Lion is 28 years old this year, a blonde mixed-race man.
His features are deep-set, his skin fair, and his blue eyes look particularly adorable.
Even his gesture of rubbing his forehead carries a hint of childlike innocence.
Huo Guining said, "You never asked about my age, so..."
Lion finished her unspoken thought: "So you never specifically mentioned it."
Huo Guining nodded.
After exchanging contact information, Lion had been communicating with her primarily through text on social media.
Occasionally, when Lion needed to see her artwork, she would simply send him images.
So, Lion only knew she was female, but had no idea she was so young.
Lion remained in a state of shock, unable to snap out of it for a long while.
Huo Xiaozheng raised his hand to break the silence: "Let's sit down and talk."
Having been in a position of authority for so long, Huo Xiaozheng's words carried an inherent gravitas.
Lion couldn't help but comply, his body obediently taking a seat before his mind could even process it.
"You two talk, don't mind me," Huo Xiaozheng said, leaning back and assuming an air of detachment.
Only then did Lion remember the original purpose of today's meeting. He turned to face Huo Guining.
"For this trip back to China, I'm planning to hold a touring art exhibition in various cities. Originally, I wanted to invite you to join me..."
But looking at the young girl before him, the rest of his words became difficult to voice.
She was barely 10 years old, an age that still required a guardian's care when going out. How could she possibly accompany him on a tour?
Huo Guining, confused, asked, "Have you changed your mind now?"
Lion, with a headache, replied, "It's not that I've changed my mind, it's just..."
Huo Xiaozheng understood his meaning.
"He's worried you're too young to travel conveniently," he explained, then asked, "Do you want to go on the tour with him?"
Huo Guining hesitated as well.
Although her health had greatly improved, a national tour meant either testing her current condition to see if she could manage without Huo Xiaozheng,
Or having Huo Xiaozheng accompany her.
Clearly, the latter was far less practical.
The Huo Corporation was thriving, and it was only due to Huo Yueze's help during the summer break that Huo Xiaozheng could steal a half-day of leisure to accompany her to this hillside appointment.
And a touring exhibition... wasn't something that could be wrapped up in just a day or two.
Thinking of this, Huo Guining remained silent.
Her hesitation made her answer evident.
If she didn't want to go, she wouldn't have hesitated at all.
"Let me see your tour plan," Huo Xiaozheng instructed Lion, without pressing Guining further.
Lion naturally complied, handing over the exhibition tour plan.
After doing so, he belatedly regretted it: the man wasn't his boss, so why was he letting himself be led by the nose?
Huo Xiaozheng crossed his long legs and seriously perused the plan.
"It's only three months," Huo Xiaozheng said lightly. "Dad has time."
Three months might not seem like much to Huo Guining, but for Huo Xiaozheng, it was an entirely different matter.
Huo Guining bit her lip: "Dad, I don't really want to go that much..."
Lion listened in confusion: "Wait, in my tour plan, Guining only needs to stay in each place for a few days, not the entire three months."
"Why are you acting like it's such a big deal?"
Huo Xiaozheng, in his concern, had momentarily forgotten this detail.
Hearing this, father and daughter both let out a sigh of relief, exchanging a smile.
Lion discussed the tour details and required artworks with Huo Guining for a while.
"I have some paintings at home," Huo Guining remembered her studio's stock and invited, "If you have time, why don't you come to my house to see them?"
The two agreed readily, setting up an appointment for the next morning.
Lion asked a few more questions about her painting, which Huo Guining answered in detail.
When it came to topics she was interested in, Huo Guining tended to talk at length.
At first, Lion thought Huo Guining had a childish mentality and worried her artistic spark might be fleeting.
As they continued talking, he gradually changed his opinion of her.
The two chatted pleasantly until after dinner.
During this time, Huo Xiaozheng didn't interrupt.
He simply opened his laptop and quietly dealt with his own work.
When it was time to part, Huo Guining still seemed reluctant to end the conversation.
"Are you that happy?" Huo Xiaozheng asked.
Huo Guining nodded: "His theoretical knowledge is solid, and his aesthetic sense is excellent. He's the kind of person I aspire to become."
Huo Xiaozheng patted her head: "You will definitely become the person you want to be."
Huo Guining smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.
The next day, Lion arrived as promised.
Huo Xiaozheng and Huo Yueze had gone to the company, leaving only Huo Guining, Aunt Xu, and the butler at home.
Huo Guining didn't waste time on small talk. After a brief exchange of pleasantries with Lion, she led him to her studio upstairs.
Lion wasn't from a poor background either.
He had heard of the Huo family before.
So, arriving at Panlong Bay didn't particularly surprise him.
Huo Guining's biggest hobby was painting, so she had a large inventory.
Lion browsed with interest, his gaze suddenly drawn to one particular piece.
It was a sketch Huo Guining had casually drawn while in confinement.
At that time, her painting style was dark, the color palette muted, and the overall color harmony didn't give a sense of beauty.
Huo Guining felt a bit embarrassed: "I painted this when I was little."
Lion teased: "Aren't you still little now?"
Huo Guining realized: "Oh, I misspoke. That was when I was 5 or 6 years old. At that time..."
Huo Guining didn't want to explain her experiences from that time, so after some thought, she vaguely said, "I wasn't in a good mood then."
Lion didn't mind: "This painting lacks technique, but it's full of life. I like it."
Huo Guining had heard a similar evaluation from Zuo Qinfang before.
At the time, she thought Zuo Qinfang was just trying to please her, but now it seemed Zuo Qinfang might have been giving an honest assessment.
"What's wrong?" Lion asked, puzzled by her sudden daze.
Huo Guining shook her head, coming back to herself: "There are quite a few similar ones, over here."
In one corner of the studio, Huo Xiaozheng had arranged for Huo Guining's paintings from when she was 5 or 6 years old to be collected together. She easily found the works from that period.
Lion's eyes lit up with excitement: "My goodness, these were painted when you were 5 or 6?"
Huo Guining stepped forward to confirm, then nodded: "Yes."
Lion asked excitedly: "Can these be used for the touring exhibition?"
Huo Guining nodded: "They can."
She suddenly felt a bit insecure: "Are my current paintings not as good as when I was little?"
"How could that be!" Lion wore an expression of disbelief at her thought: "Different age groups have different experiences and ideas. Each age has its own beauty."
"You've been constantly improving. It's just that in your childhood paintings, I found something I was looking for."
Huo Guining didn't understand: "Something you were looking for?"
