He had planned today’s meeting carefully, choosing a quiet restaurant specifically so he could catch up with his daughter alone.

He had been looking forward to this one-on-one time with his daughter for so long, but then an unexpected guest showed up at the last minute.

’Next time I arrange to meet her, I’ll have to be more discreet.’

But as it turned out, once Ling Zhiwei started talking, he never stopped.

The father and daughter didn’t even have a chance to get a word in.

Shanshan could only shoot her father the occasional apologetic look before being pulled back into the conversation.

Looking at their two faces, brimming with youthful energy, he was overcome with an indescribable emotion.

For the first time, he felt like he couldn’t keep up.

He was only in his early thirties, yet he felt ten years older.

It was as if an invisible wall stood between him and his daughter.

’Maybe my daughter thinks I’m too old?’

’That we just can’t get on the same page?’

The moment the thought surfaced, it started growing wildly in his mind like a weed.

He couldn’t help but recall their conversation on the training grounds earlier, his daughter’s thoughtless comment echoing in his ears.

Once the feeling took root, it was impossible to suppress. It just kept growing.

Ling Anxun barely touched his food throughout the entire meal.

’Am I really getting old?’

When the meal finally ended, Ling Zhiwei was stuffed to the gills.

He was just wondering if he should ask his younger cousin to go for a walk with him.

But one look at his uncle’s face, which was as dark as a thundercloud, made his legs go weak, and he turned to bolt.

"Shanshan, I’m heading out! If you need anything, just give me a shout! See you at school!"

he called out, looking back as he put on his shoes.

Only after seeing Shanshan nod did he breathe a sigh of relief, pushing the door open and quickly disappearing down the hall.

"Okay, bye, Fourth Bro."

Shanshan waved with a wide smile.

The words were barely out of her mouth before she was already linking her arm affectionately through her dad’s.

She didn’t notice how grim her father’s expression was, assuming he was just tired.

She held his arm tightly, her steps falling in sync with his.

"Dad, let’s go shopping, huh? We haven’t gone out together in forever."

She’d counted on her fingers; the last time they’d gone shopping together was three months ago.

They had seen each other a few times in between, but it was always at home or during a ride, never with a real chance to talk.

Back when Shanshan lived at home, Ling Anxun would always manage to make it back to sleep in his own bed, no matter how busy he was.

The father and daughter saw each other almost every day.

Now that she was at boarding school, they could only see each other once a week on the weekends.

Their calls were short, and they didn’t have much to talk about.

But the more this went on, the more she felt like something was coming between them.

Sometimes he’d work late and wouldn’t come home at all.

They would go half a month, sometimes a whole month, seeing each other only once.

The longest they’d gone was two months and seven days.

So when she’d suddenly bumped into her dad on the training grounds, Shanshan had been secretly ecstatic.

She had thought she wouldn’t get to see him again this weekend.

She knew her dad wasn’t one to show his feelings, but she understood him.

His silence hid his concern, and his sternness was a cloak for his gentle nature.

The two of them slowly made their way toward a bustling pedestrian street.

Ling Anxun mulled it over again and again as they walked. Finally, he mustered his courage and asked cautiously.

"Shanshan, do you think... that Dad’s getting a little old? Do you feel like there’s a generation gap between us, that we have trouble talking?"

"Huh?"

Shanshan nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard that.

In her mind, her dad had always been this strong, dependable person who never doubted himself.

She hugged her dad’s arm tight, her small, soft body pressing against him.

The gesture made Ling Anxun’s heart skip a beat, and he instinctively tried to pull his arm away.

But her grip was too tight; he couldn’t break free.

"You’re the handsomest, coolest man I know! How are you old? I heard my big brothers say a man doesn’t even hit his prime until he’s forty! You’re not even at your peak yet, so what right do you have to call yourself old?"

Seeing his daughter speak with such a serious expression, her eyes shining...

a warm feeling spread through Ling Anxun’s heart.

