It was already very late when Huo Jinyao returned home.
Su Qingsang was still awake. She put down the book in her hand when she saw Huo Jinyao enter the room.
âYouâre back? Have you eaten yet?â
âYes.â Huo Jinyao didnât say anything. He walked to the bedside and hugged Su Qingsang, who was about to get up.
Su Qingsang froze for a moment. Her lips moved, but she didnât ask anything.
The room was very quiet. Neither of them spoke. After a few minutes, Su Qingsang raised her hand and patted Huo Jinyao on the back.
âGrandpa told me to tell you that it was his decision to let Huo Yifan return to the company.â
Huo Jinyaoâs body stiffened instantly. He let go of Su Qingsang and his gaze fell on her face.
âYou know?â
Su Qingsang nodded. They had returned from C City, but Huo Jinyao didnât return to the old mansion to dine together. Old Master Huo was such a smart man. How could he not know that Huo Jinyao was angry?
âGrandfather said that nothing beats family harmony, so ââ
She didnât finish her sentence, but Huo Jinyao understood what Old Master Huo meant. It was nothing more than asking him to tolerate it in the grand scheme of things.
Tolerate it?
The problem was, he didnât want to tolerate it.
He didnât want to tolerate Huo Yifan, and he also didnât want to tolerate Su Peizhen. He didnât want to see Huo Yifan swagger around in front of him so smugly.
Old Master Huo thought that Huo Yifan would go back to dine together and would tell Huo Jinyao himself.
But Huo Jinyao didnât go home, so he had no choice but to call Su Qingsang to the study when she was about to go home and briefly tell her.
âGrandpa said that he understands your feelings and knows that you have resentment in your heart. However, Huo Yifan is your younger brother after all. The plan he proposed this time was also very good, so please understand.â
Su Qingsangâs voice was very soft. As she spoke, she held Huo Jinyaoâs hand.
She could understand his feelings, but she didnât know how to help him.
âWife.â
Huo Jinyao suddenly held Su Qingsangâs hand and looked at her intently.
âWhat?â
âIf one day, I wanted to leave the Huo family, would you come with me?â
Su Qingsang frowned slightly. âAre you serious?â
âYes, Iâm serious.â Huo Jinyao looked at her seriously. âI donât want to tolerate it anymore.â
âThen donât tolerate it. No matter what you want to do, Iâll support you.â
Huo Jinyao smiled. This smile on his face was rare after his return to Rong City.
He picked up Su Qingsangâs hand and kissed it. When he looked up again, his gaze was very sharp.
âHowever, I donât plan to leave the Huo family.â
Su Qingsang didnât understand. The corners of Huo Jinyaoâs lips curled up slightly with a hint of playfulness.
âWhy should I be the one leaving? The Huo family can only be mine.â
It wasnât that he was greedy for his current position, but if it werenât for that accident, the Huo family would have belonged to Huo Jinkai.
He couldnât care less about who the president of the Tianyu Group was, and he couldnât care less about Huo Mingguangâs attitude towards him.
However, no one should replace Huo Jinkai in taking control of the Huo family and Tianyu Group.
âJinyao, then you ââ
âDonât worry, Iâm fine.â
Since Huo Yifan was feeling smug now, he would simply let him be smug for a few more days. It was just a proposal. He would have a way to make it impossible for him to carry out that proposal.
Su Qingsang didnât respond. She reached out and hugged him again.
It didnât matter whether he stayed in the Huo family or left the Huo family. She would go wherever he was.
As for whether he was the president of the Tianyu Group or not, when she got together with him, didnât she think that he was just a lowly employee?
So, whether he was or not, what did it matter?
âNo matter what you plan to do, Iâll support you.â
Huo Jinyao lowered his head. When he met her clear eyes, he leaned over and kissed her on the lips.
He held her in his arms, and where Su Qingsang couldnât see, his deep eyes were filled with fierceness.
..
When Huo Jinyao entered the coffee shop, he immediately saw Qi Xiwei sitting by the window.
