There was utter silence on the other end of the line. Xu Heng sighed, "For so many years, I couldn't understand you, but now I do. Your daughter and you are practically identical. No wonder you dote on her so much."
There's no other pair like this father and daughter in the world.
Song Jingmo clearly cared deeply for his daughter, but until the very last moment, he never showed her his vulnerable side, enduring so much hardship for so many years. Song Qing, upon learning of her father's illness and after a careful explanation, resolutely decided to let him rest at home, even getting him his medication and instructing him to take it on time, thus creating the harmonious scene we see today. This father and daughter, their hearts heavy with unspoken emotions, appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, their feelings were deeply buried, handling everything in their own way, a sight that broke his heart even as an outsider.
Song Jingmo hung up the phone with trembling hands. Faced with death and the return of his daughter, he felt mostly relieved.
His daughter not only did not disappoint him, but also brought him gratitude and understanding. He couldn't help but shower her with even more love.
However, he couldn't bear to watch his two daughters walk into the hall and solemnly hand them over to their future husbands; it was always a great regret. Especially Song Qing, how could he bear to let her go?
This child is very thoughtful. Back then, he ran away for ten years for love, enduring so much hardship and suffering. Now that he's back, he doesn't seem to have learned much about relationships, so how can his father be at ease?
Given her temperament, it wasn't impossible for her to remain a widow for life. This realization truly startled him, making him even more determined to accomplish what he couldn't let go of within these few short months.
It seems the original plan needs to be brought forward.
Chapter Thirteen: A New Life
He shouldn't have manipulated his daughter in this life, but he couldn't let this happen. Now that she had decided to let go of the past, he had to take a two-pronged approach to help her completely cut off any possible path back. His daughter shouldn't waste her time and emotions on hesitation; she didn't have another decade to waste.
-Song Jingmo
After a busy week at work, Song Qing finally got back into the swing of things. On Saturday, she got up early, dressed in sportswear—white shirt and white pants, with a pink baseball cap on her head—looking refreshed and energetic.
It felt like she was back in her student days. Pink? She stared blankly at the pale, cool tones of her wardrobe, wondering how a striking pink had suddenly appeared. She had picked it up on a whim, happily putting it on, but suddenly, she couldn't grasp that fleeting emotion. Like a shooting star streaking across the dark night sky, seemingly real yet unreal, she only had time to sigh before everything went dark. She blinked, regaining her clarity, but wasn't sure if it had truly happened.
Wang Ma always gets up early, and when she heard a slight noise coming from the young lady's room, she gently pushed the door open. The door wasn't locked, and Wang Ma saw that Song Qing was about to leave.
"Miss, it's a rare weekend off, why don't you sleep in a little longer? I've noticed you're always leaving early and coming home late lately, how can your body handle it!"
She wasn't exactly leaving early and returning late. She stretched her slightly sore arms, and when she got tired lately, she would just rest her head on her desk. There was a small cubicle next to her office for her to rest in, but she was afraid that if she sat down on the bed, she would fall asleep and never wake up again.
"I've been back for so long and have been busy with work. I have some time today and I wanted to ask my dad to go play ball with me." Song Qing turned around and smiled, picked up her sports bag, tried on her shoes to see how comfortable they were, and then went out the door briskly.
As soon as she went downstairs, she heard several loudspeakers blaring in the courtyard, sounding particularly lively in the empty morning air. Instantly, all her sleepiness vanished.
"Dad!" She waved to Song Jingmo and ran quickly to the car.
"Hmm, she looks pretty good!" Song Jinghei stepped forward to open the door and saw that although her daughter's face was a little pale, she was still energetic, and her face even showed some rosy cheeks after running around.
"Dad, let me drive," she suggested, putting her bag on the back seat.
"No need. Dad can still do this. You sit down." Song Jingmo said, already backing the car out the door.
Song Qing said nothing more and instead enthusiastically introduced the company's situation.
Song Jingmo focused on driving, occasionally glancing at her daughter's animated expression as she got into work mode. Instantly, she felt lightheaded, all her gloom swept away.
"Qing'er, it's rare for us to come out today, so let's not talk about work, just relax and have some fun."
It's truly unprecedented to see Song Jingmo like this.
"Okay, Dad." She nodded and agreed with a smile.
The car passed through the bustling city center, where traffic was sparse. This city is so stressful; a morning like this is truly a rare treat.
Today they are going to the golf course in Tangquan, Linchuan. The area is surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, with fresh air and a vast area. It has everything you need for fitness and health, and even business facilities. It has become a high-end club that integrates leisure, business and wellness.
Very few people can afford to become members. Ordinary people will never have the chance to come across it in their lifetime, and may not even know that place or its name. The closer you are to the center, the more information circulates within this unique circle.
The waiters warmly welcomed them inside. The stadium was no longer as quiet and sparsely populated as they had been on their way there; looking around, the vast green field was now dotted with people in twos and threes. Clearly, they were late.
"Dad?" Song Qing called out, frowning as she took the baseball bat.
"Don't worry, I won't let you meet any more influential people." Song Jingmo laughed and patted her daughter's shoulder reassuringly. Lately, forcing her to meet too many people had made her fed up. After all, in England, such business socializing was much simpler and more convenient.
Linchuan has its own unique business operation model, with elaborate family-style social gatherings permeating every corner. Although it is a business, it is presented as a family, with deep affection.
They first went to the practice court to practice for a while. Neither father nor daughter were the type to enjoy life, and they rarely came here more than a few times a year. And each time they came, it ended up being a business meeting in the business hall, with playing golf becoming just a pretext.
They didn't start walking to the center of the field until the sun was high in the sky.
By now, everyone has left, probably to have breakfast.
Both father and daughter are quite athletic, and with the previous groundwork laid, they are playing with great enthusiasm, with the caddie occasionally gesturing from a distance.
"Dad, I give up!"
Song Qing, panting, put down the baseball bat and sincerely said to her father.
"You wouldn't be doing this on purpose, would you?" Song Jingmo laughed, turned around and put her arm around her daughter to sit down at a small table with a parasol over the side.
Dad, I should have let you go long ago. What was the point of all this perseverance? Was it just the price I paid for my youthful days? But Dad, I gave my all, yet I haven't reaped any rewards.
The two finished their breakfast in silence. Song Jingmo leaned back comfortably in her recliner, chatting casually with her daughter. Such moments, because they were rare, became so precious and precious.
"Qing'er, your father has been strict with you since you were little and didn't let you have a normal childhood. Do you ever resent your father?"
She smiled and lowered her head; those things seemed even more distant now. And because of this, her sisterly relationship with Song Ning never improved, because they simply had no time or opportunity to play together. Living in the same house, the two sisters led completely different lives.
"Dad, you don't need to dwell on the past anymore. I should thank you for taking responsibility for my life so that I have everything I have today."
Song Jingmo sighed, relaxed, and simply lay down completely, wearing sunglasses and looking straight at the sky.
"Don't you think Dad is being unfair to Xiao Ning?" His voice already carried a hint of weariness.