Mommy, don't be afraid, I'll bring you blind boxes and scam you out of a wealthy family to

Duan Hetong brought Wen Li back to the Duan family's old house.

The little dumpling didn't cry or fuss the whole way. She was curled up in his arms, unusually quiet, her little hands tightly gripping his clothes as if she were grasping at the last straw.

By the time she got home, she had already developed a fever.

Her face was flushed red, her lips were chapped, and she looked as hot as a small stove.

Duan Hetong put her on the sofa and tried to call the doctor, but Wen Li wouldn't let go and mumbled "baba" in a daze.

Duan Hetong sighed inwardly and had no choice but to sit back down. In this awkward position, he held her with one arm and called the doctor with the other.

Just then, Duan Xianchen, the younger brother, pushed open the door and entered. Seeing the scene on the sofa, he was stunned: "Brother, where did you pick this up?"

"On the street," Duan Hetong said.

That's not nonsense at all.

Duan Xianchen had just left the courtroom, not even having had time to change out of his suit. He was a renowned top lawyer in Tan City, with a perfect record of hundreds of cases.

At this moment, this war god, who struck fear into the hearts of his opponents, was squatting in front of the sofa, carefully observing the little dumpling: "Her hands are so small."

Soon, the top pediatric medical team in Tan City arrived, skillfully opened their medical kits, disinfected, took temperatures, and examined wounds.

Wen Li's arms, knees, shoulders, back... were covered in bruises, some fresh and some old.

By any measure, it was long-term, repeated abuse.

The doctor gasped, "Mr. Duan, I suggest we call the police."

Duan Xianchen clenched his fists: "I'm going to make sure this scum rots in jail. Brother, let's keep her in our house."

Duan Hetong said, "You've learned to make decisions for me now."

Duan Xianchen asked, "Brother, are you going to send her back to that hellhole?"

Duan Hetong did not answer.

When the doctor disinfected the wound on the baby's palm, she trembled with pain, but simply buried her face in her new father's palm, enduring the pain without uttering a sound. Like a helpless little animal, she instinctively sought warmth.

Duan Hetong remembered how her younger brother would wail loudly even at the slightest bump or bruise when he was little. This little guy was so sensible it broke her heart.

[Chirp! Detected that the host has gained two units of affection points, points +50*2, current points: 100.]

When the reminder came to her mind, Xiao Wenli was still half asleep, thinking that her mother's bed was about to be taken away.

She was very anxious and needed to talk to Baba.

Wen Li opened her eyes and saw an uncle who looked a lot like her new father covering her with a blanket.

"Uncle..." her voice was hoarse, "Are you...you're also a relative that Qiuqiu gave to Libao?"

Duan Xianchen didn't understand what she was saying, but softened his voice and said, "Yes, you can call me Uncle."

Wen Li, still confused, asked, "Uncle..."

Suddenly, the sound of a cane tapping on the ground came from the spiral staircase.

Thump. Thump.

Each tap, slow and steady, gently pounded on the heart of the milk ball.

Duan Yuanzhou, the father of the two brothers, was the former head of the Duan family. He once dominated the business world with an iron fist until he abdicated due to injury.

He stood at the top of the stairs, his gaze lingering for a moment as it swept over the milk dumplings before turning to Duan Hetong.

"Are you complaining that entertainment reporters have been too quiet lately? Bringing kids of dubious origin home too. The Duan family's reputation isn't something you can ruin like this."

Duan Hetong remained silent.

Duan Yuanzhou said dismissively, "You're not young anymore. If you like children, find a suitable daughter from a good family to settle down with. The Duan family cannot be without an heir."

Duan Hetong suddenly laughed, but the laugh was utterly devoid of warmth: "Back then, did you say the same thing to Mom?"

Duan Yuanzhou's face darkened: "My affairs are none of your business!"

The little dumpling saw her new father being scolded; that grandfather was so fierce, and she was very scared.

But she still mustered her courage and said in a small voice, "Grandpa... don't be mean."

