Going home for Chinese New Year, I squeezed onto a bus with three energetic young women.

The night breeze blew through the courtyard of the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top.

Jiang's father, whose spine had stood straight for most of his life, slowly began to crumble.

Chen Tingting's blunt and crude words shattered the educational concepts he had built up over many years.

"Yes," Jiang's father murmured to himself, his eyes reddening and his voice hoarse.

"Being happy is better than anything else."

He no longer adopted the condescending demeanor of a bureau chief, nor did he use authoritarian or commanding language.

Jiang's father nodded emphatically, and for the first time, took the initiative to walk towards his daughter instead of scolding or ordering her to come over:

"My precious daughter."

The way he uttered that address conveyed a warmth that hadn't been felt for many years:

"Come back. Your father and mother will never force you like that again. It was your father's fault, we were all wrong."

He wiped away the tears from his old face:

"From now on, all you need to do is be happy. If you don't want to study, then we won't study. If you want to play, then go play."

Jiang Ruyue peeked out from behind Bai Li's oversized trench coat.

The little girl's fair face still bore traces of tears. After hearing these words, she shook her head vigorously.

"No." Jiang Ruyue bit her lower lip, her clear voice serious. "I never said I didn't like studying."

"I enjoy the sense of accomplishment from getting first place and high scores, and I'm willing to study."

"But what I want is for you to give me the space to breathe and relax."

Jiang Ruyue stared straight ahead and poured out her heart, which had been suppressed for many years:

"I am willing to practice the piano because it is my own hobby."

"When my fingers are on the piano keys, the melody that moves me freely allows me to relax, rather than trying to win trophies in competitions or get praise from others for raising our daughters well."

After hearing this, Jiang's father stood there stunned.

He was overwhelmed by feelings of shame.

Only today did he realize that his daughter, a gem in the rough, possessed an extremely high level of self-motivation.

It was his own suffocating desire for control that almost ruined her talent and brilliance.

"I understand."

Jiang's father turned his head and looked at Bai Li with a complicated expression.

"Young man," Jiang's father sighed, his words tinged with curiosity and admiration.

"What you said, and the wisdom your friends shared, have all enlightened me."

He sized up Bai Li's composed demeanor:

"I'm curious, what kind of family could raise such a mature and insightful young person like you?"

Li Fugui also perked up his ears.

He was also very curious about the mysterious background of this son-in-law.

Bai Li's tone was calm:

"My parents are just ordinary factory workers, and I'm just an ordinary person who's been lucky enough to be successful."

Jiang's father clearly did not believe it.

"However," Bai Li changed the subject, glancing at the distant night scene, "family environment has a significant impact on a person."

"A while ago, I quit my job in Shanghai and slunk back to my hometown. On my first day back, my parents didn't say a single word of reproach."

Bai Li recalled the old man at home, her tone gentle:

"After my father found out I had resigned, he only said one sentence to me."

He said, "Son, don't work so hard."

"You're better than I was back then; you've never let me down."

After these words were spoken, everyone present fell silent.

Everyone is repeatedly pondering these brief words.

For someone who quit their job and returned home under the pressure of making a living, nothing is more powerful than the words, "You have never let me down."

This is the highest level of praise a parent can give.

The relationship between father and son is always delicate.

As children, they competed with each other and looked like enemies. As they grew up, they had their own lives and gradually became friends. Only after going through many trials and tribulations did they return to the blood-related bond between father and son.

Upon hearing this, the young women nearby all simultaneously pictured Bai Li's father.

That old man who greeted them in a boisterous manner and occasionally made jokes and chatted with them.

She had no airs at all and didn't look down on these socialites with their brightly colored hair.

With a father like that, it's no wonder that the eldest brother was able to develop such a tolerant, easygoing, and responsible personality.

Chen Tingting nodded in agreement: "Our uncle is indeed open-minded. Last time he even praised my red hair for looking festive."

After hearing Bai Li's words, Jiang's father felt even more ashamed.

Other people's fathers can accept their sons' ordinariness, but they insist on forcing their daughters to become something extraordinary.

His gaze toward Jiang Ruyue became more amiable than ever before.

"Ruyue," Jiang's father said gently, "I'll let you write the future plans yourself."

"You need to plan your time well, whether it's practicing the piano or playing. From now on, Dad will only offer suggestions; the steering wheel of your life is in your own hands."

Jiang Ruyue's eyes lit up; this was the freedom she had longed for for over a decade.

The somber atmosphere was about to end.

Jiang's mother, who had been wiping away tears, also came over.

"That's right! That's how it should be arranged!" Jiang's mother cried, her eyes red, and hugged her daughter tightly, heartbroken.

"If you ever need money to buy new clothes or treats in the future, just ask your mom for it!"

