He tricked the female lead into becoming his boyfriend, but then went on to criticize the male lead.

This peerless celestial being is handsome, has an amazing physique, and is incredibly charming. He happens to be the male lead, but she's not the female lead, and she can't have him!

So torturous!

The thought had barely crossed her mind when Sang Jiuning was suddenly startled.

wrong!

What a dangerous idea she's having!

If I keep overthinking like this, I'll really be too ashamed to face anyone.

She suddenly sat up in bed, staggered into the bathroom, turned on the cold water, and splashed handfuls of cold water on her burning cheeks, trying to use the cold water to suppress the heat on her face and the chaotic, restless palpitations in her heart.

-

Meanwhile, in the bedroom where the video was turned off.

Wen Zhaoci remained half-naked, leaning lazily against the headboard.

The room was quiet and still, with the faint, soft, and adorable sound of the little girl's hurried breathing still lingering in the Bluetooth earphones.

He closed his eyes slightly, his long eyelashes drooping, and his originally gentle eyes were completely covered with a deep dark color, while an uncontrollable heat and fire surged in his chest.

The deliberate flirting earlier was real, but the restlessness she stirred up was even more real.

The burning desire in my heart grew stronger and stronger, and I couldn't suppress it.

He let out a soft breath, reluctantly got up, and walked into the bathroom with slightly unsteady steps. He turned on the shower, and the icy cold water poured over his head.

The icy water washed over my skin, but it couldn't extinguish the burning heat surging in my chest.

The burning sensation in my body was still vivid; all the restlessness stemmed from the blushing, soft-hearted girl on the other side of the screen.

He looked down at his taut muscles, his Adam's apple bobbing sharply, and his deep, husky voice echoed softly in the empty bathroom, carrying an intense mix of restraint and anticipation:

"I can't wait to see my baby."

"I'll go see her tomorrow."

After washing her face, Sang Jiuning picked up her phone when her face wasn't so hot and red anymore. She found that her father, Sang Tingyan, had sent her a 36-second voice message a few minutes earlier.

Sang Jiuning tapped the voice chat window, and Sang Tingyan's gentle voice slowly came through:

"Ningning, I'm taking your mother to a nearby ancient town for a stroll. It's a rare opportunity to come back, so let's enjoy the cool evening air and see the night view. We won't be back for dinner tonight. Also, that Butler De has already driven back to Beijing."

Your grandparents and your uncle's family went on a trip to the south recently, so you're home alone. Cook yourself a packet of instant noodles tonight. There are two eggs in the fridge; remember to cook them too, so you don't go hungry.

Don't wait for your mom and me, we're going to stay out late tonight.

After the audio finished playing, Sang Jiuning was instantly at a loss for words, internally ranting and raving.

He really has forgotten his daughter now that he has a wife!

Dad is definitely a womanizer who neglects his daughter. He just cleared up the misunderstanding with Mom and immediately started their own private time, leaving his biological daughter at home!

Suppressing a laugh, she quickly recorded a playful voice message into the microphone, tapped it to send: "Okay! I'll be very sensible and won't disturb your sweet time with Mom. Have fun!"

Then, a cute picture of a Totoro making a heart shape with its hands was attached.

The next day.

Sang Jiuning slept soundly for the first time in a long while. The courtyard was quiet and peaceful, and no one knocked on the door to disturb her.

When she slowly woke up, rubbing her sleepy eyes, the sun was already high in the sky outside the window, and warm light shone through the glass window, filling the entire bedroom with a cozy feeling.

She curled up in the soft blankets and casually reached for her phone on the pillow to turn on the screen.

In the pinned message bar, a short voice message from Sang Tingyan lay quietly.

Sang Jiuning tapped the receiver and heard her father's hurried, perfunctory voice. He finished speaking in just a few seconds: "Ningning, your mother and I are going out for another stroll. You stay home and eat well."

Once the audio playback is complete, the screen will return to silence.

Sang Jiuning stared blankly at the chat interface, inwardly cursing wildly.

Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!

Yesterday, I patiently sent her a long voice message of over thirty seconds, carefully instructing her to cook noodles and boil eggs.

Today, it's been condensed into a perfunctory sentence of less than ten seconds, sparing with words.

Sure enough, after her parents got back together, she, their biological daughter, became a completely superfluous outsider.

Fatherly love used to be priceless, but now it's not only worthless, it's plummeted to negative value, and it's a complete loss.

She clicked her tongue in exasperation, closed the chat window, threw off the covers, got out of bed, and shuffled out of the bedroom in her slippers, heading straight for the kitchen on the first floor.

With a sliver of hope, I opened the refrigerator, only to find it completely empty and spotless. There wasn't a single dish, fruit, or even a bottle of milk to be found.

Sang Jiuning sighed softly, rubbing her forehead, completely resigned to her fate.

Okay, she's finally realized her place in the family.

Despite her frustration, her stomach was growling with hunger. She turned around and rummaged through the storage cabinets at home. Luckily, she had stocked up on a lot of snacks, including potato chips and cookies.

Too lazy to go out or cook, Sang Jiuning simply sat cross-legged on the living room sofa, munching on potato chips, tapping her phone screen, slowly collecting sunlight in her mini-game, patiently upgrading her battle plants one by one, playing in a leisurely and comfortable manner.

The crisp sound of potato chips being chewed and the soft tapping of mobile phones mingled together, creating a quiet and lazy atmosphere in the courtyard.

Just as she was indulging in her leisurely days, a clear knocking sound suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate, neither too loud nor too soft, gentle and orderly.

"Knock knock knock—"

Sang Jiuning, with potato chips still in her mouth, puffed out her cheeks and looked up in confusion.

In this small courtyard on the outskirts of a small county town, when the grandparents go on trips or the parents go out on dates, almost no acquaintances come to visit.

Filled with doubt, she put down the potato chips, got up, and jogged to open the courtyard gate.

The moment her fingertips pulled open the door, Sang Jiuning froze on the spot.

The bright sunlight fell on the entrance to the courtyard. The boy was tall and slender, wearing a clean white T-shirt and black casual pants. The simple outfit made his features look more refined and his temperament more aloof and otherworldly.

This is Wen Zhao's reply.

Sang Jiuning's pupils widened slightly, her heart filled with unexpected joy. She had never expected him to suddenly come here, let alone that he knew her hometown address.

Wen Zhaoci looked down at the stunned girl in front of him, his dark eyes filled with tenderness, and his voice was clear and straightforward: "I looked up your address. I wanted to see you so much, so I came here."

A simple sentence, yet it carries an undisguised and sincere affection.

A wave of sweetness instantly washed over Sang Jiuning, sweeping away all her laziness and boredom. She quickly stepped aside to let him in, her eyes crinkling with a smile: "Come in and sit down."

Leading Wen Zhaoci into the courtyard, Sang Jiuning felt a little embarrassed upon seeing the empty living room. She explained softly, "No one's home. The refrigerator is empty, and there are no fruits or snacks. I can't entertain you."

As soon as she finished speaking, her gaze unconsciously swept over the lush vegetable gardens on both sides of the yard, and her eyes lit up instantly. She turned to the boy beside her and said, "How about I pick some freshly grown tomatoes and cucumbers for you? They were all grown by my grandparents, all-natural and organic."