When I was three and a half, the system sent me back to my dad's high school days.

The good news—the brooding villain destined to destroy the world was still just a blond guy. The bad news—there were way too many blond guys at that school, and I could not tell them apart.

Hence, every time I saw one, I called him 'Dad'. By the time I got to the 101st, I was robbed. He grabbed me by the collar with a fierce look on his face, like he was about to hit me at any second.

The long-dormant system suddenly spoke up, "Kiddo, the one walking out of the school right now is your dad!"

I sniffled and shouted, "Hey, you'd better be careful! I'm telling you, my dad's almost an adult! Right, Dad? Elliot!"

Elliot Smith froze for a second and pointed at himself. "Who, me?"

"Hey, kid. Stop causing trouble!"

The guy with the bleached hair who grabbed me gave an icy laugh. "Everyone knows Elliot doesn't like women, and definitely not kids! I'll take care of this troublemaker right now, Elliot. Don't worry."

He tried to suck up to Elliot, rubbing his hands together nervously. Then, he lifted me by my collar and tried to rush off, but Elliot stepped in front of us.

"Elliot, what's the matter?"

Elliot Smith kicked the guy with the bleached hair, who yelped in pain. "You're picking on a kid? Don't make a fool of yourself. Take the kid to the police station. Don't leave until her parents get there."

My dad was standing up to the big bully for me!

He did not recognize me right now, but that did not matter. He was still looking out for me!

The system fell silent for a moment. "Could it be that the bad guy is really nice before he turns bad?"

The system was just jealous of me! To show how important I was to my dad, I quickly called out, "Dad!"

I kicked my legs in the air. It felt like the faster I kicked, the faster I could get away.

Dad could not help but chuckle. However, then, as if he was embarrassed, he got serious again. "That's enough, kid. Don't just yell out things like that. Go back to your real family."

He turned to walk away.

The system, which had been quiet, suddenly gasped. "Kiddo, stop him!

"Tonight is when he might start to become bad. His mom just died, yet his dad is bringing home his girlfriend and her kid. He'll try to make him give up his right to the family's assets and kick him out to pick through trash for a living.

"He'll have to quit school, and that other kid will pick on him. When they mess with his mom's ashes, he'll be so mad, he'll only want revenge."

I did not want my dad to be treated badly! I did not want him to become bad either!

In a panic, I bit the guy with the bleached hair. He let go because it hurt too much, and I quickly ran over and hugged my dad's legs tight.

"Dad, please take me with you. Home is only home when you're there. A kid without a dad is like a lonely little weed… Dad, I'll just stay where you are, quiet and still. I've got you now!"

I said every line I could remember from watching TV at home.

The more I talked, the sadder I got.

Just like the day before, when the system found me. My dad, who had barely ever talked to me, gave me a small smile. "Someone else will look after you, Remy. Be good and grow up strong."

He then turned to leave, just as determined as before. The two silhouettes, his and mine, overlapped, and I felt a wave of fear like I was being left all alone. Tears started rolling down my cheeks without me even noticing.

"Dad, please don't leave me behind!"

My tears and runny nose smeared all over his school uniform.

When he pushed me away, there was a face-shaped stain on his clothes. He was about to get really mad, but then the papers from my pocket fell out.

The guy with the bleached hair picked them up, took one look, and his face went white. He looked up, shaking, and said, "Elliot, you... What did you do?"

Dad's forehead twitched as he grabbed the papers back. Then, he just could not help but yell out, "Shoot!"

He crumpled the paper in his hand. However, it could not hide the words that were written clear as day—"Paternity test, father-daughter relationship 99%."

Dad did not care about his uniform anymore. He ran with me to the police station as if he had seen a ghost.

"This kid's lost. Find her parents, quick!"

Half an hour later, Dad walked out of the police station looking totally lost. The police had checked for a long time. Finally, they told him I was his kid.

"Where in the world did you come from?!" Even a tough guy like my dad had a meltdown during his younger days.

I sipped the milk the policewoman gave me and just giggled. "Dad, I came from your middle login. You probably won't remember me."

The system wished it had never given internet access. "I should never have let you go online!"

Dad was puzzled by the terms 'old login' and 'middle login'. He scrunched up his face, ready to ask more, but a loud honk cut him off.

The car door swung open, and Dad got a stinging slap across his face. The sound of the slap rang out loud and clear.

"How could you, Elliot? You're not even a grown-up yet, and you've already got a granddaughter for me. What will people think of the Smith family now?!" Dad's father, Yale Smith, was fuming, his chest rising and falling with anger.

"Dad!" I cried out, my voice filled with worry for Dad.

Julia Porter, dressed to the nines, smiled, but her words were dripping with irony. "Elly, the child's already so big? Does that mean you were just 14 when you got a girl pregnant?"

Dad's expression turned dark as a storm cloud, his eyes red with fury. He asked in a rough voice, "Who said you could call me what my mom did?! My mom's not even in her grave yet, and you're already trying to replace her, aren't you?!"

