My Dad is My Mom's Mortal Enemy

Chapter 19: 019

Chapter 19

Cheng LiQi could tell from her father's silence that she had guessed correctly. In a softer voice, she said, "Dad, I'll keep your secret. I'm really good at keeping secrets. I kept secrets for Uncle Tai and Grandpa. I have lots of secrets."

Shao ChengZe gently replied, "Thank you, little LiQi, for keeping Dad's secret."

Cheng LiQi said, "You're welcome, Dad." She thought for a moment and decided she should remind Dad, "Dad, Mom is much smarter than me. If I could guess it, Mom can probably guess it too, right?"

Shao ChengZe was silent for a moment before stiffly changing the subject again. "Little LiQi, do you want to hear a story? Dad will tell you a story, okay?"

"Okay, Dad!" Cheng LiQi remembered her agreement with Dad to tell each other stories. "Wait, let me go back to my room and hug my teddy bear while I listen to the story."

The camera shook as Shao ChengZe told her, "Walk slowly, no need to run."

"I know!" Cheng LiQi yelled loudly to Dad, her mouth saying she understood but her little legs still running, dashing through the long hallway until the very end. She pushed open the door and climbed onto her pink princess bed, catching her breath. She held up her phone to show Dad, "Dad, look! The stuffed animal you bought me and the one Mom bought are sleeping together, keeping me company at night. I won't be scared of tigers anymore."

The two little bears, one pink and one brown, lay side by side next to the pillow, arms linked.

Shao ChengZe's voice turned hoarse as he softly called out, "Little LiQi..."

He had wanted to ask if she missed... missed him. He missed her so much. Just thinking that he had a daughter with her meant he couldn't sleep at night.

But he changed his words to, "Little LiQi's room is so pretty." Discover new chapters at

Cheng LiQi puffed out her little chest proudly, chin up, very smug. "Dad, do you know? Mom is so amazing. I told Mom what kind of room I wanted and she gave me exactly the room I described. My mom is the most amazing mom in the world."

"Yes," Shao ChengZe's gaze softened. "She's the most amazing mom in the world."

Cheng LiQi held the phone with both hands, smiling and making eye contact with Dad on the screen. She loved hearing people say her mom was amazing.

She lay back on the pillow, placing the phone between the two little bears. "Dad, let's not tell stories today. Will you sing for me instead?"

Dad wasn't good at telling stories but Dad's voice sounded nice. Singing would probably sound nice too.

"Is there anything you want to hear?"

Cheng LiQi looked up at the little stars on the ceiling, thinking for a bit. "I want to hear Elsa's Let It Go."

Shao ChengZe was silent again for a moment. On Cheng Jinlan's advice, he had watched the movie and knew what song Cheng LiQi meant. He was quite sure he couldn't hit those high notes.

"How about Dad sings something else first? See if you like it?"

He sealed her away in the past for years after, cutting off all contact. But now, he regretted not making that call that morning. If he had, would everything have been different?

Cheng Jinlan strode to the bedside in two or three steps, picking up the phone, about to hang up. She didn't expect it to be a video call and was taken aback seeing the profound eyes on the screen.

Shao ChengZe was also startled for a second before immediately turning his head away, murmuring a soft "Sorry."

She had just finished showering, only wearing a champagne colored silk slip dress. Her long black hair like seaweed draped over her shoulders, covering large areas of exposed skin but unable to hide the glistening collarbones. Under the light, her neckline resembled a pool of spring water, so fair it dazzled the eyes.

Cheng Jinlan glared at him resentfully, about to tap End Call when he spoke up again, brows and eyes lowered, only the red nose facing the screen. "I called to talk about the paparazzi incident today."

Cheng Jinlan stopped her hand and angled the camera at the floor, walking out of Cheng LiQi's bedroom and closing the door.

"Speak."

"Do you have an employee named Cao Yanshen at your hotel?"

"Yes."

Cao Yanshen was the one arrested for sexual harassment of a server. She had a deep impression of him as it was the first such incident at her hotel.

"He hired the stalker. He recently latched onto a rich woman."

Cheng Jinlan understood. Back then it had been a huge scandal. Surname Cao must resent her and wanted to stir up trouble using Cheng LiQi now that he had backing.

Shao ChengZe went on, "I've already had someone handle it."

Cheng Jinlan gave a curt thanks, polite yet distant.

"It's what I should do," Shao ChengZe paused briefly before tentatively continuing, "Miao Miao, I—"

Cheng Jinlan's even voice suddenly turned sharp as she urgently cut him off. "Don't call me that, Shao ChengZe."

In the past, she didn't like drinking odd concoctions or coffee, only water. On a whim, he gave her this weird nickname, calling her that intimately at times.

Cheng Jinlan hated him using that name now.

"Alright, I won't call you that, but I want to discuss that night with you." Afraid she would hang up, he continued without waiting for a response. "I just want to say one thing. That night I was drunk but I didn't see you as just anyone. I thought it was a dream, a dream with the real you, and only because it was you would I dream something like that. If I had known it was real, I definitely would have—"

Cheng Jinlan no longer kept the camera aimed at the floor. She held up her phone, looking at the screen, eyes cold and contemptuous without concealment. "You make it sound so much like you still care for me."

Cheng LiQi gave a cold laugh. "Of course, you must like me. Being with me will make your old man furious enough to have smoke coming out of his seven orifices. I don't think anyone else could have this effect on him. Am I right, Shao ChengZe?"