Chapter 109

Chapter 109

If there's any food worth trying in the cold weather, it would undoubtedly be roasted sweet potatoes.

And that was why, on a gloomy afternoon, Lin Yi took Huo Mianmian to study the art of roasting sweet potatoes.

Earlier that morning, Lin Yi had specifically instructed a servant to buy some sweet potatoes from the supermarket.

Now, Lin Yi took out the bag of sweet potatoes and began to select them.

All the sweet potatoes were oval-shaped, red, and large, and just by looking at them, one could imagine how fragrant and sweet they would be when roasted.

Huo Mianmian also leaned over the countertop, watching the sweet potatoes.

Lin Yi looked down at him with a smile, "Mianmian, which one do you like? Pick your own, and I'll roast it for you."

"Okay~"

Huo Mianmian happily rummaged through the bag and finally found the most attractive sweet potato.

Lin Yi praised him without hesitation, "As expected of our Mianmian, even picking sweet potatoes, you choose the best one."

Huo Mianmian jumped up happily and volunteered, "Dad, I want to pick one for you too."

Lin Yi: "Sure, go ahead."

Soon, Huo Mianmian picked out another beautifully shaped sweet potato for Lin Yi and handed both of them to him.

Lin Yi snapped his fingers, "Alright, let's roast these two."

He then washed the sweet potatoes under the tap, cleaned them thoroughly, and placed them in the oven.

After closing the oven door and setting the temperature and time, the oven started working.

While waiting for the sweet potatoes to roast, father and son went outside to play in the villa's grounds.

Huo Mianmian looked at the place where the birds had fought, his tone tinged with a hint of disappointment, "Dad, why don't those two little birds come anymore?"

Lin Yi smiled, "One of the birds almost lost all its feathers, so it naturally doesn't dare to come back. Otherwise, if it lost all its feathers, how would it survive the winter?"

Huo Mianmian nodded seriously, "That's true. It's so cold in winter; having no feathers wouldn't work."

Lin Yi couldn't help but laugh at Huo Mianmian's solemn expression.

Father and son strolled around the villa grounds.

The villa complex covered several thousand square meters, and it would take a while to walk through it all.

This villa complex was very high-end, clearly expensive to build.

However, overall, it felt a bit cold and impersonal, as most of the buildings were modern and metallic, lacking a homely atmosphere.

As they walked, Lin Yi said, "I think we should add more things to this villa complex."

Pointing to an area, he continued, "For example, we could dig a pond there, plant some lotus roots, and enjoy the lotus flowers in summer and eat the lotus roots in autumn."

Lin Yi was mostly talking to himself, not expecting Huo Mianmian to understand.

But after he finished speaking, Huo Mianmian nodded vigorously, "Good idea, good idea~"

Lin Yi didn't expect the little one to be so cooperative and smiled before pointing elsewhere, "Or we could build a swing there, and we can swing whenever we want."

Huo Mianmian continued nodding, "Good idea, good idea~"

"The land where we grew watermelons and cantaloupes can remain as is, and we can plant something else next time."

"Good idea, good idea~"

"We could dig up that empty plot in the southeast corner and plant some flowers. When spring comes, it will be beautiful with all the blooming flowers."

"Good idea, good idea~"

Finally, Lin Yi couldn't help laughing at Huo Mianmian, "Kid, do you agree with everything I say?"

Huo Mianmian nodded obediently, "Yes, yes, Dad is always right!"

Lin Yi squatted down, rubbed Huo Mianmian's little face, and teased him, "Why are you so sweet now? Did you grow up eating sugar?"

Huo Mianmian tilted his head, "Nope, I grew up eating rice!"

Lin Yi was completely charmed by this little treasure.

They continued walking, and Lin Yi proposed many improvements for the villa complex.

After all, he would be living here from now on, so everything should be according to his preferences.

As they walked, Lin Yi took out his phone and noted down the changes needed in his notebook.

