Due to the slow speed of the car and the cushioning effect of the snow, Huo Ning's body wasn't seriously injured.
Shi Lili had already caught up and was hurling abuse at the driver.
Huo Xiaozheng opened the car door and saw Huo Ning getting up by herself from the snowy ground.
Her face and hair were covered in snow, her dark eyes shining brightly in the night, like a startled fawn in the snow.
Huo Xiaozheng was inexplicably struck by those eyes...
He walked over to help the little girl up. Seeing that her blanket was wet from the snow, he draped his coat over her and coldly asked if she needed to go to the hospital.
"You knocked down my daughter, you're not leaving without paying compensation! There's a police station right next door, if you don't pay up, we'll call the police!" Shi Lili's shrill voice pierced the quiet night.
Huo Ning pressed her lips together and said, "Not the hospital, the police station."
Given the young age of this body, despite her inner anger, Huo Ning's words came out sounding babyish.
Huo Xiaozheng frowned slightly.
Seeing that Huo Ning wasn't seriously hurt, he wrapped her in his coat, picked her up, and walked towards the police station.
Seeing this, Shi Lili immediately followed.
In just a few minutes, Huo Ning found herself at the police station for the second time.
The officer on duty was a bit surprised: "Little girl, why are you back again?"
Huo Xiaozheng placed Huo Ning on a nearby recliner.
"Hello, I'm Xi Chuan, Mr. Huo's secretary. You called me earlier," Xi Chuan, who had followed closely behind, introduced himself.
Shi Lili ignored the "Mr. Huo" he mentioned and continued to demand compensation from Xi Chuan while cursing.
After understanding the situation, the police officer said to Shi Lili, "This is a police station, not the traffic police department. You can either settle this privately or call the traffic police directly."
Without waiting for Shi Lili to continue her tirade, he apologized to Xi Chuan, "I'm very sorry. We were about to call you back. The little girl was just making things up, it's our fault for not checking properly."
Xi Chuan didn't mind, "I see. We'd like to meet that little girl."
The police officer was confused and pointed at Huo Ning, "She is that little girl."
Xi Chuan was momentarily stunned.
"You're Huo Xiaozheng, aren't you?" Huo Ning had already guessed Huo Xiaozheng's identity.
Huo Xiaozheng nodded.
"Can I talk to you?" Huo Ning said, quickly adding, "Without my mom present."
Huo Xiaozheng nodded, giving Xi Chuan a look.
Xi Chuan understood and immediately led Shi Lili to another area to discuss compensation.
"Can you speak now?" Huo Xiaozheng asked.
Huo Xiaozheng's aura was strong, and Huo Ning gathered her courage to speak, "I'm your daughter. You can verify this with a paternity test."
"Hmm, what do you want?" Huo Xiaozheng was indifferent.
Compared to Huo Ning's identity, Huo Xiaozheng was more concerned about who had taken advantage of him at Gantang Court five years ago.
In the original novel, the antagonist was portrayed as that cold, ruthless, handsome type. Now, facing Huo Xiaozheng, Huo Ning felt a bit intimidated.
She swallowed and said, "Can you raise me until I'm 18?"
Thirteen years should be enough for her to change the course of the story, right?
Hearing this, Huo Xiaozheng looked down at her. The little girl was looking up at him, her fair face thin but with rosy cheeks. Though clearly afraid of him, she still mustered the courage to state her conditions.
"What does your mother want?" Huo Xiaozheng didn't believe in love or hate without reason in this world.
Huo Ning shook her head, "She doesn't know you're my father."
This statement was very interesting.
Five years ago at Gantang Court, Huo Xiaozheng had been set up and indeed had a one-night stand with a strange woman.
After that, the incident seemed to have never happened, no one mentioned it, no one sought answers.
As time passed, even Huo Xiaozheng had forgotten about it.
Unexpectedly, when it was brought up again, it came from the mouth of a child.
Huo Xiaozheng's gaze was probing, "Then how did you know?"
Huo Ning couldn't help but give a thumbs up internally. Good question, she was also wondering how she should make up a convincing story!
In a flash, Huo Ning remembered that in the original book, Shi Ning's death would become a scandal for Huo Xiaozheng, not only causing the original female lead to completely lose faith in him but also becoming the catalyst for the downfall of Huo Group.
And Shi Lili's boyfriend seemed to have played some role in it...
"Uncle," Huo Ning mumbled, "I overheard uncle talking on the phone with someone."
"Name," Huo Xiaozheng said concisely.
Huo Ning was stunned for a moment before realizing he was asking for the 'uncle's' name.
"Li Zhiyuan."
Huo Xiaozheng nodded.
"I can give you living expenses until you're 18," Huo Xiaozheng said. "On the condition that you and your mother cannot live in this country."
Huo Ning's heart sank. As expected of an antagonist, cold and heartless to the core.
Living under the same roof with Shi Lili was the most disgusting thing Huo Ning could imagine.
But in Huo Xiaozheng's consideration, keeping Huo Ning and Shi Lili, two potential liabilities, under control in one place was clearly more reassuring to him.
If that's the case...
