Chapter 14 Farewell
Before the sun could rise fully, a man with a lean figure in a formal suit walked up to a two-unit cement house, with light steps. He tucked his flat hat gently with his hand as he approached the wooden door.
The man had a distinctive scar across his face as he faced forward to the door, it was none other than Zhu Dong who had appeared early this morning. He was dressed in a three-piece blue suit, appearing as though he had left a business meeting before coming here.
Zhu Dong lifted his hand and knocked on the door lightly. He received no response as though he had been ignored. Instead of getting angry, he took out his phone from his pocket and started dialing a number.
He forcefully broke his way into the house, using a keychain to break open the securely closed windows and forcing himself in. Upon placing his feet on the floor, Zhu Dong noticed the deafening absence of the men from last night.
His call was suddenly picked up as he pressed his phone against his ears, he spoke with a fearful yet respectful tone, "Boss, we have something to report to you…"
-
Ren Ye was woken up by a sudden shift on the bed, he subconsciously sensed someone was pulling his blanket as he slowly opened his eyes to the white ceiling and the sun shining from outside through the curtains.
"Papa…"
He overheard a childish cry inside the room, in his dazed state. Instead of answering yes, he hummed softly in acknowledgment; he was feeling drained out from last night.
He immediately heard tiny footsteps rapidly approaching the bed as he was slowly sobering up. He suddenly felt a force of pressure pressing onto the bed, forcefully lowering the surface of the bed and causing him to jolt slightly.
"Papa! Did you see where Jia'er drawings are?" The little girl called out to him with her teary eyes, her luminous eyes beaming with sadness and distress.
Ren Ye held back the urge to yawn as he gradually sat up and stretched his back lightly, "No worries, I took them and put them somewhere safe."
Upon hearing he had found and may have looked at her drawing, Ren Jia was beaming with endless joy as she hopped onto the bed clumsily and hugged her Papa by the neck, "Thank you, Papa!"
"Jia'er thought the wind must have blown them away!" She smiled sweetly at him, "What does Papa think of Jia'er's drawings?"
Ren Ye lowered his limpid eyes and glanced at her calmly before plastering a soft smile on his face, "They are very good."
He couldn't deny the talent she had at this age, her drawings were exceptionally impressive; he had felt endless emotions for those two drawings from last night, he rarely felt so with anyone else.
"Then Jia'er will draw more and more," The little girl extended her arms widely as her face glowed with contagious happiness, she thought to herself mischievously, 'Papa will give lots of compliments too!'
Ren Ye nodded his head lightly and informed her with a soft voice, "We will move to another city today and we should start packing our bags. If there is anything you want to do there, tell me now before we go."
Ren Ye decided to give her an opportunity to choose whatever she wanted to do and he would try his best to conform to her wishes; it was a way for him to find out more about her and simple payment for the precious drawings.
Ren Jia had a thoughtful face as she appeared as though she was deep in her thoughts. She turned her head to glance at him with pearly eyes, she gave her Papa a placid smile and spoke sweetly with a crisp childish voice, "If Papa finds a job, Jia'er wants to accompany Papa…"
She felt fearful in her heart that her Papa would abandon her one day, even if it is to work away from home. As a child, it was absolutely justified for her to feel this way; every child deserves parents that give them attention and take special care of them.
Ren Ye had thought this so as well; if he is going to work full-time and not have time to spend with her, what is the point of making money if you put aside the very person who loves you?
This thought of his also applied to the past life he had before. Due to the raging vengeance inside him, he had ruthlessly thrown away every attachment he has had to satiate his blood-thirstiness and achieve his absolute goal.
In the end, he ended up with none of the things he had wanted in the first place.
Ren Ye pursed his lips faintly into straight lines before sighing inwardly, 'I feel completely helpless and defenseless toward this child…'
Old Yi let out an amused laugh, 'She is making you promise her. As a father, you shouldn't refuse your daughter's request.'
Before long, he cast his indifferent eyes onto her and lowered his head lightly, "As you wish."
The little girl curled her lips upwardly as the corner of her lips were stained with a radiant smile and hugged her Papa tightly by wrapping her tiny arms around his neck, "Papa is the best man in this world!"
Ren Ye raised his lips into a pleased grin and reciprocated her hug as he gently placed his hand onto her arm, 'These days have been the warmest days of my entire life…'
-
The both of them began arranging their bags and clothes into their luggage. Surprisingly, Ren Jia's clothes appeared inside the system's inventory beforehand. He had specifically asked Old Yi about this and he replied back,
'Even before I met her, I had the suitcase in it for some unknown reasons. I wouldn't have known it was hers until you pointed it out,' Old Yi commented with a surprised tone and gave him a bit more insight, 'The Jade Emperor had given me instructions not to touch anything in the system.'
Ren Ye had determined he wasn't lying as he summoned the suitcase into the real world. Ren Ye found this especially strange but he'd rather not mention it in front of this child of his; the little daughter was a strange phenomenon, to say the least.
