edited April 12, 2024
“Huo Yu, are you actually thinking about getting the police involved?” Huo Lin’s forehead glistened with cold sweat. He was clearly embarrassed by the situation.
Looking at Huo Yu’s indifferent expression he was sure that Huo Yu was not joking. He looked at Huo Yu in disbelief. “You really don’t care about the Huo family’s reputation?”
“Is it because I don’t care about the Huo family’s reputation?” Huo Yu’s voice remained cold and steady. “Or is it you who doesn’t? Are you really concerned about the Huo family’s reputation?”
Huo Lin was silent for a moment. Then, through gritted teeth, he said, “Fine, you’re heartless!”
“Is that so?” Huo Yu replied with a half-smile, looking at him. “Compared to you, I feel inferior.”
During the tense standoff between the two, Shen Yan had been busy making quick phone calls. He ended the last call and informed Huo Yu, “There’s a police station nearby, and they’ll be here soon.”
Then he turned to Huo Lin, his tone serious. “I’ve also told Uncle Huo about what happened here. You owe him an explanation.”
After hearing this, Huo Lin’s face went pale, and any lingering effects of alcohol disappeared in an instant.
He knew Huo Peixue expected him to finish the project successfully and uphold a positive image, which would secure his position in the Huo family and eventually allow him to push Huo Yu out entirely.
If it got out that he messed up at such a crucial time, he couldn’t imagine how furious Huo Peixue would be.
The elevator chimed, and a middle-aged man arrived with a team of security guards, rushing over.
“Master Shen, Master Huo,” the man greeted respectfully, then he turned to Huo Lin and instructed the security guards behind him, “Until the police arrive, keep an eye on this person.”
Quickly, a few security guys surrounded Huo Lin, who was still leaning against the wall, sweating from the pain on his forehead.
In just a few minutes, many guests noticed something odd and came over to see what was happening. Huo Lin quickly turned his face to the wall, hoping not to be recognized.
Huo Yu also held the back of Xia Wan’s head with his hands, hiding his face in his arms.
“Don’t move,” Huo Yu’s voice was low and calm, “Someone is taking pictures.”
“Okay,” Xia Wan nodded obediently, and his hair brushed against Huo Yu’s chin, causing him to frown. Despite himself, his cold demeanor softened unconsciously.
“Why are you here today?” Huo Yu’s voice softened as he lowered his gaze, studying the top of Xia Wan’s black hair.
Xia Wan responded promptly, “I went out for dinner with my roommates today. It was a treat from Shen Xing.”
Xia Wan’s friends, who had been waiting for him to return, grew concerned when he didn’t show up. Shen Xing took the initiative to find him.
“Brother,” he called out as he approached after he saw a group of people and Shen Yan’s figure. “What’s happening?”
Xia Wan heard his voice and quickly called out, “Shen Xing.”
As he drew closer, Shen Xing could see the situation clearly. He frowned, feeling a bit concerned.
“Brother Huo,” Shen Xing stopped just a step away from Huo Yu, acknowledging him with respect. Then, he turned to Xia Wan and asked, “Xia Wan, are you okay?”
“Yes,” Xia Wan’s voice was muffled against Huo Yu’s chest. He sniffled softly, “I’m fine, but I might have to go to the police station later. After dinner, you can take Su Tang and Fu Ling back first.”
Shen Xing didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he turned to look at Huo Yu and Shen Yan, asking, “Do you need my help with anything?”
“No,” Huo Yu replied gently, “You have your own matters to attend to.”
After Huo Yu’s response, Shen Xing glanced at Shen Yan once more.
However, Shen Yan didn’t seem pleased and he scolded him, “What’s wrong with you? Can’t you take someone out without causing trouble?”
Shen Xing felt unjustly accused. After all, Xia Wan had only gone to the restroom. Who could have predicted such an incident?
However, instead of defending himself, he simply stated, “Su Tang is also here today.”
“Go say hello,” Huo Yu instructed Shen Yan, giving him a nod.
Shen Yan fell silent for a moment. “Never mind, he finally went out to have fun. I suppose he wouldn’t even enjoy his meal if he saw me.”
Then, turning to Shen Xing, he asked, “Did he have a good meal today?”
“Pretty good,” Shen Xing confirmed. “He tried all the dishes.”
Xia Wan couldn’t see Shen Yan’s face, but he heard him chuckle softly and mutter under his breath, “Little cheeky brat.”
Then he told Shen Xing, “Go over there and reassure them. Don’t let them worry.”
While everyone was engrossed in conversation, the police arrived.
Shen Xing glanced at the police and asked a few more questions. Once he was assured that Xia Wan was unharmed, he turned to go back.
