Daughter

"Mr. Song, this is your daughter, Xiaoxiao." The village chief pushed a child, whose head was bowed, toward him. Song Qianming felt strange looking at the child no taller than his knees.

He, the vaunted prince of a dynasty, found himself transmigrated to a new world, and upon his arrival, he was told that he had a three-year-old daughter to raise.

Just three days ago, he found himself in the body of another who shared his characteristics. The only difference was that it was shorter and thinner. At first, he thought he had been put under a spell. That notion was quickly quashed when a coworker of his, who enjoyed reading online novels, mentioned the popularity of protagonists transmigrating into new worlds.

There was nothing bad about being reborn. It was just that he did not inherit the memories of the body he now occupied. He feared others would notice his abnormal behavior and lock him up as a specimen for further study. Hence, he had been extremely cautious, working hard to learn the basics of his new reality. He only dared venture out when he was sure he would not oust himself as a foreigner in a strange, new land.

He did not feel guilty taking over his present body. According to those he met in the past three days, the original owner shared several habits of his. Furthermore, the fact that he had not changed much physically allowed him to blend in almost seamlessly. Perhaps he and the original owner were tied by fate, their lives joined by karma.

He was a very open-minded person. He chalked his opportunity at rebirth as a cosmic sign that it was the will of the heavens.

The one hiccup he now faced, however, left him unsure of what to do. He had not had a wife or any children in his previous life, so what was he supposed to do with this newfound daughter left by the original owner of his current body? Even now, he could not help but feel dazed, at a loss for what to do.

"Xiaoxiao, I'm your father," he said, squatting so that he was eye-level with his daughter. He spoke in the gentlest tone he could manage, hoping it was enough.

Zhang Xiaoxiao stared wide-eyed at her father. Fear did not cloud her eyes; instead, they burned bright with intense curiosity.

Song Qianming felt himself ease up a little. He would not have known what to do if the child rejected him. With the passing of the young girl's mother, he would be the child's only guardian. They would live together from now on.

"Follow Daddy, okay?" He reached out, waiting for the child to place her hand in his.

Zhang Xiaoxiao hesitated but did not let Song Qianming down.

The child's hand was soft and tender. When she placed her hand on his palm, Song Qianming's heart stirred. Was this what it meant to be connected by blood?

He was a father! Song Qianming vowed to take good care of his daughter. If it were his previous life, his daughter would be an imperial princess; his royal brother would not deny him this request. Unfortunately, his imperial brother was absent in his new life, and he was no longer a prince. All he could do was try to ensure his daughter lived well.

"I heard she lived with her grandparents after her mother died. Are they in the village now? Can I visit them?"

A complex expression twisted the village chief's face. "This ..."

The village chief stammered, "Xiaoxiao's maternal grandparents say they want nothing to do with her. You are her father and only guardian. Everything she has is already here with her."

How could Song Qianming not understand what the village chief was trying to say? They wanted to sever all ties with Xiaoxiao, not wanting to involve themselves in her future.

He was just a small star with a limited future. That scandal had hurt him deeply. Xiaoxiao's maternal grandparents probably did not want to be associated with him for fear of sharing his misfortune. Raising a child will always be a tremendous undertaking regardless of the era.

Song Qianming recalled his past as a prince of the Lan dynasty. Even then, his royal brother had to issue an imperial edict banning the sale of women and children to stop situations like Xiaoxiao's from occurring. All parents were required to raise their children until the age they could work. This world seemed more focused on education, yet abuses of the system were still rampant. It would be troublesome raising a child in this new world.

Since the relatives of the child's mother did not want to be involved, then he would take her away, and they could forget about getting close to her ever again.

"Forget it. Since they want nothing to do with her, I shall be her sole relative," Song Qianming proclaimed, steel in his voice.

Xiaoxiao looked up at him and smiled sweetly.

Song Qianming felt as if his heart was about to melt. Was this how it felt to have a daughter?

The village chief heaved a sigh of relief. He had thought Song Qianming would refuse to take on Xiaoxiao. After all, the man was supposed to be a celebrity, albeit boycotted by his fans because of the scandalous exposure of Xiaoxiao's parentage. It was so bad that there were calls for him to retire from the entertainment industry. If Song Qianming were to acknowledge Xiaoxiao, all his remaining fans would likely desert him. The village chief did not expect him to be such a responsible man.

With that settled, the village chief was freed from the weight of having to find someone to take her. If custody of the child were given to the Zhang family, Xiaoxiao would undoubtedly lead a hard life. With her mother gone and the little money left in her coffers...

The village chief shook away those errant thoughts. It was not his place to interfere in family affairs. Xiaoxiao's father would take care of her, which was a more ideal solution than having her stay with the Zhang family.

"Can I take Xiaoxiao away now?" Song Qianming asked.

"Xiaoxiao is still registered with us. If you want to change that or her surname, you'll need to prove that you are her father. Without it, we cannot release her into your custody."

Song Qianming found the paperwork troublesome, but he also knew it was the way of the world he had transmigrated to. In a way, it was not so much of a bad thing, showing that the government valued children. No such procedural codes were present in the Lan dynasty, and he could admit that the framework protected children.

"How long will it take?"

"It usually takes about three days, but we can expedite the process if it is urgent. You should be able to receive word by tomorrow."

"Please do so. But where will she stay for the night? Can she stay with me?" Seeing as all her things were packed, it stood to reason that the child's maternal family did not want her to return.

"If Xiaoxiao has no objections, she can bunk with one of our female officers at the police station for the night."

"That's fine." While he was the child's father, until proof could be produced, no one would feel at ease allowing her to stay with him. Beasts come in all shapes and forms, a constant in any era.

"Xiaoxiao, Daddy will take you home tomorrow, okay?" He squatted down again as he spoke to the young girl.

Xiaoxiao nodded her head obediently, but she did not let go. It made Song Qianming feel sorry for her.

How many children had the Zhang family cast aside? Song Qianming could not help but wonder. If they did care at all, why would they abandon the young girl, placing responsibility over her with a man they did not know?

"Chief, can I spend more time with Xiaoxiao today?"

"Of course, you can."

It was a good thing Song Qianming understood the procedural delays and did not kick up a fuss. The village chief had thought things would go very differently. Didn't all stars carry themselves like big shots, throwing their weight around? Maybe Song Qianming's lack of popularity was the main cause for his easy demeanor.

If Song Qianming knew the village chief's thoughts on the matter, he probably would not have known whether to laugh or cry.