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Chapter 34: New Grievances (1)
Children had sensitive minds, and they could feel any emotional changes around them. They were also capable of subtly perceiving whether people around them liked them or not.
Yi Qian felt that Huo Suicheng didn’t like him from the moment he saw him.
He remembered his mother’s words: “When you are in other people’s homes, you must obey their rules. You cannot make trouble just because you are a child, okay? Adults don’t like naughty children.
“If an adult doesn’t like you, it’s because you’re not doing something right and you’re making people angry.”
Therefore, Yi Qian quietly ate his dinner at the table. He ate the two dishes in front of him, never holding out his chopsticks in front of Huo Suicheng.
Even if Huo Suicheng had his favorite steamed pork ribs in front of him.
Noticing that Yi Qian wasn’t eating a lot, Old Master Huo gave him the tender fish belly. “Yi Qian, it’s Grandpa’s house. Don’t be too polite. Eat what you want.”
“Thank you, Grandpa Huo.”
Huo Xiaoxiao saw Huo Suicheng clipping the spare ribs in front of him. Before his chopsticks could touch them, though, Huo Xiaoxiao quickly picked up the ribs and put them in Yi Qian’s bowl.
“Yi Qian, eat some ribs. The ribs made by Aunt are delicious!”
Huo Suicheng’s empty chopsticks then turned to the prawns.
Whoosh—
Before he could reach out, the prawns were also quickly picked up and put into Yi Qian’s bowl by his daughter.
“Yi Qian, the prawns are also very delicious!”
Huo Suicheng raised his eyebrows at Huo Xiaoxiao and turned his chopsticks in the chicken wings’ direction.
Huo Xiaoxiao gallantly gave Yi Qian a chicken wing.
“Yi Qian, let me tell you, this chicken wing is also very delicious. It’s sweet!”
Seeing the dishes in his bowl piling up into a hill, Yi Qian cast a nervous glance at Huo Suicheng before immediately looking away. He awkwardly said, “I have enough. I can’t finish eating all this.”
“Eat slowly. My aunt’s cooking is very delicious.”
Huo Suicheng was finally sure that the little fellow was still angry at him.
Old Master Huo also smiled at Huo Xiaoxiao as she clamped her chopsticks. “You are helping Yi Qian with food, but you haven’t even taken a bite. Are you not hungry?”
Huo Xiaoxiao smiled. “Qianqian is our guest. It’s not easy for him to come over to play every day, so of course, I have to take good care of him.”
“You silly girl, take care of yourself first.”
Huo Suicheng was about to have some soup without batting an eye, but before he could grab the spoon, Huo Xiaoxiao quickly snatched it.
Huo Suicheng raised his eyebrows. “Huo Xiaoxiao.”
Huo Xiaoxiao grabbed the spoon and smiled. “Would you like some soup, Daddy? I’ll serve Daddy soup.”
After speaking, she took the soup bowl next to her. Spoon by spoon, she filled the stewed duck soup in an empty bowl.
It wasn’t until the duck soup filled the empty bowl did she put the spoon aside. She carefully carried the bowl of soup to Huo Suicheng and said to him in a trembling voice.
“Dad, hurry, hurry, hot!”
This bowl of soup was like Huo Xiaoxiao’s love for her father—It was so full that it almost overflowed.
There was even a layer of oily foam on it that should have been skimmed but was not.
Huo Suicheng took the bowl from her hand, causing some of the soup to splash on the back of his hand.
It wasn’t too hot, just oily and visually unpleasant.
Huo Suicheng wasn’t pleased with the soup on his hand. His eyebrows instantly furrowed as he took a tissue to wipe his hand.
“Grandpa, I will also give you a bowl of soup.”
“Grandpa doesn’t need it. You drink it yourself.”
But Old Master Huo’s words didn’t have an effect. Huo Xiaoxiao filled half a bowl and delivered it to her grandfather.
“Yi Qian, do you want some soup?”
“I don’t…” Yi Qian wanted to refuse, but he couldn’t finish his sentence.
“Then I will serve you a bowl.”
Huo Xiaoxiao cheerfully gave him a half-filled bowl. “Eat more and drink more soup so that you can grow fast and tall.”
“…Oh, thanks.”
“You are welcome. Like Grandpa said, treat this as your own home.” After speaking, she looked at Huo Suicheng. “Dad, why aren’t you drinking it?”
Huo Suicheng threw the tissue he used to wipe the back of his hand to one side. Afterward, he brought the bowl of duck soup that represented Huo Xiaoxiao’s love to his daughter and, at the same time, lifted his chopsticks to help pick a dish.
