After Chen Xi and the others reacted, they exclaimed in succession, "We always knew you were beautiful, but we didn't expect you to be so..."
Qi Xin, seeing that she couldn't find the right word for a while, added, "So noble and elegant."
Huo Guining couldn't help but smile.
When she smiled, that sense of aloofness faded considerably.
"You're exaggerating," Huo Guining said. "This gown is for the opening ceremony. After that's over, we can go and have fun on our own."
Chen Xi didn't quite understand, but figured that wealthy families must have their own ways, so she didn't ask further.
The four girls, arm in arm, affectionately walked out of the room together.
Since Old Master Huo was hosting this birthday party, there were even more guests than usual.
After the opening ceremony, Huo Guining had to stay by Old Master Huo and Huo Xiaozheng's side, exchanging pleasantries with the guests.
When Old Master Huo finally gave the word to disperse, Huo Guining immediately returned to her room, changed into a soft, white off-the-shoulder sweater, and joined her classmates.
"Let's go play in the house behind us. There are no adults there," Huo Guining called out to everyone.
The group of young men and women flocked to the small villa behind the main hall.
The villa was decorated primarily in shades of purple, still luxurious.
Fan Xingzhou lagged behind the group. Seeing Huo Guining usher everyone into the hall, he called out to her.
Huo Guining turned back, somewhat puzzled: "What's wrong?"
The moonlight was gentle, and the light under the porch was dim. Huo Guining's face was clearly visible in the night.
Fan Xingzhou was silent for a moment before saying, "You look beautiful today."
Huo Guining replied matter-of-factly, "I know."
Fan Xingzhou looked up, again appearing as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
Huo Guining frowned: "Are you going to say it or not? If not, I'm going in. My classmates are waiting for me."
This isn't the best time, Fan Xingzhou thought.
He shook his head and repeated what he had said before: "There's nothing special between Zeng Zhilin and me."
Huo Guining couldn't help but be direct: "Fan Xingzhou, you like me, don't you?"
Fan Xingzhou's pupils shook, his heart felt as if it was being tightly gripped. He couldn't help but clench his fist, his eyes showing a glimmer of hope and joy.
"How did you know..."
Since Fan Xingzhou didn't deny it, Huo Guining adjusted her stance and first expressed her appreciation for Fan Xingzhou: "Thank you for liking me. I understand young people's admiration for beautiful things. You have good taste."
"But you might have misunderstood. Whether it's you or Zeng Zhilin, we're just classmates."
"I don't care about your relationship with Zeng Zhilin, and you don't need to be overly concerned about my feelings."
Huo Guining's words were calm with a touch of coldness.
Fan Xingzhou was stunned: "Then at the sports meet, why did you decide to participate just because of what I said?"
Huo Guining held her forehead, not expecting that her conflicted feelings had caused such a big misunderstanding.
"That was purely because of my competitive nature," Huo Guining recalled, feeling annoyed. "As for participating, it didn't have much to do with you."
Fan Xingzhou felt as if he had been struck by lightning out of a clear sky. The usually calm and composed person's expression cracked.
"So..."
Huo Guining: "You asked how I knew you liked me. Do you want to know the answer?"
Fan Xingzhou had a feeling her answer wouldn't be pleasant to hear, but he still couldn't help nodding: "Yes."
"Whether it's liking someone or loving someone, these emotions will surpass a person's rationality. I like my family, I love my family. If they were in danger, my first thought would be how to help them."
"But you're not like that."
"You know Zeng Zhilin likes you, and I'm making a malicious guess here, you probably even know she's gotten into some trouble because of it."
"But you disregarded it. Even when I stepped in to help, you chose to be a bystander."
"You enjoy being liked by others, but you hate the trouble it brings. I don't like that kind of person."
"Fan Xingzhou, the way you look at me is about possession, control, waiting to see me hit a wall and then gladly accepting your control."
"This isn't liking someone."
Every word Huo Guining said ruthlessly tore open Fan Xingzhou's not-so-pure heart.
Fan Xingzhou's face turned pale. He smiled bitterly: "Even if you're rejecting me, you don't have to be so cruel."
There was no trace of mockery or contempt on Huo Guining's face. She said sincerely: "Fan Xingzhou, love is a subject that needs to be learned."
"You just happen to be very poor at this subject without realizing it."
Having said all she needed to say, Huo Guining gave Fan Xingzhou a deep look, then turned and pushed open the door to the hall.
Fan Xingzhou stood alone, the cold moonlight falling on his shoulders, his figure looking desolate.
Huo Jing, who had been following Fan Xingzhou, saw this and turned away satisfied.
Inside the villa's hall, it was quite a different scene.
At first, some curious classmates searched for Huo Xiaozheng and Huo Guining's names online.
The internet, of course, has a memory.
Huo Guining's past was gradually laid out before her classmates.
This led to Huo Guining walking into the hall and directly facing a crowd of sympathetic gazes.
Chen Xi was the first to break down, rushing over to hug her: "Guining, you deserve all of this today, wuwuwu!"
Even the usually calm Qi Xin couldn't help but tear up: "Guining..."
It took Huo Guining a while to understand what had happened. She said, torn between laughter and tears: "It's all been so many years, I've grown up!"
But Chen Xi wouldn't have it. Relying on being two years older than Huo Guining, she pulled her to sit on the sofa: "What's your birthday wish? Tell me, I'll definitely make it come true for you!"
Just as one misunderstanding was resolved, another one hit her head-on. This birthday party was both joyful and headache-inducing for Huo Guining.
After the party ended, Huo Guining's bedroom was, as usual, piled high with gifts.
Huo Guining, familiar with the routine, picked up Huo Xiaozheng's gift first. It was a photo album.
The album was filled with photos from when she was five years old until now.
On the title page was written: "Thank you, my daughter, for accompanying me all these years. Dad is very happy."
Huo Guining hugged the album with both hands, the warmth in her heart almost overflowing.
Huo Xiaozheng pushed open the door to see Guining sitting in the pile of gifts with red-rimmed eyes, holding the photo album he had made himself.
He walked over and sat down beside her, wiping the corner of her eye: "This isn't worth crying over."
Huo Guining sniffled: "I'm just too happy."
In the night, the conversation between father and daughter was soft and gentle, as if afraid to disturb this quiet and beautiful evening.
In the moonlight, the silhouettes of the father and daughter formed a beautiful and warm picture. Their familial love was like the moonlight, gentle and warm, illuminating each other's hearts.
After the birthday party, Huo Guining and Fan Xingzhou's relationship returned to normal.
Zeng Zhilin secretly slipped a gift into Huo Guining's drawer. The box contained a somewhat ugly chocolate cookie charm.
It looked handmade.
Huo Guining thought for a moment, then attached it to her keychain. Zeng Zhilin, who had been secretly observing Huo Guining's reaction, breathed a sigh of relief.
That day, the classmates who attended the birthday party kept very tight-lipped and didn't spread Huo Guining's background too much.
