Chapter 47: She Is the Exception
"You must be Shanshan. What a good girl. You’re so cute, just like a little angel."
The woman bent down and gently offered her a crystal-encrusted box.
"This is a welcome gift from your sister-in-law. I hope you like it."
Shanshan’s eyes widened, and she blurted out.
"Wow! Auntie, you’re covered in sparkles! Like a fairy on a stage! Can you do magic? If you wave your hand, will little stars fly out? That’s so cool!"
Ling Zhenkang and Ye Ruoling were stunned into silence by Shanshan’s outburst.
Only Ling Anxun’s lips curled up slightly, a hint of understanding in his eyes.
He said softly.
"What she means is that Ruoling is an exceptionally good and kind person. Children see things with perfect clarity; they don’t lie or make things up."
Ling Zhenkang, being worldly and wise, immediately understood the subtle compliment.
He chuckled and crouched down, asking gently.
"What about Grandpa? Does Grandpa have a shiny light around him?"
"Yes! Of course, you do!"
Shanshan nodded her little head without hesitation.
"Grandpa has the most light! It’s brighter than the stars, and it’s warm. It makes Shanshan feel so comfy inside!"
"HAHA, good! What a good girl!"
Ling Zhenkang laughed heartily, his eyes filled with affection.
"From now on, Shanshan should also be a good girl who shines all over. Have light in your heart and brighten the lives of others, okay?"
With that, he took out a red envelope and placed it in Shanshan’s small hand.
"This is a special surprise from Grandpa. Keep it safe, and don’t spend it frivolously."
Before she could even finish with her gifts, another surprise arrived.
Shanshan’s little face flushed with excitement as she jumped up and down, shouting.
"Thank you, Grandpa! Thank you, Grandpa! Shanshan loves Grandpa the most!"
Ye Ruoling also approached with a smile, gently placing the gift box in front of Shanshan.
"I wasn’t here when you arrived, so I couldn’t greet you personally. This is to make up for it. And I actually prepared two gifts, so you have to take both."
"Wow! Thank you, Auntie! Shanshan loves them! Shanshan is the happiest kid in the whole world today!"
Shanshan spread her arms wide, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled.
Listening to the child’s soft voice, the weight in Ling Anxun’s heart seemed to lighten and shift.
’He was so glad he had met Shanshan.’
’If it weren’t for her, he might have spent the rest of his life trapped in a past he couldn’t let go of.’
’He was even more grateful to be her father.’
’Ever since his accident, the house had never felt this warm.’
’It was Shanshan who had brought light back into the cold, icy home.’
「In the evening」
The whole family gathered around the table for a lively dinner.
Ling Anxun had specially ordered a custom-made high chair.
As soon as Shanshan sat in it, she was at the perfect height for the table.
Except her little arms were too short to reach the dishes farther away, even when stretched out.
"Daddy, Shanshan wants to eat the big meatball."
Her little finger pointed to the plate of Braised Lion’s Head meatballs, the farthest dish from her.
"Okay, Daddy will get it for you."
Ling Anxun’s tone was tinged with a rare softness.
He picked up the serving chopsticks, first placing a meatball gently into Shanshan’s bowl.
Then he added some green vegetables, deliberately picking out the tenderest part.
Everyone at the table froze.
Several of his nephews paused mid-motion, their chopsticks hovering in the air as their gazes snapped in unison toward Ling Anxun.
They had known since they were little that their youngest uncle was an extremely fastidious person.
He wouldn’t just refuse to serve a child food—if someone even touched his cup, he would immediately replace it with a new one.
But Ling Anxun didn’t just serve her food; he even casually wiped a smear of sauce off her face with a napkin.
"Hee hee, Daddy, you try a bite! This is super yummy!"
Shanshan grinned, her eyes curving into crescents.
She couldn’t hold chopsticks properly, so she just grabbed her spoon with her little hand and held it directly to Ling Anxun’s mouth.
