The Long-awaited Mr Han

"Then we'll wait for her and Zhuoli to come back before asking her," Xia Qingwei said. "I think that she'll definitely be willing. She's always been afraid that her existence will make you uncomfortable. She'll be content knowing that you don't mind this at all."

This was what had led to Wang Juhuai's anxiety-filled question.

Yet Lu Man seemed to be in a daze, not replying at all.

Lu Man was indeed so shocked that her mind blanked out.

She never thought that what Wang Juhuai had wanted to say with much difficulty and uncertainty was something that could move her to tears!

Totally unprepared, Lu Man was stunned.

Afraid that Lu Man would be upset, Wang Juhuai hurriedly explained, "I just felt that… We seem too distant with you always calling me 'Uncle.' It seemed weird when you call Qingwei 'Mom' but call me 'Uncle.' You're Qingwei's daughter and she and I are married, so that makes you my daughter as well. I truly see you as my own daughter."

"I want to be like a father to you, to stand up for you when you're bullied. To let them know that you're Wang Juhuai's daughter. To let them lick your boots instead of bullying you. Even that Wang Qianyun who's just my niece is using my name to get her way out there. So why can't you when you're my daughter? When someone bullies you, you can also say 'My dad will hear about this, just you wait!' "

Xia Qingwei did not know whether to laugh or to cry. Did he think Lu Man was a seven- or eight-year-old child?

"That's… That's just what I think anyway. Don't be upset hearing me say this, please," Wang Juhuai said carefully. "Lu Qiyuan never did his responsibility as a father when he treated you badly. To put it plainly, it's the same as if you never had a father, and you're better off without him. You don't even acknowledge him anymore now, do you?"

Wang Juhuai wanted to verify it with Lu Man.

But Lu Man was in a daze right now and did not know how to reply to him.

Wang Juhuai scratched his nose before continuing, "Then let me take over his responsibility and be your dad, and we'll be a real family from now on. Don't distance yourself from me and your mom. You call Qingwei 'Mom' and me 'Uncle.' That's so distant, as if we're from two different families…"

Wang Juhuai said tentatively, "But that's too weird because we're one family!"

Lu Man had wanted to move out of this place to avoid making him feel uncomfortable and so that he and Xia Qingwei could form a family. But Wang Juhuai could not stand for Lu Man sacrificing herself.

"It's as if my appearance has separated you and your mom," Wang Juhuai said.

Lu Man reacted, hurriedly shaking head. "I didn't feel this way, I just…"

"I know, you're just worried that I'll be uncomfortable seeing you and knowing that Qingwei had married before and given birth to that jerk's child," Wang Juhuai said. "But I don't! You see, I'm not that great either. I'd married before as well, and it was my fault back then for falling into a trap set by someone else. I betrayed Qingwei first. If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have married someone else. Even if I feel hatred, I'll only hate myself and not you."

Wang Juhuai smiled. "When we were still deciding on the villa, I already thought of getting a bigger one so that it'll be easy for you to move in. And no matter how many children you and Zhuoli have, it'll be spacious enough. I bought the villa in hopes that my married daughter can come back and stay comfortably."