Maisie's gaze was crystal-clear, while her smile was just as pure as it was five years ago when he first laid eyes on her. However, her eyes now held no sign of longing, admiration, love, or hatred for him. Daniel felt a sudden pang in his heart.

"Sir? Sir?" Maisie noticed his distraction and gently called out to him. "Sir, what's wrong?"

Daniel snapped back to reality, offering a polite smile. He apologized, "I'm sorry. It was my mistake earlier. I shouldn't have brought this teddy bear in. It distracted the children."

"This teddy bear is adorable," Maisie replied with a smile. "Not only do the children like it, but I do too!"

"Is that right?" Daniel's usually cold eyes sparkled warmly.

The bear was a gift he had given her five years ago, and she didn't recall anything about it.

"If you like it, you can put it in the classroom." Daniel's voice trembled slightly. "You and the children can enjoy it every day."

Maisie was momentarily puzzled, feeling a strange sensation. The man seemed familiar, but she couldn't remember him from her blank memory.

"Sir," Maisie murmured. "I've never seen you before. May I ask who you are?"

"I'm here to pick up a child," Daniel said, maintaining his smile.

Just then, Persephone hopped over like a little squirrel, clinging to Daniel's leg.

Daniel beamed at her and lifted her gently into his arms. "Is school over? Let's go home!"

"Wait a moment!" Out of her duty as a teacher, Maisie stepped forward to stop him. "Sir, you can't—"

"I know this child," Daniel said.

"But the kindergarten has rules, and unregistered individuals can't pick up children. So far, only registered guardians have picked up Persephone." "He will be one of them from now on!" Persephone's voice was sweet and bright, her big eyes blinking. She looked like a little angel from heaven.

"Ms. Squire, he's my granduncle!" Persephone explained with clear pronunciation. "My granduncle is the one who gave me the cotton candy house!"

Realization dawned on Maisie. She had heard about the amusement park filled with cotton candy-like houses, recently transformed by a mysterious person into a paradise for little girls, becoming a popular spot in Centrolis.

She had always wanted to visit it and unexpectedly encountered the owner of this dreamy wonderland here.

Ruth rushed over. "Daniel, what brings you here?"

Seeing Persephone in Daniel's arms, she couldn't help but smile. "So, this is your family?"

"Yes," Daniel said with a hint of pride.

Persephone inherited a quarter of the Quimby genes, indicating the family's excellence.

Ruth praised, "I really didn't expect this! Sephy is so well-behaved and cute. She's eloquent and incredibly smart!"

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Isn't she like me?"

"Not really!" Ruth playfully said, "I remember that when you were in school, I couldn't get you to say a word for a whole semester."

"Is that so?"

"You were introverted but determined with your thoughts."

"Oh." Daniel's voice softened. "I'm not like that anymore."

Since losing Maisie, he had changed, but she no longer knew how much he had changed for her.

"Ms. Squire, give the child to him," Ruth said with a beaming smile. "This is my junior, Daniel Quimby. Oh, you know about the newly renovated amusement park, right? He's the one who did it!" Maisie smiled politely as she repeated the name in her mind, 'Daniel Quimby...'

His name was like a painful jab, radiating through her veins for just a moment, too brief to be sure it wasn't an illusion.

Daniel hesitated but extended his hand with a gentle smile.

Maisie shook his hand out of politeness.

Daniel's eyes filled with genuine happiness. "Thank you, Ms. Squire. I'll take Sephy home then."

Maisie waved goodbye to Persephone.

As Daniel walked away with Persephone in his arms, he could feel Maisie's gaze on him, and his eyes reddened subtly.

"Granduncle?" Persephone, now on the ground, peered at him curiously. "Are you crying?"

When Daniel looked up, they had already moved a fair distance away. He let go of Persephone's hand and bought her a vanilla cone from a nearby ice cream shop. They sat side by side on the street, sharing smiles.

"Granduncle, you can ask me anything you want!" Persephone said as she enjoyed her ice cream.

Daniel paused. "Aren't you quite clever!"

"Granduncle, we're family!" Like a young adult, Persephone patted her chest. "Since you bought me ice cream, I'll tell you everything you want to know!"

"Well..." He stared at Persephone. "If you're that smart, why don't you try to guess what I want to know?"

Unexpectedly, Persephone answered directly, "You want to know about Ms. Squire, don't you?"

Her response took Daniel aback.

Persephone gazed into his eyes. "Granduncle, do you know Ms. Squire?"

Daniel avoided her gaze and replied, "I don't."

"But... you kept smiling at her just now!" Persephone rubbed her head. "Why would you smile at her if you didn't know her? You're like the prince from the cartoons, the one who dances with Cinderella and smiles at her the whole time!"

"Oh? A prince?"

"Of course, the prince is more handsome!"

Daniel choked on his words.

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