TSFLIP Chapter 301

Xiaoxiao poked at the hawk’s head. The fierce bird seemed to recognize her as its little master. Although annoyed, it didn’t snap at her.

“Big hawk, big hawk, don’t you think Daddy treats me so well? Not like my little cousin—he doesn’t even know who his real father is!” Xiaoxiao giggled at her own words. “You wouldn’t know, but my aunt has three husbands—Uncle Mu, Uncle Lan, and Uncle Shen. I always hear Mommy mumbling about how my aunt never gets sore or tired… But why would Auntie’s back or legs hurt? Mommy won’t tell me, and neither will Daddy. Ugh, adults and their secrets!”

Fed up with her chatter, the hawk let out a sharp cry, flapped its wings, and flew off.

“Hey, big hawk! Where are you going? Wait for me!” Xiaoxiao jumped to her feet and chased after it.

She ran through the back garden, past a long corridor, until she was out of breath. Resting against a wall, she realized she had wandered into a completely unfamiliar area. Her father often brought her to the estate to play, and she thought she’d explored every corner, but she’d never been here before.

It was an abandoned and remote courtyard, overgrown with weeds. In the middle stood a tightly shut building. Xiaoxiao, brimming with a child’s curiosity, ventured closer. After wandering around, her gaze naturally fell on the locked door of the house.

This estate, second only to the imperial palace in splendor, had always been well-kept. Why would there be such a decrepit courtyard here?

Puzzled and intrigued, Xiaoxiao walked up the steps, stroked her chin in thought, and placed her hand on the door. But she didn’t push it open. A voice in her head warned her that if she did, she would regret it.

Xiaoxiao had inherited her mother’s beauty, as well as her sharp intuition. Everything about this place felt wrong. Logic told her to leave immediately. She withdrew her hand and took a step back. Just as she turned to go, the hawk swooped down in front of her, startling her so much that she stumbled backward and crashed into the door, forcing it open.

A foul, oppressive stench rushed out. Xiaoxiao had never smelled anything so putrid and metallic before—it reeked of blood. Inside, jars filled with what appeared to be people were lined up. They had no eyes, but upon hearing the commotion, they all turned their bloodstained faces toward the doorway.

Xiaoxiao screamed, clenching her eyes shut and hugging her head. She trembled uncontrollably. The hawk circled above her as if urging her to leave, but the sheltered little girl had never encountered anything so horrifying. This was far worse than the prince with a necrophilia fetish in her mother’s Snow White story. Her legs turned to jelly, and she couldn’t get up.

A shadow appeared at the door, backlit by the sunlight. Tall and slender, the figure spoke softly, “Xiaoxiao, what’s wrong?”

“Daddy!” Xiaoxiao suddenly found the strength to move. She scrambled to her feet and threw herself into her father’s arms, burying her face in his waist, too afraid to look up. Her voice trembled as she stammered, “I’m so scared…”

Su Bi followed closely behind Gu Yan. He glanced at Xiaoxiao clinging to her father, then at Gu Yan’s serene smile. His expression tensed for a moment, but he quickly reassured himself. No, it couldn’t be. After all, Xiaoxiao was his biological daughter… wasn’t she?

“What’s scaring you, Xiaoxiao?” Gu Yan bent slightly, tilting his head to look at her. His lips curved in a gentle, familiar smile, as enchanting as ever.

He was still the father who always told her she was a good girl.

But Xiaoxiao suddenly felt even more terrified.