Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Today, Huo Shi was about to leave home and head to the base.

The Steward arranged a particularly sumptuous lunch as a farewell for Huo Shi.

Huo Jihan didn't go to work either.

The family had a very harmonious lunch together.

At one o'clock in the afternoon, Huo Shi was set to depart.

People from the base had already arrived to pick him up.

Huo Shi pulled his suitcase out to the villa's entrance, ready to get into the car.

Huo Shi now exuded confidence, fully prepared to face future challenges. At the same time, his demeanor had become slightly more composed compared to before.

That past experience was painful but also a part of his growth.

Lin Yi and Huo Jihan stood outside the villa to see him off.

Huo Mianmian also stood obediently beside them, watching him leave.

Huo Shi placed his suitcase in the car, then closed the trunk and moved to the side of the vehicle.

He opened the car door and, before getting in, said to Lin Yi, "I'm leaving."

Then he added, "I'll come back when I can."

The boy who once stood silently at the doorstep, hesitant to enter, had now let go of his worries and considered home a warm haven he could always return to.

Lin Yi smiled at Huo Shi and said, "Train well, looking forward to your good news."

The world championship was coming soon, and Huo Shi carried a heavy responsibility this time.

Huo Shi nodded, "I understand."

Then he looked at his brother, his eyes filled with uncertainty, as if waiting for something from him.

At that moment, Huo Jihan spoke, "Go ahead. You're not a kid anymore. Just handle things as you see fit."

Huo Shi nodded solemnly, "Okay."

He used to think his brother was strict, and although he still felt that way, this visit home gave him a different perspective.

His brother might be strict, but he bore the burden of the entire family alone, never putting any pressure on him. Instead, he allowed him the freedom to chase his dreams, doing whatever he wanted.

Wasn't this a form of care from an older brother?

Huo Shi realized that his previous views were too superficial. Now, he was learning to look beyond the surface and think more deeply about things.

Finally, Huo Shi came to say goodbye to Huo Mianmian.

He bent down and pinched Huo Mianmian's cheeks, "Mianmian, wait for Uncle to bring you some delicious treats next time."

Huo Mianmian: "...Okay."

But why did his uncle always pinch him so hard?

His cheeks hurt ~

At this moment, Lin Yi, as usual, slapped Huo Shi's hand away with a "smack" and said discontentedly, "I told you to be gentle!!"

Huo Shi shrugged and promptly released Huo Mianmian's cheeks, "Alright, our little Mianmian is made of dough, easily damaged."

Lin Yi retorted, "No matter what he's made of, he's more precious than you."

Huo Shi: "..."

He knew his place in the family well enough.

Soon, it was time for Huo Shi to leave. He waved, "Goodbye."

Then he took two steps back, turned around, and got into the car.

The car drove away.

This time, everyone wasn't as reluctant to see Huo Shi leave because they knew that the wanderer would eventually return home.

That day.

While playing with his phone, Lin Yi saw a notification.

The notification was about nearby food attractions.

It mentioned that there was a Peach Mountain nearby, covered with peach trees. The peaches had recently ripened and were available for picking by visitors.

Lin Yi casually glanced at the pictures and found the watermelons to be large and red, very tempting.

Such an opportunity couldn't be missed.

Lin Yi decided to take Huo Mianmian out to visit the Peach Mountain.

Since it was a leisure trip, both father and son dressed in light, casual outfits.

Lin Yi wore a light-colored tracksuit with white sneakers, exuding a relaxed vibe.

Huo Mianmian wore a cute yellow outfit, with a hooded short-sleeved top. The hood had two round, fluffy balls hanging from the drawstrings, and he paired it with matching loose pants that reached his knees.

This way, Huo Mianmian's little arms and legs were exposed, soft and tender, looking like white lotus roots, making one want to pet him.

Lin Yi drove his own car.

The weather was nice today, with warm sunshine and a cool breeze.

He opened the car window, letting the cool breeze in, making everything even more pleasant.

An hour later, father and son arrived at the peach mountain.

Here, as long as you bought an entry ticket, you could eat as many peaches as you wanted inside, but you couldn't take any away. If you did, there would be an additional charge.

Lin Yi bought two tickets and then led Huo Mianmian up the mountain.

As soon as they reached the top, both of them were stunned.

In front of them lay vast peach orchards.

The peaches on those trees were fully ripe, hanging heavily from the branches, tempting people to pick them.

Lin Yi stretched on his toes and picked one with ease.

These peaches were indeed as large as advertised.