Huo Ning timidly glanced in Shi Lili's direction, making sure she wasn't looking this way, then took off the coat draped over her shoulders and slowly unzipped her jacket.
Huo Xiaozheng frowned, "What are you doing?"
Huo Ning didn't speak. She slowly took off her outer jacket, carefully folded it and put it aside, then removed her cardigan and undershirt until her upper body was completely bare.
Huo Ning turned her back, presenting it to everyone.
She already looked very thin, but without clothes, she could be described as skin and bones.
Her pale back was covered in crisscrossing bruises of varying depths. It was a shocking sight.
Huo Ning put her clothes back on one by one, then turned around and brushed her long hair away from her neck, revealing a ring of purple bruises.
She did all this slowly, as if without any sense of basic shame, exposing her injuries to everyone's view.
Ignoring the pitying gazes of the onlookers, she pleaded in a soft voice, "These are the injuries within mom's allowed range. Although I don't want to trouble you, dad, I also don't want to die."
Huo Xiaozheng's eyes darkened at Huo Ning's words and actions, and he was momentarily stunned by Huo Ning calling him 'dad'.
Huo Ning knew how impactful such words would be coming from the mouth of a 5-year-old girl.
And this plea of not wanting to die, how the original owner had longed to say it.
Xi Chuan felt remorseful, regretting that he had believed Shi Lili's act earlier and thought the little girl was a liar.
Bah! She didn't deserve to be a parent at all.
Shi Lili, who had happily received the compensation, was oblivious to all this. She walked towards Huo Ning, planning in her mind to send Huo Ning home and then enjoy a night at a five-star hotel with Zhiyuan...
The female police officer stopped her, "I'm going to charge you with child abuse!"
Shi Lili was stunned for a moment, then seeing Huo Ning's not fully buttoned clothes, she immediately understood, "I didn't abuse my daughter! Ning Ning, those are just from you accidentally bumping into things while playing, right?"
Huo Ning felt a wave of sorrow for the original owner.
She looked up at Huo Xiaozheng, "Can I go with you?"
Huo Xiaozheng didn't refuse. He gave Shi Lili a dark look and left with Huo Ning.
"They're kidnapping a child! Police, aren't you going to do anything?!" Shi Lili shouted from behind.
Given Shi Lili's behavior, the police chose to ignore her.
The little girl had already called him dad, and Mr. Huo hadn't denied it. Going with him would certainly be better than staying with this vicious mother.
Besides, how could someone of Mr. Huo's high status and power have any connection with Shi Lili...
The long night continued, and winter snow still fell.
Huo Ning curled up in the back seat of Huo Xiaozheng's car, feeling warm all over and thinking that the future looked promising.
Huo Ning, feeling optimistic about the future, soon fell into a deep sleep.
Being left in the snow for so long with only minimal sustenance, it was a miracle she had held on until now.
Sitting beside her, Huo Xiaozheng, having calmed down, felt he might have been manipulated.
Just as he was about to confront someone, he noticed the child had slumped over in her seat, eyes tightly shut, face flushed, and breathing heavily.
He reached out to feel the child's forehead, which was alarmingly hot.
"Go to the hospital," Huo Xiaozheng ordered the driver in a deep voice.
Following the order, the black Maybach glided into the night like a fish through water.
Xi Chuan, who had just verbally triumphed over the woman, looked at the empty courtyard: Where was the car? Where had such a large car gone?
Xi Chuan recalled the earlier situation. He repeated the phrase "Gantang Court 5 years ago" from the phone call, and Huo Xiaozheng in the back seat, upon hearing it, immediately ordered them to turn around and head to the police station.
So, the little girl being Huo's daughter was true, wasn't it?
Thinking about it this way, it seemed less difficult to accept that Mr. Huo had left her behind and departed with the little girl...
Inside Anzhen Children's Hospital.
"It's a circulatory imbalance that occurred after not fully recovering from hypothermia and then getting cold again," Shen Shiyan said, looking through the patient's medical records and addressing the man sitting upright.
"Hypothermia?" Huo Xiaozheng repeated the word questioningly.
"Given the child's condition, she must have been hypothermic for at least two hours."
"In other words, she was exposed to freezing conditions without any protection for at least two hours."
As it was a VIP consultation, all relevant test results were already complete. Shen Shiyan continued after reviewing the results:
"The little one is malnourished. It's a miracle she survived two hours in the freezing cold."
Huo Xiaozheng gave him a cold glance. His tone slightly lowered: "Is there any danger to her life?"
Shen Shiyan, who had grown up with Huo Xiaozheng since childhood, ignored his cold face: "With me here, I'd snatch her life back from the King of Hell himself if I had to."
Only then did Huo Xiaozheng avert his gaze.
Seeing this, Shen Shiyan said amusedly: "By the way, whose child is this? Important enough for you to call me out from home in the middle of the night?"
Huo Xiaozheng didn't respond, but instructed: "Take good care of her."
He was about to leave.
"This couldn't be your child, could it..." Shen Shiyan joked.
As he spoke, he carefully studied the sickly little girl's features, noticing that her eyes and brows seemed somewhat similar to his friend's...
