Chapter 2

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The next afternoon, all the paperwork was properly filed, and Song Qianming left the place with Xiaoxiao.

The first thing he wanted to do was change his daughter’s name. He did not like the name ‘Zhang Xiaoxiao,’ but he still wanted his daughter’s opinion before doing anything.

Song Qianming did not have any children in his previous life. Yet, now that he had a child that looked similar to him, a girl no less, Song Qianming felt an unfamiliar ache in his chest. He did not want to impose his decisions on his daughter without hearing her thoughts.

Thus, on the way back, he looked at the child with utmost sincerity and asked, “Xiaoxiao, would you be willing to take Daddy’s surname in the future? What do you think about a name change? Changing your name will give you a shot at a different life.”

No sooner had Song Qianming spoken than he began to question whether his young daughter understood him. The child was only three and a half years old, after all. Some things were still beyond children of that age.

Just as he was about to retract his words, Xiaoxiao hugged him by the arm and said, “Okay.”

Song Qianming’s heart melted into a puddle of water at his daughter’s reaction. The smile she wore was as vibrant as the sun. He finally understood why the old Prime Minister’s expression always grew so warm when he talked about his little granddaughter back in his previous life. So this was what it felt like to receive a child’s heartfelt affection!

“I want to take Daddy’s surname.” The young girl hugged his arms tighter as she spoke, almost as if fearing he would disappear should she let go.

Even Song Qianming, a transmigrator, could tell her actions were an obvious sign of insecurity, and his heart clenched in his chest. What a sad life his good daughter must have led so far!

With her mother’s passing and her maternal relatives shunning her, how could she have been raised in any comfort or security? Nothing but the bare necessities were afforded to her. Had the Zhang family continued to be her guardian, he shuddered at the thought of how they would treat her.

Song Qianming easily recalled the Zhang family’s heartlessness, so he did not push them for anything Xiaoxiao’s mother might have left her. They were done, their ties severed. He would not allow them to take advantage of his good daughter.

A cold flash lit up Song Qianming’s eyes. The sudden change in his demeanor caused the cabbie to shiver involuntarily, refocusing his attention on the road instead of the father and daughter duo sitting in the back seat.

However, the abrupt change was lost on the young child, and she asked in a sweet voice, “What name will you give me, Daddy?”

Song Qianming had not thought that far. Having never married or had children, how could he have had an opportunity to consider names for his children?

In his past life, he had his royal brother. Even if he could not find a good match, he could still rely on his royal brother to select someone worthy of him. That way, the imperial family’s prestige could be maintained. What was he supposed to do now without his royal brother around?! What should he do?

His daughter’s question well and truly stumped Song Qianming. Although countless names flashed through his mind, none felt good enough for his daughter. He cursed himself for not having read enough in his previous life. Why had he not paid more attention to the Grand Tutor and read more like he was instructed?

“My dear, is there a name you like?” Since he could not think of one himself, Song Qianming asked his daughter for her thoughts. He wanted to be a good father and respect his daughter’s input.

“I’ll take any name Daddy gives me,” the young girl answered shyly.

“Okay…” Song Qianming’s thoughts were a mess, but even in that haze, he could not help but feel a surge of warmth suffusing his chest. To think he would have such a good daughter who would take any name he gave her!

Only when they alighted did Song Qianming think of a name that ticked all the right boxes.

He picked his daughter up as she struggled out of the cab, asking, “What do you think of the name ‘Youhuan’? Daddy wants you to lead a happy life; everything else is secondary.”

The young girl was not dissatisfied with her father’s choice of name. She smiled and looped her short arms around his neck. “Okay. From now on, my name is Song Youhuan.”

“Yes, it’s Song Youhuan,” Song Qianming repeated, feeling proud. “We’ll have your name changed at the registrar’s office tomorrow.”

“Daddy, are we going home now?”

“I guess so.” Song Qianming hesitated, his footsteps slowing down. Every so often, his eyes would dart from left to right as if looking for something.

“Is Daddy lost?”

“This… Daddy is looking for his grandparent’s house. Daddy has never been to their house before. Don’t worry, Youhuan. Daddy will find it.” While he may have spoken to reassure his daughter, Song Qianming was far from confident. Why could he not have inherited the memories of the original body like other transmigrators?

Song Qianming’s past few days were spent scouring for basic information, reading chat records on his mobile phone, and cross-referencing the material with whatever else he could get his hands on. Even the current address he was looking for had been found digging through whatever the original body owner had saved in his mobile phone. As for how to get where he wanted to go… He had no clue.

In a way, it mirrored the original body’s predicament. The original owner did not know who his father was, except that his surname was Song, while his mother had passed away in an accident during his primary school years. The one difference that set them apart was how his grandparents had treated him. They were much better than his daughter’s maternal grandparents.

Song Qianming’s grandparents had raised him with love and attention all through his years in high school. Things only changed when the original body’s owner had a big argument over his future during the college entrance examinations.

He only managed to complete college because the original body’s grandmother secretly contacted and sponsored him through school. His grandmother had sent the original owner of the body this address when they moved. It was a little convoluted, but that was as much as Song Qianming could gather in the few days he had to prepare himself for his new life.

“It should be this way,” Song Qiaming said while looking through his chat history, frustrated that there were so many identical buildings in this new world he had transmigrated into. Things would be much simpler if each house occupied one space like the norm in his previous life.

However, being a prince in his previous life, Song Qianming was not referring to houses of the common folk but palaces befitting his royal station. Those who surrounded him were relatives or powerful ministers, and they each had their compounds. How could it not have been easy to find where someone lived?

While he was aware that commoners tended to live together in large communal housing, it was not the first thought that came to mind when he searched his surroundings for his grandparents’ address.

The society he now lived in was more convenient in many ways, but it faced similar problems as those of his previous life, where those unfamiliar with each other would have a hard time looking for the people they wanted to find.

It was night when Song Qianming and his daughter finally found the house they were looking for. Song Qianming was fine not eating dinner, but how could he let his daughter forgo a warm meal on their first day together? Although he had bought some cake and milk on the way home, they were not a proper meal.

“Why don’t we go out for dinner? If things don’t work out, we’ll stay in a hotel for the night.”

As he spoke, he turned around with Youhuan in his arms. Who knew that, at this time, a firm voice would interject? “Stop! It’s late. Where are you taking my great-granddaughter?”

Song Qianming spun around in surprise. A strange feeling bubbled to the surface. Was it guilt he was feeling?

It was a natural reaction, and only the original owner of the body’s grandfather could have elicited such a response. How was he supposed to interact with the old man? What would happen if the old man realized he had taken over the original’s body?

He had never meant to transmigrate, nor did he want to hurt the lives of those close to the original owner of the body he now inhabited.

Since those managers and assistants never noticed anything wrong when he first transmigrated, he should be fine, shouldn’t he? As far as he could tell, his habits were pretty much the same as the body’s original owner.