Volume One, Chapter 23: That Woman Is Truly Heartless

“Yeah.”
To be precise... a new lover.
But those two words just refused to leave Ye Sheng’s lips; things were awkward enough as it was.
She apologized sincerely, “If you run into him and he gives you any trouble, just ignore him.”
Huo Lindong’s tone was calm, “Do you need me to explain anything?”
“No need.”
Ye Sheng’s expression was grave beyond words. “If there’s any explaining to do, it’ll be mine to do. This has nothing to do with you. It’s between him and me; no one else is involved. Lin, I just wanted to warn you in case I cause you trouble. If my ex-husband bothers you, let me know. I’ll handle it.”
“Alright, understood.”
Huo Lindong comforted her instead, “It’s nothing serious; don’t worry too much.”
Ye Sheng called her classmate and resolved the school matter, so Huo Lindong was spared another worry. His amber eyes met Ye Sheng’s deep black gaze, and he smiled, lips curling, “Your meals for the next few days are on me.”
Ye Sheng opened her mouth.
“Any objections?”
“None,” she replied quickly. “I’d be delighted.”
Their eyes met and, unable to hold back, both laughed.
—
When Huo Mingtin returned home and didn’t see his son, he heard noises upstairs and went straight up.
The dressing room was a mess.
“What happened?”
The housekeeper, Aunt Ying, said anxiously, “Young master, you’re finally back! The little master’s been looking for a hat, rummaging through here for ages.”
Huo Mingtin walked over to see Huo Cong, bottom in the air, buried deep in the closet, his little hands digging around like a mole.
He grabbed the boy by the back of the neck and pulled him out, frowning, “What are you up to?”

“I’m looking for a hat.” Huo Cong’s cheeks were flushed, panting from the effort.
Huo Mingtin’s frown didn’t ease. “What hat are you looking for?”
Huo Cong pouted, hesitating for a while, then mumbled, “...the hat she knitted.”
At once, Huo Mingtin understood, recalling the woolen hats he’d seen the other day on that man and child. He glanced down at his son.
Huo Cong looked aggrieved, his face tense, clearly wanting to dive back into the closet.
Aunt Ying was about to stop him when Huo Mingtin opened the other side of the wardrobe and started rummaging himself.
The dressing room became even messier…
Aunt Ying was baffled; she couldn’t imagine what kind of hat could get both father and son so worked up.
“Found them.”
Huo Mingtin pulled out a storage box, and from it took several knitted hats. Huo Cong immediately grabbed the children’s ones, his face lighting up triumphantly. “See? I have them too.”
Aunt Ying was stunned. She’d thought it must be some designer hat, but it was just a few handmade woolen caps.
But the stitches were tight and even; they looked very warm.
She’d worked in the Huo family for many years, and she suddenly remembered: wasn’t it the young madam who used to knit these?
One each year, never repeating the color or pattern.
She’d once praised the young madam for her nimble fingers.
Ye Sheng had just smiled gently… The young madam was truly good-tempered, perhaps too good-tempered, alas.
So many hats had been knitted, but it seemed neither father nor son had ever worn them.
“You want to wear it?” Huo Mingtin asked his son.
Huo Cong nodded.
Huo Mingtin: “You don’t think it looks silly?”
Huo Cong pouted. “Other people wear hats like this too. It’s not silly.”

“Try and see if they fit.”
The hats had been knitted by Ye Sheng to fit their heads at the time; his own were still about the right size, but Huo Cong’s were from years ago and clearly too small.
Huo Cong tried them on one by one; by the third, his eyes were red. They were all too small.
He tore the hat from his head and flung it to the ground. “I hate it!”
“Don’t throw a tantrum!” Huo Mingtin chided lightly. Since Ye Sheng had left, Cong’er’s temper had grown more and more volatile.
Aunt Ying hurried forward to pick it up, but Huo Mingtin said, “Let him pick it up himself.”
Huo Cong refused and ran off in anger.
Aunt Ying chased after him. “Slow down, young master! Don’t fall…”
Huo Mingtin picked up the hat, dusted it off. He knew exactly what had upset his son.
The things that should have belonged to them were now on someone else’s head—how could he not be angry?
But that woman was heartless—what could he do about it?
Huo Mingtin let out a bitter laugh, unsure if he was mocking her or himself.
He put the hats back in the closet and glanced at Ye Sheng’s wardrobe; her belongings had never been moved.
When Ye Sheng left, she’d only taken a few personal items, and those were her old clothes from before she’d come to the Huo family. All the beautiful clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry he’d bought her—she’d left them behind. She didn’t want any of it.
She didn’t even want him and their son!
Three years had passed, and Huo Mingtin still couldn’t understand why.
Why had Ye Sheng so resolutely divorced him? What had he ever done to her?
He went downstairs and told someone to tidy up the dressing room, then called the butler to him. “Uncle Mao, how’s that investigation I asked for going? Who in the Huo family has been secretly involved with Ye Sheng?”