A Little Trick, the Scumbag Dad Can't Hold the Knife After Understanding Love-Chapter 286

No one in this household was more familiar with sneaking out than Da Dan.

Da Dan’s specialty was slinking in and out like a stealthy little dog.

Unfortunately, now there was no dog to accompany her on late-night escapades.

She hugged the plush puppy on her bed, rubbing her chin against the soft fur on its head.

"I’m off. Make sure I don’t get caught, okay?"

Ji Nian slipped into her walk-in closet and grabbed a black hoodie to throw on—no baseball cap, though, since it would cramp her style.

Once dressed and with her phone in hand, she dug out her "tools of the trade" from under the bed and expertly pushed open the window to glance down.

Clearly, this wasn’t Ji Nian’s first time sneaking out past bedtime.

Even if the cameras caught her, it didn’t matter. The uncles in the surveillance room would turn a blind eye.

Besides, Ji Tingzhou wasn’t actually clueless—at worst, she’d just get scolded the next day.

Scolded, but unrepentant. Heh.

Sure enough, before Ji Nian could even get far, Wei Yang emerged from the shadows, yawning.

"Where are you off to at this hour?"

Ji Nian rummaged through the garage, picking a car.

Unlike her, Ji Tingzhou wasn’t much of a driver—he preferred sitting in the back. He wasn’t passionate about cars, but the garage was still packed, even with a few childhood gifts from Chen Mo, despite Ji Nian being underage at the time.

"Wei Yang, let’s take this one. Drop me off at Liuguang Yufu."

Liuguang Yufu was where Lu Jinghuai lived.

Wei Yang’s drowsy expression instantly sharpened.

He tensed like he was facing an enemy. "What are you going there for… at this time of night?"

Still just a kid—and a girl at that—Ji Nian didn’t want him overthinking it. "I upset a friend. If I don’t apologize tonight, I won’t be able to sleep."

At the word "friend," Wei Yang’s expression softened slightly.

Fine.

She was still young. At that age, it was all about friendship—what did kids know about love? Back when he was Ji Nian’s age, he’d thought babies came from trash cans.

For the record, Zhiliao had believed children were the result of fights—she’d once seen a deranged woman dragged off by a man, only for her belly to swell like a balloon soon after.

Shen Rushan, meanwhile, was convinced babies were free gifts with phone plan top-ups.

As for Ji Tingzhou…

Well, the one who seemed most destined to die alone was actually the most precocious. Realizing the three of them had zero sex ed, Ji Tingzhou had scowled through an impromptu lesson on what was and wasn’t acceptable—then pulled Zhiliao aside for an extra-long private talk.

Now, looking at Ji Nian’s youthful face, Wei Yang ran a hand through his hair. "Alright, I’ll drive."

As she got in, he reminded her to buckle up, then added, "Whatever happened, it definitely wasn’t your fault."

That little brat had some nerve, making Ji Nian go to him.

First thing tomorrow, he’d tattle to his brother.

Ji Nian could only smile helplessly at his shameless doting.

If she were really just a kid, these people would’ve spoiled her into a full-blown menace by now.

System: [At this rate, you’ll be taking a dump on Ji Tingzhou’s head next.]

Ji Nian: "……"

Yeah, no. That would be suicide.

Arriving at Liuguang Yufu, Ji Nian expected to have to check in with security—but the guard took one look at her and waved her through. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

He even mentioned the owner had given instructions: if she showed up, no one was to stop her.

So Ji Nian strolled right in.

[If the little prince is already asleep…]

System: [You’ll just have to slink away in defeat.]

[—I’ll bang on the door until he wakes up.]

Ji Nian finished the thought.

The system’s electronic voice dripped with exasperation: [Maybe you should get a DNA test. You might actually be Ji Tingzhou’s biological kid.]

That comment brought back the dream Ji Nian had years ago—the one with Chen Yueling in it.

Come to think of it, she hadn’t dreamed of her since.

Lost in thought, Ji Nian stopped in front of Lu Jinghuai’s villa. She took a step back, rising on her tiptoes to peer inside.

The lights were still on. He wasn’t asleep yet.

So ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‍she pressed the doorbell.

Before Ji Nian could even speak, the intercom connected—then immediately cut off.

Ji Nian scuffed her toe against the ground. Was he really that upset with her?

Just as she debated ringing again, the gate clicked open automatically.

Lu Jinghuai stood on the other side, draped in a gray hoodie, his chest rising and falling like he’d run here. His soft, half-long hair was tied into a messy bun at his nape.

The corners of his eyes were tinged pink, like they’d been brushed with rouge—stark against his fair skin. His silver-gray eyes shimmered with unshed tears, enough to twist anyone’s heart.

System: [You may now commence the destruction of human civilization.]

The system’s mocking laugh snapped Ji Nian out of her daze.

"Come in," Lu Jinghuai said.

"Did you come alone?"

His eyes were red, his usually clear voice rough. Ji Nian’s guilt deepened.

"No, Wei Yang drove me."

Relieved she hadn’t come alone, Lu Jinghuai guided her inside.

Once Ji Nian was seated on the sofa, he turned to pour her a glass of warm water.

"It’s chilly out. Drink this."

The night wind had been strong, and while Ji Nian’s hoodie covered her arms, her shorts left her slender legs bare.

She took a sip, tilting her head back—only to meet Lu Jinghuai’s gaze through the glass.

Under the light indoors, the redness at the corners of his eyes was even more pronounced, his irises as vivid as Chen Mo’s (Algernon edition).

"I’m sorry."

Setting the glass down, Ji Nian’s voice, now clear from the water, spoke those words.

Lu Jinghuai’s expression flickered with surprise—his second of the night.

"I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that before."

"I was overthinking things. I don’t hate you."

At her words, the silver-gray eyes, still glistening, darkened for a fleeting moment—so brief it was almost imperceptible—before brightening again.

He stood and walked straight to Ji Nian, kneeling beside her legs and looking up. "Next time, no matter what happens, don’t come here so late, okay?"

Ji Nian blinked, confused, until he continued in a voice soft as a whisper:

"Because to me, you could never be in the wrong."