The sudden change left everyone stunned. In the distance, the siren of the police car was getting closer and closer. The police swarmed up and arrested all the human traffickers.
Lin Yao didn't care about the wound on his hand. He took big strides and came in front of Miaomiao. He squatted down and hugged the little girl into his arms. Feeling the warm body temperature in his embrace, his eyes instantly turned red.
"Dad's here. Dad's back. Miaomiao, don't be afraid. Dad will always be here."
"Hey, Miaomiao's not afraid. Dad, was Miaomiao awesome just now?" Miaomiao raised her hand and hugged Lin Yao's not - so - broad back. She was smiling from ear to ear.
"Awesome. Our Miaomiao is really awesome." There was a bit of a sob in Lin Yao's voice.
The real touch in his arms filled him with extreme fear. He was afraid that if he let go, everything around him would turn into bubbles and disappear. When he blinked again, he would be back in that lifeless room.
"Dad? What's wrong with you?" There was a warm feeling on his shoulder. Miaomiao noticed that something was wrong with her dad and nervously grabbed his sleeve.
"It's okay. Dad is just too happy." Lin Yao rubbed away the tears and gently comforted her.
In his past life, Miaomiao's life ended unexpectedly at the age of eighteen. In the following five years, everyone related to that fire, whether innocent or not, was pushed into the abyss by him.
But after the revenge, having lost his goal, Lin Yao lived like a walking dead. He lived in regret all day long. If he had cared more about Miaomiao at that time, maybe she wouldn't have died. Lin Yao spent day after day relying on the memories of the past. He numbed himself with alcohol every night and prayed that he could see his daughter a few more times in his dreams.
Lin Yao didn't know why such a miraculous thing as rebirth had happened, but no matter what the reason was, it was a great blessing for him.
In any case, he couldn't let Miaomiao go through the same thing again in this life. In this life, all he wanted was for his daughter to be safe all her life, and he would do his best to protect her.
"Dad, you're hurt." Miaomiao still remembered her dad's bleeding hand. She lovingly held it up and puffed out her cheeks to blow on the wound.
"Puff, puff, and it won't hurt..."
The considerate look of his daughter made this silly father moved to tears. He waved his big hand, picked up the little girl from the ground and held her in his arms, coaxing gently, "Dad's okay. Dad will just get it bandaged. Miaomiao, are you hungry? Dad will take you to eat."
Hearing about eating, Miaomiao lowered her head and patted her little belly.
Well, now that he mentioned it, she was really hungry.
But...
"What's 'dad'?"
Lin Yao choked for a moment. His daughter was still as lacking in common sense as ever.
"Dad is just another way to call '爹爹'. From now on, will Miaomiao call me dad?"
"Okay, dad. I'm hungry. Let's go eat quickly!"
Miaomiao agreed readily, but Lin Yao was a bit helpless.
After so many years of father - daughter affection, he was absolutely sure that just now Miaomiao definitely didn't listen to his explanation. All she could think about was food!
Forget it. It was most important for his daughter to eat.
Lin Yao immediately called the driver to pick them up and went to the restaurant. As soon as he got in the car, his phone rang.
Ring ring ring...
Lin Yao glanced at the caller ID, frowned and answered the phone impatiently.
"Speak quickly if you have something to say."
"Boss, the little girl you saved today ran out of the orphanage. But I checked the birth records in Nancheng in the past eight years, and none of them match that little girl. I reasonably suspect that this little girl might be deliberately arranged by someone to get close to you."
"Are you very idle? Did I ever tell you to check on her?" Lin Yao's tone became a bit harsher.
The other person obviously heard the anger in Lin Yao's voice. He quickly said obsequiously, "Ah? But... what if someone deliberately..."
"Don't continue to investigate this matter. From now on, she is my own daughter, Lin Yao's."
After saying that, Lin Yao hung up the phone decisively. His assistant was good at everything. He was thorough and efficient in handling things, but he just talked too much, was too gossipy, annoying and chatty. Once he got started, he would never stop.
If he didn't hang up, he might keep asking questions.
Bah, it would delay his precious parent - child time.
Just as he hung up the phone, the car stopped. This restaurant was Lin Yao's business. When the boss arrived, there must be special treatment, and the dishes were served very quickly.
It was the first time for the little girl to eat such delicate and delicious food. She almost stuffed her belly to the brim before she stopped.
Lin Yao was really worried about his daughter who could hardly walk.
He didn't drive the car anymore. Instead, they took a walk home, which would help Miaomiao digest.
On the way, the towering high - rise buildings, the speeding cars and motorcycles, everything in the city was so new to Miaomiao. Her little head kept turning from side to side as she explored this strange world.
At first, when the martial arts arena suddenly disappeared and was replaced by these scenes in front of her, Miaomiao was really a bit panicked and scared.
Facing an unfamiliar environment, children would more or less feel insecure and repulsive.
Fortunately, Lin Yao showed up in time. When Miaomiao was still at a loss, the familiar figure made her completely forget her strange experience.
With someone she could trust whole - heartedly, there was only a sense of freshness left in Miaomiao's little head.
The change in her dad also gave Miaomiao a vague idea.
She probably had left the home where she had grown up.
However, as long as her dad was there, it didn't matter where she went for Miaomiao.
Before they knew it, the father and daughter walked to the small square. The children's play area in the square caught the little girl's attention. The peers swinging on the swings and the laughter of those sliding down the slide made Miaomiao eager to try.
But would it be inappropriate to leave her dad and go play?
Lin Yao couldn't help but burst out laughing when he saw his daughter looking longingly at the play area but being hesitant. "If you want to play, just go."
"Okay. Then dad has to wait for Miaomiao. Miaomiao will come back to accompany dad soon." Having got her father's permission, Miaomiao nodded. She reached out and patted Lin Yao's hand, nodding seriously.
This little - adult look melted the old father's heart.
Lin Yao immediately put the plan to build an amusement park on the agenda in his heart. In his past life, the amusement park was built as a birthday gift for Miaomiao when she was ten. In this life, he would arrange it earlier so that his daughter could have a good time.
Even at sunset in summer, it was still a bit stuffy. Lin Yao saw that Miaomiao was sweating but still full of enthusiasm. After hesitating for a split - second, he chose to continue spoiling his daughter.
There happened to be a cold - drink stall nearby. There were parents and children all around. In public, there was no danger for his daughter.
Lin Yao quickly walked towards the cold - drink stall, planning to buy something for Miaomiao to cool off. While he was looking down to pay, there suddenly came the sound of brakes and screams from behind. Then the passers - by shouted in panic one after another. "Oh, whose child is this? Where are the parents? Why aren't they around?"
"Call 120 quickly! Where are the child's parents?"
"Hey! Don't let him run away! This driver wants to escape!"
"Tsk, this little girl looks only five or six years old. What kind of inattentive parents would let a child play here alone?"
Five or six years old... little girl...
Thinking of Miaomiao, Lin Yao broke out in a cold sweat. He suddenly turned around and saw that the edge of the road was already crowded with onlookers.
He shifted his gaze to the amusement park, but Miaomiao was nowhere to be seen.
Lin Yao's face instantly turned pale. He quickly ran towards the crowd.
"So tragic", "little child", "so much blood"... The gossips of the passers - by filled Lin Yao's mind. Worry overtook his reason, and he completely lost the ability to think.