Chapter 58

Chapter 58

At eleven in the morning, Huo Mianmian, who had been missing since early morning, suddenly ran into the villa with a pitter-patter.

Lin Yi heard the commotion and paused his game, then looked up at Huo Mianmian: "Zai, where did you go to play?"

Huo Mianmian, like a little kitten, snuggled up to Lin Yi, his soft voice tinged with excitement: "Dad, I picked out a plot of land with Grandpa Steward. We can grow watermelons and cantaloupes now! You'll be able to eat lots and lots of melons!"

Lin Yi hadn't expected that Huo Mianmian had been busy with such things since early morning. He was deeply moved and gently patted Huo Mianmian's head: "Zai, you're amazing!!"

Huo Mianmian's eyes curved into crescents as he laughed, looking even more adorable.

Anyone who saw Huo Mianmian would exclaim how cute human children could be.

Ji Yunchuan watched the interaction between father and son, his eyes widening in shock.

He leaned close to Huo Jihan and whispered: "Big Brother Huo, when did Mianmian become so lively and cute?"

He remembered that whenever he visited the villa before, Huo Mianmian always seemed withdrawn, not interested in interacting with others, only doing his own thing.

Never had he imagined that after some time, Huo Mianmian's personality would change so drastically.

Huo Jihan glanced at Huo Mianmian upon hearing this.

Huo Mianmian's eyes were curved into crescents, making him look like an adorable little bundle.

It seemed that during the time Huo Mianmian had lived with Lin Yi, he had been well taken care of, and most importantly, his personality had changed significantly under Lin Yi's influence.

After observing Huo Mianmian for a while, Huo Jihan turned to look at Lin Yi, his gaze softening.

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

Suddenly feeling out of place sitting here.

Soon, Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian decided to go plant watermelons and cantaloupes together.

Ji Yunchuan finally found his place and spoke up enthusiastically: "Sis-in-law, plant more!! So I can eat them when I come over!!"

Lin Yi had already started walking towards the door with Huo Mianmian. Hearing this, he turned back and said: "If you want to eat them, come help us plant."

Ji Yunchuan tried to get out of it: "Sis-in-law, I've been sick lately with laziness. I can't do any work."

Lin Yi never indulged anyone. Hearing this, he smiled coldly: "If you don't come to help, then you can't eat them later. If you do eat them, you'll have to spit them out."

With that, he leisurely led Huo Mianmian out.

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

He stood there stunned for a moment, then turned to Huo Jihan: "Big Brother Huo, Sis-in-law is really scary when she smiles like that!"

Huo Jihan's lips curled slightly: "Yeah, it's pretty cute."

Ji Yunchuan: "??"

He immediately corrected: "Big Brother Huo, did you hear me wrong? I said scary, not cute!!"

How could he mistake scary for cute?!

At this moment, Huo Jihan gave him a cold look: "Didn't I tell you to go plant? Why aren't you going?"

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

Wah wah wah, what injustice!

Why does this single dog get shunned everywhere??

But Ji Yunchuan was a lively sort, so he went along to join the fun since he was bored anyway.

Ten minutes later.

Lin Yi brought Huo Mianmian to the spot where they would plant the melons.

At this time, the Steward was leading several servants in preparing the land.

This piece of land was originally a lawn, but now all the flowers and grass had been transplanted, and after some preparation, it became suitable for planting seedlings.

The Steward noticed Lin Yi and approached him: "Mr. Lin, do you think this area is enough? If not, we can clear another patch of lawn."

Lin Yi nodded: "It's enough."

This plot of land was already about two hundred square meters.

Only because this villa compound was large, spanning over six thousand square meters, could they easily use such a big space.

The Steward smiled: "Good, if it's enough."

He added: "We'll be sowing seeds soon. If Mr. Lin finds it interesting, you can try it yourself."

Lin Yi smiled: "Of course."

Melons planted by hand would surely taste better and be more meaningful when eaten.