Shortly after Xia Wan and Huo Yu arrived at the police station, Huo Peixue and Li Yun also arrived.
The police carefully reviewed the surveillance footage and took detailed notes on Huo Lin and Xia Wan’s involvement.
Because Huo Lin and Xia Wan had a romantic history and his actions were influenced by alcohol, and since neither caused any significant harm, Huo Lin was given a warning by the police and instructed to apologize to Xia Wan in person.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Photos of Huo Lin being taken away by the police spread rapidly, with Huo Yu holding Xia Wan tightly also captured in the images.
This was one of the first times that Huo Yu had appeared so prominently in the public eye.
Onlookers and gossip enthusiasts were filled with curiosity, and this incident only fueled their intrigue even more.
Since the banquet incident Huo family was already in limelight.
Now the feud between the Huo brothers over a person was once again brought to light, causing the news to spread rapidly.
Naturally, other topics about the Huo family resurfaced:
[Huo Lin and his son allegedly took away Huo Yu’s family property, so now Huo Yu taking someone away from him seems like fair play to me.]
[Do they even need to compete? I mean, there is no need to compare, with Huo Yu’s figure and appearance, he’s miles ahead of Huo Lin. Just looking at him makes my legs weak, okay?]
[I used to think Huo Lin was good-looking, but now that I’ve seen Huo Yu, I understand what true attractiveness is.]
[Am I the only one who wants to see who’s in Huo Yu’s arms? It’s amazing how these two brothers are turning against each other just for this beauty!!]
[Looking at the figure, it’s definitely impressive. If the face is a seven or eight out of ten, he is already considered top-notch.]
[I heard that Huo Yu has married him.]
[Is it real or fake? Ugh, why is it so easy to find an amazing partner at just a young age.]
[Do you still not know who took from whom? If they hadn’t known each other before, could they have gotten married right after Huo Yu returned to China?]
[Huo Lin might not have said anything to anyone. I know an older brother in that circle. Though he doesn’t like to gossip, I’ve heard a thing or two about this beauty and Huo Lin, who’ve only known each other for a month. He was engaged to Qiu Qi, and the timeline doesn’t add up. I think he just desires other beauty and can’t control himself. He just thinks with his lower body.]
[This is truly deceitful. Not only did he steal someone else’s property, but now he also wants to take someone else’s partner? Regardless, shouldn’t he address them as sister-in-law?]
[I’ve heard it said that dumplings aren’t as tasty as sister-in-law, and they’re not as enjoyable either. Have you not heard this saying upstairs person!?]
[Hahaha, that’s hilarious!]
[Huo Lin is quite skilled. Just a few days ago, his uncle and his lover caused quite a commotion, and now he’s personally involved. Could it be because the matter wasn’t significant enough?]
[….]
Huo Peixue scrolled through the comments on the internet, feeling a surge of anger that nearly made him faint.
After years of careful planning and feeling certain of victory, Huo Lin had single-handedly destroyed everything in one idiotic move.
So, when Huo Lin emerged from the interrogation room, Huo Peixue, consumed by anger, delivered a powerful slap to his face with almost all of his strength.
Huo Lin was struck on the side of his face, and his teeth accidentally scratched the inside of his mouth. Bright red blood oozed from the corner of his mouth, and his cheeks began to swell up quickly.
Seeing that Huo Peixue wanted to strike again, Li Yun quickly shielded her son. “It’s clearly a setup by others. You’re not protecting your son, but you still want to hit him?” she exclaimed.
Huo Peixue was so enraged that his hands shook as he glared at Li Yun and Huo Lin. Meanwhile, Huo Lin noticed Huo Yu walking out with Xia Wan in his arms.
Xia Wan lowered his head and nestled tightly into Huo Yu’s arms, appearing extremely vulnerable.
Huo Peixue watched as the two approached, but in the end, he refrained from hitting Huo Lin again.
As both of them passed by, Huo Yu gave a slight nod to Huo Peixue and wordlessly walked out, shielding Xia Wan.
Just after Huo Yu took a few steps, Huo Peixue suddenly called out, “Huo Yu.”
Huo Yu paused and slowly turned around.
Huo Peixue looked at him and said, word by word, “Are you really willing to jeopardize your standing in the Huo family over someone like him? Who isn’t fit for the Huo family?”
“Not fitt?” Huo Yu responded. “Are you referring to Huo Lin?”
Huo Peixue, who had experienced many trials in life, couldn’t contain his emotions at this moment and it was evident from the expression on his face.
“There’s no one else around,” Huo Yu smiled faintly. “Is it okay for Uncle to say the truth?”
