Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Huo Xiaobao straddled Zhong Xi's lap, humming a cheerful little tune, watching as Huo Sicheng placed knitted flower bracelets on Zhong Xi's hands.

After Zhong Xi had bracelets on both hands, Huo Xiaobao happily shook his head, but before he could burrow into Zhong Xi's arms, Huo Sicheng pinched his bottom and asked, "Why didn't you give any to me?"

Huo Xiaobao pouted like a little teapot, snuggling into Zhong Xi's arms, glaring resentfully at Huo Sicheng.

"Why?" Huo Sicheng pressed.

Huo Xiaobao slowly said, "Because Daddy is bad."

"How is Daddy bad?"

"Daddy is always yelling at me." The more Huo Xiaobao thought about it, the more upset he became, and by the last word, his voice was quivering with tears.

Zhong Xi and Huo Sicheng were both taken aback. They had thought Huo Xiaobao had a goldfish memory, crying one moment and laughing the next, not holding onto anything. But it turned out the little guy hadn't forgotten.

The child was more sensitive than they had imagined.

Huo Sicheng couldn't bear to see the little one like this. Guilt washed over him, but no amount of soothing helped. Even when he handed toys to Huo Xiaobao, the child ignored him. Finally, he took Huo Xiaobao from Zhong Xi's arms and placed him on his own lap.

Huo Xiaobao looked up, his eyes brimming with tears.

"I—" Huo Sicheng hesitated, not used to calling himself 'Daddy.' After a few attempts, he finally said, "Daddy was wrong. Daddy promises he won't yell at you again. Can you forgive Daddy?"

Huo Xiaobao buried his face in Huo Sicheng's shirt, sniffling, a few tears dampening Huo Sicheng's gray-blue shirt. After a long while, he nodded and said, "Yes."

He handed over a blue knitted flower bracelet to Huo Sicheng.

Huo Sicheng instinctively reached out to Zhong Xi, expecting him to help put it on, but Zhong Xi didn't budge, as if he hadn't seen anything.

Huo Sicheng coughed lightly, but Zhong Xi ignored him.

"..."

Even though he was already accustomed to Zhong Xi's behavior, and knew that Zhong Xi liked to oppose him, every time this happened, Huo Sicheng would still be so infuriated that he had to take a deep breath.

Huo Xiaobao, oblivious to the tension between his parents, smiled foolishly at Zhong Xi.

He sat on Huo Sicheng's lap but turned to gaze adoringly at Zhong Xi, his eyes full of adoration.

Totally ignoring Huo Sicheng.

Huo Sicheng was seething. He asked Huo Xiaobao, "Huo Xiaobao, in today's shooting competition, Mommy scored three hits, but Daddy helped with the first two. Who do you think is better, Daddy or Mommy?"

"Mommy," Huo Xiaobao replied instantly.

"..."

Zhong Xi chuckled mischievously beside them.

Huo Sicheng, embarrassed and angry, grabbed Huo Xiaobao's little arms and said seriously, "Huo Xiaobao, look at Daddy. This children's playground was built by Daddy for you. Why do you only love Mommy?"

Huo Xiaobao thought carefully, then furrowed his brows into a small frown. He looked at Huo Sicheng, utterly confused, as if he didn't understand why Huo Sicheng would ask such a question.

"Daddy said so."

Huo Sicheng was puzzled, "What did I say?"

"Daddy said that Xiao Bao should love Mommy together with Daddy."

The VIP room suddenly fell silent, so quiet that you could hear the air conditioner humming. Huo Sicheng's mind went completely blank.

Huo Xiaobao's innocent words plunged the atmosphere into awkwardness, as if time had stopped. Though Huo Sicheng and Zhong Xi sat side by side on the same sofa, an insurmountable gap seemed to separate them, the air thick with unspoken tension.

Zhong Xi turned her head away, while Huo Sicheng's face stiffened. He fidgeted, touching his forehead and straightening Huo Xiaobao's collar, his fingertips tingling slightly.

He deliberately pushed away the question he'd been mulling over, even though the answer was staring him in the face.

He used to love Zhong Xi deeply. So deeply.

