Chapter 73

Chapter 73

After three or four days, the aquatic plants in the fish tank had settled in nicely.

It was time to buy some fish and shells to put inside.

Huo Mianmian had been eagerly following this matter. Hearing Lin Yi say it was time to add fish, he became even more excited.

In the morning, Lin Yi made a call to arrange for some fish and shells to be delivered to the villa.

Huo Mianmian sat beside Lin Yi, munching on a jelly snack. Upon hearing Lin Yi's phone call, he gazed longingly at the nearby fish tank, losing interest even in his jelly.

An hour later, a staff member arrived with the items.

Lin Yi went over to inspect them.

Huo Mianmian, with his little legs, rushed over as well.

The staff member carefully removed the fish and shells, and not only that, he brought along a few jellyfish too.

Putting these creatures into the tank required experience.

So Lin Yi said to the staff member, "Could you please help us place them in?"

The staff member nodded. "Sure, Mr. Lin."

The staff member prepared to place the creatures into the tank.

Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian watched closely from the side.

Not only that, but the Steward and the servants also came to watch, adding to the warmth of the scene.

After a while, the staff member placed the small creatures into the tank.

Everyone's eyes widened slightly.

With the addition of the creatures, the entire fish tank suddenly came alive.

There were many types of colorful fish swimming joyfully around the tank.

The jellyfish, against the deep blue background, turned a dark blue, moving slowly in the water, contracting and expanding like beautiful blue flowers.

Several shells lay quietly on the volcanic rocks, forming a serene scene.

The entire tank, with its mysterious blue hues, swaying aquatic plants and corals, and the fish darting through them, resembled an underwater world.

Huo Mianmian's eyes sparkled as he watched. He leaned against the tank, staring intently for a while before turning to Lin Yi, his voice filled with excitement. "Dad, it's just like the cartoon I saw!"

Lin Yi smiled and ruffled his hair. "Right? Now you have your own underwater world."

Huo Mianmian nodded happily and then leaned back onto the tank, watching everything inside intently.

Lin Yi and the others watched him with smiles.

Huo Mianmian was truly captivated by the new fish tank.

He was so engrossed that even during meals, he would eat absent-mindedly, halfway through carrying his bowl over to look at the tank.

Lin Yi found this both amusing and exasperating.

After several days, Huo Mianmian's fascination with the fish tank finally waned a bit.

Although he still loved it, he no longer needed to watch it while eating.

Taking advantage of this, Lin Yi took him out for a stroll.

Father and son headed to a large mall nearby and walked into a barbecue restaurant for lunch.

The restaurant was bustling, with every table occupied and the air filled with the aroma of grilled meat.

Lin Yi reserved a private room.

The room was quiet, spacious, and beautifully decorated, with a night sky ceiling adorned with twinkling stars.

A server handed over the menu, and Lin Yi ordered a variety of ingredients.

Soon, the ingredients arrived, and they could start grilling.

Lin Yi had ordered a wide array of items, including squid tentacles, eel, pork belly, loin meat, and some vegetables.

He first placed a few pieces of meat on the grill.

As soon as they hit the hot surface, they sizzled and began to release their aroma.

Lin Yi used tongs to flip the meat occasionally.

Huo Mianmian sat across from him, holding his small bowl, waiting obediently.

Gradually, the meat turned golden brown, the sizzling sounds grew louder, and the aroma wafted through the air, making everyone eager to dig in.

Seeing that the pork belly was almost done, Lin Yi picked up a piece and wrapped it in lettuce.

Since it was for Huo Mianmian, he didn't add any seasoning.

He rolled the lettuce around the pork belly and said to Huo Mianmian, "Baby, open your mouth."

Huo Mianmian immediately opened his small mouth.

Lin Yi placed the lettuce wrapped with meat into his mouth.

Huo Mianmian took a big bite and started chewing.

As he chewed, a smile appeared on his face, indicating that he was enjoying the deliciousness of the grilled meat.

Lin Yi asked him with a smile, "How is it? Is it good?"

