Guan Shanhai, who had been yelling earlier, now fell silent.
Under Xu Fan's questioning, for the first ti, he began to doubt the way he interacted with his daughter.
Xu Fan glanced at Guan Shing beside him and then said, "Shing is a good girl. Given the family she was born into, she had every right to be willful, but she chose not to."
"When you sent her to learn piano, she devoted herself to it. When criticized for not being number one, she strove to seize first place. She didn't like doing this; she was simply sensible and wanted to make you, as her father, happy."
"And what about you? You think it brings you prestige to have a daughter skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, so you make her learn. You think it's prestigious to have a child whose grades surpass others, so you push her to study relentlessly..."
"All of this, all because you think, you want prestige. Is this really an act of love? To , it's just your selfish decision."
"Uncle, I know what I'm saying might sound excessive, but today, I have to say it all."
Guan Shing doesn't know how to speak up for herself. If I don't say anything, her parents might never know what she truly wants.
Xu Fan then looked at Guan Shanhai and asked, "Uncle, if you search your heart, have you ever genuinely asked what your daughter wants?"
"From a young age, when we play gas, you think we're not serious. When we read novels in class, you think we're not studying hard."
"Whatever it is, if it isn't sothing you approve of, it's considered a wrong path. Your own child must follow the life trajectory you've planned for them. What is this?"
"This is suffocating one's nature! This is stifling freedom! Uncle, life is more than just the path you've planned."
"Have you ever considered that a child whom you disciplined with sticks and forbid from playing gas might, one day, beco an esports player who brings glory to the country?"
"Have you ever thought that a child, whose novels you burned and who was forced to study tirelessly, might one day beco a great writer with millions of readers?"
"Have you thought about it? Obviously not. Under your suppression, they grow up according to your plans, eventually becoming diocrities. Any innate talent they had is now just a sigh of regret..."
"True, I admit there are so unhealthy contents on live streaming platforms nowadays, but uncle, did your daughter do such things? She was just properly singing her own songs."
"You disdain that few tens of thousands of dollars, but have you ever considered that this money was earned through her own efforts? The first ti she earned money on her own and what was the result? You rely said she was not serious. What do you think she would feel?"
"Enough..."
Under Xu Fan's relentless questioning, Guan Shanhai bowed his head in sha.
Perhaps Xu Fan had been too harsh, but every word he said was true.
Reflecting on his past interactions with his daughter, it was just as Xu Fan had said, he had indeed been planning her life solely according to his own ideas.
As for her thoughts, he never once asked...
Perhaps Xu Fan was right; he was simply a selfish person after all.
It was a pretense to consider his daughter's future; the truth was the vanity of others' envy and admiration.
With the generational gap between him and his daughter, he might never understand these principles. But now that Xu Fan had pointed them out, Guan Shanhai couldn't help but reflect.
After a long silence, he quietly looked over at Guan Shing.
"Daughter, has your father been too rigid..."
Having been with his daughter for so long, Guan Shanhai had never inquired about her true feelings, just judging based on his moral compass.
This ti, he wanted to listen carefully to what Guan Shing herself truly thought.
"Dad, I..."
Guan Shing looked at her father with a complex expression, but she didn't speak.
Perhaps this hesitation stemd from her fear of his past strictness, and Guan Shanhai couldn't help but give a bitter smile.
He now felt that he didn't deserve to be called a good father.
His understanding of his daughter wasn't even as clear as Xu Fan's, an outsider.
"It's okay, don't be afraid. As long as you want it, Dad will definitely support you."
Different from Guan Shanhai's usual seriousness, he appeared very amiable at that mont, which made Guan Shing feel much more at ease.
After sneaking a glance at Xu Fan, she gathered her courage and said, "Dad, I like singing. The idea of live streaming was Xu Fan's, but I feel it's really not as bad as you think."
"At the very least, my singing has been recognized by more people. I want to develop in this direction and gain even more recognition..."
Previously too afraid to speak up, Guan Shing now felt exhilarated as she shared her true thoughts with her father for the first ti.
She then looked at Xu Fan with gratitude.
If it weren't for Xu Fan speaking on her behalf, she may never have been able to touch that deeply buried dream in her heart.
"Fine, since you like it, Dad will definitely support you. I was wrong before. I was so overwheld by work that I couldn't breathe, and I didn't take good care of you. I hope you can forgive your dad."
"Dad, I..."
Guan Shanhai seed to age a bit in that mont. Seeing her father like this, Guan Shing couldn't help but choke up...
"Silly child, why cry?"
Guan Shanhai gave a bitter smile and shook his head, then looked toward Xu Fan.
Looking at the young man now, he found no anger left in his heart.
"You rascal, I was too harsh just now. Uncle owes you an apology."
Xu Fan hadn't done anything wrong; in fact, one could say that this young man had been helping his daughter selflessly all along. Guan Shanhai was a reasonable man; when he was wrong, he admitted it, and so, in a calm and collected manner, he offered Xu Fan an apology.
"Uncle, there's no need for apologies. Competing with you in running was thrilling; I just found it fun, that's all."
"You rascal..."
Xu Fan was a good-natured person, and his jesting now made Guan Shanhai, recalling the recent chaos of chasing him around the house, unable to restrain a laugh.
"It's just that, Uncle has a favor to ask of you."
"Hmm? Tell , as long as I can do it, I will help you."
Seeing Xu Fan nod, Guan Shanhai continued, "Perhaps I'm too conservative, but this live streaming industry is still too ssy. Otherwise, how could there be people like that Yi Ge?"
"Shing is still young, and she's a girl who can't protect herself. I want to ask you to keep an eye on her, don't let others bully her."
"Are you willing to help with this?"
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