Finally, he sent the notes to Huo Jihan.

Since his suggestions were quite extensive, he thought it best to inform Huo Jihan, the owner of the villa complex.

Huo Jihan quickly replied, "You don't need to ask for my opinion; just do whatever you like."

Lin Yi smiled and continued typing, "Okay, I won't hold back then."

Huo Jihan: "Do you need me to hire a designer to assist you?"

Lin Yi: "No need for that; I'll just tweak some minor details."

As Lin Yi chatted with Huo Jihan, they walked forward, covering quite a distance without realizing it.

At this moment, the little one beside him tugged at his sleeve, reminding him, "Dad, we're almost at the street!"

Lin Yi snapped back to reality and looked up. Indeed, he had been so engrossed in their conversation that they had reached the iron gate without noticing.

Even the guards in the security booth waved at him.

Lin Yi: "…"

Lin Yi nodded at the guards and quickly turned back with Huo Mianmian.

As they walked, he felt a bit awkward.

Was he really that absorbed when he fell in love? Even chatting could be so captivating?

Lin Yi tried to suppress the corners of his mouth, attempting to control the giddy sweetness.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop smiling. The sweetness of love had seeped into every part of him, beyond his control.

Lin Yi brought Huo Mianmian back to the residence.

They had spent quite some time walking back and forth, and the sweet potatoes in the oven were already done.

Seeing this, Lin Yi quickly put on gloves, took out the sweet potatoes, and set them aside to cool.

Huo Mianmian stood on tiptoe, leaning against the counter, watching the two sweet potatoes and exclaimed, "They smell so good!"

Lin Yi, while taking off his gloves, said, "Right? They'll be even more fragrant once peeled."

Father and son waited for the sweet potatoes to cool down a bit.

The anticipation was torturous, especially with the delicious food right there but not yet ready to eat.

Once the temperature was right, Lin Yi quickly picked one up and started peeling it.

The sweet potato was perfectly cooked, making the peeling effortless. With a gentle pull, the skin came off, revealing the flesh inside.

The sweet potato's flesh looked incredibly appetizing, bright red and oozing honey-like syrup, filling the kitchen with its sweet aroma.

After peeling it, Lin Yi handed it to Huo Mianmian, "Here, have a taste."

Huo Mianmian took the roasted sweet potato with both hands, took a bite, and his eyes curved into crescents, "So yummy!"

Lin Yi smiled, "Of course it is."

He then peeled his own and took a bite.

The sweet potato was soft, sticky, and sweet, leaving a lingering fragrance in his mouth—a perfect treat for cold weather.

After finishing the sweet potatoes, Lin Yi found the Steward and discussed the villa renovation.

The Steward immediately agreed, "Alright, once the weather warms up, I'll get someone to start the work."

Lin Yi said, "Thank you, Uncle Wu."

The Steward waved his hand, "It's nothing; it's part of my job."

Thus, the villa renovation was settled.

With this major task completed, Lin Yi planned to relax on the sofa and play with his phone.

At this moment, Ji Yunchuan sent him a message: "Sis-in-law, next Tuesday is my birthday, and I'm throwing a birthday party. You must come on time!!!!!!!"

From those excited exclamation marks, it was clear that Ji Yunchuan was very excited.

To be precise, he always acted energetically and enthusiastically.

Lin Yi chuckled and replied, "Sure, got it. I'll bring a big gift."

Ji Yunchuan: "Hehe, Sis-in-law, your presence is enough; no need for a gift."

Lin Yi: "So, I shouldn't buy a gift?"

Ji Yunchuan: "Aaah, Sis-in-law, I was just being polite!"

Lin Yi was thoroughly amused by Ji Yunchuan's antics and asked, "Why don't you tell me what you like, and I'll buy it for you?"

He wasn't sure about Ji Yunchuan's preferences, and buying something he wouldn't like would be a waste.

