Little Miss Witch: Revenge of the Tainted Angel

The days had been gray and lifeless these past few months for Mu Jianyu. The coldness of the breeze that seeped through his clothes wasn't enough to ease the pain of emptiness and loneliness he was feeling. Even with Mu Jingyi's company, he was starting to lose the will to continue living. 

With his mother's passing, he suddenly felt more alone than ever. He'd already lost his wife, and now his mother wouldn't be able to accompany him in this seemingly long and lonely life. He'd kept Mu Jingyi on his side as a form of punishment. A great reminder of what he'd lost because of his foolishness. 

After leaving Redux Entertainment, he moved to a small publishing company and worked as one of its directors. He was content by the simplicity of his life, the will to prove himself was instantly extinguished by Li Xiuying's departure from his life. 

So much for asking her for his freedom. 

Now that he had it, he could only regret his previous actions. 

"Director Mu, these are the documents you needed. I'm not sure why they haven't filed it properly before. It took me sometime to find it." His new assistant said, pulling his attention back on the matters at hand. 

He nodded and watched as the other man placed a stack of documents on his desk. 

"It's alright. I understand that there was quite an issue with the previous management." Mu Jianyu replied. His job here was considerably easier compared to the workload had when he was with Li Corporation and Redux Entertainment. 

He still had enough time to finish all of it before he needed to go and pick up his adoptive daughter from her daycare center. It was hard for the two of them at first, but he just couldn't leave the child alone back at home without someone looking after her. 

Rain started to pour over the city when Mu Jianyu finished his work. There were a few employees who were still around in his department when he left. Driving towards the daycare center where his daughter was waiting for him, he wondered how Li Xiuying was doing these days. He hadn't heard anything about her ever since the news broke out that Director Yao attempted to murder her at her own birthday party. 

Mu Jianyu had lost count of how many days it had passed since she left him, and he had started to accept the reality that she would never come back to him ever again. He didn't want to cause her more pain, so he stopped reaching out to her and let her be with Shen Zichen, even if it hurts him to see them together. 

When he arrived at the daycare center, the rain had already stopped. He only needed to wait for a while before one of the caretakers came out with Mu Jingyi in her arms. She gently placed the infant in Mu Jianyi's arms before placing the baby bag on the ground.

"How was she today?" Mu Jianyu asked. 

Fortunately for him, Mu Jingyi was a baby who didn't cry that much and only spent her waking time feeding or watching people around her with interest. She rarely cried, unless she needed a diaper change. 

"She's been an angel to us, Mr. Mu." The caretaker assured him. It had been at least six months since he started sending her here and over ten months since he and Li Xiuying divorced. Had it really been that long? He wondered. 

Although Mu Jianyu wanted to raise the child by himself, he had no idea how to take care of her. He also needed to return to work for the two of them. 

"That's good to hear," he murmured. "Are you ready to go home, Jingyi?" He asked the child with affection, but the girl in his arms only yawned in return. 

Picking up her bag, Mu Jianyu thanked the caretaker before making their way to the parking lot where he left his car. He secured the girl on the carseat, making sure she was comfortable before driving back to their home. 

It didn't take long before they arrived home safely. Mu Jianyu placed the bag on the counter and placed his daughter in her crib before starting to prepare his meal for the night. The place remained the same after Li Xiuying left him. The only difference was the old guest room was now turned into a nursery room. 

His daily routine was repetitive, but Mu Jianyu didn't bother to complain about the life he had now. His sadness and pain were nothing compared to what Ying had suffered because of him. He wondered right then, how long he should endure this punishment fate had sentenced on him. 

His ear picked up the sound of his daughter crying and he immediately washed his hands at the sink and dried them before turning to the nursery where the child was. 

"Hey, did the storm wake you up?" He took the child from her crib and checked her bum to see if she needed a change, but she didn't. It seemed that she was startled by the loud thunder outside as it had started raining once again. 

"Alright. Daddy's here so you don't need to be scared anymore." He tried coaxing the crying baby in his arms and gently patted her back. 

For the longest time, he wanted a child of his own, but now that he had one— well, not really, since Mu Jingyi was only adopted, it was ironic and laughable that he wanted her to be his and Ying's child, which was impossible now. Ying might have started planning to expand her own family with Shen Zichen. Heck, they might even be expecting a child by now. 

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Mu Jianyu focused on the child in his arms.. If there was such a thing as an alternate universe, he hoped that he and Ying would still be together, unlike now.