Having learned from the previous incident, this time, the Huo family deliberately kept Huo Guining away from online discussions.
Huo Yueze went even further, directly cutting off Huo Guining's Wi-Fi.
After dinner, having bid farewell to Huo Jing, Huo Guining was about to watch some anime when she found herself confused: "Brother?"
Huo Yueze felt a bit guilty. He rubbed his nose and said with a straight face, "You must be tired after playing all day. You should go to bed early!"
As he spoke, he pushed her towards the bedroom.
Huo Guining looked at the time; it was only eight in the evening.
"Brother, is there something you're not telling me?" Huo Guining felt strange. "Cutting off my Wi-Fi won't help, you know. I still have my phone."
Huo Yueze, in his concern, had forgotten about that.
"Then don't use your phone either for now."
Huo Guining shook her head. "No, I haven't called Dad yet today."
That's right.
It had been less than two days since Huo Xiaozheng went abroad, but Huo Guining would video call him every day to ask about his situation.
Sometimes Huo Yueze couldn't tell who was the father and who was the daughter.
As they were arguing, Huo Xiaozheng's call came in.
Huo Guining quickly answered, "Dad!"
Huo Xiaozheng was startled. The urgency in her voice made him a bit worried. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
Huo Guining shook her head and plopped down on the sofa. "Brother cut off my internet and is trying to take my phone."
Knowing that Huo Yueze was worried about her seeing negative comments online, Huo Xiaozheng felt relieved. So he teased her, "How could your brother be so naughty?"
Huo Guining was taken aback and hurriedly explained, "Brother isn't naughty. He's just worried that I'm tired from playing all day and wants me to go to bed early."
Huo Xiaozheng said, "Oh, so your brother is quite nice then."
Huo Guining nodded.
"Then shouldn't you go wash up and get ready for bed?" Huo Xiaozheng's tone was coaxing.
To be honest, he wasn't sure how Guining would react if she saw the online comments.
But just in case, it would be better if she didn't see them before he had dealt with the situation.
Thinking of this, he added, "If you go to bed early today, Dad will bring you a present tomorrow."
"Dad, are you coming back tomorrow?" Huo Guining was a bit excited.
Although Huo Yueze was very nice, and her uncle and aunt were good too, Huo Guining still preferred living at her own home.
"Yes, I'll be back tomorrow. So rest early, and I'll pick you up in the evening to go home."
Huo Xiaozheng didn't tell her that he was already on his way to the airport.
With this situation, he felt he would be more at ease if he was by her side.
Since Huo Xiaozheng said so, Huo Guining obediently complied.
She handed her phone to Huo Yueze to keep. "Brother will give me back my phone tomorrow, right?"
Huo Yueze hadn't expected her to be so obedient and immediately answered, "Of course! A gentleman's word is his bond!"
Huo Guining felt reassured.
Just as she was wondering what to do, Zuo Qinfang beckoned to her, saying she had made some adjustments to the painting from earlier in the day and asked if she wanted to take a look.
Huo Guining happily agreed and left the living room, holding Zuo Qinfang's hand.
Huo Yueze was left standing alone, lost in thought.
Huo Yanqin had just entered the room when he saw his son's dazed expression. He couldn't help but pat him on the back, "What are you daydreaming about?"
Huo Yueze answered off-topic, "Dad, when I was 5 years old, could I understand idioms?"
"At 5? At 5, you had trouble with complex characters, let alone idioms!" Huo Yanqin said bluntly.
Huo Yueze's eyes gradually widened in shock. He excitedly said, "Dad, we might have a genius in our family!"
Huo Yanqin couldn't take it anymore, "Isn't your uncle one?"
Huo Yueze instinctively dismissed his uncle's existence, "I'm talking about Guining! Just now when I said 'A gentleman's word is his bond,' she actually understood!"
Thinking carefully, communication with Guining had always been smooth.
The news incident last time was also strange.
Guining seemed to have almost no difficulty reading, with a vocabulary far beyond that of a typical 5-year-old.
If this wasn't genius, what was it?!
The more Huo Yueze thought about it, the more excited he became. He rushed to the study, eager to immediately take Guining for an IQ test.
But he was stopped by a look from Zuo Qinfang.
"The color transition here isn't smooth enough. You should do it like this..." Zuo Qinfang picked up a brush and demonstrated for Guining.
Huo Guining understood immediately and casually drew an example, asking, "Is it like this... right?"
Zuo Qinfang gave a thumbs up, "Exactly like that!"
After finishing the painting, Zuo Qinfang looked at her son who was standing dumbfounded to the side.
"Do you need something?"
Huo Yueze's eyes were as wide as saucers. He crouched down and hugged Guining's shoulders, "You... you're amazing!"
Huo Guining was completely confused, "What's wrong, brother?"
Zuo Qinfang couldn't stand it anymore and frowned at him, "Yueze, what are you going on about now?"
Huo Yueze gave Zuo Qinfang a mysterious look and solemnly asked Guining, "A gentleman's word..."
Huo Guining confusedly continued, "...is his bond?"
"Eight immortals crossing the sea?"
"Each showing their unique powers?"
These idioms were so ingrained in Huo Guining that she answered without even thinking.
By the time she realized what was happening, it was too late!
Huo Yueze hugged Huo Guining tightly, exclaiming, "Guining really is a genius!"
Zuo Qinfang was also somewhat surprised, but clearly more rational than Huo Yueze.
She stopped Huo Yueze's actions and asked Guining, "Guining, did you go to kindergarten before?"
Huo Guining was panicking internally, "Yes, I did."
This wasn't a lie. Shi Lili, eager to get rid of the burden of caring for her, had wished the kindergarten was open year-round to take care of the child for her.
Zuo Qinfang asked her a few more idioms. This time, Huo Guining didn't dare to answer and just pretended not to understand.
Huo Yueze excitedly presented new evidence, "Remember the news incident last time? Didn't uncle say Guining read it herself? A 5-year-old recognizing so many characters, if that's not genius, what is?"
Huo Guining wished she could tape his mouth shut. She waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "I'm not a genius."
Huo Yueze was about to speak again, but Zuo Qinfang seemed to have figured something out.
She gently asked, "Guining, do you not like being seen as a genius?"
How could she answer that question? This had nothing to do with being a genius; it was purely because she hadn't played the role of a 5-year-old child well enough!
Huo Guining lowered her head and remained silent.
Zuo Qinfang seemed lost in thought.
"I'm not a genius," Huo Guining said after some consideration, deciding to tell the truth. "I often play alone, but the house is too quiet, and I get scared."
"So I keep the TV on and watch it. I watch whatever is lively."
"After watching a lot, I learned things."
Huo Guining's words implied: She wasn't smart; she was simply too lonely.
Seeing this, Huo Yueze's excitement also cooled down.
Guining's situation was... very similar to his uncle's situation back then.
