The production team gained popularity, and Huo Xiaozheng had the public relations department clearly expose the entanglement between Ningning and her mother.
In an instant, the internet was flooded with support for Huo Guining.
Meanwhile, Huo Xiaozheng officially held a press conference.
He hoped that various media outlets would not over-interpret his daughter's experiences.
Official media also used Huo Guining's case to propose amendments to laws and regulations on child abuse.
From this point on, one-sided news about Ningning sending her birth mother to prison would no longer appear on the internet.
In Huo Xiaozheng's office.
Huo Guining shifted her gaze from the tablet screen to Huo Xiaozheng behind the desk.
"Dad, did you specially take me to that parent-child reality show for my sake?"
Huo Xiaozheng looked up from his documents, pondered for a moment before saying, "If I say yes, would it burden you psychologically?"
Huo Guining shook her head and frankly said, "No burden, just gratitude. Thank you for doing this for me."
Huo Xiaozheng gave a short laugh.
"This is what a father should do. You don't need to say thank you."
"You were originally such a kind child. I just found an opportunity to let everyone understand your goodness."
Huo Guining smiled sweetly.
Given the show's unprecedented high ratings, the production team extended an invitation for the Huo father and daughter to become regular participants.
After asking Huo Guining's opinion, Huo Xiaozheng decisively refused.
In June, Huo Yueze took part in the high school entrance examination.
It was very hot on the day of the exam. Although Huo Yueze had told his family not to wait for him at the school gate, Huo Guining still chose to wait eagerly at the gate, acting as Huo Yueze's guardian.
Initially, Huo Xiaozheng didn't agree with her spending the whole day waiting for Huo Yueze to finish his exam.
The weather was so hot, and sitting in the car all day wasn't good for her health.
Moreover, with the crowd coming and going, it would be easy for a stampede to occur.
After much persuasion, Huo Guining finally got Huo Xiaozheng to agree to wait for Huo Yueze to come home on the day the exam ended.
Huo Xiaozheng had no choice but to let her go, asking Uncle Zhou to accompany her in case of any needs.
Because — Zuo Qinfang was an exam invigilator and couldn't wait at the gate.
On a June day, cicadas chirped incessantly, the air was stifling, and the scorching sun gradually climbed overhead as temperatures rose.
Sweat-soaked sleeves couldn't shield the hearts of parents waiting for their exam-taking children. They stood under the shade of trees or in nearby milk tea shops, chatting in small groups, full of anticipation.
Occasionally, a breeze would blow by, its cool touch eliciting sighs of relief.
Huo Guining's car was parked not far from the school.
Unlike the stuffiness outside, the car was very cool, with her favorite iced drinks and vanilla ice cream in the car refrigerator.
Huo Guining sat cross-legged in the back seat, sketching in her notebook, mimicking the adults outside as she looked left and right towards the school gate.
As the sun began to set, an announcement that the exam had ended came from within the campus.
Soon after, the school gates opened, and students began to file out.
The once-quiet crowd began to move, each heading towards their loved ones.
Huo Guining, not to be outdone, craned her neck in anticipation.
Huo Yueze, tall and handsome, soon appeared in Huo Guining's line of sight.
Huo Guining dropped her pencil and immediately opened the car door, rushing out.
"Brother!"
Huo Guining called out while waving her hand in Huo Yueze's direction.
But Huo Guining was too small; despite her best efforts to wave, she was quickly swallowed up by the crowd.
Seeing the situation, Uncle Zhou immediately followed, carefully protecting her surroundings.
"Yueze! Let's have dinner together tonight!"
A boy put his arm around Huo Yueze's shoulder, looking excited.
Huo Yueze frowned, thinking he had just heard Ningning's voice.
He casually replied, "That's fine."
The boy shouted something behind him, then said, "Then come with me, let's go!"
As he spoke, he was about to lead Huo Yueze in another direction.
"Brother! I'm here!"
A childish voice cut through the bustling crowd, falling directly into Huo Yueze's ears.
Huo Yueze looked towards the source of the sound. Huo Guining was jumping up and down in the crowd, stretching her neck and arms towards his direction.
Huo Yueze's face lit up with joy: "Sister!"
He shook off the boy's hand, pushed through the crowd, and went in Huo Guining's direction.
"Ningning, why are you here?" Huo Yueze stood in front of Huo Guining and stretched out his arms to pick her up.
Huo Guining said with a bright smile: "I'm here to pick you up."
She handed the bouquet she had been carefully protecting to Huo Yueze, as if presenting a treasure.
Green Polemonium and white peonies overlapped, wrapped in blue and white paper.
"Brother, the meaning of this bouquet is 'relax'! Congratulations on graduating from middle school! You're amazing!"
Huo Yueze held Huo Guining with one arm and took the bouquet with the other, feeling incredibly touched.
"Is this for me from Ningning? I love it so much!"
Huo Guining said proudly: "I chose everything myself, from the flowers to the wrapping paper~!"
Hearing this, Huo Yueze was even more moved, his eyes brimming with tears.
"Yueze! How did you disappear as soon as I turned around..." It was the boy from earlier: "Oh... isn't this little sister Ningning?"
Huo Guining had met this boy before, he was Huo Yueze's friend.
She was about to greet him...
Huo Yueze turned his body while holding Huo Guining, causing her to face away from the boy: "Chen Zheng, can you not casually call her 'sister'? Ningning is my sister, not yours!"
Chen Zheng laughed and raised both hands in surrender: "Okay, okay, your sister! Do you want to bring your sister to the dinner gathering?"
Huo Guining tilted her head: "Brother, are you going to a dinner gathering?"
Huo Yueze asked: "If you want to go, we'll go. If you don't want to go, we'll go home."
This sounded vaguely familiar.
Huo Guining thought for a moment: "I want to go and play."
Huo Yueze said "Okay," then turned to ask Chen Zheng: "Where was the gathering place again?"
Chen Zheng, seeing his task completed, was in high spirits and said eagerly: "I'll lead the way!"
Huo Guining asked Uncle Zhou: "Uncle Zhou, do you have time to take us to the dinner?"
Uncle Zhou smiled: "Of course. Mr. Huo said that today I'm at Miss Ningning's disposal."
Huo Guining thanked him.
The three of them got into the car together and drove to their destination.
Huo Yueze held his graduation bouquet, unable to let it go.
Huo Guining sat beside him, obediently reporting their schedule to Huo Xiaozheng.
"Dad, I'm going to attend brother's class dinner gathering tonight."
"Isn't it fun? But I'm very curious about what a graduation dinner is like."
"We will. We can be back before 9 o'clock." Huo Guining patted Huo Yueze and asked, "Right, brother?"
Huo Yueze nodded, gesturing for her to give him the phone.
"Uncle, don't worry. I'll take good care of Ningning and bring her home safely," Huo Yueze promised.
On the other end of the phone, Huo Xiaozheng's voice was cool: "No need, I'll pick her up at 9. Send me the address."
