In truth, the role of this so called father played no significant part in her new life, since he didn't even give a damn if she died or not.
A little while later, while these thoughts ran through her head, her so called father continuesly opened and closed his fists repeatedly to calm the burning desire to strangle her right now, if not for the sake of image, he would have already long discarded her.
In his eyes, she was no different from a little wild child messing around within his property. He must eliminate the problem before it manifests...
... Well, at least that's what he had thought of since the beginning.
"Is daughter saying that there's someone planning to commit homicide under my roof?"
His question followed her latest statement. Since he couldn't think of any retort to her words, then he might as well go along with the flow and take advantage.
Such a trick would work easily and smoothly as water, but he didn't know he was passing through a series of flames that longed to lick him clean down to his bones.
"I might be, I might be not. Fire is something I couldn't afford to even dare to create since I only have this humble courtyard of mine, and no servant is willing to live alongside with me, excluding my mother's servant from my family's dowry."
Xiao Lian Feng smiled ever so sweetly, her lips reached to the ends of her small delicate face and almost erased all the paleness of her confection.
Her whole blunt sentence of sharp words were like a big bolder that she had thrown onto her so called father's head, as if could not be countered, it posed as a mockery for his incompetence of being a father.
Harsh pressure pressed along his rows of teeth, he spat out his own set of words, "How come that there's someone who dares to harm my daughter? Come now, you must be quite cold and terrified from your encounter with the fire."
He urged her to come to his side, and fortunately, she didn't made him lose any more face and followed after him.
It was still raining heavily, the clouds covered the stars and no light could be seen except from the huge roaring flames behind her, making her look slightly more intimidating in her so-called father's eyes. He signaled for one of the servants to give her a thick jacket to fend off the cold as she had gladly put it on her shoulders.
Her little figure looked about a thin little girl in her 8 years of living, and the look of innocence which people dared not to misunderstand, was too evident that she was just an immature and naive little girl.
Yet, the words she spoke out of her mouth were like very dull knives covered in rust.
After they passed the main hall, they went straight toward the Grand Hall of the Xiao Manor.
The large red and golden gates of the Grand Hall opened as two stationed guards had seen and recognized the both of them. They were in a little bit of a hurry in opening the gates due to her so-called father's gloomy atmosphere.
It made one suffocated since he commonly showed an amiable smile toward everyone. The guards, to simply say, were afraid of him since he has the complete authority of the Xiao Household ever since his Father backed down from his seat. As well as claiming and seating on second to the highest position in the Royal Court, the Right Prime Minister who only seconded to Imperial Blood.
Rows of maids and servants awaited by the front of the pillars inside of the Grand Hall, when the gates were opened, they synchronized together; "We welcome the return of Lord of the Xiao Manor."
Their melodious voices were like soft music for the ears, and could make anyone prideful and confident.
He gazed down at the little girl who's height was just below his tall elbow and asked with his incredulous eyes; "What do you think?"
In return, Xiao Lian Feng only blinked her eyes in innocence and curiosity in response to her so-called father's emotions.
'Immature. You keep on wanting other people to butter up your pride more?'
"What does Lord Father mean by that look?" she asked, her pretty long eyelashes kept opening and close like a black butterfly's long slender wings; very beautiful and captivating. On the face of a child, she was akin to a cherished porcelain doll.
His right eye twitched in annoyance, his memories resurfaced the scenes where the beautiful breath-taking face of her mother, to whom she looked exactly similar. His posture tightened and suppressed some of his emotions, an uncomfortable look was visible in his eyes, those eyes not daring to bear into her small little innocent face.
Seeing her so-called father's quick change of attitude, she suddenly pinched him awake. He snapped into reality, his gaze retracted from her small figure and he nodded towards his servants; "No need to be so formal in front of me."
He amicably smiled, then entered the Grand Hall. Of course, this change gave another round of chill to the servants.