response: "Do as you please."Those few people hurriedly said, “We’re leaving soon too.”Huo Mingzheng's gaze swept casually across the corner, where the light was dimmer. A woman sat there quietly, he...Fu Yan was led by the housekeeper to Old Master Huo's study.

"Grandpa, Miss Fu has arrived," the steward said, standing at the door with utmost respect.

It's almost nine o'clock, the old master hasn't slept yet, practicing calligraphy in his study.

"Mmm." He picked up his brush and, without turning around, dipped it in ink and wrote on the rice paper. "Come in," he said.

This was Fu Yan's first time in the old master's study. The most eye-catching thing was a row of towering bookshelves that reached the ceiling, so numerous that it was frightening. Fu Yan's first reaction was like a library.

It is said that the old patriarch's original wife, who passed away in his early years, came from a scholarly family and had a comprehensive collection of books.

The heavy, dark bookshelf cast a somber shadow, as if an invisible pressure gripped her.

She retracted her gaze. The old master remained silent, and she didn't rush to ask. She acted obedient and well-behaved.

He only greeted, "Grandpa."

Old Master Huo took off his reading glasses, glanced at her, and put the brush back on its stand. "Come here and have a look, how is your handwriting"

Fu Yan walked over and stood beside Old Master Fu.

His handwriting is quite good.

A single character is worth a thousand gold, and many people flock to it eagerly.

Besides flattering him, his calligraphy is truly impressive and worthy of being collected as a display piece.

On white paper, the strokes are vigorous and powerful, like dragons and phoenixes dancing, majestic and awe-inspiring.

To know others is wisdom, to know oneself is enlightenment.

She lowered her eyes.

"How are you" Old Master Huo asked her again.

Fu Yan nodded and smiled, saying, "Grandpa's handwriting is beautiful, and the meaning is good too."

A glimmer of surprise flashed across Old Master Huo's eyes.

He hadn't paid much attention to Fu Yan before. She wasn't his biological granddaughter, and when she came to the Huo family, she was already eight years old. He didn't have much feeling for her and knew little about her.

Unexpectedly, her mind was astute and she understood his hint.

"Just understand, the Huo family's century-long reputation, something like this shouldn't happen." Grandfather Huo reminded her again, his tone a bit better than before.

Fu Yan knew he was referring to the matter of her receiving things from Chen Rang. But she did not deny receiving gifts, nor did she expose her mother.

The old man dislikes both of them, mother and daughter, especially Song Qing˪. If he found out that it was Song Qing˪ who received the package, it would definitely be more than just a warning.

To abandon someone like that, even to the point of driving her out of the Huo family.

That would have cost Song Qing˪ her life.

"What do you think of Aze's approach" The old man picked up his brush again, as if it were just a casual remark.

Yet, it quickened Fu Yan's heartbeat and made her nerves tense. She tried her best to remain calm and composed as she said, "Second Brother, you are upholding the reputation of the Huo family and helping me out of trouble. I am very grateful."

The old man smiled and handed her the brush, "I seem to have seen you write with a brush before. It's been a long time, hasn't it Give it a try."

The pen was shoved directly into her hand, there was no way to refuse.

Fu Yan hasn't written for a long time, but the effort she put in before wasn't in vain. Although her calligraphy is still far from that of the old master, it's still decent.

She writes with such skill and precision, each stroke is effortless and natural.

"Your handwriting..." Old Master Huo hesitated, tapping the edge of the characters Fu Yan had written with his finger, and said firmly, "It's very similar to Azheng's."

He turned his head to look at Fu Yan.

That pair of eyes, tempered by years of experience, held a depth of wisdom. They seemed capable of seeing through people's facades.

Fu Yan was stared at, stiffening for a moment. She inwardly cursed, "Oh no."

She started imitating Huo Mingzheng's calligraphy since junior high school. After so many years without writing, the memory ingrained in her bones was like code that had been written. As soon as she touched it, the program ran naturally.

The old man's fingers lightly tapped, causing Fu Yan to break out in a cold sweat.

At this time, the study door was knocked.