Huo Mianmian nodded slightly, speaking indistinctly, "Good~"

Lin Yi then added a few slices of pork belly to his plate and pushed the lettuce closer to him. "Then, Mianmian, wrap it yourself and eat it."

"Okay."

Meanwhile, Lin Yi also began eating.

He first picked up a piece of lettuce, then used his chopsticks to pick up two slices of pork belly. He dipped them in the seasoning in front of him, placed them in the lettuce, and added some garlic and scallions.

Next, he wrapped the lettuce and put it in his mouth.

In the next moment, he squinted his eyes in satisfaction.

The aroma of the grilled meat mixed with various seasonings was indescribable. The lettuce played a significant role, making the overall taste refreshing and not at all greasy.

It had been a long time since he had eaten grilled meat, and it was just as delicious as ever!

After finishing what was in his mouth, Lin Yi took a sip of his drink.

At this moment, the squid tentacles were almost done grilling.

These squid tentacles had already been marinated beforehand, so they were very flavorful.

Lin Yi picked up a skewer of squid tentacles, blew on them, and then put them in his mouth.

The squid tentacles were fragrant and chewy, carrying a special aroma that made it hard to stop eating.

Lin Yi ate several skewers of squid tentacles in one go and then started on the eel...

On the opposite side, Huo Mianmian was also eating seriously. He had wrapped a large lettuce bundle and put it in his mouth, chewing with his small cheeks puffed out like a little hamster.

By the time they finished their meal, it was already two hours later.

Both Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian were very full.

Especially Huo Mianmian, who looked down and touched his slightly bulging tummy, appearing somewhat surprised.

Had he really eaten that much?

But the grilled meat was truly delicious!

He would definitely come back to eat more grilled meat in the future!

After settling the bill, Lin Yi led Huo Mianmian out of the restaurant.

Just as they stepped out, someone called out, "Lin Yi."

Lin Yi turned around and saw Huo Yun.

Huo Yun had a very delicate face, wearing a pure smile that gave off an innocent vibe.

Lin Yi had only met Huo Yun once before.

That was when he saw Huo Yun being bullied by Huo Yiping and his group of rich kids at the Huo family's old residence.

Apart from that, he didn't have any particular impression of Huo Yun.

Soon, Huo Yun walked over to them and asked Lin Yi with a smile, "What a coincidence! You're also shopping here?"

Lin Yi nodded lightly and said, "Yeah, we just finished eating here. How about you?"

Huo Yun replied, "My mom's birthday is coming up, so I'm picking out a gift for her."

Lin Yi remarked casually, "You're quite thoughtful."

After all, in wealthy families, the young masters and mistresses often solved problems with money, simply having servants buy gifts. Who would actually come to the mall to pick out gifts personally?

Huo Yun smiled, "After all, not many people remember my mom's birthday. As her son, I should remember it."

After saying this, a hint of darkness flashed in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself.

Lin Yi didn't know much about the Huo family, so he nodded without further comment.

He thought Huo Yun would leave after a brief chat.

Unexpectedly, Huo Yun did not leave but asked, "Since we've run into each other, can I join you for some shopping?"

Lin Yi was a bit surprised.

He wasn't particularly close to Huo Yun. Wasn't he being too intimate?

However, Lin Yi thought about it for a moment and decided not to dwell on it. After all, it's not polite to refuse someone who is being friendly. If Huo Yun wanted to shop together, then so be it.

With that, Lin Yi nodded, "Sure, why not? It's up to you."

Seeing Lin Yi agree, Huo Yun seemed pleasantly surprised and said excitedly, "Great, where should we go next?"

Lin Yi wanted to buy some toys and clothes for Huo Mianmian, so they went up and down several floors.

In the end, he picked out many things for Huo Mianmian, filling seven or eight bags.

Although these bags weren’t too heavy, they were quite bulky.

Seeing this, Huo Yun took them all and said kindly, "Let me help you carry them."

Lin Yi stopped him, "How can I let you carry them?"

But Huo Yun insisted on taking the bags, "I’m idle anyway, so I might as well do something helpful."

