182 - I Don’t Want to Be Turned Into the Female Protagonist by the System

Chapter 182: He Made a Mistake Su Qi was overjoyed to see her father standing before her, perfectly healthy and unscathed. She had been worried for a long time about her father's health, especially since the lungs are such critical organs. Expecting to see a frail figure, she was surprised by his usual lively demeanor. Quickly, she recalled Lu Ran's phone call, realizing she had been deceived. It seemed her father was never gravely ill, and she'd been tricked into returning home! Reflecting on her mother's voice, filled with affection over the phone, and hearing the muted sounds from the kitchen, she saw her father as hale and hearty as ever. At that moment, Su Qi felt overwhelmingly content. Thinking of soon enjoying the familiar, lovingly prepared home-cooked meals, she couldn't help but beam a youthful, sweet smile. Looking at her father, she spoke in a voice as crisp and melodious as a bell, "Dad, you're not ill, and I'm so relieved." Su Lu Jun stood there, stunned. Gazing at Su Qi's delicate face, he was sure it was indeed his child. However, hearing her speak in a female voice and dressed in feminine attire, he was taken aback. He had always disdained boys dressing as girls, seeing it as a complete affront to male dignity — akin to betrayal on a battlefield. As he watched Su Qi about to kick off her embroidered slippers, he was filled with anger. The long hanfu dress concealed her small embroidered shoes and feet completely. Afraid of dirtying her dress, Su Qi bent down to remove her shoes. Su Lu Jun observed her long, shoulder-length bob and slight chest, feeling he had failed his forebears, giving rise to such effeminacy. Fueled by rage, he never once considered that Su Qi might actually be a girl, even as she stood before him in full feminine form. Walking slowly towards Su Qi, his voice dripped with coldness, "I may not be sick, but you definitely are!" As he spoke, he pulled out a well-worn Seven Wolves belt from around his waist. Su Qi looked up, seeing her father approaching with the familiar belt in hand. She recalled a childhood incident where she was falsely accused of theft and punished in a dark room with that very belt. The memory of that belt evoked a nightmare from her childhood. Seeing her father's belt again brought fear to Su Qi, especially considering its history. “Dad, let me explain.” Su Qi instinctively stepped back, tripping over her backpack. Seeing her fall only incensed Su Lu Jun further — how could his son be so spineless? Taking another step forward, he scoffed: "Explain? Wearing this, you think there's room for explanation?" Just as Su Qi attempted to speak, a sharp abdominal pain seized her, unlike anything she'd ever experienced. She couldn't voice her fear or pain; neither sound could escape her lips. All her focus was on that dreaded belt, a remnant of her childhood trauma. As the belt swung down, time seemed to stretch endlessly. She distinctly heard her father's harsh accusation, "Wearing girls' clothes", echoing accusations of old, like a broken record unwilling to hear her side. She looked on as the belt struck her left arm, bruising the tender skin beneath her hanfu, drawing blood. Expecting her arm to throb and instinctively shield it, her body betrayed her, protecting her aching stomach instead. Su Lu Jun froze, shocked by the blood pooling where Su Qi had fallen. Lu Ran rushed in, alerted by the commotion, to find Su Qi's hanfu stained like an ink painting, darkened with spreading blood. Seeing the belt in Su Lu Jun's hand, Lu Ran immediately understood the situation, though there was no time to blame him now. Panicked by the sight of a bleeding Su Qi, her daughter’s face drained of any color, Lu Ran wept, “Don’t scare Mommy!” Seeing her mother's concern brought unexpected solace to Su Qi, her voice small with vulnerability, “Mom, do you hate me too?” “How could I? Mommy loves you,” Lu Ran replied, but as she spoke, she felt Su Qi’s cold hand go limp and her daughter lost consciousness, going limp as a rag doll in her arms. It took all her strength to lift the unconscious Su Qi, yet she continued to slide from her grasp. Fearful tears streaming down her cheeks, Lu Ran watched Su Qi's pale, lifeless face with growing despair. Hearing Lu Ran’s cries shook Su Lu Jun from his daze. Recalling the petite, girlish feet wasn't just a peculiarity — fitfully, he realized the truth he'd denied. Now wasn't the time for gender debates: Su Qi lay unconscious, and something had to be done. "Put her on my back," he said urgently, "you drive; bring your phone — calling 120 won't be fast enough, we've got to get to a hospital." Lu Ran shot him a resentful glance but knew now wasn’t the time for quarrels. Grabbing her phone, she rushed out. As Su Lu Jun carried Su Qi on his back, despite being over fifty, his military discipline kept him strong. She felt like a weightless bundle of softness, unmistakably a girl's form. With Su Qi on his back, an overwhelming realization hit him — he'd been gravely wrong. Forget seeking forgiveness; all he wished now was for those eyes to open, for his dear daughter to awake. "Sweetheart, daddy was wrong. Please wake up!" Awake, and whatever you desire, I'll give it all to you!