Ji Yunchuan sent a "shy" emoji and followed it with a text message: [Actually, I've set my sights on a bottle of wine from an overseas exhibition. It's a collector's item, and most people can't buy it. Can you help with this, Sis-in-law?]

He also sent the description of the wine.

Lin Yi replied with a single word: "Scram!"

Ji Yunchuan immediately sent a crying cat emoji and typed, "Waaah, Sis-in-law, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made such an unreasonable request."

Lin Yi stopped chatting with Ji Yunchuan, exited WeChat, and searched for the wine he mentioned.

Indeed, it was a collector's item, and even with money, it might not be available.

Lin Yi didn't have the connections, but Huo Jihan certainly did.

Thinking about it, maybe he should fulfill this wish for Ji Yunchuan's birthday?

Soon, it was Ji Yunchuan's birthday.

At the Ji family villa, there was a festive atmosphere with music and dancing.

Ji Yunchuan loved lively gatherings and had many friends, so the entire villa, both inside and out, was filled with young men and women, with more people arriving continuously.

Many tables and chairs were set up on the lawn outside the villa.

Cheng Siyao and a few friends sat at one of these tables.

Someone sighed, "As expected of Ji Yunchuan, today is truly lively."

Another person added, "But within the circle, Ji Yunchuan's closest friends are still Big Brother Huo and Qin Ling. These two will definitely come to support him today."

Cheng Siyao, who was sipping wine from his glass, immediately put it down when he heard Huo Jihan's name: "Are you sure Brother Jihan will come?"

The person hesitated, "Not entirely sure. After all, Mr. Huo is usually very busy and doesn't like such lively occasions."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Siyao's eyes dimmed.

Then he thought of something and perked up a bit: "Then Lin Yi will definitely come, right?"

After all, he had specifically inquired about Lin Yi's usual lifestyle and learned that Lin Yi enjoyed attending lively gatherings.

One of them said, "Lin Yi will probably come. Siyao, what do you think?"

Cheng Siyao tapped his fingers on the table and then said coldly, "Of course, I want to show him who can truly fit into this circle."

He planned to rally everyone here to isolate Lin Yi.

After all, compared to Lin Yi, who joined halfway, he had grown up in this circle and knew its rules better.

Cheng Siyao came from an affluent background, with his family owning a large cosmetics company, making him one of the higher-ranking figures in the circle. Otherwise, he wouldn't have so many followers around him.

When Cheng Siyao shared his plan, his followers eagerly agreed.

"That's a great idea. Let's isolate Lin Yi together. No one should talk to him, let him feel miserable alone."

"Isn't Lin Yi always acting superior? When he realizes he's isolated, he'll panic for sure."

"Will he cry? We must capture that moment."

"Hahaha, that scene will be hilarious. Lin Yi is going to face social death."

Before long, Lin Yi appeared, carrying a gift box.

The weather was unexpectedly nice today, with sunshine.

So he wasn't dressed too warmly, wearing a white sweater on top and loose, light-colored casual pants below.

He looked fresh and relaxed, with his bangs gently fluttering in the wind, and his beautiful almond eyes as bright and captivating as ever.

Lin Yi was naturally the center of attention.

Without doing anything, just standing there, he instantly drew everyone's gaze.

Seeing Lin Yi like this, Cheng Siyao's expression darkened.

So what if he has a good face? What's there to be proud of?

Those around him quickly comforted him.

"Siyao, don't be upset. Look, he's here alone. He's probably fallen out of favor."

"Hahaha, great! Did Mr. Huo finally see through him and kick him out?"

"Everyone, remember not to talk to Lin Yi later. Intentionally ignore him."

Not everyone present was bought by Cheng Siyao, but even a portion would be enough to isolate Lin Yi.

Cheng Siyao, seeing the crowd gathered around him and Lin Yi standing alone, grew increasingly smug.

This was the consequence of Lin Yi trying to compete with him.

If Lin Yi had obediently left Brother Jihan's side, none of this would have happened.

But why was Lin Yi still standing at the entrance?

