“Dad.” Su Yue called out to him weakly.
“Don’t call me that!” he said, his voice low and angry, warning her.
His thoughts, in that instant, drifted back to when Su Yue was seven years old. He was thirty-seven then. He, who had always maintained a stance of not marrying or having children, felt a stir of emotion when he saw the little girl.
He was younger then, not as steady as he was now. He had proactively offered the little girl candy and asked where her parents were.
He saw Jiang Ling. Although worn down by fate, she still appeared somewhat delicate. He was intrigued. At the time, Su Minghua believed he was merely fond of the child, so he began pursuing Jiang Ling. He quickly won her over and they got married.
He enjoyed spending time with Su Yue. He particularly loved looking into her bright, clear eyes. Whenever he had time, he would take her out to play and buy her anything she wanted that he could afford. He enjoyed having Su Yue ride on his shoulders like a horse and liked telling her stories at her bedside until she fell asleep.
Su Yue had always lacked fatherly love. Her biological father was an irresponsible man who was always out and about. When he occasionally returned home, he would resort to physical abuse against her and her mother if things didn't go his way. Su Minghua’s appearance was perfectly timed, filling the void of love they had long missed.
When did this feeling begin to change? Perhaps, from the very beginning when Su Minghua first saw her, there were impure intentions?
Su Yue became increasingly clingy. As soon as he returned home, she would hold onto him. In psychology, there’s a saying: love or attention that is lacking in childhood will eventually be sought out.
Thus, at ten years old, Su Yue still acted like a little girl around him, showing no shyness. She would even sit on his lap, asking him to tell her stories or play cat’s cradle.
Then, one day, Su Yue felt something was off.
“What is that, Dad?” she asked, looking at him curiously.
Su Minghua felt his life collapsing.
Su Minghua had always been a person who followed his heart. To this day, much of his success stemmed from his inner drive.
This was his strength, but when faced with Su Yue, it became his greatest source of harm.
After realizing his feelings for his stepdaughter, he hadn’t deliberately suppressed them. Initially, Su Yue didn’t feel anything was wrong. But gradually, she noticed that when Su Minghua held her hand, he would rub her palm. When he told her stories, he would gently caress her cheek. When they watched television together, he would put his arm around her waist, even gently pinching the flesh of her waist.
Although Su Yue depended on him, she was intelligent. A beautiful girl with a difficult life who lacked this intelligence might not have survived until today. She didn’t tell her mother. Instead, she went to bookstores to find books, reading romance novels and news from newspapers. Soon, she understood the reason behind her unease.
Her stepfather had developed romantic feelings for her.
Upon learning this, she went to the school bathroom and vomited for a long time. For two full days, she didn't pay attention in class. After school, she didn’t speak to Su Minghua. She was contemplating a course of action.
Su Minghua, however, seemed to have entered a spring. He took Su Yue to watch movies, specifically "Lolita." He took Su Yue out to places like coffee shops where couples went on dates.
One day, he watched Su Yue sitting beside him, diligently doing her homework. Her fair and translucent skin shimmered with youthful vitality in the sunlight. The fine down on her skin made her look like a peach. He finally couldn't resist and kissed her.
Although he had often kissed her cheeks before, this time was different. Su Yue also sensed the difference.
But she didn’t resist. Instead, she looked at him and smiled sweetly, “Dad, do you like me?”
“Of course, Dad likes you,” he replied sincerely, surprised by her question but delighted by her attitude in asking it.
“But I’m still young, Dad. Can you wait for me to grow up?” Her eyes conveyed innocence and simplicity, an unawareness of the world, and sincerity. Su Minghua immediately surrendered. In her eyes, he finally felt a sense of shame and began to reflect on his actions.
After that, he restrained himself considerably. Su Yue also started boarding at school. During winter and summer breaks, she would always playfully ask him to take her on trips or to summer camps. Looking at her adorable demeanor, he agreed to everything she asked.