Duan Yuanzhou frowned: "What did you say?"

Little Wenli shrank back in fright, her voice trembling, "Baba, it's from a blind box that Li Bao got... Li Bao, Li Bao used so much luck... Grandpa, please don't take it back, okay..."

Duan Xianchen stared in surprise, while Duan Hetong looked at her.

Duan Yuanzhou's expression shifted several times before he coldly snorted, "Nonsense! A father you've promised? What do you take the Duan family for—"

"Since I can't interfere in your affairs, then my affairs don't need your approval either," Duan Hetong interrupted his father, touching the little dumpling's burning face. "You want an heir, don't you? What do you think of her?"

Duan Yuanzhou slammed his cane heavily on the ground: "Do you even know what you're saying?!"

The air in the living room was almost frozen.

[Chirp! Oh no, that grandpa's going to be so angry!] The system hurriedly reminded, [Little Pear, spend 100 points to open a blind box and help him calm down!]

Wen Li silently recited in her heart: Activate.

A blind box was opened from the void, and a fluffy, curled-up orange cat fell out, with "Zzz" floating next to it.

[R·PurrPurrCat].

The next second, a little orange cat appeared out of thin air at Duan Yuanzhou's feet—only Wen Li could see it.

The little orange cat meowed at Wen Li.

As if sensing its presence, Wenli made a cat paw gesture.

So the kitten stretched, nuzzled its head against the old man's trouser leg, and started purring.

Duan Yuanzhou, enraged, paused for a moment.

The snoring sounded like a mini motorcycle starting up, very rhythmic.

He looked down at his feet, but there was nothing there.

But it felt as if a pair of warm little hands had extinguished the nameless fire that was burning so fiercely in my heart.

Duan Hetong was also taken aback. He was prepared for a big argument, but he saw the old man put down his cane dejectedly, and a look of bewilderment flashed in his always gloomy and suspicious eyes.

Taking advantage of the brief moment of peace, Wen Li mustered her courage and reached out her little hand from Duan Hetong's arms, reaching out to grab Duan Yuanzhou, timidly murmuring, "Li Bao, Grandpa, don't be angry..."

The kitten's purring grew softer and softer until it disappeared completely.

The word "bastard" stuck in Duan Yuanzhou's throat for a long time before turning into an extremely stiff snort: "I think you were out of your mind while riding your bike. Tomorrow morning, you will naturally take back the nonsense you just said."

Duan Hetong smirked: "Then you just wait and see."

The sound of the cane faded into the distance.

Wen Li had just breathed a sigh of relief when she became nervous again.

She quietly asked the system, "Chirp chirp, can Pear Baby still open the boxes?"

The system replied: [You've run out of points now. You'll need to accumulate more to open more blind boxes. But don't worry, you might get a hidden item that wakes Mommy up in the future!]

Wen Li grew anxious and grabbed Duan Hetong's hand, pleading, "Please, please tell the system that I finally managed to get you, and I even gave you to Uncle and Grandpa... I'm out of points, please don't take you back, okay?"

Duan Hetong remained silent.

Although the child's innocent words were a bit hard to understand, he still understood that the little dumpling was asking if she would be abandoned.

The system quickly replied: 【Duan Hetong is your most important source of points, a gold mine! You must try your best to stay by his side and accumulate a lot of the love he gives you, then Mommy will wake up!】

So, we can't be kicked out; we have to be good little brats!

The milk ball clenched its little fist.

Wen Li tried her best to promote herself: "Pear Baby is very easy to raise. Pear Baby eats very little, and can do laundry, wash dishes... babbling, want to raise Pear Baby?"

His bright, clear eyes were so pure, brimming with trust and expectation, as if he were the most reliable person in the world.

Duan Hetong felt a dull pain in his chest.

It wasn't a sign of an impending bipolar disorder, but rather a feeling of heartache for this child.

"...Okay." He gently ruffled Wen Li's long, black hair and said in a low voice, "I'll give it a try."