Just as Cheng Siyao was wondering, his eyes widened in shock.

Huo Jihan and Huo Mianmian appeared beside Lin Yi.

It turned out Lin Yi had been waiting for this father-son duo.

Having waited for them, Lin Yi smiled at the pair and then walked forward with the gift box.

Huo Jihan carried Huo Mianmian and followed him.

The appearance of this family trio sent the entire gathering into a frenzy.

After all, it was Huo Jihan, whom they could hardly meet despite their efforts, suddenly appearing before them.

Huo Jihan wore a black suit, looking somewhat cold, except when he occasionally softened his expression towards Lin Yi. He paid no attention to anyone else around him.

Ji Yunchuan, hearing the commotion, rushed out of the house and threw himself at the trio: "Aaah!! Sister-in-law, Big Brother Huo, you're finally here!!! I've been waiting forever!!!"

As he ran over, he almost crashed into Lin Yi.

Huo Jihan's expression turned cold as he held Huo Mianmian in one arm and reached out to stop him with the other.

Ji Yunchuan lunged at Huo Jihan's arm, realizing he had almost made a mistake. He quickly straightened up and promised, "I, I didn't mean to offend Sister-in-law!!!"

Huo Jihan gave him a cold look.

Ji Yunchuan felt his legs trembling.

Oh no, it was his birthday today—would it turn into a day of mourning?!

After all, Big Brother Huo's possessiveness was outrageous!

Fortunately, Lin Yi stepped in to defuse the situation. He handed the gift box to Ji Yunchuan: "Here, the red wine you wanted."

"What?!" Hearing about the red wine, Ji Yunchuan nearly jumped three feet high, instantly forgetting the suffocating scene just now. "Sister-in-law, you're amazing! How did you get this bottle of red wine?!!!"

He had used all his connections abroad but couldn't get his hands on it.

Lin Yi smiled: "It wasn't me; it was your Big Brother Huo who got it for you. Consider it our birthday gift for you."

Ji Yunchuan was so moved he almost cried and lunged at Huo Jihan again. "Ahhhh, Big Brother Huo, you're too good!!!"

Huo Jihan frowned and took a step back. "Don't be crazy."

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

Wah wah wah, rejected again.

But he was used to being rejected by Big Brother Huo.

At that moment, Qin Ling arrived.

He presented Ji Yunchuan with a luxury watch. "Here, happy birthday!"

Ji Yunchuan lunged at him. "Qin Ling, my good brother!"

Finally, he managed to lunge at someone.

But Qin Ling was equally repulsed and pushed him away.

Ji Yunchuan hopped around. "One after another, it's my birthday, can't you show me a little more care?"

For a moment, the scene was lively.

On the other side.

Cheng Siyao clenched his fists tightly, his face turning green.

He had planned to isolate Lin Yi, but it seemed Lin Yi wasn't affected at all?

The key was that he could bribe others, but not Huo Jihan and the others.

Those few were the true top figures in their circle, admired by countless people.

Cheng Siyao consoled himself. Well, at least from what he could see, there were still more people on his side.

However, gradually, he noticed something was wrong. The number of people on his side seemed to be decreasing.

First one, then two or three, and finally almost everyone crowded around Lin Yi.

After all, these people weren't fools; they knew who was worth following.

The situation was clear. The top figure in their circle, Huo Jihan, clearly favored Lin Yi.

And the other two top figures, Ji Yunchuan and Qin Ling, also seemed to have a good relationship with Lin Yi.

Therefore, Lin Yi was the one with the most influence here.

No one would be foolish enough to really isolate such a person; they were rushing to curry favor instead.

The number of people around Cheng Siyao dwindled until only he was left alone.

Everyone rushed over to Lin Yi.

Cheng Siyao: "..."

He felt deeply humiliated.

After standing there for a moment, he followed suit.

He wasn't going to fawn over Lin Yi; he just wanted to be closer to his Jihan.

