Huo Ning likely felt she had become a bit thinner when trying on clothes.
Huo Xiaozheng contacted Shen Shiyan and asked him to recommend a nutritionist.
"Just eat well, and you'll gradually gain weight," Huo Xiaozheng said reassuringly after hanging up the phone, seeing that the little girl was indeed somewhat unhappy.
Huo Ning pushed her luck: "Then can I have burgers and fried chicken for dinner?"
Huo Xiaozheng: ...
On this day, Huo Ning was destined to miss out on fried chicken.
Come dinnertime, Zheng Jinxiu, concerned about her health, repeatedly instructed Huo Xiaozheng to bring Ning Ning back to the old mansion for dinner without fail.
Unable to resist the temptation of lobster, Huo Ning followed Huo Xiaozheng back to the old mansion.
At seven in the evening, the two arrived at the old mansion right on time.
On the way, worried that Huo Ning might be hungry, Huo Xiaozheng gave her a small bread roll to eat.
With cheese-baked lobster on her mind, Huo Ning managed to resist the temptation and didn't eat another bite.
Now, as soon as she entered the door, her gaze couldn't help but drift towards the dining table.
Zheng Jinxiu smiled, "Is Ning Ning hungry?"
Huo Ning felt a bit embarrassed: "I just had a small bread roll on the way, so I'm not that hungry yet..."
Just craving, she silently added in her heart.
Zheng Jinxiu saw through it but didn't say anything. She immediately called for Old Master Huo, and the family of four sat down to eat.
Huo Yueze usually lived at his own home, which was closer to school.
Only on weekends, when Huo Yueze's parents were too busy to look after him, would they occasionally drop him off at the old mansion to keep his grandparents company.
At this moment, without Huo Yueze to liven up the atmosphere, the dining table was somewhat quiet.
Huo Ning was eating heartily while her mind wandered.
Suddenly, a piece of broccoli appeared on her plate. Huo Ning frowned and looked up at the owner of the chopsticks.
"You need to eat your vegetables too," Huo Xiaozheng said calmly, ignoring her displeasure. "You need to eat all kinds of food to grow nice and plump."
Because of her experience with illness in her previous life, Huo Ning hated seeing herself look sickly and unhealthy.
Now, hearing Huo Xiaozheng say this, she hesitated despite her usual deep aversion to vegetables.
"Really?"
Huo Xiaozheng smiled gently: "Of course, I wouldn't lie to you."
Huo Ning looked a bit dejected but obediently swallowed a piece of broccoli.
Little did she know, this was just the beginning. After the broccoli came snow peas, carrots, and celery.
Frightened, Huo Ning kept backing away, forgetting even about her beloved lobster, frantically waving her hands in refusal.
"I'm full!"
Old Master Huo burst out laughing.
But he quickly composed himself and said seriously: "Children don't like vegetables, but we can cultivate the taste gradually. No need to rush."
Huo Xiaozheng: ?
Old Master Huo didn't care. Taking advantage of the moment of discord between father and daughter, he used the serving chopsticks to put a chicken leg on Huo Ning's plate.
"This is delicious."
Huo Ning glanced at Huo Xiaozheng's expression. Seeing that he wasn't angry, she brazenly pushed the vegetables aside, picked up the chicken leg with her hands, and took a big bite.
Then she displayed the satisfied expression that Huo Xiaozheng had grown accustomed to seeing.
Watching this scene, Huo Xiaozheng gave a cold laugh in Old Master Huo's direction.
It seemed that, unless absolutely necessary, there was no need to come back to the old mansion in the future.
It was just an ordinary dinner, but Huo Xiaozheng was as busy as if he were dealing with a battle.
The two elders were feeding Huo Ning with almost no restraint. As long as Huo Ning nodded, she could skip all the vegetables.
Dessert was served in unlimited quantities after the meal. Cherries were washed clean, juiced, and served in cute duck-shaped glass cups.
She could drink as much as she wanted.