Qi Xiwei sat there with her long hair draped behind her head. She seemed to have become curvier. Her eyes filled with gentleness, she sat there flipping through the magazines on the table.
She hadnât changed much over the years. She still appeared as innocent as ever.
When she saw someone in front of her, she raised her head. When she saw Huo Jinyaoâs face, she smiled gently.
âJinyao, youâre here?â
Huo Jinyao nodded and sat down across from her. Qi Xiwei didnât close the magazine in her hand. Instead, she looked at Huo Jinyao sideways.
âWe havenât seen each other for so many years, but youâre still the same.â
âReally? So are you.â
Speaking of which, he and Qi Xiwei hadnât seen each other for almost eight years.
Qi Xiweiâs lips curved into a smile. âIâm not the same. Iâm old and haggard now.â
âYouâre younger than me. If you say youâre old, doesnât that make me older?â
âItâs different. Women age faster.â Qi Xiweiâs voice seemed to be filled with emotion, but it only lasted for a moment before she quickly changed the topic. âBy the way, what would you like to drink?â
âA latte.â
âYour taste hasnât changed much.â
As Qi Xiwei spoke, she called the waiter over and ordered a latte for Huo Jinyao, while she herself ordered a glass of juice for herself.
âI remember you like to drink Blue Mountain?â
âYes, however, I donât drink coffee now. Iâve already quit coffee.â
Qi Xiwei ordered two more snacks. Then, she put the magazine aside.
âYouâve quit coffee?â Huo Jinyao stared at her face as if he didnât understand. âBy the way, how have you been these past few years?â
âNot bad. I know youâre married. You must be living a pretty happy life, right?â
âYes.â
âThatâs good.â Qi Xiwei smiled sincerely. âI thought youâd be very busy. I didnât expect you to have the time to look for me.â
Huo Jinyao didnât deny it. âIâm indeed very busy, but I have something to ask you.â
As he spoke, he took out the document from his briefcase and pushed it in front of Qi Xiwei.
âThis.â
Qi Xiwei looked at the document and flipped through it. She closed the document and looked at Huo Jinyao in confusion.
âHave you guys started? Isnât this a good proposal?â
âItâs very good.â Huo Jinyao looked at Qi Xiwei and praised her generously. âIf it can be implemented, it will bring huge, long-term benefits to the company.â
âItâs good that it can help you.â
Qi Xiwei smiled, and the smile on her face was very pure. Huo Jinyao looked at her and took back the proposal.
âUnfortunately, this proposal didnât help me.â
âHuh?â Qi Xiwei froze for a moment, as if she didnât quite understand what Huo Jinyao meant. âWhy? Why canât it help you?â
âXiwei, can you tell me why you want to gave me this proposal? If I remember correctly, with your profession and what youâve learned, such a proposal would be very beneficial to you and the company you work for.â
âI know. But now, I donât have the energy to care about that.â
Qi Xiwei bit her lip, and her voice was a little soft. âI myself was very optimistic about such a proposal, but I donât have enough spare energy to continue. In my heart, you are the most suitable candidate. I feel that if I let you carry out such a proposal, you will definitely make the most of it.â
âThank you, Xiwei. Thank you for thinking so highly of me. But the question is, why didnât you come to me to give me this proposal personally?â
Qi Xiwei lowered her head, and she seemed to be a little embarrassed. âI did. I went to Tianyu Group to look for you, but they said that you werenât there. Then, I met your sister-in-law, Su Peizhen. She said that you went to City C and wonât be back anytime soon. So, I gave the document to her and asked her to pass it to you.â
Huo Jinyao pursed his lips into a straight line. He felt a little helpless at Qi Xiweiâs reckless actions. âAre you close to her? Why did you give her such an important thing?â
âNot really. But I knew her when she was in the U.S. I know that sheâs the young madam of Lin Cityâs Li family. I saw the video of your anniversary last time. Sheâs married to your cousin now, so youâre all family.