Huo Mingzheng pushed open the door and came in, his gaze casually swept over Fu Yan, then fell on the old master, "Grandpa, I see you're in your study."

Old Master Huo took off his glasses, "Is there something"

"It's so late, why aren't you resting yet" Huo Mingzheng unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and strode over.

Fu Yan's tightly clenched fingers slowly loosened, but her heartbeat quickened.

"Second brother," she whispered.

Old Master Huo, holding his spectacles, pointed at her. "I just happened to see Xiao Fu and chatted with him for a bit. As for you, I thought you were staying at the old house tonight."

"My brother's phone has been unreachable. I need to find him."

Ho Mingzheng walked to the desk and casually glanced over the characters on the rice paper.

"A Shi's surgery wasn't successful, he's in a bad mood, and he probably won't be back." Old Master Huo furrowed his brows, his mood also growing heavy.

Fu Yan stared at the old grandfather in astonishment. How could this be

He was the eldest grandson of the Huo family and had always been a role model for his peers in their studies. He was cultivated by the Huo family as their heir apparent.

Unfortunately, he was in a car accident when he was eighteen. To protect his grandfather, he became paralyzed from the waist down and could only rely on a wheelchair.

From the wind and moonlit glory to his current despondency, Huo Yuan had long lost his former arrogance.

Two years ago, I made up my mind to go abroad for health and surgery.

Fu Yan and she are very close, he treats her like a beloved little sister.

When she heard that his surgery had failed, Fu Yan felt heartbroken. No wonder he hadn't replied to her messages.

Huo Mingzheng's brow furrowed slightly, "How is Big Brother now"

"It's understandable to feel down sometimes, so don't bother him right now." The old grandfather sat down, leaning on his armchair.

Fu Yan caught a glimpse of Huo Mingzheng's left hand resting on the table.

His fingers were beautiful, long and slender with clearly defined knuckles. It was with these hands that he measured her body so tenderly, yet they no longer belonged to her.

She remembered that Shen Wei was wearing an engagement ring on his right ring finger.

Forcing herself to look away, she said to the old man, "Grandpa, I have nothing else to do, so I'll go first."

The old man waved his hand. "Go," he said.

Putting his glasses down, he glanced at Fu Yan again, who seemed troubled. He said to Huo Mingzheng, "Since you're here, I don't need to call you separately. Xiaowei will be trying on her wedding dress the day after tomorrow, see if you can make time to accompany her."

Fu Yan's steps slowed for a moment, and then she continued walking outwards.

As the door was closing, I heard Huo Mingzheng reply with a good.

"

Tap

"

The door closed gently.

Fu Yan stood at the door, stepping on her own shadow until the butler came up from the stairs, then she left.

The car from the 4S store hasn't arrived yet, so she doesn't have a car to drive temporarily.

Ji Lin was off today, and she wanted to call him to come pick her up at the old house. As a result, she saw Cao Fang at the corner when she got to the door.

Miss Fu, Mr. Huo asked you to wait for him in the car.

Huo Mingzheng's car was parked under the shade of a tree. The tree at the entrance of the old house, which Fu Yan could not name, remained lush even in autumn. Over time, it had become Huo Mingzheng's exclusive parking space.

Fu Yan didn't even think, "No, someone has come to pick me up."

"Are you talking about Season Two Young Master"

Before he could speak, he smiled faintly and said, "Young Master Ji was given last-minute notice to attend extra training and may not have time."

Fu Yan choked back a sob and quickly replied, "I called a Didi."

Cao Fang seemed to see through her, "Ms. Fu knows Mr. Huo's temper, you can't get away with any more excuses."

Fu Yan didn't want to pay attention to him, taking steps to leave. Cao Fang naturally didn't dare to touch her, but just as she took two steps, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

The touch feels familiar.

She abruptly turned her head, gazing into Huo Mingzheng's cold eyes. and Cao Yuan stopped the bodyguard.Cao Yuan's martial arts prowess surpasses that of anyone in Cao Fang's ranks, and there is no one among the Huo family's bodyguards who can match him."Ah Zheng!" Ol...