As that parent said, kids born when their parents are in love turn out more beautiful and adorable—Huo Xiaobao was living proof.

The more he dwelled on it, the more restless he felt. Huo Sicheng quickly changed the subject, asking, "Huo Xiaobao, what did you learn today?"

"Singing."

"Sing for me."

Huo Xiaobao stretched out both hands, copying the teacher's movements. He balled his little fists, then suddenly opened them, singing, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are..."

Huo Xiaobao's words were slurred and bubbly with spit. He sang with all his might, but Huo Sicheng couldn't resist pinching his cheek and teasing, "Huo Xiaobao, why are you so off-key?"

Huo Xiaobao blinked, confused. "What's off-key?"

Zhong Xi jumped in before Huo Sicheng could reply, "Daddy's saying you sang 'Little Star' in your own special way, and it sounds wonderful."

Huo Xiaobao blushed at Zhong Xi's praise, mumbling shyly, "Xiao Bao can't."

Zhong Xi fastened a green knitted flower to him, saying, "Xiao Bao's learned to sing, so he deserves a reward."

Zhong Xi used Huo Xiaobao's own belongings to reward him, and he giggled uncontrollably, beaming with joy. He squirmed on Huo Sicheng's lap, leaning over to plant a kiss on Zhong Xi.

Huo Sicheng couldn't handle his clinginess. A little boy, always kissing and cuddling—it was too much.

He shot a look at Huo Xiaobao, then turned to Zhong Xi.

Zhong Xi caught his resentful stare and, as if doing him a favor, reached out her slender hand, hovering over his wrist to tie the blue knitted flower.

Now all three of them wore flowers.

Zhong Xi wore yellow on her left hand and pink on her right. Huo Xiaobao had green, and Huo Sicheng sported blue on his hand.

Huo Xiaobao was thrilled, grabbing Huo Sicheng and Zhong Xi's hands and swinging them wildly.

He played in Huo Sicheng's arms for a bit, then dashed off to join the other kids, not wrapping up until after five.

By the time Huo Xiaobao climbed into the car, he was nearly out. Zhong Xi handed him the bottle, and he managed a few sips before dozing off in his car seat.

Huo Sicheng took a call outside the car. It was from Aide Wen, who said he had sent people to monitor and track Yue Liquan at the Ochre Base and found that Yue Liquan had private contact with Ruan Yunzheng, but they couldn't eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Chairman, besides Yue Liquan, I have also conducted comprehensive surveillance on Ruan Yunzheng as per your request. I found that Ruan Yunzheng has been very active recently. She often holds university seminars in the name of the Rights Protection Association and frequently meets with figures from the cultural and artistic circles, discussing provocative topics with ulterior motives."

The autumn colors deepened in November, and the slanting sun was picturesque.

The back door of the children's park was near a long, narrow old street lined with ginkgo trees shedding golden leaves. A chilly breeze blew by, and the leaves fluttered down in front of the car.

Huo Sicheng peered through the car window at Zhong Xi inside, who was holding a milk bottle in one hand and helping Huo Xiaobao cover himself with a blanket with the other.

His profile looked especially gentle against the tinted glass.

The backstabbing and scheming in the political world, the alliance between his long-hated stepmother and rivals, the uncertain gubernatorial race... all paled in comparison to the twilight carpeted with fallen leaves.

Huo Sicheng snapped out of his thoughts, rubbed his temples, and said to Aide Wen, who was waiting for a reply on the phone, "She’s been up to no good for a while now. Look for a chance to dig into this rights protection group and see if Ruan Yunzheng’s pulling any strings behind the scenes. If so, shut it down immediately."

"Understood."

Aide Wen updated him on some tasks, and Huo Sicheng listened patiently. When he hung up the phone and got into the car, Zhong Xi had already dozed off in his seat, still holding Huo Xiaobao's milk bottle.

Huo Xiaobao was also asleep, with a glistening drool at the corner of his mouth, and the small blanket on him had slipped off.

Huo Sicheng tucked him back in, covering his little belly.

Huo Xiaobao and Zhong Xi looked almost identical when they slept, both with their heads tilted to the right, their cheeks puffed up, their mouths slightly pouted, and the small mole on the tip of their noses very noticeable.