The suitcase was bright pink in color as it was plastered with Hello Kitty posters and cartoon characters on them, it was blinding to the eyes; Ren Ye didn't comment on it as it was something any child loved to have.
A childish voice called him out sweetly, "Papa!"
Ren Ye lifted his head and hummed in acknowledgment, "What's the matter?"
He approached the little girl who was sitting on the bed with her hairband and a comb, the little girl turned with her luscious shoulder-length hair and gave him her brightest smile while pointing toward the hairband.
"Can Papa help?" Her eyes were beaming brightly, causing Ren Ye to slightly black out from the cuteness of this child. Ren Ye cast his eyes onto the hairband and comb beside her and narrowed them slightly.
'If you were to tell me in the past that I would help tie a little girl's hair, I would have thought you were mentally ill…'
The Night Killer had a distaste for such things, preferring to do things that required strength and blood instead of the cutesy parenting that the current him was doing.
"What kind of hairstyle do you like?" Ren Ye grabbed the comb and the hairband; observing them with his cold eyes and thinking of ways to use them properly.
"Whatever Papa finds the prettiest!" The little girl cried out with happiness as she watches her hard-hearted Papa submit to her wishes; the Papa who always stare at her blankly with no emotions.
"Hmm," He hummed and turned to ask Old Yi for help, 'Old Yi, do you have any idea on how to tie a girl's hair?'
'Brother, don't look at me for these kinds of things, I can help you with other things but not this…' Old Yi tsked with a bit of annoyance in his tone.
"…"
Ren Jia noticed her Papa's dazed face as she turned around and tugged his sleeves, "Papa! Let Jia'er teaches you!"
Ren Ye snapped out of his daze and nodded his head; he had no idea how to tie a girl's hair. Jia'er gestured to him with her tiny hands, "Papa should start by lifting and gathering Jia'er's hair…"
Ren Ye followed her instructions, he grabbed her hair and gathered them into one fist. He must have done it too roughly as Jia'er winced adorably and told him in a considerable tone, not taking any offense from him at all, "Papa shouldn't do it too harshly."
He immediately realized this and loosened the grip on his hair, muttering apologetically, "Sorry…"
He redid them again but with much more restraint on his strength than ever.
After a couple of minutes of practicing and mistakes, Ren Ye finally grasped the concept of tying hair and he appeared to have mastered its art. He tied her hair into a cute ponytail which Jia'er rejoiced in happiness and celebrated with her Papa for this milestone.
"Papa is the best learner!"
-
"Mom, I wish you good health and a prosperous life," Ren Ye said softly to Fa Qing with a tiny smile on his face, "Mom, I will give you money every month when I find myself a job there."
Filial piety is an extremely significant and essential part of Chinese culture, Ren Ye wasn't an exception as he had only one mother in his life; Friends could be found elsewhere but your mother could not be found once she is gone.
As a son, Ren Ye has always taken out half of the money he earned monthly and gave them to her as a way to repay back for his upbringing. Doing so was a way to teach the younger generations of respect for their parents. Ren Ye couldn't deny the influences Fa Qing had on him when he was a child and while he was still living in a wealthy environment; he was always taught by her to be humble and modest.
Upon seeing her Papa in a strange state and to save her Papa from embarrassment, she clasped her palms loudly and made a praying gesture, "Ren Jia wishes Grandma good life!"
Fa Qing let out a pleasing laugh, "Grandma will always be home whenever Little Jia wants to come," She pinched her plump cheeks enamored by the little girl before glancing at the distracted Ren Ye, "You don't have to send me any more money, I will be able to live with the money I have saved."
"You should think more about your daughter than me now, Little Ye."
Ren Ye let out an exhale through his nose and shook his head amusingly, "No, a tradition can never be broken. I'll send you money no matter how much I make."
Not only that, I will help you find Dad and Sis again…
Fa Qing sighed with unconcealed gloom and took out two red envelopes from her pocket, extending them to Ren Ye and Ren Jia, "Here! A gift for the both of you!"
Ren Ye wanted to refuse but due to seeing Ren Jia's eyes lit up with radiance, he pursed his lips and fought back against his ego. Ren Jia took the red envelopes with her beaming eyes.
"Jia'er, don't forget to give thank…'
Ren Ye smiled lightly and he nudged her; it is good to teach them young about proper courtesy!
"Ren Jia thanks Grandma," She held the red envelopes and clasped them, lowering her head adorably, causing the two of them to let out a laugh.
"We bid you farewell, Mom!"
Ren Ye and Ren Jia waved their hands as they placed their luggage on a car they had called to take them to the airport, Ren Ye had a complicated and tensed look on his face.
He felt a bit of distress, thinking his mother would spend time living here alone without any relatives. Although it was inevitable since she resolutely refused to leave this place.
'Dad, Jinghua, I will find you one day!'
He had also missed his little sister, Jinghua, very much too, he wanted her to meet Ren Jia and come home as soon as possible. Hence, Beikang will pave a way for them to reunite once he becomes strong enough.