But when Cheng Siyao approached, he found too many people surrounding Lin Yi, making it impossible to squeeze through. He could only stand on the outermost edge.

Cheng Siyao was very anxious and tried to push forward, only to be shoved by someone, nearly falling.

Cheng Siyao had no choice but to stand on tiptoe to see the man he longed for every day.

Meanwhile, he couldn't help thinking how wonderful it would be if he replaced Lin Yi and stood sweetly beside his Jihan.

As the weather grew colder,

finally, the capital saw its first snowfall.

In the morning, Lin Yi woke up and, looking out through the floor-to-ceiling window, saw a white landscape. He immediately got dressed, went downstairs, and brought Huo Mianmian outside the villa.

At that moment, snowflakes continued to fall gently from the sky.

This snowfall was heavy, like willow catkins dancing in the air.

Huo Mianmian hopped around in the snow like a little penguin. "It's snowing!"

"Yes, winter has arrived."

After Lin Yi said this, he also reached out to catch the snowflakes.

The snowflakes were crystal clear and beautiful, like tiny pieces of crystal.

The father and son played in the snow for a long time until they were tired, then they walked into the villa together.

Huo Mianmian had been running and jumping in the snow, and now his cheeks were rosy, making him look even cuter than usual.

As Lin Yi took off his coat, he asked, "Mianmian, it's snowing. What do you want to do?"

Huo Mianmian rested his chin on his hands and cutely countered, "What should we do~"

Lin Yi laughed. "How about we make dumplings? It's customary to eat dumplings on a snowy day."

Huo Mianmian nodded obediently. "Okay."

Lin Yi got right to work, finding dumpling wrappers and asking the chef to prepare various meat fillings. Then they could start making dumplings.

First, he took Huo Mianmian to wash their hands, then they returned to the living room and sat on the sofa to make dumplings together.

At this moment, the Steward passed by and smiled. "Mr. Lin, you can make more dumplings. Mr. Huo is at home today, currently in the study upstairs."

Lin Yi immediately looked upstairs, but from his angle, he couldn't see much.

So Huo Jihan was here today. They should make more dumplings.

Next, Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian made dumplings one after another.

While making dumplings, Lin Yi encouraged Huo Mianmian with words: "Wow, good boy, your dumplings look great."

When Huo Mianmian heard Lin Yi call him "good boy," he immediately looked up at Lin Yi and blinked.

Lin Yi noticed this and asked, "What's wrong?"

Huo Mianmian shook his head.

But inside, he felt delighted. This was the first time his little dad called him "good boy." It was such a new and interesting way to be addressed.

And he liked it very much.

Most importantly, Lin Yi kept calling him that.

"Good boy, pass me that plate."

"Good boy, there aren't enough shrimp, go to the kitchen and ask the chef for some more."

"Good boy, get another empty plate. Let's make more and put them in the fridge for next time."

"..."

Huo Mianmian gradually lost himself in the repeated calls of "good boy."

He worked harder than usual, and when running errands, his short legs moved quickly.

Seeing this, Lin Yi gave him a thumbs up. "Our Mianmian is so great!"

Unexpectedly, when Huo Mianmian heard this, he looked up at him, his eyes not as bright as before.

Lin Yi was puzzled. "What's wrong?"

Huo Mianmian pouted slightly. "Dad, why don't you call me like you did just now?"

Like just now?

Lin Yi thought for a moment and realized he had called him "good boy" a few times.

Seeing Huo Mianmian's disappointed expression, he immediately said, "Isn't it 'good boy'? I'll keep calling you that! Good boy, you're the best!"

Hearing this, Huo Mianmian's eyes sparkled again, and he became the sweet little boy once more.

Lin Yi couldn't help but laugh and shake his head.

Turns out Mianmian was particular about nicknames.

In the end, Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian worked together and made many dumplings, far more than they could eat in one meal. They could store the extras in the fridge for later.

It was time for lunch.

