Huo Yanxi shook his head and replied. “It’s fine.”
“Let’s go in and talk,” said Huo Xiang as he walked up to the door and placed his finger on the lock. The door opened with a click.
Huo Yao followed behind him and entered the villa. Huo Yanxi paused before walking in as well.
Huo Xiang went to the refrigerator and took out two bottles of water. He saw his siblings sitting across each other when he came back to the living area.
One of them was staring at the coffee table distractedly while the other had crossed her legs nonchalantly and was playing with her phone with her head lowered.
There was something wrong with them. Despite being biological siblings, they seemed more like strangers.
Huo Xiang frowned quizzically. He placed the water on the coffee table in front of them before sitting down. Then he cleared his throat and broke the silence in the room. “Brother Yanxi, didn’t you say you wanted to talk to me about something?”
Huo Yanxi raised his head. He glanced at Huo Yao before his eyes landed on Huo Xiang.
After a beat, he said, “It’s really no big deal. Someone wanted to know if you recently took on a variety show.”
Huo Xiang frowned when he heard this. Tong Yu had just brought the contract to him earlier this afternoon. How did his oldest brother know about it already?
Also, the person who sent Huo Yanxi to ask him…
“Did Lu Xia send you?” She was the first person that crossed Huo Xiang’s mind.
Although he had no idea how Lu Xia came to know that he was invited to appear on the variety show, it was no surprise since Huo Yanxi doted on her the most.
Huo Yao continued to play with her phone expressionlessly, even when Lu Xia’s name popped up.
Huo Yanxi nodded. “Yup.”
“Did she get you to ask me to take her along for the variety show?” Huo Xiang pursed his lips while his face turned more and more ugly.
Huo Xiang continued speaking without giving Huo Yanxi a chance to reply. “Brother Yanxi, please tell her that there’s no way I will take her along. I’m supposed to make an appearance on the show with a family member, and she is no sister of mine.”
Huo Xiang sounded determined with no room for negotiation whatsoever.
Huo Yao’s amorous eyes narrowed thoughtfully when she heard this.
A variety show?
Making an appearance with a family member?
Huo Yanxi looked at his fourth little brother and found his behaviour to be slightly over the top.
Huo Yanxi wanted to tell him that he did not need to react like this even if he did not like the suggestion. But he only said, “Okay.”
Huo Xiang was slightly surprised that Huo Yanxi did not persist with the subject. In the past, he would probably have gone on to fight for much longer on Lu Xia’s behalf.
Huo Xiang restrained himself and did not continue talking about the show either. Instead, he changed the subject and asked him. “Brother Yanxi, have you been busy lately?”
“Things are alright for me.”
“WeIl, I have moved back home for the time being. Next time if you need me, just come there straight away. That way, you won’t have to wait for so long like you did today,” said Huo Xiang eventually.
Huo Yanxi clenched his hands without showing his true feelings and nodded.
Huo Xiang looked at his little sister. She had said nothing all this while. Something definitely seemed off between her and Huo Yanxi. Hence, he forcibly made small talk to help ease the atmosphere. “Yao, when are the nationals taking place?”
Huo Yao was playing an online game when she was suddenly cued to speak up. Her hand paused before she replied without looking at him. “Over the weekend.”
The nationals?
Huo Yanxi was taken aback. He instinctively raised his head and looked at Huo Yao. Did his baby sister make it into the National Quiz Contest finals?