Huo Sicheng held his breath for a moment. He slowed down his movements, gently placed his cane aside, and tried to sit down next to Zhong Xi as quietly as possible without waking him.

Because of his leg injury and his bulky frame, any movement would easily make noise.

It took him a few minutes to settle in completely.

Zhong Xi was slumped against the backrest, fast asleep.

Huo Sicheng let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The car slowly started, crunching over the dry sycamore leaves, and left the old street. When it turned right at the intersection, Huo Sicheng felt a sudden weight on his shoulder, and a faint lavender scent wafted over.

Zhong Xi leaned on his arm.

Huo Sicheng’s heart skipped a beat, and he unconsciously lowered his shoulder, moving slightly to the left to let Zhong Xi rest more comfortably on him.

The fading sunset light bathed the cheeks of Huo Xiaobao and Zhong Xi. As the car headed home, Huo Sicheng felt a deep sense of contentment.

Zhong Xi's hand rested by his leg, less than two inches away from Huo Sicheng's hand. With every bump, their hands nearly brushed. Huo Sicheng stole a glance at Zhong Xi’s sleeping face, confirming that he was completely asleep, and then tentatively reached out to the left.

The distance gradually shortened.

First, their fingertips touched, like an electric current running through his body. Huo Sicheng was stunned for a moment, then gently held Zhong Xi's hand.

·

As the sky darkened, Qi Jiaran circled the house five times, still unable to dispel the unease and irritability in his heart.

He called Ruan Yunzheng and immediately said, "Mrs. Huo, I feel that the Chairman hasn't completely forgotten Zhong Xi. There is still some affection between them."

Ruan Yunzheng walked to the balcony, "What happened?"

Qi Jiaran anxiously poured out, "This morning, the Chairman took the child and lay on the guest room bed, waiting for Zhong Xi to wake up. He even went downstairs himself and made breakfast for Zhong Xi. In the afternoon, he took Zhong Xi and the child to the children's park. I don't know what happened, but suddenly their relationship improved. What should I do? Mrs. Huo, I can't stay here much longer."

Ruan Yunzheng smiled, "So you're panicking now? Stay calm."

"I have no position to call the Chairman. I really want to know what they are doing now. Will they—"

Ruan Yunzheng interrupted him, "I've told you before, they've been together for seven years. There's a foundation of affection. It's not something that can be resolved overnight."

Qi Jiaran buried his face in his palms, his voice broken, "I’m scared the Chairman might get his memory back."

This jogged Ruan Yunzheng's memory, and she asked, "How’s he been recovering lately? Any signs of his memory coming back?"

"The fracture has healed a lot, but the nerve damage remains serious. He frequently suffers from headaches, so it’s unlikely he’ll recover anytime soon."

Ruan Yunzheng paused for a moment on the other end of the line, "He’s incredibly lucky. After such a devastating helicopter crash, the helicopter was destroyed, yet he still survived."

Qi Jiaran felt there was something odd about Ruan Yunzheng's tone, not exactly admiration, but rather dissatisfaction.

"Mrs. Huo, what do you mean by that?"

Ruan Yunzheng suddenly realized she had misspoken and changed her tone, laughing, "I’ve practically watched Si Cheng grow up. Now that he’s seriously injured, both his father and I are very worried. Make sure you take good care of him."

"I will."

"As for Zhong Xi, don’t worry too much. I’ll figure something out."

Qi Jiaran immediately pressed, "What do you have in mind?"

Ruan Yunzheng didn’t seem inclined to tell Qi Jiaran, she just chuckled and said, "Don’t get so worked up. If I say I have a way, then I surely do. For now, just focus on your responsibilities and don’t bother Huo Sicheng."

"Alright, I understand."

Not long after hanging up, a guard came knocking and informed Qi Jiaran, "Mr. Qi, the Chairman will be back in twenty minutes. Please get dinner started early."

Qi Jiaran quickly agreed.

According to the recipe, he was supposed to prepare stonefish soup and cold dressed lettuce for Huo Sicheng tonight. After simmering for over ten minutes, the creamy fish soup was already giving off a fresh aroma, filling up the kitchen.

Qi Jiaran kept glancing towards the door.