After saying that, he urged Lin Yi, "Don’t worry about me; continue picking things out."

Seeing Huo Yun’s insistence, Lin Yi didn’t take the bags back.

After all, Huo Yun was also Huo Mianmian’s cousin, and maybe he wanted to help out for Huo Mianmian’s sake?

The three of them continued shopping.

At this point, Lin Yi started feeling a bit warm from walking.

He decided to take off his jacket, but as he did, his phone slipped out of his pocket without him noticing.

He was standing at the edge of some steps.

The steps were tiered.

The phone fell down the steps and was about to tumble all the way to the platform below.

Lin Yi quickly thought about it.

Should he try to catch the phone?

He came to a quick conclusion that safety was more important, so he decided to let the phone fall and didn’t attempt to catch it.

Unexpectedly, Huo Yun beside him suddenly lunged forward and caught the phone for him.

While catching the phone, Huo Yun stumbled on the steps and his knee hit one of the steps hard.

Lin Yi’s eyes widened instantly.

He hurried over to Huo Yun and helped him up, "Are you okay? Should we go to the hospital?"

Huo Yun shook his head, "No, it looks worse than it is. It doesn’t actually hurt much."

Then, he handed the phone to Lin Yi, "Here, check if it’s damaged."

Even in this situation, he was still worried about Lin Yi’s phone.

Lin Yi took the phone, lost in thought.

Was Huo Yun deliberately trying to be nice to him? After all, they weren’t close, and there was no need for Huo Yun to risk falling down the steps just to catch a phone for him.

But what could he possibly have that would make Huo Yun want to befriend him?

Lin Yi couldn’t figure this out for now.

After putting the phone back in his pocket, he said to Huo Yun, "There’s a bench over there; let’s go rest for a bit."

Huo Yun nodded, "Okay."

The three of them then sat down on the bench.

Huo Mianmian sat on the bench, playing with the windmill Lin Yi had bought for him.

He waved the windmill around, making it spin continuously, which was very entertaining.

Meanwhile, Lin Yi asked Huo Yun to lift his pant leg to see if he had any injuries from the fall.

If Huo Yun was injured, Lin Yi would cover the medical expenses.

However, Huo Yun refused, "It’s really fine. I know my limits."

Seeing that he couldn’t persuade Huo Yun, Lin Yi didn’t push further.

They sat quietly for a while.

Then, Huo Yun turned to Lin Yi and asked, "Lin Yi, are you happy every day now?"

Lin Yi was taken aback by this sudden question and paused for a few seconds before replying, "I’m doing alright. Why do you ask?"

Huo Yun looked at Lin Yi seriously and said, "I just feel like we are the same kind of person."

The same kind of person?

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Huo Yun hesitated, seeming unsure whether he should say more.

Just then, Lin Yi’s phone rang, interrupting their conversation.

He took out his phone and saw that it was Huo Jihan calling.

Smiling slightly, he answered the call, "Hello?"

On the other end, Huo Jihan’s deep voice sounded, "Where are you now?"

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow, "Are you planning to leave work early again?"

That day, Huo Jihan had come home early around three o’clock, and today was around the same time.

Huo Jihan seemed to be amused, letting out a soft chuckle that resonated like a cello's low tones through the static of the phone, sending a tingling sensation through one's heart.

After his laughter subsided, he said, "I didn't leave work early today. I need to talk to you about something."

Lin Yi's face also held a smile. "Alright, should I send you the address?"

Huo Jihan: "Yes."

After hanging up, Lin Yi looked down to send Huo Jihan the address of the mall.

As he did so, he asked Huo Yun beside him, "By the way, what were you about to say?"

Earlier, Huo Yun had clearly been about to say something but was interrupted by a phone call.

Huo Yun looked at Lin Yi, who was typing on his phone, with a complex expression and instead asked, "Was that a call from Cousin?"

Lin Yi nodded casually. "Yeah."

Huo Yun fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.

Not hearing a response for a while, Lin Yi looked up at him.

