Volume 1. Let the Game Begin
Seeing Aunt Liu’s look of bitter disappointment, I could not help but shake my head and smile wryly.
What else could I do but find a way to apologize?
Aunt Liu did not understand that I was not Liu Yunyan, but merely an evil spirit that had taken over Liu Yunyan’s body.
Up until now, I was still confused about whether I could even be considered a human anymore.
But what was the use of saying all this now?
I had died... yet I still did not have any real sense of it.
Although I had been Liu Yunyan for about half a month, I still haven't found a way to repair the relationship between Liu Wanqian, Gong Lianyu, and their daughter.
And now, I had even given him an over-the-shoulder throw.
This was real trouble.
But at this point, I did not have any better solution.
Even if I wanted to switch back to my original body, let alone the fact that it had already been boxed up, even if it hadn’t been cremated yet, was I supposed to drag a body with a broken neck and stroll around the streets?
Wouldn’t that scare a bunch of apocalypse fanatics to death?
But... what other choice did I have?
Other than continuing to be Liu Yunyan, what else could I do?
I owed Liu Yunyan, but at least I did not think it was wrong that I had devoured her soul.
Because under those circumstances, anyone would have eaten, and no one had the right to judge.
After all, at that stage, I had no consciousness of my own.
Other than "eating”, I had no thoughts whatsoever, even dumber than a paramecium.
I pushed the door open and walked in, watching the maids busy tidying up the wet clothes inside.
I waved my hand.
"All of you, out."
Everyone froze upon hearing my voice, almost instinctively hesitating to leave.
Maybe they were afraid I would hurt Liu Wanqian again?
But these people... seriously, even with just a little thought, they should realize what could a cripple like me do to him?
Although it sounded like I was slapping myself in the face, it was indeed the truth.
Even using my toes to think, a not-yet-sixteen-year-old little girl like me could not possibly harm an adult man, not to mention that I was currently crippled.
However, maybe these people really thought so.
Even though they heard my voice, they still hesitated whether to leave.
Just then, Liu Wanqian’s calm voice came from the bathroom.
"All of you, leave."
Only after hearing Liu Wanqian’s voice did the maids slowly shuffle out.
But before they left, they all cast strange looks at me.
It seemed Liu Yunyan was indeed not well-liked in this house.
I did not bother to change their opinions.
For me, the most urgent task was how to repair my relationship with Liu Wanqian!
Tsk tsk... an over-the-shoulder throw.
It seemed the memories I had devoured still affected me.
Even if it was just knowledge and experience.
"Wait a moment."
Liu Wanqian’s voice came again.
Unlike the intense atmosphere earlier in the courtyard, he was clearly much calmer now.
I looked around at the furnishings in the room.
Although I had been here once, I still had to admit... damn these wickedly rich people.
Just look around, any random vase here would be worth millions.
The furniture here was even better than what I had seen before.
It was clearly crafted by master artisans.
Over there was a complete set of Huanghuali Eight Immortals Table and Grand Master Chairs.
Obviously antique, with years of history.
I could not tell whether it was from the Qing or Ming dynasty.
The patina alone was thick and heavy.
Such a seemingly ordinary room.
It could probably sell for tens of millions.
I wondered what kind of writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone he used.
As a fairly traditional man, I loved Chinese-style objects.
Thus, I had some knowledge about these things.
However... European-style furniture was cheap.
Chinese-style furniture was usually expensive.
Buying a full set was like buying a new house.
Even the cheapest Chinese-style furniture set would cost upwards of hundreds of thousands.
Not to mention this entire room.
Leaning on my cane, I hobbled over to a Grand Master Chair and sat down.
I casually grabbed a bottle from the nearby display shelf and admired the craftsmanship.
Hmm, it had a Jiajing period mark from the Ming Dynasty.
A four-clawed dragon-patterned vase.
Judging by Liu Wanqian’s family background, this thing was probably genuine, museum-grade!
As I was calculating how many Casio radio-controlled watches I could trade this vase for, the bathroom door opened without me noticing.
Liu Wanqian had finished freshening up and walked out.
After taking a shower, blow-drying his hair, and changing into clean clothes, the drenched look from earlier seemed like an illusion.
"You like it? If you like it, take it to your room and look at it slowly, just don’t break it."
Liu Wanqian’s eyes immediately fell on the vase in my hands as he spoke nonchalantly.
But right after he finished, as if realizing something, he added helplessly, "If you need money, just tell me. Don’t go selling these things. That’s a rare treasure from the Jiajing period, hardly seen anymore... that vase is worth about twenty million now."
If you don’t want me to sell it, why bother quoting the price?
Clearly, he had already expected that I might sell it.
Was he afraid someone might cheat me, so he gave me a reference price and planned to buy it back later at that price?
This father Liu Wanqian really considered everything for his daughter...