Twenty minutes passed, and Huo Sicheng still hadn’t returned home.

Outside Qi Jiaran’s view, by the fountain, Huo Sicheng had the driver stop the car.

Zhong Xi was still asleep, the sound of the fountain’s water splashing outside the car window didn’t wake him. He was breathing evenly, his brows slightly furrowed, sleeping soundly. Huo Sicheng couldn’t bear to wake him.

But maintaining the same position for a long time was tiring for Huo Sicheng too. He shifted toward Zhong Xi, and Zhong Xi moved from resting on Huo Sicheng’s shoulder to lying against his chest.

Zhong Xi still didn’t find it comfortable enough; while asleep, he grabbed Huo Sicheng’s sleeve and tugged it down, his forehead pressing against Huo Sicheng’s neck, his cheek against the collar of Huo Sicheng’s shirt.

Huo Sicheng hesitated, then reached out.

As if he had done it countless times before, yet driven by some indescribable emotion, he pulled Zhong Xi into his arms.

Too many bad habits, why does he have to hold him even in the car?

Huo Sicheng thought: I clearly slept with him until ten in the morning, how can he still sleep so long in the afternoon? This must be Zhong Xi’s trick.

It must be a trick, a bewitchment, a seduction.

At this moment, Huo Xiaobao woke up, he turned over, clung to the armrest of the car seat, and leaned over to take a look. Seeing his father holding his mother, he immediately reached out, "Xiao Bao wants too!"

"Xiao Bao can’t."

Huo Sicheng instinctively tightened his arms, coldly rejecting Huo Xiaobao’s inclusion.

"Stinky dad." Huo Xiaobao was already used to it, he pouted and snorted, stretched out his short arms, hugged himself tightly, and then said angrily, "Xiao Bao will hug himself."

Huo Sicheng tapped the glass with his knuckle, the guard understood and took Huo Xiaobao out to see the fountain, the driver also got out of the car. After the door closed, the small space was left with only Huo Sicheng and Zhong Xi.

Everything around them grew quiet, and the scent of lavender grew stronger.

Huo Sicheng wanted to find the source of this fragrance.

He didn’t believe a beta could have a unique scent of their own. Zhong Xi’s nape was smooth and flat, clearly without a scent gland. He lowered his head to sniff, starting from the top of Zhong Xi’s head and slowly moving downward, his lips almost touching Zhong Xi’s forehead.

His heart was pounding uncontrollably, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

The air around them grew warmer.

Huo Sicheng inexplicably thought of his rut period. He wondered if Zhong Xi would stay by his side during his rut, which occurred every three months. What would they do together?

Zhong Xi suddenly moved, the fluffy hair on his head brushing against Huo Sicheng’s jaw. His nose rubbed against Huo Sicheng’s chest, sliding to the edge of his collarbone. Huo Sicheng could feel Zhong Xi’s lips through the fabric of his shirt, made even warmer by his breath. Everywhere Zhong Xi touched left a lingering, tingling sensation, a faint itch, as if a soft feather had gently brushed over him.

Zhong Xi found a more comfortable position in Huo Sicheng’s arms. Huo Sicheng wanted to push him away but was also distracted.

Reason screamed at him to stay alert.

He shouldn’t let his guard down so easily with Zhong Xi. Zhong Xi’s recent coldness was still fresh in his memory.

A simple “I don’t love you,” a stack of property deeds in Zhong Xi’s name, and a few photos of Zhong Xi smiling at unfamiliar men—all this evidence piled together, shouldn’t it make Huo Sicheng despise even the mention of Zhong Xi’s name?

Huo Sicheng looked down at Zhong Xi in his arms, his thoughts in turmoil.

Outside the car window, Huo Xiaobao’s laughter could be heard. The guard activated the glowing fountain, and water sprayed out in various arcs, along with circular water rings.

To entertain him, the guard held his wrist and guided his small hand into the water ring. Huo Xiaobao recoiled in fear, but seeing the water ring remain steady, he cautiously reached in again, slowly finding it fun and starting to play a game with the guard.

The child’s laughter rang out loudly, causing Zhong Xi to frown slightly in Huo Sicheng’s arms. Just as Huo Sicheng was about to drape his coat over Zhong Xi, he froze.

