Right or wrong, he was always the first to stand on Shanshan’s side.

Even if Shanshan did something wrong, he would only ask her softly, "Did someone bother you first?"

But now, Fang Jianing’s pretentious act failed to arouse even a shred of sympathy in him; instead, it filled his heart with a surge of annoyance.

Ling Zhiwei’s brow furrowed, and he spoke in a cold voice that suddenly rang out sharply.

"Grandma! Who is this person you brought back? Look at what she’s done! She has a heart as black as night, bullying a child! You be the judge!"

"Zhiwei! What nonsense are you spouting?!"

"Apologize to Aunt Fang right now! You’re getting more and more unruly!"

"Why should I?"

Ling Zhiwei craned his neck, refusing to back down, his voice booming.

"I won’t! She started it—she pushed and hit her, the evidence is undeniable! She’s the one who should apologize! Is my sister supposed to get bullied while I just stand by and take it?"

"You!"

Hearing her son talk back, Ding Qin flew into a rage and raised her hand to smack him on the back of the head.

"So young and already learning bad habits, only knowing how to protect your own! Now shut your mouth!"

Ding Qin stood to the side, her gaze falling on Shanshan, and saw that the little girl’s face was filthy.

Her heart clenched. Just as she was about to step forward and pull her granddaughter into her arms, her husband rushed past her.

"Shanshan!"

Ling Anxun crouched down, carefully cupping his daughter’s small face, his voice filled with heartache.

"How did you fall so hard?"

Shanshan bit her lower lip, tears welling in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

"Mm... It was her. She snuck up and kicked me from behind... I didn’t even have time to react... and I fell..."

She looked down at her dress, now stained with muddy water, her voice trailing off.

"You picked this out especially for me last month... You told me not to wear it just anywhere... I never dared to wear it... Today was the first time I wore it out... and now... it’s completely ruined..."

Ling Anxun gently patted her back, again and again.

"Ms. Fang, why don’t you tell us what happened?"

"I really didn’t touch her!"

Fang Jianing hurriedly defended herself, spreading her hands wide as she spoke.

"Look! I just saw her crouching in the backyard playing with mud and kindly reminded her not to get her clothes dirty. Who knew the kid would suddenly dive headfirst into a mud puddle and then wipe mud all over me! Just look, these are all her handprints, every single one is perfectly clear!"

The muddy prints were crooked and messy, clearly smeared on intentionally.

The people present exchanged glances, and many of them shook their heads slightly.

Everyone understood that it was most likely just a small misunderstanding caused by a mischievous child.

They were just about to say a few words to smooth things over and keep the peace, so as not to harm the neighborly atmosphere.

But just then, Ling Anxun suddenly spoke.

"You just said you pushed her?"

"That’s right!"

Fang Jianing blurted out.

"A little brat picked up off the street has the right to talk to me like that? If I don’t teach her a lesson, am I supposed to put her on a pedestal?"

In that instant, the expression on Ling Anxun’s face changed abruptly.

"You are just a guest."

"Shanshan is my daughter."

"You live in my house, eat my food, drink my water, and use my things—and you dare to point at my daughter and call her a stray?"

Fang Jianing was completely stunned, her lips trembling slightly.

"You... What do you mean? Isn’t she just a wild child? No one to raise her, no one to teach her, who knows where she was brought back from. How could she possibly be your biological daughter?"

The moment those words left her mouth, the air in the room seemed to freeze.

Even the sound of the wind outside seemed to stop.

Ling Anxun didn’t argue further, nor did he waste another word.

"Go pack up all her things and get them out of here immediately. Don’t leave them for a single second."

Ding Qin was so angry her face turned pale, her fingers trembling uncontrollably.

Forgetting all decorum, she personally stormed upstairs, rummaging through room after room, bundling up all of Fang Jianing’s clothes and bags, and viciously throwing them out the front door.

The house fell silent again, leaving only a heavy, oppressive silence.

After a long moment, Ding Qin walked over to Shanshan and bent down.

"Shanshan, I’m sorry... Grandma and Grandpa were wrong to blame you. We shouldn’t have listened to someone else instead of believing you."

Shanshan kept her head down, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, never once looking up at her.

After a long while, she finally gave a small nod.

At eleven o’clock sharp that night, Ling Anxun knocked on Shanshan’s door.

"Shanshan, in my entire life, you are my only daughter. You are my only child, my only family. Do you... believe me?"

The light in the room was dim and yellow. Shanshan sat on the edge of her bed, hugging a worn old teddy bear.

"I don’t."

Ling Anxun stood frozen in place, his body stiffening abruptly.

"You don’t believe me?"

"That’s not it, Dad..."

Shanshan’s voice was very quiet.

"I don’t want to be a burden to you. You should marry a woman you like and have a child of your own. That’s a normal family. That’s the life everyone expects."

Tears slid silently down her cheeks and dripped onto the quilt.

"I love you so, so much, Dad. Really. I love you more than anyone. But... but my heart hurts so much. Every time I see other kids holding their moms’ hands on the way to school, every time I see you carrying everything by yourself, I feel like... it’s all my fault. If you hadn’t adopted me, you’d have a wonderful life right now, and you’d have a happy family too."

Ling Anxun let out a long sigh.

He raised his arms and pulled her tightly into his embrace.

"Don’t cry, you silly girl."

"I had already decided not to get married before you were even born. It wasn’t because of you. It has nothing to do with you at all."

She sobbed, the tears still streaming down her face.

"Stop lying to me... I know you sacrificed for me. Actually... I don’t have to be your daughter. I... I can live by myself. You don’t have to take care of me..."

Before she could finish, Ling Anxun raised his hand and covered her mouth.

"If you ever dare to say something like that again, I’ll be truly angry."

"Without you, I’m the one who’d have nothing to look forward to. Do you understand? You’re my reason for living. You’re my only home."

Shanshan nodded, half-convinced, her tears gradually stopping.

But the worry in her eyes hadn’t disappeared.

She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of her clothes, the expectant looks from her grandparents flashing through her mind.

She bit her lip and, unable to hold back any longer, said in a small voice, "Dad, what if... you just consider it? Really, even just meeting someone for a chat would be good... I don’t want you to be alone your whole life."

Hearing this, a bitter smile touched Ling Anxun’s lips.

He didn’t answer. He just gently took her hand, turned, and led her toward his parents’ room.

He stopped in front of his mom and dad.

"I’m not getting married in this lifetime. I just want to raise Shanshan well."

Ding Qin froze, staring blankly at her son.

She finally understood that her son’s decision was unshakable.