47. Follow Me
Half an hour later.
Perhaps it was due to the excitement of seeing her father, or maybe the fatigue caused by the fever, Qian Qian quickly fell asleep again, softly snoring.
But even as she fell asleep, she still held tightly onto Su Yan’s hand and didn’t let go.
Jiang Zhi moved a stool and sat down across from them, propping her chin up, watching this warm scene, a barely audible sigh escaping her lips.
Originally, according to her plan…
She would stay far away from Su Yan, taking care of Qian Qian all by herself, never getting involved with him for life. But the idea was beautiful, while reality was harsh.
Su Yan eventually learned the truth.
“I’m going to interview you.”
Jiang Zhi made a fist and raised it halfway into the air, striking a pose as if for an interview, trying hard to make her tone sound cheerful: “Anything you want to say? Father of the child?”
Su Yan replied honestly: “Pretty damn messed up.”
It really was pretty damn messed up.
He thought Jiang Zhi was lying, but once he truly held Qian Qian in his arms, he had to admit a fact.
Qian Qian was indeed his daughter.
His intuition had always been accurate. Accurate enough for him to make precise judgments on the professional playing field, and accurate enough to read the thoughts of a six-year-old girl.
That kind of blood bond couldn’t be faked.
Which is why it was messed up… finishing a match only to discover he had a daughter, and an incredibly beautiful wife on top of that—wasn’t this the plot of a light novel?
He had already prepared to spend his life with his left hand, damn it!
Jiang Zhi could relate to this.
Since the little girl was asleep and couldn’t hear them talking, Su Yan straightforwardly said:
“But just in case, I still want to do a paternity test.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t believe Qian Qian was his daughter, but this was a significant matter, and Su Yan thought it was better to be cautious; having more guarantees would help him feel at ease.
“Whatever.”
Jiang Zhi mumbled.
Time passed second by second, and the sounds of medical staff moving around outside the ward could be heard.
During this time, neither Jiang Zhi nor Su Yan spoke; ever since Su Yan learned the truth, both were somewhat unsure how to face each other.
Suddenly, Su Yan reminisced about the Jiang Zhi who used to target him everywhere.
“So, you mean…”
He hesitated a bit and asked, “Is it because you knew I was Qian Qian’s father that you treated me that way in the coffee shop?”
“Not letting me go to the amusement park was also to keep Qian Qian from recognizing me, right?”
Then, everything made sense.
It turned out Jiang Zhi wasn’t crazy…
He had thought Jiang Zhi might be genuinely mad. I mean, who just insults him out of nowhere? Looking back, it made no sense at all.
“I mean you…”
Su Yan rested his fingertip on his chin and suddenly laughed briefly: “You really dislike me that much?”
“Even if we end up as husband and wife in the future, at least we’re not there yet, right?” With a slight twitch of his lips, he expressed confusion: “Is it really necessary to go that far?”
“What the hell do you understand!” Jiang Zhi glared at him.
If you were a girl, facing a husband who is doted on by your future child, I’d like to see how urgent you’d feel. If it weren’t urgent, would I have to eat well?!
Of course, she couldn’t say this to Su Yan…
Jiang Zhi actually admitted to herself that she was at fault for what happened before, but think about it!
She’s a girl now, right? And she’s going to be Su Yan’s future wife, right? So, what’s the harm in bearing with some grievances?
She thought in a distorted manner.
“You don’t have to feel troubled, I won’t force you to accept this child.”
Jiang Zhi lightly bit her lip, lowering her head and staring at her shoetips: “But Qian Qian really likes you. I just hope you can meet her occasionally and keep her company. That would be enough.”
This was also her goal for finding Su Yan.
As for really forming a family or whatever, she hadn’t even thought about it, and Su Yan probably thought the same… after all, this was so sudden.
She was already very surprised that Su Yan could sit here and talk calmly with her.
But Su Yan’s next sentence caught her off guard: “Who said I felt troubled?”
“Eh?”
