"Tell me, what's the current situation?" Old Master Huo furrowed his brow, his eyes fixed on Huo Xiaozheng.
Huo Xiaozheng took a small sip of tea, savoring its fragrant aroma and slightly bitter taste.
He set down the cup and said, "The company's situation hasn't been good lately. Revenue hasn't increased in any of our major branches, and some are even seeing a decline."
Huo Yanqin asked, "The overall economic situation isn't great either. Could it be due to policy changes?"
Huo Xiaozheng shook his head, his expression calm and unruffled.
Seeing that he seemed to have a grasp on the situation, Old Master Huo changed the subject.
"What's going on with little Ning?"
At this question, Huo Yanqin and Huo Jing both turned to look at Huo Xiaozheng.
Huo Guining had fainted at Huo Yanqin's house and been taken to the hospital. After discharge, she was brought directly back to Panlong Bay.
Huo Xiaozheng had been vague about the details.
As a result, neither Huo Yanqin nor Huo Jing knew the full story.
"Ning has some health issues," Huo Xiaozheng said.
Old Master Huo asked gravely, "What kind of issues are we talking about?"
At this point, Huo Xiaozheng had no choice but to explain Ning's condition in detail to everyone.
Huo Jing exclaimed in shock, "I thought it was strange how you suddenly became such a doting father when Ning returned. So this is the reason behind it."
Huo Xiaozheng didn't refute her statement.
Huo Yanqin inquired, "Since Ning's psychologist suggested hypnosis, does that mean it's the most efficient treatment method with the best results?"
Huo Xiaozheng nodded. "I initially thought we had plenty of time, and that if I just accompanied Ning patiently, she would eventually get better."
"But recently, I've noticed that Ning seems to be under a lot of pressure about needing to depend on me to stay healthy."
Huo Jing interjected, "Is that why Ning lied, to make you think she'd be fine even when she was with Yueze?"
Huo Xiaozheng didn't deny it.
He continued slowly, "I've already discussed it with Ning's psychologist. We plan to start hypnotherapy after the Spring Festival."
Huo Yanqin voiced his concern, "Ning has a strong sense of pride. If you've really decided to do this, it might be better to keep it from her."
This was exactly what worried Huo Xiaozheng as well.
Ning's health had been problematic multiple times, and beyond that, Huo Xiaozheng had noticed that she displayed some obsessive behaviors in daily life.
For instance, every morning after getting up, she insisted on making her bed meticulously according to her own habits.
If even the slightest detail was off, she would tirelessly unmake the bed and start over.
She had always had an unusual enthusiasm for food, eating when happy, eating when sad, and eating even more when anxious.
This explained her voracious appetite.
Moreover, once she got into the zone while painting, she would forget to eat or sleep.
If anyone interrupted her, her instinctive reaction was full of hostility.
That night when Huo Xiaozheng interrupted her painting, he was met with a pair of hostile eyes.
But perhaps due to her experiences, she was very adept at quickly hiding her emotions.
Huo Xiaozheng had arranged for her to swim and play tennis, hoping that exercise would help alleviate her stress.
The effects were minimal.
Old Master Huo heaved a long sigh.
The sound of his sigh brought Huo Xiaozheng back from his thoughts.
Huo Xiaozheng said, "The psychologist also suggested keeping it from her. But..."
Huo Jing understood his concern, "But if Ning finds out, the consequences could be unimaginable."
Huo Xiaozheng fell silent.
Ning's situation was even more challenging than the company's affairs.
Huo Jing tentatively said, "There's something I'd like to suggest."
Old Master Huo glared at her. "Out with it!"
"My previous idea about a parent-child reality show isn't practical, but brother could take Ning on a trip during the Spring Festival break to help her relax," Huo Jing said quickly, afraid of being scolded.
"Maybe during the trip, Ning will be willing to let her guard down with brother. Wouldn't that make the hypnosis issue easier to resolve?"
Huo Yanqin agreed, "That's not a bad idea. If Ning lets her guard down, it might not be impossible to get her consent for the hypnosis."
Huo Xiaozheng frowned, clearly still considering the proposal.
Seeing this, Old Master Huo made the decision, "Then it's settled. Leave the company matters to the staff for now, and we'll deal with it after the Spring Festival."
When the four of them came out of the study, Huo Guining was sitting on the sofa, showing her latest work to Huo Yueze, Zuo Qinfang, and Zheng Jinxiu.
Zuo Qinfang was looking at it intently, occasionally offering some comments.
Huo Yueze and Zheng Jinxiu, however, kept glancing at each other, avoiding looking at the painting.
But their stream of compliments never ceased.
Huo Xiaozheng walked over and said, "Ning, it's time to go home."
Huo Yueze and Zheng Jinxiu looked relieved, saying cheerfully, "Leaving so soon?"
Huo Guining put away her tablet and hopped off the sofa, her long bangs swaying by her cheeks.
"Goodnight, Grandpa and Grandma. Goodnight, Uncle, Aunt, and Auntie. Goodnight, brother. Goodbye."
With that, she went to hold Huo Xiaozheng's hand.
Huo Xiaozheng bent down to pick her up, waving goodbye to everyone.
Huo Yanqin and Huo Jing exchanged glances, both seeing a glimmer of hope in each other's eyes.
...
On this day, Huo Guining was roused from her bed early by Huo Xiaozheng.
After groggily eating breakfast, Huo Guining got into the car, tilted her head, and fell asleep again.
Having woken up so early, Huo Guining was in a daze for most of the morning.
Seeing her condition, Huo Xiaozheng rescheduled her art class appointment.
When Huo Guining woke up again, she found herself still in the car.
"Dad, where are we going?" she asked.
Huo Xiaozheng smoothed her messy hair and replied, "To Yun City."
The car stopped, and Huo Xiaozheng carried her out while the driver followed behind with their luggage.
It was then that Huo Guining realized they were at the airport.
"What are we going to Yun City for?" she asked.
Huo Xiaozheng's answer was brief: "To have fun."
Huo Guining: ...
This was Huo Guining's first time on a plane since coming to this world.
And it was first class, no less.
The first-class cabin was spacious. Worried about her experiencing vertigo and ear pain, Huo Xiaozheng seated her in the aisle seat.
He had also prepared noise-cancelling earplugs for her, which he helped her put in before takeoff.
But Huo Guining wasn't afraid at all.
Once the plane stabilized, she unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned over to look out the window.
Seeing her curiosity, Huo Xiaozheng switched seats with her and fastened her seatbelt again.
The weather was nice that day. The plane flew above thick white clouds, with bright sunshine and an endless expanse of blue sky.
Huo Guining felt her spirits lift.
Seeing her engrossed, Huo Xiaozheng opened his laptop and started working.
After lunch, Huo Guining's excitement had worn off.
Remembering that Uncle Zhou had brought two large suitcases, she asked curiously, "Dad, how long are we staying?"
Huo Xiaozheng took a sip of water and replied, "It's not certain yet. We'll see how it goes once we get there."
Huo Guining was puzzled: Wasn't Huo Xiaozheng usually very busy?
