At this moment, Shen Zhihan should have already been dead.

This is a renowned high-end mall in Haicheng. Shen Zhihan had already arranged for numerous clothes, shoes, and bags from various brands to be delivered this morning, yet it still wasn’t enough.

Last night, he stayed up late researching how to raise a daughter. For a child like An An, who had never left that small mountain village before turning four, she needed to get out more, socialize, and interact with people to avoid developing a timid personality in the future.

Before setting out, Shen Zhihan had the family doctor examine An An to ensure she was fit to go out. Only then did he personally take her shopping.

Inside the luxury children’s clothing store, several little models around An An’s size tried on outfit after outfit. Shen Zhihan, dressed sharply in a suit, exuded an aura of untouchable authority as he sat on the sofa.

An An, small and seated beside him, swung her little legs back and forth.

“Which one do you like?” he asked.

An An blinked and replied, “I like them all!”

Noticing her boredom, Shen Zhihan pointed to the clothes the models had worn. “Except for those two sets, take all the rest.”

The sales assistant’s mouth dropped open in disbelief and seized the opportunity to upsell. “We also have matching shoes and small bags in the store. For example, this dress the little princess is wearing can be paired with these bags.”

She clapped her hands, and several employees promptly brought out adorable bags.

An An couldn’t help but exclaim in delight. One of the bags had a hand-crafted silk butterfly on it that seemed almost alive, as if it could flutter away.

Shen Zhihan took the bag and personally helped An An sling it over her shoulder.

With the little bag slung diagonally, soft and plush-looking, An An appeared even more adorable.

Outside, Xia Jing and Xia Kexuan were kept out.

“Sorry, Mr. Shen has booked this store exclusively.”

If it weren’t for An An needing to interact with more people, Shen Zhihan would have cleared the entire mall.

“Mr. Shen?” Xia Jing asked hurriedly. “Is it Shen Zhihan? Isn’t he supposed to be dead?”

She immediately realized what she had said and quickly covered her mouth.

Xia Jing glanced at Xia Kexuan, whose gaze was fixed unwaveringly on Shen Zhihan and An An.

That once aloof and arrogant man was now crouched before the little girl, his usually indifferent face full of focus as he adjusted the strap of An An’s bag. The scene was unusually tender, and the store staff looked on with envy.

“Oh my, I never expected Mr. Shen to be a doting father!”

“His daughter is so cute!”

“I heard that Mr. Shen brought her back from outside. Could she be his secret child?”

Xia Kexuan clenched her fists in disbelief.

Impossible!

According to the story, Shen Zhihan should have been dead by now.

She remembered clearly that the book briefly explained Shen Zhihan’s fate.

[Shen Zhihan, unable to win the love of his ideal woman, jumped off a cliff, leaving no remains. He left all his inheritance to that woman.]

So who was this little girl who suddenly appeared?

Xia Kexuan’s expression shifted unpredictably before she stormed into the store and called out brightly, “Uncle Zhihan, what a coincidence! I didn’t expect to see you here. I heard my sister said some harsh things to you. She’s been feeling guilty and cried all night yesterday.”

The sisters worked in perfect harmony. Hearing this, Xia Jing also walked in, her eyes red as she looked at Shen Zhihan with tears threatening to spill, appearing utterly pitiful.

“Zhihan, I’m so glad you’re alright. I couldn’t reach you yesterday and was very worried. I shouldn’t have said those things. Will you forgive me?”

Both completely ignored An An as if she were invisible.

When Shen Zhihan saw Xia Jing, he instinctively lifted his leg to approach her.

His fingers were gripped by a small hand.

Looking down, Shen Zhihan saw An An holding his hand and opening her arms wide. “Daddy, hug me.”

His momentarily confused mind snapped back to focus. He gave Xia Jing a cold glance but said nothing, instead turning to the staff. “Why did you let them in?”

The staff explained they assumed they were acquaintances, so they didn’t stop them. Hearing this, they quickly apologized. “Sorry, I’ll ask them to leave right away.”

Xia Jing thought Shen Zhihan was merely guarding his reputation and keeping his distance in public.

Previously, whenever they met, she insisted he clear the area so no one would find out.

No one knew that Shen Zhihan had been madly infatuated with her, fulfilling her every request.

Xia Jing instinctively reached out to grab Shen Zhihan’s hand but was firmly pulled away by An An.

An An looked at Xia Jing with eyes full of dislike, her usually smiling face now scowling.

She wrapped her arms around Shen Zhihan’s neck and said, “Don’t hurt my daddy. Daddy, make her leave. She’s a bad woman!”

Shen Zhihan didn’t understand why An An said that. He spoke coldly, “Miss Xia, please.”

Xia Jing looked incredulous. “Zhihan, you…”

“Miss Xia, we’re not close. Please don’t call me that.”

The staff escorted the two women out.

Shen Zhihan carried An An to the rest area and crouched beside her. “An An, are you upset?”

An An reached up and patted his head. “Daddy, she’s not that sister. That sister doesn’t even know you exist.”

Shen Zhihan’s body trembled involuntarily.

Long-forgotten memories resurfaced in his mind.

A dim, damp room reeking of filth, connected to the outside world only by a window about the size of a glasses case.

He was confined there, greedily pressing against that window during the day to peer outside.

Then, he met a pair of bright eyes. The girl seemed startled and cried out before running away.

After a while, she returned cautiously and asked, “Are you… human?”

He ignored her.

She left, then came back again.

This time, she brought him food—a fragrant, sweet custard bun—the best he had ever tasted.

“Why are you locked up here? Should I call the police for you?”

“Get lost!” he snapped back.

This was a rundown urban village, filthy and chaotic, where everyone was struggling to survive.

Calling the police would only result in that man beating him even more severely.

He lay back down, the iron chain clanking loudly.

The next day, someone knocked on the window, and the girl’s voice called out again, “Hey, are you still alive? If you are, make a sound. I brought you some fried pancake rolls.”

She pushed the food through to him.

She came every day for ten days, bringing different kinds of food each time.

She talked a lot, as if afraid he would give up on life, spending half the day chatting with him.

“Hey, when you escape, let’s be friends. I’m very loyal. Don’t look so gloomy with your eyes. I don’t know what you look like, but your eyes are beautiful. If you have no purpose, will you live for me? I love money the most. The food I feed you—you’ll pay me back a hundred, no, a thousand times over! You must grant me every wish!”

The person he said he would live for disappeared after ten days.

He couldn’t remember her face, only the necklace she wore—a kissing fish pendant.

Later, he transformed into the heir of the Shen family in Haicheng. A business prodigy, his empire expanded greatly.

Two years ago, Xia Jing found him, wearing that same kissing fish necklace.

She said, “Hey, you look familiar. Don’t you remember me?”