Su Yan leaned back so he could see both Qian Qian and Jiang Zhi: “I’ll take responsibility for my child. What do you take me for?”
He wouldn’t actively take on responsibility.
But if responsibility came knocking, then he wouldn’t shy away from it. How could he refuse such a lovely girl, who was still his child?
At least in this regard, he thought he had to do better than that man…
The real problem was how to explain this to those around him.
As for his teammates, putting them aside for a moment, if Ms. Shen learned about Qian Qian’s existence, she’d probably arrive from the capital wielding a big knife, right?
Hiss… maybe not?
Wasn’t she looking forward to having grandchildren? Even if it’s not a grandson, a granddaughter would do! What a huge surprise, even if it meant his son fulfilling filial piety!
“I, I’m just asking…”
Jiang Zhi found herself stumbling over her words: “This is all for the best, but there is one thing I have to say in advance, that is, our relationship… there’s no need to go that deep, okay?”
Translation: I’m not going to marry you.
Su Yan paused.
“… Isn’t it awkward to say that?”
It is awkward! So awkward I could die!
But some things still need to be clarified in advance. Although Su Yan looked like he had no interest in her, better safe than sorry.
She really feared being overtaken!
Jiang Zhi felt her face heat up and didn’t explain.
Inside, she thought endlessly: if you knew I was originally a guy, and older than you, you’d definitely be the one to say such things first.
“Rest assured, I’m not interested in you.”
Su Yan tossed his bangs and confidently said: “But you, don’t fall in love with me just because I’m good-looking, popular, strong, and full of energy.”
“Get lost!”
Who would fall in love with you!
I, Jiang Zhi, could never fall in love with a man!
Jiang Zhi rolled her eyes, checked the time, and retorted: “You still need to return to the base by nine, right? Get lost, get lost. Sister Jiang will be back soon.”
“Tsk tsk, are you rushing me away?”
You were the one who begged me to come in the first place, and when I hesitated, you looked like you wanted to cry. And now you’re pushing me away too? Am I just a ball to be kicked around?
But Su Yan didn’t say much.
He indeed had to leave; the dormitory had a curfew, and he wanted some time alone to think about Qian Qian.
“Let’s add each other on WeChat.” Su Yan opened his WeChat QR code.
Jiang Zhi rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone to scan it. Since Qian Qian had seen Su Yan, she might meet him again; adding him would indeed be much more convenient.
Su Yan’s WeChat profile picture was an Ultraman.
Jiang Zhi was familiar with this Ultraman—wasn’t it called Tiga?
Simai Lu’s profile also had this… such a coincidence? But unlike Simai Lu, Su Yan’s ID was simply one character: Yan.
Jiang Zhi didn’t pay it much mind.
After adding him on WeChat, she thought Su Yan was about to leave, only to see him lean closer to Qian Qian, opening the camera and aiming it at her before pressing the shutter.
“What are you doing?” Jiang Zhi asked.
“Taking a picture of my daughter?” Su Yan said as if it were a matter of course: “This is the first time I’m meeting my daughter, I should keep a memento, right?”
Saying that, Su Yan changed his angle for the photo: “What’s her name?”
“Qian Qian… Oh, you meant her full name.”
Jiang Zhi glanced at him, seeing Su Yan’s expression of curiosity as if he had discovered a new world, she brushed her hair back awkwardly and said: “Su Ziqian.”
“Su Ziqian…”
Su Yan repeated it softly, not sure what he was thinking, suddenly saying: “This name is pretty average. It sounds like one you came up with.”
Switching topics, he commented: “She looks like me, just look at that porcelain-white little face. Clearly inherited my genes.”
“What?!”
Jiang Zhi immediately became displeased: “Are you blind? Qian Qian clearly looks like me. Can you stop trying to associate yourself with her, you ugly man?”
Su Yan shook his head: “Her eyebrows look like mine.”
“Her eyes look like mine!”
“Her lips look like mine!”
“Her personality looks like mine!”
“What? Her personality looks like yours?”
Su Yan laughed: “Then my daughter is doomed.”