Huo Yun quickly hid his complex expression and smiled. "Right, I probably can't continue shopping with you. I just remembered I have something else to do."

He did not want to face Huo Jihan directly.

Or rather, he feared that his thoughts would be exposed in front of Huo Jihan.

Huo Jihan was not an ordinary person; anyone under his black gaze would feel completely exposed.

After hearing Huo Yun's words, Lin Yi nodded. "Alright, go ahead and take care of your business."

Then he added, "By the way, if anything happens with your leg, contact me directly. Add me on WeChat."

Lin Yi simply felt responsible since the incident was related to him.

He was someone who habitually took responsibility for his part.

This was why he had many loyal clients and subordinates in his previous life as an investment banker.

Who wouldn't want to work with someone with such qualities?

However, Huo Yun misunderstood, interpreting Lin Yi's repeated inquiries about his leg as genuine concern.

Huo Yun hadn't received such care in a long time, even if it was just a few simple questions.

His heart raced momentarily, purely out of excitement.

He felt that approaching Lin Yi was the right decision.

They shared similar experiences, both once being marginalized figures, enduring exclusion and pressure from others. They should strive for the same goal, and crucially, Lin Yi was willing to fight alongside him.

Huo Yun looked at Lin Yi with a passionate gaze, as if he had found a comrade. "Don't worry, everything is fine."

Lin Yi was momentarily taken aback by the enthusiasm in Huo Yun's eyes.

But then, Huo Yun asked, "What's your WeChat ID?"

Lin Yi collected his thoughts and gave him his WeChat ID.

Huo Yun added Lin Yi as a friend on WeChat, bid him farewell again, and left the mall.

Lin Yi watched Huo Yun's departing figure, pondering for a moment.

He felt there was something off about Huo Yun.

Despite his innocent and delicate appearance, some of his expressions occasionally revealed a sense of deep contemplation.

However, Lin Yi did not know much about Huo Yun, and they likely wouldn't meet often in the future, so he didn't dwell on it.

Checking the time, he realized Huo Jihan would still need some time to arrive from the company. So, he decided to play a game with Huo Mianmian.

Lin Yi bought a few game tokens and approached the arcade machine, selecting a game.

One particular game caught his attention.

The rules were simple: follow the prompts to make facial expressions, which would be recorded on the screen. If the expressions matched the requirements, a mystery reward would be given.

Finding this interesting, Lin Yi called over Huo Mianmian. "Kid, this game involves making facial expressions according to the prompts. Why don't you give it a try? There's a mystery reward if you succeed!"

Huo Mianmian tilted his head slightly.

A mystery reward?

Anything labeled as mysterious became instantly intriguing.

So, Huo Mianmian promptly stood in front of the game machine.

Lin Yi inserted three tokens and started the game.

The first prompt was to look happy.

Huo Mianmian immediately smiled at the small screen, his eyes curving into crescents.

The screen captured his expression and, after a moment, displayed feedback: "Great job! Keep it up!"

Huo Mianmian was surprised by his immediate success, and his confidence soared.

The second hint was anger.

Huo Mianmian immediately placed his hands on his hips, frowned, and let out a cold humph.

Lin Yi had never seen Huo Mianmian like this before and couldn't help but laugh.

Indeed, his little treasure was adorable no matter what he did.

The third hint was ferocity.

Huo Mianmian thought for a moment, then tried to make a fierce expression, even adding sound effects: "Ha!"

But because he looked so soft and cute, it didn't seem fierce at all; instead, it looked like a little kitten trying to be tough, completely lacking any intimidation and only making people want to pet him more!

Lin Yi found Huo Mianmian far more interesting than the game itself, so he kept smiling at him.

The game console continuously popped up many expression hints.

The key issue was that many expressions were repeated, which made it hard for anyone to keep up.

Huo Mianmian kept changing his expressions, and as he did so, he started feeling dizzy.

He tilted his head and sought help from Lin Yi: "Dad, my expressions don't seem to listen to me anymore!"

Lin Yi laughed heartily: "How can your own expressions not listen to you?"

