My Dad Takes a While to Warm Up

Yu Zhen struggled to get up and found her neighbor.

She asked the neighbor to help look for Guo Zhou.

But the neighbor's ability was limited; they could only help Yu Zhen find her close friends.

Yu Zhen's friends were enthusiastic enough.

They gathered around one by one.

Some held the baby, others played with it, laughing so hard that wrinkles appeared on their faces.

"Oh my, this child is no ordinary one. Look at those features—so handsome, so much like Young Master Shen!"

"Such a resemblance, as if carved from the same mold."

"Yu Zhen, you're so blessed. Now that you've given birth to Young Master Shen's child, when he grows up, you can take him to find Young Master Shen. Then you'll have love and wealth and honor."

"Yu Zhen, when fortune smiles on you, don't forget us!"

...

Yu Zhen's rising temper was smoothed by the chorus of praise, and a hint of pride even appeared on her face.

But the pride didn't last long.

Because...

Guo Zhou still hadn't returned!

A whole day had passed, and Guo Zhou hadn't come back!

Before, during her pregnancy, Guo Zhou had always stayed by her side as much as possible, afraid that she might encounter any trouble or that any need of hers might go unmet.

He was never gone for more than half an hour.

Now that she had given birth, he had disappeared for an entire day.

Yu Zhen couldn't help but feel uneasy.

He was the baby's lifeline, her support for a long time to come.

She interrupted the group and said, "God knows where Guo Zhou has gone. I'm not feeling well right now, and I need someone to take care of me."

"You are all my good sisters."

"At a time like this, you're the only ones I can rely on."

"So, who among you will stay and look after me?"

"Don't worry, it won't take too long. Once Guo Zhou comes back, you won't need to bother anymore."

The friends naturally agreed without hesitation.

After all, the child was destined for greatness from birth. Getting close to Yu Zhen now could lead to future rewards.

Besides, taking care of Yu Zhen and the baby wouldn't take much effort.

And most likely, just as they started, Guo Zhou would return.

The friends immediately agreed and even set up a schedule.

With six of them, each person would take a shift, covering six days.

They even argued over who would take the first shift.

This scene gave Yu Zhen a little peace of mind.

God knew where Guo Zhou had gone off to, but at least she still had her sisters.

However, this small comfort didn't last long.

"Hey, why didn't you peel this apple? How am I supposed to eat it without peeling it?"

"The baby won't stop crying—why don't you go fetch a doctor? Do you expect me, a woman recuperating from childbirth, to go?"

"Oh, how clumsy you are! When Guo Zhou was here, he handled all this and kept things quiet, not disturbing me. Why can't you... be gentler?"

Yu Zhen, who had just given birth, was already holding a strange fire inside her. Being put through the wringer by her rotating friends only made her temper flare.

Her outburst left the friend humiliated and angry, and they couldn't last through the shift before quitting.

The second person took over.

She, too, was scolded by Yu Zhen's inexplicable anger.

Then came a third, and a fourth!

By the time another day had passed, Guo Zhou had been missing for two days, and Yu Zhen was still being tended to by her friends.

But none of them could meet her expectations.

Her temper flared again and again, till only two friends remained who hadn't been subjected to her anger.

Knowing Guo Zhou still hadn't returned, Yu Zhen resolved to control her temper at all costs and not drive these people away.

Otherwise, who would take care of her?

She swallowed her anger and endured their careless handling.

But just as she had made this concession, an even greater obstacle stood before her—one she simply couldn't overcome.

That was...

She had no money!

She needed money for her postpartum recovery.

The baby needed money.

And... the next rent payment!

Everything required money.

Where would the money come from?

Guo Zhou had vanished without providing any. That meant she had to... borrow from her friends.

"Borrow money from me? How could I have any?"

One friend's outright refusal made Yu Zhen's carefully maintained low posture a joke. Her anger surged again, and she drove that friend away too.

Only one friend remained.

Yu Zhen thought to herself, this time she must cherish this one.

If she drove away her last friend, she would truly be left as a widow with an orphan.

This time, her patience held out a little better.

Things went reasonably well with this friend.

But no amount of patience could last forever.

"Wasn't it supposed to be just one day?"

"I've been here for three days now—when will it end?"

"No, no, this is the fourth day. I can't take it anymore. I'm leaving. Yu Zhen, it's not that I don't want to help, it's just that... I'm not an idle person either. How can I just keep working here?"

And so, the last friend disappeared too.

Yu Zhen was left with tears but no tears to shed. She looked around—the room was empty, with only her and the hungry, wailing baby.

But...

Other women, after giving birth, had husbands to dote on them and families to cherish them. She had no one!

Yu Zhen completely broke down.

She burst into loud sobs.

Her precious baby followed suit, crying along with her.

But what good was crying?

It couldn't change the fact that she had no care, nor could it stop the landlord from evicting her from the house.

In the blink of an eye, Yu Zhen went from being admired and envied by everyone to a beggar on the street, clutching her swaddled baby.

Life had plunged from heaven straight into hell.

Just as she was at her wit's end, Yu Zhen's luck finally arrived. She caught sight of someone on the street—the person she had longed for day and night!

She had found him at last.

"Guo Zhou!"

"Guo Zhou!"

"Guo Zhou!"

Three loud cries, each word sharp and forceful.

She broke into a quick trot, closing the distance in a few steps, and blocked the wine-buying Guo Zhou.

"You, you, you—where the hell have you been?"

"Do you have any idea how hard these past days have been for me and the baby?"

"Don't you want your own child?"

Guo Zhou turned around, revealing a bright, smiling face.

"My child?"

Yu Zhen quickly said, "Yes, look—it's a son. He'll carry on your Guo family line."

"Our Guo family line? But this child's surname is Shen."

Yu Zhen froze.

After a long pause, her face turned cold. "Guo Zhou, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing much." Guo Zhou's expression was indifferent. "It's just that I went back and told my father about us."

"My father doesn't approve."

Yu Zhen panicked. "Guo Zhou, are you lying to me?"

"Everything you said before—was it all a lie?"

"I gave you my whole heart, and you deceived me? I'll go to the Heart Alliance! I'll report you to them and let them punish you for not respecting love!"

"You know their methods—they'll make your life a living hell!"

The mere mention of the Heart Alliance instantly put tremendous pressure on Guo Zhou.

Or rather, the Heart Alliance organization was a huge source of pressure for all common people in the Cloud Capital.

Guo Zhou didn't dare to run away easily.

Otherwise, if the Brotherhood of Like Minds came looking for him, the outcome would undoubtedly be grim.

But… Guo Zhou was not flustered. Steadying his composure, he said with a look of utmost sincerity, “Yu Zhen, it’s true. It really is my father who disagrees.”

“Still, you shouldn’t lose heart. My father’s a soft-hearted man at times—if you talk to him more, he might come around in the end.”

“It’s just…”

“He’s a bit slow to warm up.”

“All we need is a little time!”

…