Even revealing the selling price.
"I do like it, but I never planned to sell it..."
I glanced at Liu Wanqian, casually putting the vase down.
I knew how Liu Yunyan used to communicate with Liu Wanqian.
Now, what could I say?
Although I intended to gradually repair our father-daughter relationship, would it be appropriate to rush things?
After hesitating slightly, I took a deep breath.
Blaming Liu Yunyan for leaving such a landmine behind, I also cheered myself up internally.
Then I raised my head and looked directly into Liu Wanqian’s eyes.
"Dad... I want to have a good talk with you."
"..."
Perhaps he had not expected his daughter to say such a thing.
Liu Wanqian froze for a moment after hearing my voice, then let out a cold snort, as if thinking of something.
"Heh... whatever you want, just say it. Don’t beat around the bush with me."
"I don’t want anything. I just want to talk."
In the past, Liu Yunyan often used this trick to swindle money from her father.
In fact, she didn’t even need to lie; she could just ask Gong Lianyu directly and get whatever she wanted.
Judging by Gong Lianyu’s way of spoiling her child, even asking for ten or twenty million would not have made her frown.
But Liu Yunyan simply enjoyed getting money from her father.
She had used every trick to coax and deceive him.
The most extreme time, she even used a voice changer to pretend she had been kidnapped.
Such a death-defying little rascal.
In the end, she even alarmed her second uncle, the provincial police chief.
Hearing what I said, Liu Wanqian, for once, fell silent for a moment.
Without saying a word, he sat down in the Grand Master Chair opposite me.
He casually picked up a string of amber beads from the chair and started fiddling with them, while scrutinizing me carefully from head to toe.
I did not avoid his gaze.
I stared right back at him.
After a long while, Liu Wanqian took a deep breath and looked at me calmly.
"Speak..."
Should I?
I had already drafted a rough speech in my mind, although it was only temporary.
As a web novelist, I had little confidence in my writing, but plenty in my ability to make up stories.
"Dad... I know you probably don’t believe me. I also know you're still suspicious that I’m trying to trick you again, but I still have to say it..."
I stood up.
Having already prepared myself mentally, I slowly put down the cane.
Then... I knelt on the ground.
A man’s knees are worth gold, but I owed you a life.
This... was my debt to you! Liu Yunyan.
"Dad, I know... how much of a bastard I used to be. I know I was wrong. I’m not asking for your forgiveness. I just want to say that from now on, I won't be that kind of bastard anymore."
Liu Wanqian looked at me silently.
But his gaze first fell on my left calf.
Look at that!
Look at that!
Liu Yunyan, your dad really cared about you, you foolish girl!
Having such good parents, yet you didn’t try harder.
What a waste of your rich fourth-generation status!
Liu Wanqian watched me.
When he saw that I didn’t show any sign of pain, his worried expression faded away.
He fiddled silently with the amber bracelet for a while, closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then looked at me again.
"You really want to change?"
I nodded seriously, my eyes full of sincerity.
"Mm."
"From arguing with me to throwing me directly into the pond?"
"……"
You have a point.
I had no words to refute.
"That was..."
"Enough!"
Before I could explain, Liu Wanqian waved his hand and sighed heavily.
"To know one’s mistake and to correct it, that’s the greatest virtue. Having gone through a life-and-death experience, you’ve made some progress. Stand up now. That leg... still hurts?"
"It’s fine."
I shook my head and tried to stand up.
But both my knees were on the ground, and my left calf still could not bear weight.
I regretted leaving my cane so far away.
Just as I was about to turn back to reach for the cane, something blocked my view.
Instinctively, I turned my head and saw a pair of large hands grabbing my shoulders.
He helped me up and sat me back onto the Grand Master Chair.
Then he turned around and sat next to me.
He did not look at me, instead staring at the painting on the opposite wall.
The amber bracelet he had been fiddling with had somehow stopped moving.
He just held it.
He did not turn his head to look at me, but I knew he could observe my actions from the corner of his eye.
"I don’t know if you’re lying to me again. But I’m very gratified, Yunyan... In this life of mine, I’ve worked endlessly. Since you were five years old, I haven’t hugged you again. I know you hold a grudge against me. So I don’t mind if you’re lying. If you are lying, I just hope you’ll tell me directly. I’m your father. No matter when, I’m your father. No matter how big a mistake you make, no matter what happens, I’ll always be your father."
...Can you stop repeating "your father, your father"?
Damn it, I'm already in my thirties, and now I had a father older than me by five years... sigh.
"Dad... I know you don’t believe me. Just now, when I threw you into the pond... I know I shouldn’t have. But that dog... it was the last thing he left me. I didn’t want you to beat it to death..."
As I spoke, I deliberately showed a pained expression, while secretly observing Liu Wanqian’s reaction.
Life was like a play — and the key was in the acting!