Qin Guan's gaze had been silently following his daughter Little Pear since entering the hospital room.
These past few days, as Xu Ruyi was hospitalized, Auntie Feng had been providing round-the-clock care, leaving no time to look after the child. Thus, Little Pear's kindergarten attendance had been put on hold.
The child had been staying at the hospital the entire time. Xu Ruyi had switched to a double room - likely paying for the extra bed herself. The neighboring bed now bore Little Pear's tiny quilt and pillow, having become the child's makeshift bed.
Essentially, the child was living at the hospital - Auntie Feng occasionally took her home for baths and changes of clothes before immediately returning. She never left the child alone at home, kindergarten, or with Xu Ruyi's friends and relatives.
Most notably, she had never entrusted the child to him - the biological father.
The two women would rather have the child eat takeout every meal than let him care for her.
Previously, Qin Guan had assumed Xu Ruyi's clinginess stemmed from maternal separation anxiety, having raised the child single-handedly. Now, he saw things differently.
Her 24/7 monopolization of their daughter clearly served another purpose.
She was guarding against him.
At this moment, Little Pear sat pouting on a new pink plastic chair - undoubtedly another recent purchase by Auntie Feng. They were truly treating this place as home.
Auntie Feng crouched beside the child, coaxing softly as Little Pear shook her head at the freshly bought shengjianbao: "I don't want these today. They're yucky..."
The girl was accustomed to home-cooked breakfasts - Auntie Feng's culinary skills were exceptional, her children's meals always colorfully presented and fragrant, far surpassing greasy takeout fare.
"Sweetheart, how about Daddy takes you out? Whatever you want - fresh milk cakes? Seaweed rice balls? Today's your choice." Qin Guan squatted on the other side, gently stroking his daughter's hair.
"Sir, you're very busy. I'll take Little Pear..." Auntie Feng immediately grasped the child's hand.
There it was - the tension.
Qin Guan smirked inwardly.
"Let me. I've been swamped lately, haven't dined with my precious girl in days. Come, let's eat with Daddy." He took the child's other hand.
As the biological father, who could stop him from taking his daughter out?
Auntie Feng fell silent but refused to release her grip. Qin Guan noted the bulging veins on the older woman's hand - unmistakable panic.
Her anxious eyes darted toward Xu Ruyi.
Perfect. If Xu Ruyi dared intervene, it would confirm his suspicions.
"Mommy, can I go with Daddy?" Little Pear turned timidly to Xu Ruyi. Though occasionally fussy about food, the child knew better than to waste meals under her mother's strict upbringing.
"Go ahead." Xu Ruyi's expression remained placid. Her gaze swept indifferently across Qin Guan before smiling at her daughter. "Eat well. You'll need energy to dance for Mommy later."
Her tone was casual, but Qin Guan didn't miss Auntie Feng's nervous swallow or the hands clutching at her clothes.
"Little Pear, you went to the aquarium with Mommy and Grandma Feng recently, right? Did you have fun?"
Before their food arrived, Qin Guan launched his interrogation. Through the window, a police officer stared pointedly at him while making a call. New developments?
His heart clenched - this temporary freedom was precarious. If arrested again...
Time was running out. He needed answers now.
The oblivious child swung her legs cheerfully on the tall chair, chattering excitedly: "So fun! There were purple glowing fish! One had a loooong tail like a dress! And a real mermaid waved at me! She blew kisses..."
Qin Guan impatiently interrupted: "Daddy knows you had super fun! Remember calling for Uncle Xiaozhi in your sleep that night?"
"Hehe." The girl giggled innocently, sipping her milk.
"When did you see Uncle Xiaozhi that day?"
As rice balls arrived, Qin Guan casually sliced them open. "Let Daddy guess first! Right answer gets a kiss!" Maintaining his playful facade, he pressed: "At the aquarium? Or during lunch? Did you all eat together before he left?"
His eyes bore into the child's face, scrutinizing every microexpression.
Three-year-olds don't lie - especially his naive daughter.
But the child frowned. "Nope. None."
"Impossible! One must be right!" Qin Guan laughed easily. "Actually, Uncle Xiaozhi called me too! Wanted to meet, but I was busy. So you guys hosted him instead, right? You, Grandma Feng, and Mommy?"
"No!" Little Pear shook her head emphatically. "Just me, Mommy and Grandma Feng ate!"
"Nice try! Mommy already told me!" Qin Guan maintained the charade. "She told you to keep secrets, right? Good job!"
"Really didn't!" The girl's lips quivered in frustration. "No secrets! Really no one!"
No one?
Staring at his daughter's guileless face - she couldn't possibly lie. Yet this contradicted his deductions.
"Alright, alright. No one." Defeated, Qin Guan urged her to eat while eyeing the still-watching officer. His throat tightened - how to pierce through this fog?
"Oh!" Little Pear suddenly spoke through mouthfuls of rice. "I thought I saw Uncle Xiaozhi! But Mommy and Grandma Feng said it wasn't him..."