Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Lin Yi had never known that his name could be spoken with such an icy tone.

Each word seemed to carry the chill of snow that had not melted for millennia, enough to make one shiver.

However, Lin Yi did not pay much attention to this.

He opened the car door stylishly, stepped out, and then closed it behind him.

Only when he stood face to face with Huo Jihan did he speak: "Mr. Huo."

His voice was completely different from Huo Jihan's.

Huo Jihan's voice was deep and cold, naturally exuding an oppressive aura of superiority, while Lin Yi's voice was clear and melodious, like a stream flowing over mountain rocks.

This was their first formal meeting.

However, they were only in a contractual marriage, and their understanding of each other was limited to cold, hard facts, so there wasn't much to talk about.

After exchanging greetings, they walked silently into the villa together.

As they walked, Lin Yi jingled his car keys, his demeanor lazy and relaxed.

Huo Jihan, on the other hand, walked steadily, his back straight, each step carrying a strong sense of intimidation.

The atmosphere in the villa changed as they entered.

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The servants became cautious upon seeing Huo Jihan return, all alert, as if afraid of making any mistakes.

It was evident that Huo Jihan wielded considerable authority.

Seeing this, Lin Yi gained a deeper understanding of Huo Jihan.

But it didn't concern him much since he wouldn't do anything to provoke Huo Jihan anyway; he just needed to collect his monthly allowance.

At this moment, the Steward approached, delighted. "Mr. Huo, you're back."

It was clear that the Steward had a good relationship with Huo Jihan, having worked in the house for decades.

Huo Jihan nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

With nothing else to do, Lin Yi sat down on the sofa and started playing with his phone.

Huo Jihan's dark eyes scanned the living room and asked the Steward in a low voice, "Where is Mianmian?"

The Steward immediately replied, "Young Master is still taking a nap. Should I wake him up?"

Huo Jihan stopped him, "No need."

The Steward remembered something and eagerly reported, "By the way, Mr. Huo, Young Master has shown significant changes recently..."

Before the Steward could elaborate on what those changes were, the subject of their conversation, Huo Mianmian, came down the stairs.

Huo Mianmian had just woken up, still a bit drowsy.

He wore a yellow Pikachu pajama set and was rubbing his sleepy eyes with his soft little hands, slowly making his way down the stairs.

Because he had just slept, his hair was a bit messy, with a small tuft sticking up, and his cheeks were flushed, leaving a tiny red mark, making him look both dazed and adorable.

He made his way down the stairs and looked directly at the sofa in the living room.

He was searching for the single sofa where Lin Yi usually sat.

In the next second, he saw Lin Yi sitting on the sofa, playing with his phone.

Huo Mianmian's sleepy eyes instantly brightened, and he happily walked toward Lin Yi with short steps.

His eyes were fixed on Lin Yi, and he didn't notice Huo Jihan and the Steward standing nearby, heading straight for Lin Yi.

When he reached Lin Yi, he squatted down and rested his little head on Lin Yi's lap, a gesture of great trust and intimacy.

Then he called out in a soft voice, "Daddy~"

Anyone could tell how much he liked Lin Yi from that call.

Lin Yi heard Huo Mianmian's voice, put down his phone, and looked down to see Huo Mianmian resting on his lap.

Lin Yi ruffled his little head and smiled, "Mianmian, did you sleep well?"

Huo Mianmian nodded, "I slept well."

Over here, the Steward, despite having seen these changes in Huo Mianmian several times, still couldn't hide his excitement. "Mr. Huo, this is what I wanted to tell you. With Mr. Lin's company, Young Master has become more talkative and smiles a lot more now."

In the past, Huo Mianmian was silent and often stayed alone in his room. Perhaps due to psychological issues affecting his physical development, he grew slower than other children and remained small.

More importantly, he occasionally experienced auditory hallucinations or would wake up in the middle of the night, indicating serious problems.

But now, these issues seemed to be gradually improving.

Upon hearing the Steward's words, Huo Jihan's eyes changed subtly.

Indeed, he had noticed some changes in Huo Mianmian too.

At this moment, Lin Yi said to Huo Mianmian, "By the way, Mianmian, your dad is back."

He thought that since they were father and son, he should let them experience the warmth of a long-awaited reunion.

However, the scene that followed was different from what Lin Yi had imagined for their reunion.

After hearing his words, Huo Mianmian lifted his head from Lin Yi's lap and looked around. Finally, he saw Huo Jihan standing not far away.

His eyes widened slightly, as if he was puzzled about why his father, who was always on business trips, had suddenly returned.

But he didn't stay puzzled for long.

After all, he wanted to be closer to Lin Yi. So after softly calling out "Dad" to Huo Jihan, he put his head back on Lin Yi's lap.

And after confirming that Huo Mianmian was fine, Huo Jihan turned around and went upstairs with his assistant to the study.

Lin Yi: "..."

Well, this wasn't quite the reunion he had imagined.

But then again, both the father and the son were men of few words, hardly the type to engage in conversation.

Upstairs.

Huo Jihan entered the study.

