Chapter 127: The Father Huang Ying Desired

Huang Ying felt a shiver run through her.

Had she been discovered?

In truth, Gu Xiangnan had not gone up the mountain to save people alone. The moment he had picked the flower on the mountain, he had deployed a scout from his legion of the undead. He was not foolish enough to throw his life away for nothing. The scout, remaining in stealth mode, had slipped into the dilapidated house to survey the number of kidnappers and their weaponry. That was when Huang Ying had already been tied up, and the scout had seen her exchanging a few words with the captors. Instinctively sensing that they were acquainted, the scout had reported this information back to Gu Xiangnan.

When Gu Xiangnan had paused under the dwarf tree for the second time, he was actually listening to the scout’s report. Even when the final explosion occurred, it was the scout’s timely warning that allowed Gu Xiangnan to escape with his life. Naturally, Huang Ying knew none of this.

Hearing Gu Xiangnan’s question, she immediately wiped away her tears and said, "Professor Gu, I do know them."

She admitted it instantly. Seeing the guarded look in Gu Xiangnan’s eyes, she explained, "When I first went to borrow money, it was these men who processed the paperwork. I had dealings with them once back then."

"Then why did you end up with such a massive debt?"

Huang Ying lowered her head, weeping in silence.

Gu Xiangnan pressed her, "Student Huang, is there something you cannot say?"

No matter how he questioned her, Huang Ying remained tight-lipped. The atmosphere in the room turned awkward.

"Little Huang, you haven't had dinner yet, have you?" Zhang Hongmei intervened to ease the tension. "I made dumplings tonight, and there are a few plates left. Why don't you eat here?"

Zi Xiaoyin hurried to the kitchen to heat the dumplings and brought them out.

"Eat, child. No matter how difficult things are, they will pass." Zhang Hongmei placed a few dumplings into Huang Ying’s bowl.

Huang Ying took a small bite. The skin was thin, the filling was generous, and it was bursting with flavor. It was truly delicious! Yet, she began to cry. The taste was so familiar. It was the flavor Huang Ying had yearned for, the one she had dreamed of tasting again.

Zi Xiaoyin panicked. "Is it too hot?" Thinking she had not timed the reheating correctly, she hurried to fetch a glass of cold water.

"The dumplings your aunt makes taste just like the ones my mother used to make," Huang Ying said, wiping her tears.

Gu Xiangnan sensed there was a story here. He kept his eyes on her, remaining calm and silent. Sure enough, Huang Ying began to recount her family circumstances.

As far back as she could remember, she had no father. To raise her, her mother would bring different men back to their rented room every day. Those men would follow her mother up to the small attic, and then, sounds that could not be described would drift down. As her mother grew older and her looks faded, her income dwindled, and those men would occasionally beat her.

As Huang Ying grew, it became clear she was a budding beauty. The men brought home would sometimes try to touch her. At such times, her mother would always toss her a few yuan and tell her to get out immediately. Hours later, when Huang Ying returned home, her mother would apologize to her with a heartbroken expression. She knew this was her mother’s way of protecting her.

On her fourteenth birthday, her mother bought a cake. Huang Ying made a wish: she hoped her mother would find her a father so that they could live a loving, stable life together. Her mother heard her daughter’s wish, tears welling in her eyes.

Then, one day, her mother brought home Shunsuke Otsuka. Otsuka had been stationed in China for years and needed a companion. If he were to find another woman, she might see