Volume 1, Chapter 137: If Not Him, Then Who Do You Like?

Since Wang Liang took a day off today, Huo Liandong personally drove to drop off Ye Sheng and Huo Xiaobei.

Downstairs, Huo Xiaobei waited for Huo Cong for a while. Usually, Uncle Wang Liang would drive him and Huo Cong to school together.

"Huo Cong!" Huo Xiaobei waved at Huo Cong from afar. Huo Cong raised his hand in response, and Huo Mingting walked over, holding Huo Cong by the hand. "Morning."

Huo Mingting looked at Huo Liandong. "Ninth Granduncle is driving the kids today?"

Huo Liandong replied calmly, "You could have driven them too."

"..." Huo Mingting choked. He had originally planned to say that if Huo Liandong was driving, he would let Ye Sheng ride in his car.

"Then I'll drive them."

Huo Mingting looked at Ye Sheng. "You and Xiaobei, get in my car."

Huo Liandong glanced calmly at Huo Mingting, his eyes devoid of emotion, and looked instead at Ye Sheng. "Let's go."

"Okay."

Ye Sheng let Huo Xiaobei get into the car and asked Huo Cong, "Cong'er, are you riding in Xiaobei's dad's car, or your dad's car?"

Huo Cong thought for a moment, recalling the plan he and Huo Xiaobei had made, and let go of Huo Mingting's hand.

"Dad, I'll go with Xiaobei. You should hurry to work."

Huo Cong picked up his schoolbag and got into Huo Liandong's car. Ye Sheng followed closely and got into the front passenger seat.

Huo Mingting: "..."

Why is everyone refusing to play by the rules?

Even his own son abandoned him.

Seeing that the car was about to start, Huo Mingting took a stride forward, pulled open the back door, and squeezed in with the children.

Huo Cong and Huo Xiaobei turned simultaneously to look at Huo Mingting.

Huo Mingting brazenly fastened his seatbelt and said to Huo Liandong, "Sorry to trouble Ninth Granduncle for a ride."

Huo Liandong said nothing; as an elder, it wouldn't do to bicker with his grandson.

Ye Sheng knew Huo Mingting was doing it on purpose, but she couldn't be bothered to say anything, treating him as if he didn't exist and going about her business.

Huo Liandong was even more composed than Ye Sheng. The two of them chatted casually in the car as usual, touching on medical topics and everyday life. Listening from the back, Huo Mingting couldn't find any opening to join the conversation.

He carefully observed the two people in the front.

There was no excessive warmth between Huo Liandong and Ye Sheng; even the scenario he had imagined—where Ye Sheng might act spoiled or coquettish toward Huo Liandong—was completely absent. Their interaction was simply harmonious and natural.

As natural as a couple who had been living together for a long time.

...At this thought, a sour feeling welled up in Huo Mingting's chest.

First, they dropped off the two little ones at school.

As soon as Huo Xiaobei and Huo Cong stepped through the school gates, Huo Xiaobei let out a long breath. "Ah, I was suffocating."

Huo Cong looked amusedly at Huo Xiaobei's exaggerated expression. "Who told you to hold your breath?"

"I didn't want to, but the atmosphere was just so awkward."

Huo Xiaobei reached out to poke Huo Cong, whispering, "Did you see what your dad looked like in the car?"

Huo Cong shook his head. "I didn't dare to look."

He was afraid that if he looked, his heart would ache and he would soften.

"I looked for you; his expression wasn't very good."

Huo Xiaobei said, "It was just like the times you get mad at me, with his brows furrowed and his little face all tensed up like a steamed bun, just like this..."

He imitated the expression.

Huo Cong lifted his eyelids to glance at Huo Xiaobei. "When have I ever gotten mad at you?"

Then he added, "Clearly, it's always you getting mad at me."

Huo Xiaobei thought about it. "I guess so. Then, when I get mad at you, is it the same as when you get mad at Shenshen?"

"..."

Huo Cong hadn't expected this boomerang to hit him. His expression froze for a second before he caught sight of Huo Xiaobei's teasing look, let out a laugh, and took off running.

"Huo Xiaobei, you stop right there!" Huo Cong gave chase.

—

Adults are very skilled at concealing their emotions and putting on a facade of peace in front of children.

Once only Huo Liandong, Ye Sheng, and Huo Mingting were left in the car, the atmosphere turned subtle once more.

Seeing that the car was heading in the direction of the Huo Group, Huo Mingting hurriedly said, "Drop Ye Sheng off first, I'm not in a hurry."

"There's plenty of time; I'll drop you off first."

Huo Liandong replied in an even tone, then spoke gently to Ye Sheng, "I'll drive a little faster, it won't make you late for work."

"It's fine," Ye Sheng said. "There's still plenty of time."

Huo Mingting had the distinct feeling that he was about to be unloaded first so they could steal some time alone. He straightened up and stated his position once more, "Really, no need, Ninth Granduncle. You should drop Ye Sheng off first."

