Dad... Did You Cry?

Lina watched in astonishment as her dashing father dismounted from his Harley motorcycle. He walked over to her, casually set his helmet on the table, and plopped down, ordering a bowl of lamb noodle soup but specifying just the lamb, no noodles.

"I've been searching everywhere for you," he said.

"Dad!" Lina was overwhelmed with emotion. She hadn't expected Talon to remember her. He truly was her real father!

Talon held Lina's face, examining it from left to right. He pushed her bangs back, revealing her smooth forehead, scrutinizing her closely. She looked so much like his sister who had been kidnapped by human traffickers years ago. Even that slightly dazed look in her eyes was identical!

Lina blinked, "Dad, what are you looking at?"

Talon patted her cheek, "Tell me, what's your name? How many people are in your family? Do you remember anything from when you were little?"

Lina, puzzled, replied, "I'm Lina Lu. It's just me and my dad. I've always lived with my dad."

"Where's your dad?"

"That's you!"

"..."

Talon's expression became complex, seemingly lost in thought. Even when the steaming bowl of lamb soup arrived, he didn't touch it.

"You might be my sister who went missing years ago," Talon said seriously. "She had a mental disability. You really remind me of her."

Lina: ...

She suddenly remembered her dad mentioning he had a sister, her aunt. Once, Talon took his younger sister to an amusement park, but she was kidnapped and had been missing ever since. The loss deeply affected Talon, causing him years of guilt and self-blame. When Lina was born, in memory of his lost sister, he named her Lina Lu. As Lina grew up, everyone said she looked more and more like her aunt. Lina had seen old, yellowed photos of her aunt, and they did look strikingly similar.

It was common for a niece to resemble her aunt, especially at similar ages. So, Talon had mistaken her for his long-lost sister and had been searching for her everywhere.

But Lina didn't want to perpetuate the misunderstanding. She had to set things straight.

"Dad, I'm not your sister. I'm Lina Lu, your only daughter in this world."

Talon looked at her as if she was crazy. Tim Liang, his close friend, weighed in, "It's definitely her."

"Yes, she looks just like your sister," Tim added.

Lina took a deep breath, "Even if it sounds crazy, I have to tell you. I had a car accident when I was 20 and was reborn. It sounds unbelievable, but believe me, I'm really your daughter!"

She poured out her story, then looked hopefully at Talon. But he just ruffled her hair, "My sister's condition seems to have worsened."

Lina, realizing he didn't believe her, quickly thought of how to prove her identity.

"Remember, Dad, my mom's name is Jenna Yao. Do you have a girl named Jenna Yao by your side? She's my mom! You love her so much!"

Talon and Tim exchanged glances, both indicating they hadn't heard the name.

"I have a girlfriend now, but it's not the person you mentioned," Talon said irritably. "What's going on with you? If you keep talking nonsense, I won't care about you anymore."

Lina looked at him pitifully, "I'm not lying."

Tim pointed to his head, "Isn't your sister mentally challenged? She can't explain things clearly. For now, just pretend to be her 'dad'. Take her home, and later, do a paternity test to clear things up. Besides, doesn't your family always say they want a daughter? Even if the test proves she's not related, you can still keep her. It's not like you can't afford to feed one more mouth."

Lina looked at Tim, "Mr. Liang, you were so smart even when you were young!"

Tim, addressed as "Mr", smiled sheepishly, "Thanks."

Lina knew from a young age that Tim was a genius. When her dad had a falling out with his own father and left home to make his own way, he relied on Tim's strategic advice. With Tim's help, Talon's business thrived, eventually becoming one of the top 500 companies in the world.

Once, after a heated argument with her dad, Lina had retorted: "All your life, you've been trying to prove to grandpa that you're not a failure. What right do you have to call me one?" That comment had hurt Talon deeply.

Later, Tim told Lina, "You're wrong. Your dad left home and faced many hardships, not to prove anything to anyone. He wanted to be the rock for you and your mom."

Lina couldn't help but grasp Talon's hand. It felt so good to be back. Seeing her young dad again was a blessing. She looked at Talon again and noticed his eyes were slightly red.

Was he about to cry? Lina wasn't emotionally prepared for that.

After a long silence, Talon finally spoke, pulling Lina up and leading her out of the soup shop to his motorcycle. Finding his long-lost sister had lifted a weight off his heart.

"Dad... did you cry?"

"I didn't cry," Talon replied, rubbing his reddened eyes. He placed the helmet on Lina's head and pulled her onto his Harley.

"Let's go home."