Each one was big and red, barely fitting in one hand.

Lin Yi weighed the peach in his hand and smiled at Huo Mianmian, "Son, we can enjoy these peaches today."

Huo Mianmian nodded with bright eyes, "I want to eat lots and lots!"

Lin Yi laughed, "Sure."

Soon, Lin Yi found a chair to sit down and took out a small knife to start peeling the peach.

The skin he peeled off was intact, hanging in one long strip.

Huo Mianmian sat next to Lin Yi, curiously grabbing the strip of peach skin and playing with it, arranging it into various shapes.

Kids could play with even a strip of fruit peel for a long time.

Soon, Lin Yi finished peeling the peach and handed it to Huo Mianmian, "Son, try it."

Huo Mianmian put down the peach skin, washed his hands at the nearby faucet, and then took the peach Lin Yi gave him.

The peach was so big that he had to use both his chubby little hands to hold it.

Looking at the peach in his hands, his beautiful eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "Wow~"

Lin Yi laughed, "How about it? Isn't it huge?"

Huo Mianmian nodded vigorously, "It's too big."

Lin Yi: "Go ahead, taste it and see how it is."

Huo Mianmian held the peach and took a big bite, his eyes bending into crescents as he mumbled, "So sweet~"

Lin Yi: "Then go ahead and eat it. I'll peel another one for you after you finish."

Huo Mianmian immediately sat on the bench, happily munching on the peach, his little legs swinging in the air.

Around them, birds sang and flowers bloomed, with green grass providing shade.

Huo Mianmian, sitting under a peach tree, happily eating a peach, made for a heartwarming scene.

If this moment were captured, it could be used as wallpaper directly.

Lin Yi also peeled a peach for himself.

With one bite, the juice filled his mouth, refreshing and delicious, almost indescribable.

The peaches were perfectly ripe, crisp and sweet, crunching with each bite, making one drool just from the sound.

In the end, Huo Mianmian only ate one peach before stopping.

He patted his already full little belly, smacking his lips, savoring the sweetness of the peach.

Lin Yi was eating his second peach while teasing Huo Mianmian, "Baby, shall I peel another one for you?"

Huo Mianmian shook his head immediately, "No, Mianmian will get too full."

Lin Yi teased him further, "How do you know you'll get too full?"

Huo Mianmian said seriously, "I just know. If I keep eating, my tummy will blow up like a balloon!"

Lin Yi laughed at Huo Mianmian's earnest answer, "Good job, our Mianmian knows health tips."

Huo Mianmian smiled at Lin Yi's words.

Not only did he pay attention to his own health, but he also supervised Lin Yi, "Dad, you shouldn't eat anymore after this one."

Lin Yi had only planned to eat two anyway, but he continued teasing Huo Mianmian, "No way, I'm going to eat all the peaches in this orchard."

Huo Mianmian's eyes widened, and he quickly waved his hands, "No, Dad, if you eat so many peaches, you'll get sick."

Lin Yi looked at Huo Mianmian's earnest expression and tried not to laugh, "Don't worry, I won't get sick."

Huo Mianmian became anxious and grabbed Lin Yi, using his ultimate move of cuteness, "Dad, don't eat, please don't eat."

Lin Yi burst out laughing, "Ha ha ha!"

Huo Mianmian climbed into Lin Yi's arms, trying to cling to him and stop him from picking more peaches. "Dad, we really can't eat any more."

Lin Yi was completely charmed by Huo Mianmian, his heart melting. He stopped teasing him and said, "Alright, Dad will listen to Mianmian."

Huo Mianmian instantly became happy.

He had finally managed to persuade Dad.

After finishing the peaches, the father and son wandered around the peach orchard before heading down the mountain.

On their way back, they bought two large bags of peaches, bringing them home to share with the people in the villa.

The servants thanked Lin Yi as they received the peaches.

Lin Yi waved it off, indicating it was nothing, then went upstairs to his bedroom.

Having been out for most of the day, he had broken a sweat, so he took a shower.

After the shower, he walked out of the bathroom, towel-drying his hair.

Not bothering to blow-dry it, he gave it a few more wipes with the towel, tossed it aside, and waited for his hair to air-dry.

While waiting, he opened the bedside drawer, intending to take out a tablet to watch a movie.

However, the first thing he saw when he opened it was the marriage agreement with Huo Jihan.

Lin Yi thought for a moment and casually pulled out the agreement.

There was a rug on the floor, so he sat down on it, flipping through the document.

He had read this agreement when he first entered the book.