No one dared to move.
Everyone knew that Ling Anxun detested messes and filth.
His earlier actions were already shocking enough.
And now, his daughter was actually feeding him by hand?
Everyone assumed he wouldn’t eat it.
"Daddy, why aren’t you eating?"
Shanshan tilted her head, her voice crisp and clear.
"Grandma’s cooking is the best food I’ve ever had! I never got to eat anything this delicious before."
"You’re not all better yet, so you have to eat well to get healthy again."
She pushed her little hand forward a bit more, waiting expectantly.
"Daddy, don’t be a picky eater. Good kids eat lots and lots of food. See how well-behaved Shanshan is?"
She used herself as an example, and Ling Anxun helplessly rubbed his temples.
But this time, the corners of his mouth tilted up uncontrollably.
He was silent for a moment, then finally, he slowly opened his mouth and took a bite of the meatball.
"Er... um, Shanshan, this fish soup was made by Grandma. Why don’t you try a sip? See if it’s good?"
Seeing her son hesitate to eat, Ding Qin’s heart was pounding with anxiety.
She was afraid his cold expression would hurt the child’s feelings and was anxious to smooth things over.
But in the end, her germaphobe son actually ate the meatball from Shanshan’s spoon with a perfectly calm expression.
Except for Ling Zhenkang, who managed to keep a straight face, everyone else was completely dumbfounded.
"Daddy’s such a good boy."
Shanshan might be young, but she was very perceptive.
She had long since noticed that her father was particularly fussy about these little details.
Seeing him eat the meatball, she immediately took a nearby towel and carefully wiped her hands.
After wiping, she turned her little palms over and over, inspecting them.
Once she confirmed they were clean, she nodded in satisfaction.
Then, under the watchful eyes of the entire room, she raised her small hand and gently patted Ling Anxun on the head.
Ling Anxun looked at her beaming little face and felt a strange sense of awkwardness.
He turned his head away, not wanting anyone to see the tips of his ears turning red.
"HAHAHA!"
Ling Zhiwei was the first to lose it, doubling over with laughter.
He gasped for breath, slapping the table.
"Youngest Uncle! You actually... you actually ate it! I thought you were going to flip the table!"
The laughter was infectious, and one by one, the whole family started laughing.
Shanshan didn’t understand what was so funny, but she joined in, GIGGLING.
The tense atmosphere from moments before shattered completely.
In its place were the aroma of hot food and the rising and falling sounds of conversation and laughter.
Even Ling Anxun, for the first time in forever, ate an extra half-bowl of rice.
「The next day」
Ling Anxun wanted to buy Shanshan a new dress.
But he hated going out in his wheelchair and having people point and stare.
He sat by the window, his gaze dimming for a moment as he looked out at the bright, sunny street.
After much thought, he decided to ask Ye Ruoling to take her.
"Shanshan likes pink. Nothing too flashy, and the fabric has to be soft..."
"Are we going out to buy a pretty dress? Wow! Shanshan is so happy!"
Hearing she could go out, the little one, who had been cooped up in the house for nearly a week, immediately brightened.
She instantly hopped off the sofa and dashed toward the door in her bare feet.
"I want a new dress! I want a princess dress!"
"Aren’t you coming with us? Shanshan wants to go with you."
Ye Ruoling’s heart softened as she saw the rare, relaxed look on Ling Anxun’s face, and she wanted to coax him into coming along.
Shanshan immediately looked at Ling Anxun, tugging at the corner of his shirt and shaking it back and forth.
"Daddy, please come! Shanshan wants you there!"
But Ling Anxun’s reply left no room for argument.
"Daddy’s not feeling well. Let your auntie take you, okay?"
In the past, this excuse had always worked. No one in the family would dare to press him further.
But this time, Shanshan didn’t buy it at all.
She stared with her big, bright eyes, her little cheeks puffed out, her expression full of suspicion.