Volume One, Chapter 20: Exiled to the Children's Table

Tonight’s dinner was centered around Huo Lindong, with Ye Sheng as a guest, and drinking was inevitable. She didn’t resist much; since she was already there, she was prepared to drink. She simply disliked alcohol, not that she couldn’t handle it.

“Junior Sister, come,” said the director of the Second Department’s Hematology division, who was also a fellow disciple of Ye Sheng and Dean Ji. He greeted Ye Sheng warmly, “We haven’t seen each other in years. I’m so glad you’ve returned to the country. Tonight, we must drink to our hearts’ content!”

Several others chimed in enthusiastically.

Dean Ji teased Ye Sheng with a smile, “Say what you will, but everyone present here once put in a good word for you. If not for that, given our teacher’s temper, how could you have been allowed back into the fold so easily?”

Standing with her glass, Ye Sheng replied, “Yes, I was quite immature back then and often made our teacher angry. Thanks to you brothers for speaking up for me. I’ll drink to that.”

She tipped back her glass and drank it all, warming the atmosphere at the table. They were all fellow disciples, and Ye Sheng was the youngest among them. She had already shed her jacket, ready for a night of drinking without restraint. After all, the medical aid project was over, and she could rest for a couple of days; it wouldn’t matter if she didn’t get up tomorrow.

She had just drunk two cups and was about to raise her third when Huo Lindong stopped her.

“They’re just kids—let them eat properly. We’ll drink,” he said lightly.

With just those words, the two brothers who had been about to drink with Ye Sheng withdrew their cups and turned to toast Huo Lindong instead.

Ye Sheng couldn’t help but laugh. How had she, a grown woman, ended up relegated to the children’s table? But given Huo Lindong’s seniority, it wasn’t unreasonable for him to call her a child.

When Huo Lindong spoke, his words carried weight; as soon as he intervened, the brothers dared not continue drinking with her. So Ye Sheng focused on her meal, chatting quietly with the real children.

Huo Xiaobei said, “Sheng Sheng, you can drink?”

Ye Sheng smiled, “I can.”

“How’s your tolerance?” he asked.

Ye Sheng, unreserved in front of the child, replied, “Pretty good.”

Huo Xiaobei wrinkled his nose. “I just don’t get it—what’s so good about alcohol? It burns!”

“You’ve tried it?” Ye Sheng looked at him.

Huo Xiaobei nodded, leaning closer to whisper, “I was curious about the taste once and asked Old Huo to let me try. Dad only let me sip a little—my mouth was on fire!”

His exaggerated expressions made Ye Sheng laugh out loud. Human children, truly adorable! Her thoughts drifted to her own little one, and her smile unconsciously faded, a tightness settling in her chest.

“Sheng Sheng, I’d like another shrimp ball,” Huo Xiaobei said, his soft little hand poking Ye Sheng gently. The wrinkles in Ye Sheng’s heart smoothed out somewhat; she agreed and placed several shrimp balls on his plate.

The dinner was utterly relaxed. Her brothers had been lively during their student days, but with Huo Lindong present, everyone was well behaved, serious, resembling true department heads, and their conversation stayed strictly professional.

Huo Lindong said little, his expression calm, yet the atmosphere never cooled. Ye Sheng and Huo Xiaobei ate their fill and leaned back in their chairs to digest.

“All done?” Huo Lindong looked over.

Ye Sheng and Huo Xiaobei nodded together.

Huo Lindong ended the dinner early. Everyone had drunk a bit, but no one was truly drunk; they left the hotel clear-headed.

“Uncle, we hosted you, and you even paid for the drinks—you won’t even give us a chance to show our hospitality…” Dean Ji, a grown man, was sticky and murmuring after a few drinks.

Huo Lindong replied, “It’s nothing.”

Outside, the wind was strong. Ye Sheng crouched down to zip up Huo Xiaobei’s coat and fasten his hood, hearing Dean Ji ask, “Ye Sheng, where are you staying? I’ll take you.”

“Ah, I…” Ye Sheng was about to answer when Huo Lindong interjected, “She’s coming with me.”

Everyone was momentarily stunned, Ye Sheng included.

Huo Xiaobei hooked his arm around Ye Sheng’s neck and lunged into her arms. “Let’s go, Sheng Sheng!”

Ye Sheng held onto Huo Xiaobei, not moving.

Huo Lindong met her questioning gaze. “Are you heading to Lanting International?”

Ye Sheng nodded; that was her brother Ye Zhun’s residence in the country. She hadn’t found her own place yet, and had originally planned to stay at a hotel for a few days. Today, Ye Zhun’s assistant contacted her to say Chairman Ye’s apartment was ready for her to move in.

“We’re headed the same way,” said Huo Lindong.

Everyone understood and departed without worry.

Thus, Ye Sheng got into Huo Lindong’s car, and the driver took them toward Lanting International.

Huo Xiaobei was lively the whole way, chattering nonstop. The atmosphere in the car wasn’t awkward; Huo Lindong had drunk a fair amount and carried a faint scent of alcohol, sitting by the window at a distance from them.

Ye Sheng glanced at Huo Lindong. He was pressed against the window, eyes closed, resting. The lighting in the car was dim, but when they passed under a streetlight, it illuminated the contours of his face—strikingly beautiful.

Beautiful enough to take one’s breath away.

“Brother Lin is truly a beauty.” Ye Sheng suddenly recalled her third brother’s admiring words.