Volume One, Chapter 8: Why Does This Child Also Bear the Surname Huo?

Ye Sheng walked toward them, but before she could speak, Huo Xiaobei asked, "Shengsheng, are you alright?"

"Hmm?" Ye Sheng was momentarily taken aback.

Huo Xiaobei’s voice was soft and childlike. "There was quite a commotion outside just now. Old Huo went out to take a look for a long time. I asked him if he was watching a pretty lady, and he said no."

He glanced at Huo Lintong, his face wearing an expression as if he’d seen through his father’s lie. "Liar."

Ye Sheng had been in the consultation room the whole time and hadn’t actually seen Huo Lintong.

"It was just someone being loud. Nothing serious." Ye Sheng nodded toward Huo Lintong and called, "Professor Huo," then turned to ask, "What’s wrong with Xiaobei?"

"He snuck some ice cream and triggered his gastritis," Huo Lintong replied, his handsome face expressionless and his tone cool but serious.

Huo Xiaobei pouted, then leaned in close to Ye Sheng and whispered conspiratorially, "He’s mad at me. Do you have any medicine that can cheer someone up?"

Everyone around them burst into laughter.

"I do," Ye Sheng said, fishing a candy from her pocket. "It’s pistachio-flavored."

Huo Lintong’s face stiffened.

Huo Xiaobei burst out laughing. "Shengsheng, are you trying to coax my dad like a little kid?"

Ye Sheng had only meant it as a joke and was about to put the candy away when Huo Lintong reached out and deftly plucked it from her palm with two slender fingers.

"Thank you," he said.

Ye Sheng gave him a professional smile. "You’re welcome."

There was still much to do in the lab, and Huo Lintong was waiting for his assistant to come help watch his son.

"It’s alright, Professor Huo. You can go back to work," Ye Sheng offered. "I’m off duty today, so I have time to look after him. Yesterday you did me such a huge favor, so let me return it."

Her words were clear—she wanted Huo Lintong to feel at ease.

Before he could politely refuse, the lab called again—he really couldn’t be spared.

"Once his IV is done, I’ll take Xiaobei back to the hotel. You can pick him up when you’re finished, or I can drive him over to you this evening."

Ye Sheng turned to ask the child, "Xiaobei, would you like to spend the day with Auntie Shengsheng?"

Huo Xiaobei nodded and said brightly to his father, "You can go now."

Huo Lintong took a chessboard and two containers of pieces from the car, fastened a children’s watch on Xiaobei’s wrist, gave him a few instructions, handed Ye Sheng the usual medicine pack, and thanked her again. "Call me anytime if anything comes up."

Ye Sheng could see how attentive he was as a father and nodded reassuringly. "Don’t worry."

Xiaobei turned out to be much easier to look after than Ye Sheng had expected. He quietly slept during his IV, and back at the hotel, amused himself with chess while Ye Sheng was busy—never making a fuss, calm as could be.

Even off duty, Ye Sheng’s phone never stopped ringing—calls from the clinic, the hospital—she was indispensable everywhere.

She squeezed in a quick shower, and when she came out, saw Xiaobei still playing chess. She walked over.

"Want to play a game with me?"

Xiaobei looked up, his face lighting up. "Sure!"

Neither expected the other’s chess skills to be so formidable; one game stretched over half an hour.

When Huo Lintong called, Xiaobei shouted, "Dad! I’m playing chess with Shengsheng—don’t disturb us!"

In the end, Ye Sheng won.

Xiaobei gazed at her in awe. "Shengsheng, what rank are you in Go?"

"Nine dan. Amateur level," Ye Sheng replied.

"Liar," Xiaobei said, his eyes sparkling. "Amateur ranks only go up to eight dan; only professionals can be nine dan!"

Ye Sheng chuckled. "Are you hungry? Shall we go eat?"

"Yes!" Xiaobei let Ye Sheng lift him onto the bed to put on his shoes. "Can we play another round when we get back…?"

—

There was only one decent hotel in Meishan County, which the investors had booked out for the medical staff.

The restaurant was downstairs in the hotel, open to the public.

It was small—one could see the whole place at a glance. When Huo Mingting and Huo Cong saw Ye Sheng taking a child to get food, they were both stunned.

Qin Minshu looked up, equally surprised.

A month ago, she’d already learned that the new head of the Hematology Department at Haici Hospital was Ye Sheng.

She’d watched her old classmate become her direct superior, powerless to stop it.

She hadn’t told Huo Mingting about it, but upon hearing yesterday that he’d brought his child to the Haici Hospital medical team, she’d panicked.

So she’d flown over overnight.

In the workplace, she couldn’t outdo Ye Sheng, but in matters of the heart, Ye Sheng had always been her defeated rival.

"Isn’t that Ye Sheng?" Qin Minshu feigned surprise, asking Huo Mingting, "Is that her child? He looks about the same age as Cong’er."

Both Huo Mingting and Huo Cong’s faces darkened.

Especially Huo Cong, who pursed his lips tightly and glared at the boy clinging to Ye Sheng’s side.

"I’m going to say hello," Qin Minshu announced cheerfully, walking over to Ye Sheng. "Ye Sheng, I didn’t expect to see you here."

She squatted down, beaming at Huo Xiaobei. "Hello there, little one. I’m your mom’s classmate."

The word "mom" made both Ye Sheng and Xiaobei pause.

Xiaobei politely replied, "Hello, Auntie."

Ye Sheng glanced casually and spotted Huo Mingting and Huo Cong at a nearby table.

Qin Minshu tossed her hair elegantly, continuing, "Haici Hospital is doing medical aid here. I was supposed to come too, but with Mingting and me about to get married, there’s so much to prepare before the wedding—I really couldn’t spare the time…"

She kept her voice low, so only the people nearby could hear.

Huo Mingting brought Huo Cong over as she stepped back, linking her arm through his, making her claim clear.

"Congratulations," Ye Sheng said coolly.

Huo Mingting was taken aback—congratulations for what?

"Mingting, she’s congratulating us," Qin Minshu said, snuggling up to him with feigned coyness.

Huo Cong turned to Xiaobei, his face stern. "Who are you?"

Xiaobei, rarely meeting another child his age, replied cheerfully, "I’m Huo Xiaobei. What’s your name?"

At his response, all three adults were stunned.

This child’s surname was Huo as well?