Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Huo Tingrui was holding a paper bag. When he spotted his little sister, he moved it behind him so that she could not see it. “Oh, I’m not going out. I’m just going for a walk.”
Huo Yao looked puzzled. She glanced at his hand behind him before she said, “Okay. Go on.”
She stepped aside to give way to him thoughtfully.
Huo Tingrui stood uncertainly where he was. He could not leave or stay. After all, he had not been planning on going for a walk.
Huo Yao could not help looking at him when he did not move. “Brother Tingrui?”
“I changed my mind about the walk,” said Huo Tingrui as he turned back in.
Huo Yao: “…”
Huo Jinyan put down his teacup when he spotted his son coming back so soon. He asked perplexedly. “Didn’t you say you wanted to visit our next-door neighbor?”
Huo Yao paused briefly as she walked behind Huo Tingrui. She narrowed her eyes and looked at the paper bag in his hands.
He was not going for a walk.
Huo Tingrui could feel her gaze from behind. A guilty look flashed across his eyes. He did not turn back and replied vaguely. “It’s too late. I’ll go some other time.”
“I already said it was too late, but you refused to listen,” said Huo Jinyan as he shook his head.
Huo Tingrui was flabbergasted.
“…”
His father just had to blow his cover.
Huo Yao walked up to Huo Tingrui with an ambiguous smile. Since she was rather tall, she did not look too incongruous standing next to him. She raised her hand and placed it lazily on his shoulder. “Brother Tingrui, shall I go next-door with you to visit them now?”
Huo Tingrui’s shoulder trembled instinctively the moment she touched him.
He turned to look at his little sister. Despite her rather harmless-looking face, he felt inexplicably scared. “…it’s fine.”
Huo Tingrui replied with a forced smile.
No one would understand his slight fear towards his adorable little sister.
No one would believe it if he told them.
Song Ning walked out with a plate of freshly cut fruit. She caught sight of her son and daughter standing together, smiling happily and looking affectionate. She could not help sighing after she put down the plate. “They have grown really close now.”
Huo Tingrui felt depressed and wanted to speak but was hesitant.
Huo Jinyan had just warmed a couple of teacups. He placed one of the cups onto the tray and looked at his daughter gently. “Yaoyao, come over and have some tea.”
“Sure.” Huo Yao nodded obediently. She took her hand off Huo Tingrui’s shoulder and went to sit next to her father.
Huo Jinyan poured her a cup of tea before pouring a cup for his wife and himself.
Huo Tingrui stood for some time before he detected something to be amiss. He adjusted his glasses and became speechless.
“…”
Wasn’t his father forgetting something?
Why did he not offer tea to his son?
Huo Jinyan disregarded his son’s stares. A thought crossed his mind, and he stood up to retrieve a square box from a cabinet.
“Yaoyao, give this to your friend’s father, the one who gave you the painting.” He handed over the box to her.
Huo Yao took the box and asked him without opening it. “What’s this?”