His tone gradually became surprised: "This child's eyes and brows look a lot like yours!"
"I just took a sample. Do a paternity test for me and her."
Huo Xiaozheng, gripping the door handle, turned back to warn: "Before I make this public, you'd better keep your mouth shut and those of your subordinates."
Shen Shiyan closed his lips tightly in shock, showing his loyalty.
Huo Xiaozheng glanced at Huo Ning on the hospital bed and left the room.
Meanwhile, Xi Chuan had already obtained the information Huo Xiaozheng wanted.
"Li Zhiyuan was Shi Lili's boyfriend of three years. Li Zhiyuan had no job and relied entirely on Shi Lili for support."
"Six months ago, Jiang Suyuan's people approached him, and since then, Li Zhiyuan has been receiving a sum of money every month."
The Jiang family again.
"Keep investigating," Huo Xiaozheng said coldly.
"Yes, sir."
After spending a few days in Anzhen Hospital, Huo Ning's health gradually improved.
On this day, after another good night's sleep.
It had snowed all night, and the morning was bright and clear.
Warm sunlight streamed through the windows, filling the entire room.
The scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils. Huo Ning, having been in hospitals for so long, didn't find it unpleasant; rather, it gave her a sense of familiar comfort after a long absence.
After all, being able to smell this again was proof that she was alive.
"Little one, are you awake? How are you feeling?" A gentle male voice sounded in the hospital room.
Shen Shiyan had been coming to do rounds every day, and Huo Ning had become familiar with him.
She rubbed her eyes somewhat drowsily and looked at Shen Shiyan: "I feel great, thank you for your concern, Doctor Uncle."
Huo Ning had just woken up, her voice milky and slightly coquettish, sounding extremely adorable.
Shen Shiyan couldn't help but feel a surge of paternal affection: "Ning Ning is such a good girl."
After a series of checks, Shen Shiyan happily announced that there were no major issues with her body, and all she needed now was proper care and recuperation.
Huo Ning was very satisfied with this, and the smile on her face became even more genuine.
"Today, Uncle will take you home. Pack up your things, and we'll leave after breakfast."
Huo Ning tilted her head and asked: "Does Doctor Uncle know where my home is?"
Shen Shiyan's heart melted at her head tilt: "Yes, I do. Uncle is good friends with your dad."
Hearing this, Huo Ning felt relieved. It seemed the paternity test had been completed and the results were out.
She obediently washed up. The person in the mirror still looked a bit pale, but her almond-shaped eyes were cute and lively.
After breakfast, Shen Shiyan drove her to Huo Xiaozheng's villa.
It was ten in the morning. The spacious villa was quiet and empty, its cool-toned decor giving no sense of warmth or homecoming.
"He's as dedicated to his work as ever," Shen Shiyan muttered to himself.
He called Huo Xiaozheng, who, upon learning that Shen Shiyan had brought Huo Ning to his residence, fell silent for a few seconds, which was rare for him.
"You didn't forget that Ning Ning was being discharged today, did you? I reminded you just last night," Shen Shiyan said, a bit annoyed.
"Never mind, I'll have someone come over. Wait there for a while," Huo Xiaozheng said resignedly.
Shen Shiyan didn't mind and took charge, leading Huo Ning on a tour of the villa.
"Ning Ning, come on, let's go choose a room," Shen Shiyan extended his hand in invitation.
This body still wasn't used to the touch of unfamiliar men, and Huo Ning couldn't resist the instinctive reaction, her fingers shrinking back.
As a compromise, she pinched the hem of Shen Shiyan's clothes.
Shen Shiyan pretended not to notice and led Huo Ning upstairs with a cheerful smile.
Huo Ning secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, there wasn't much to see in this villa. Although it was large and luxurious, the interior was truly empty.
Except for the master bedroom and study, every room was furnished like a hotel room, completely copy-and-pasted.
Seeing this, Shen Shiyan also felt a bit embarrassed.
But having come this far, he could only persist and recommend the room opposite the master bedroom: "Ning Ning, you should choose this room. It has a large balcony, and the window overlooks the garden. The view is great."
Huo Ning thought for a moment, but still couldn't help breaking his beautiful illusion: "Uncle, Dad probably won't let me stay here."
Huo Ning understood clearly that Huo Xiaozheng's agreement to take her in was only due to a momentary pang of conscience brought on by blood ties.
After all, any decent person wouldn't be unmoved seeing their own daughter being abused.
Although it had been a one-night stand back then, he was also a victim in a way.
Now, he suddenly had a daughter, and this daughter might even become a stain on his reputation.
For Huo Xiaozheng, Huo Ning was a burden, a hot potato like a ticking time bomb.
So, Huo Ning understood very well that at the police station, what Huo Xiaozheng had agreed to was only to remove her from her mother's shackles and provide money for her to survive until adulthood.
It wasn't that he would personally raise her until she came of age.
Faced with the little girl's clear-eyed gaze, Shen Shiyan, who knew Huo Xiaozheng's temperament well, was momentarily at a loss for words, unable to refute.
