Dad is the most handsome man in the world

  "What's wrong?" Mom looked up at Dad who stood up.

  "Finish eating." Dad said, his hands rummaging in his pockets for cigarettes.

  "You eat, eat." Dad muttered as he walked past Hua Jing's side.

  "He's always like this, eating and drinking as fast as he can! Xiaohua, eat slowly. Come on, drink your soup!" Mom's eyes crinkled warmly at the corners.

  After a while, my mother and I finished eating, but there was still more than half of the rice left in Hua Jingyan's bowl.

  It wasn't until then that I discovered Flower Scenery Yan couldn't even use chopsticks and was a left-hander.

  No wonder he was a bit clumsy with his right hand using the ceramic spoon just now.

  I rummaged through boxes and cabinets to find a silver knife and fork, this exquisite tableware was a birthday gift from Suna, which I had been putting away unused.

  Mom accompanied Hua Jingyan for dinner. I went to the kitchen to clean up.

  Through the glass, I saw my father smoking a lot. He was pacing back and forth on the balcony, with the orange streetlights outlining his slightly hunched back and the white hair at his temples.

  Dad hasn't smoked so heavily in many years.

  One year, when the company spread the news of layoffs, Dad also had such anxiety and apprehension.

  Dad raised his eyes, saw me, and waved for me to come over.

  I know he has something to talk with me about.

  "Dad, smoke less. You have high blood pressure!" I came to the balcony and wiped my wet hands on the apron.

  "En." Dad nodded, looking like he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

  "Dad, just say it if there's something on your mind?" I asked, looking up.

  "Ah, silly girl." Dad extinguished the cigarette butt, patted his hands, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes hid his fatherly love. "Dad just wanted you to come over and keep me company."

  I let out an "oh" and sat down beside Dad.

  In the living room, Hua Jingyan didn't know what her mother was talking about.

  "Oh, really?" A burst of laughter came from the living room, and Mom's voice was trembling with mirth. Dad scrunched up his face in annoyance.

  "Dad, I'll go make you a cup of tea." I said.

  "It doesn't matter."

  Dad pulled me down to sit.

  "Hahaha!"

  The living room erupted in another burst of laughter and chatter. Mom was laughing exaggeratedly. Dad's eyebrows furrowed even deeper.

  "Dad." I softly called out, using my hand to smooth out the wrinkles between his eyebrows, "You're worried!"

  "Ah, getting old means having wrinkles." My dad's arm wrapped around my shoulder, a deep love poured into my blood, and a hint of sourness drilled out of my nose.

  "Look at you, when she saw me back then, her eyes were wide with wonder! Now, she can't even bear to look at me. As soon as she sees a young man, her eyes light up!" Dad whispered, pointing secretly at Mom in the room.

  Mom smiled happily.

  "He's nowhere near as handsome as my dad!" I pinched my father's nose.

  "They say a daughter is her father's little lover! Ah, my little lover has grown up. Daddy has gotten old." The father sighed with a sense of helplessness, his sigh filled with desolation.

  "There is." My head nestled into Dad's arms, "In my heart, Dad is the most handsome man in the world!"

  Dad's eyes shone with tiny tears, stroking my hair.

  I burst out laughing.

  "Dad, you can't eat because mom's attention is all on Hua Jingyan, right?"

  Dad's expression turned serious.

  "Go! That kid has nothing worth losing sleep over. He's not that charming!"

  As he spoke, Dad glanced at the two in the living room with disgust.

  "Honey, tell Daddy, how long have you two been together?"