Volume One, Chapter 108: The Property Her Ex-Husband Gifted Her

In the afternoon, Wan Sandao went to pick up Huo Xiaobei and Huo Cong after school.

Compared to Huo Xiaobei, who happily leapt into his third uncle’s arms and followed him eagerly, Huo Cong wore a wary expression and immediately pulled Huo Xiaobei into his embrace.

“Who are you?” he asked fiercely, but to Wan Sandao, he looked like a little wolf pup whose fur hadn’t even fully grown in yet—completely inexperienced.

Wan Sandao deliberately licked his lips, putting on a mischievous “villain” grin. “I’m his third uncle, your third maternal uncle.”

Huo Cong didn’t recognize any third maternal uncle.

“Run!” Huo Cong grabbed Huo Xiaobei’s hand and started running toward the school building, pointing at Wan Sandao and shouting to the school security guards, “He’s a kidnapper!”

Wan Sandao was speechless.

Almost at the same time, Huo Mingting and Huo Lindong arrived at the school security office.

Wan Sandao was chatting amicably with the guards, while Huo Xiaobei and Huo Cong sat side by side on the sofa, their little backpacks on their backs, waiting for their parents to pick them up.

The glow of the sunset at the entrance was overshadowed by two tall figures. Huo Xiaobei and Huo Cong both turned toward the door and called out in unison, “Dad.”

Each was calling a different man—one for Huo Lindong, the other for Huo Mingting—each with their own father.

Ye Sheng arrived a moment later.

The small security office was crowded with people, all turning their heads to look at Ye Sheng.

She scanned the room, sweat beading on her forehead, and asked, “Where’s the kidnapper?”

Four hands pointed directly at Wan Sandao.

“That one.”

Wan Sandao grinned, baring his teeth.

Ye Sheng was speechless.

—

After the mix-up at school, they finally left.

Ye Sheng gently patted Huo Cong’s little head and pointed at Wan Sandao, saying, “I told you before you have three maternal uncles. This is your third uncle. He’s not a bad person.”

Huo Cong had already heard Wan Sandao introduce himself in the security office, but he still didn’t like him.

“I don’t even know him.”

Huo Cong was well aware of the rules about not going with strangers and had a strong sense of safety.

Huo Mingting was pleased: look at my son, well taught.

Wan Sandao tapped Huo Xiaobei’s head and said, “He’s never met me before, so it’s understandable he doesn’t trust me. But what about you? You’ve been back to the country once, and you don’t even recognize your third uncle?”

“I do.”

Huo Xiaobei lifted his little face. “But since Huo Cong wants to run away, of course I have to run with him. I can’t leave him alone.”

He reached out his small hand, and Huo Cong saw it and took it.

“Haha.” Wan Sandao rapped Huo Xiaobei lightly on the forehead. “You two brothers get along pretty well.”

Huo Mingting raised an eyebrow beside him. “Brothers? What’s the relation there?”

They all arrived by car, and the line of luxury cars parked by the roadside had already drawn quite a few admiring glances.

Ye Sheng automatically walked over to Wan Sandao’s Hummer. Wan Sandao raised his car keys at her. “You want to drive?”

“Sure.” Ye Sheng reached out, and Wan Sandao tossed the keys to her.

Huo Mingting watched Ye Sheng swing open the car door with ease, recalling the scene back at Meishan when she drove a big G-class—so cool.

On the mountain roads, he nearly couldn’t keep up.

Back then, Huo Mingting even wondered if Ye Sheng had ever raced professionally.

As Ye Sheng was about to help Huo Cong into the car, Huo Mingting called out, “Cong’er, come with me today.”

Everyone turned to look at him.

Huo Mingting only looked at Ye Sheng. “He’s been here bothering you for quite a while. It’s not appropriate. Besides, the family misses him.”

Ye Sheng’s eyes darkened. A woman’s intuition told her that Huo Mingting was already developing a sense of crisis.

The custody battle hadn’t even begun, but he was already preparing to fight her for it.

“Cong’er, you...” Ye Sheng was about to ask the child’s opinion.

Huo Cong immediately said, “I’m going back with Dad.”

He grabbed his backpack and asked Huo Xiaobei, “Did you write down all your homework today?”

Huo Xiaobei nodded.

“Okay. If you don’t understand something, just call me.”

Huo Cong’s voice was clear as he said to Huo Xiaobei, “See you at school tomorrow.”

Huo Xiaobei pouted, reluctant, but nodded, “Okay.”

Huo Cong left with Huo Mingting and got into his car.

Wan Sandao asked Ye Sheng, “Not going to stop them?”

Ye Sheng paused, then shook her head. “I can’t stop it.”

Huo Cong was closer to his father. In truth, Ye Sheng had no chance in the custody battle. No matter how wealthy or influential she was—on par with Huo Mingting—if Huo Cong insisted on staying with his father, the judge would almost certainly side with the child’s wishes.

“But I still have to fight.”

On the way back, Ye Sheng drove while Wan Sandao sat in the passenger seat.

Huo Lindong and Huo Xiaobei sat in the back, listening as Ye Sheng said gravely, “At least I have to let Huo Mingting know: as long as he marries Qin Minshu, if she dares to do anything harmful to Cong’er, I will never tolerate it. I have plenty of time to wear them down. If one lawsuit isn’t enough, there will be two, and I’ll keep fighting until Cong’er grows up strong enough to protect himself and no longer needs a guardian.”

Even if the blood relationship between Huo Cong and her was distant and their mother-son bond weak, she accepted it.

But protecting her child from harm was a mother’s instinct.

—

With Huo Cong away for a few days, they had time to get some things done.

Wan Sandao also owned a house in Lanting International—a detached villa with a modified garage on the first floor, filled with his luxury and sports cars.

Ye Sheng chose a Mercedes S-Class, good enough for appearances when commuting to work.

As one of the original major shareholders of Huatai Pharmaceuticals and Dingsheng Group, Ye Sheng’s movable and immovable assets were so numerous she barely kept track.

That evening, she video-called Yin Se. The living room was piled high with clothes, bags, shoes, and jewelry from various major brands. Wan Sandao had arranged for someone to help organize them and even set up a walk-in closet.

Ye Sheng wore Bluetooth earphones, holding a bowl of coconut pudding made by Huo Lindong, eating while listening to Yin Se tally her assets.

She was stunned.

“Oh my, am I really this rich?”

The busy brand representatives and workers in the living room all glanced at Ye Sheng. Wan Sandao grabbed a foam ball and tossed it at her, teasing, “Don’t flaunt it—just making others jealous.”

Ye Sheng saluted Wan Sandao. “Good things come from hanging out with the big brothers.”

Yin Se laughed on the video call.

“You’ve earned quite a bit from your research projects and patents over the years. Those two brothers are definitely benefiting from you. Of course, don’t forget the eldest Huo.”

Yin Se continued the inventory. When she reached several properties and shares, Ye Sheng was stunned again.

“Sister Se, is this some kind of mistake? Where did these come from? I have no memory of them at all.”

“I’ll check.”

Yin Se was also unfamiliar with these properties. After a few keystrokes, she fell silent, then said to Ye Sheng, “They were gifts from Huo Mingting.”

Ye Sheng was taken aback. “Who?”