I gripped the sharp piece of wood in my hand, using it to tear open my shirt and then shred it into pieces. I turned on my phone's dim light; the battery was low. It seemed the phone's mission was also nearing its end.
"Tang Yi, shall we play another game? If you're hungry, we'll eat a piece of cloth and pretend it's a delicious biscuit, okay?"
"Okay!" Tang Yi, extremely hungry, said with a hint of grievance.
I forced a smile, demonstrating by putting a piece of cloth into my own mouth, trying hard to swallow it. It was difficult, almost impossible to swallow. I had to drink some water and summon all my strength to set an example for the child.
Tang Yi imitated my action, stuffing the cloth into her mouth. She couldn't manage it at all, lacking any strength. She was too weak even to cry.
I watched her, my heart aching. I had heard that when children cry, it means they still have strength. If she couldn't even cry, she must be nearing her limit. I took a deep breath. Tang Yi, a descendant of The Schemer, had to deceive a child.
"If you don't eat the cloth strip, the big monster will come and eat you."
"No, I don't want to be without Daddy."
"How can you be without Daddy? Isn't Daddy right here with you?"
"Daddy ate the cloth strip, so the big monster won't eat Daddy. It will eat Yi Yi, and then Yi Yi won't have Daddy."
With that, little Tang Yi struggled with the cloth strip and finally managed to swallow it. A smile appeared on her dirty little face. I reached out to touch her cheek, thinking, *Tang Yi, it's so good to have you. I really don't want to die.*
But I strained my ears, listening for any sign of rescue. Twenty-four hours had passed. I couldn't hold on any longer. In my life, many schemers had completed their final gambit with their lives. Lin Han's grandfather, Li Jiu, old Mr. Wen De... even that old ghost whose fate was unknown. These people had taught me the meaning of legacy. What was called humanity was merely thoughts born of darkness in places sunlight couldn't reach within the heart.
But these people had planted so much sunshine in my heart that any dark thoughts that emerged were quickly banished by that light. I smiled. In the end, I had defied my own humanity and chosen to protect this child.
...
Just then, my phone's mission was complete; it ran out of power. The light vanished instantly. I felt for the child's small hand and handed her the water bottle, instructing her, "Only take a sip when you're extremely thirsty. Don't drink too much, or the big monster will appear."
"Okay~"
"If you hear Uncle's voice, you must call for help. They are the great heroes who defeated the big monster and can save us."
"Okay~"
"Tang Yi, one last thing. Daddy needs to sleep for a while. Will you protect Daddy for me?"
"Okay~"
"Good girl!"
This is all I could do. I couldn't hold on any longer, truly. My mind was still hazy, and I felt as if stones were pressing on my chest and back, squeezing me, making it impossible to breathe.
If I can't breathe... so be it.
Everyone faces death eventually!
I had so many regrets about life, but it was finally time to say goodbye. I closed my eyes, feeling like I was walking in pitch-black darkness. I didn't know where this night led, so I just kept walking. Gradually, I saw a light. The silent darkness began to fill with sound, like someone crying, a cacophony.
At that moment, someone approached, pried my eyes open, and I heard a voice by my ear, "Can you see? Follow my finger with your eyes." I rolled my eyeballs, trying to follow the direction of his finger.
I dialed Lin Han's number. The other end was very noisy, and Lin Han's voice sounded anxious, "Who is it?"
"It's me~"
Hearing my voice, Lin Han didn't say a word and began to cry uncontrollably on the phone.
...
Lin Han came to pick me up. Seeing Tang Yi nestled beside me, she asked in surprise, "Who is she?"
"My daughter."
I replied seriously.
Lin Han picked up Tang Yi and said to the paramedics she had brought along, "Be careful, his spine is injured."
Tang Yi looked at Lin Han curiously, "Auntie, where are we going?"
"Home!"
...
Because Lin Han donated two hundred million yuan to the earthquake-stricken areas in my name, I was flown back to a private hospital in Beijing that same day. After a comprehensive examination, I was fortunate that my spine wasn't broken; the dislocation was repaired, and my ankle was also fixed.
I don't know how long I slept before waking up to bright sunshine. I turned my head and saw Tang Yi, clean and neat, wearing a large diaper, sprawled asleep on the small bed next to me. The dirty little bear was still by her side, though it had bandages in several places, as if she had been treating its injuries.
A while later, Lin Han pushed the door open, pulled over a chair, and sat by the bed. She tossed her designer bag on the floor, kicked off her high heels, and casually rested her feet on my leg, completely devoid of the elite businesswoman demeanor she had when she entered. "So tired! I almost thought I'd be a widow."
I gave a helpless smile. Lin Han picked up an apple from the table and handed it to me. "Want an apple?" As I reached out, she snatched it back and pouted, "Not for you."
Seeing her reaction, my mouth fell open in surprise. She chuckled and handed me a banana, saying gently, "The doctor said you can only eat soft things." As I reached out again, she glared and pulled her hand back, her expression changing instantly. "Not for you either."
Understanding dawned on me, and I smiled bitterly. "Are you angry?"
"Yes, Tang Nan. You and your senior sister Cao Qian are ancient history. Don't dwell on what happened back then. I've let it go, so why are you still thinking about it?"
"But..."
I looked at Tang Yi. Lin Han smiled, picked up her bag from the floor, and took out a report, handing it to me.
"What is it?"
"A paternity test!"
I opened it. According to the paternity test results, there was no biological relationship between me and this Tang Yi.
"Is that so? Wife, why did you suddenly decide to get a paternity test?"
"Intuition of a rival." Lin Han said indistinctly, chewing on an apple.
"What rival? Who are you rivals with? But if this Tang Yi is also a fake, Cao Qian is truly extraordinary. Actually, it wasn't just me who was deceived. It was Lu Yao at first. Ye Qingcheng tortured Lu Yao severely, believing what Lu Yao said was the truth, so Ye Qingcheng was deceived. Then a chain reaction occurred, and I was also deceived."
Just then, Tang Yi, who had woken up, sat up and mumbled groggily, "Daddy, I'm hungry."
"Little pig, always looking for food as soon as you open your eyes."
Lin Han handed the banana she had just held to Tang Yi and said with a smile, "Good girl, eat this."
"Thank you, Auntie."
"I'm not Auntie, I'm your Mommy." Lin Han suddenly declared.
"My mommy is called Cao Qian."
"No, from today onwards, your Daddy is Tang Nan, and your Mommy is Lin Han."
Tang Yi didn't know who her mother was. She had only been repeatedly told one concept: her Daddy was Tang Nan, and her Mommy was Cao Qian. Hearing Lin Han say this, she looked at me. I smiled knowingly. Even if I wasn't this child's biological father, she would be my daughter in the future. I looked at Tang Yi seriously and repeated what Lin Han had just said: "From today onwards, your Daddy is Tang Nan, and your Mommy is Lin Han."
Tang Yi trusted me implicitly and nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes, thank you, Mommy!"
Hearing Tang Yi call her that, Lin Han's face actually turned red. She pulled her leg back and straightened her clothes. I looked at her curiously, "What's wrong?"
"When you're a mother, you have to act like one."