Chapter 15 Mom’s Lesson on Love

Chapter 15: Mom’s Lesson on Love

"You can sleep here for now." Huo Xingye's expression was calm, but his tense posture betrayed his discomfort. "I’ll get someone to redo this room later—set aside a bedroom just for you."

Gu Qingyin’s heart warmed at her son’s consideration. "Do Xinghai and Xingchen also have their own bedrooms?"

Huo Xingye shook his head. "Once we grew up, we all moved out separately."

Gu Qingyin held back a sigh—the relationship between the three brothers wasn’t as close as she had imagined. She didn’t press further, instead smiling warmly. "Thank you, son. Go get some sleep."

Huo Xingye’s ears pinkened, though his face remained composed as he nodded. "Goodnight."

Gu Qingyin wasn’t one to fuss over new sleeping arrangements. After washing up, she wrapped herself in a bathrobe and fell asleep instantly, waking up the next morning feeling completely refreshed.

When she checked her phone, she saw a message from Huo Xingye—*There’s new clothes for you, left on the door handle.*

Gu Qingyin smiled warmly, got up, and freshened up.

Once ready, she opened the door to head downstairs but was surprised to hear a muffled thump from the room at the end of the hallway.

That was where Huo Xingye’s sick friend was staying. If there had been no sound, she’d have let it be, but since she heard something, she couldn’t just walk away.

Gu Qingyin approached and knocked lightly. "Hey there, need help with anything?"

Silence.

She waited a few seconds but didn’t speak again. She knew she’d spoken loud enough for anyone inside to hear. The lack of response likely meant they didn’t want her entering.

Shrugging, Gu Qingyin turned and left.

As she descended the stairs, she ran into Huo Xingye carrying a bowl of porridge. "Breakfast’s ready."

Gu Qingyin was surprised. "You cooked this?"

"Yeah, I don’t cook often, so don’t expect much," Huo Xingye set the bowl down. "If it’s not to your liking, we can pick up something better later."

Seated, Gu Qingyin took a deep breath, her eyes sparkling. "Getting a homemade breakfast from my son first thing in the morning—I’m the happiest mom alive!"

Huo Xingye looked away, flustered. "Stop treating me like a little boy."

Gu Qingyin raised an eyebrow. "I know you’re grown up, but no matter how old you get, you’ll always be my son."

Huo Xingye had no rebuttal. He returned to the kitchen, brought out another bowl of porridge, and silently ate across from her.

"That’s more like it. Breakfast is important—you shouldn’t skip it." Gu Qingyin nodded approvingly before remembering the person upstairs. "Your friend must be awake too. Want me to bring him a bowl?"

Huo Xingye paused. "No need. The maid’s coming to fix some nutritious porridge for him later."

Gu Qingyin didn’t press further, casually remarking, "I wonder if your friend is just aloof or shy. He didn’t say a word when I knocked and spoke to him."

Huo Xingye sipped his porridge calmly. "Probably startled since he’s never heard your voice before."

Gu Qingyin frowned. "That’s skittish." From a professional standpoint, she added, "Being cautious is normal, but if someone is easily frightened even by conversation, it might be due to a scattered spirit. Want me to check on him?"

Huo Xingye chuckled. "Let’s hold off for now. Let him rest a few more days. If he doesn’t improve, then we’ll see."

Gu Qingyin nodded. "Just holler if you need me. Don’t hesitate—I mean it."

*(Note: A “scattered spirit” refers to traditional Chinese medicine/Daoist belief in soul stability, where emotional or physical trauma may cause parts of one’s spirit to become unstable or detached.)

After the meal, Gu Qingyin directly took Huo Xingye's car to the company. Bored during the ride, she casually opened the company's gossip group and saw the clarification announcement posted there.

Gu Qingyin did the classic "subway, old man, phone" meme face. Then it suddenly dawned on her, leaving her both amused and exasperated—these people really have wild imaginations! she thought

After this brief reflection, her inner gossip came alive. "Son, do you have a girl you like? Did you ever write love letters in school? And now... are you still... y'know... a virgin?"

As she spoke, she couldn’t help but feel concerned. Normally, a boy’s sex education should be handled by his father, but since his dad passed away early, she had to take it on herself.

Huo Xingye froze, his cheeks turning red as he coughed awkwardly. "I graduated early by skipping grades, so my peers were all much older than me. I never wrote love letters, and I also never..."

He couldn’t bring himself to finish, but Gu Qingyin understood.

She patted her son’s shoulder and earnestly warned, "You must remember to respect and cherish girls, or you might end up single forever."

Thinking of the overbearing CEO romance novels she’d read before, she emphasized, "And absolutely, under no circumstances engage in any 'forced romance' tropes. That will only push the person you like further away."

For a moment, Huo Xingye wondered if she knew something, but upon closer observation, she seemed to be speaking generally.

He nodded silently.

Gu Qingyin, seemingly enjoying the joy of lecturing, continued, "When things start getting physical with your girlfriend, always remember to use protection! Most importantly, before anything happens, you must ask for her consent! If she shows even the slightest reluctance, you must stop immediately!"

Huo Xingye— what kind of person did Gu Qingyin think he was?

"Got it?"

Huo Xingye: "...Got it."

Satisfied, Gu Qingyin nodded. "After you start dating, make sure to remember all the important anniversaries and holidays. Don't skimp on gifts and surprises—girls value romantic gestures the most! It shows how much you care about her!"

This time, Huo Xingye took her words to heart and replied, "Okay."

"And the most important thing!" Gu Qingyin said with utmost seriousness. "Don't even think about cheating. Be mindful of keeping your distance from other women to give your girlfriend a sense of security!"

"If your feelings fade, say so early. Men who use 'falling out of love' as an excuse to cheat are the worst." She scoffed, seemingly recalling something. "Three-legged toads are rare, but two-legged men are everywhere."

Huo Xingye: "...Understood."

Gu Qingyin pondered—was there anything else she hadn’t covered? Well, she could always bring it up later if she remembered.

Huo Xingye breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, this topic was over. Right now, he was just grateful that he was the one driving today—otherwise, there’d be one more unemployed chauffeur in the world.

As he braked at a red light, Gu Qingyin suddenly spoke up again from the passenger seat, "Son, what kind of girls do you like?"

Huo Xingye—

By the time the mother and son took the elevator up to the sixteenth floor, every employee who caught a glimpse of Huo Xingye had the same thought: The CEO must have worked all night! He looks dead behind the eyes! As employees, they absolutely couldn’t drag him down!

Work harder! Push yourselves!

That day, Huo Corporation’s employees erupted with a sudden burst of productivity—though, admittedly, it didn’t last very long.

Gu Qingyin didn’t run into Bai Jiali that morning, which was kind of disappointing. Watching fools act smart could be quite entertaining.

But little did she know, Bai Jiali was lying low—and when she finally made her move, it was a total trainwreck!