Lin Yi decided they would have dumplings for lunch, and he would cook them.

As he headed to the kitchen, he told Huo Mianmian, "Sweetheart, wash your hands and then go call your dad for lunch."

"Okay."

Huo Mianmian went to the kitchen and turned on the tap to wash his hands carefully.

He had a slight case of OCD, so he always washed his hands thoroughly until they were spotlessly clean.

After doing this, Huo Mianmian took on the task of calling Huo Jihan for lunch.

He climbed the stairs step by step with his short legs and came to Huo Jihan's study, reaching out to knock on the door.

However, his knocks were barely audible due to his small strength.

Inside the study, Huo Jihan had just finished a cross-border meeting.

He took off the Bluetooth earphone and then heard some noise at the door.

He got up and went to the door, opened it, and saw nothing at first. It wasn't until he looked down that he noticed the little one by the door.

Huo Mianmian was tiny compared to Huo Jihan.

He had to tilt his head all the way back to talk to his dad: "Dad, it's time for dinner."

Huo Jihan nodded: "Okay."

At this moment, Huo Mianmian's curiosity as a child kicked in, and he peeked into the study.

This was his first time in his dad's study.

So this is where his dad usually works?

Seeing Huo Mianmian's actions, Huo Jihan asked him: "Do you want to come in and take a look?"

Huo Mianmian nodded: "Yes."

Huo Jihan stepped aside: "Come in."

With permission, Huo Mianmian immediately entered the study, looking around with curious eyes.

The study was large, filled with documents and books, and the decor was in cold tones, making it feel chilly.

Of course, it could also be because Huo Jihan only set the air conditioner to twenty degrees.

Not long after entering, Huo Mianmian shivered slightly.

He didn't like his dad's study QAQ!

Seeing Huo Mianmian's frowning face, Huo Jihan smiled slightly, then bent down and picked him up: "Alright, let's go downstairs."

Back in his father's arms, Huo Mianmian finally felt warm again, and obediently leaned against him as Huo Jihan carried him downstairs.

In the kitchen.

Lin Yi had already cooked the dumplings.

After all, cooking dumplings wasn't a big deal.

He divided them into three plates, two large ones and one small one, and then retrieved the dipping sauce from the fridge, completing the task.

At this moment, Huo Jihan had also brought Huo Mianmian into the kitchen and put him down.

Huo Mianmian ran straight to Lin Yi: "Little Dad, I'll help you carry them."

"Sure, why don't you carry your own plate? Be careful, though."

After saying this, Lin Yi handed a small plate of dumplings and the dipping sauce to Huo Mianmian.

Huo Mianmian carefully carried them to the dining room.

Huo Jihan also came to Lin Yi's side: "What do I need to do?"

Lin Yi thought of something and used chopsticks to pick up a single dumpling from the pot, dipped it in the sauce, and fed it to Huo Jihan: "How about you taste it?"

This dumpling was one he had deliberately made last, with a strawberry inside the wrapper, which could be considered a strange concoction.

When Lin Yi fed this dumpling to Huo Jihan, he couldn't help but grin mischievously, clearly up to something.

Huo Jihan stared at Lin Yi for a while.

Lin Yi tried hard to hold back his laughter and said: "Why aren't you eating it?"

Huo Jihan nodded agreeably: "Mmm, I'll eat it."

Then he leaned forward and took a bite of the dumpling.

As expected, the dumpling was unusual, containing a strawberry.

Lin Yi burst out laughing at the successful prank: "Hahaha!"

Huo Jihan paused for a moment, then calmly ate what was in his mouth.

Lin Yi laughed so hard he could barely speak: "Hahaha, you, you really ate it! How does it taste?"

Huo Jihan smiled helplessly: "It's okay."

After all, apart from indulging Lin Yi, there seemed to be no other way.

To be honest, as long as Lin Yi personally fed him, whether it was a strawberry-filled dumpling or something even more bizarre, he would definitely eat it.