Chapter 128
Huo Guining's momentary softness of heart had turned her into a joke.0
As soon as Song Tianbai finished speaking, Huo Guining stood up and walked away.0
Song Tianbai hurriedly got up, his tone pleading: "Please, as long as your father cuts off my mother's hopes, I promise that my mother and I will never appear in your world again."0
Huo Guining paused: "What do you mean?"0
Seeing that she was willing to listen, Song Tianbai dared not hide anymore: "My mother is clearly obsessed now. The company can't be sustained anyway, whether it's acquisition or something else, please ask your father to act quickly and never give my mother hope."0
After a few seconds of silence, he added: "Please ask your father not to consider any past affection."0
Huo Guining finally understood: "So, whether it's seeking sponsorship from my father or trying to become my stepmother, your mother..."0
Song Tianbai lowered his head: "It's all to save her company."0
Huo Guining's expression became indescribable.0
"Even if you say that, I won't make you any promises," Huo Guining said bluntly.0
Song Tianbai clenched his palms tightly: "I know, I know all of that..."0
"You coming to find me today was completely unnecessary," Huo Guining thought for a moment and said, "My father... never intended to give your mother any chance at all."0
Song Tianbai said dejectedly: "That's why I wanted to ask your father for help, to be the last straw that breaks the camel's back."0
Destroy before rebuilding.0
Huo Guining understood this principle, but it seemed a bit extreme.0
After leaving the hall, Huo Guining stared at the rising numbers on the elevator, lost in thought.0
"Ding!"0
The elevator doors opened.0
Huo Xiaozheng, surrounded by a group of people, ran into Huo Guining head-on.0
"Ning Ning?" Huo Xiaozheng asked, puzzled. "Where did you go?"0
Huo Guining obediently replied: "I met someone."0
Seeing that there was more to her words, Huo Xiaozheng dismissed the others, and the father and daughter walked towards the office.0
Huo Yueze was out on field work.0
In the spacious office, the sunlight was faint, and the room was quiet.0
"That's about it," Huo Guining took a sip of fruit juice and told Huo Xiaozheng everything that had just happened. "Although hearing it like this, Song Tianbai seems quite pitiful too."0
Huo Xiaozheng grunted in agreement: "This kid is so young, but quite daring."0
"However, not very likable."0
Huo Guining nodded in agreement: "Yes, too gloomy and overly extreme."0
Huo Xiaozheng wasn't interested in the affairs of Song's mother and son: "Why are you suddenly concerned about his matters?"0
Huo Guining pouted: "I can't quite explain it..."0
She just felt that, to some extent, her former self and Song Tianbai had some similarities.0
For the sake of her only support, she kept brainwashing herself, believing that her mother loved her.0
Until the day of her death, she realized the truth wasn't as she had imagined.0
So...0
A moment of softness.0
Having raised Huo Guining for so long, Huo Xiaozheng had completely figured out Huo Guining's thoughts.0
Although she didn't say it, he had guessed most of it.0
"That boy's request isn't actually difficult," Huo Xiaozheng said.0
Huo Guining hesitated a bit: "But we don't need to do them this favor, right..."0
"After all, his mother was at fault first. You're already being kind enough by not pursuing her responsibility. To help her further..."0
At this point, Huo Guining suddenly felt a bit angry.0
Angry at herself for sympathizing with an old enemy.0
Huo Xiaozheng casually stroked her head.0
"Just now, a friend contacted me, wanting to display your paintings in his gallery."0
Huo Guining's eyes lit up, immediately putting Song Tianbai's matter out of her mind: "Really?"0
Huo Xiaozheng nodded: "You might have heard of this friend. I'll give you his contact information later. If you're interested, you can add him."0
After a pause, Huo Xiaozheng added: "He doesn't know your identity."0
The implication was that the other party was contacting her solely because of Huo Guining's paintings, not because she was Huo Xiaozheng's daughter.0
Huo Guining was so excited that she wanted to rush home immediately to take good photos of her paintings and see which ones could be sent for exhibition.0
"Dad, are you done with your work?" Huo Guining suddenly remembered his health and her tone became serious: "You promised to only have one meeting, you're not going back on your word, are you?"0
Huo Xiaozheng pressed his brow wearily and said helplessly: "I'm not. I'll just sign a few documents and then we'll leave."0
True to his word, Huo Xiaozheng soon left the company with Huo Guining and returned to Panlong Bay.0
Huo Yueze, returning from field work, excitedly pushed open the office door, only to be greeted by an empty room.0
Huo Yueze: Just very annoying.0
After returning home, Huo Guining acted like a little adult, taking care of Huo Xiaozheng by measuring his temperature and supervising him as he took medicine and rested.0
After making sure he was lying down properly, she immediately pattered off to her studio.0
She stayed there for two hours.0
It wasn't until Huo Xiaozheng woke up and came to the studio to fetch her that she reluctantly left.0
"Dad, that friend of yours is actually Lion!" Huo Guining's eyes sparkled with excitement: "I love his paintings so much!"0
Huo Xiaozheng smiled faintly: "It's his honor to be liked by you."0
Huo Guining giggled: "He's currently the hottest abstract painter internationally, to be noticed by him..."0
She paused, then proudly echoed Huo Xiaozheng's previous words: "He's got good taste!"0
When Huo Guining talked about things she liked, her dark eyes seemed to be filled with starlight from the Milky Way.0
Her whole person was radiant.0
Seeing this, Huo Xiaozheng's entire demeanor softened: "Do you like painting that much?"0
Huo Guining couldn't express the longing from her previous life, so she just said: "I like it super, super, super much!"0
"That's very good," Huo Xiaozheng's words were soft, carrying an indescribable sense of satisfaction.0
Huo Guining was too excited to pay much attention.0
After dinner, Huo Guining wanted to go to the studio again.0
This time, Huo Xiaozheng limited her to a maximum of two hours.0
Huo Guining agreed faster than anything.0
"Okay. By the way, Dad, I'm sleeping in my own room tonight. Could you help me move my toiletries? Thanks!" With that, she dashed into the studio without looking back.0
Huo Xiaozheng stood there, stunned for a good while before accepting this fact.0
He returned to his room.0
In just four short years, the once cold and minimalist bedroom had completely changed.0
The curtains were now lace, and the wallpaper had been changed to beige.0
Even Huo Xiaozheng's bedding had been changed to match Ning Ning's anime-style set.0
This was Ning Ning's wish when she was 7 years old, and Huo Xiaozheng had no room to refuse.0
The walk-in closet, bathroom, carpet - everywhere bore traces of Ning Ning's life.0
Huo Xiaozheng sighed, suddenly realizing that time truly flies like an arrow.0
In the blink of an eye, his daughter had already grown to the age where she wanted to separate from him.0