He felt the person in his arms stir awake.

Zhong Xi opened his eyes, first confirming his surroundings. This was Huo Sicheng’s extended seven-seater car. Through the tinted glass, he vaguely saw Huo Xiaobao being held by the guard near the fountain.

The sky had deepened to a rich indigo, with the last trace of sunset lingering on the horizon. For a moment, he felt disoriented, unsure if it was a dream or reality. The light blue shirt before him was familiar, but the person wearing it felt unfamiliar.

After a moment, he finally realized he was lying in Huo Sicheng’s arms—not the Huo Sicheng from his dreams, but the one who had listened to others and spoken coldly to him.

He sat up silently, lifting his eyes to see Huo Sicheng’s grim face.

Huo Sicheng quickly pulled his hand back, sitting up rigidly.

The intimate atmosphere in the car instantly dissipated.

Zhong Xi sat up slowly and asked Huo Sicheng, “Why did you stop the car here? Why not go back?”

Huo Sicheng wasn’t sure why he’d told the driver to stop by the fountain. Maybe it was because there was still some distance from home, and he didn’t want to return so soon. Maybe the constant sound of the fountain mirrored the chaos in his mind. Or maybe, beyond that, he couldn’t find a better opportunity to be alone with Zhong Xi.

He didn’t want to be in conflict with Zhong Xi anymore; it was meaningless, only hurting both of them.

“Huo Xiaobao wanted to play in the fountain,” he casually offered as an excuse.

“Let’s go back,” Zhong Xi said, smoothing out the wrinkles in his collar from sleeping. “Your nutritionist is probably getting impatient.”

“Are you jealous?”

Zhong Xi always seemed as if he had no bones, leaning listlessly wherever he sat. He leaned against the car door and chuckled lightly, “Why would I be jealous?”

His tone was always indifferent, making it hard to gauge his sincerity.

"Of course you're not jealous, after all, your heart is set on someone else. Even if something happened between me and that nutritionist, you wouldn't care."

He side-eyed Zhong Xi, but Zhong Xi showed no reaction, just stared blankly out the window.

"Yes, I don't care," Zhong Xi said softly.

Another gut punch.

"Why—" Huo Sicheng struggled to suppress his anger, he demanded sharply, "I just don't get it, why can't you just soften up? Why can't you speak to me nicely, talk to me about the past?"

Zhong Xi interrupted him, "How could you forget me?"

Huo Sicheng was instantly deflated, left speechless.

It had been over twenty days since it happened, and this was the first time they had broached the sensitive topic of amnesia.

At first, Huo Sicheng would get a splitting headache just from seeing Zhong Xi, then for some reason, they both steered clear of the topic.

Huo Sicheng had been wrestling with it alone for half a month, blaming Zhong Xi in his mind, but little did he know, in Zhong Xi's eyes, he was the one at fault—whether he loved him or not aside, Huo Sicheng shouldn't have forgotten.

Zhong Xi had laid down the law.

Why had he forgotten Zhong Xi?

He remembered everyone but Zhong Xi and their child.

Huo Sicheng didn't understand either, how could something like this happen.

Zhong Xi closed his eyes, listening to the splashing sound of the fountain, his heart barren.

He couldn't understand, it was Huo Sicheng who had selfishly barged into his life, but the burden of proving his love and explaining he was over his first love fell on him.

He didn't like it here, didn't like the vague title of the Chairman's wife, didn't like the villa surrounded by bushes, didn't like having guards accompany him in and out, didn't like having every move thrown into the public opinion arena, subject to others' comments.

He had only stayed here because of Huo Sicheng's love, but now that Huo Sicheng had forgotten him, the love had grown thin and faded, Zhong Xi didn't know how much longer he could hold on.

Suddenly, the thought of leaving crossed his mind.

Zhong Xi was startled.

He actually wanted to leave.

The word 'love' was truly terrifying. A few years ago, he had prayed every day to stay away from Huo Sicheng, willing to take a detour of an extra kilometer to avoid the cafeteria and the dormitory to avoid Huo Sicheng, but now he was startled by the thought of wanting to leave Huo Sicheng.