potato shreds, steam rising from the pot.

Lifting the lid, he saw yesterday’s leftover rice boiled into congee.

He took out bowls and chopsticks, ladled out two bowls of congee; Tingting came in and carried out the potato shreds.

“How was school today? Did anyone bully you?” Zhu Guangfa asked over dinner.

Tingting smiled: “After you came to pick me up last time, Wang Daoming and the others stopped bullying me.”

Zhu Guangfa laughed triumphantly, striking a bodybuilder pose—his massive tattooed arm looked especially menacing.

“When I was young, I was really tough,” Zhu Guangfa boasted.

Last time, after hearing his daughter was bullied, he deliberately wore a short-sleeved shirt to pick her up—and it worked wonders.

“Mm~”

Tingting responded with a lowered head.

She didn’t say the classmates stopped bullying her—only that they all shunned her, calling her father a member of the Heishe Society, a big thug, refusing to play with her.

Especially the girls—they wouldn’t even speak to her, as if she carried plague.