In the sultry night of midsummer, the air was stifling. In the garden, unknown insects chirped incessantly, while tall maple trees cast enormous shadows under the illumination of lights.
The night breeze rustled through the branches, lifting and dropping them repeatedly, like ethereal spirits dancing in the darkness.
It also stirred the gauze curtains by the window, causing the white lace to flutter through the gaps. The midsummer wind thus silently crept into the room.
Huo Xiaozheng had finally finished tidying up, and as he looked at the now half-empty bedroom, he felt a sense of emptiness in his heart.
Feeling disgruntled, he thought about dealing with the troublesome Song Qing.
Before his conversation with Ningning, he had planned to intimidate Song Qing, hoping she would back off on her own.
After their talk, he changed his mind.
He took out his phone and dialed Xi Chuan's number.
"How's the investigation I asked you to do?"
Whatever was said on the other end of the line made Huo Xiaozheng's brow relax slightly.
"Hmm, then proceed as we discussed earlier."
"No, don't leave any way out." Huo Xiaozheng's voice turned cold.
Thinking of Ningning, he added, "Have someone keep an eye on things, make sure no one dies."
After hanging up, Huo Xiaozheng noticed he had broken into a light sweat.
He then realized he had forgotten to close the window.
He walked over, peered outside, and saw that the art studio was brightly lit, its light spilling out to illuminate the garden corridor.
He glanced at his wristwatch and headed for the door.
In the art studio.
Huo Guining had her long black hair tied up with a paintbrush. Her left hand held a palette while her right wielded a brush, as she focused intently on her work.
Over the years of living together, Huo Xiaozheng had gradually come to understand her temperament.
Ningning was a very devoted person. No matter how time changed, her love for the princess cut hairstyle never wavered.
Even when she occasionally felt inspired to try a new hairstyle.
It wouldn't be long before she returned to her princess cut.
At this moment, she had pinned back her bangs with small clips, revealing her delicate yet cool features.
As she grew older, Ningning's appearance increasingly resembled Huo Xiaozheng's.
Unlike her cute looks from childhood, her features were gradually becoming more sharp. When she wasn't speaking or smiling, she had quite the air of Huo Xiaozheng about her.
However, she never showed this side of herself to the Huo family.
Huo Xiaozheng only discovered Ningning's other side when he picked her up from school one day.
That day, thunder roared and a sudden downpour began. Although Ningning wasn't afraid of thunder, the ominous atmosphere of dark clouds pressing down on the city made Huo Xiaozheng worry.
He brought his work with him and waited early at the school gates to pick up Ningning.
Due to the heavy rain, the school had let the students out early.
Ningning was lost in the crowd, wearing the school uniform and carrying a large backpack. Her expression was cool, her posture straight as she walked forward purposefully under her umbrella, not sparing a glance to either side.
The surrounding classmates moved in small groups, chattering noisily as they made their way through the rain.
Only Huo Guining seemed to stand alone, detached from the world.
At that moment, Huo Xiaozheng, looking at his daughter, felt as if a piece of his heart had gone missing.
Uncle Zhou, the driver, quickly spotted Ningning and sounded the horn.
It was only when Ningning opened the car door and saw Huo Xiaozheng that warmth returned to her entire being.
She asked him with surprise and delight why he had time to pick her up today.
Then, with a hint of reproach, she said he shouldn't have come to pick her up in such a heavy rain, as she wasn't a little kid anymore.
That year, she had just celebrated her 8th birthday.
Huo Xiaozheng, suppressing the ache in his heart, took out a towel to dry her hair and took her backpack.
The backpack was heavy, filled with books and nicely packaged gift boxes.
"Gifts from classmates?" Huo Xiaozheng asked.
Huo Guining replied coolly, "I don't know who put them in my desk. It would be impolite to throw them away at school, so I'll return them once I find the owners."
Ningning behaved very properly and acted with composure.
But her maturity suddenly made Huo Xiaozheng realize that children grow up secretly in places where we can't see.
It was from that year on that Huo Xiaozheng insisted on picking up Ningning from school every day.
Unless he absolutely couldn't get away from work.
For any parent-child activities organized by the school - the kind he had sneered at during his own student days - he was now more enthusiastic than any CEO should be.
It was often at these times that Huo Guining would show the childishness typical of her age.
"Are your mom and dad too busy?" Ningning would ask, her eyes cool but with a hint of pride, even when talking to children older than her: "Ah, this is my dad."
Huo Xiaozheng delighted in this.
It was precisely this kind of companionship that made Huo Xiaozheng unafraid of her cool demeanor in public.
His daughter hadn't grown up behind his back; he had been there all along.
"Dad?"
Huo Guining's voice interrupted Huo Xiaozheng's thoughts.
Huo Xiaozheng came back to himself, feigning sternness: "What did you promise Dad?"
Huo Guining was momentarily confused, then understood. She smiled sweetly and said, "I forgot to set an alarm, but I've finished painting. Let's go rest!"
Huo Xiaozheng accompanied her in putting away the canvas and turning off the studio lights.
"Dad, Lion has accepted my friend request. He said besides the previous one, he wants a new one, the theme is..."
"Oh, do you have any ideas yet?"
"A few, but I'm still thinking it through..."
The father and daughter walked side by side, chattering away.
The night was deep.
In Panlong Bay Villa, only occasional insect chirps could be heard, along with the soft murmurs of the father and daughter, gradually swallowed by the night.
...
The task Huo Xiaozheng had ordered was quickly accomplished.
Song Qing's company was already on the brink of collapse, and with Huo Xiaozheng's push, its downfall was only a matter of time.
Song Qing was not one to sit idly by.
Huo Xiaozheng's rejection of her would only humiliate her.
But her company was like her lifeblood.
Huo Xiaozheng's intervention had clearly infuriated her.
Song Qing stormed into Huo Group, demanding an explanation.
Huo Xiaozheng easily deflected her: "Every effect has its cause. You should have anticipated this day when you betrayed me."
Song Qing's eyes reddened with anger.
"Huo Xiaozheng, even if you won't help me, you don't need to destroy me completely, do you?"
Huo Xiaozheng lounged lazily in his executive chair: "Song Qing, this is the utmost respect I can show you, isn't it?"
Huo Xiaozheng's words were extremely arrogant.
He was clearly saying that for anyone else, he wouldn't even bother to take action.
They parted on bad terms.
Song Qing struggled desperately for a while, but she was no match for Huo Xiaozheng's determined efforts.
On the day her company declared bankruptcy, Song Qing seemed to have lost her soul.
Song Tianbai stayed by her side, alternating between apologies and reassurances that she still had him, telling her not to worry.
On the day they left South City, Song Tianbai contacted Huo Guining again.
This time, he made no outrageous requests, only sincerely thanking Huo Guining over the phone.
After hanging up, Huo Guining quickly realized who was behind all this.
"Dad, thank you," Huo Guining said, her eyes curved in a smile.
Huo Xiaozheng nodded, responding with utmost gentlemanly grace: "It's what Dad should do."
