Chapter 238 Call Me Dad


    The official state holiday came on the day E''s cycle began. So she ced her arms around Samuel''s


    neck and said, "No, don''t. I''m on my period. Think about it. It''s only going to be bad news if you do."


    Samuel sneered, "You never learn, E. Still remember how I treated you a moment ago? We can do it


    again."


    He was such a bully. E rubbed her red cheeks and stared at him, "I''m your wife. That in itself should


    satisfy you."


    She knew Samuel''s desire was ardent. It would be better to say something nice to cate him.


    "No, it doesn''t, because you''re reluctant. I''m not happy about it."


    "That''s because you treat Jerry badly. I''m not happy about it either. Don''t you care about my feelings?"


    As she said this, she curled her lips in, ready to break down in tears.


    Samuel gave in when he saw her looks and said gently, "Oh, E. How couldn''t I care? Jerry is our


    son. I love him. You''re thinking too much about this. It''s okay, don''t cry."


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    Samuel counted on Jerry to be a protecting figure for his mother, and to his imagined sister. But he


    would need to say something nice to him if he was ever going to adopt this discipline.


    "Well, that''s a relief." said E. Maybe in the future, if Samuel treated Jerry well, and all was merry, E


    would reveal the truth to Samuel - that Jane was his daughter.


    Samuel still hung over her, making her almost out of breath, so she shoved him off.


    He sidled onto the bed with much reluctance, trying to hug onto her heartily.


    Then he looked at the time. It was past 2:30 am. Tucking her into the quilt, he kissed her forehead.


    "Good night, my daring."


    "Good night." E yawned and closed her eyes.


    A week before the Spring Festival, E finished her work ahead of time. Samuel joined her at the old


    house with Jerry and Jane.


    Jane sat in the back seat of the car with Jerry. She wore a floral hat and said nothing, pulling faces at


    Jerry.


    Samuel was driving. E looked at him and said in a jocose manner, "Hey, what will happen if we bring


    Jane to the old house too, heh-heh?"


    He looked at Jane through the rear-view; she lowered her face in order to be invisible. He had


    seen Jane quite a few times, but every time he saw her, she yed a different part, was wearing a


    false mask, or lowering her head.


    He was always double-taking her when he saw her because he was never sure what she looked like


    exactly. He offered to bring her to the old house because he felt it was bad to leave a little girl at the


    vi alone.


    "I''ll exin it when we see the parents."


    E asked curiously, "How?"


    Jane was, in Samuel''s mind, the child born of another man. Such things did not bode well in


    conversation. How could he just exin it away?


    Samuel thought for a moment, and replied, sé, "I''ll say...that Jane is our daughter, of course."


    Theplications being as they were frightened E to an immeasurable degree. To hear Samuel


    speak of it all so calmly satisfied the gnawing anxiety around the issue. She rpsed into silence with


    this reply.


    She smiled wide, and Samuel saw it, and became buoyantly happy too. In Samuel''s eyes, Jane was a


    lovely girl, but a little quiet. He med it on theplicated family rtionship.


    But he would know soon enough.


    Then E came up with an important question, "What should she call you?"


    A realistic question. He clenched the wheel for a moment, and thought, ''Never mind. As long as E is


    happy about it.'' So he said, "It''s all up to you and Jerry.


    Any term is eptable, as long as you both agree."


    "Dad, could Jane call you dad the same as me?" asked Jerry with excitement, sensing it was the right


    time.


    All of them were looking straight at Samuel, waiting for his reply. Jane was the most eager, having


    expected this moment for a long time.


    E made her mind up. If Samuel agreed with Jerry, she would give him a big surprise.


    Jane, still lowering her head, noticed the prolonged silence, and the obvious aversion Samuel had. She


    rolled her eyes and looked at Jerry askance. "Jerry, don''t ask your dad to do that. It''s gonna cause


    trouble."


    Jane''s thoughtfulness softened Samuel''s heart. "That''s okay, Jane. You can call me dad as Jerry


    does."


    The three of them smiled with excitement when they heard Samuel''s words.


    E socked him with a wet kiss on the cheek. Jerry,cently, pped Samuel''s back and acted all


    grown-up. "Well done, Samuel!"


    Samuel had the same intoxicating effect on them, and being so exulted by his family made him


    ecstatically happy.


    "Jane, call him dad, " encouraged Jerry. Jane nervously fidgeted with her fingers.


    "Is that okay, brother?" Could she really call him dad? She was thrilled that she could finally call


    Samuel dad, without bringing shame on herself. Though there was still some misunderstanding, it was


    good to call him dad. She would be closer to him by it.


    "Yes, Jane. You can call me dad. I''m eager to have a lovely daughter just like you." Jerry felt a little


    wrench of his heart when he heard this. Sure enough, she was his daughter in another life.


    Samuel liked her a lot. It was in his nature to want a daughter so much.


    Jane nodded her head, climbed forward in her seat, and called in a low voice, "Dad."


    Samuel smiled. He couldn''t exin the true joyfulness he experienced when Jane used the word. The


    little girl had nothing to do with him...and yet...he wondered.


    "Good girl, " he replied.


    So it came to pass that he would regard Jane as his real daughter, and treat her and Jerry equally.


    The car was enveloped in an atmosphere of happiness as they drove up to the old house.


    Vincent and Vi were making dumplings. Melody looked at them and remembered Samuel and E''s


    visiting. She smiled happily.


    "Mum, why are you so happy?" said Vincent once he''d finished one dumpling.


    Melody cleared her throat, preparing to announce the news.


    "Vincent and Vi, I have something important to tell you." She watched their happy expressions


    expectantly.


    Rolling the dough with a wooden stick, Vi turned curious at their mother''s silence. "Don''t keep us


    guessing mom! Tell us!"


    "Let me show you a photo first." She presented a photo to them from her phone.


    The pair huddled together and looked carefully at the girl in the photo. She wore a hat and a bright


    smile. They couldn''t help their good-naturedughter.


    "Whose child is this? She is so cute and happy." Vi felt like she was familiar after looking at her a lot.


    But who did she remind her of? The name eluded her for a moment.


    "Oh, she looks like Samuel when he was young." Vincent had a fairly good memory. She had a faint


    resemnce to the man when he was a child.


    Vincent''s words reminded Vi. She remembered as well, "Yes. They look alike, it''s true. It''s as if they


    were cast from the same mould..."