Morning, Proud Uncle!

Her expression was still as cold as ever, never warm to her.

The school report floated like a yellow leaf at her feet and she squatted down to pick it up, a small sense of loss in her eyes.

Every single lesson was worth 100 points.

Her heart was filled with joy as she thought that he would take another look at her. She thought that as long as she studied hard, she would be able to get his favor, even if it was just a little bit, just a little … Good.

"Thank you, uncle!"

She walked out of the door with the school report in her arms, and lowered her head to look at the name 'Ji Ye' on it.

How many years later, this name will burn forever in her heart of the deepest softest on the ground.

She smiled happily. It was already good that her uncle was willing to sign. It didn't matter. She must have not done well enough, so her uncle didn't like her.

As long as she worked harder, her uncle would definitely like her.

She put on her old cloth shoes and went downstairs.

"Uncle …"

A voice as soft as Ji Li's rang out, causing her to stop in her tracks. She stood in the middle of the stairs and looked up.

A girl in a white lacy nightgown walked out of the dolls' room. The dress covered her ankles, revealing her soft and tender feet. Her face was flushed, and her white hair was extremely adorable.

She walked sleepily to the door of Ji Ye's room and kept on calling out to him.

When Ji Ye heard that voice, he quickly rushed out of the room and carried the little girl. "Xue'er, my darling, how did you wake up?" He pinched her little nose and lovingly kissed her little face.

"Uncle, Xue'er is having nightmares. It's so scary, so scary!" She wrapped her arms around Ji Ye's neck and trembled non-stop.

Ji Ye gently patted her back, "No, no. With uncle sleeping with you, I won't be afraid."

His reassurance succeeded in calming her down.

"Mm. Xue'er likes sleeping with uncle. Xue'er loves uncle the most." She kissed Ji Ye heavily on the cheek.

Ji Li had seen the same scene countless times and it was always the same feeling of loss and sadness. She was so envious of Xue Xue. She wanted her uncle's love, and she wanted him to hold her in his arms.

It was her greatest wish.

So many times, even if her uncle wasn't smiling at her, she would be happy for a long time once she saw his smile.

On the night of the first day, Ji Ye noticed a small figure in the shadows at the corner of the stairs. She opened her eager eyes and peeked around.

"Ji Li, you should go back to your room." His voice was cold as he spoke into the darkness.

Then the sound of small footsteps, very soft. Very light.

In the darkness, she was a little angel without wings, and because there was no light, she could no longer fly.

Ji Li walked into the dark room. The cold air hit him.

He turned on a light that was not much brighter than a candle. There was a faint yellow light in the room.

It was a damp and cold storage room, located in the cellar below the stairs of the villa. There were no windows, so the sunlight and moonlight couldn't reach it.

There was everything in the room. There were broken tables and chairs with broken legs. There was only a red lampshade and all sorts of other things.

Her bed was an old-fashioned wooden table, and the bedding was gray, somewhere between white and black.

A thin layer of ice that was not enough to resist on a cold winter night.

Climbing up, she put her little feet inside. It's cold tonight, and there's no heat in the utility room.

Ji Li has lived here for three years. She has lived on this land since she was adopted at the age of six.

In the dim light, she picked up the report card and drew the name on it, over and over.