When Su Ningxi came back, she did not see Huo Yuchen around. She only saw Wang Ma busy in the kitchen.
Seeing Su Ningxi come in, Wang Ma asked, "Madam is back. Have you eaten? If not, I'll go cook something."
"I've eaten. No need to trouble you," Su Ningxi said as she looked around.
Seeing Su Ningxi looking around, Wang Ma knew she was looking for Huo Yuchen. "Madam is looking for the young master? The young master went out after eating."
Went out? It's past 10pm and he still went out. Looks like his nightlife is quite rich. But it's better that he's not around. Otherwise I would feel very awkward facing that ice block face of his.
At this moment, Huo Yuchen was surrounded by a few brothers. Ye Chengfeng was the most impatient. He asked, "Yuchen, isn't this too unconscionable? Something as big as getting married and you didn't even notify us."
Huo Yuchen just sat there looking nonchalant. "I didn't notify you guys, but you still found out anyway."
Ye Chengfeng...
"How can it be the same? If we didn't see it online, were you not even going to tell us at all?"
Huo Yuchen said, "I never answer meaningless hypothetical questions."
Ye Chengfeng felt like he wanted to shut himself in. He picked up a glass of wine on the table and downed it in one go. Looking at Ling Yun, he complained, "Look at him. It's impossible to chat with him today. I'm talked to death by him."
Ling Yun took one last puff of his cigarette, pressed the butt in the ashtray, and looked at Huo Yuchen. "Is angering your father worth sacrificing your own marriage for?"
Ye Chengfeng was shocked, as if he had heard something outrageous. "What? You're saying he got married just to piss off Uncle Huo?"
Ling Yun glanced at him. "Isn't it obvious? Why else would he marry a girl with no family background, no education, and average looks?"
After hearing Ling Yun's explanation, Ye Chengfeng felt enlightened. "I see! How could he marry a waitress rumored to be not very pretty? Turns out she's just a prop!"
Then he looked at Huo Yuchen again. "Yuchen, when are you going to bring your wife out to meet us?"
Huo Yuchen said indifferently, "Nothing worth seeing."
At this moment, Huo Yuchen's phone rang. "Hello?"
After hearing something from the other end, he only said one sentence, "I'll go over now."
After hanging up, he told the two people, "Something else came up. I have to go first."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Ye Chengfeng shouted at Huo Yuchen's back, "Leaving just like that when we haven't even started drinking yet!"
What answered him was the sound of the door closing.
"Forget about drinking. Let's drink, just us two," Ye Chengfeng said, raising his glass, wanting to drink with Ling Yun.
Ling Yun put on his coat and stood up. "I should get going too. You drink by yourself!"
"No way! Why do I feel like you guys are all busy people and I'm the only free one. It'd be great if Yi Ran was here."
Ever since he was banished by Yuchen, they hadn't had any contact. He didn't even know which godforsaken place Yuchen had banished Yi Ran to, some place with no signals at all.
"Forget about it. He won't be back for at least a year or two. I'm leaving first. We'll drink to our hearts' content next time." Ling Yun patted him on the shoulder.
***
At the airport.
A man looking about 90% similar to Huo Yuchen walked out, wearing a beige coat. Following behind him was a medical team. He was Huo Yuchen's twin brother, Huo Yuheng.
Although he looked very similar to Huo Yuchen, the two could still be easily distinguished. Huo Yuchen had a more piercing gaze while Huo Yuheng's eyes contained a hint of melancholy.
"Brother," Huo Yuheng waved at Huo Yuchen.
Huo Yuchen nodded. "You came alone? Wasn't Chen seeing you off?"
Huo Yuheng explained, "He went to the washroom."
"I'm here!" Right on cue, a person with a small braid, wearing flashy clothes, came running over. He had fair skin. Coupled with his behavior and attire, at first glance, one might mistake him for a woman. He was Tang Chen, Huo Yuchen's cousin, and son of Huo Yuchen's uncle.
At the same time, he was also Huo Yuheng's personal doctor. Having learned medical skills from his father, he had become a prominent figure in the medical community despite his young age, having won numerous awards for his academic research. He had been with Huo Yuheng every step of the way, caring for him during his heart surgery and post-op recovery.
He ran straight for Huo Yuchen, wanting to go in for a big hug. Seeing his questionable outfit, Huo Yuchen looked at him in disgust. He dodged to the side and Tang Chen nearly faceplanted from momentum.
After steadying himself, Tang Chen saw people looking their way. He tidied his clothes and smiled apologetically at the people around them. Pointing at Huo Yuchen, he said, "Party pooper."
"Let's go," said Huo Yuchen. He and Huo Yuheng walked several steps forward. Huo Yuchen looked back at Tang Chen.
