Every time they saw him, they found that he had grown more remarkable without their knowing.
It was only when Ye Chuqi appeared unexpectedly that Ye Qinglan showed an entirely different side of himself. It was as though a puppet that had always followed its prescribed steps had suddenly come alive. After Ye Chuqi disappeared, Ye Qinglan began acting as if something had gotten into him. Everything he did took them by surprise, though they could understand why. This time, he had stayed at the Beast Abyss Frontline for nearly three years, coming home only once. They had kept in touch, but Ye Huarui suspected that if Ye Qinglan had not needed to bring Ye Chuqi back, he would not have returned so readily.
"That child isn't as fragile or timid as you think. You don't need to be so careful around her." Ye Huarui sighed softly. He knew Ye Chuqi's disappearance had nearly become an obsession for Ye Qinglan. If anything, Ye Qinglan seemed to need more looking after than she did. "She's grown into someone more remarkable than any of us imagined. Just be yourself with her. Affection can't be forced. Let her know how we feel, and it'll grow in time."
Expecting a child they had only just met to become part of a family she had never imagined having was asking too much.
Ye Qinglan glanced at the tall man before him. After all these years, even Ye Huarui's temples seemed touched by time. "You're getting old."
Ye Huarui: "..." Little brat! "Come on. Let's take a turn around the training ground and show your old father how much you've improved."
Everyone left.
Only Xiao Bu remained, one paw raised, afraid to move, while Ye Shiyi was stuck in Xiao Bu's thick, soft fur. By the