Huo Zhinan was furious with Huo Yuchen's words and scolded angrily, "You unfilial son, you are becoming more and more outrageous, daring to speak to your father like this."
Huo Yuchen didn't even give him a glance, completely ignoring him.
Huo Zhinan continued angrily, "No matter what your relationship is with that waitress, you'd better break it off as soon as possible. The Huo family will not tolerate such a lowly woman."
A terrifying aura radiated from Huo Yuchen, and his gaze towards Huo Zhinan was icy cold. "Since you look down on lowly women so much, why did you marry a lowly woman as your wife back then?"
Huo Yuchen thought of his own mother, and looked at Huo Zhinan with hatred in his eyes.
He would never forget that day.
It was a rainy night. His mother witnessed with her own eyes the man she loved most rolling in the sheets with her best friend right before her. In despair, she drove her car into the sea that very night. He couldn't imagine how desperate his mother must have been to make that choice.
He was only five years old at that time. When he learned about what happened to his mother, confused, the first thing he did was to find this man to save her. But the man was indifferent, and even cursed that it would be best if his mother died out there. He never expected the man to say such words with such coldness in his tone.
After pleading fruitlessly, he ran out of the villa alone in the heavy rain, to the seaside. The rescue team was no longer there. Other than the turbulent sea water lapping at the shore, he saw nothing. He knelt there shouting "Mom, mom," but heard no reply. He stayed by the seaside for a night before his grandfather found him passed out. He then became seriously ill.
From that time on, his personality changed drastically, becoming cold and ruthless. He also came to completely hate this father of his.
Later, when that woman moved in, he took the initiative to move to the main house to live with his grandfather. He stayed there for over a decade, never receiving the slightest care from his father, who didn't even show concern for his younger brother with a congenital heart disease studying abroad.
The only thing giving him solace was that his mother was still alive. She had come back to find him and asked to take him away from Beijing, but he chose to stay for his grandfather.
It was then that he learned that when his mother drove into the sea, the strong impact to her head restored her memories.
She was not an orphan, but the daughter of the Tang family in Yuncheng. Due to an accident during a trip, she lost her memories and ended up wandering outside, where she was taken in by his biological father. They fell in love, married, and had children.
The Tang family of Yuncheng was also a prestigious household, with a much higher status than the Zhou family. If his father knew the origins of the woman he once looked down upon, would he regret it to death?
Of course, only he and his younger brother knew that his mother was still alive. All the Huo family believed she was already dead.
"Don't mention that woman in front of me." At the mention of Tang Wanrou, Huo Zhinan was furious. He had loved her deeply too. But what did she do? She actually betrayed him.
Huo Yuchen sneered coldly, "What's wrong? Can't even mention her, feeling guilty and afraid of nightmares at night?"
Huo Zhinan scolded, "You are becoming more and more undisciplined. Don't forget that I am your father."
Ever since Huo Zhinan found out about Tang Wanrou's betrayal, he disliked this son and seldom disciplined him. He didn't expect him to become like this, with not a trace of respect for his father in his eyes. In over a decade, he had rarely heard him address him as "Father". Even when seeing him, it was as if seeing an enemy.
Huo Yuchen sneered coldly and said sarcastically, "Father? Heh, do you even deserve to be called that? My father died over a decade ago."
"You unfilial scoundrel!" Huo Zhinan picked up an object from the table and threw it at Huo Yuchen.
"Stop!" The old master's voice came from the direction of the stairs.
Seeing the old master, Huo Zhinan started tattling, "Dad, look at what Yuchen is doing. You must discipline him properly. He is becoming more and more out of control, sleeping with women and causing a scandal online, utterly humiliating the Huo family."
"What's wrong with what he did? Was it more humiliating than what you did back then?" The old master didn't bother leaving any face for Huo Zhinan.
