MO GUANG LIN stared at his son. Seeing that he didn't show any shock when he saw him only meant that he was already expecting him to be there.

"I'll be going now. Dad should go inside and comfort Mo Jian. She seemed to really need it," Mo Jiu said before bowing a little and walking away.

Mo Guang Lin watched his son's back before running after him and asking;

"Did you do it on purpose? Steer the conversation in a direction that would allow me to hear everything your sister said?"

Mo Jiu stopped and turned to his father. "I may have done that. But everything that Mo Jian said came out of her mouth on her own volition. I did not force her to say those things."

Pain simply stabbed on Mo Guang Lin's heart. Of course, he knew that! But knowing and accepting were two different things. "Why did you want me to hear those things?" he asked instead.

"Because it's time for Dad to take off the blinders covering your eyes," Mo Jiu simply said. "If you continue on like this, maybe one day, Mo Jian would end up walking on a much crooked path. Dad should know that that's a possibility. Especially in the way you kept on spoiling Mo Jian. Maybe today she would ask you to take care of a disparaging article, then tomorrow she would ask you to help her hide a dead body. And Dad, being the loving 'father' that you are, would do so with a smile on your face."

He wanted to deny everything. To push it all to Mo Jiu and convinced himself that it was the other who made Mo Jian said all those things. And the things he said just now would never happen. But no words came out of his mouth. As if everything was stuck in his throat, making it feel hot and scratchy.

The fact the he couldn't deny it brought him more pain than anything else. Because it meant that his subconscious was agreeing to what Mo Jiu said. That his daughter could end up doing all those things and that he was the one who made it that way.

He wanted to scream. To just refuse all the facts that were presented to him. To convince himself that Mo Jiu was wrong and everything was just the other's delusion. But seeing his son who looked at him as if he was no better than a stranger, he couldn't do it.

This was the result of him being a failure as a father. He doted so much on his daughter that he completely neglected his eldest. He wouldn't even be surprised to learn if the word 'father' for Mo Jiu was simply a label. The term in which he would refer to the sperm donor who got his mother pregnant.

And Mo Guang Lin couldn't even blame him for that. In fact, he didn't have any right to blame him. Because everything was a result of his actions. His son's distant attitude and his daughter's cruel nature. It was all his fault.

He smiled bitterly. It turned out that all the things that were said about him in that article, as well as the comments of the people, were all true. He was a scumbag father who spoiled his daughter to the point of believing that she could do anything, no matter how bad, because would always be there to get her out of it.

The moment he admitted that, he just naturally was able to accept the things that he couldn't. His daughter's wrongdoings, his own mistakes, just everything. It might have hurt more. But at least, with this, he could finally be accountable for all the mistakes he had done.

This not only included apologizing to those people who were hurt by his daughter, but also helping Mo Jian become a better person. Before it was all too late and he just woke up one day suddenly finding out that the other already committed an unforgivable crime. Just like what Mo Jiu had said.

Mo Guang Lin closed his eyes tightly. Pondering over the things that he shouldn't have done and the things he should do from now on. It was akin to the feeling of having an existential crisis. He almost wanted to laugh. Having this kind of feeling at this age. It showed that he never really matured and of how bad of a father he really was.

When he opened his eyes, Mo Jiu was still standing there. He stared at his son. Just like how he failed Mo Jian, he also failed Mo Jiu in a different way. He wanted to make up for everything. Even if it might be already too late. He would spend the rest of his life to do that.

"I will make things right. I won't let your sister reach that point. I promise."

Mo Jiu was confused by his father's sudden surge of determination. Maybe he was stimulated too much by what Mo Jian had said. But this was good, right?

"Okay. Then, I'll leave now."

He turned around and walked. He had only taken a few steps when his father stopped him again. He glanced back, wondering what it was this time.

"Ah Jiu, I'm sorry."

Mo Jiu once again felt confused because of this apology. Especially after seeing the expression on his father's face as if the other was about to cry. What a weird picture that would be. He wasn't really interested in understanding it, so, he just nodded. Then, he continued walking.

As he did, he took out his phone and sent a message to the little devil.

[It's done.]

It didn't take long before he received a reply.

[What's the result? Is it a success?]

[Success.]

[Good.] That was accompanied by a smiley face.

For some reason, Mo Jiu suddenly imagined the other smiling. Like a little devil who successfully tempted a mortal into committing a sin.

Frankly speaking, that was a rather apt description.

On the other side, Mo Guang Lin walked back to his daughter's hospital room. He stood in front of the door for a couple of seconds before taking a deep breath and opening it. He walked inside, determined to do what he just decided.