“Eat more and drink more soup so that you can grow fast and tall.”
Huo Xiaoxiao frowned when she saw the bowl of soup and a small mountain of food on her plate.
“You two eat slowly. Don’t waste any food.” Huo Suicheng put down the chopsticks and got up. “Dad, I’m done. Enjoy your meal.”
He then left the dining hall.
Old Master Huo looked at Huo Xiaoxiao in dismay.
Huo Xiaoxiao curled her lips and stuck out her tongue in a silly manner.
After eating, Huo Xiaoxiao lay on the sofa and patted her stuffed small belly.
She remembered that her father had barely eaten two bites at the dinner table. He was probably still hungry.
Her daddy was working hard to make money in the company. But when he came home, he couldn’t even get a decent meal…
Huo Xiaoxiao felt a little disturbed.
‘Let’s starve him for two more minutes. I’ll then bring something for him to eat. Besides, it’s all his fault for forcing me to sign the guarantee!’
She thought angrily.
Huo Suicheng came downstairs, glanced at Huo Xiaoxiao and Yi Qian, who were both sitting on the sofa, and asked, “Done?”
“Yeah.”
“Aunt Zhao, cut the cake I brought and share it with everyone.”
Aunt Zhao responded from the kitchen, “Yes, sir. Right away.”
The cake Huo Suicheng brought was customized, specially made for children. The appearance looked lovely, and it was surrounded by cream and chocolate. The top was sprinkled with stars made of white chocolate, and there was also a little girl in a skirt with a crown.
Aunt Zhao cut the cake and divided it into several even pieces. The little girl in the skirt was given to Huo Xiaoxiao.
Normally, Huo Xiaoxiao could eat two pieces of cake after she finished her meal, but today, she really had too much. The soup’s taste was still stuck in her throat. Although she wanted to taste the cake, she couldn’t eat anymore.
Huo Suicheng placed the cake in front of her. “Daddy bought it for you, especially. Eat it.”
Huo Xiaoxiao’s guilt instantly disappeared.
This was deliberate!
After the meal, her belly had bulged into a ball, yet here he was deliberately giving her cake.
How could she eat it!
Then, another piece of cake was delivered to Yi Qian.
Yi Qian hiccupped in a small voice. “Thank you, Uncle, but I… I can’t eat it anymore.”
Old Master Huo came over, saw the cake slice, and frowned. “Why did you cut the cake just after dinner?”
Huo Xiaoxiao also nodded. “I also can’t eat anymore.”
“Really can’t eat anymore?”
“Yep. Can’t eat.”
“Well then.” Huo Suicheng took Huo Xiaoxiao’s slice and said, “Aunt Zhao, Xioaxiao’s done eating. The cake won’t last long, so share the cake with everyone in the house.”
“Eh, well, I will do it now.”
The Huo mansion had more than a dozen servants, including the drivers and bodyguards, so dividing the cake into slices would be more than enough.
Huo Xiaoxiao was so anxious that she jumped to her feet.
She had been suffering from tooth decay for about half a month because of eating candy and was later banned from eating sweets. It had been more than half a year since she last had cake, food with high sugar content.
She finally had a chance to have some, but now it would be shared with others?
If she couldn’t eat it now, shouldn’t he put it aside first? He could give it to her later when she was able to eat.
Couldn’t he keep a piece for her!
“Auntie.” Huo Xiaoxiao stood beside Aunt Zhao, looking at her eagerly.
“Do you want to eat some more?”
“Can’t eat it, but… can Auntie leave me a piece?”
“Okay, I will save one for you and Yi Qian.”
Huo Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Auntie!”
Aunt Zhao was still good to her.
After the cake was divided, only the cake box was left.
Huo Xiaoxiao whispered in Yi Qian’s ear, “My aunt left a portion for us. We can eat it at night.”
As soon as Huo Xiaoxiao finished speaking, she saw Huo Suicheng come out from the kitchen with a piece of cake. She vividly remembered that she had asked Aunt Zhao to save the little stars on that cake for her.
Huo Xiaoxiao was surprised and rushed into the kitchen to check.
Sure enough, the cake she asked Aunt Zhao to leave for her was gone.
“Daddy! Auntie left it for me!”
Huo Suicheng didn’t care. “The cake can’t be kept for a long time, or it will give you a stomach ache. If you can’t eat it now, Daddy will help you finish it.”
