Who wants to be a male model after being reborn? I want to be a male god.

Chapter 429 Protecting a daughter is a father's instinct
Xia Ning stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Flash City headquarters building.

Her eyes looked somewhat vacant and lacked vitality.

Outside the window is a bustling street scene along the river, everything is exactly the same as usual, with no special changes.

She wore a simple white shirt and jeans today, her hair casually tied back, without dressing up as meticulously as usual.

Since learning yesterday that her father had been taken away by the investigation team, she has been in a daze.

“Miss Xia, Mr. Xu said he’ll be here soon.” Wan Zhi stood at the office door, his voice tinged with caution.

The entire company knows about the subtle relationship between Xia Ning and Xu Wen, and they can all tell that she's not in a good mood today.

Especially Wan Zhi, who witnessed their love story.

He wisely refrained from saying anything more.

This kind of thing can only be resolved when the boss arrives.

Xia Ning nodded without turning around.

"Thank you, I'll wait for him," she said softly.

The sound of the door closing was exceptionally clear in the quiet office.

Xia Ning took a deep breath, took out her phone from her bag, and looked at the messages her mother had sent her again.

“Ningning, your father’s situation is complicated. It’s not your fault. He had long anticipated this day would come. This was his own choice.”

Xia Ning bit her lower lip, her fingers trembling slightly, and even her body was shaking.

It wasn't her fault?
How could it not be her fault?
If she hadn't been so willful and reckless in locking Xu Wen in the rented room, her father wouldn't have owed Gu Hong a favor, and he wouldn't have given Gu Hong the green light in the school district housing project.

She closed her eyes, and the scene of her father picking her up from the company for the last time flashed through her mind.

It was raining heavily that day. Her father sat in the car, his brow furrowed, but he still asked her gently, "If you know there's no future, do you still want to continue?"

At the time, she didn't understand the deeper meaning behind her father's words, but now she realizes that her father had foreseen all of this.

The office door was pushed open again, and Xu Wen strode in.

He was wearing a dark gray suit with his tie loosely hanging around his neck.

Xia Ning turned around, and their eyes met in the air. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"You've come." Finally, Xia Ning spoke first, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

Xu Wen nodded and stopped in front of her.

"Are you alright?" His gaze fell on her pale face, and his brows furrowed involuntarily.

Xia Ning wanted to smile, but found that she couldn't manage to raise the corners of her mouth.

"It's alright. I just found out that my dad was taken away by the investigation team because of me," she answered honestly.

Her mother didn't hide anything from her; instead, she told her the whole truth.

Xu Wen's expression froze slightly for a moment, then returned to calm.

"You know."

"You knew all along?" Xia Ning's voice suddenly rose, trembling slightly.

Xu Wen did not answer immediately, but walked to the sofa and sat down, gesturing for her to come over as well.

Xia Ning hesitated for a moment, but still walked over and sat down opposite him.

“Gu Hong told me yesterday that your father helped him get the school district housing project approved because he owed him a favor, and that favor is your problem.” Xu Wen’s voice was low and calm.

He had indeed guessed the truth long ago.

However, it was Gu Hong who told her about this.

Xia Ning's fingers gripped the edge of the sofa tightly, her fingers sinking in little by little.

Although she had already guessed it, hearing Xu Wen say it aloud still made her heart sink, as if countless knives had pierced her heart.

"So it's all because of me. If I hadn't done that, Dad wouldn't have been like that," she murmured to herself.

“Xia Ning, this is not your fault. Your father is an adult, and he made his own choice,” Xu Wen interrupted her, his voice firm.

Xia Ning looked up, her eyes filled with tears.

“But he made this choice because of me! Just like Gu Hong did it for Gu Xingruo, they all did it because of us.” Her voice choked with emotion.

Xu Wen was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up and walked to the office cabinet.

He opened the bottom drawer, took out a brown paper bag, and returned to Xia Ning.

"Take a look at this." He handed her the paper bag.

Xia Ning took it with a puzzled look, and opened it to find a stack of photos and several letters.

The photos show her and her father at different times, from when she was a child riding on her father's shoulders to a photo of the two of them when she graduated from high school.

The letter was written to her by her father, but it was never sent.

"What is this?" Her face was full of doubt.

