Chapter Six: Huo Shancheng's Calculating Mind

After returning home, Lin Hui spotted Huo Shancheng from afar, who was playing with the child. Her body froze for a moment, but she said nothing and lowered her head as she walked over, placing the bamboo basket on the ground before heading to the vegetable garden to pick some greens for dinner.

Huo Shancheng wore a brown leather jacket with sunglasses perched on his head. Holding their son, Huo Qian, he wore a broad smile.

Turning to see Lin Hui, he spoke lazily, “I saw Ruan Tang taking that loser Huo Qingqing to a restaurant. They ordered quite a few dishes, nearly ten yuan altogether.”

Lin Hui hesitated briefly on her way to the garden but then continued toward it.

Watching the quiet yet virtuous Lin Hui, Huo Shancheng felt a strange satisfaction thinking of Ruan Tang’s reckless ways.

A woman like Ruan Tang, so wasteful, deserved a harsh lesson to teach her to behave and stay home as a good wife.

Thankfully, Lin Hui was not like Ruan Tang, or he would have beaten her with a stick long ago.

Indifferently thinking this, he watched Lin Hui come out of the garden. Setting down Huo Qian, who was sucking on a lollipop, he put on what he thought was a charming smile and stepped forward to take the basket from Lin Hui’s hands with magnanimity. “Let’s cook more dishes today and kill a chicken to help you regain your strength.”

Lin Hui’s momentarily relaxed expression turned numb. Clenching her palms, she snatched the basket back and softly said, “Alright, you take the child inside.”

Lin Hui’s silent, uncomplaining demeanor pleased Huo Shancheng greatly. He had intended to reward her with a kiss, but after a day’s work, her face was oily and dusty, which disgusted him and stopped his hand.

Feeling a bit contemptuous and nauseated, he bent over awkwardly, frozen in place.

Lin Hui frowned at his hesitation and nudged him, urging, “Qian’er hasn’t finished his pinyin practice today. You should teach him.”

Suppressing his revulsion, Huo Shancheng pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded, “Okay.”

Then he took Huo Qian into the inner room.

Huo Shancheng’s parents had gone out to listen to the radio and had not returned yet, so only the two younger children, Huo Ji and Huo Bumu, were studying at home.

After finishing picking vegetables, Lin Hui also went inside. She hadn’t killed the chicken because Huo’s mother had just instructed that no chickens were to be killed for a few days, so naturally, she obeyed.

Thinking about Huo Shancheng’s earlier words and Ruan Tang’s confident demeanor, she felt uneasy.

Lowering her eyes while tidying the stove, she took out a bucket to fetch water and said, “I saw Ruan Tang bought quite a few things home. She also said Yan Xiu would be returning in a couple of days, and they might gather at the old house.”

Huo Shancheng, who was annoyed while teaching Huo Qian pinyin, immediately stood up and left without looking back, only saying, “I’ll go ask.”

Lin Hui said nothing but watched the direction Huo Shancheng left, her gaze deep and inscrutable.

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After Ruan Tang returned home, Ku Ku finished moving the belongings and warned Huo Qingqing not to open the door to strangers before leaving with a borrowed basket.

She thought it best to return the basket quickly to avoid any trouble tomorrow.

After Ruan Tang left, Huo Qingqing opened a box and looked at the watch inside. Its exquisite design and dazzling diamonds captivated her.

She couldn’t help but stroke it gently, a mysterious and strange feeling filling her small heart with comfort and relaxation.

She indulged in that feeling for a while.

Suddenly, the sound of knocking shattered her reverie.

Snapping back to reality, Huo Qingqing frowned, set the box aside, climbed down from the stool, and went to open the door.

Halfway there, she remembered Ruan Tang’s warning and paused. Then, with a serious expression but a playful tone, she asked, “Who’s there?”

Outside stood Huo Shancheng, arriving in haste.

His somewhat murky eyes showed surprise. Hearing the voice of Huo Qingqing, the “loser,” he immediately thought Ruan Tang was probably not home; otherwise, it would have been that greedy woman opening the door.

Smiling to himself, Huo Shancheng straightened his newly bought brown leather jacket, removed his sunglasses to hang them in the jacket pocket, and put on a deliberately gentle expression on his weathered face, which looked oddly out of place.

He said with a smile, “Qingqing, it’s your uncle. Open the door quickly.”

He had been shocked and displeased to see Ruan Tang taking Huo Qingqing to a restaurant earlier. Then Lin Hui mentioned Ruan Tang’s shopping spree and Yan Xiu’s imminent return, making him restless.

Yan Xiu had made a lot of money?

He found it strange that Ruan Tang dared to flaunt buying so many things.

A dark glint flickered in Huo Shancheng’s eyes. To ruin Yan Xiu, he had even used connections to report him for improper conduct and loose living.

But unexpectedly, Yan Xiu was fine and had even gained a lot of money.

He looked up at the red-brick house Yan Xiu had built a year ago, with white walls, red tiles, a vermilion gate, and green steps.

He should have destroyed Yan Xiu when the family was dividing up!

Why was Yan Xiu living so gloriously now, while he had fallen so low?

Taking a deep breath, Huo Shancheng patiently waited for a reply from inside.

Inside, upon hearing it was her uncle, Huo Qingqing wrinkled her pretty nose with cold eyes, said nothing, and turned back to the inner room.

She wouldn’t open the door for anyone except her father.

Outside, Huo Shancheng waited for a quarter of an hour with no response. His face darkened, and after calling Qingqing’s name a few times with no answer, he thought of her as an ungrateful person who never liked to cooperate.

His expression turned grim. He glanced at the high wall of Yan Xiu’s house. Although tall, it wasn’t impossible to climb.

Looking around, he saw the neighboring wall was low, just enough to use as a stepping stone to get into Yan Xiu’s house. Without hesitation, he entered the neighboring yard and climbed over.

Landing, he dusted off his clothes, his face sullen, and strode toward the inner room.

Inside, he saw Huo Qingqing playing with a diamond-studded Rolex watch, and his eyes went wide with astonishment.

A diamond Rolex!

His breathing quickened, his heart pounding fiercely as blood surged through his body.

Without hesitation, he snatched the watch from her, ignoring Huo Qingqing’s startled and angry look, and put it on his own wrist.

Huo Qingqing shouted angrily, “That was mom’s gift to dad! Give it back!”

Huo Shancheng scoffed and pushed her down with a disdainful slap. “I’m borrowing it for a couple of days. Your mom won’t mind.”

The slap was hard, and as Huo Qingqing fell, her palms and knees were scraped, and blood immediately welled up.

She gasped in pain but her eyes and heart were fixed on the watch. Angry and upset, tears blurred her vision. Warm moisture rose to her nose, and suddenly she burst into tears.

“Wah—Dad! Aunt Ruan! Someone’s bullying Qingqing!”