Huo Mianmian also chimed in: "I want to help sow the seeds too."

The Steward smiled kindly: "Sure, our young master can help too."

At this moment, Ji Yunchuan's voice rang out from behind: "Me too, me too!!"

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow at Ji Yunchuan: "Didn't you say you were too lazy to work?"

Ji Yunchuan chuckled and said, "No worries, I'm all better now. Besides, if I didn't come to help, what if you really stop letting me have your melons in the future?"

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow. "Good to know."

Soon, everyone got busy with their tasks.

Fortunately, with many hands on deck, they finished sowing the seeds in just half an hour.

Lin Yi straightened up and stretched his body.

Looking at the neatly prepared land, he thought about how soon it would be covered in a vast melon field, and he felt a sense of satisfaction.

This was, to some extent, fulfilling his wish to be a farm owner.

When the time came, his villa area would be filled with melons, and he wouldn't need to buy them from supermarkets anymore; he could just pick a few whenever he wanted. The thought made him happy.

Just then, Lin Yi received a call from Zheng Nanfeng.

Zheng Nanfeng had mentioned last night that he wanted to treat Lin Yi to dinner, and now he was calling.

Coincidentally, Lin Yi had nothing much planned for the day, so he agreed.

Soon, Lin Yi returned to the main house to freshen up and change clothes, preparing to head out later.

Once Lin Yi went upstairs, Ji Yunchuan approached Huo Jihan with a mysterious look and said in a particularly gossipy tone, "Big Brother Huo, want to hear some important intel?"

Huo Jihan continued working without looking up. "No."

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

His Big Brother Huo truly is a heartless work machine!!

Isn't gossiping a human instinct? How does his Big Brother Huo manage to not be curious at all?

With no other choice, Ji Yunchuan brought up Lin Yi. "It's about your sister-in-law. Really don't want to hear it?"

This time, Huo Jihan looked up. "Go on."

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

Got it. Seems like his Big Brother Huo only cares about his sister-in-law.

Ji Yunchuan, acting as if he had major intel, proudly said, "I happened to be standing next to your sister-in-law and overheard her talking on the phone. Do you know what I heard? Someone invited her out for dinner, and the voice sounded pretty good, like a gentleman type..."

Ji Yunchuan waited for his Big Brother Huo to ask more questions.

But Huo Jihan remained calm and said, "Wasn't it because Lin Yi helped them last night, so they invited him to dinner as thanks?"

Ji Yunchuan's eyes widened in shock. "What?! How did you know that, Big Brother Huo? Are you psychic?!"

Huo Jihan calmly replied, "The person is already married."

He then continued working.

Ji Yunchuan blurted out, "Oh, the person is already married..."

Then he realized something was off and exclaimed, "Wait, Big Brother Huo, how did you know that?!!!"

Did his Big Brother Huo investigate the potential rival beforehand?!

No wonder he wasn't worried at all!!

Unfortunately, Huo Jihan continued working and ignored Ji Yunchuan.

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

Ah, his gossip soul was burning!!

What was going on here?!

Soon, Lin Yi came downstairs in a new outfit.

Today, he wore white casual wear, looking relaxed and carefree.

Having just washed his face, his bangs were still damp, making his naturally pale face even fresher and whiter.

His almond-shaped eyes sparkled with clarity and vitality.

As he descended the stairs, Huo Jihan subconsciously looked up, and his gaze changed slightly.

Lin Yi didn't notice the change in Huo Jihan's expression and simply said, "Mr. Huo, I'm heading out."

Huo Jihan nodded. "Okay, come back early."

Lin Yi acknowledged and left.

Huo Jihan's gaze lingered on him until he disappeared from sight.

Ji Yunchuan watched this with amazement.

He never expected that one day his Big Brother Huo would show such obvious emotional changes for someone.

In the past, his Big Brother Huo had no human emotions, always rational and meticulous.

