Chapter 31: A Song for Father, A Family

"Woo... woo..." He Peng wept, his sobs heavy with sorrow. Everyone present could hear the depths of his despair and hopelessness about the future in his cries.

He didn't know what to do anymore. All he wanted was to use his own death to exchange for that meager salary, hoping it would help his father and young daughter. But what would that accomplish? A mere fifty thousand yuan could do so little in this world. Once the money was gone, they would still have nothing.

Without the support of a father, this broken family would only fall further apart.

As the situation reached a fever pitch, with no one knowing what might happen next, a child's wail cut through the air: "Daddy, don't leave me!"

And then, an older voice, trembling with pain: "Son, my dear son, please don't do anything foolish!"

Two voices, one young and one old, echoed across the rooftop. Everyone turned to see a frail old man, stooped and emaciated, leaning on a cane as he walked forward. At his side, a little girl of six or seven, her face innocent and sweet, followed along.

"Father, Yingying... I... I’m so sorry..." At the sight of them, He Peng’s weeping grew even more heart-wrenching.

"Captain," Lin Chuan’s eyes flickered with resolve as he stepped up to the middle-aged police captain, "give me ten minutes alone with the little girl. Maybe I can save He Peng—and his family."

The nearby officers cast Lin Chuan skeptical looks. Even the police had no solution—what could a singer possibly do? Yes, his words earlier had been moving, but they hadn’t changed a thing.

Not only did the officers doubt him, but the captain and Yuan Ye were equally puzzled.

"What can you do?" the captain asked coolly.

"You’ll see soon enough. I just ask that you give me ten minutes, and ensure He Peng’s safety during that time," Lin Chuan replied, neither confirming nor denying.

The captain was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, I’ll try to get you ten minutes. But don’t let us down."

"No problem," Lin Chuan nodded, turning toward the little girl.

Watching Lin Chuan’s back, a young officer frowned. "Captain, does Lin Chuan really have what it takes? I love his songs, but this isn’t a stage. This isn’t his show!"

"Exactly. I doubt it will work. Captain, we should stick to our own methods and try to talk He Peng down ourselves. I don’t have much faith in him," another officer agreed.

The captain said nothing more, only giving Lin Chuan a deep look. "Secure ten minutes. Keep He Peng calm. Have Liu Dashan step back, now!"

"Yes, sir!"

Though helpless, the officers had no choice but to obey.

To everyone present, ten minutes felt both endless and fleeting.

The young officers took turns, using every trick to soothe He Peng, but soon ran out of words. No matter what they said, he remained unmoved. If not for He Peng's father joining in at the end, tearfully pleading with him, they might not have lasted the full ten minutes.

While everyone hoped for a miracle, Lin Chuan did not disappoint. He returned, hand in hand with the little girl—Yingying.

"Remember what to do?" Lin Chuan asked softly.

"Uncle, I remember," Yingying replied, wiping tears from her face and nodding firmly.

"Good. Go on." Lin Chuan smiled at her.

Yingying took a deep breath and, with determined steps, walked toward her father.

"What’s happening? Lin Chuan, what are you having that child do? This is dangerous—what if He Peng loses control and jumps with his daughter? Can you bear that responsibility?" an officer shouted at Lin Chuan.

Lin Chuan said nothing, his eyes never leaving the little girl.

Everyone held their breath. The moment felt poised on a knife-edge; no one knew what would happen next. Still, few dared hope Lin Chuan would succeed—they couldn’t put their faith in a child.

"Yingying, don’t come closer... After Daddy’s gone, take good care of Grandpa. Study hard, try to get into college. Don’t be like me—no education, no skills, always at the mercy of those rich bosses..." He Peng spoke as though uttering his final words, his face streaked with tears and longing.

Yingying said nothing, continuing to walk forward, though her small body shook with sobs.

"Lin Chuan, are you sure about this? What if things get worse?" Yuan Ye approached, clearly uneasy.

Lin Chuan didn’t reply; his gaze remained fixed on the little girl.

In truth, he wasn’t sure himself. As Yuan Ye and the officer had said, if He Peng truly meant to end his life, nothing could stop him. It was a gamble—a contest with death and responsibility.

As the atmosphere thickened, everyone silently praying for a miracle, the little girl began to sing instead of speak.

"Always asking so much from you, never once saying thank you. Only after growing up did I understand how hard it was for you... Strong-willed father, what can I do for you? Please accept my small, insignificant care..."

It was "Father," a song once famous in another world, originally sung by the Chopstick Brothers. The little girl’s voice was raw and uncertain—she’d only had ten minutes to learn it, and could only remember a few lines. When she forgot the lyrics, she jumped straight to the chorus.

Even so, everyone present was stunned. They’d never heard this song before, and the wind on the rooftop was strong; her small voice was faint, and only broken phrases reached their ears—"strong-willed father," "what can I do for you," "always be there"...

But He Peng, as a father, heard every word clearly. His body and voice shook; his face was soaked with tears.

"Yingying... It’s all my fault. I’m sorry, my good daughter..." He Peng sobbed, climbing down from the railing and rushing to embrace his daughter.

At that scene, everyone’s hearts, which had been in their throats, finally relaxed.

"What are you all standing around for? Go secure them!" the captain suddenly roared.

The officers snapped back to reality, hurrying to surround He Peng and his daughter. Only then was this dangerous crisis, which had seemed almost impossible to resolve, truly ended.

Lin Chuan let out a long breath. In that moment, he himself had doubted whether his plan would work. After all, if someone was truly determined to die, it was almost impossible to stop them. Fortunately, He Peng still harbored a sliver of love and reluctance for his daughter and father, and that had made all the difference.

In other words, it was a gamble—a struggle between death and responsibility.

"Well done, Lin Chuan! Did you just come up with that song? The lyrics are amazing! When you have time, record a full version for me," Yuan Ye exclaimed excitedly.

"Heh, I will when I get the chance," Lin Chuan replied with a smile.

At this moment, the officers who had doubted Lin Chuan came over, each one offering their heartfelt thanks. Saving a person, or even a family, gave them a sense of accomplishment greater than catching any criminal.

Meanwhile, the real culprit behind it all, Liu Dashan, sat collapsed on the ground, his obese body slumped like a pile of meat. Beads of sweat dripped down his cheeks.

"What was that song just now?" The captain’s deep voice sounded as he approached Lin Chuan. His demeanor had completely changed from before—his face, once stern and cold, now bore a faint smile.

"‘Father,’" Lin Chuan replied.

"I hope one day I can hear you sing it yourself. I’ll be following your competition and cheering you on!" the captain said, before turning back to his duties. Though the immediate danger was over, there was still much to take care of.

Meanwhile, in the corridor leading to the rooftop, dozens of employees had gathered, all replaying the dramatic rescue on their phones. When Yingying sang "Father," many were so moved they wept.

As the incident drew to a close, Lin Chuan, Yuan Ye, and Liu Dashan were brought to the police station to give statements. He Peng, Yingying, and their family were taken by paramedics to the hospital for examination.

By the time Lin Chuan left the police station, the sun was sinking in the west—it was nearly five o’clock.

"Hurry up! If Yangyang doesn’t see me soon, she’ll throw a fit!" Lin Chuan urged Yuan Ye, who was driving.

"Come on, give me a break! Any faster and we’ll be speeding..." Yuan Ye replied helplessly.

At the same time, news of Lin Chuan’s rescue of He Peng with a song on the rooftop of the Manfu Building was spreading across major media outlets. Online, clips of the rescue were being shared everywhere.

One news outlet headlined the story: "A Song Called ‘Father’ Saves a Family."