Huo Liandong paused, glancing at him through the rearview mirror. His voice remained level, but his aura was vastly different from before.

"I am not your chauffeur. In my car, you only listen to me."

Huo Mingting: "..."

He had no doubt that if he uttered one more word, Ninth Granduncle would pull over right away and kick him out.

Huo Liandong parked the car at the entrance of the Huo Group building and unlocked the doors.

Huo Mingting looked at Ye Sheng, wanting to say something to her, but Ye Sheng didn't turn back, showing no inclination to interact with him at all.

With no other choice, he awkwardly stepped out of the car.

Watching the car drive away, Huo Mingting frowned in utter entanglement. How was it that someone usually so clever and quick-witted became completely helpless the moment he stood before Ye Sheng?

Without even trying, Huo Liandong had crushed him down into the dust.

—

Without Huo Mingting in the car, even the air felt much fresher.

Ye Sheng instantly felt a sense of relief.

Huo Liandong glanced sideways at her gentle sigh of relief and smiled. "If I had known you were going to be this uncomfortable, I should have chased him out when he got in instead of bringing him along."

Ye Sheng smiled too. She wanted to say it wasn't that dramatic, but the way Huo Liandong said it carried the distinct vibe of disciplining a grandson, which warmed her heart.

"Mm," Ye Sheng said. "Don't bring him next time. I don't like him."

The words sounded childlike and naive, akin to acting spoiled.

Clearly unused to it, Ye Sheng felt a bit shy the moment she finished speaking.

A red light halted the car, and Huo Liandong turned his head to look at her, following the thread of her words. "If you don't like him, then who do you like?"

Ye Sheng abruptly turned her head, meeting Huo Liandong's deep, luminous eyes, and her heart gave a sharp jolt.

The sun had risen, and winter sunlight is at its most gentle—like being wrapped in a cozy, warm blanket amidst a chilly wind, heating Ye Sheng's entire heart.

Though he didn't receive a verbal answer, Huo Liandong found the answer he wanted right there in Ye Sheng's eyes.

He smiled with faint satisfaction, entirely certain that sooner or later, he would hear that answer from Ye Sheng's own lips.

There was plenty of time ahead; he was not in a hurry.

—

Wan Sandao waited at the airport for a while. Due to a delayed flight, it was close to noon when he finally saw Ye Zhun walk out from the arrival gate.

Boss Ye walked with a brisk stride, pushing a small suitcase himself, accompanied by two assistants and four tall, heavy-set bodyguards who constantly scanned the surroundings.

It wasn't that Ye Zhun was being overly cautious; his public image domestically and abroad was completely different.

Domestically, Boss Ye was a philanthropist who retained his business acumen. Although opinions varied, he kept such a low profile and remained so mysterious that discussions about him were confined to specific matters rather than his personal self.

Abroad, however, Boss Ye was high-profile, flamboyant, decisive, and ruthless—a thorn in the side of many.

He adhered to principles in his actions, but not strictly to conventional rules. Had he strictly abided by conventions, there was no way Ye Zhun could have carved out an empire in his early twenties, entirely without backing, while taking a teenage younger sister under his wing.

Compared to Wan Sandao's cautious preservation of his own life, Ye Zhun was truly someone who would risk his life.

During the car accident case ten years ago, Ye Zhun had nearly lost an arm to save Ye Sheng's life, which in turn altered the trajectory of the siblings' destinies.

Ye Zhun transitioned from a doctor to a businessman, while Ye Sheng shifted from a professional chess player to study medicine, eventually becoming a hematology expert.

Both siblings were fighting against fate in their own ways, holding up the banner of "Huatai Pharmaceuticals" with their respective shoulders.

During a shooting incident a few years ago, Yin Se had taken a bullet for Ye Zhun—a shot that nearly cost both of them their lives.

Ever since then, Ye Zhun's temper had mellowed considerably, and he had started valuing his life, bringing bodyguards wherever he went to ensure he never placed himself in danger again.

These ten years flashed through Wan Sandao's mind like a reel of film. Just as Wan Sandao revealed a hint of a gratified expression, Ye Zhun slapped him in a chokehold, bending him over.

"Brother, brother... take it easy, I'm your own brother!"

"Get lost, Ye Sheng is my only biological sister; you were picked up off the street."

Wan Sandao looked deeply wounded. "Even if that's the truth, saying it so bluntly is quite hurtful."

The assistants behind them chuckled softly.

Ye Zhun handed his luggage over to them and propelled Wan Sandao forward in the chokehold. "You've got some nerve, colluding in secret with that scoundrel Huo Liandong and pulling things behind my back!"

"I'm innocent! I only found out a little earlier than you, truly!"

Wan Sandao begged for mercy continuously. "Besides, the two of them have taken a liking to each other. When love wants to happen, you can't block it..."

Love?

Ye Zhun let out a cold snort: Love my foot!