A soft hum sounded by his ear.
Longjiu tilted her head, her golden eyes fixed on the stiffened Bai Li.
That half-smiling, half-mocking expression made his skin crawl.
“Are you afraid to look Mother in the eye, my dear daughter?”
The moment the words left her mouth, Bai Li felt a jolt of shock, freezing in place as if struck by lightning.
He never imagined that even now, this girl would remain so stubborn, without the slightest intention of reflecting on her actions!
Her head was still filled with the absurd notion of making him demean himself by calling her Mother!
This was simply preposterous, a complete reversal of the natural order!
He had lived his whole life with integrity, acting with a clear conscience.
How did he end up being treated like this by the child he had raised with his own two hands?
Bai Li gritted his teeth, his eyes wide with indignation, yet he didn’t dare to meet her gaze immediately…
The anger and frustration in his heart bubbled up like boiling water.
He raced to find a way to retort that would preserve his dignity as a father without being easily manipulated by this girl.
Seeing his silence, the smile in Longjiu’s eyes deepened.
She pressed closer, her tone dripping with mischief.
“What is it? Do you realize you’ve done something wrong? Or are you too guilty to speak to Mother?”
‘Damn it!’
Bai Li cursed inwardly, fuming with rage.
Back then, he had spent over ten years painstakingly caring for this girl, looking after her every need since she was a baby in diapers.
From her first words to her blooming into a young woman, the effort he had poured into her was too great to be described.
‘A scholar can be killed, but not insulted! Today, I must make things clear to her!’
Taking a deep breath as if gathering every ounce of his courage, Bai Li suddenly looked up.
His gaze was like fire as he met Longjiu’s eyes, and he barked with all his might, “Longjiu! You brat!”
His voice trembled slightly due to his agitation.
“After everything, you still dare to call me your daughter? Longjiu! You brat! Even if you have lived many times longer than I have, I truly was your father for over ten years! How can you change that kindness and that hierarchy just because you want to?”
“So I’m telling you, I will always be your father! You want me to bow down and call you Mother? That’s pure fantasy, a total pipe dream! It’s absolutely impossible!”
His speech was impassioned and powerful.
Bai Li spoke with such fervor that spit flew, his chest heaving as if he had already won this battle for his dignity.
He even felt a secret sense of pride, thinking that his righteous lecture would surely make the girl realize her mistakes and bow her head in apology.
However, Longjiu merely looked at him in silence for a brief moment.
“Heh.”
That light chuckle was like a feather brushing against his heart.
It made Bai Li feel instantly uncomfortable; the hair on his arms stood up, and an ominous premonition rose within him.
“Wh—what are you laughing at!”
Bai Li snapped, hurriedly raising his voice to hide his nervousness.
“I am speaking to you with total sincerity and seriousness, you brat!”
“If you have even a shred of conscience left and know the meaning of filial piety and respect, then release us this instant! I still have to rush over to discuss important matters with Baining. If something major is delayed, can you take responsibility for it?”
Bai Li rattled on, lecturing her incessantly.
He went from the debt of upbringing to ethical hierarchies, from logic and rules to social graces, wishing he could dump out every grievance in his heart.
The more he spoke, the more animated he became, his gestures growing elaborate like a teacher arguing a point in a classroom.
Yet Longjiu remained silent.
She simply watched him with those gentle yet oppressive eyes, her gaze burning as if she were looking at a kitten baring its claws without any real threat.
Longjiu chuckled inwardly.
‘It seems my dear Father still hasn’t realized the situation he’s in.’
Her father had always been the type who could be persuaded by kindness but never by force.
It was also thanks to Baining and Ziya’s constant indulgence and protection that he stayed this way.
Since that was the case, she would use both the carrot and the stick, tailoring the remedy to the person to make him submit.
Besides, she hadn’t yet vented enough of her frustration over him running away from home and neglecting her for so long.
Now that the person she thought of day and night was finally back by her side, how could she let him go so easily?
‘Tonight, I’ll settle the score and let him taste the “main course”!’
“Enough!”
Longjiu suddenly gave a light shout, cutting off Bai Li’s endless nagging.
Before he could react, she raised her right hand and gently covered his small mouth.
The warmth of her palm transferred through his skin, accompanied by the slightly cool sensation of dragon scales.
Bai Li froze instantly.
“Mmph! Mmpf-mmpf!”
The sudden movement threw Bai Li into a panic.
His eyes widened as he struggled desperately, his limbs flailing.
He could only let out muffled whimpers, looking both anxious and angry, like a small animal whose mouth had been clamped shut.
He kicked his legs and swayed his body, using every trick he knew, but against Longjiu’s rock-solid strength, all his struggling proved futile.
Before he could break free, Longjiu flicked her wrist slightly, tossing Bai Li’s small frame steadily onto the soft bed.
The mattress shook slightly; Bai Li bounced up briefly before falling back heavily into the bedding, his head spinning.
The fluffy quilt wrapped around him. It was soft, yet it left him with nowhere to find leverage.
He snapped out of it instantly, ignoring the soreness in his body.
He scrambled to sit up on the bed and yelled at the top of his lungs, “You rebellious daughter! What do you think you’re doing?”
At this moment, the unease in his heart grew stronger.
‘I’m definitely not escaping this girl’s clutches tonight.’
Longjiu walked slowly to the bedside.
Each step was unhurried but carried an invisible pressure that made Bai Li instinctively shrink back.
She leaned over slightly, her golden eyes reflecting Bai Li’s panicked state.
Her tone was soft and sweet, yet carried an undeniable dominance.
“Daughter, you ran away from home for so long this time, completely ignoring Mother. Mother was heartbroken and lost her appetite, you know?”
“What time is it that you’re still playing this ridiculous house-playing game? Rebellious daughter, you are simply unreasonable!”
Bai Li’s face flushed red as he retorted through gritted teeth.
Longjiu chuckled.
Her fingertips lightly brushed the messy hair on Bai Li’s forehead.
Her movements were gentle enough to melt water, but her tone carried a dangerous tenderness.
“Since ancient times, disobedient children have to receive a little punishment…”
Before she finished speaking, Longjiu leaned in, firmly trapping Bai Li between the bed and herself.
Her arms propped up beside him, forming an airtight embrace.
The distance between them was impossibly close.
Their breaths intertwined, and the air was instantly filled with an ambiguous yet cozy atmosphere.
They were so close they could clearly feel each other’s warm breath.
Bai Li’s heart skipped a beat, and his face heated up uncontrollably, his ears turning deep red.