Ji Yunchuan had even bet with Qin Ling that his Big Brother Huo would never change for anyone. Both of them had answered no, so they couldn't even make a bet.

Now it seemed that the person who could change his Big Brother Huo had finally appeared.

Thinking about this, Ji Yunchuan chuckled to himself.

Such an important event, of course he couldn't miss it!

Meanwhile.

Lin Yi arrived at the designated location and had dinner with Zheng Nanfeng and his wife.

The meal was very pleasant.

Zheng Nanfeng was a gentle and refined person, and although his wife was in a wheelchair due to her leg disability, she was very optimistic and seemed like a girl who loved to play and laugh.

Such a couple appeared perfectly matched and lived a happy life.

Lin Yi was also happy for them and accompanied them with a couple of drinks, considering it a toast to their happiness.

After the meal, when Lin Yi returned to the villa, it was already past four in the afternoon.

At that moment, Huo Jihan had gone to attend a banquet, and Ji Yunchuan had also left.

Lin Yi had had some wine and felt a bit tipsy.

He leisurely walked towards the villa.

Just then, he suddenly saw a young man standing on the steps outside the villa.

The young man wasn't old, looking only about twenty-four or five years old.

With fair, cold skin and sharp, bright eyes, he resembled a rebellious wolf cub.

He wore a black windbreaker, tall and slim, standing silently on the steps.

He didn't enter the villa but didn't leave either.

Until Lin Yi approached.

The young man heard Lin Yi's footsteps and turned to meet his gaze.

Perhaps because someone had come, the young man silently turned and walked away.

Lin Yi: "…"

So, who was that?

It was known that the security in this villa area was extremely strict, with patrols around the clock, and the entrance gates were heavily guarded, making it impossible for outsiders to enter.

And yet, this young man managed to get in, which meant he wasn't an outsider.

But if he came, why didn't he enter and then just leave without a word?

Although Lin Yi was curious, he wasn't one to meddle. To ensure the villa's security, he casually asked the Steward as he entered the villa: "I saw someone outside just now. I don't know who it was. That person stood there for a while and then left."

Upon hearing Lin Yi's words, the Steward hurried out to investigate.

By the time he went out, he could only see the young man's back.

But that was enough; the Steward immediately recognized him and called out anxiously, "Second Master!"

Lin Yi paused slightly.

Second Master?

So this was Huo Jihan's rumored younger brother, Huo Shi.

Huo Shi was the second child of the Huo family, rebellious from a young age, with a strong sense of self, and later plunged into the esports world.

But over the past two years, for some reason, his relationship with the Huo family had soured.

At that moment, the Steward had already chased after Huo Shi, calling out again, "Second Master!"

Huo Shi coldly said, "Don't follow me."

Then he strode away, quickly disappearing from sight.

The Steward looked anxious and helpless but had no choice but to return.

Seeing the Steward's worried face, Lin Yi asked, "What happened?"

The Steward sighed, "Second Master hasn't been home for over two years. Today, he finally came back, but left so soon."

Lin Yi knew that the old Steward had been with the family for a long time and naturally hoped for harmony and happiness within the household.

So he comforted the Steward, "Don't worry. Since he came back today, it means his attitude has changed. He'll come back again."

The Steward nodded, "I hope so. But I still need to report this to Mr. Huo tonight and discuss it with him."

Lin Yi: "Alright."

After answering, Lin Yi couldn't help but think that it was no wonder Huo Jihan was always so busy.

He had to handle matters of the company, deal with the Huo family's relatives, and most importantly, manage two rebellious siblings.

Tsk tsk, just thinking about it was daunting.

Fortunately, Huo Jihan was not on the same level as ordinary people and handled everything with ease.

Soon, Lin Yi stopped thinking about it and walked into the living room.

Today, the coffee table in the living room was filled with many mangosteens.

Lin Yi's eyes lit up, and he called to Huo Mianmian, who was playing with building blocks nearby: "Kid, come eat some mangosteens!"

