The next morning, Yue Ning hadn’t even had breakfast when a driver from the Lu residence arrived to pick her up.
Huo Feng and Huo Yan walked her out. Huo Feng personally opened the car door for her, a gesture that made Yue Ning blink in surprise.
"Call me when you arrive," he whispered, his tone leaving no space for argument. Still, his hand lingered for a second on the car door, as though reluctant to let go.
Yue Ning’s brows twitched as she gave him a helpless smile. "I’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry so much about me."
The system didn’t forget to tease her, but she ignored it while basking in the moment.
Instead of replying, Huo Feng leaned down slightly and adjusted the scarf around her shoulders—though it was already straight. His voice dropped lower, softer, and almost instinctive. "Don’t get cold."
Yue Ning’s heart gave a faint tremor, but before she could respond, Huo Feng straightened and turned to the driver. His sharp gaze hardened. "Drive safely. If anything happens, you’ll have no choice than to answer to me."
There was an underlying threat in his words.
The driver swallowed hard and nodded, his grip tightening on the wheels, before he drove away.
Huo Feng’s eyes lingered on the disappearing vehicle until it was gone from sight. Only then did he let out a long breath he didn’t know he was holding, and turned back toward the villa with Huo Yan in tow.
"She’ll be fine," Huo Yan teased, her lips curling up ever so slowly. . "You look like a henpecked husband sending his wife off to war. She’s just visiting her mother."
Huo Feng halted, casting her a sideways glance. His voice was low, unguarded. "When you love someone, you’ll understand my feelings." Discover more novels at novel⸺fire.net
Huo Yan froze. Her eyes widened as though she had just witnessed the collapse of heaven itself. "Did you just... indirectly confess to liking Sister-in-law?"
The realization hit Huo Feng a beat too late. He had spoken without thinking. But then again, what was wrong with it?
His lips faintly curved. "So what if I like her? She’s my wife. I’ll be spending a lifetime with her. There’s nothing wrong with that." He declared.
Huo Yan gaped, utterly stunned. Her cold, untouchable brother... fussing over a woman and confessing like it was the most natural thing in the world..
She hurried after him, her mind already racing. If Sister-in-law knew what he just said...
Her lips twitched with suppressed laughter. Oh, she was definitely going to use this later. Her brother and Sister-in-law would definitely be embarrassed. It would be fun later on.
The car rolled to a stop at the Lu residence. Before the driver could even open the door, Lu Ting was already standing at the entrance, her figure standing straight despite the glaring mid-morning sun.
She raised a hand to shield her eyes, her entire face lighting up the moment Yue Ning stepped out.
"Mom," Yue Ning’s lips curved faintly as she quickened her pace. The sight of her mother waiting under the blazing sun made her heart twist.
She reached for Lu Ting’s hand immediately. "Why are you standing here? The sun is too harsh, it isn’t good for your health." She complained.
Lu Ting laughed softly, squeezing her daughter’s hand. "As long as I can be the first to see you, I don’t mind a little sun. Besides, the sun is Vitamin D, it is good for the body."
Yue Ning stifled a laugh, her lips twitching. "Mom, it’s already 10 a.m. This isn’t the healthy Vitamin D sun, it’s the skin-burning one."
Lu Ting chuckled awkwardly but didn’t argue. Instead, she allowed Yue Ning to gently lead her inside, her heart swelling with joy.
"You have to promise me you won’t do anything to hurt yourself," Yue Ning said seriously once they sat down. Her gaze was firm, almost like she was the parent instead.
Lu Ting’s smile softened, her eyes crinkling with delight. "I promise. Since my dearest daughter has requested it, I’ll put my health first."
Yue Ning grinned in satisfaction. But her eyes soon wandered around the room, searching unconsciously for a few people.
"Looking for your brothers?" Lu Ting asked knowingly.
Yue Ning nodded, her eyes still darting around.
"They’ve all gone to work," Lu Ting sighed. "I told them to wait, since you’d be here this morning, but they insisted they had urgent matters." Her expression dimmed. "I wanted us to have breakfast together as a family."
Yue Ning reached over and gently rubbed her mother’s shoulder. "Don’t hold it against them. If they said it’s important, I believe them. There will be more time for us to have breakfast as a family."
Lu Ting’s lips curved faintly, her gaze softening. "You’re so thoughtful... still the most sensible one."
She reached for her daughter’s hand again. "Come, you haven’t eaten, right? Let’s have breakfast together."
"I’m starving," Yue Ning groaned playfully, rubbing her stomach.
Lu Ting’s heart twisted at the sight, but she quickly masked it with a smile. She instructed the maids to set the table, and soon they were seated before a spread of warm congee, steamed buns, fried dough sticks, and soy milk.
Yue Ning’s lips moved unconsciously, almost smacking as she looked at the familiar dishes.
’Host, you’re drooling,’ the system teased mercilessly, making her ears turn red.
"These were the dishes you loved when you were little," Lu Ting said softly, watching her daughter’s expression carefully. "I don’t know what you like so I asked the kitchen staff to prepare these."
Yue Ning’s eyes lit up. "Coincidentally, they’re still my favorites. I"m not a picky eater anyway." She said, appreciating her mother’s efforts.
Lu Ting exhaled in relief, a weight lifting from her chest. At least, despite the years apart, some things hadn’t changed.
But as Yue Ning raised her spoon, she paused. Her brows furrowed slightly. "Why aren’t you eating?" She asked when she noticed her mother staring at her instead of eating.
"I was just thinking... how hard life must have been for you at the Yues," Lu Ting whispered, reaching out to fix a stray strand of hair. "Sometimes I feel their punishment was too light."
Yue Ning froze, then gently clasped her mother’s hands. Her voice was calm but resolute. "Don’t dwell on the past. I’m here now. Let’s forget those awful memories."
But Lu Ting lowered her gaze, her shoulders trembling. "It’s not that easy. Do you know how I lived during those years you were gone? Every day felt like torture. I don’t ever want to experience that again. I can’t bear to lose you again." Tears welled in her eyes until her vision blurred.
Yue Ning’s heart tightened. She pushed her chair back and embraced her mother from the side, her tone calm but warm. "I’m not going anywhere, Mom. Don’t worry. I’ll never leave you again."
Lu Ting clutched her tighter, as though afraid Yue Ning might disappear if she let go. A silent prayer formed in her heart. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that threatened to rise, but for now, she only wanted to hold on.