Chapter 781: I Won't Indulge You

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Ignoring Huo Jing, Hu Jie stormed into her uncle’s house, her anger palpable. With her entrance, the security guard’s attempts to stop her were rendered futile.

Huo Jing, taking advantage of the situation, followed her in with an air of nonchalance. The guard, deflated, made no further attempts to intervene.

The two of them entered, one after the other.

In the grand hall, a middle-aged man in his fifties emerged. His hair was slightly grey, and he was dressed in a Zhongshan suit. In his hands, he held two polished walnuts, their sheen reflecting the room’s light. He spoke with a strong, healthy voice, showing no signs of illness. “Little Jie is here. Go to the back and have some pastries and tea, rest a bit.”

Hu Jie nodded, and despite her resentment towards the old man, she respectfully called out, “Uncle,” before heading to the back as instructed.

Huo Jing stepped forward, offering a military salute before following the elder to a seating area. As soon as the elder sat down, he began to admonish Huo Jing as if he were his future son-in-law. “Look at you, not even bothering to dress up. No wonder my niece Hu Jie doesn’t want to see you.”

Huo Jing, nonchalant as ever, took a deep breath before responding, “This is how I am. If I were to dress up now and she found out later, she’d accuse me of dishonesty. It’s better for her to accept me as I am now. It’s all about mutual consent.

“But, elder, I didn’t come here today for this. I came for Su Shen. He wants to officially retire, and you owe him an explanation. How can you keep avoiding him? As far as I know, Su’s family, his wife, and three children are waiting for him.”

The elder, aware of Huo Jing’s straightforwardness, had prepared a response. Casually twirling the walnuts in his hand, he replied, “Su Shen is my best soldier. How could I possibly harm him?

“But he must complete his assigned tasks before we can discuss retirement. As for his wife and children, they should stay at home. If they run away, it only proves that the woman isn’t worth Su Shen’s sacrifice. Isn’t that a good thing? Are you so eager for Su Shen to retire?”

Huo Jing cursed inwardly at the elder’s audacity. He chuckled and retorted, “Elder, don’t just say nice things. Besides, if you deliberately keep him here, be careful not to push Su Shen too far. It might not end well. Don’t forget, he’s not just your soldier. He’s also the former God of War, personally trained by General Hu.”

Upon hearing the name of Teacher Hu, the old leader’s brow furrowed slightly, but quickly returned to its usual state. “You young man,” he began, “You know that I’ve always been at odds with Hu Jie’s damned father, and you’re deliberately bringing him up to provoke me, aren’t you? You’re still young and full of vigor, but that’s good. Young people should be full of spirit.”

He paused, then continued, “But let’s leave it at that. Since you’re here and you’ve run into my niece, you should at least offer her a ride home, shouldn’t you? Someone, please bring the young lady out.”

Hu Jie emerged from the back, her face pale. It was clear that her uncle was trying to arrange another marriage for her. She didn’t dare to refuse directly. Without her father, her mother’s family was her only support. She couldn’t afford to offend her uncle. But the more she thought about it, the more upset she became.

After she and Huo Jing left the house, she immediately put some distance between them. “I have a car. I don’t need you to drive me.”

Huo Jing was disdainful. “You should have said you didn’t want a ride earlier. You were like a quail in front of the old man, but now you’re acting tough.” He lit a cigarette and deliberately blew out a puff of smoke. “If you don’t want to ride in my car, then don’t. I’m not going to accommodate you. But I’ll have to call your uncle and explain that it’s not my fault I’m not driving you.”

Hu Jie took a few steps away, but turned back when she heard his words. Her beautiful eyes stared at him. “What call? You’re not allowed to call.”

Huo Jing leaned against the hood of the car, smirking. “What I do is none of your business, Miss. You’re the daughter of the Hu family, not the Huo family. I’m not going to indulge you.”

Hu Jie was furious. “Huo Jing, can’t you show a little gentlemanly demeanor? I don’t know what my mother and the others were thinking when they chose you.”

Huo Jing didn’t back down. “I don’t know why I’m so unlucky to have met someone like you. You’re not happy, but you don’t dare to rebel against your family. And you’re still trying to boss me around. If I’m not a gentleman, you should look for the reason in yourself. I’m leaving.”