Chapter 19: Xia Xia Runs Swiftly, Father Can No Longer Catch Up

What on earth… You’re taking it to your father to eat?

Lu Yuanqiu felt as if his ears had heard something utterly incomprehensible.

“Wait… Are you saying you’re going to leave school now and bring him this meal?”

His expression was full of disbelief.

Bai Qingxia gave a gentle nod.

Looking at Lu Yuanqiu’s face, it was clear he didn’t agree. She quietly set her chopsticks aside, ceasing to add any more snacks into the lunchbox—after all, all these treats had been brought by Lu Yuanqiu...

She sat there, reserved and a little embarrassed, as if waiting for Lu Yuanqiu to take back the snacks, or to issue some other stern command. She knew very well that Lu Yuanqiu had given her food out of kindness, not with the intention of feeding her father.

Lu Yuanqiu simply couldn’t understand.

Truth be told, he’d long had opinions about Bai Qingxia’s father.

What kind of father was this? Not only had he forced his own daughter to steal bread from a supermarket, but now he expected her to bring him food from the school cafeteria?

A nameless fire blazed within Lu Yuanqiu. If it weren’t for Bai Qingxia’s pride, he would’ve already visited her home to confront that man.

Given his temperament, he was perfectly capable of it.

Damn it! The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

A daughter this beautiful, this bright and capable—if she were his, he’d have spoiled her to the heavens! No matter how poor the family was, he’d pawn every pot and pan, sell his own blood if he had to, and go hungry himself before letting her miss a single meal.

Lu Yuanqiu took a deep breath, but the frustration only mounted. He slammed the table with his hand, cursing under his breath.

“Unbelievable.”

The two trays rattled from the impact, and Bai Qingxia jumped in fright.

Raising her head, she glanced timidly at Lu Yuanqiu, and two silent teardrops slipped down her cheeks unexpectedly.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

After apologizing, Bai Qingxia quickly wiped away her tears with her sleeve, then began to pick the snacks out of the lunchbox and put them back onto the tray, pushing it toward Lu Yuanqiu.

Lu Yuanqiu was bewildered. “Now what are you doing?”

With her head lowered, Bai Qingxia replied, “I’m full. Thank you for the food, really… I’m very grateful.”

To avoid giving Lu Yuanqiu the impression that she was sulking, Bai Qingxia lifted her face and forced a smile that looked more painful than tears.

She understood that his willingness to give her food was already an act of great kindness. She was the one who lacked manners, thinking to pass the food along to someone else.

Lu Yuanqiu almost laughed from exasperation.

He pushed the tray back to her. “No, look, I never said you couldn’t bring some to your father. Just… at least eat the chicken drumstick yourself, okay? Give him the rest.”

Bai Qingxia shook her head gently, still looking down. “I’m really full, I can’t eat anymore.”

Damn it!

Lu Yuanqiu wanted to pinch the bridge of his nose. He was so angry that it left him lightheaded.

This stubborn, stubborn girl!

Forget it, he couldn’t do much with her. Besides, her filial piety was commendable. If anyone was to blame, it was her father.

He took a moment to calm himself. “Fine, fine, take it to him. I agree. Go ahead and pack it up.”

Bai Qingxia looked up at him, as if to confirm his mood.

Lu Yuanqiu forced a gentle, friendly smile, showing he truly didn’t mind and that the snacks were hers to distribute as she pleased.

At last reassured, Bai Qingxia picked up her chopsticks and began packing the treats into the lunchbox once more.

She placed the lunchbox in a plastic bag, then into her backpack. Rising to her feet, she bowed slightly to Lu Yuanqiu and said, “Thank you.”

Don’t call me a good person, don’t call me a good person… Lu Yuanqiu chanted inwardly, stone-faced.

But Bai Qingxia said nothing more.

He watched the girl’s retreating figure as she left the cafeteria and let out a long sigh.

If only she were my daughter, he thought, then smiled wryly to himself.

...

Leaving through the main gate of Lucheng No. 7 High School, Bai Qingxia turned left and quickened her pace.

She hadn’t lied to Lu Yuanqiu yesterday—her home was indeed close by, near Lucheng No. 65 Middle School.

But with her backpack slung over her shoulder, Bai Qingxia didn’t head home. Instead, she walked toward the entrance of Lucheng No. 65 Middle School.

She had attended junior high there herself.

Crossing the street, Bai Qingxia spotted from afar a middle-aged man in blue overalls sitting by the greenery across from the school.

He sat upright, back straight as a primary school student listening intently in class, his eyes fixed on the school gate, as if afraid to miss someone at dismissal.

At the sight, Bai Qingxia’s usually cool face brightened with a smile, and she hurriedly jogged over, backpack bouncing.

Taking advantage of the man’s distraction, she tiptoed up behind him like a mischievous little girl, just as she had in childhood.

She tapped his shoulder quickly.

The man turned around in confusion, his handsome face glancing left and right, but seeing no one, he turned back again—only to find a pure, radiant smile blooming before him like a flower.

“Daddy!” Bai Qingxia called out, grinning.

“Xia Xia!” The man’s face lit up as he called his daughter’s name.

But then, like a child caught misbehaving, he sprang to his feet and bowed his head, apologizing repeatedly, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

“I didn’t see Xia Xia after school, I didn’t see Xia Xia after school…” he muttered anxiously, his tone as innocent as a five-year-old’s, his fingers twisting together in agitation, his expression full of grievance.

Bai Qingxia quickly helped him sit down and comforted him, “It’s because I ran so fast, Daddy, that you didn’t see me.”

“Xia Xia runs fast, so fast, Daddy can’t catch up anymore,” the man echoed, parroting her words with childlike simplicity.

Bai Qingxia looked at him with gentle affection, then took a lunchbox and a pair of clean chopsticks from her backpack.

“Time to eat! Time to eat!” The man propped himself up on the steps, swinging his legs like an excited child.

But Bai Qingxia didn’t feed him right away. She took out a napkin and cup, poured some water onto the napkin, and began tenderly wiping the dust from his face, chiding him softly, “Why is your face dirty again?”

“Xia Xia’s sorry…” the man replied, aggrieved.

“It’s all right, I’m not angry,” Bai Qingxia said gently as she wiped his face.

She opened the lunchbox, wrapped the chicken drumstick bone in a clean napkin, and handed it to her father.

“Chicken drumstick! Chicken drumstick!” the man exclaimed, but instead of taking it, he looked at Bai Qingxia anxiously and urged, “Xia Xia, eat! Hurry, Xia Xia! The bad guys are coming!”

“I’ve already eaten, ate two of them in fact. Daddy, you eat, quick, the bad guys are coming!” Bai Qingxia replied, matching his tone, then used her chopsticks to feed him a mouthful of rice.

The man opened wide and gobbled up the rice, then immediately took a huge bite of the chicken drumstick, swinging his legs in delight as he ate with relish.