Volume One, Chapter 78: Huo Mingting, You Have No Right to Judge Me

Huo Mingting’s sudden warning left Ye Sheng utterly bewildered. She frowned. “I’m talking to you about our child’s education, and you’re rambling about nonsense. Why should Cong’er call another man ‘dad’? He already has a father.”

Hearing her words, Huo Mingting’s expression softened slightly. Ye Sheng, however, seemed to recall something, and looked up at him with a cool gaze. “You were quick enough to let Cong’er call another woman ‘mom.’”

He was silent.

Ye Sheng let out a cold laugh. “Mr. Huo, perhaps you should avoid double standards.”

Huo Mingting’s face darkened once again.

After a long, oppressive silence, he still refused to let go. “Do you even know how to take care of a child?”

Ye Sheng’s brows knitted at that.

“Huo Mingting, have you forgotten? I was the one who raised Cong’er until he turned three. Aside from his playtime, whenever he was ill, whenever he slept, I took care of him. As a father, you only occasionally came home for a glance, played with him for a few minutes, took him to the hospital a handful of times. When he had nosebleeds, when his fever wouldn’t break, I was overwhelmed and called you—did you ever answer? Did you reply to my texts?”

It was rare for her to dredge up old grievances, but her questions struck Huo Mingting into embarrassment, leaving him speechless.

With her at home, he had indeed felt at ease, believing she’d care for their child well. He’d simply… neglected his duties.

Ye Sheng’s voice grew ice-cold. “We were both single parents for three years. Don’t pretend to be aggrieved in front of me—you’re in no position to judge.”

Huo Mingting’s complexion turned pale, his aura fading. In the end, he agreed.

—

As Ye Sheng dressed Huo Cong, the boy’s little face was filled with complicated emotions. He wanted to go with her, yet he was a little afraid.

He turned to look at Huo Mingting, who stood at the door, and softly called, “Dad.”

Huo Mingting responded, packing a few clothes for him and slipping a phone into his backpack. “If you miss me, or… if you feel uncomfortable or out of place at your mother’s, call me. Dad will come pick you up.”

He glanced at Ye Sheng, his tone serious. “You promised me that, in your home, besides you and Cong’er, there would be no other man.”

Before Ye Sheng could reply, a small hand shot up from beside them.

“Do I count as a man?”

Three pairs of eyes turned instantly to Huo Xiaobei.

Huo Xiaobei lifted his little face earnestly. “I’ll definitely go over to play with Huo Cong. We still have homework to do together.”

Hearing that Huo Xiaobei would be coming over to keep him company, Huo Cong’s worries faded.

Earlier, when Ye Sheng said she was taking him away, Huo Xiaobei had been nudging him relentlessly: “Go, go! If we’re neighbors, we can go to school together every day.”

Going to school together every day—that was too tempting for Huo Cong.

He simply couldn’t resist.

Ye Sheng was thoroughly amused by Huo Xiaobei, laughing as she patted his head. “You haven’t grown up yet; at most, you’re just a boy.”

Huo Xiaobei grinned, and Huo Cong followed suit.

Watching the two children getting along so well, Huo Mingting’s brows relaxed.

No wonder Huo Cong had been behaving so well at school lately—no more fights or scaring classmates to tears, no more morning tantrums. Instead, he went to school each day in high spirits.

Huo Mingting had assumed there must be a pretty girl in his class, but it was actually because of Huo Xiaobei.

…Perhaps it’s just that they’re all part of the Huo family. With blood ties, closeness naturally follows.

The group went downstairs.

When the chairman and madam of the Huo family learned their grandson would be staying with Ye Sheng for a few days, their faces were less than pleased. But with Huo Lintong present, they said nothing.

When he spotted Huo Xiaobei, the chairman’s gaze flickered with surprise.

He thought the child looked exactly like a Huo—how could he be adopted? Surely he must be Ninth Uncle’s biological son!

So the rumors outside were indeed baseless.

“Third Brother.” When Huo Xiaobei called the chairman, the latter didn’t react at first. Only when the madam chided, “The child’s calling you,” did he reply, “Ah, what is it, Little Brother?”

Huo Cong scowled beside him, wondering how he and his deskmate could be separated by so many generations.

But he didn’t care. After all, they were classmates.

That made them brothers!

Huo Xiaobei asked, “Can I see that hat?”

In the world of children, matters like “hats” are of utmost importance.

When Xiao Ying produced the hat, now reduced to a tattered mess, her face was full of grievance. Surrounded by so many stern eyes, she only dared to steal a glance at Ye Sheng.

“Madam, I swear I didn’t ruin the hat in the wash. It was fine when I washed it, and the stains came out. I don’t know why it ended up like this…”

Ye Sheng comforted her, stepped forward, and took the hat. Her expression darkened immediately.

“It wasn’t ruined in the wash—it was shredded.”

She turned it inside out and showed the damaged area to Huo Mingting. “These obvious scissor marks—can’t you see them?”

Huo Mingting took the hat, incredulous.

He didn’t know much about handiwork, but after Ye Sheng pointed it out, it was clear to see.

Huo Lintong raised his eyes slightly, looking at the chairman and madam, and finally spoke to remind them:

“If the household isn’t managed strictly, calamity will follow.”

His words struck the chairman and madam to the core, leaving their faces pale.

The madam immediately called the butler. “Investigate! Find out exactly who is behind this! I won’t let her off!”