She Lost Memory Before the Divorce

Chapter 24: Chapter 0024: Don’t Let Fertile Water Flow into Others’ Fields

Huo Qitang snorted coldly, feeling apprehensive all along, unsure of what Huo Tingxiao suddenly returning home signified.

Huo Tingxiao stayed in the study for a full two hours before coming down, his expression as usual, inscrutable to everyone.

After the elder Mr. Huo went downstairs to the back garden to play with the birds, Huo Qitang wanted to probe for information and quickly sidled up to him.

“Dad, Tingxiao has become more and more disrespectful. I only asked him a couple of questions just now, and he gave me the cold shoulder,” Huo Qitang complained.

“Enough, he rarely comes back. And here you are bad-mouthing him behind his back,” the elder Mr. Huo chided.

“I…”

...

“What, my words don’t carry weight with you anymore?”

The old man’s tone was light, yet carried an intimidating authority, prompting Huo Qitang to quickly change his tune. Cross the old man and he’d only have himself to blame.

“Dad, I’m not trying to bad-mouth Tingxiao in front of you, but shouldn’t there be some rules in this house?” @@novelbin@@

The old man merely hummed in response to Huo Qitang’s words.

“What I see, you just can’t be comfortable without stirring up trouble. Put away your cunning thoughts and be content as a layabout, don’t aim too high.

Tingxiao is relying neither on the might of the Huo Family nor my backing. The boy’s capabilities are far greater than you think.

You are but someone with long hair and short sight, always using your petty schemes to judge others,” the elder Mr. Huo continued indifferently.

Who would believe such words if they were spoken outside? Hmph, without the Huo Family’s resources, no matter how capable he is, what could he do? Can a high-rise building stand without a foundation?

At the end of the day, the old man is just biased, and won’t allow others to comment on it.

“Dad, you have no idea how much gossip is swirling around since Mingxu went to Africa, painting Tingxiao as a man who doesn’t recognize his kin.

I can let it go, but I’m worried about you…” Huo Qitang argued.

“If you talked less, I’d be spared from hearing so much,” the elder gently parried.

Seeing an opportunity, Huo Qitang decided to broach a more pointed subject.

“Alright alright, I’ll keep quiet. Sigh, as his aunt, how can I not worry about him? He’s my own nephew, after all.

He and Mu Lan have been married for so many years without a child. If you ask me, could it be that Mu Lan has some ailment…” he speculated.

Noticing the elder remained silent, Huo Qitang pressed on even harder.

“Dad, this is a critical matter for our Huo Family. You really need to be prepared.

Plus, I heard that the Sheng Family’s girl is coming back. They were so affectionate before, and if not for that girl insisting on going abroad, causing a breakup, Mu Lan wouldn’t have had her chance.

She’s still single now, and the whole social circle knows it. Numerous families are eyeing her for marriage.

In my opinion, we shouldn’t let such a good match go to outsiders…” Huo Qitang suggested craftily.

“Enough, let’s not meddle too much in the couple’s affairs,” the elder Huo Family patriarch replied.

His words may have been dismissive, but his attitude was not overly stern, and Huo Qitang seized the moment.

“Oh dear, I’m just hoping you could see your great-grandson soon, for a joyful four generations under one roof.

If that’s not your wish, then forget I mentioned it,” Huo Qitang said slyly.

The elder Mr. Huo didn’t reply further, continuing to play with his birds instead.

————

Mu Lan was bored stiff at home, especially since her foot was inconveniencing her. With nothing better to do, she picked a book from Huo Tingxiao’s study to pass the time.

But unexpectedly, on the last page of the book, she discovered an elegantly written line—The moonlight tonight is beautiful.

Such a restrained declaration of love? It was surprising that a straightforward man like Huo Tingxiao could receive such a literary confession.

Probably he didn’t even know what this sentence meant?

Yet, thinking about it… a person who read ‘The 36 Stratagems’ as a child probably had a wide range of reading interests. Who knows, perhaps he knew that Natsume Soseki’s translation of this line is “I love you”?

On closer inspection, she noticed that the book’s spine bore a circular stamp, marked with the character ‘Qin.’

It seemed that the owner of the book was a girl. Judging by the yellowing of the pages, it must have been many years old.

Could it be that this was a book from Huo Tingxiao’s ex-girlfriend?

For some inexplicable reason, her curiosity had been swelling more and more, and she couldn’t clearly explain what was happening to her, feeling a bit odd.

When she saw Auntie Li downstairs, she couldn’t help but open up a conversation.

“Auntie Li, I heard that you’ve been taking care of Huo Tingxiao since you were very young, is that right?”

Auntie Li hadn’t expected Mu Lan to suddenly bring this up, but she answered truthfully.

“Yes, I came to the Huo Family when the young master was ten years old and have been there ever since.

Does the young madam have something she wants to ask me?”

“No, no, I was just asking.”

Mu Lan really didn’t have the nerve to ask outright and could only pretend as if nothing had happened.

After dinner, Mu Lan’s absent-minded demeanor was far too conspicuous; Huo Tingxiao thought it was her ankle that was causing her discomfort.

“Can you bathe by yourself?”

“Of course, I can.”

Fearing he might come up with some new mischief, Mu Lan slipped into the bathroom.

While on tiptoes halfway through her shower, she reached for her bathrobe and, carelessly, her foot slipped and she crashed into the door.

“Ah”!

“What’s wrong?”

When Huo Tingxiao opened the door and saw her in such a disheveled state, he couldn’t help but frown.

Fearing a rebuke, Mu Lan took the initiative to defend herself.

“I’m really not a pig!”

“…”

With a dark expression, Huo Tingxiao helped her up, then coldly pulled off the towel wrapped around her. Mu Lan was petrified…

During her tangled thoughts, she found herself already cloaked in a bathrobe, with Huo Tingxiao attentively fastening the belt for her.

Then, like a little chick, she was picked up and carried to the large bed in the bedroom.

Her wet hair stuck to her face; her eyes were misty with grievance, and she appeared like a little dog abandoned by someone.

Without a word, Huo Tingxiao picked up the medicinal wine from the bedside table, half-knelt before her, poured some into his palm, and after rubbing his hands warm, he took Mu Lan’s injured foot and began to gently massage her ankle.

“Actually, I could have…”

The last two words were barely audible under Huo Tingxiao’s intense gaze.

He only seemed to know how to pick on her.

This time his technique was much stronger than in the hospital, consistently gentle and careful, applying some force.

It was unclear whether it was the effect of the medicinal wine or the warmth of his hands, but the foot he touched felt like it was warming up next to a flame.

“Huo Tingxiao…”

“What is it?”

“Why are you suddenly being so nice to me? When I made a mess with my big talk, you didn’t scold me, even took me to the hospital to get my injury checked.

Now, you’re massaging my ankle; you really don’t need to do these things yourself, but… why? Why are you so good to me?”

She might have been dazed from the fall, as she blurted out everything in one breath.

Huo Tingxiao looked up and saw her clear eyes, pulled back his hand, and stood up.

“What do you think it’s for?”

This man was truly cunning—wasn’t she the one asking him a question? How did it end up being thrown back at her?

Mu Lan bit her lip, as if suddenly remembering something.

“Oh, I know now!”

This sudden realization in her tone made Huo Tingxiao watch her intently, his eyes inevitably filled with a hint of expectation.