The system said, "It's over, kiddo. The villain's darkening level has hit 100%."

I did not know what it meant to be completely villainous. All I knew was that Dad was heartbroken and furious! He was like a wild animal pushed to the edge.

Julia looked scared, quickly moving closer to Grandpa. "Honey, if the child dislikes me this much, maybe I should just go..."

Grandpa, already a volcano of anger, turned even redder. "She's my wife and your elder! How can you talk to your own mother that way?!"

He lifted his hand, ready to slap Dad once more.

I dashed forward and stomped on his foot. "You can't treat my dad like this!!"

Grandpa stopped, crying out in pain.

The system said, "Yale was already in a really bad mood to begin with... Kiddo, you're definitely... the perfect villain's daughter."

Even though I was much shorter than Dad, only reaching his knees, I still reached out my hand and tried my best to shield him.

"Dad, don't worry. I'll protect you!"

His eyelashes fluttered, and his body shook for just a second. After a bit, he could not help but sigh softly. "Silly girl..."

"Kiddo, the villain's darkening level has dropped from 100% to 70%!" The system's words made me let out a relieved breath.

Maybe this meant Dad was feeling a little better?

Before I could figure it out, Grandpa's face turned stormy because he felt embarrassed. He finally turned his attention to me.

"So, you're the little troublemaker, huh?! Coming after our Smith family… Did your mom put you up to this?!"

He was so angry that he wanted to pull my hair. However, Dad stepped in front of me. He touched his cheek and laughed calmly, "Oh, so it's fine for you to bring home a secret child and a girlfriend right after my mom passed away. But I can't have a daughter?

"Starting a fight with a kid right in front of the police station, is that how the Smiths act?"

Seeing Dad stand his ground, Grandpa was furious.

"Elliot, you're brave, aren't you? If you can't accept Julia, then leave the Smith family. From this day onward, don't you dare take a dime from me! Do you really think it's easy to raise a kid?!"

The system said, "Kiddo, the Smith family got rich because of your grandma, but she's gone now, and Grandpa's changed her will. He wants to kick your dad out and take everything for himself! Your dad will end up with no place to live, nothing to eat…"

I watched as Dad was about to say yes just to spite him. I sprang up quickly and clapped my hand over his mouth. "We won't leave! If anyone's leaving, it's you! Oh, Mr. Rich Guy snagged someone else's stuff and thinks he can provide for his lover and illegitimate kid with stolen goods!"

After I finished speaking, I covered my mouth with one hand. "I won't talk anymore."

Right then, the police officer came out. I ran to her, my voice breaking. "My grandpa wants to kick me and my dad out. He hit my dad too… Grandma just died, and he's already brought home a new wife. What am I going to do? Am I going to have to starve?"

Tears streamed down my face.

The officer's face turned stone cold. "Mr. Smith, is this true?"

Grandpa, who was about to slap, quickly put his hand down. He wiped his forehead and gave a nervous smile. "The kid's just joking. Sorry to bother you. We're heading home now."

I got what I wanted, so I wiped my tears and hugged Dad's leg. I looked up at him and asked, "Dad, you're not going to leave me behind, right?"

He froze, then lifted me into his arms. He was awkward but so warm, "I'm sorry. I've never been a dad before, but you're my kid, so I'll take care of you."

He asked me, "Do you have a name?"

Before I could say anything, he whispered, "Let's call you Remy, for remembrance. Even middle-login me must've missed you."

My heart felt like a kitten was tickling it. It was a funny feeling and not painful, but it made me want to cry. No matter if it was 20 years ago or in 20 years, he always called me Remy. Did he really miss me? If he did, why hadn't he ever hugged me?

He gave me lots of money but never came close to me. Every time I tried to hug him, he would push me away and say with disgust, "If it weren't for you, Zara would have accepted me!"

I was the one in the way of Dad's happiness.

The system explained to me that Dad had been blinded by darkness.

"Your dad was forced into doing the most humiliating thing in his life, and he was almost beaten to death. Zara Stone, the heroine, saved him. That was his chance to start over. He wanted to be with the heroine, but she said it wasn't possible because of you.

"Listen, kiddo. It's not your fault. The grown-ups are just too scared. They won't confront their true feelings... However, you've got to believe that your dad loves you for sure.]

I did not really get it. However, I was totally sure that Dad loved me.

I waited and waited. At last, Dad's hug came. I hugged his neck tight and planted a big kiss on him.

Dad's hand shook and got so warm. Even his ears turned red.

"You can't go around kissing guys, got it?! Especially guys with bleached hair!"

I blinked. "But Dad, your hair is bleached too."

Dad went quiet, then took me straight to a salon. "I'm gonna dye my hair black!"

For months after, Dad did not take me back to the Smiths. He was worried they might pick on me. He was worried he might lose his temper and scare me. He found us an apartment near my school. He bought a whole bunch of parenting books.

Every morning, he was in the kitchen learning to make food for children. Soon enough, he became a great cook. He even started learning how to style hair and could even tie my hair into cute little ponytails.