This should be in moderation, that's not allowed - despite all his efforts to restrain her, Huo Xiaozheng still couldn't prevent Huo Ning from eating until her belly was round and full.
When Huo Jing walked in the door, she saw Huo Ning half-lying on the sofa, with Huo Xiaozheng rubbing her belly while glaring at the two elders.
And her parents were looking anywhere but at Huo Xiaozheng, one gazing at the sky and the other at the ground.
"Auntie!" Huo Ning was the first to notice Huo Jing.
"Auntie, you look so beautiful!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
Huo Jing had come directly from a movie promotion event, which was closer to the old mansion, so she had been dropped off here.
At this moment, she was still wearing the wine-red sequined fitted spaghetti strap evening gown she had worn on the red carpet, with a white coat draped over it. Her hair was styled in big waves swept to one side, exuding charm and grace.
Seeing Huo Ning's adoring expression, Huo Jing felt somewhat pleased.
She smiled at Huo Ning and walked over, intending to pat Huo Ning's head, but upon seeing Huo Xiaozheng, her gaze became a bit hesitant.
She could only stand at a distance and wave at Huo Ning.
Huo Xiaozheng glanced at Huo Jing and continued to lecture Huo Ning: "Will you dare to eat so much again in the future?"
After Huo Xiaozheng's massage, Huo Ning felt that her stomach was no longer bloated at all. She felt she could go another round.
But catching Huo Xiaozheng's icy gaze, Huo Ning ducked her head and meekly replied like a little quail: "I won't dare."
Actually, she still would, but she didn't say so.
Seeing that she had recovered sufficiently, Huo Xiaozheng stood up, intending to take Huo Ning home.
Seeing that they were about to leave, Zheng Jinxiu quickly ran to the kitchen and had the housekeeper pack some of Ning Ning's favorite foods for them to take away.
Huo Jing had been standing in place all this time, unsure whether to sit or remain standing.
Now, seeing that they were about to leave, Huo Jing hesitantly spoke up: "Brother, can we talk?"
Old Master Huo, noticing the situation, turned to Huo Ning and asked: "Grandpa heard that Ning Ning can draw,"
This old man's creaky voice sent a shiver down Huo Jing's spine. But at the moment, she obviously couldn't spare the energy to be disgusted with her father.
Seeing Huo Xiaozheng heading towards the reception room, Huo Jing quickly followed.
Watching the two leave one after another, Huo Ning came back to her senses and nodded at Old Master Huo.
"Can you show Grandpa?"
...
Huo Xiaozheng sat down in the main seat of the reception room and leisurely poured himself a cup of tea.
Huo Jing sat down nervously beside him.
"Brother," she said, her tone anxious.
Huo Xiaozheng's expression remained unchanged: "What is it? Go ahead."
Huo Jing bit her lip: "About Ning Ning, I was wrong."
Huo Xiaozheng didn't respond.
"I shouldn't have transferred my dislike for her mother onto her. It's not fair to her."
Huo Xiaozheng gave a slight "Mm." Then asked: "Anything else?"
Huo Jing was a bit confused. She thought for a moment, her eyes flickering: "That day at the magazine shoot, it was my fault for not being attentive enough. I shouldn't have left Ning Ning in someone else's care."
Huo Xiaozheng finished the tea in his cup and shook his head: "That's not it."
Huo Jing was stunned. Could there be something else?
"From the first time you met her, you treated her as an imaginary enemy," Huo Xiaozheng said, his tone somewhat cold. "If Ning Ning had been born into the Huo family, would you have treated her this way?"
His words hit hard, resonating deeply.
Huo Jing felt as if she had been struck by lightning, momentarily losing the ability to speak.
Huo Xiaozheng stood up and patted his sister's shoulder.
"Accept her."
With that, Huo Xiaozheng walked out first.
Those three words seemed to be directed at Huo Jing, but also appeared to be Huo Xiaozheng's self-reflection.
The night was hazy, the cold wind biting.
Yet it couldn't disperse the warmth within the lamplight.