He even scooped a spoonful in front of Huo Xiaoxiao and put it in his mouth. “It’s so sweet.”
Huo Xiaoxiao looked at Huo Suicheng with a sullen face. Thinking about what her dad just did, when did he become so good?
Eating a child’s cake, he had a really thick face!
Did he really think that she was born yesterday?
‘It’s just a piece of cake; what’s the big deal? Don’t eat it if you don’t want to.’
“Huo Xiaoxiao, do you want to eat cake?” Yi Qian asked.
Huo Xiaoxiao got furious at the mere mention of it. However, she also longed for the cake. “I want to! I haven’t had one in a long time, but I’ve had too much to eat at night.”
“Then next time I invite you to my house, I will buy you a big cake.”
“Really?”
“Really, if you come, I will buy it for you.”
“Well, next time, I’ll come to your house.”
As the saying went, it was never too late for a gentleman to take revenge.
But Huo Xiaoxiao wanted to settle accounts right now!
The “old grudge” of last night was still there, yet today a “new grudge” had piled on top of it.
So unbearable! She quietly pulled Yi Qian into her father’s study.
She remembered yesterday that after her father forced her to press her fingerprint, he had put the guarantee letter in his desk drawer.
While her dad was away, she had to show her grandfather what kind of things her daddy was forcing her to sign!
“Huo Xiaoxiao, what are we doing here?”
Huo Xiaoxiao looked back at Yi Qian and said in a serious tone, “Yi Qian, don’t call me Huo Xiaoxiao in the future. Just call me Xiaoxiao.”
“Why?”
“My daddy calls me Huo Xiaoxiao; are you my daddy?”
Yi Qian gave a puzzled “oh”. “Is this your daddy’s study? What are we doing here?”
“I drew something yesterday and put it in his desk drawer. I’m just going to get it. Will you stand watch for me?”
Yi Qian never dared to touch anything in his father’s study, and looking at Uncle Huo, he didn’t seem like a gentle father. If he touched his things, would he…
" "
He hesitated.
“Can you help me?”
Hearing Huo Xiaoxiao’s plea, Yi Qian frowned, gritted his teeth, and nodded. “Okay.”
The two hit it off right away.
While Yi Qian was watching the door, Huo Xiaoxiao climbed onto her father’s chair with great effort. She stepped on the chair, only to find that it was a bit far from the desk. She jumped down and pushed the chair forward.
But the chair was too heavy, and she couldn’t move it alone.
“Yi Qian, help me push the chair.”
Yi Qian ran over, and together with Huo Xiao Xiao, they moved the chair forward with all their might.
Seeing that the distance was almost closed, Huo Xiaoxiao let Yi Qian go back as the look-out, climbed onto the chair, and opened the drawer.
However, a document placed in the drawer attracted Huo Xiaoxiao’s attention. The words “ANZ Project” were written on the cover.
ANZ Project?
It felt a bit familiar, as if she had seen it before.
Wait a minute…
Huo Xiaoxiao suddenly remembered a turning point in Huo Suicheng’s career that had happened in her dream.
Because the Luming Mountain Project was delayed, Huo Suicheng took the risk and bought some tomb robbers to excavate the ancient tomb in advance, but the matter was exposed by someone with bad intentions. Although there was no direct evidence to prove that Huo Suicheng was the instigator of this incident, the Huo Group suffered numerous losses and damage to its reputation.
In order to recoup his losses, Huo Suicheng worked with another company on the ANZ project.
As a result, the investment failed, and he lost his money. The Huo Group’s vitality was severely injured. If Huo Suicheng hadn’t given up on the subsidiary companies, the Huo Group might have gone bankrupt.
Still, this also laid the groundwork for the Huo Group’s subsequent bankruptcy.
Huo Xiaoxiao looked at this document and suddenly sensed the imminent crisis.
This wouldn’t do. Her dad must not touch this project.
Fortunately, she had come here for the guarantee today; otherwise, she wouldn’t have known that her dad had even considered this project in advance.
It seemed that the suspension of the Luming Mountain project had made him restless.
How could this work?
To do great things, how could he be so running out of patience!
Huo Xiaoxiao glanced around and saw the ink on the desk.
With one eye closed, she brought the ink over, twisted the cap off, and poured the full bottle into the drawer.
The black ink seeped into the papers, gradually soaking all the files in the drawer.
She knew that destroying one document alone was nothing. She would have to find another way to get him to abandon the project.
But now…
Thud! Thud!
Huo Xiaoxiao was panicked, as if she saw her father standing in front of her with a belt.