Huo Mianmian said innocently: "I don't know, but they're all messed up now!"

Lin Yi: "Hahaha!"

After laughing for a while, he finally said: "Hang in there a bit longer; it might be over soon."

Huo Mianmian, hearing this, continued making a few more expressions.

Then, the game console finally popped up a message: "Ding dong! You've completed all the expressions, and they were very good! Now tap the screen to claim your mystery reward!"

Lin Yi, seeing this, quickly told Huo Mianmian: "Kid, tap the screen!"

Huo Mianmian extended his little finger and tapped the screen, eagerly awaiting his mystery reward.

Soon, a white circle on the game screen began spinning, spinning, spinning, and after a long time, it revealed the mystery reward—

"Dear customer, your mystery reward is—another chance to play again!"

Lin Yi: "..."

Huo Mianmian: "..."

Father and son fell into a long silence.

Could this even be considered a reward?!

And it was supposed to be a mystery reward?!

After a while, Lin Yi sighed: "This game is truly despicable."

Huo Mianmian also frowned: "So despicable! Humph!"

Unfortunately, with his rosy cheeks and chubby face, such an expression only made him look even cuter, lacking any intimidation whatsoever.

Lin Yi smiled and patted his head as a gesture of comfort, then sighed: "That's life. Sometimes you think there will be a surprise, but in the end, there's nothing."

Huo Mianmian, being too young to understand, just stared at Lin Yi with his big, round eyes.

Lin Yi's heart melted under his gaze, and he decisively said: "Come on, Dad will buy you an ice cream to make up for the disappointment."

Ice cream?

Huo Mianmian immediately perked up: "Okay!"

Next, father and son went to a nearby shop and each bought a large ice cream.

As they walked out of the shop with their ice creams, Huo Jihan was almost there.

So Lin Yi took Huo Mianmian out of the mall to wait for Huo Jihan.

They found a high platform outside the mall and sat down, eating their ice creams while waiting for Huo Jihan.

Not long after, a black Porsche approached from a distance.

Lin Yi glanced at the license plate and found it familiar.

Sure enough, moments later, the black Porsche pulled up in front of them and stopped.

Then, the car door opened, and Huo Jihan, dressed in a black suit, stepped out.

Huo Jihan still had his usual aloof demeanor, looking indifferent.

However, when he saw Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian, his expression softened, as if the frost had been melted by a warm breeze.

Huo Jihan walked up to the high platform where Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian were sitting, carrying a box in one hand, though it was unclear what was inside.

Lin Yi, sitting on the high platform, greeted Huo Jihan with a smile: "Mr. Huo, you're here."

As he spoke, he prepared to jump down.

The platform was about one and a half meters high, so he could easily jump down.

But at that moment, Huo Jihan slightly frowned and disapproved: "Wait."

Lin Yi thought something had happened and paused for a moment: "What's wrong?"

At that moment, Huo Jihan stepped forward and lifted Lin Yi down with one arm.

Lin Yi was stunned for a moment, only regaining his senses when he was safely placed on the ground by Huo Jihan.

Wait, was Huo Jihan worried he might fall while jumping down?

No, the key point was that Huo Jihan just carried him down with one hand?!

He was an adult after all, over 1.8 meters tall, and Huo Jihan effortlessly lifted him down from the high platform with one hand.

This was the first time Lin Yi felt so directly the explosive strength in Huo Jihan's arms, an unshakable power.

And his body had always been rather weak; he rarely exercised physically, at most swimming occasionally.

He felt that if they were to engage in a strength contest, he would have no resistance against Huo Jihan and would surely lose within seconds.

Thinking of this, Lin Yi subconsciously glanced at Huo Jihan.

At that moment, Huo Jihan had also placed Huo Mianmian on the ground.

Noticing Lin Yi's gaze, Huo Jihan turned to look at him: "What is it?"

Lin Yi shook his head: "Nothing."

It's just that he suddenly felt how weak he was in terms of physical strength.

He had absolutely no resistance at all!