What Lao Xinya did was extremely disrespectful—especially at her own father's funeral. But Zhao Yiming understood why she said what she said.
His little girl had been in high school back then, full of dreams about becoming a musician and going to college.
She used to play the piano in the mornings and sing when she thought no one was listening.
She had big dreams—until he ruined them.
Because he became a drunk and gambled away all their money—her dreams were crushed.
She never got the chance to go to college.
So when Wen Qiao finally broke down and left him behind, that was when he finally snapped out of it.
He realized the mess he'd made and did his best to seek help from the community, trying to stop drinking...
But it was already too late. No matter how hard he tried to turn things around—even when he gave up nearly 80% of his salary for them—it couldn't fix the past.
His sins were too heavy.
"Yaya... you've grown so much," he murmured with a bitter smile.
He hadn't visited her once—not because he didn't want to, but because he was too ashamed to even face her.
"She must be 23 by now..."
But now, in this new body... at least he could talk to her, right? And maybe—just maybe—he could finally apologize to Wen Qiao, too.
He'd never managed to say it before she walked away for good.
So Zhao Yiming ran toward the exit, searching for his daughter. He looked left and right, scanning the streets.
'She's still as fast as ever, that child...' he sighed. But then remembered where Yaya would usually go.
Lao Xinya was proud and stubborn—she rarely cried in front of others. If she wanted to cry, she'd find the most secluded spot she could.
And he remembered: the most hidden place in the funeral parlor was behind the large cherry blossom tree in the backyard.
No lights, the perfect place to cry in peace.
As he approached, he could already hear the soft sound of a woman weeping. He knew that voice.
It was his daughter.
He quietly sat down beside her, pretending not to notice her crying.
The sobbing stopped for a moment, as if she'd suddenly realized someone else was there.
Without a word, he pulled out his handkerchief and held it out to her as she took it hesitantly.
"Are you... a family member of Lao Chen?" he asked.
"Did you know him?"
"Yes... He was our security guard. Of course, I knew him."
"I see..."
Silence fell between them.
Truthfully, Zhao Yiming had no idea how to talk to her after almost 5 years they never in contact this close.
His hands trembled just being beside her. His own daughter, so close—but she felt a world away.
"What was he like?" Xinya asked suddenly.
"Did he annoy you with unfunny jokes? Or maybe ask you for money—for booze or gambling?"
The question made his stomach twist.
'What should I say...? Should I try to make Lao Chen look better in her eyes?' he thought, heart racing.
"Did he ever tell you about his daughter?" she continued, her voice trembling.
"About how miserable her life became because of him?"
Zhao Yiming's breath hitched. It felt like a knife had been driven straight into his heart.
His fists clenched tightly in the dark as he lost for words of what to said, should he just agree with her that Lao Chen was a terrible person?
Or he should defend himself so at least Xinya know his pain too?
And with that, the system finally chimed in—though this time, it actually offered help instead of pushing him to do perverted things or act like a total degenerate.
[You have met your daughter 'Lao Xinya' — Route 'Ashes of a Father' established!]
[In this route, the God of Richness & Love has chosen your sub-route: 'Blood Still Remembers'!]
[Message from the God of Richness & Love:]
[Such a poor, broken family... This time, I'm giving you a chance to mend both of your relationships! So don't disappoint me!]
Zhao Yiming blinked a few times, unsure of what to think. The fact that the perverted god—who had been a nonstop menace for half a day—was now acting sincerely made him uneasy.
'Is the apocalypse coming sooner than I thought...?'
But before he could overthink it, a new quest popped up.
---
[Quest Appeared!]
[Ghost of an Old Man]
[Objective: Respond to Xinya's question about Lao Chen without revealing your true identity.]
[Choose your sentence thoughtfully:]
• Easy Mode – "I don't know much, sorry."
• Medium Mode – "He talked about you sometimes."
• Hard Mode – "He never forgave himself."
---
Zhao Yiming stared at the choices for a moment. There was no success rate, no obvious trap—each answer was "right" in its own way.
He bit his lower lip before finally speaking.
"I think... he never forgave himself."
"Every day, he woke up thinking about his daughter. But he thought showing his face would only make things worse. He wanted her to hate him—because that was easier than admitting he failed."
He spoke straight from the heart. The words he had never managed to say back when he was still Lao Chen.
He was no longer that man in her eyes, but this was the only way he could confess, even if it was through another voice.
He turned to look at her—at her face illuminated by the moonlight. Beautiful, proud, and angry, but still his daughter.
'I hope you know it's me sitting in front of you… your father.'
"Did he tell you that?" Xinya asked, her voice suddenly soft, almost fragile.
"No... but I could see it in his eyes," Zhao Yiming answered gently. "Behind that dumb smile. The way he talked about you to everyone…"
He kept his eyes on her, memorizing those purple eyes he had missed for so long.
Xinya chuckled, but it was a hollow sound. "Maybe it was just guilt. If he really loved me, he wouldn't have crushed my dream like that…"
Her voice began to shake. "He wouldn't have given up on our family."
And then her tears finally broke free.
Zhao Yiming instinctively pulled her into a hug, holding her close as she sobbed against him.
He rubbed slow circles on her back, listening as she cried out the frustration he had caused—words he couldn't even understand through the storm of her grief.
"Yaya... On his last day, he said he loved you. And... happy birthday. He was sorry for leaving you on such an important day," he whispered, not knowing if she could hear him or not.
But even if she didn't, he was glad he said it. Glad he could finally tell her something real.
No matter what, he'd do everything in his power to mend their relationship. Even if all they could ever be now was a pair of strangers slowly becoming friends again.
As the cherry blossoms fell gently around them, their bond began anew.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations on completing the quest: Ghosts Of An Old Man!]
[Since the host finished the hard option, the rewards can now be claimed!]
[Rewards:]
[$1,000 | +15 Xinya Friendship Affinity | +10 Xinya trust | +1000 AP]
[Perk Unlocked: "Persuasion Pro" (You now gain +30% Persuasion when talking to someone, +50% Persuasion when talking about something sorrowful.]
[Emotional damage now has a chance to become emotional bonding!)]