Return of the Immortal Emperor Daddy-Chapter 301 - 303: The Childhood We Can’t Return To [2/5]

Chapter 301: Chapter 303: The Childhood We Can’t Return To [2/5]

Wu Tian had no idea what the Sword Emperor had said. Even if he had, he probably would have just scoffed.

At that moment, Wu Tian was watching television, wondering, Where could my sword sheath have gone?

The little one and Qin Yuhan returned from buying school supplies. This was usually a happy time for most children, though the happiness rarely lasted long. The joy from new stationery might last for three or four days, but a school semester was so much longer.

As soon as she was back, the little one bounced over to Wu Tian, her arms outstretched. "Daddy, hug me," she said in a sweet, childish voice.

Wu Tian smiled and picked her up. Even though the little one was quite capable, she was still so young. Like most parents, he was often overly cautious with his own child, carefully holding her and worrying the position might be uncomfortable.

He set the little one on his lap, and she immediately burst into giggles. "Dad, you’re watching cartoons? How shameless!"

Cradling her small, seemingly boneless body, Wu Tian was speechless. Who says adults can’t watch cartoons? Everyone has moments from their past worth reminiscing about.

Wu Tian used to watch anime as a child, mostly on show blocks like *The Great Windmill* and *Animation City*. He’d had a childhood, too. When he watched *The Four-Wheel Drive Brothers*, he bought a Spider King toy car, naively believing it could really perform moves like the Whirlwind Charge Dragon Tornado. Thinking back on it now, he couldn’t help but smile. Those days are long gone.

With that thought, Wu Tian suddenly carried the little one into his room. He also had a secret spot: under the bed. He lifted the bedframe, revealing a cardboard box filled with treasures from his childhood, which he’d nearly forgotten about until the little one reminded him.

Inside the box were cobwebs and a Whirlwind Charge race car. The rest of the box was filled with comics, mostly from the *Seven Dragon Balls* series. Back then, if you were talking about which anime reigned supreme, *Seven Dragon Balls* was always the first choice.

"I know this one! I know this one!" the little one exclaimed, eagerly pulling the Whirlwind Charge from the box.

"You know it?" Wu Tian asked.

The little one nodded vigorously. "It was recommended to me when I was watching cartoons on the computer. A lot of people said in the bullet comments that the older shows are better."

The batteries were dead, so the Whirlwind Charge wouldn’t start. The little one hugged the toy car and charged downstairs to the living room. She took the batteries out of the remote control and put them into the car. Flipping the switch on the car’s chassis, the wheels began to spin with a WHIRRR. The Whirlwind Charge still worked.

Watching the little one play with his own childhood toy, a wave of warmth spread through Wu Tian’s heart. The love between a father and daughter, even after a thousand or ten thousand years, remains as solid as a rock. As he watched her crouched over her race car, Wu Tian’s heart of steel melted into a tender softness.

He walked over and quietly watched her play. It didn’t seem boring in the least; to him, it was fascinating and fun.

The little one suddenly picked up the Whirlwind Charge. "Dad," she said, "do you think it can really do the Whirlwind Charge Dragon Tornado?"

"Of course it can," Wu Tian nodded.

"Hee hee hee..." The little one giggled again. "Dad, you’re so silly. That’s a move from a cartoon. It’s fake, didn’t you know?"

"Just watch closely." Of course, a toy car couldn’t actually perform a move like the Whirlwind Charge Dragon Tornado on its own. For Wu Tian, however, it was certainly possible with a little help.

"Watch," Wu Tian said. He glanced at the Whirlwind Charge zipping across the living room floor and flicked his finger.

Instantly, the toy car soared into the air, spiraling like a top. It formed a miniature tornado and began flying circles around the ceiling.

"So cool!" The little one clapped her small hands happily.

A thought suddenly struck her, and she ran upstairs. THUMP THUMP THUMP—the child was like the wind. Curious about what she was up to, Wu Tian followed her.

She stopped outside Qin Yuhan’s room. Being just over four, she wasn’t tall enough to reach the doorknob. She jumped, grabbed the handle, and used her weight to pull the door open.

Qin Yuhan was changing her clothes. By the time Wu Tian looked, he had already seen her back.

The little one froze and quickly shut the door.

"Dad, you’re so smart," she said suddenly.

"..." Wu Tian was completely baffled, with no idea why she would say that.

The little one began to lay out her reasoning. "Look, you gave me the Whirlwind Charge. What kind of person am I? I have to repay the favor, right? So I went to get my own toys to show you. But at that exact moment, Mom was changing, which you knew all along... Dad, you’re incredible! A master strategist, winning battles from a thousand miles away!"

"..."

Wu Tian was stunned.

The little one suddenly burst into giggles. She was, of course, just teasing her dad.

Just then, Qin Yuhan emerged, fully dressed. Her expression was cold as she asked, "What, exactly, were you two planning?"

The little one smiled, dashed into her room, and came back out holding a camera. "We... we don’t seem to have a family photo."

A family photo? Hearing this, both Wu Tian and Qin Yuhan were overcome with emotion.

"Then let’s take one now."

"Yes," Qin Yuhan agreed this time.

"Wait, I’ll go get Grandma!" the little one said, running off happily.

During the photo shoot, the little one insisted on being in the center, riding on Wu Tian’s shoulders. Then she had to ask Qin Yuhan and Murong Yezi if her pose was cool enough. Finally, after a great deal of fussing, the shutter went CLICK. The family photo was taken.

At dinner, the little one ignored her food, clutching the camera instead.

"Dad, you’re not very photogenic. You look a little stiff."

"Mom, you’re photogenic, but still not quite as good as me."

"Grandma, you need to work harder so you can be as cute as me!"

The little one giggled happily as she critiqued the photo, pointing at the screen. Wu Tian, Murong Yezi, and Qin Yuhan weren’t angry at all. Qin Yuhan even started feeding the little one herself. She ate very slowly, and Wu Tian and Murong Yezi waited patiently for her to finish.

After dinner, the whole family sang songs together.

It was a very happy day for the little one.

But when it was nearly bedtime, she grew worried. "I have two problems now," she announced, her little face very serious.

"What problems?" Wu Tian, Murong Yezi, and Qin Yuhan all asked.

"First problem: the elementary school you picked for me, what kind is it? If it’s a boarding school, I don’t want to go. I’d miss you all too much."

A touch of sadness colored her voice. Every child wants to be with their family. To leave home, to be somewhere else, to sleep away from one’s own bed at night—for a child, this brings a sorrow akin to being exiled from one’s homeland. This was especially true for the little one, who was smarter and more sensitive than the average child.