Who is Adeline's Father from Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter and what is their importance?

After her mother's death while she was an infant, Adeline's father detached himself from the child he blamed for her death. Their relationship was cold and distant for most of Adeline's young life. Their relationship changed, however, when Adeline brought great honor to her family by winning the writing contest, after which, he promised to send her to college.