Chapter 9. Cheap Paternal Love

Tan Yen’s face shifted instantly. Releasing his hold on me, he snapped to attention as if facing his superior: “Uncle Du.”

My father strode over, his face thunderous and dark as coal. He glared at the two of us for a long, agonizing moment before—without a word of warning—swinging his hand and landing a scorching slap right across Tan Yen’s face.

SMACK!

Tan Yen’s head snapped to the side. Yet he didn’t dodge, nor did he make any move to block or hit back.

My father’s voice dropped low, vibrating with rage: “You little punk. Did everything I warned you about back then go straight through one ear and out the other?!”

Gasping in horror, I lunged forward to shield Tan Yen, my heart breaking as my fingers gently brushed his reddening, swollen cheek: “Dad! What the hell are you doing?!”

Tan Yen pressed his tongue against the inside of his bruised cheek. Standing as straight and unyielding as bamboo, he met my father’s gaze: “I haven’t forgotten a word, Uncle Du. I backed down back then because I was just a broke kid with nothing to my name. But today, I am confident I can give her a good future.”

“A good future?” My father let out a bitter, mocking sneer. “How good could it possibly be? You think you’re richer than the Lam family?”

With that, he turned his eyes to me, his gaze dripping with cold disappointment.

“Lam Nam Thu called his family tonight saying the two of you weren’t a good fit. I knew something was wrong. The boy was clearly interested in you, yet he suddenly pulled a complete U-turn—you must have thrown one of your little tantrums and ruined everything at the last minute! Du Yen, would it literally kill you to be a little less selfish and show some common sense for once?”

My heart squeezed tight. If disappointment could be quantified, I’d already accumulated enough over the years to build a fortress. Ever since I was little, I knew that in my father’s eyes, power, money, and status were the only things that mattered. My late mother and my current stepmother were nothing more than convenient chess pieces to serve his ambitions. The only thing he truly cherished was his stepson—the golden child set to inherit his delusional little kingdom.

Even knowing that, a tiny, foolish part of me had harbored a distant hope that maybe, just maybe, he might love me the way he loved my half-brother. But tonight… ha. I guess my heart was officially dead. He would never care.

“Listen to you… so you secretly went behind my back to confront Tan Yen all those years ago, didn’t you?”

My guess was spot on. My father had indeed stepped in, just days before Tan Yen’s abrupt transfer to a new school. And the reason he had gone after him—laughable as it was—came down to my so-called “skin hunger.”

When it came to that, my dad was the absolute textbook definition of a toxic, old-school parent:

“What does a clueless kid know about actual medical conditions?”

“Skin hunger my ass! She’s just spoiled rotten and throwing a dramatic fit!”

It was the exact same mindset as parents who look at a depressed child and bark: “Depressed? You’ve got food on the table and clothes on your back, what do you have to be depressed about? You think you have as much pressure as an adult?!” Naturally, my dad was convinced I wasn’t sick at all; he just thought I was a shameless, loose girl. But knowing how stubborn I could be—and fearing I’d make a massive scene if he forced me to transfer or sent me abroad—he decided to train his sights on Tan Yen instead.

A seasoned, calculating fox in the business world needed nothing more than three harsh sentences to crush an eighteen-year-old boy’s pride straight into the dirt:

“Your family is dirt poor. Look at mine. You honestly think you’re worthy of my daughter? How are you going to support her?”

“Are you so sure Du Yen actually likes you, and isn’t just clinging to you out of childhood habit?”

“Your parents… hmph. Their careers and livelihoods are resting right in the palm of my hand.”

No wonder… No wonder Tan Yen had worked himself to the bone during his academy years like a man possessed. No wonder Uncle Tan, who had sat on his dream of starting a business for years without making a move, suddenly handed in his resignation and packed up the entire household right in the middle of Tan Yen’s high school senior year—the most critical juncture of his life.

It turned out every single tragedy back then had been orchestrated by my father’s hands. How could he interfere in another family’s life so ruthlessly and walk away without a shred of remorse?

“Dad,” I let out a hollow laugh, tears blurring my vision. “Did you do all that because you actually cared about me, or because you were terrified the neighbors would whisper that your daughter was easy, ruining your precious reputation—so you backed Tan Yen’s family into a corner to save face?”

