To My Dear Mr. Huo

Huo Jinyao’s lips were pressed into a straight line. He wasn’t in a hurry to reply to the other party. “Old Master Li, you’re being too modest. As I said earlier, if there’s anything I can help you with, you could’ve just told me. There’s no need to be so humble.”

Old Master Li’s intelligent eyes gazed at Huo Jinyao. “Jinyao, no matter what it is, you’re still my grandson-in-law. Now that you said it, I’m going to accept it as fact.”

“Don’t.” Huo Jinyao raised his hand and said, “I don’t have the blessing of being able to call myself your grandson-in-law.”

Now, this was a very interesting statement, for it simply suggested that he did not acknowledge Su Qingsang as Old Master Li’s granddaughter.

Old Master Li’s expression faltered slightly. It wasn’t just him – Su Yuxin frowned as well.

“Jinyao, you don’t have any say in it,” Old Master Li gave out a hollow chuckle. “Qingsang’s family name is Su after all.”

“You’re right. Her family name is Su, not Li.”

Huo Jinyao was wearing an indifferent expression, but his words were enough to provoke somebody.

Old Master Li didn’t know how to reply to that. “Yes. Her family name is Su, so she’s part of the Su family.”

“And your point is?” Huo Jinyao looked at them with a piercing glare. This sharp, menacing side of his, which has never been revealed to Su Qingsang, now manifested before these outsiders. “If you’d like to say anything, please get straight to the point. As you said, we’re one big family, after all, so let’s not hold back on our words.”

Old Master Li was not appeased by Huo Jinyao’s words. He could tell that Huo Jinyao wasn’t an easy person to deal with.

“It’s nothing. Just a small matter.”

Old Master Li was a little frustrated when he thought about Su Peizhen. Su Peizhen wasn’t born evil. She was simply too spoiled – and he was to blame, along with Su Chenghui and Li Qianxue.

He was also responsible for enabling Su Peizhen to develop an arrogant personality until this day. However, he could not bear to let Su Peizhen be severely punished.

“Jinyao. We know about the accident involving Qingsang’s mother that happened a few days ago.”

Huo Jinyao remained silent. He could already guess Old Master Li’s intentions in paying him a visit today.

“Speaking of it, our faulty upbringing is partially to blame. We are responsible for it too.”

Old Master Li started out with a few sentences of self-reflection. Observing that Huo Jinyao had not even batted an eye, he sighed.

No wonder Tianyu had been prospering over the years. How many youngsters nowadays could maintain their composure like Huo Jinyao?

“Jinyao, in the end, we’re still family. Since Qingsang’s mother is fine, perhaps let’s just forget it, shall we?”

“Forget it?” Huo Jinyao reacted as if he had heard a good joke. He tilted his head sideways and stared at Old Master Li, amused.

“Master Li, I’ve always respected you, but I’m afraid that there are certain things I cannot agree to.”

“Jinyao, Chenghui had already punished Peizhen for this. Furthermore, he said that he would send Peizhen to the United States to compose her mind a little.”

“The United States?” Huo Jinyao laughed. “For a vacation, right? I don’t think sending her away is sufficient punishment.”

“Jinyao.” Old Master Li found his patience wavering. “Peizhen’s father meant to send her away for a period of time to study and cultivate a better character. Do you think she would go there for a holiday?”

“That’s just running away from responsibility,” Huo Jinyao nodded sarcastically as if he was hit with an epiphany. “Right. So, in this day and age, as long as those who did something wrong get sent overseas, that’s already a form of punishment. Now, this is really something new to me.”

His voice dripped acid. Old Master Li could hardly listen on.

“So what do you want? Peizhen was responsible, but she didn’t exactly participate directly in it. She didn’t want something like this to happen either, she—”

“So it’s fine just because she was not directly involved? Then let me ask you a question. Why are those who instigate others to murder sentenced accordingly as well?”

“Huo Jinyao, you’re not helping at all in resolving this matter if you keep up this attitude.”

“That’s because you’re not even prepared to resolve this matter.” Huo Jinyao’s expression hardened and he stared unflinchingly at Old Master Li. “If you did something wrong, you have to get punished for it. Why do you think that Su Peizhen can be exempted from this?”

“Brother-in-law. My sister didn’t—”

“Shut up, you.” Huo Jinyao glared at him. “Su Yuxin, don’t you forget that Su Qingsang is also your sister.”

Su Yuxin stopped talking and looked down at his toes. He seemed dismayed. “I know, but my sister, Su Peizhen, knows that she’s in the wrong. You—”

“Does she? She can go to trial and admit it, then.”

“Huo Jinyao, don’t push it too far.” Old Master Li couldn’t listen any further. “It was an accident. And that’s not like Peizhen at all. She blamed herself for causing an outcome like this and she’s being very remorseful. Could you just—”

“No.” Huo Jinyao was wearing a firm expression on his face and his gaze was ice cold. “Your priority is your family. My priority is also my family.”

Although Xiang Caiping wasn’t a direct family member of Huo Jinyao’s, she was now his mother-in-law, and that meant she’s family.

If Su Peizhen dared to provoke Xiang Caiping, then she would have to pay the price for it.

The atmosphere became extremely uncomfortable. Old Master Li took a few deep breaths to calm himself, but it was a little tough to keep his cool.

“Huo Jinyao, what do you want?”

Huo Jinyao didn’t say anything. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the two people before him.

“Old Master Li. You might not know about something.”

“What is it?”

“This isn’t the first time Su Peizhen got into trouble.”

“What?” Besides Old Master Li, even Su Yuxin widened his eyes.

Huo Jinyao pondered for a moment and told them about the incident regarding the husband of the pregnant woman who attempted suicide. He didn’t exaggerate as he told the tale — there wasn’t a need to.

He recapped the entire incident in a few sentences, and then looked back at Old Master Li. “So, now you’re aware of it, aren’t you? This is not the first time Su Peizhen tried to trouble Qingsang and do something nasty. In fact, I’ve given her a chance to correct her behavior. I’ve already told Father, I told him to keep an eye on Su Peizhen.”

“And how did Father respond to me back then? He assured me that there won’t be a similar event again. However, it seems like something outrageous had happened not long after his guarantee. So, do you think I’ll let it go just like that?”

This was something that Old Master Li and Su Yuxin were not aware of — it was the first time they had heard about it. They looked at each other helplessly and stared back at Huo Jinyao with their eyes wide open as if they couldn’t believe Su Peizhen was really like this.

“This could be a misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?” Huo Jinyao shook his head. “I’m very sorry, but I still have evidence from the last time she prompted Liu Xiangyu’s husband to hit Qingsang.”

Huo Jinyao never fought a battle he wasn’t confident of winning. Since he had already made up his mind, of course he would have to go all out.

Old Master Li had nothing else to say. He never imagined that this was the second mistake Su Peizhen had committed. He had watched her grow up.

Back then, he named her ‘Zhen’, meaning, ‘Genuine’, hoping that she would have the purest of hearts, and live each day with innocent joy. He never thought that—