Since the day they wanted him dead, Huo Yu and the Huo family had already been at odds.
Otherwise, why would he have been wandering abroad alone for so many years at such a young age?
Why was he willing to stay abroad?
Why couldn’t he reclaim things which were rightfully his?
How can he learn art instead of handling his parents’ business?
How could he endure the humiliation and carry such a heavy burden?
All those years spent abroad were not in vain. He was steadily building his power so he could reclaim everything that rightfully belonged to him.
Everything was simply a tactic to weaken Huo Peixue’s influence and carve out opportunities for himself.
Huo Peixue was constantly engaged in performances of familial love and respect, but Huo Yu had long grown tired of witnessing these dramas unfold.
He had long desired to openly sever ties with Huo Peixue.
Even if Xia Wan hadn’t entered the picture today, he wouldn’t have waited much longer.
“You…” Huo Peixue was on the verge of uttering threatening words, but when he thought about Yan Rui. He swallowed them back instead.
Without Yan Rui, Huo Lin’s mistakes might not matter much, but once Yan Rui assumes office, many of his strategies will become ineffective.
“I’ve heard all about Yan Yu,” Huo Peixue softened his tone. “Even though you can still overcome some difficulties for now, you still rely on the support of the Huo family. Consider it carefully.”
“I’ll give it some thought,” Huo Yu smiled, then hugged Xia Wan and walked out.
It was already past three o’clock when they left the police station.
Xia Wan followed Huo Yu into the car. As soon as the car door closed, he relaxed completely, and the pitiful energy he had deliberately displayed at the police station disappeared instantly.
“Eldest Master,” Xia Wan’s blood boiled with excitement as he watched Huo Yu confront Huo Peixue, and he wanted to tease him. “You’re quite eloquent at crucial moments.”
Huo Yu glanced at her sideways, and Xia Wan immediately remembered the significance of this man to him.
Xia Wan had always been quite intelligent since he was young. With just one action, he understood his position and quickly changed his attitude.
He smiled obediently and said, “I meant it as a compliment.”
“It seems you weren’t very scared,” Huo Yu looked at him for a moment and said softly.
Xia Wan pursed his lips and looked up at him. “Actually, I was not scared at all,” he admitted.
What he said was true.
Even though the situation seemed dangerous at the time, Xia Wan wasn’t too scared.
After all, they were in public, on Shen family territory, and Huo Yu was a man. Even though there was a significant difference in physical strength between him and Huo Lin, Huo Lin might not have been able to take much advantage if he resisted.
What he felt most at that time was nausea.
Huo Yu looked at him for a moment and remained silent. In the past, he had hoped that Xia Wan would be bolder and would be able to cooperate seamlessly with him in any situation.
But now, for the first time, he wished he could be a little less courageous.
Because only when he was less brave, he could be on guard all the time.
Because he wanted Xia Wan to be cautious, to always be on guard all the time.
Xia Wan noticed Huo Yu’s inexplicable expression and wondered if he had said something wrong.
“Eldest Master,” Xia Wan said cautiously, “could you please take me back to school?”
“We are going home,” Huo Yu said, starting the car.
“But I didn’t take anything,” Xia Wan protested.
“What else would you want to take?” Huo Yu remarked sarcastically. “It’s just a school bag filled with snacks.”
Xia Wan:”….”
“No,” Xia Wan pursed his lips and said, feeling embarrassed, “I still want to take it. We’ve run out of drawing paper and paint at home.”
“We have those at home,” Huo Yu said. “Just go to the storage room and pick some.”
Both of them mentioned “home,” but it was evident they weren’t referring to the same place.
Seeing Huo Yu’s persistence, Xia Wan had no choice but to press his lips together and reluctantly agreed to it.
Glancing at his phone, he noticed several missed calls from Su Tang and Fu Ling.They probably didn’t want to disrupt anything important, so they didn’t call again.
Xia Wan lowered his head and scrolled through the dormitory group chat. He noticed messages from Su Tang and Fu Ling, asking him to update them after dealing with the situation.
Xia Wan immediately replied to the messages:
[Big Bowl of Sweet Tea: The matter is resolved, I’m fine now, don’t worry.]
Xia Wan doesn’t know if they were staring at the screen the whole time, but Fu Ling immediately replied to the message:
[Xiao Tian Zero: Are you coming back to school today?]
[Big Bowl of Sweet Tea: I won’t come back.]
Then Su Tang’s message also came in:
[Xiaotian Tangguo: Do you have anything to bring? I’ll help you pack it up and bring it over.]
[Big Bowl of Sweet Tea: No need to make another trip, I have everything I need at home.]
