The smile on Huo Jinyan’s face disappeared when he heard his daughter’s question. He went quiet for a while before he replied. “Yulin was kidnapped when he was 12 years old.”
He ended up like this after the abduction.
“A kidnapping?” Huo Yao was stunned.
Even though she had suspected it previously, she did not think it really happened.
“Uh huh. We didn’t live here back then. Your third older brother was kidnapped for some reason. By the time we found him… he was half dead.”
At 12, he was held captive for three days, and was tortured in captivity.
Huo Yulin was just a child, so every second of the time spent with his abductors was etched into his soul and was pure torture even till date.
Even though he was saved, the bright lively child was forever lost.
Huo Jinyan’s voice turned deep and even trembled slightly. However, he did not share the finer details.
The moment he said it, there would be grave implications. Moreover, he did not want his daughter to know about their family’s history.
The atmosphere in the car became slightly tense. Huo Yao noticed her father looking unusually serious, so she did not ask him any further.
Memories of the abduction were too painful for any one to recall.
After some time, Huo Yao said softly, “Well, it’s all over now. Brother Yulin will get better.”
“Uh huh.” Huo Jinyan turned to look out of the window as he composed himself.
For the rest of the journey, neither of them said a word.
Before long, the car arrived at the estate.
A normal-looking car was parked outside the villa. Iit seemed that their guest was already here.
Huo Yao got off the car, entered the house, and changed into her slippers.
The guests were sitting with their backs against the door. Hence, Huo Yao was caught by surprise when she came over and saw them.
“Oh. This is my daughter, Yaoyao.” Song Ning introduced Huo Yao to her friend.
Huo Yao nodded politely. “Hi.”
She proceeded to nod courteously at the young woman sitting beside her mother’s friend.
The young woman was none other than Fang Ting, whom she had encountered at the matchmaking event previously.
She was also the same woman whom her mother wanted to match-make Huo Tingrui with, previously.
Mrs. Fang smiled as she looked at Huo Yao and said gently, “Your girl is very pretty.”
Song Ning raised her brow. “That goes without saying. She takes after me.”
Fang Ting smiled like a lady as she sat beside her mother and barely said a word. However, her eyes lit up the moment she saw Huo Yao.
This young lady was certainly pretty.
However, she felt awfully familiar to Fang Ting.
Song Ning told her daughter to chat with Fang Ting. Huo Yao put down her school bag and walked over to sit down beside Fang Ting.
“Have we met…”
Before Fang Ting could finish her sentence, Huo Yao promptly interrupted her. “No, we haven’t met before!”
Since Huo Yao looked so serious, Fang Ting swallowed her words mid-sentence. “… I see. I must be mistaken.”
“Mhm.” Huo Yao nodded.
Huo Yao certainly could not let Fang Ting know that she was the playboy’s younger sister.
Fang Ting scratched her head. Although she felt that something was amiss, it was awkward for her to probe the girl. After all, she was just here to have dinner with her mother.
Before long, Huo Tingrui came back to the villa. His face froze when he came in and saw the young lady sitting on the couch.
