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G City, the Huo Family estate, Huo Garden.
In the elegantly renovated living room, an elderly man with half-white hair but a dignified face stared at the day's newspaper on the coffee table, his expression ugly.
It was none other than Huo Zhenyang's father, Huo Tianpei, the current chairman of the group who had semi-retired behind the scenes.
The entertainment headline on the newspaper was strikingly bold:
"Huo Family's President throws a wild party at mountain villa, embraces beauty for passionate kisses, is the Diamond Bachelor's low profile just a sham, or is it real debauchery?"
The comments below were all sorts of colors and none of them nice to hear.
Huo Tianpei clenched his fist and slammed it onto the coffee table, causing the nearby teacup to nearly jump: "This boy, too outrageous."
"Tianpei, don't be angry," a lavishly dressed middle-aged woman came over and comforted him in a soft voice, paused for a bit, then added in a lower tone: "But then again, Zhenyang really should have come a few days ago for your big birthday celebration, claiming he had to negotiate with European suppliers and didn't have time. Turns out he was off with a few friends hunting at Huanglong Mountain. That's just too unfilial... Let that go, he's even mingling with some unknown women... You introduced him to ladies from reputable families and he didn't want them, but picks up women of unclear background. Now look, it even made the headlines, saying his previous disinterest in women and low profile were all an act, and it's not good for the group's reputation either."
*The woman was probably in her forties, well-maintained with tender white skin and a slim figure, her eyes slightly upturned exuding a shrewdness; she was Huo Tianpei's second wife, and Huo Zhenyang's stepmother, Yao Zhenru.
These seemingly comforting words were actually adding fuel to the fire, further igniting Huo Tianpei's anger.
Yao Zhenru saw the anger on the old master's face and revealed a subtle hint of glee, then picked up the newspaper on the coffee table and while perusing it, purposely exclaimed loudly, "Tsk tsk, this newspaper is just too reckless, what are they saying! They say our Zhenyang's trip to Huanglong Mountain's hunting ground was to throw a debauched party... Look, they even call the woman he was holding a 'stray chicken'... tsk, too outrageous! We must sue them, how dare they smear us like this!"
Huo Tianpei's veins bulged and he couldn't hold it anymore, yelling loudly: "Old Europe, call Huanglong Mountain Villa and tell that ungrateful son to roll back home!"
Butler Europe had been the butler at Huo Garden for nearly forty years and rarely saw Huo Tianpei so angry; he nodded quickly and went to make the call.
Yao Zhenru helped Huo Tianpei upstairs into the study, calmed him for a while, and with a cunning glance, sighed: "Forget it, Tianpei, Zhenyang is already so grown up, and besides, most of the group has been handed over to him, you should stop worrying."
"But now that I see this, how can I rest assured to hand over the entire Huo family to him." Huo Tianpei massaged his chest, getting even more upset after hearing his wife.
Yao Zhenru hurriedly struck while the iron was hot, reiterating an old suggestion: "Then why not bring Zhenxuan into the group's headquarters to help his brother. After all, Zhenxuan is of age too, and he has always been obedient and listens to you."
Huo Zhenxuan was Yao Zhenru's son and Huo Zhenyang's younger half-brother.
Yao Zhenru had made several attempts in the past to secure a position for her son, but Huo Tianpei never agreed to have his younger son enter the headquarters. This time, however, because he was in a fit of rage, he hesitated for a moment before finally waving his hand: "Let me consider it first."
Elated, Yao Zhenru quickly nodded: "Good, take your time to consider, old master."
As soon as the door closed and Yao Zhenru walked downstairs, she saw a figure already standing at the door.
The man was in his twenties, young and handsome, tall and slender, dressed in expensive high-end clothing, with chestnut hair covering half his face, yet his eyes carried a mischievous air, and he seemed rather crafty. He walked up to Yao Zhenru and crossed his arms: "Mom, how did it go?"
"I just spoke with your dad!" Yao Zhenru affectionately patted her son's hand, full of confidence, and lowered her voice, "Your dad is really angry with your big brother this time, it seems like you have a chance to enter the head office... By the way, there's no problem with that paparazzo you sent to tail your big brother, right?"
Huo Zhenxuan's smile spread, leaning in close to Yao Zhenru's ear: "No problem, it's all taken care of. I gave him a sum of money, he won't spill, and certainly won't let dad know that it was I who leaked the news."
"My son is so clever," Yao Zhenru started to smile, then added with resentment, "With your capabilities, why should you work in one of the lower-level subsidiaries? If your big brother can do it, you can do it even better! If you can get into the headquarters this time, you'll definitely show your dad what you're capable of!"
Just getting into the headquarters wasn't enough for him.
Why should the vast Huo family fortune belong mostly to his big brother just because he was the son of the first wife?
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Huo Zhenxuan's lips curved into a dismissive sneer, but he broke into a smile, nodding obediently at his mother.
**
At the Huanglong Mountain Villa, the piercing ring of the phone shattered the silence.
Over ten minutes later, Butler Luo put down the phone and hurried upstairs, knocking on the bedroom door with a tense voice:
"Young Master, there was a call from Huo Garden in the city. Old Mr. Ou said that the patriarch saw photos of you throwing a party on Huanglong Mountain and being together with Miss Jiayi in the newspaper; he's very angry and is urging you to come back."
In the bedroom, Huo Zhenyang lay with his arms as pillows, his long legs stretched out as he leaned lazily against the headboard, his gaze falling on the newspaper spread out in front of him.
A photo of the man and the girl kissing passionately at the entrance of an open-air evening banquet.
His mouth turned up slightly, "Huh, it's quite clear," he murmured.
Butler Luo sighed at the door, "This time it was my neglect. I inadvertently let the paparazzi slip near the villa, and I didn't even think that the old patriarch would see it so soon..."
It's probably not due to Butler Luo's negligence, but rather someone tipped off the paparazzi and helped them get close.
A trace of coldness that was almost undetectable flashed through Huo Zhenyang's gloomy pupils as he suddenly sat up, "Old Luo, bring the car out from the garage."
On the second floor, in the guest room.
Jiayi hadn't come downstairs since breakfast, and at the moment, she was sitting by the bay window, still not fully recovered from the sudden forceful kiss from last night.
She couldn't help but touch her lips, still a bit swollen. That man really hadn't held back at all yesterday!
They had agreed not to have intimate contact, yet he deliberately broke the rule!
Even if it was to make Xue Jingchuan believe in their relationship, it was no reason for such affectionate gestures.
No, she would speak clearly with him later, telling him that their deal was over, and that he should keep his promise to help her find her family!
Just then, the door banged open, and the man's imposing figure appeared at the doorway, his speech brief, "Come with me."
Jiayi blinked in surprise, "Where to?"
"Huo Garden," his voice was still indifferent, like a superior issuing commands to a pet, with no need for further explanation.
After pondering for a while, Jiayi finally realized, Huo Zhenyang meant for her to accompany him to the Huo Family mansion.
The Huo Family mansion? Wasn't that where his parents lived?
What did he mean by this?
She was only there to put on an act with him outside, just to upset Jian Meiyi, so why did she now have to accompany him back to the Huo Family mansion?
As Jiayi stood dumbstruck, Huo Zhenyang had already stepped forward, seized her slender wrist, and dragged her out of the room.