Jiang's mother glared at her husband beside her and launched into a barrage of complaints:

"Don't count on your dad! He goes to that lousy job every day, and his fixed monthly salary is only a little over seven thousand yuan!"

"I've never seen him accept any gifts; his pockets are emptier than his face—he's incredibly stingy!"

puff--

Li Fugui, who was standing next to him, couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

Lin Xiaoshuang and Li Jiaxin covered their mouths and laughed, their shoulders shaking.

Li Mengmeng even rolled her eyes and chuckled to herself.

Jiang's father was speechless, his face turning a deep shade of liver.

As a bureau chief, he had his past exposed in front of these young people and business tycoons by his own wife!

Seven thousand yuan a month! I've never accepted any gifts!

They've stripped her underwear completely!

However, everyone present knew perfectly well what was going on.

The fact that Jiang's mother revealed this at this time also indirectly confirmed Jiang's father's character.

If someone really wanted to make money as a bureau chief, the line of people offering gifts would break down the threshold of the Jiang family villa.

His ability to stick to his principles and receive a fixed salary demonstrates his inherent integrity.

However, saying it in such a sabotaging way is extremely damaging.

Jiang's mother's interruption completely disrupted the tense atmosphere that had just been building.

All that remained in the air was a bittersweet warmth.

Jiang Ruyue was amused by her mother's words. The little girl nodded emphatically and smiled through her tears.

The high-pressure control that had lasted for more than a decade completely collapsed, and the thick ice between Jiang's father and daughter was finally broken.

[Ding! Successfully helped investment target Jiang Ruyue resolve her inner conflicts stemming from her family of origin.]

[Deep redemption achieved! The target's inner barriers have been completely removed.]

[Jiang Ruyue's affection level has soared, currently at 75 points!]

[Target's affection level has exceeded 60 points (Admiration stage). Special reward for this stage: Goddess Radar is upgrading... Expected to be completed within 24 hours.]

Bai Li glanced at the data on the virtual panel and was in a great mood.

The little girl's defenses have been completely broken down.

Jiang Ruyue stood in front of her parents, but her gaze was fixed on Bai Li and she couldn't take it off.

Those eyes, which were originally cold and guarded, were now filled with sparkling little stars, all of which were admiration for Bai Li.

The mountain that had troubled her throughout her childhood and adolescence, which she thought she could never overcome in this lifetime, was actually resolved by him with just a few words.

Not only did it not cause any chaos, but her parents also maintained their dignity, and everything ended perfectly as she had hoped.

This man is amazing!

From casually shooing away a gold digger from a bar to remaining calm and collected when facing an unreasonable father.

His reliability, composure, and worldly-wise kindness are exuding a fatal attraction.

Jiang Ruyue had only one thought in her mind.

She would never meet a man who understood her so well again in her life.

Even though she was only eighteen, her heart was already completely tied to him.

Jiang's father watched his daughter staring intently at Bai Li, and alarm bells rang in his mind.

He knew that look all too well.

This is how Jiang's mother looked at him when he picked her up from school at the school gate back then!

This isn't about seeing a savior; it's clearly about seeing a lover!

Having just regained his senses, Jiang's father's defenses were back at full strength.

good boy.

I treated you like a mentor, and you actually tried to date my daughter?

Jiang's father coughed twice, cleared his throat, and quickly broke the ambiguous atmosphere.

"Alright." Jiang's father reached out to take Jiang Ruyue's arm. "It's too late. Ruyue, now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, let's go home. We have school tomorrow."

Come back home.

If those two words had been spoken two hours ago, Jiang Ruyue would have felt her scalp tingle.

But now, she has the courage to refuse.

What's more, there's someone in front of her who she doesn't want to leave at all.

Jiang Ruyue's originally fair face flushed red instantly, and the blush spread all the way down her neck.

Instead of taking her father's hand, she twisted her waist and threw herself into Bai Li's arms.

Two slender, fair arms tightly hugged Bai Li's waist.

The girl, barely eighteen, had a soft and fragrant body that clung perfectly to the trench coat.

The little girl raised her head and, in front of her parents, Li Fugui, Li Mengmeng, and her four younger sisters, loudly announced:

"No!"

Her voice was clear and resonant, echoing in the night sky:

"I'm not going home tonight! I'm staying at Bai Li's house overnight!"

The bureau chief's blood pressure, which he had just managed to suppress, spiked again, reaching the top of his head.

His precious daughter was clinging to a young man's waist, insisting on spending the night at his house.

"You—" Jiang's father pointed his trembling finger at the two people embracing each other, feeling dizzy and disoriented.

After all that effort, Bai Ligong was actually targeting his own daughter.

But I never expected it.

I couldn't have prevented my own daughter from spending money on me!