But it had been some time, and it was time for a refresher.

After all, understanding its contents would help him better manage this contractual marriage.

Lin Yi had indeed chosen a laid-back life this time, but some things never changed.

For example, he always clearly defined what he should and shouldn't do.

Though relaxed, he was always mindful of his actions.

Sitting cross-legged on the rug, Lin Yi lazily propped his head up with one hand and flipped through the agreement with the other.

Meanwhile, Huo Jihan was in the study conducting a video conference.

After the meeting ended, he left the study and walked down the corridor.

Passing Lin Yi's bedroom, he noticed that the door was not locked and slightly ajar, allowing him to see Lin Yi inside.

Lin Yi was sitting cross-legged on the rug, facing sideways, engrossed in something.

Huo Jihan knocked on the door.

Lin Yi looked up and said, "Come in; the door isn't locked."

Huo Jihan pushed the door open and entered.

Seeing Huo Jihan, Lin Yi smiled and tilted his head. "Mr. Huo, is there something you need?"

Sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting a warm glow on Lin Yi.

He wore a simple white t-shirt and black casual pants, looking fresh and clean.

His hair had dried, with strands falling loosely over his forehead, framing his captivating eyes, which now held a warm smile.

Huo Jihan watched Lin Yi basking in the sunlight, his lips curving slightly. "What are you looking at?"

Lin Yi didn't hide anything from Huo Jihan, as this was something they both knew well.

He lifted the agreement and said, "I'm studying this."

Seeing the agreement, the slight curve on Huo Jihan's lips faded, and he looked at Lin Yi with darkened eyes. "Why are you studying this?"

If Lin Yi hadn't mentioned it, he might have forgotten about the agreement.

So why was Lin Yi specifically reviewing it?

Lin Yi replied honestly, "Just looking through it. Isn't it better to understand it more clearly?"

Huo Jihan, who usually remained composed, felt a slight unease, his gaze fixed on Lin Yi. "What did you find?"

Lin Yi, unaware of Huo Jihan's emotional shift, said casually, "I did notice something interesting."

Huo Jihan pressed, "What did you notice?"

Lin Yi flipped to a page and pointed it out to Huo Jihan. "It says here that after three years, if either of us wants to terminate the agreement, we can choose to end the marriage."

Lin Yi merely stated a fact calmly.

But Huo Jihan was not calm. He stared at Lin Yi and asked, "Do you want to end the marriage?"

At this point, Lin Yi sensed something off in Huo Jihan's voice and explained, "I haven't specifically thought about it; I'm just pointing out what the agreement says."

With time passing, the three-year mark was approaching, and perhaps new plans were needed.

He simply thought that if changes were to occur, it would be good to plan ahead.

Huo Jihan stared intently at Lin Yi: "Among all the clauses in the agreement, you specifically pointed out this one."

This already spoke volumes.

At the very least, it was clear that Lin Yi had no qualms about ending the marriage, meaning he wasn't overly attached to this family.

Lin Yi was free and could leave gracefully at any time.

When Lin Yi looked up at Huo Jihan, he noticed that Huo Jihan's eyes were unusually dark, filled with emotions he couldn't quite read.

He asked, somewhat puzzled, "Mr. Huo?"

Had he said something wrong? This was simply part of the agreement.

Huo Jihan gazed deeply at Lin Yi, remaining silent for a moment.

Lin Yi: "..."

The bedroom suddenly fell into silence.

Lin Yi carefully recalled their conversation and then tentatively explained, "I didn't say I would leave once the three years are up; I just pointed out the possibility."

Huo Jihan's voice was heavy. "In your plan, is leaving one of the possibilities?"

Lin Yi thought for a moment and nodded honestly.

Although he was currently living well here, his relationship with Huo Jihan was maintained solely by an agreement. Who could predict what would happen in the future?

Lin Yi habitually considered all possible outcomes.

He wasn't someone who hadn't faced challenges before; he could handle any result.

No matter which path he took, he could still live his life to the fullest.

Seeing Lin Yi nod, Huo Jihan felt his heart sink heavily.

He had thought their relationship was evolving, but from Lin Yi's perspective, it hadn't changed at all.

Lin Yi remained the carefree Lin Yi.

The next day.

Huo Group.

The entire company was shrouded in a low-pressure atmosphere.

Everyone dared not even breathe loudly, and they kept their voices down during conversations, fearing they might accidentally offend someone.

A department head stood outside Huo Jihan's office, trembling with both legs.

