The momentary shock and anger passed, and Su Nuanuan quickly regained her composure.
Maybe it was just a clueless kid who called everyone "Dad."
But the more she tried to reassure herself, the more unsettled she felt.
Her mother's health was fragile—what if her father really had a secret child outside?
Su Nuanuan abandoned the idea of leaving a comment, grabbed her car keys, and rushed out.
Her home wasn’t far from the company headquarters—just a ten-minute drive. When she arrived, Su Linhai was in a meeting.
She waited in his office. Despite the sweltering summer heat, cold sweat trickled down her back.
She kept replaying the happy memories of her family, unable to believe her father could ever cheat. His love for her mother, his devotion to her—none of it could be fake.
Hunched over with her knees drawn up, Su Nuanuan stared blankly at the family photo on the desk. In it, she sat cradled in her father’s arms, beaming with joy.
Tears welled up without warning.
The office door suddenly swung open.
Su Nuanuan lifted her tear-streaked face. A tall, lean middle-aged man stood in the doorway, his expression lighting up with surprise. His voice was gentle. "Nuanuan, what brings you here—you’re crying?"
He quickly shut the door and strode forward, his brows furrowing with concern. "Who upset you?"
Su Nuanuan had been spoiled by him her whole life. Hearing his soothing voice, the floodgates burst open, and tears poured uncontrollably.
"Nuanuan, what happened? You’re scaring me!" The creases at Su Linhai’s eyes deepened with worry.
His daughter was usually bright and cheerful—if she was crying like this, something serious must have happened.
Su Nuanuan sniffled, her voice thick. "Did you attend Grandpa Du’s birthday banquet last night?"
"Yes," Su Linhai answered, confused.
"I stayed home with Mom. Did you take someone else with you?" She turned her head slightly, watching him.
Su Linhai: "Of course not!"
How could he have another woman by his side? Who dared spread such nonsense to his daughter?
Su Nuanuan already trusted him, and his firm denial only strengthened her belief. She was now convinced Qi Quan had fabricated the story—but she pressed further.
"Did you smoke by the flower bed outside the banquet hall last night?"
"Ah… yes." Su Linhai chuckled awkwardly. "Don’t worry, I didn’t bring the smell home."
His wife’s health couldn’t tolerate smoke, but last night, the weight on his mind had driven him to sneak a cigarette.
"And a little boy called you 'Dad'?" Su Nuanuan wiped her tears, forcing a teasing smile.
Su Linhai shook his head, bewildered. "No."
"Really? I heard it was a five or six-year-old boy in a pale yellow coat, right by your legs."
"Absolutely not." A shadow flickered across Su Linhai’s face before he softened again. "Nuanuan, don’t listen to baseless rumors."
Eighteen years of familiarity allowed Su Nuanuan to see right through him—the pain buried deep in his eyes, churning like storm clouds.
He was hiding something.
Her trust, just moments ago unshaken, wavered. She studied him silently before speaking. "Dad, the boy’s coat had a dandelion print. You really don’t remember?"
Su Linhai’s face drained of color. His lips trembled, and even his usually straight posture slumped slightly.
Su Nuanuan froze, thunderstruck.
It was true. Her father had lied to her.
Her eyes burned red, but before she could demand answers, Su Linhai’s expression darkened with fury. "Who told you this?!"
In all her eighteen years, her father had never raised his voice at her like this.
A surge of indignation and rage swelled in Su Nuanuan’s chest. She glared up at him. "Who is that boy? Why did he call you Dad? Tell me!"
"Nuanuan, just tell me who gave you this information. Don’t ask anything else." Su Linhai’s hands shook as he gripped her shoulders.
Su Nuanuan thought he was trying to cover his tracks. A bitter laugh escaped her. "Don’t bother. It’s already online—everyone knows!"
"Online?" Su Linhai’s face turned ashen. "Where?"
Had a business rival dug up his past to humiliate him?
No.
Nuanuan said a boy called him "Dad" while he was smoking.
But when he smoked, no one was around.
What was going on?
Seeing his daughter’s unfamiliar, distrustful gaze, Su Linhai’s heart ached. He sighed. "Nuanuan, it’s not what you think. Just show me what’s online first, and I’ll explain everything, alright?"
Su Nuanuan’s gaze fell on the streaks of gray at his temples. Her anger softened.
Maybe she had misunderstood.
She couldn’t just take Qi Quan’s word for it, could she?
She pulled up Qi Quan’s post and handed it to Su Linhai. "Read this."
Su Linhai had little business dealings with the Qi family, but their younger generations mingled, so he was somewhat familiar with them. The Qi family’s affairs weren’t exactly secret—he’d heard bits and pieces despite his busy schedule.
He skimmed the earlier sections about the "true and fake heiresses" with disinterest, frowning—until he reached the final paragraph.
Su Linhai stood frozen.
Hearing Su Nuanuan’s retelling hadn’t affected him much, but reading those words firsthand shattered his composure.
The seasoned businessman covered his face and broke down sobbing.
Su Nuanuan was stunned. She fumbled to comfort him—she’d never seen her father cry, let alone like this.
It tore at her heart.
"Dad, what’s going on?" she asked hesitantly.
Su Linhai wept for a while. Facing his daughter’s concern, he had so much to say but no words to express it.
When he finally steadied himself, his voice was hoarse. "The person who wrote this… is the Qi family’s recently returned daughter, right?"
"Probably."
Su Linhai spoke solemnly. "I need to meet her."
Qi Yuan lounged on the living room sofa, growing increasingly impatient as Su Nuanuan failed to post the comment he’d asked for. Annoyed, he tagged her in the group chat:
[@Su Nuanuan What’s the hold-up? My comment’s already been approved, and you still haven’t posted yours?]
[Qian Kun: Bro, relax. It’s fine now. Maybe Nuanuan got held up with something.]
[Qi Yuan: What could possibly hold her up?]
The moment he sent that, Su Nuanuan messaged him privately:
[Qi Yuan, was this post written by Qi Quan?]
Qi Yuan snapped back: [Why does that matter? Scared to comment now that you know it’s her?]
[Su Nuanuan: No. My dad read it. He wants to meet Qi Quan. Is she home? We’ll come over now if she is.]
[...]
Qi Yuan: […]
What kind of mess was this?!
He suddenly recalled the last part of the post. He’d assumed Qi Quan had added it for dramatic flair—but now… had she stirred up real trouble?
How did this woman manage to cause chaos even through fiction?!
