Huo Guining sensed the gaze behind her and looked at Huo Yueze quizzically. "Brother, why are you looking at me like that?"
Huo Yueze held up the instruction leaflet. "What's this?"
Huo Guining's heart skipped a beat. Oh no, had she forgotten to throw away the medication instructions?
She tried to remain calm. "What do you mean?"
Huo Yueze walked over and held the leaflet in front of her eyes, smiling. "Why do you stuff everything into your bag? What's the point of keeping the instructions for vitamin tablets?"
"Vitamins?" Huo Guining was stunned for a moment, then let out a long sigh of relief. "Butler Chen must have put it in there."
Huo Yueze thought about it and agreed. "That must be it. Maybe Butler Chen was worried Mom would forget the dosage."
Huo Guining forced a couple of laughs.
As a cold wind blew past, the cold sweat on her back made her shiver involuntarily.
That was close.
Seeing her reaction, Huo Yueze asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you cold?"
Huo Guining shook her head.
She tried to focus on her painting, but her mind was elsewhere.
Beside her, Huo Yueze felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
The siblings continued their activities - one painting the winter landscape tirelessly, the other playing on his phone with headphones on.
After Huo Xiaozheng took action, the online controversy didn't escalate further.
On Huo Corporation's official media account, more and more firsthand accounts from visitors began to appear.
Huo Corporation, as agreed, made private transfers to these accounts.
Although some netizens still accused Huo Corporation of paying to clean up their image, as videos from different perspectives emerged, the tide of public opinion began to turn.
"That couple is really shameless, taking advantage of a young girl who wasn't accompanied by adults."
"But that little brat hit first, and quite hard too."
"Another day of having my worldview refreshed."
"Like father, like son - the whole family is rotten!"
"They have the nerve to come out and accuse others!"
"All for the clicks and views."
Huo Xiaozheng was satisfied with how the situation was being handled.
This morning, he had already reached an agreement with the amusement park's top management.
They would soon release a statement. At that point, right and wrong would be clear for all to see.
Huo Xiaozheng glanced at his watch; it was already 10:30 AM.
He picked up his coat and headed out. "I'm going home now. Call me if anything comes up."
Xi Chuan nodded, thinking to himself: The boss used to only say he was leaving work, but now he naturally says he's going home.
Yin Su, who had been following the situation closely, asked Xi Chuan in confusion, "Assistant Xi, why doesn't the boss just clarify things directly?"
"Miss Guining is always being slandered for personally sending her mother to prison, this..."
Xi Chuan's gaze was distant. "Of course Mr. Huo wants to clarify all these rumors."
"But if he did, Miss Guining's birth and her mother would both be criticized."
"She's still so young, and she'll have classmates and friends in the future. How could she handle all that at such a tender age?"
Xi Chuan sighed. A parent's love for their child is truly far-sighted.
The current Mr. Huo was gradually becoming more like a father.
...
Huo Guining was in good spirits today. After returning from sketching, her lips seemed to have regained some color.
Huo Yueze, just as when they left, was carrying bags of all sizes. Worried that Guining might get tired, he let her sit in the cart and pulled her along.
This childish game delighted Huo Guining, and she couldn't help but chatter excitedly:
"It's my first time seeing such beautiful plum blossoms."
"The frozen lake surface looks so fun, I really want to step on it."
Huo Yueze said, "Another day, brother will take you ice skating. That's much more fun than just stepping on a lake!"
"Brother is really good at ice skating, you..."
"Dad!" Huo Guining's clear voice interrupted Huo Yueze's self-praise.
He looked up to see his uncle, dressed in a black coat and grey suit, striding towards them.
Seeing Huo Guining nestled in the small cart, her eyes twinkling like stars, Huo Xiaozheng's eyes couldn't help but crinkle with a smile.
He bent down to lift her out of the cart, gauging her weight.
"Did you go camping with your brother?"
Huo Guining was genuinely happy.
Since coming to this world, Huo Xiaozheng was the person she was most familiar with, bar none.
After not seeing him for two days, she did miss him a bit.
She nodded with a smile. "We set up a tent by the lake. Brother is amazing, he set up the tent so quickly and well."
Standing nearby, Huo Yueze puffed out his chest a little upon hearing this.
Huo Xiaozheng said mildly to Huo Yueze, "Thank you for your hard work. You've taken very good care of your sister."
Huo Yueze was pleasantly surprised.
From childhood, his uncle had always found him noisy, even suspecting he had ADHD.
At one point, he had tried to convince Mr. and Mrs. Huo Yanqin to have him see a doctor.
Let alone praise him.
Huo Yueze's eyes welled up with tears, his face full of disbelief. "Uncle actually praised me..."
Huo Guining: ? Is that really necessary, brother? It doesn't even sound like praise...
If anything, it sounded more like consolation.
But Huo Yueze was clearly basking in the perceived praise.
He absent-mindedly pushed the cart towards home, looking somewhat disoriented in his excitement.
Huo Xiaozheng ignored him and held Huo Guining at arm's length, examining her for a moment before saying with some concern, "You don't look too well. Are you alright?"
Huo Guining quickly shook her head. "It's just cold outside."
She then put her hands on Huo Xiaozheng's ears, giving him a cold shock.
Huo Xiaozheng smiled. "It is quite chilly. Let's head back."
Huo Guining thought he meant going back to Huo Yueze's house, but to her surprise, he carried her straight to the car.
The driver had already loaded her suitcase, and they were ready to depart.
Huo Yueze looked a bit dumbfounded. "Uncle, are you taking Guining away already?"
Huo Xiaozheng nodded. "I've already spoken with your mother. I'm taking Guining home now."
"As for you, I've arranged for a driver to take you to school."
Huo Yueze: Thanks, I guess.
Huo Guining lowered the car window to wave goodbye.
Huo Yueze approached reluctantly, about to say a few words.
Suddenly, the window closed mercilessly.
Then, the car sped away in a flash.
Huo Yueze belatedly realized he had forgotten something important.
He took out his phone and sent Huo Xiaozheng a message.
Only then did he return home, change into his school uniform, and set off for school.
...
"Dad, are you very busy?" Huo Guining asked, somewhat puzzled.
Huo Xiaozheng looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"Just now, it seemed like brother still had something to say to me, but we left in such a hurry. Won't brother be sad?"
Huo Xiaozheng's expression remained calm. "He won't be. You can always contact each other by phone, can't you?"
Huo Guining's eyes lit up, and she immediately reached for her phone.
But Huo Xiaozheng stopped her. "Little ones shouldn't play with phones in the car. It's bad for your eyes."
Huo Guining obediently made a small sound of acknowledgment.
Seeing her fall silent, Huo Xiaozheng took the initiative to ask about her past two days.
Huo Guining recounted everything.
"Do you want to go to school?" Huo Xiaozheng suddenly asked.
The psychologist's recommendation was to let her interact with peers as much as possible, to understand what a normal child's life was like.
Huo Guining recalled the scene at the kindergarten and shook her head vigorously like a rattle drum. "I'd rather not."