After hesitating for a while, he still couldn't muster the courage to knock on the door.

Just then, he saw Li Feng.

The head immediately approached Li Feng and whispered, "Special Assistant Li, has something major happened in our group? Why does Mr. Huo seem to be in a bad mood?"

The fact that Huo Jihan was in a bad mood was merely speculated by the subordinates.

After all, Huo Jihan usually showed little emotion, making it hard to tell.

However, during the morning meeting, when Huo Jihan sat down in his seat, all the executives instinctively lowered their presence.

The overwhelming pressure emanating from Huo Jihan made it impossible for anyone to look up.

During the meeting, all the executives found the time unbearable.

Their reports were all returned by Huo Jihan.

Minor errors that were usually overlooked were now ruthlessly pointed out by him.

The executives almost cried.

How could their intelligence compare to Mr. Huo's? Wasn't this asking for trouble?

These reports were already their best efforts.

It was precisely because of this that the employees realized one thing.

Their Mr. Huo had been in a terrible mood these past two days.

No one should blindly provoke him.

Facing the head's question, Li Feng also felt helpless. "I'm not sure what happened this time, but since there are issues in your report, you should continue revising it."

The head was close to tears. "This is already the best report I could come up with."

Anyone working at the Huo Group was top-notch, and those in management positions were even more exceptional.

Unfortunately, they still couldn't meet Huo Jihan's standards. What could they do?

Li Feng sighed as well.

But as Huo Jihan's assistant, he had to find a way to deal with these issues.

Just as he was thinking about how to solve the problem, Ji Yunchuan leisurely arrived at the top floor.

Ji Yunchuan was carefree and immediately called out cheerfully, "Everyone's here, right? Big Brother Huo, are you in the office?"

Li Feng quickly gestured for Ji Yunchuan to be quiet and whispered, "Young Master Ji, there seems to be an issue with Mr. Huo right now."

Ji Yunchuan was taken aback. "What's going on?"

Li Feng shook his head. "I'm not quite sure either. I'm trying to figure out how to handle it. Why don't you go in and take a look first?"

After all, Young Master Ji is Mr. Huo's good friend, so it would be appropriate for him to step in.

The supervisor also looked at Ji Yunchuan pleadingly. "Young Master Ji, could you please go in and check? Otherwise, I really don't dare to deliver this report."

Ji Yunchuan: "…"

Although he didn't know what had happened, he was more than happy to take on the mission of saving everyone. He puffed out his chest proudly. "No problem, leave it to me."

A moment later, Ji Yunchuan arrived at Huo Jihan's office door.

However, although he had spoken confidently earlier, now he became cautious again.

After all, who wouldn't fear an angry Big Brother Huo?

Ji Yunchuan tentatively knocked on the door.

After a while, a slightly hoarse voice came from inside: "Come in."

Ji Yunchuan walked in and closed the office door behind him.

But the next second, he started coughing uncontrollably due to the smoke in the room: "Cough, cough, cough..."

Ji Yunchuan looked at Big Brother Huo in shock.

He saw Huo Jihan sitting silently behind the desk, his brows furrowed tightly, his eyes cold as ice, and a lit cigarette between his fingers.

It took Ji Yunchuan a long time to find his voice. "Big Brother Huo, how many cigarettes have you smoked... cough, cough?"

He couldn't remember Big Brother Huo having a habit of smoking. He had only seen him do it once or twice.

As Ji Yunchuan spoke, he quickly went over and opened the window to let fresh air in.

Huo Jihan did not answer Ji Yunchuan. He still seemed lost in thought, his expression so grave that it made one's heart tremble.

Ji Yunchuan cautiously moved closer to Huo Jihan and asked carefully, "Big Brother Huo, what happened? Could it be that the company is about to collapse?!!!"

Apart from that, he couldn't think of anything serious enough to make Big Brother Huo act like this.

Wait a minute...

Ji Yunchuan suddenly had a flash of insight.

Could it be about Sister-in-Law? That would explain why Big Brother Huo is so upset.

Seeing that Huo Jihan remained silent, Ji Yunchuan quietly slipped out of the office and made a phone call.

At the villa.

Lin Yi was lounging on the sofa, watching a movie on his tablet.

Suddenly, he received a call from Ji Yunchuan.

Lin Yi answered the phone casually. "Hello?"

On the other end, Ji Yunchuan's voice nearly burst through the earpiece. "Sister-in-Law, urgent emergency!!! Only you can save the situation now!!!!"

Lin Yi: "??"

