Chapter 85: Having Shanshan Is Enough
"Alright, let’s ignore them. Shanshan loves Daddy most, and Daddy loves Shanshan most."
He held her a bit tighter, his chin resting gently on the crown of her head.
Shanshan gripped Ling Anxun’s hand, her little face flushed red.
Though she was young, she already knew how to protect this father who doted on her so completely.
Faced with the chatter of all her nosy relatives, she had a retort for every one of their comments.
Meanwhile, Ling Anxun stood at her side, his gaze sweeping over everyone.
He no longer overthought things just because Shanshan seemed a little distant.
In the past, his heart would sink if Shanshan so much as frowned or failed to call him "Daddy" just once.
But now, he had learned to be composed.
He was even deeply annoyed when his parents secretly brought up the subject of matchmaking.
That night, in the kitchen, he heard his mother say to his father,
"Anxun seems really down lately. Should we introduce him to a nice girl? It’s time for him to start over."
Before she could finish, the porcelain bowl in Ling Anxun’s hand crashed heavily against the side of the sink.
He said nothing, simply turning and walking back to his room.
That night, he stayed up looking at old photos of Shanshan by lamplight.
"Dad, Mom, don’t bring up matchmaking again. I’ve told you before, Shanshan is all I need."
He sat at the dining table with his chopsticks resting on the rim of his bowl, his gaze fixed on his parents.
"Anxun! Shanshan is going to grow up and have a family of her own! How can she rest easy knowing you’ll be all alone? Aren’t you just holding her back?"
The rims of his mother Ding Qin’s eyes were red.
She couldn’t understand why her son would rather devote himself to a child than allow himself the possibility of a new life.
Ling Zhenkang tried a different approach, hoping to talk some sense into him.
"She’ll have to go to school, get a job, and get married someday. You can’t keep her tied to your side forever. You’re a man; you should have your own life. You can’t spend your whole life living for someone else."
Ling Anxun’s expression darkened instantly, and he shot to his feet.
"I’ll live a good life. I will never be a burden to her. You don’t need to worry about it."
With that, he walked out without a backward glance.
Behind him, Ding Qin slapped her husband hard on the shoulder.
"What was that for? Think how horrible that must have sounded to him! He’s already suffering enough, and you go and rub salt in the wound?"
Her eyes were red-rimmed, her hand still resting on Ling Zhenkang’s shoulder.
"I was just trying to get him to see reason!"
Ling Zhenkang sighed.
It wasn’t as if his own heart didn’t ache for his son.
But that was precisely why he was so afraid Anxun would spend his whole life trapped in this fixation, unable to break free.
It wasn’t that he didn’t understand sentiment, but he believed the living had to move forward.
The boy was a good kid in every respect, but he was stubborn as an ox and wouldn’t listen to a word anyone said.
Ling Zhenkang stared at the closed door, his heart a turmoil of mixed emotions.
When he’d joined the army, everyone had advised him to take a local post, but he’d insisted on joining the most arduous border defense unit.
Now, with Shanshan, he had the same attitude, willing to die alone rather than relent.
Ling Zhenkang sighed.
His other sons had successful careers and happy families.
Only Ling Anxun refused to settle down.
The bitter jealousy in Cao Daqiang’s heart festered, growing stronger by the moment.
He stood on the edge of the crowd, hands shoved in his pockets.
He had once been a man of some distinction in the service. And now?
He didn’t even have an official post, just a temp job to get by.
’How did a jinx of a little girl, one they said had a cursed fate that harmed her parents, end up living so well?’
He shot a sideways glance at Shanshan. The little girl wore a pretty dress, her hair tied in two pigtails.
He remembered what the villagers used to say about her. ’That girl won’t survive.’ ’She’s a jinx who brings misfortune to her family. Anyone who gets close to her is doomed.’
’But look at her now.’
’The Ling family treats her like a priceless treasure. She wants for nothing—food, clothes, you name it.’
’And then there’s me.’
’I used to be a deputy company commander, and now I’m just standing guard. A true fall from grace.’
’But I, Cao Daqiang, am not one to be underestimated.’
’Give me a foothold, and I’ll claw my way back up.’
’I still have my skills, my connections, and what’s left of my reputation from the old days.’
’All it takes is one opportunity, and I can ride it right back to the top.’
His gaze fell on Ling Anxun, then shifted to Shanshan.
Perhaps he stared for too long. Shanshan, who had been playing happily, suddenly turned her head, and their eyes locked.
Cao Daqiang’s heart seized. His first instinct was to look away, but Shanshan charged straight toward him.
He hastily took half a step back.
Before he could react, the little girl was in front of him, her small face tilted up as she stared at him.
’Don’t tell me this kid recognizes me?’
"Shanshan, what is it? Who’s this? Do you know him?"
Another little boy caught up, sizing up Cao Daqiang.
"He looks creepy."
"Hey kids, I’m not a bad guy. See my uniform? It’s just like the ones your dads wear, right?"
There was no getting away, so Cao Daqiang had no choice but to continue.
"A uniform? My dad says everyone in a uniform is family!"
A little boy glanced at his uniform and immediately relaxed.
He tugged on Cao Daqiang’s sleeve and looked up, saying,
"My dad’s a soldier, too!"
Cao Daqiang nodded eagerly.
"That’s right, that’s right! You’re absolutely right, little guy! We who wear the uniform are all brothers! What are your parents’ names? I might even know them, you know?"
He bent down, his eyes surreptitiously scanning the child’s clothes and accessories.
’This kid is well-dressed. His family must be important.’
The gears in Cao Daqiang’s mind began to turn.
He quickly ran through a mental list of all the officers he knew, plotting how to fish for more information.
"My dad is—"
Shanshan clapped a small hand over the boy’s mouth, her eyes fixed on Cao Daqiang.
"Stop asking. We don’t know you."
"Ayan! Don’t talk! He’s a bad man!"
Shanshan abruptly grabbed her friend’s arm.
"Nonsense! I’m wearing a military uniform. How could I possibly be a bad guy?"
Cao Daqiang’s face fell.
"What do you kids know? Who dares say I’m not a good person?"
The more Cao Daqiang spoke, the more agitated he became. He raised his arm and gave his old, faded uniform a vigorous shake.
"I’ve served in the army! Could I be a bad person? You tell me! Go on, say it!"
"Hmph! Who are you kidding? Don’t think we’re that easy to fool!"
Shanshan sneered.
She took half a step back, shielding the other children behind her more closely.
"Last time, you used your own daughter as bait and pretended a ’child trafficker’ was trying to snatch me! You made up stories to scare us, saying three kids had already disappeared from the next village and I was nearly the next one..."
"If I hadn’t been smart enough to get everyone over the wall and hide in the woodshed on the back hill, we’d have been sold off to some remote village as child laborers! And you have the nerve to stand here and act all righteous? Pah!"
With that one speech, Shanshan made Cao Daqiang sound like the ringleader of a trafficking gang.
Hearing this, the children all backed away in unison, huddling close to Shanshan.
One little boy wearing a red neckerchief even bent down, picked up a rock, and clutched it in his hand, staring warily at Cao Daqiang.
"You... You just wait!"
Cao Daqiang’s face was ashen, his lips trembling.
He had thought that by showing up and trying to cozy up to them, he might get these children of officials to put in a good word for him.
Instead, he had just landed himself in hot water.