Stay Home Daddy: I Was Reborn After My Daughter Passed Away
Chapter 214: Two hundred and fourteen Father and Daughter Recognition_1

Chapter 214: Two hundred and fourteen Father and Daughter Recognition_1

His eyes snapped open, bloodshot.

Ji Guangsheng’s longing for Ji Pianran was no less than Wu Shuhui’s!

It was just his stubborn nature that didn’t want others to know.

Ji Pianran looked at her father on the hospital bed, his complexion ashen. Before she could speak, her eyes were already red, and in that moment, a flood of emotions overwhelmed her.

She choked up, and two hot tears fell unconsciously.

Her father had always stood straight, with his chest out and head held high, emanating an aura that made it impossible for anyone to refuse him.

But now, he lay on the bed, his hair white with age, crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes, slightly sunken eye sockets, a prominent nose now looking frail, and pale lips, his facial contours wasted away.

He had completely become an old man.

A frail old man.

"Pian Ran!?"

To Ji Guangsheng, his daughter’s unexpected return felt like a dream.

He stared at his daughter intensely for a long while, then his gaze shifted to Wu Shuhui, who had red eyes and nodded earnestly at him, and only then did he realize that his Pian Ran had truly come back!

Ji Pianran squatted on the floor, grabbing her father’s hand that hung over the edge of the bed, its veins bulging in shock.

Tears blurred her vision.

"Dad, it’s me, I am Pian Ran."

Gu Chen put Tangtang down on the floor, gently touched her head, and said warmly, "That’s your grandfather, go call him grandfather."

The little one glanced at the bed, pursed her lips, and walked over to him, her eyes brimming with childlike innocence.

She called out in her milky voice, "Hello, grandfather."

"This, this is?" Ji Guangsheng was astonished. His Pian Ran had a child? And this child resembled her so much when she was little?

She was just as adorable.

He struggled to sit up, intending to pat the little one’s head, but then, fearing to frighten her with his appearance, he hesitated.

The hand he had stretched out stopped mid-air, and an old face squeezed out a complex smile.

"Can grandfather touch your little head?"

His voice was somewhat shaky with excitement.

To be honest, Ji Guangsheng’s current state did indeed scare Tangtang a bit.

She glanced at Gu Chen and saw him nod to her.

She then reassured herself and turned to look at Ji Guangsheng.

Taking small steps, she walked forward and gently nuzzled his hand with her head.

Smiling, her mouth turned up at the corners, "Okay."

Ji Guangsheng squinted contentedly, his tearful eyes fixed on Ji Pianran.

"This child is so cute, just like how you were when you were little."

From beginning to end, he had not asked her when she got married or how her partner was.

All he knew was that his child had come back, and for him, that was enough as long as she was willing to return.

On the other hand, Ji Chu was beside himself with worry at the moment.

He stepped forward and embraced Ji Pianran, his voice laden with deep sorrow.

"All these years, you couldn’t even make one phone call home, how ruthless of you!"

At that time, Ji Chu was only fourteen. He remembered one day after school, he brought her a novel he thought she would like, but she was nowhere to be found.

She had vanished suddenly, as if she evaporated.

From that moment on, the Ji Family was shrouded in a deep fog, never to be cheerful again.

Ji Pianran gently patted Ji Chu on the back, as if to comfort him, or perhaps muttering to herself.

"It’s past, all is past."

Her longing for her parents and brother was finally eased by Ji Chu’s warm embrace at that moment.

What replaced it was a sense of guilt.

Guilt towards family bonds.

Ji Chu released Ji Pianran from his embrace. Though his own eyes were red, he still reached out a hand to wipe the tears from her face.

"It’s good that you’re back, it’s good that you’re home."

Ji Pianran hadn’t expected that her brother, who was still a child, would be the one to console her first.

She nodded and, with trembling hands, wiped away the tear about to fall from his eye.

Opening her mouth with relief, she said, "Xiao Chu has grown taller, and he has grown up too."

Gu Chen observed all this. Wu Shuhui, who had just cried, was also quietly wiping her tears aside, and Uncle Guang—he, too, was lowering his head as if afraid to let others see his red eyes.

Gu Chen sighed softly as if to say that aside from himself and his daughter, everyone was crying.

It’s tragic, he thought. They’d just happily reunited; they should be joyful.

He secretly signaled to Tangtang with a wave of his hand.

The little one, seeing her father calling her, tiptoed into his embrace.

"Tangtang, sing ’Two Tigers’ for everyone, and Daddy will reward you with a lollipop, okay?" Gu Chen whispered into her ear.

Hearing there was a lollipop to be had, the little one’s eyes gleamed.

Without hesitation, she began to sing loudly, "Two little tigers, two little tigers, run so fast~ run so fast~"

The sadness that permeated the air vanished the instant the little one opened her mouth.

Everyone, caught off guard by her adorable, childish singing voice, burst into laughter.

All eyes were on her.

Ji Chu walked over and lovingly scooped her into his arms, "My name is Ji Chu, your uncle. For our first meeting, how about I get you some cotton candy?"

There was a cotton candy vendor right outside the hospital, one he saw every time he came and went.

Her eyes lighting up at the mention of cotton candy, Tangtang licked her lips and said cutely, "Tangtang wants cotton candy~"

She was quite fond of this uncle she was meeting for the first time.

Seeing her nod, Ji Chu flashed a bright smile, "Let’s go, Uncle will buy you whatever you want!"

Ji Chu really adored the cute, fluffy little one.

"Sis, I’ll take her for some candy and be right back," Ji Chu said, already holding Tangtang and ready to head out. Just before leaving, he suddenly tugged at Gu Chen.

Gu Chen was taken aback, looking confusedly at Ji Chu’s face. The next second, Ji Chu made a facial gesture, signaling him to come outside.

He gave Ji Pianran a quick smile and hurriedly said, "I’ll step out for a moment too."

With that, he followed Ji Chu’s footsteps out.

...

Once the two had left the ward, Uncle Guang’s gaze finally landed on the tray on the hospital bed, where the food hadn’t been touched at all.

In a hurry, he placed the porridge on the tray on the bed, nodding as he said, "Sir, you need to eat something. This porridge is good, please try some."

Ji Guangsheng waved his hand decisively, "I’m not eating!"

He was still eager to see his daughter. Why bother with these dishes!

Seeing her father refuse to eat, Ji Pianran took the bowl of porridge from the tray and stirred it with a spoon before scooping up a small amount and tenderly offering it to her father’s lips, "Dad, at least have a bite."

Looking at his daughter, the usually resolute Ji Guangsheng instantly lost his temper.

He obediently opened his mouth.

And let his daughter feed the warm porridge into his mouth.

However, the moment the porridge touched his taste buds, an indescribable fragrance instantly filled his mouth.

Ji Guangsheng, who normally had little interest in food, suddenly had a sparkle in his eye.

He looked at Ji Pianran in surprise, "This porridge?"

Ji Pianran smiled, "Gu Chen made this porridge. He’s a really good cook."

She patiently fed another spoonful to her father.