Chapter 12: The Old Master's Past Unveiled

A smile appeared on Shen Zhihan’s face, his reply carrying a hint of defiance: “Old man, I gave birth to her. Got a problem with that?”

Old Master Shen snorted, “You gave birth? You’d better write my name backwards if you can do that!” With that, he wheeled himself away.

Shen Zhihan casually propped his long leg onto the wheelchair, immobilizing the old man. The elder’s expression darkened. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Shen Zhihan gently set An’an down and bent to meet her gaze. “An’an, what did you just say? The old man is going to die?”

An’an nodded firmly.

She pointed at Old Master Shen’s legs. “He can’t stand because he’s poisoned. But once the poison’s gone, he’ll be fine. Grandpa is poisoned.”

Shen Zhihan corrected her seriously, “An’an, from now on, you mustn’t call him Grandpa. He’s your great-grandfather. Of course, you can still call him ‘Old Man’ like I do.”

An’an’s little hands waved in refusal. No, no, she didn’t want to be rude.

Obediently, she greeted Old Master Shen, “Hello, Great-Grandfather.”

There was no denying it—An’an was polite, well-mannered, and utterly adorable. Old Master Shen’s heart melted long ago.

If it weren’t for Shen Zhihan, he might have already stolen this child away to be his great-granddaughter.

Shen Zhihan took An’an to one side and didn’t forget to order the bodyguards, “Keep an eye on him. He’s not allowed to leave right now.”

Old Master Shen angrily waved his hand, trying to strike him. “Are you itching for a beating? How dare you boss me around!”

Shen Zhihan ignored him, carrying An’an to a sheltered spot and whispering to her.

The father and daughter murmured quietly, An’an even gesturing animatedly.

Old Master Shen was furious. Why were they whispering behind his back?

“An’an, do you know what a big bad guy looks like?”

An’an shook her head. “Little Mouse says all humans look the same. She can’t tell the difference!”

But that was enough to go on.

Those close enough to serve Old Master Shen intimately and tamper with his food were a very small circle.

“This is our secret. Don’t tell the old man.”

“I know, Daddy. I’ll listen to you. An’an always listens to Daddy.”

The little girl’s eyes held complete trust, clearly reflecting his image.

Shen Zhihan felt the bitterness in his heart ease considerably.

Just then, a necklace slipped out of Shen Zhihan’s suit pocket—the kissing fish pendant.

An’an’s sharp eyes picked it up. “Daddy, is this the sister’s? Did you find her?”

Shen Zhihan gave a soft hum.

Before bringing Xia Jing over, his people had already located Ouyang Zhi.

Ouyang Zhi was emaciated beyond recognition in a tiny house in a rundown urban village, yet when his men found her, she showed no sign of despair. Instead, she was watering flowers.

On her balcony, sunflowers of all colors bloomed brilliantly.

At that moment, An’an’s small hand touched his cheek.

Her hand wasn’t as soft as a pampered girl’s, but Shen Zhihan’s heart had already melted completely.

“Daddy, when you go to see that sister, can I go with you?”

His voice gentle, “Alright, in a few days, I’ll take you to see her.”

“Okay! Daddy, you’re a beam of light in my life. I heard that from Grandpa Liu’s phone. So, I want to say, you’re also a beam of light in my life.”

Shen Zhihan grimaced, thinking of the novels Uncle Liu always listened to.

Fortunately, An’an selectively filtered out the more unsavory parts.

Still, he figured it was time for a serious talk with Uncle Liu.

His gaze softened. Silly girl, she was truly the light in his life.

He reached out his hand. An’an grasped it, and together they returned to Old Master Shen’s side.

“Are you two talking bad about me behind my back?” Old Master Shen looked up at Shen Zhihan, as if daring him to jump up and fight.

As if reading his thoughts, Shen Zhihan smirked arrogantly, “Old man, so what if we’re talking bad about you? If you’ve got the guts, jump up and hit me!”

“You deserve it!” Old Master Shen snapped instantly.

An’an immediately stepped in front of Shen Zhihan, soothingly patting the old man’s leg. “Great-Grandpa, you’ll stand up. Don’t die, okay? If you don’t die, you can stand up and hit Daddy. Oh no, wait, even if you stand up, you’re not allowed to hit Daddy. Or else I’ll tell Daddy that you hold Great-Grandma’s photo and cry every day, soaking your pillow with tears. You’re so old, and you still cry! But An’an doesn’t cry!”

The little girl puffed out her little chest proudly.

Old Master Shen’s face darkened immediately. He glanced around at the bodyguards.

The bodyguards bowed their heads quickly, “No, no, it’s not us! We didn’t say that! We don’t even know!”

Just then, they all recalled the most tragic moments of their lives, trying hard not to laugh out loud.

Old Master Shen’s face flushed red with shame, feeling utterly exposed.

A man on the brink of death, once cold and ruthless in public, now had his secrets laid bare!

The love story between Old Master Shen and Old Madam Shen had been passionate and intense. After Shen Zhihan’s parents died in a car accident, the three-year-old Shen Zhihan disappeared without a trace. Old Madam Shen grew ill with worry and never stopped thinking of him before she passed.

When Shen Zhihan was found, the old man’s resentment over his wife’s death spilled onto his grandson. Their relationship had been strained for years, filled with constant bickering.

Hearing this, Shen Zhihan looked at Old Master Shen, who was furious and embarrassed. “What are you staring at? At least I had a wife and knew the warmth of family life. And you? You haven’t even held a woman’s hand!”

Holding An’an’s little hand, Shen Zhihan’s voice was proud and teasing. “At least I have a daughter.”

An’an smiled sweetly at him. “Daddy, yes, you have me.”

Her smile was so adorable it made one’s heart ache.

Old Master Shen’s heart twitched; he so wanted to snatch her and raise her himself.

He cleared his throat, “Um, aren’t you going to work? Is Shen Corporation going bankrupt? An’an, come play with Great-Grandpa. He’ll give you something yummy.”

An’an clung to Shen Zhihan’s leg, shaking her head like a little rattle. “No, I don’t want to be separated from Daddy.”

Shen Zhihan raised an eyebrow, triumphant. Scooping An’an up, he said, “Old man, want to steal my daughter? Wait until you can stand up. Take the old man back.”

Yet, Old Master Shen shamelessly followed along.

“Old man, why are you following me?”

“Who said I’m following you? I’m following An’an.”

An’an turned around and saw the wheelchair moving on its own. She gasped.

Old Master Shen coaxed, “An’an, do you want to ride the car? This two-wheeled car is really fast!”

An’an’s eyes lit up, but instinctively she looked at Shen Zhihan.

Though her eyes betrayed a longing, she was obedient and sensible: “No, Great-Grandpa, Daddy’s two legs are fast enough.”

The bodyguards nearby couldn’t help but laugh.

The little girl certainly knew how to put things.

Shen Zhihan shot them a cold glare, and the bodyguards froze as if facing a dire threat, expecting Shen Zhihan to fire them. But he just glanced once and said nothing.

He looked at An’an. “An’an, do you want to ride? If you want to do something, just do it.”

An’an held out her small hand, making a tiny nodding gesture, utterly adorable. “Not really, just a little bit, just a tiny bit.”

The next moment, Old Master Shen froze in place, unsure where to put his limbs.

Shen Zhihan gently placed An’an on his lap.