The Youngest Daughter's Questioning

“Father.” This time, the one who interrupted him was Xue Qingning.

Xue Boming instinctively looked toward her.

Xue Boming was not close to this daughter; he had not paid much attention to her over the years. In his memory, she seemed to still be a very small child, but now she had grown so tall, with fair skin, delicate features, and rosy, plump cheeks. She looked like a smiling begonia flower on a branch in early spring, exceedingly charming.

This was also his daughter.

His heart could not help but soften, and even his voice became much gentler.

“What is it?” he asked gently. “Do you have something to say to me?”

Although Xue Boming was not particularly tall, he was still a grown man and much taller than Xue Qingning. If Xue Qingning wanted to look at him while speaking, she could only raise her head.

“I heard that last month, you gave Eldest Sister a small agate gourd. And the month before that, you gave her a strand of amber prayer beads. A few days ago, Eldest Sister wore the amber beads on her wrist and the small agate gourd on her waist, telling Second Sister and me that you gave them to her. Second Sister and I were very envious when we saw them. At that time, Second Sister asked me, since we are all your daughters, why have you never given these things to us, but only to Eldest Sister? But I... I didn't know either.”

A child's pupils are always very dark and bright, and incredibly clear, making them look extremely innocent.

Xue Qingning spoke these words in a soft voice, carrying the characteristic tenderness of a young girl. She tilted her head slightly to look at him, seemingly unable to comprehend why Xue Boming would do such a thing. Especially when she spoke the last sentence, there seemed to be a hint of grievance and confusion in her eyes, yet she stubbornly refused to let it show, letting him know.

Guilt immediately welled up in Xue Boming's heart. Since his youth, he had loved collecting playthings like walnuts, Buddhist prayer beads, and jadeite. Among his children, Xue Qingxue was the closest to him and often saw his treasured items. Sometimes, when she liked something, she would ask him for it. He truly doted on this daughter, so he was always willing to give them to her. But he had indeed never given anything to Xue Qingning and Xue Qingyun.

They were all his daughters, yet even he himself could not treat them fairly, showing such obvious favoritism. Now, he was demanding that Lady Xu treat Xue Qingxue fairly.

Xue Boming froze on the spot, unable to speak for a long time.

Lady Xu, standing to the side, sneered in her heart as she watched this scene.

Something even a child could see through, Xue Boming, who was nearly forty years old, could not see through and needed a child to remind him. However, this was good. Children spoke without filter, making it easier for adults to recognize their own faults.