“Your mother left these with me yesterday, saying they’re safest with me. She said your father always kept these photos and would look at them before making any important decisions,” Xu Wen explained.

The father and daughter share the same habits.

The daughter wrote love letters but didn't pass them on; she kept them for herself.

The father, on the other hand, wrote letters to his daughter but did not send them out.

Xia Ning's fingers trembled as she flipped through the letters; each one contained her father's love and expectations for her.

The last letter was dated last week and read:

"Ningning, no matter what happens, remember that Dad will always love you. Every choice I make is so that you can freely pursue your own happiness. Don't blame yourself for my decisions. This is my responsibility and pride as a father."

Tears finally streamed down my face.

Xia Ning covered her mouth and cried silently.

Xu Wen sat quietly opposite her, offering neither comfort nor disturbance, simply giving her space to release her emotions.

After a long while, Xia Ning wiped away her tears and carefully put the photos and letters back into the paper bag.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Xu Wen shook his head: "No need to thank me, Aunt He was very worried about you."

"I know, I came here today to tell you something." Xia Ning took a deep breath, raised her head and looked directly into Xu Wen's eyes.

Xu Wen looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"I'm leaving. Leaving Linjiang, leaving Shancheng," Xia Ning said softly, her voice unusually calm.

Xu Wen's brows furrowed slightly, but quickly relaxed. "Where to?"

"I haven't decided yet, I need time," Xia Ning smiled, this time her smile seemed more genuine.

Xu Wen nodded, seemingly understanding her choice.

He asked, "How long?"

"I don't know, until I figure out how to face all of this, how to face my father, and how to face you," Xia Ning said honestly.

A brief silence fell over the office.

The traffic outside the window continued uninterrupted, as if everything was normal.

"I understand. Is there anything I can help with?" Xu Wen finally asked.

Xia Ning shook her head, a bitter smile playing on her lips.

“You see, you’re still the same. Even now, your first thought is still to help me.”

Xu Wen did not respond, but simply looked at her quietly.

“Xu Wen, do you know? For the past half month, I’ve been bringing you lunch every day, helping you organize documents, and doing these little things, not just to make up for past mistakes.” Xia Ning suddenly called his name, her voice gentle.

Xu Wen's eyes flickered slightly, but his expression remained calm.

"It's because I still love you. Even knowing about what happened between you and Gu Xingruo, even knowing that we may never be able to go back, I still can't control my heart," Xia Ning said frankly.

Xu Wen's Adam's apple bobbed, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

"Xia Ning."

“Don’t worry, I don’t need your response. I just want to say what’s on my mind before I leave. In the past year or so, I’ve learned to be honest with my feelings, even if they may not work out.” Xia Ning interrupted him, her smile somewhat forced.

She stood up, walked to the window, and turned her back to Xu Wen. "You said you would always take care of me as long as I wanted to stay, but I want to say that I can take care of myself now."

Xu Wen also stood up and stopped a short distance behind her.

"I know."

"This trip is to say goodbye."

Xia Ning turned around, her eyes filled with tears, yet shining with unwavering determination: "I will come back when I have truly figured out how to face all of this."

Xu Wen nodded, without trying to stop him.

"If you need any help, feel free to call me anytime."

Xia Ning smiled, and this time the smile was genuine and warm.

"You're still the same, always so reliable."

She paused for a moment before continuing, "Xu Wen, can I have one last hug? Just as a farewell."

Xu Wen hesitated for a moment, then opened his arms.

Xia Ning stepped forward, gently hugged him, rested her head against his chest, and listened to his strong heartbeat.

The hug was brief and restrained; the two quickly separated.

"Take good care of yourself," Xu Wen instructed.

"You too."

Xia Ning took a step back and took a deep breath: "Then I'm leaving."

She turned and walked towards the door, her steps firm.

Just as her hand touched the doorknob, Xu Wen suddenly called out to her.

"Xia Ning".

"No matter how long it takes, there will always be a place for you by my side, and there will always be a place for you in Flash City," he said, his voice low and sincere.

Xia Ning's eyes welled up with tears again, but she held them back, simply nodded, and then pushed open the door and walked out.

The corridor was deserted, and Xia Ning's footsteps were particularly clear in the silence.

The moment the elevator doors closed, she finally allowed her tears to fall, but she also felt a strange sense of relief.