“I’m guessing it was the second one, wasn’t it?”

My father’s brows knit together, clearly unwilling to waste his valuable time debating such useless nonsense with me. To him, family was meant to be a quiet, compliant rear guard while he climbed the social ladder—never a source of headaches. In his mind, “cleaning up” my embarrassing mess all those years ago was probably viewed as a grand favor, a glowing display of “paternal devotion.”

“Regardless of my reasons, you brought shame to this family with your reckless behavior. As the head of this house, was I wrong to step in and handle it?”

Tears streamed down my cheeks, but I suddenly burst into a light, weightless laugh. The very last thread of longing I held for familial affection crumbled into dust right then and there.

Maybe he loved me in his own twisted way, but that love would always rank dead last behind his interests and career. When push came to shove, blood relations were just sacrifices waiting to be offered up.

“No, how could you ever be wrong? You’re always right, Dad! You’re absolute!” I mocked bitterly. “But let me give you a fair warning: stay out of my life from now on. I won’t owe you a single cent when it comes to supporting you in your old age, but as for my future? Keep your hands off it!”

My father’s expression darkened instantly, a cold, calculating glint flashing in his eyes as he assessed my motives to craft his next move. Classic veteran investor style.

I scoffed, waving a dismissive hand: “You already kicked me out of the house anyway, and I don’t want a single penny of your money. Just like you dared me back then, go ahead and watch with your eyes wide open to see if I ever make anything of myself. But you’re forgetting one crucial thing…”

“I’m a blogger with over a hundred thousand followers on social media now. Aren’t you worried I might let something slip about our family’s dirty laundry on a live stream just to entertain the public?”

“For instance: ‘Heartless father forces late wife’s daughter into a business marriage just to secure a spot at a top school for his new wife’s son.’ If a juicy headline like that hits the trending page, your precious reputation is going to take a pretty massive hit, don’t you think?”

For a man who lived and died by status and reputation, his image was his ultimate Achilles’ heel. My words struck a direct hit, planting a visible seed of hesitation in his eyes. He glared at me in sheer rage, his fists clenched so tight the veins on his hands bulged like thick worms beneath his skin.

“Du Yen! You dare turn around and threaten your own biological father over a man?!”

“You’re only my father on my birth certificate and by blood,” I shrugged, flashing him a bone-chillingly cold smile. “As for how close we actually are… well, that’s debatable.”

My father was breathing so heavily his chest heaved violently, looking for all the world like he was on the verge of a heart attack, practically itching to step up and slap me again.

Before he could make a move, however, Tan Yen pulled me behind his back in a flash, his tall, imposing frame blocking me completely as he stood toe-to-toe with my father:

“Uncle Du, my family might not have a grand background like the Lam family right now.”

“However, my current assets and social connections are certainly not something anyone can just push around at will. In fact, there are a few high-level connections I hold that you might actually have to come begging me for in the future. Whether you want to burn this bridge entirely or keep things civil for future business… I suggest you consider carefully.”

Tan Yen’s tone remained calm, composed, and radiating the unmistakable aura of an authoritative leader. And yet, that damned system in my head suddenly broadcasted his true inner monologue loud and clear:

【 Holy crap, somebody save me!!! How the hell does my future father-in-law still have such a terrifying, killer aura after all these years? My hands are shaking! 】

【 I just raised my voice at my future father-in-law… Was that way too arrogant?! Did I just blow it completely?! 】

【 He’s not gonna lose his mind and slap me again, is he? My left cheek is still completely numb! But it doesn’t matter—my girl is right behind me. Even if I get beaten to death, I’m taking the hit for her. I won’t let him touch a single hair on her head! 】

Listening to Tan Yen’s utterly adorable, hilarious inner panicked thoughts, I couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh, a wave of warmth creeping into my heart. I reached out and firmly grasped his slightly trembling, tense hand, meeting my father’s glare right alongside him.

My father stared dead at the two of us for a long time. Realizing he couldn’t turn the tables, he settled for letting out a sharp, furious scoff: “Fine! The two of you are real brave! Just you wait!” With a bitter flick of his sleeve, he turned on his heel and stormed off.