"Okay, Mommy, then you peel the big lobsters for me. I want to eat one, two, three, four, five—oh no, that’s not enough. I want to eat lots and lots," Candy said with a smile, her lips parting into an innocent grin.

Candy’s adorable manner made Hua Xiaomo laugh.

Suddenly, the sound of a doorbell rang through the space.

Who could it be? Hua Xiaomo then turned to the servant nearby. "Go open the door and see who it is."

"Yes, Chairman," said the servant, walking to the door and opening it, only to see a man of striking handsomeness.

When Hua Xiaomo saw the man, her eyes narrowed slightly. She had never expected Qi Longbing to come to her house—oh my! What was he planning to do? She certainly did not want him to recognize Candy!

But quick as a flash, Candy was staring intently at the man standing at the doorway. "Mommy, it’s that uncle. That Handsome Uncle is here again."

Candy spoke and ran from her seat, dashing toward the doorway. Hua Xiaomo had no time to call her back; Candy was already at the door. She felt a sense of great foreboding.

When Candy reached the door, she looked at Qi Longbing and said with a smile, "Uncle, Uncle, you’re here again. Come in quickly! My mom and I were just having a meal. Have you eaten yet? If not, join us for a bit!"

Qi Longbing, upon witnessing the little girl’s earnest invitation to enter, showed a touch of delight on his cheeks. Such a likable child she was!

Hua Xiaomo quickly walked over, looking at Candy and speaking sternly, "Candy, where are your manners? You can’t just invite someone into the house like this. Besides, if it were a stranger, how could you let them in?!"

With her head cocked, Candy looked at her mother and said, "Mommy, he’s not a stranger. I saw you in the hospital; you were talking to this uncle. How could he be a stranger? Besides, didn’t you tell me to be enthusiastic with people we know?"

Hua Xiaomo was left blushing by Candy’s words. Was this little imp teaching her a lesson right now?

Qi Longbing addressed Hua Xiaomo. "Exactly, the child is not wrong. I am not a stranger, so why couldn’t I come in?"

As he spoke, Qi Longbing brought forth some toys he was carrying. "Do you like this? This is for you."

"Wow, so pretty! Such a beautiful Princess Barbie! I love it, I really do! Thank you, Uncle. You’re so nice," Candy said quickly, looking at Qi Longbing. She hadn’t expected Handsome Uncle to bring her a gift—such an adorable Princess Barbie, she really liked it!

"If you like it, take it!" Qi Longbing said, smiling at Candy. Then he entered the house and saw Xiao Mo’s family having dinner. He couldn’t help but smile and asked, "I wonder if I have the honor to sit down and join you?"

Xiao Mo was taken aback by his words and felt very awkward. "If President Qi hasn’t had dinner yet, please come in and join us," she said. "I didn’t make any other dishes, just some seafood. I don’t know if President Qi likes seafood."

"How could you not know my taste? It hasn’t changed in a hundred years," Qi Longbing said with a smile, then took a seat at the marble dining table, directly across from Candy.

"Aunt Zhang, bring another bowl and a pair of chopsticks," Xiao Mo instructed the maid beside her.

"Yes, Miss Hua." Aunt Zhang swiftly brought a bowl and chopsticks for Qi Longbing.

Before Qi Longbing could say anything, Candy placed a large lobster from her chopsticks into his bowl. "Handsome Uncle, since it’s your first time visiting our home, you’re our guest. This big lobster is a welcome gift. Try it and see if you like it!"

"Thank you, Candy. By the way, your name is really cute. Your mother must have named you, right?" Qi Longbing asked with a smile, looking at the child and growing fond of her. He hadn’t expected someone so young to be so sly and clever, learning to give to others when they received something. It seemed that when she grew up, she would definitely be a charming little spirit!

"Yes, my mom named me," Candy said with a smile, looking at the Handsome Uncle and feeling an inexplicable sense of closeness. "Mommy said Candy means very sweet, and she also said I’m Mommy’s little joy, so with me around, Mommy is happy every day."

"Candy, why are you talking so much? Hurry up and eat," Xiao Mo scolded, looking at her daughter with increasing worry. Could it be that Long Bing was beginning to suspect something? Oh God, what if he did? What should she do? Would he take Candy away?

No, she couldn’t let him take Candy away. Candy was her lifeblood; without her, she didn’t even know how she would continue to live.

Candy made a face at Xiao Mo and then began to eat. Qi Longbing watched the expressions of the mother and daughter. Candy was cheerful and lively, seemingly without a care in the world. Xiao Mo, however, had been troubled ever since he entered the room, as if she had many worries in her heart but was afraid to tell him.

He really wanted to know what had happened five years ago, or what issue he might have overlooked. Why, after he went to America, did only Qi Lingfeng return with his girlfriend, while the other one vanished without a word? He remembered going to America to look for him; Qi Lingfeng had said he was at a university there, but when he went looking, he found nothing.

Then he vanished for five years. During those long five years, how much he had missed him. If only the other had known, he should have come back. No matter what had happened, he should have returned to face it rationally.

But he didn’t. His departure lasted five long years, leaving him to endure agony. After five years, he returned to City A for a visit. But the attitude and feelings there made him feel out of reach again. Eventually, he lost him and ended up marrying a woman he didn’t love.

And now, as if fate was playing a joke on him, an adorable little angel had suddenly appeared in his life. He didn’t know what to do with her. Or perhaps, what he should do with both of them, mother and daughter!

Suddenly, that suspicion weighed heavily on him. He observed the little girl across from him. From her eyes, expression, mouth, and all other subtle details, he felt she had something of himself in her. This was especially true when she smiled, revealing two dimples at the corners of her lips, just like he had when he was a child.