"It's nothing, I was just thinking about you getting married and felt reluctant to let you go."
Gong Ye wouldn't tell the truth. A wedding was a joyous occasion; causing trouble now would only spoil the mood.
But he was indeed feeling down.
His daughter, whom he had finally reunited with after more than twenty years, was now about to marry someone else.
Their father-daughter bond was, in the end, destined to be thin.
Gong Zhi Jing studied his expression, finding nothing unusual for the moment, and didn't overthink it.
She comforted him, "Dad, don't worry. Even if I get married, I'm still your daughter."
Gong Zhi Jing paused for a moment, then hesitated, not saying what she intended.
She wanted to say that he could live with them.
But life wasn't that simple. If it were, who would want to live under someone else's roof?
She also couldn't keep living at the Gong family's place with her child forever; moving back and forth between two homes would be too exhausting.
In fact, whether it was Ling Yu Chen's parents or her own father.
She and Ling Yu Chen couldn't be by their side forever.
Ling Yu Chen's parents had each other, so there was less to worry about; they lived together and were content.
It was just her father, living alone, that she constantly worried about.
If he was willing, he could move to Ling Lu Mountain with her.
They wouldn't have to live together; he could find a separate villa nearby, making it convenient to care for him.
But no matter the arrangement, even if they lived under the same roof every day.
He would still have to bear loneliness.
How long could his child accompany him? Once the child grew up, they would have to go to school.
In this world, whether it's parents, siblings, or children, no one can stay with you forever.
Only a partner can accompany you until old age. A husband and wife are truly of one heart.
But her father was unwilling to find someone new, and she couldn't force him. As a daughter, the only thing she could do was try her best to care for and accompany him.
Gong Ye habitually reached into his pocket for a cigarette pack, but then remembered his granddaughter was present and put it away.
He said calmly, "Your marriage is the most important matter on my mind right now. I am very reassured to entrust you to Ling Yu Chen."
Gong Zhi Jing felt a hint of something amiss in his words, but upon closer reflection, it seemed to be nothing.
Suppressing a sudden inexplicable discomfort, she smiled, "Husbands and fathers are different. You missed twenty-something years of fatherly love from me; you'll have to make it up to me from now on!"
Gong Ye chuckled, his eyes full of amusement.
"You've grown up..."
His words carried a sense of melancholy.
But the regret and sorrow in his heart were known only to himself.
His daughter had grown up and no longer needed his fatherly love, and when she needed it most, he had missed it.
Gong Zhi Jing didn't grasp the deeper meaning in his words but felt inexplicably uneasy.
She said earnestly, "No matter how old a child gets, they still need a father."
Gong Ye just smiled and said nothing.
He was already an unqualified father; why should he burden his daughter further?
A silence fell between father and daughter.
The midday sun poured through the balcony, scorching and intense.
"Everything's ready. It's too hot out here, let's go inside."
Ling Yu Chen said as he walked towards them.
Gong Ye turned first, saying casually, "Yes, let Le You and Zhi Jing rest upstairs. Yu Chen, you come with me."
Ling Yu Chen nodded, greeted Gong Zhi Jing, and left with Gong Ye.
Gong Zhi Jing sat in the room with her daughter, feeling restless, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.
Meanwhile, after Ling Yu Chen left the room with Gong Ye, they went straight to the study.
They stayed in there for a full hour.
No one knew what they discussed.
However, when Ling Yu Chen emerged, his expression was grave, while Gong Ye appeared to be relieved of a burden.
Gong Zhi Jing sat in the room, lost in thought for a long time, unable to focus on anything.
When Ling Yu Chen returned, she quickly asked, "What did my dad say to you? Why do I feel like he's a bit off?"
Ling Yu Chen's eyes were calm, and his expression was as placid as water.
"Nothing much, just telling me to treat you well after we get married, be considerate, and take care of you."
Gong Zhi Jing eyed him suspiciously and asked with half-belief, "Really?"
"Really," Ling Yu Chen's expression remained calm.
Seeing that she couldn't get any more information, Gong Zhi Jing let it go, thinking she might just be overthinking things.
Ling Yu Chen sat beside her and said earnestly, "The betrothal ceremony is set for three days from now. I'll be leaving after lunch."
"Mm."
Gong Zhi Jing responded absentmindedly.
Ling Yu Chen looked at her deeply, then suddenly pulled her into a hug.
"Don't think about anything else, just wait obediently to be the most beautiful bride."
Gong Zhi Jing hugged him back and smiled, "Okay, I'll wait for you to marry me!"
"Aww, goo goo!"
Just as they were holding each other, enjoying the tender moment.
The little one protested.
Ling Le You waved her small arms in protest, not wanting anyone to hug her mama.
Ling Yu Chen looked at her with amusement, his tone teasing.
"They say a daughter is a father's little lover. Why does she have such a problem with me getting close to you?"
Ling Yu Chen said this because he saw a challenge in Ling Le You's eyes.
She was only three months old, not yet four months.
Gong Zhi Jing thought it was a coincidence and rolled her eyes at Ling Yu Chen, complaining, "Who do you think you are, acting so childish?"
Seeing she didn't believe him, Ling Yu Chen cupped the back of her head and kissed her lips.
"Goo goo... ah..."
As expected, Ling Le You wailed the next second.
Ling Yu Chen released Gong Zhi Jing, a wry smile on his face.
"Do you believe me now?"
Gong Zhi Jing looked at her daughter, then at Ling Yu Chen, and laughed, "But she's only a little over three months old..."
Ling Yu Chen said calmly, "She's just young, not foolish."
Ever since their trip back, Ling Le You had become very attached to Gong Zhi Jing, hardly allowing anyone else to hold her.
Ling Le You, with her arms outstretched, was demanding to be held by Gong Zhi Jing, her expression as if she would cry any second.
Gong Zhi Jing quickly scooped her into her arms and soothed her.
Ling Yu Chen also gradually quieted down.
With the commotion, Gong Zhi Jing forgot her earlier slight unease.
Before long, she had lulled Ling Le You to sleep. After handing the child over to the nanny, they went downstairs together.
The dining room was already set with food, and Gong Ye stood by, watching the helpers busily moving about.
Seeing them come downstairs, he said, "The cook is new. I'm not sure if the food will suit your taste."
Gong Zhi Jing was not a picky eater and didn't have high demands for food.
When they had less money, just having something to eat was good enough, so she was quite easygoing.
She immediately said, "Don't worry, Dad, I'm not picky. I'm easy to feed."