To prevent my daughter from going astray, I pushed the door open and stepped out—only to find Baiyu had already retreated to her room.

I walked to her door and knocked.

If she didn’t open it, I’d keep knocking. I needed answers.

Suddenly, the door swung open. Baiyu stood behind it: "I heard—"

Her final syllable choked into a startled shriek.

Impatient, I’d been pounding the door hard. When it gave way unexpectedly, my fist swung empty. Off-balance, I stumbled forward.

Baiyu stood right in my path. I dragged her down with me.

Her panicked eyes widened like a rabbit’s. She instinctively reached to steady me—but her small frame buckled under my weight. We tumbled backward into the room.

Time slowed. A heavy *thud* echoed as we crashed onto the floor together.

I didn’t land flat. Instead, I straddled Baiyu’s waist in a mortifying position. Her skirt had flipped up like an apron, baring slender white legs and pink panties embroidered with cartoon bears.

Worse—my left hand had landed squarely on her chest. Momentum made me grip hard. The soft, springy flesh beneath my palm visibly deformed.

Our faces were inches apart. Her dazed gaze met mine. We froze like that for seconds.

*I need to calm down.*

No normal father would ever grab his daughter’s chest like this. Only in certain… adult animations.

*B-But accidents happen in life… right?*

Baiyu’s delayed reaction finally hit. Her tiny lips trembled. "I-It hurts! *Sob!*"

Tears flooded her eyes instantly. She didn’t pull her skirt down. She didn’t shove my damn hand away. She just covered her face and wept.

*She’s… crying?!*

Honestly—I hadn’t seen Baiyu cry since Uncle Jian and Aunt Meiren’s funeral. Panic seized me. I scrambled off her, limbs flailing.

"C-C-Calm down! Baiyu, calm down! I—I really didn’t mean to— I’m sorry! So sorry!!"

Apologies tumbled out. I wanted to die. If I stood on a 15th-floor rooftop right now, I’d jump without hesitation.

"*Wahhh—!*"

She sobbed uncontrollably, tears streaming as she wiped her eyes with her sleeves. Her skirt stayed hiked up, legs and underwear exposed. Several shirt buttons had popped open during the fall, revealing flushed skin marked by my fingerprints.

Guilt gnawed at me. Should I pull her skirt down? A girl’s legs and underwear shouldn’t be out like this…

If strangers saw this, they’d call 911. Cops would drag me to the station, strap me to a radiator under a blanket, and beat me with sticks. Even if I complained, they’d dismiss it—"no visible injuries."

Baiyu cried until exhaustion. Then she dragged herself up, ran to her bed, and buried herself under the covers.

"Baiyu, please let me explain. It was an accident."

A pillow flew from the bed and smacked my face.

She wouldn’t listen to anything I said now.

Sighing, I backed out of her room and closed the door gently. Tomorrow. I’d apologize properly tomorrow.