TSFLIP Chapter 464

Xia Chao raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Oh? Honestly, I thought you’d say Fengguang is a silly girl. After all, Ah Ci and I have heavily protected my daughter. People who’ve met her often say she doesn’t seem like my child—she lacks my ruthlessness, and she’s never been one for scheming.”

“Fengguang isn’t silly,” Ji Mian replied, his tone gentle. “She just… lives in her world. A world that’s different from ours—without deceit or manipulation.”

A rare warmth flickered in Ji Mian’s eyes. It was something he should have understood a long time ago.

Xia Chao’s gaze sharpened like an eagle’s. “Then tell me—if someone wanted to enter Fengguang’s world, should I, as her father, stop them?”

“You should.”

That was the second answer that caught Xia Chao off guard. So he pressed further, “Why?”

“Because if you don’t, her world might be stained black.”

“But some people,” Xia Chao said coldly, “even though they know they shouldn’t, still want to get involved.”

“That’s because self-awareness isn’t strong enough to overcome the possessiveness buried deep in one’s bones.”

Xia Chao narrowed his eyes, anger finally surfacing. “Ji Mian, are you openly declaring war on me?”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Ji Mian said calmly. “I’m merely speaking the truth—to a father.”

His tone remained composed and unruffled. Compared to him, Xia Chao, who had already shown emotion, seemed to be the one losing ground. But that couldn’t be helped. Any father who hears a presumptuous man speak about his daughter like this—especially in such a maddening way—would find it hard not to get angry.

Xia Chao’s expression turned cold. “The people I sent out brought back news. They found Li Bai in a room—but he was already dead.”

Ji Mian’s face didn’t change. “Is that so?”

Li Bai wasn’t just dead. His eyes had been gouged out, and his flesh looked as if it had been savagely torn apart by some animal. Even Xia Chao’s men, seasoned as they were, had been visibly shaken—then thoroughly disgusted.

Naturally, the first person Xia Chao suspected of doing such a thing was Ji Mian.

“I heard you had your lab two years ago,” Xia Chao said. “You’ve been selling your developments to some influential people. So I have good reason to believe you’ve built quite the network.”

Ji Mian responded humbly, “It still doesn’t compare to yours, Father.”

“At your age, with what you’ve already achieved, Ji Mian—you’re impressive.”

“Thank you for the compliment, Father.”

Xia Chao sneered at his polite reply. “Back at the orphanage, I never liked that look in your eyes. Even then, you didn’t seem like a child—you looked more like a calculating politician.”

“But you still brought me into the Xia family,” Ji Mian said.

Xia Chao laughed. “I didn’t have a choice. Fengguang took a liking to you at first glance. And you know I’ve never been able to refuse her anything.”

Ji Mian smiled faintly. “Fengguang’s a good girl.”

“She is,” Xia Chao agreed. “Otherwise, why would someone like you, who used to dislike her so much, come to care for her this deeply?”

Ji Mian looked up.

“Surprised?” Xia Chao sneered. “Don’t be. Nothing escapes my eyes in this household. That night, when Fengguang suddenly left the house, did you think I didn’t know it was because of Ji You?”

“I haven’t touched Ji You—not because of you, and not because of some newfound family sentiment over the years. I did it because Fengguang didn’t want her harmed. So, Ji Mian—tell me. Why do you think Fengguang would protect Ji You so fiercely?”