A Little Trick, the Scumbag Dad Can't Hold the Knife After Understanding Love-Chapter 247

Self-discipline might be the secret to a man’s agelessness.

Compared to seven years ago, Chen Mo’s face showed almost no signs of change—at most, a faint trace of time could be seen at the corners of his eyes when he smiled. He remained as handsome as ever, with none of the weight gain typical of his age.

What’s more, years of training had made his physique much more solid. A simple touch to his arm revealed well-defined muscle lines.

“Did our Nian Nian miss me?”

Catching the child who threw herself into his arms, Chen Mo patted her shoulder and gave her a thorough once-over, his face softening with warmth.

Ji Nian stretched out her arms, gesturing widely. “So much! This much!”

“And I even prepared lots of gifts for you!”

At the mention of gifts, a crack briefly appeared in Chen Mo’s perfect smile.

He remembered the presents he’d received from Ji Nian over the years.

Leaving aside the hemorrhoid cream, there was also the “water cup that emits farting sounds if you don’t drink on time—guaranteed to cause maximum social embarrassment.” Most of Ji Nian’s gifts followed this theme.

“What’s ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‍wrong?”

Noticing his odd expression, Ji Nian tilted her head.

Chen Mo shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s nothing.” freewёbnoνel.com

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? Come on, let’s go for a feast.”

He motioned for Ji Nian to follow him toward the parking lot.

In the security booth, a guard holding a teacup printed with an insurance company logo nearly jumped out of his skin when he stepped out to pour water. “Whoa!!”

Spotting a figure behind the tree shadows, he stumbled back several steps.

Only when the person stepped into the light—revealing themselves to be not just human, but strikingly beautiful—did the guard relax, patting his chest. “Kid, what are you doing standing there? You scared me half to death.”

Upon closer look, wasn’t this a familiar face?

This child’s looks were extraordinary, and so were her antics.

“Sorry, I dropped something here.”

The apology came softly, laced with genuine remorse.

...

Once in the car, Chen Mo handed Ji Nian a small rabbit-shaped pillow and absentmindedly ruffled her hair. “Your hair’s grown so long. It’s time for a trim.”

Hugging the pillow, Ji Nian examined a strand of her hair. “Yeah, it is. I’ll ask Dad to cut it for me when we get back.”

At the mention of Ji Tingzhou, Chen Mo’s expression darkened for a split second before his eyebrows lifted slightly. “Ji Tingzhou cuts your hair?”

Ji Nian nodded. “Mhm! Dad’s always been the one to cut it.”

That hadn’t been the case a few years ago—until one day, after getting her hair caught on something, Ji Nian impulsively grabbed scissors and snipped it shorter herself. The next morning, when Ji Tingzhou saw her new hairstyle, his face turned so grim he looked like he might faint.

From then on, Ji Nian was strictly forbidden from touching her own hair, and Ji Tingzhou took over the task.

“Zhiliao jie said Dad used to be a street barber. His skills are just as good as any ‘Tony’ at a fancy salon.”

And it was true—Ji Tingzhou was dexterous, even when it came to haircuts.

Chen Mo thought, Who?

Ji Tingzhou?

He was a barber??

That was hard to picture.

As they drove, Chen Mo told Ji Nian about the customs and scenery of the country he’d visited, his daily routines, and the people he’d met.

“And this—I had to beg the craftsman to teach me. There wasn’t much time, so the final product isn’t as refined as I’d hoped.”

He handed her a box, which Ji Nian eagerly opened.

Inside was a small white rabbit, its body made of a smooth material, its face adorned with blue patterns. A pearl necklace hung around its neck, and its tiny paws were clasped together as it tilted its head, as if curiously observing an unfamiliar world.

“Is this… made from seashells?”

She bent closer, studying the material uncertainly.

Chen Mo’s smile deepened.

“Our Nian Nian is so clever. Yes, it’s made from seashells.”

“It’s a traditional local craft—a doll made for newborns, symbolizing wishes for their safe and happy growth. It’s also believed to ward off evil. The locals treat them as guardian spirits; almost every villager has one.”

Ji Nian gasped in delight.

“I want to visit someday!”

She adored it, running her fingers over the rabbit’s hard, shell-like ears. “Thank you, Uncle. I love it so much.”

“Now I have a guardian spirit too.”

Pulling out her phone, she snapped several photos of the rabbit.

Perhaps because he’d once made a rabbit himself, Chen Mo had a soft spot for rabbit-themed items—though he never used them personally, he loved giving them to Ji Nian.

Seeing her joy, his gaze grew even gentler.

Truthfully, the local dolls were human-shaped. He’d insisted on making a rabbit instead, nearly earning himself a beating from the craftsman who taught him.

A quiet happiness filled the car as they reunited. Notably, neither brought up the earlier recording incident.

That is, until they reached the restaurant.

Inside the private room, the pre-ordered dishes arrived swiftly after they were seated.

The moment the door closed behind them—

The cheerful expressions on both their faces vanished in an instant.

Chen Mo’s smile faded, replaced by solemnity.

“The investigation into whether there’s an issue with the production line is still ongoing. No. 1 traced the rumor’s origin—it started at Xinyin Hospital, our partner facility, and has been circulating for half a month.”

Gone was Ji Nian’s usual childlike demeanor. She crossed her legs, her emerald-green eyes cool and composed. Nodding at Chen Mo’s words, she replied:

“The claim that ‘many have already died’ can’t be verified. It might just be a baseless rumor. The only confirmed death is Wang Zhiping’s—on the 20th of last month, he was hospitalized at Xinyin after eating a pie laced with poison.”

“The local hospital lacked the means to treat him, so he was urgently transferred to Xinyin. The attending doctor administered a universal antidote. After the injection, Wang Zhiping’s vitals gradually stabilized.”

“But at 4 a.m. the next day, his heart stopped for unknown reasons.”

This was the truth behind the rumor that “Chen’s antidote killed someone.”

Chen Mo fell silent for a moment before meeting Ji Nian’s eyes.

In unison, they said:

“Something’s off.”

The period after Wang Zhiping received the antidote was suspicious.

“I’ve sent No. 1 to Xinyin Hospital. After dinner, I’ll personally visit the police to gather more details.”

Though it was just a rumor for now, neither believed it would remain that way.

This was merely the calm before the storm.

Ji Nian nodded.

Despite the lingering doubts, she was still a student—unlike Chen Mo, she couldn’t act as freely.

After discussing a few more points and settling on next steps, the atmosphere between them lightened again. To any outsider, they’d simply look like a doting uncle and his beloved niece.

Chen Mo had long grown accustomed to this.

Years ago, he’d accepted that his niece was a prodigy—and that discussing work with her felt like conversing with a fellow adult.

Well, it couldn’t be helped. Ji Nian took after him. After all, he’d picked things up just as quickly when he first took charge.

This child really knows how to pick only his best traits to inherit.