Not long after Tang Wanrou's incident, Zhou Lushui moved into the Huo residence. Many in their social circle knew about this. They mocked the Huo family openly and discreetly for its fickleness and lack of brotherhood, taking in the mistress before the end of the bereavement period for the deceased wife. Because of this, Huo Group's stock plunged continuously for several days. If not for the Huo family's solid foundation, Huo Group might have ceased to exist.
Huo Zhinan's expression became extremely ugly, unable to refute the old master's words. He had nothing to say.
Only then did the old master address Huo Yuchen, "Come up, Yuchen."
"Yes, grandfather."
In the study, the old master looked at Huo Yuchen and asked, "Is it true what the news said? You really spent the night with a waitress?"
"Yes." Huo Yuchen nodded. Although nothing happened between them, spending the night together was a fact.
Seeing Huo Yuchen admit it, although feeling uncomfortable, the old master also verified something—that his grandson was attracted to women and had no issues with sexual orientation. Over the years, not a single woman was by his side. He spent all his time with a bunch of men. The old master had started to suspect he had problems with his orientation!
It was just a pity that she was a waitress with no background.
The old master then said, "I don't care how you fool around outside, but when it starts affecting the company's interests, I have to step in. Tell me, how do you plan to resolve this?"
Although the news was only online for a brief few minutes, it still impacted the company's stock.
"I'll handle it," Huo Yuchen replied lightly, as if it were a trivial matter not worth mentioning.
The old master's face immediately sagged. "Whether you have time or not, you must make time for this. What could be more important than a lifetime event?"
As the old master spoke, his eyes were full of disdain. Many of his veteran friends already had great-grandchildren, yet he hadn't even seen his grandson's bride.
Huo Yuchen only felt his head was about to split. This was why he didn't like coming back to the old residence. Over the years, his family didn't let up at all. Each time he came back, he couldn't escape the arranged matchmaking. It seemed he had to find a way to end this endless matchmaking.
Just then, Li Cuilian rushed in anxiously.
"Dad, please save Xuan. The police took him away!"
Puzzled, the old master asked, "What happened?"
Li Cuilian, sobbing, said, "I don't know the details either. The police only said Xuan was reported for using drugs. How could Xuan possibly use drugs? He must have been framed. Dad, please save him!"
Huo Yuchen maintained his composure and walked out of the study.
Downstairs, Huo Zhinan had not left. Seeing Huo Yuchen come down, he walked over to him.
His attitude was much better than before. "Yuchen, don't take what Dad said just now to heart. I was too agitated."
Huo Yuchen was not appreciative at all, still wearing an icy expression. "Anything else?"
Seeing Huo Yuchen's impatient manner, Huo Zhinan dispensed with the pleasantries and got straight to the point. "It's like this. Your Aunt Zhou's niece just graduated from university this year. She's beautiful, studiou..."
"Heh!"
Before Huo Zhinan could finish, he heard Huo Yuchen snort derisively, full of mockery. Faced with that mocking gaze, Huo Zhinan couldn't continue.
Huo Zhinan frowned, "What are you laughing at?"
“What’s the point of telling me all this? Whether you want to be a sugar daddy or take another wife, you don’t need to discuss it with me,” Huo Yuchen deliberately misconstrued his meaning.
Huo Zhinan had just suppressed his anger, and now it surged up again. This son had the gift of saying things that could infuriate people.
"You don't have to meet women for matchmaking if you don't want to. Just find someone you like. I only have one requirement - she must be from an equal social status. If you bring home a woman with no background, I will not agree to it," Huo Zhinan warned.
Ever since being betrayed by that woman Tang Wanrou, he had no good feelings, even aversion, toward women without background.
"You have no right." Huo Zhinan's words disgusted Huo Yuchen to the utmost.
Without waiting for Huo Zhinan to speak, he turned and left.
He didn't want him to marry a woman of equal status? Then he would deliberately go against his wishes. He took out his phone and called Liu Yang, "Help me with something."