The tangled knot of insecurity he’d been holding inside was finally smoothed out by her words.

Shanshan had actually noticed for a while that her dad had something heavy on his mind, and she was secretly dying of laughter.

But she didn’t call him out on it. Instead, she laid the praise on even thicker.

She deliberately leaned in close to Ling Anxun, tilting her head up to look at him.

One moment she was complimenting his distinguished air, the next his sharp sense of style. Her words were as sweet as honey.

Ling Anxun was so puffed up with pride he felt several pounds lighter. In the end, he threw all caution to the wind and went on a shopping spree, swiping his card until his hand ached.

He buried Shanshan in clothes and jewelry, buying everything in sight.

After paying, Ling Anxun even made a point of asking the salesclerk to wrap the gift boxes extra nicely.

When she squeezed through the door to her dorm room, loaded down with bags, her roommates were all dumbstruck.

"Oh my god! Shanshan, did you win the lottery? This brand is top-tier affordable luxury, and you bought a whole outfit?"

Yuan Min was the first to jump up. She grabbed a jacket and flipped over the price tag, her eyes going wide.

"And this necklace! Are these real saltwater pearls? Holy crap, it even has a certificate of authenticity? This must’ve cost over a thousand bucks!"

Xiao Xiaojun carefully picked up the box.

After a peek inside, she didn’t even dare to touch the surface of the pearls.

"Whoa, I’m obsessed with these shoes! I want a pair too!"

Yang Yuying squatted right down, cradling the shoebox and turning it over and over, muttering about the color scheme and design.

The three of them crowded around, examining the items from every angle and squealing with excitement.

The whole dorm room instantly erupted in a clamor of laughter and amazed gasps.

Watching them, Shanshan couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"It’s just a few trinkets. If you like something, feel free to take it. My closets at home are piled high with stuff like this, like a warehouse."

She casually tossed the bags onto her bed and started unpacking.

"Whoa, no, no, no, we couldn’t possibly take something so expensive."

The three of them quickly pulled their hands back, their expressions a little stiff.

Yang Yuying’s family was relatively well-off.

But even she couldn’t just casually buy things of this caliber.

The most she usually did was check out the sales during discount season.

Actually placing an order would require two weeks of deliberation.

And that was to say nothing of the other two roommates.

Suddenly, they felt an invisible wall rise between them and Shanshan.

They were no longer as boisterous and casual with her as before, becoming reserved instead.

Shanshan immediately sensed the strange shift in the atmosphere.

Once she figured out what was going on, she decided to just lay her cards on the table before bed, breaking the silence in the room.

"Are you guys deliberately putting distance between us just because you think my family’s rich?"

She lifted her head, her gaze sweeping across the three of them.

"Huh? What are you talking about! Of course not!"

Yuan Min froze, not at all expecting such a direct question. Her face flushed red, and she quickly burrowed under her covers.

Luckily, the lights were already out, so no one could see her embarrassment.

Xiao Xiaojun, who was beside her, lost her composure as well and quickly tried to do damage control.

"Shanshan, you’re overthinking it. We really weren’t thinking that."

"Yeah, yeah, don’t go making wild guesses."

Yuan Min chimed in, her voice wavering.

The three of them went back and forth, sounding as if they were trying to comfort Shanshan.

In reality, it sounded more like they were trying to convince themselves they had nothing to feel guilty about.

Shanshan didn’t waste any more words. She simply told them her life story, from beginning to end.

The other girls listened, dumbfounded. They almost sat bolt upright to hear better.

Who would have thought that the cheerful, clever Shanshan they knew had actually suffered so much hardship in her childhood?

And just like that, the wall came down.

She rolled over, buried her face in her pillow, and smiled.

Then, she pulled the covers up to her shoulders. Before she closed her eyes, she thought,

’Things are finally moving according to plan.’

’Good thing I’m quick on my feet. I knew just when to reveal my scars.’