[Xiaotian Tangguo: I wouldn’t come alone. My aunt and brother would come to pick me up later. They heard about what happened today and want to go together.]
Xia Wan was taken aback for a moment, then replied:
[Big Bowl of Sweet Tea: Auntie is really busy, so there’s no need to trouble her to come. I’m really fine.]
To prove that he was fine, Xia Wan immediately took a photo with a sweet smile and sent it to the group.
[Big Bowl of Sweet Tea: That pig didn’t even lay a finger on me. In fact, I delivered a blow that could’ve ended his lineage. I’m feeling pretty good about it right now.]
[Xiao Tian Zero: 👍]
[Xiaotian Tangguo: 👏]
Xia Wan looked at the emoticons of the two people on the screen and giggled unconsciously.
With his phone continuously chiming, Huo Yu noticed the bright smile on his face and couldn’t help but glance at his. “Who are you chatting with?”
“Roommates,” Xia Wan replied with a smile, still engrossed in the conversation. He briefly glanced at Huo Yu before returning his attention to his phone, where Su Tang and Fu Ling’s messages continued to pour in.
There was silence in the car. Just when Xia Wan thought the matter was over, Huo Yu suddenly spoke softly: “Be more reserved. You’re too easy-going!”
Xia Wan was taken aback for a moment, his surprise evident on his face.
Seeing his reaction, Huo Yu tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, a faint smile forming on his lips as he observed Xia Wan’s vivid emotions.
…..
After Xia Wan finished showering, he asked Huo Yu for a backpack and packed the paints and drawing papers he had taken from the storage room.
As he was in the middle of packing, the doorbell rang. Juggling the items in his arms, he hurried to open the door, only to find a smiling Su Tang waiting on the other side.
“How did you…” Xia Wan started to say, but his words trailed off as he noticed Wen Yunzhi standing behind Su Tang.
Wen Yunzhi smiled warmly at him. She was followed by a tall young man with a soft, friendly expression. He appeared polite and amiable as he stood beside Wen Yunzhi, exuding a welcoming demeanor.
Xia Wan recognized that this was likely Su Tang’s cousin Xue Wenxuan.
He quickly ushered them inside, “Auntie, Tangtang, brother, come in quickly.”
“Wanwan,” Wen Yunzhi said as she entered, reaching out to grasp Xia Wan’s hand. The concern was evident in her eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Auntie, I’m fine,” Xia Wan reassured quickly. “I’ll go upstairs and call Huo Yu.”
“Is Huo Yu busy?” Wen Yunzhi asked with a smile. “We’re mainly here to see you. When Tangtang told us what happened we were just worried, now seeing you fine we are relieved, there’s no need to bother Huo Yu to come down.”
Xia Wan held something in his arms with his right hand, and Wen Yunzhi coincidentally pulled it with his left hand.
As she spoke, she couldn’t help but lower her eyes.
Xia Wan wore a short-sleeved, sky-blue T-shirt that highlighted the boy’s youthful look against his snow-white skin.
However, he was wearing a string of Buddhist beads on his left wrist, that covered his whole wrist.
“Did your family get you this string of Buddhist beads?” Wen Yunzhi asked as they entered the living room and continued chatting.
Xia Wan motioned for everyone to sit down and then went to pour a few glasses of water.
“Yes,” he nodded in response to Wen Yunzhi’s question. “My father got it for me when I was little. He told me to always wear it to keep me safe.”
He paused for a moment and explained further, “My father has bad legs and can’t go up the mountain himself, so he had to ask someone else to get it for him.”
“Yes,” Su Tang nodded in agreement. “Wanwan does wear it all the time.”
Wen Yunzhi nodded sympathetically and asked, “Can I take a look?”
Xia Wan smiled as he raised his hand and removed the Buddhist beads from his wrist and passing it over.
The skin underneath where the beads had been was white and tender, with a small light brown birthmark that became very noticeable on his wrist once the beads were removed.
Underneath the beads was a birthmark that looked like a butterfly about to fly away.
thanks for the chapter
caught up, thank you for the chapters~!
Thank You for the new chapter (´,,•ω•,,)♡
Noooo i caught up. Now I have to entertain myself before the new chapter. Omg she was looking for that birthmark and found it, I’m so happy
Thank you for your translation ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Gasp 👀
Right. I forgot to mention this in a past chapter, but why didn’t Papa Xia report or bring the young Xia Wan to the police station when he found him all those years ago? Plot hole? Haha
maybe he lives in really remote village,far from mc’s original hhome & eventhough he told police, police wouldn’t or couldn’t make an connection about lost child from far
👍
i was wrong 🥺😔
I was wrong too 😂😂😂