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

The Duan family's old residence.

Duan Hetong placed Wen Li on the sofa and then noticed that her knee was scraped and bleeding. There were also marks on her arm from Bai Ru's pinching, a shocking sight.

Just when the old wounds were healed, new ones appeared.

Duan Hetong's frustration and anger were not directed at Wen Li, but at himself for failing to protect her.

He squatted down in front of the milk ball and opened the medicine box.

I've already studied with top doctors, but when I actually try it, I still keep making mistakes.

The medical cotton pad bag was torn in the wrong place, creating a large tear;

I spent ages trying to unscrew the cap of the iodine solution, and it almost spilled all of it.

He also accidentally knocked over other medicine bottles, scattering them all over the floor.

Looking at the mess on the ground, Xiao Wenli said with some worry, "Baba, Li Bao can do it herself..."

Duan Hetong pinched the bridge of his nose: "It's okay, give me another chance."

His hands have signed contracts worth hundreds of billions, steady and solid; he has participated in extreme sports, hanging on cliffs, unmoving.

But at this moment, even with just one piece of disinfectant cotton, he was trembling slightly.

Because he was afraid.

The milk ball was too small and delicate; he was afraid of hurting her.

Duan Hetong spent a while mentally preparing himself before daring to press the button.

Wen Li gasped in pain, but she didn't utter a sound.

Duan Hetong's hand froze: "Does it hurt?"

Tears welled up in Wen Li's eyes, but she shook her head: "Li Bao doesn't hurt, Ba Ba Bang Bang."

—She even comforted him instead.

Duan Hetong looked into those bright, deer-like eyes and felt a dull ache in his chest.

Wen Li clutched the hem of her clothes, enduring the pain with great difficulty.

I don't want Baba to worry, but it really, really hurts...

[Chirp! Moderate affection level detected, points +50. Current points: 450. Little Pear, want to open a package?]

The first item Wenli dismantled was [N·Cyclone Hand Warmer], which did not help with the current situation.

She took apart another one, [R·Singing Trumpet Bird], but it was useless.

Wen Li put the two boxes into the store's warehouse and opened them for the third time.

The box is purple, [SR Pain Relief Bubble Water].

A round little bear jumped out, holding bubble water in its hands, puffing out its cheeks, and blowing a string of sparkling bubbles.

The bubbles floated to Wenli's knees and landed on her wounds, like kisses.

Each one that fell shattered with a "pop." The broken pieces were cool to the touch, leaving behind a tiny, sparkling star.

The burning pain felt like it was being enveloped in bubbles and then floated away.

Wen Li opened her eyes and looked around: the wound was still there, but it didn't hurt anymore.

This system is amazing!

Now she was even more certain that she could really save her mother.

[Little Pear, you won't always get good stuff when you open boxes, so you need to save up! Current points: 150.]

Duan Hetong was still applying soothing cream to her uninjured areas, sometimes applying too much and sometimes getting it on his own sleeve.

This man, who could make the city of Tan tremble with a stomp of his foot, now appeared so clumsy.

Wen Li whispered, "Damn, that's enough, Pear Baby doesn't hurt anymore."

Duan Hetong's forehead was covered in sweat: "Really?"

"Mmm." Wen Li's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Wow, that's amazing!"

Duan Hetong noticed some glittering dust on her skirt, but didn't realize where it had fallen from; it seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

He helped dust it off, feeling a little smug.

It seems I have quite a talent for being a father.

Looking at Duan Hetong's raised eyebrows, Wen Li wondered, "Does Baba like me a little more?"

She needs to be more obedient and work harder so that the Duan family will love her even more and she can become their child.

-

late at night.

The old Duan family mansion fell silent, with only a dim yellow wall lamp still lit in Duan Hetong's study.

On the table was a court express mail document, Gao Ye's indictment, demanding that the court find the Duan family guilty of "illegally detaining" Wen Li and return the child.

With only a few days left for mediation, the safest course of action is to complete the adoption procedures as soon as possible.

Once Wen Li becomes the legal adopted daughter of the Duan family, Gao Ye will no longer be able to cause any trouble.