Huo Mianmian, at Lin Yi's call, promptly put down the building blocks in his hands and happily ran over to snuggle beside Lin Yi.

Lin Yi picked up a mangosteen from the coffee table and started peeling it.

The shell of the mangosteen was quite hard, making it difficult to peel.

However, with the right method, it was still quite simple.

First, Lin Yi removed the stem at the top of the mangosteen, then pressed down firmly on that spot several times. The shell cracked slightly, making it easy to peel open.

In no time, Lin Yi peeled a mangosteen.

The mangosteens bought for the villa were particularly large, with fresh and plump flesh that looked like crystal.

Lin Yi handed the first peeled mangosteen to Huo Mianmian: "Here, darling, have a taste."

Huo Mianmian took the mangosteen and took a small bite, then looked at Lin Yi with sparkling eyes: "So yummy~"

Lin Yi smiled: "Right? Mangosteens are delicious."

As he spoke, he peeled another one for himself.

At that moment, he remembered a joke he had seen online and casually said: "Ah, every time someone eats a mangosteen, a little kitten loses its paws."

Hearing this, Huo Mianmian's eyes widened slightly.

Kitten's paws?

He looked down at the mangosteen in his hand, which had a small bite mark. It wasn't hard to see that the original shape of the mangosteen resembled a kitten's paw.

Thinking about this, Huo Mianmian said anxiously: "Dad, I don't want to eat mangosteens anymore."

Lin Yi was a bit surprised: "Why?"

Huo Mianmian pouted: "I don't want to eat kitten's paws; they're so pitiful."

Lin Yi: "..."

The next second, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Oh my God, his dear Mianmian was so kind and adorable.

But he quickly comforted Huo Mianmian: "Don't worry, it's just a joke."

Huo Mianmian looked puzzled: "Really?"

Lin Yi nodded: "Yes, it's just because the shape of the mangosteen looks a bit like a kitten's paw, so people joke about it."

Huo Mianmian, reassured by Lin Yi's explanation, continued eating the mangosteen.

Mangosteens were really sweet~

Could he plant mangosteens? That way, his dad could eat them every day!

Around eight o'clock in the evening.

Lin Yi lounged on the sofa, watching TV while munching on a bag of chips.

At that moment, the lights of a car shone outside the villa, indicating that Huo Jihan had returned.

Sure enough, a moment later, Huo Jihan walked in from outside.

He took off his suit jacket and carried it over his arm, looking more relaxed than when he wore it formally.

Unfortunately, he still exuded an icy aura, lowering the temperature inside the villa as soon as he entered.

Lin Yi clicked his tongue and instinctively pulled his clothes tighter.

The steward had been waiting for Huo Jihan and immediately approached him: "Mr. Huo, I have something to report."

Huo Jihan stopped, his voice cold: "What is it?"

The steward hurriedly said: "Young Master Jihan came back today."

Huo Jihan's dark eyes scanned the room before asking calmly: "Where is he now?"

The steward continued: "Young Master Jihan did come back, but he only stood at the door for a while before leaving. I tried to chase after him but couldn't catch up. Mr. Huo, perhaps you should contact Young Master Jihan. He hasn't been home for over two years, and being alone outside is..."

"Let him be," Huo Jihan said without any emotion. "He's not a child anymore; no one has the right to indulge him."

The steward anxiously replied: "But..."

Huo Jihan interrupted coldly: "No need to say more."

The steward had no choice but to remain silent.

On the other side.

Lin Yi watched the entire scene in awe, forgetting to chew his chips.

No wonder Huo Jihan's younger siblings were afraid of their older brother. After getting into trouble, they would run as far away as possible because hardly anyone could withstand Huo Jihan's pressure.

Huo Jihan was already intimidating enough normally, but when he got angry, his presence was even more overwhelming. Even without saying a word, just a cold glance was enough to make anyone tremble.

But what did it have to do with him?

Lin Yi continued to munch on his chips carefree.

After all, he was just a lazy fish.