Assistant Li Feng followed him in and closed the door behind him.

After entering, Huo Jihan sat down in the wide black leather chair behind the desk and stared at Li Feng with his calm dark eyes, saying, "Lin Yi's personality seems different from what the files say."

Caught under Huo Jihan's gaze, Li Feng immediately lowered his head and replied, "Indeed, it is somewhat different. Should I investigate further?"

He had handled this matter on behalf of Huo Jihan, thoroughly investigating Lin Yi's background. After all, even when selecting a marriage partner for Huo Jihan, every aspect needed to be carefully screened.

In the end, they chose Lin Yi.

Because Lin Yi was known to be soft-spoken and never caused trouble, making him an ideal candidate for an arranged marriage.

But today, Li Feng found that Lin Yi was different from previous meetings.

If he could notice it, how much more so would Huo Jihan, who had read the files and had keen insight?

Li Feng suggested re-investigating.

But Huo Jihan coldly said, "No need. It's not important."

He didn't have high expectations for a marriage partner; he just needed someone who could behave properly.

Hearing that Huo Jihan wouldn't pursue the matter, Li Feng breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he had broken into a cold sweat.

Logically speaking, he had been with Huo Jihan for quite some time, but he still felt nervous facing Mr. Huo.

This wasn't entirely his fault.

After all, their boss had an overwhelming presence. At a young age, he took control of the Huo Group and led it to unprecedented success, turning it into an unshakable giant.

When Huo Jihan first took over the company, there were plenty of whispers from the Huo family elders.

Huo Jihan didn't argue with them; instead, he used decisive measures to clean house. Those people couldn't speak up anymore, and others were intimidated into silence, showing the fear-inducing nature of Huo Jihan's methods.

After quickly adjusting his emotions, Li Feng said to Huo Jihan, "By the way, Mr. Huo, Young Master Ji and Young Master Qin mentioned they're throwing you a welcome-back party. Do you want to go?"

The Young Master Ji and Young Master Qin he referred to were Ji Yunchuan and Qin Ling, longtime friends of Huo Jihan.

Before Huo Jihan could respond, his phone rang.

It was Ji Yunchuan calling.

Huo Jihan answered.

Immediately, Ji Yunchuan's boisterous voice came through, "Big Brother Huo, are you home? Come out tonight! Qin Ling and I have prepared a party for you!"

Huo Jihan picked up a document from the desk and started flipping through it, his voice indifferent, "Not coming."

Ji Yunchuan immediately said, "Don't be like that, Big Brother Huo. Please come! You live too ascetically, never joining our activities. That's no good. Many people will be there, both men and women. They've been asking me when you'll arrive."

Huo Jihan flipped another page, his tone unchanged, "Too noisy."

Ji Yunchuan persisted, "If you find it too noisy, we can find a quiet spot... Wait, could it be that you're newlyweds with your wife and can't bear to leave?"

Huo Jihan remained expressionless, "I'm busy with work."

Ji Yunchuan fell silent for a moment before saying, "I'd rather you said it was because of your wife! The Huo Group is already untouchable, and you're still working hard. How can the rest of us keep up?!"

Huo Jihan ignored him.

But Ji Yunchuan's mind jumped around, and he quickly changed the topic, "Oh right, I haven't met your wife yet. How about we arrange a meeting someday?"

Huo Jihan put down the document, "We'll see. Goodbye."

With that, he hung up and began assigning tasks to Li Feng.

Downstairs.

Lin Yi went to the game room he had modified and played games to his heart's content.

Having a personal game room was truly great, allowing him to play various games with an incredible experience.

Mainly, Lin Yi spared no expense. He bought the highest-end gaming equipment and even chose the most comfortable sofa designed specifically for gaming, soft and perfectly ergonomic.

He always lounged lazily on the sofa, not wanting to get up.

Lin Yi played games while Huo Mianmian sat obediently beside him, flipping through his picture book.

Father and son worked together, creating a very harmonious scene.

At this moment, the Steward knocked and entered, asking Lin Yi what he wanted for dinner.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi paused his game.

After a moment's thought, he said to the Steward, "Sweet and sour mandarin fish, Buddha jumps over the wall, Yangzhou lion's head, and braised pork knuckle. For the rest, just have the kitchen prepare some vegetables and soups as they see fit."

The Steward noted down each dish Lin Yi mentioned and then smiled, "By the way, Mr. Huo is back today. Finally, you can have dinner together."

Lin Yi gave a dry laugh, "Heh, yeah..."

In reality, he didn't expect to have dinner with Huo Jihan at all. After all, he didn't need to build any relationship with Huo Jihan; it wouldn't matter if they never saw each other.

Unfortunately, the Steward didn't think so and continued, "I remember, didn't you go pick up Mr. Huo in the afternoon?"

Lin Yi's lips twitched, "Why would you think that?"

How bored would he be to go pick up Huo Jihan?

Was driving a sports car around not fun enough, or were games not entertaining enough?

The Steward was surprised, "Then how did you two enter the house together?"