He asked Ji Yunchuan in confusion, "What happened?"

Ji Yunchuan wailed, "I'm not sure, but you need to come to the company and find Big Brother Huo right away!!! Hurry, it's all up to you!!!"

Lin Yi: "…"

Although Lin Yi didn't know what had happened, seeing Ji Yunchuan so agitated meant something major must have occurred.

He quickly put down the tablet, grabbed his car keys, and left.

Thirty minutes later, Lin Yi drove to the Huo Group.

He was now familiar with coming here and soon reached the top-floor office.

He didn't see anyone else when he arrived, so he walked straight to Huo Jihan's office and knocked on the door.

From inside came the voice: "Come in."

When Lin Yi heard the voice, he paused.

He recognized it as Huo Jihan's, but it sounded hoarser than usual.

With various doubts in mind, Lin Yi pushed open the office door.

In the next second, his eyes widened slightly.

He saw Huo Jihan sitting behind the desk.

But Huo Jihan looked different from usual.

His expression was colder, his aura heavier, making the entire office feel like a freezing hell.

Moreover, Lin Yi had never seen Huo Jihan smoke before.

It looked like he had smoked quite a lot; the ashtray was full of cigarette butts.

Lin Yi was so shocked that he momentarily forgot how to speak.

At this moment, Huo Jihan noticed that the visitor hadn't moved and lifted his gaze with a cold expression.

In the next second, he saw Lin Yi standing at the door.

A hint of surprise flashed across Huo Jihan's face before he quickly extinguished the cigarette in his hand.

He asked Lin Yi, somewhat surprised, "Why are you here?"

Lin Yi also regained his composure and said, "I heard something happened, so I came to check."

Huo Jihan replied in a deep voice, "Nothing’s wrong."

Lin Yi: "…"

How could this possibly look like nothing’s wrong?!

He took two steps into the office and asked Huo Jihan, "Is there something bothering you?"

He had never seen Huo Jihan display his emotions so openly. Anyone could tell that Huo Jihan was in a bad mood.

The usual Huo Jihan was restrained and kept his emotions in check, almost giving off the impression that he lacked human emotions. But now, he seemed cold and heavy-hearted.

Hearing Lin Yi's question, Huo Jihan's dark eyes fixed on him. "There is something bothering me."

Lin Yi tentatively said, "If it’s convenient, can you tell me about it?"

After all, Huo Jihan's current state was quite abnormal.

At this moment, Huo Jihan stood up, walked around the desk, and approached Lin Yi.

As he moved, his gaze remained locked on Lin Yi, and he said, "Are you sure you want to hear it?"

Huo Jihan had long legs and took large strides.

Before long, he was already in front of Lin Yi.

Lin Yi's senses were suddenly filled with Huo Jihan's scent.

The cold fragrance of cologne mixed with a faint tobacco smell, creating an indescribable dizziness.

Because they were very close.

Lin Yi's entire field of vision was occupied by Huo Jihan.

His sight, hearing, and sense of smell... everything seemed to be focused solely on Huo Jihan, leaving no room for anything else.

It felt like being enveloped by an overwhelming net, leaving nowhere to escape.

Lin Yi instinctively took a step back.

He was already against the door, and another step back would take him out of the office.

However, at this moment, Huo Jihan beat him to it, reaching out to close the door.

Not only did Huo Jihan close the door, but he also locked it.

The lock clicked, making a soft "click" sound.

That sound seemed to strike Lin Yi's heart, causing him to shudder involuntarily.

He couldn’t explain why, but he felt an unprecedented sense of unease.

It wasn’t just unease; it was a complex mix of tension, uncertainty, and pressure.

He tried to calm himself down, though not very effectively, but at least his voice was steady.

He asked Huo Jihan, "Why are you locking the door?"

With the door closed, he was trapped between the door and Huo Jihan, with no space to move.

Huo Jihan was very close, looking at him intently, and said slowly, "To prevent you from running away."

Lin Yi continued, "Why do you think I might run?"

He was slightly shorter than Huo Jihan, and they were too close for him to maintain eye contact without tilting his head slightly upward.

At this moment, Huo Jihan's eyes held a depth that Lin Yi couldn’t understand.

Huo Jihan gazed deeply into his eyes and said, "Because I’m about to say something very important to you."

Lin Yi raised his eyes, staring at Huo Jihan without blinking.

Just before Huo Jihan spoke, Lin Yi instinctively held his breath, then heard Huo Jihan say in a very low voice—

"Lin Yi, I like you."

"Can you accept it?"