Tang Chen immediately followed behind them.
Huo Yuchen instructed the driver up front, "Drive back to the villa."
"Brother, I think I should still live in my old villa. You just got married. It would be inconvenient for us to live together," said Huo Yuheng.
Huo Yuchen said, "There's no inconvenience. I wouldn't feel assured with you living alone."
Huo Yuheng had a congenital heart condition. No matter what, Huo Yuchen wouldn't allow him to live alone.
Tang Chen chimed in, "I think big brother is right. We should just live with big brother! We can keep each other company."
Huo Yuheng didn't say anything more, just nodded.
Tang Chen had a smug look on his face. His purpose for coming this time was not only to send Huo Yuheng back, but he also had an arduous mission. He had been worried Huo Yuchen would just say "Fine" and it would all be for naught.
Fortunately, everything was going as he wished.
By the time they returned, it was already early morning and Su Ningxi had fallen asleep.
The next morning when Su Ningxi came downstairs for breakfast, she discovered two additional men at the dining table.
When Tang Chen saw Su Ningxi come down, he glanced over without much thought, assuming she was just a servant.
Seeing Su Ningxi still wearing the same outfit, Huo Yuchen's mouth twitched. What kind of styling was she wearing? A large red coat paired with a green skirt. Under the skirt were black stockings. Everything was cheap street stall stuff. Along with a outdated hairstyle, it was simply an assault on the eyes. If he remembered correctly, he had arranged for new clothes to be delivered to her. Looks like she was too used to dressing poorly to be able to wear designer brands.
"Come over," he commanded arrogantly.
Hearing this, Tang Chen and Huo Yuheng looked in the direction Huo Yuchen was gazing at. They saw a very shabbily dressed and ugly woman walking towards them.
Just as they were full of questions, they heard Huo Yuchen's indifferent introduction, "This is your sister-in-law."
"Cough... cough..." Tang Chen choked in shock upon hearing Huo Yuchen's words.
Thinking something was wrong with his ears, he asked again, "Who did you say she is?"
Huo Yuheng also had a look of disbelief on his face, seemingly unable to accept that the woman before him would be his sister-in-law.
Seeing that the two had yet to react, Su Ningxi smiled and greeted them first, "Hello, brothers!"
Since Huo Yuchen told them to call her sister-in-law, they must be his younger brothers. She just didn't expect him to have two more younger brothers, one of whom even resembled him quite a bit.
Huo Yuheng ignored her. He looked very unhappy, clearly dissatisfied with Su Ningxi as his sister-in-law. In his heart, his brother deserved to have the best woman in the world.
Unlike Huo Yuheng, Tang Chen didn't overthink things. Ever the social butterfly, he introduced himself, "Sister-in-law, I'm Tang Chen. You can call me Chen."
Su Ningxi cooperatively called him, "Chen."
She then went over to the dining chair beside Huo Yuchen that a servant had pulled out for her and sat down.
Tang Chen whispered to Huo Yuchen, "Your wife seems a little silly!"
Huo Yuchen glared at him in irritation. He could say his own wife was no good but others could not.
Huo Yuchen pointed at Huo Yuheng across from him and introduced, "This is my twin brother, Huo Yuheng."
Looking at the clearly unhappy Huo Yuheng, Su Ningxi still greeted him, "Hello."
Huo Yuheng ignored her. Su Ningxi didn't feel awkward. She just smiled and said, "Is brother in a bad mood? You look unhappy."
Huo Yuheng reacted to the word "brother". He glared at Su Ningxi. "Who's your brother?"
Su Ningxi was so creeped out by this "little brother" that Huo Yuheng called him. He and Huo Yuchen were twins, born just one minute apart, and this woman was a good seven or eight years younger than them according to his knowledge.
Being called "little brother" by a woman seven or eight years his junior really rubbed him the wrong way. How could he not be annoyed by this?
Su Ningxi was quite calm. "Then I'll call you Ah Heng as well. You can't possibly expect me to call you big brother!"
Huo Yuheng...
He was rendered speechless.
During the meal, Tang Chen's eyes kept shifting between the two. He just didn't understand what his brother saw in this woman - she seemed completely unsuitable in his eyes.
Su Ningxi knew he was watching her, but she was completely unaffected since she had thick skin.
On the other hand, Huo Yuchen's brows furrowed as he shot Tang Chen a warning glance.
Only then did Tang Chen restrain himself a little.
Right after, he picked up his phone again and sneakily snapped a picture of the two.
Sensing something was off, Su Ningxi asked, "What are you doing?"
Tang Chen was completely shameless about taking pictures of others without consent. He retorted in a matter-of-fact tone, "Doing nothing! What's up?"
Su Ningxi shook her head. Her instincts told her this man was up to no good, but she had no evidence.