As she stepped out of the Flash City building, the late autumn wind brushed against her face, carrying away some of her heaviness.

She looked up at the sky and remembered what her father often said.

"No matter where we are, we see the same sky."

My phone vibrated; it was a message from my mother: "Are you done talking? I'll be waiting for you at our usual spot."

Xia Ning replied with an "Mm," then waved and hailed a taxi.

Twenty minutes later, Xia Ning walked into a quiet coffee shop. Her mother, He Shujin, was sitting in a corner with two cups of hot tea in front of her.

"How is it?" He Shujin asked softly as she watched her daughter sit down.

Xia Ning picked up the teacup, the warmth spreading to her fingertips.

“I told him I was leaving, and he understood.”

He Shujin nodded, a look of satisfaction in her eyes.

You look much better than yesterday.

"Mom, does Dad really not blame me?" Xia Ning suddenly asked, her voice fragile.

He Shujin reached out and took her daughter's hand.

"Silly child, how could he blame you? Do you know what your father says most often?"

Xia Ning shook her head.

"As a father, protecting my daughter is my instinct."

He Shujin said gently, "Just like everything Gu Hong did for Gu Xingruo, this is our choice, not a burden for you."

Xia Ning's tears fell again, but this time, she allowed herself to be vulnerable in front of her mother.

"I plan to leave for a while to travel, to reflect, and to grow," she said, wiping away her tears.

He Shujin nodded with a smile.

“Go ahead, leave things at home to me. Your father will be fine; he was prepared.”

"You know?" Xia Ning looked at her mother in surprise.

“Of course, we’re husband and wife. He’s already arranged everything, including how to protect you.” A sly glint flashed in He Shujin’s eyes.

Xia Ning suddenly understood something.

"So you go see Xu Wen and give him those documents."

All the things she had recently experienced were converging into a single line in her mind.

“It’s just one part of the process. Your father and Gu Hong both understand that after the storm, you young people need to move forward.” He Shujin took a sip of hot tea.

Soft piano music played in the café, and Xia Ning felt an unprecedented sense of peace envelop her.

Perhaps this is what growth is: recognizing responsibility in pain and finding oneself in loss.

"I'll leave tomorrow. I'll go to XZ first, and then...we'll see how I feel," Xia Ning decided.

He Shujin did not object, but simply took an envelope out of her bag.

"Here's a card with your birthday as the PIN, and a letter from your father to give to you when you decide to leave."

Xia Ning took the envelope, a helpless smile appearing on her lips.

"How many more letters did he write?"

As expected, the father and daughter are the same kind of people.

I never dared to hand the letters I wrote to the recipient.

"Enough to accompany you through this journey," He Shujin said gently.

The next morning, Xia Ning stood at the door with her suitcase, and her mother helped her adjust her scarf.

"Remember to let me know you're safe every day," He Shujin instructed.

"Okay, Mom, take care of yourself too." Xia Ning hugged her mother.

He Shujin nodded and watched her daughter get into the taxi.

As the car started, Xia Ning glanced back at the home she had lived in for over twenty years, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

The taxi drove towards the airport, and Xia Ning opened her father's letter:

"Dear Ningning: If you are reading this letter, it means you have bravely embarked on a journey to find yourself, and Dad is proud of you."

"Life is long. We will make mistakes, hurt others, and be hurt. But the important thing is whether we can learn from them and get back up after we fall."

"Wherever you go, remember that home will always be your haven, and your mother and I will always love you."

"Go forward bravely, my daughter. When you come back, you will find yourself stronger than you ever imagined."

"Your loving father."

Xia Ning held the letter to her chest and looked out the window at the rapidly receding city scenery.

The high-rise buildings along the river gradually receded into the distance, but her new life was just beginning.

While waiting at the airport, she took out her phone, hesitated for a moment, and then sent a message to Xu Wen.

"I'm leaving. Take care of yourself. When I come back, I hope to see Flash City even more glorious. Take care."

After sending the message, she turned off her phone, took a deep breath, and walked towards the boarding gate.

This time, she wasn't trying to escape, but rather to return in a better form.

The plane soared into the sky, and Xia Ning gazed at the sea of ​​clouds outside the window, silently reciting a prayer.

Goodbye, Linjiang.

Goodbye, my past.

When I return, I will be a completely new Xia Ning.

(End of this chapter)