âThatâs why I gave it to her when she said she could pass it on to you.â
âXiwei...â Huo Jinyao didnât expect that Su Peizhenâs perfect plan came up like this. âI remember that you werenât such a careless person in the past.â
âYeah. I also feel that Iâve changed a lot.â Looking a little uncomfortable, Qi Xiwei smiled. âBut I canât help it. Itâs a special period now. Not only canât I keep up in terms of energy, but sometimes my thoughts also canât keep up either.â
Special period? This time, it was Huo Jinyaoâs turn to be confused. Qi Xiwei smiled. âYeah, Iâm pregnant. So ââ
She didnât finish her sentence. Since she had been sitting and holding a magazine in her hand before, Huo Jinyao didnât notice that aspect.
Because of her words, Huo Jinyao looked down at her abdomen. Only then did he realize that Qi Xiweiâs abdomen had already bulged out, and it indeed looked like she was pregnant.
âJinyao, to be honest with you, ever since I got pregnant, Iâve been in low spirits, and my temper had become volatile. Youâre right. I originally planned to carry out this proposal in my own company, but because of my unstable mood recently, my boss asked me to hand over this proposal to someone else. I was very unhappy and had an argument with my boss over it.â
âAfter the argument, I was angry and annoyed. I didnât want to let my boss off so easily, so I decided to give this proposal to you.â
âI only found out that you were married after I returned to the country. After thinking about it, I couldnât think of any other gift to give you. I had been working on this proposal for a long time, so it is quite substantial and I thought of giving it to you as a wedding gift.â
Qi Xiwei seemed to be a little embarrassed when she said this. âOriginally, I wanted to give this to you personally, but the last time I went to your company to look for you, you werenât there. My low blood pressure was acting up again, and it was your sister-in-law who sent me to the hospital. At that time, the proposal just happened to fall in her car, and later she said that she would give it to you. I happened to be feeling unwell, so naturally I gave it to her.â
She explained the whole process, but didnât understand what was wrong.
âShe didnât give it to you? But then, why do you have it now?â
Huo Jinyao was silent for a few seconds. Qi Xiweiâs expression turned ugly again. âDid I do something wrong? What happened? Tell me.â
âXiwei, can you do me a favor?â
âOf course. You know, Iâm willing to help you with anything.â
She didnât finish her sentence, but Huo Jinyao understood what she meant. Yes, Qi Xiwei was like that. She was always very warm-hearted.
She was like this when she was in school, and she was like this after she left school.
âThank you in advance.â Huo Jinyao didnât say what it was about. He looked at Qi Xiwei with a hint of concern in his eyes. âBy the way, since youâre married, is your husband treating you well?â
âWe broke up.â Qi Xiwei shook her head and didnât want to talk about it anymore. âIâm alone now.â
Huo Jinyao was a little stunned by Qi Xiweiâs nonchalance, and he didnât know what to say because of her indifferent attitude.
âBut, arenât you pregnant now?â
âYes. I know Iâm pregnant.â Qi Xiwei lowered her head as she spoke, and she placed a hand on her abdomen. At that moment, her expression was rather gentle. âI know Iâm pregnant. This is my child. Even if his father doesnât want him, I want him.â
Huo Jinyao was a little surprised that she didnât seem to care. He thought about it and spoke very seriously.
âXiwei, weâre friends. If thereâs anything you need my help with, you must let me know.â
âThank you.â Qi Xiwei smiled at him. âBut, thereâs no need for that now. Iâm fine just the way I am.â
She thought of what Huo Jinyao had said just now. âOh right, you said just now that you need my help with something. May I ask, what is it?â
Huo Jinyaoâs gaze swept across the proposal. There was a flash of malice in his eyes, but he didnât show it in front of Qi Xiwei.
..
When Huo Jinyao entered the company, it was Monday. There was a regular Monday meeting today.
Huo Yifan had already been kicked out and shouldnât have had the right to participate, but because of the recent proposal, he sat in the meeting room again and took a seat inside.
When he saw Huo Jinyao and Yang Wenchang standing together, the corners of his lips curled up slightly, then a flash of smugness and arrogance flashed through his eyes.
Yang Wenchang saw it and his face darkened. He couldnât help but look at Huo Jinyao.