There's no problem with him; Duan Xianchen can handle all the materials himself. It's just that the old man...

Duan Hetong rubbed his temples, feeling a bit annoyed, and picked up a photo from the old album next to him.

It was the silhouette of a girl in a white dress playing the piano on stage.

Duan Hetong sat in the darkness, his expression unreadable.

He noticed the slight movement of the door hinges and felt annoyed.

In this family, everyone knows that the study is a forbidden area for Master Tong, and no one is allowed to trespass. Even the old man himself has to knock on the door first.

Duan Hetong turned his head impatiently and froze.

The little dumpling, dressed in a milky white nightgown, stood barefoot on the cold floor, clutching a doll in her arms, looking over timidly yet full of expectation.

—Also a white dress.

For a fleeting moment, Wen Li's small figure seemed to overlap with the girl in the photo.

His anger vanished instantly, and he quickly picked up the little dumpling: "Why aren't you sleeping?"

Wen Li shoved the doll into his hand and replied irrelevantly, "Baba can't sleep, Li Bao will keep you company."

Duan Hetong chuckled. Who was it that couldn't sleep, and who needed someone to keep them company?

But he didn't let the milk ball's hopes be dashed; he carried both the doll and the real doll back to his desk.

Wenli, sitting on Baba's lap, saw the photo and exclaimed with delight, "Mommy!"

Duan Hetong raised an eyebrow: "Very similar?"

Wen Li nodded repeatedly.

Even though the silhouette is blurry, Pear Baby won't mistake her for Mommy.

Duan Hetong pinched her little face but didn't say anything.

That's definitely not Wen Li's mother, because this photo was taken during his student days.

The girl in the photo has been missing for many years.

"Go to sleep," he whispered. "I'll stay here with you."

Perhaps this is fate. What was lost has returned in another form.

He will take good care of this little one and treat her as his own child.

[Chirp! Significant affection value detected, points +500, current points: 650.]

Points are credited with a clinking sound effect of coins.

Like a little miser, Wenli counted her bulging wallet and then counted that there were still 29 days left in the limited-time mission before falling asleep contentedly in Baba's arms.

Duan Hetong didn't move, and just sat there holding her for a long time.

Adopting a child is not as simple as just talking about it.

The Duan family's assets, shares, and family trusts all have complex terms and conditions.

The old man hasn't given any instructions yet, and the company still has a lot of mess to make.

He certainly wanted to keep the little one, but what if someone used her identity to their advantage in the future…

Duan Hetong rubbed his temples: "...Troublesome."

But he will solve these problems for the little guy.

The milk dumpling's eyelashes trembled slightly, as if it were having a sweet dream.

He reached out and gently brushed the stray hairs from her forehead.

Moonlight as water.

-

The next day, Duan Hetong was awakened by his phone vibrating.

Xie Lin sent a news link with a long string of question marks and exclamation marks.

Is the head of the Duan family leading a chaotic private life? Insiders reveal concrete evidence of an illegitimate daughter!

Two pictures were attached. The first picture was a screenshot from a surveillance camera. Duan Hetong was parked in front of the old house, with a very small baby wrapped in his motorcycle jacket.

The second photo is taken from a candid perspective. In the hospital, Duan Hetong is squatting in front of a baby girl, wiping away her tears.

The title is sensational, but the accompanying picture is timid and hesitant, not even daring to show Zhang Wenli's face.

The poster can distinguish between using the Duan family as a gimmick to attract traffic and actually challenging the bottom line of the Duan family.

The comments section exploded:

—I knew all along that this person's image of being detached from worldly desires was just an act!

— Haha, abandoning his wife and daughter, what a scumbag!

—I'm just concerned about whether the Duan Group's stock price will fall.

Marketing accounts swarmed in like hyenas smelling blood.

Duan Hetong's face turned ashen. Just as he was about to reply to Xie Lin that he didn't need to pay attention, Duan Xianchen's call suddenly came in.

As soon as the call connected, I heard my younger brother's panicked voice:

"Brother, come quick—Dad's in trouble!"