Lin Yi casually replied, "We just happened to meet outside the villa."

The Steward sighed with relief, "It seems you two really do have a lot of fate."

Lin Yi: "..."

Fine, as long as you're happy.

Soon, the Steward went out to instruct the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Lin Yi didn't take the Steward's words to heart and quickly resumed playing his game.

He kept playing until six o'clock when a servant came to call them for dinner.

Lin Yi tossed aside the game controller, stretched lazily, and then called out to Huo Mianmian, "Kid, let's go eat dinner!"

Upon hearing this, Huo Mianmian put down his picture book, slid off the sofa, and followed Lin Yi.

Lin Yi led Huo Mianmian to the dining room.

The dining room in the villa was spacious, with a long table in the center and a dazzling chandelier hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the entire room.

At this moment, the table was already laden with an array of dishes, a feast for the eyes.

And most of them were dishes Lin Yi liked.

Lin Yi was thoroughly satisfied with his current life.

Especially since returning to the villa, he had been living like a god, doing whatever he wanted every day, and ordering various dishes for his meals. The chefs in the villa could satisfy any request.

During his free time, he could also play with the little one.

Life couldn't get much better than this.

Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian sat down at the dining table.

Just then, Lin Yi noticed a particularly special dish on the table.

The dish was served on a round plate, containing small, translucent spheres resembling jelly but not quite the same.

Logically, one should wait for everyone to arrive before eating.

However, Huo Jihan was likely busy and hadn't arrived yet.

Unable to resist, Lin Yi turned to Huo Mianmian and said, "Kid, let's sneak a taste. Don't tell anyone, okay?"

Huo Mianmian nodded immediately, his eyes sparkling.

For some reason, he felt a sense of having a shared secret with his father, and he liked that feeling.

Seeing Huo Mianmian nod, Lin Yi quickly picked up one of the mysterious spheres and placed it in Huo Mianmian's mouth.

Then he took one for himself.

Lin Yi cautiously chewed the sphere.

He found it soft with a sweet taste, somewhat like lychee but mixed with something else, making it incredibly delicious.

Lin Yi finished his sphere quickly, feeling unsatisfied, and asked Huo Mianmian, "Kid, want another one?"

Huo Mianmian clearly enjoyed it too and nodded quickly.

Lin Yi laughed, "Then let's have one more each."

Soon, father and son finished another sphere.

There were eight spheres in total, and after eating four, half the plate was empty.

Even after the second one, Lin Yi still felt unsatisfied.

He glanced at the dining room entrance, but there was still no sign of Huo Jihan.

So he said to Huo Mianmian for the third time, "Let's have one more each, and then we'll stop."

Huo Mianmian nodded.

Lin Yi promptly took another ball for himself and Huo Mianmian.

At this point, the large plate was left with only two balls, making it look noticeably empty.

Lin Yi quickly moved the two balls around with his chopsticks, even attempting to arrange them to make it seem fuller.

Unfortunately, with only two balls, no matter how he arranged them, it still looked rather meager.

So Lin Yi gave up and said to Huo Mianmian, "Kid, remember not to give us away in front of your dad!"

As Huo Jihan approached the dining room, he overheard Lin Yi saying this.

His expression paused slightly before he walked into the dining room.

Lin Yi had just put a ball in his mouth when he saw Huo Jihan, and he froze.

How does this guy appear out of nowhere?!

He didn't hear any footsteps at all!!

Most importantly, he hadn't even started chewing the ball he just put in his mouth!!

Lin Yi kept the ball in his mouth, pretending there was nothing there, and then subtly patted the nearby Huo Mianmian to alert him that someone had arrived.

Upon receiving the hint, Huo Mianmian turned and saw Huo Jihan, immediately showing a hint of panic on his face.

He also had a ball in his mouth that he hadn't chewed yet.

By now, Huo Jihan had already reached the table and sat down opposite Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian.

There was a moment of silence in the air.

Lin Yi: "..."

For some reason, he suddenly felt like they were doing something mischievous behind someone else's back!

He looked up at the ceiling, pretending nothing had happened.

After sitting down, Huo Jihan sensed the unusual atmosphere.

He lifted his dark eyes to glance at the two people across from him.

Both Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian had their mouths full, and despite trying to hide it, it was quite obvious.

The older one, having seen more big scenes, remained relatively calm but avoided eye contact with Huo Jihan, instead pretending to be interested in the chandelier on the ceiling.

The younger one was more straightforward, with his small mouth puffed out and his eyes wide open, looking a bit nervous.

Both of them pretended as if nothing was happening.

Only the plate with just two balls revealed everything.

For some reason, the scene was unexpectedly amusing.

Huo Jihan understood what Lin Yi's words meant when he heard them at the door.

His eyes flickered slightly.

But acting as if he noticed nothing, he picked up the coffee prepared for him and took a sip, then said calmly, "Let's eat."

Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian felt relieved.

Father and son immediately pretended to start eating their rice, taking the opportunity to chew the food in their mouths.

Both of them thought simultaneously—

Phew, that was close! We almost got caught!