However, Huo Jinyao acted as if nothing had happened. He walked up to the main seat and sat down at the first seat of the conference table.
The main seat belonged to Huo Mingguang. Ever since Huo Jinyao and Huo Mingguang parted on bad terms, Huo Jinyao hadnât gone to look for Huo Mingguang in the past few days.
In any case, he had nothing to say to Huo Mingguang. Both father and son worked at the Tianyu Group every day, but they didnât bump into each other even once.
It must have been ironic.
Soon, Huo Mingguang arrived. It wasnât just him. There was also Huo Mingliang.
The two of them entered the conference room one after the other. They sat down at the head of the table. Huo Mingguang glanced at Huo Jinyao. If he looked carefully, he would notice a flash of guilt in his eyes.
But it was only for a moment. Soon, he looked at the people in front of him. He announced the start of the regular meeting.
There was nothing to hear in the first place. Back and forth, it was just some daily matters of the company and the progress of some big projects.
Huo Jinyao propped up his chin with one hand, as if he was listening to the reports of these people seriously.
From time to time, he would glance at Huo Mingguang. In the past, he wouldnât attend such regular meetings every time.
But today, he was listening especially seriously. When he looked at Huo Mingliang again, the expression on his face was full of pride, and he couldnât hide it.
There was also Huo Yiyang and Huo Manzi, who were sitting next to Huo Yifan. In contrast to the dejected look on Huo Yifanâs face when he was kicked out of Tianyu Group, Huo Yifan looked especially smug at the moment.
Huo Jinyao admired their expressions. He knew that they were smug with themselves. However, it wouldnât last long now.
It would only be until today. After today, he was confident that Huo Yifan wouldnât be able to be smug anymore.
Soon, it was Huo Yifanâs turn to speak. What he wanted to say was about the proposal that he was currently working on.
Huo Mingliangâs eyes lit up when it was Huo Yifanâs turn to speak. He looked at Huo Yifan with pride written all over his face.
He wasnât the only one. Werenât the other Huo siblings the same?
This proposal was indeed very good. Huo Jinyao admitted it. Qi Xiwei looked meek, but she was very capable.
In fact, after she graduated, Huo Jinyao had already thought about letting her join the Tianyu Group.
But Qi Xiwei refused, and she chose to stay in the United States. A few years ago, he had almost no contact with her.
If not for this incident, where he followed the clues given by Yang Wenchang and found out that Huo Yifanâs proposal was actually given to him by Su Peizhen.
And unbeknownst to him, Su Peizhen actually contacted Qi Xiwei. Otherwise, he wouldnât have known that Qi Xiwei returned to the country because her business philosophy and her design philosophy of some new products were different from her bossâs.
She had been back for some time. She wasnât feeling well before, so she stayed at home to recuperate. She also changed the proposal in her hands.
It wasnât until later that she felt that it was perfect and could be put to good use that she then came to look for him. This proposal, which was originally a wedding gift from Qi Xiwei, had unexpectedly fallen into the hands of Su Peizhen.
Heh. Su Peizhen, that woman. He had punished her too lightly previously.
This time, it was just the right time to take care of Huo Yifan and Su Peizhen in one fell swoop.
At this moment, Huo Yifan was speaking with confidence. He was quite confident in the case he was currently working on.
Half of this confidence came from the perfect proposal. The other half was his confidence in his own abilities.
He believed that he would definitely be able to turn things around beautifully this time.
As he thought of this, he couldnât help but look at Huo Jinyao with a smug and provocative expression.
Huo Jinyao acted as if he didnât see it. He lowered his head to look at the time. It should be about time.
The moment he raised his head, the door to the conference room was opened. Zhang Yang walked in front, after he met the people inside, he finally looked at Huo Jinyao.
âPresident Huo?â
The corners of Huo Jinyaoâs lips curled up. Very good, he was here. The show had begun.
Zhang Yangâs sudden appearance made everyone look at him. They also saw the person standing behind him.
Huo Yifanâs expression was filled with dissatisfaction. He was about to continue when he saw Zhang Yang walking in with the person behind him.