Louis still did not join the mother-daughter pair at the table for dinner. After setting the food on the table, he quickly left the house.
Upon hearing the door, Anna hastily wiped the tears from her face, bit her lip, stood up, and hugged Cicc to the dining table.
There were still two meat dishes, two vegetables, two bowls of rice, and a bowl of steamed eggs on the table.
Anna stared at the delicious food on the table for a long time before sitting down.
No one knew the complexity of her current emotions, not even herself.
The meal was still as delicious as breakfast.
The little one had already enjoyed the steamed egg.
However, their peaceful lunch was soon disrupted by the sound of the door opening.
Instinctively, they looked up to see Louis enter with a large bag.
As Cicc leaned towards Anna, spoon in hand with bits of steamed egg in her mouth, she stopped in place, her big eyes following Louis' movements.
With lowered eyelids, Louis did not dare to look at the startled mother and daughter. He simply walked to the sofa, placed the bag down, then started speaking, his voice slightly muffled.
"I bought some ointment for you to use. I also bought a toy for the child; I don't know if she will like it, but I noticed other girls have one, so I thought she should too."
Anna did not respond. After Louis finished speaking, he fell silent for a moment, intertwining his hands and pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I know you won't believe me, but there are things I have to say. I won't drink or hit you anymore. You and Cicc don't have to be so scared at home. The child is still young, and this environment is not good for her."
Louis finished speaking in one breath, feeling a sense of relief. Without waiting for Anna's response, he quietly returned to the room next to the master bedroom.
Anna watched his disappearing figure, and with the closed door, she was at a loss for words.
In just one day, facing the sudden change in this man, she found it hard to let down her guard.
In the bedroom, Louis was feeling even worse; his eyes were red, a sign that he had also cried outside.
If given a choice, he would rather not have come here and known about everything happening.
But everything had already happened, and he couldn't control this act of transmigration. The fact that he had transmigrated into the body of such a wretch made him feel uncomfortable. He even had thoughts of self-harm.
Especially when he saw the scars on Anna's body, Louis felt a heavier weight on his heart.
Whoever said men don't easily shed tears had never truly been heartbroken.
Just spending a short day in this house, Louis's heart was suppressed to almost breaking point. He couldn't grasp why someone could hold such malice towards their own family.
After finishing her meal, Anna saved some food for Louis. She washed her and Cicc's bowls and utensils, glanced at the bag on the table, and ultimately led Cicc to the master bedroom.
She found it difficult to accept this sudden kindness. Who knew if it was a trap set by him to deceive her, and she had grown accustomed to the pain on her body. She wasn't sure what he was so meticulously trying to obtain from her.
She feared that once she accepted his kindness, he would reveal his true terrifying self. After experiencing a day of fleeting tenderness, she was extremely afraid of returning to those previous days, yet there was a slight anticipation in her heart.
Would he continue to behave this way as long as she refused his kindness? She only wished that he could maintain this demeanor a little longer, just one more day...
Louis heard the door in the adjacent bedroom closing, knowing that the mother and daughter had finished their meal, so he got up and left the room.
He noticed the bag on the coffee table was still untouched, waiting silently in its place.
Louis pursed his lips, sighed, unsure of what to do, and decided to sit down and eat in silence.
Unexpectedly, the master bedroom door opened again, and Cicc cautiously poked her head out, curiously watching Louis eat.
Louis tried to smile at her, and this time, the little one wasn't scared off but continued to curiously observe him while he ate.
Finally achieving his wish, Louis saw the relaxation in the little one and felt some of his own pent-up tension ease, allowing him to put down his chopsticks and tenderly call out to Cicc.
"Cicc?"
Louis's sudden address made Cicc tremble slightly, but she didn't retract, instead turning to look at the master bedroom before once again glancing back at Louis.
With a soft childlike voice, she spoke, "Daddy?"
Hearing this, Louis's whole body trembled, and with tears welling up in his eyes, his face lit up with a radiant smile. It was the most graceful melody he had heard since his transmigration.
Cicc tilted her head, puzzled as she watched her father cry and smile, wondering why someone would laugh and cry at the same time.
With a gentle acknowledgment, Louis stood up, approached the sofa, and took out a doll from the bag, gently waving it in front of Cicc.
Cicc blinked her big eyes, showing some interest. She looked at the doll in Louis's hand, then turned to the master bedroom, hesitated for a while before slowly walking towards Louis.
At that moment, Louis' heart was pounding like a drum. He watched the little angel-like girl with bare feet taking small steps closer to him.
He even held his breath, fearing that he might startle the little one who had stepped toward him with such effort.
Cicc only knew that Daddy would make delicious food for her. With a toy she liked in her hand, perhaps he wouldn't scold her or her mom anymore.
As she reached Louis, she lifted her tiny face, sniffed, then broke into a happy smile.
Daddy no longer smelled bad! Happy!
"Cicc, do you like the doll in Daddy's hand? Look at her two braids, just like Cicc's. And her little dress, does Cicc like it?"
Watching the adorable child, Louis recalled all the parenting knowledge he had read on his phone. He spoke tenderly and earnestly to Cicc.
As Cicc's little hand fidgeted, as if wanting to take the doll, but she hesitated, only staring intently at Louis with her shiny black eyes.
Noticing her hesitation, Louis squatted down until he was eye level with Cicc and gently placed the toy in her tiny hand. The moment his fingers touched Cicc's, Louis felt a wave of warmth coursing through him.
The power of a cute child was evident. Louis, being a father for the first time, was quite satisfied with how he handled the situation.