“Zhi Zhi is very gentle,” Huo Ran said earnestly, with the straightforwardness of a child. “Even though Daddy says Zhi Zhi is Uncle’s wife, Uncle never comes home, and Zhi Zhi doesn’t have a baby, so Zhi Zhi should be my mom. I’ll be your baby.” She threw herself into Ye Zhi’s arms, looking up at him with wide, dark eyes. “Okay?”
Ye Zhi, already struggling with social interactions, was completely at a loss. Before he could respond, Huo Youqiao intervened, “He’s still sick, Ranran. Don’t jump on him, he might fall.” He looked at Ye Zhi pointedly, “He almost fell this morning.”
Ye Zhi’s earlobes turned visibly red at this comment, but at least the awkward topic was deflected. Huo Ran needed to get to kindergarten, so Huo Youqiao took her out. Ye Zhi assumed he was heading to work, but ten minutes later, he returned.
Huo Youqiao handed Ye Zhi some pills and a cup of water. Ye Zhi asked, “Aren’t you going to work today?”
“I only have two meetings, which I’ve rescheduled as video conferences. I’ll be home for the next two days.” Huo Youqiao gestured toward the pills, “Take your medicine and lie down. The doctor will come this afternoon to give you your injection.”
“That’s not necessary,” Ye Zhi said softly. “I feel much better and haven’t had a fever. Taking medicine should be enough; there’s no need to trouble him…”
Huo Youqiao looked at him and joked, “Are you afraid of injections? Aren’t you a bit old for that? Ranran is brave when she gets her shots and never cries.”
His teasing tone was so different from his usual demeanor that Ye Zhi couldn’t help but look up in surprise. Seeing the playful glint in Huo Youqiao’s eyes made Ye Zhi flustered.
Huo Youqiao smiled even more, “Did I guess right?”
Ye Zhi stiffened, and Huo Youqiao stopped teasing, peeling the pills and handing them to Ye Zhi, “Take your medicine first.”
As Ye Zhi picked up the pills, his fingertips brushed against Huo Youqiao’s palm, the warmth from the touch rekindling a small spark of hope and warmth in his heart.
Despite his confusion from the previous night, one thing Huo Youqiao had said lingered in Ye Zhi’s mind.
—Did you think I distanced myself from you because of that?
If it wasn’t for that reason, then what was it?
After ensuring Ye Zhi was resting in bed, Huo Youqiao went upstairs to start his workday. Before getting into his tasks, he called his brother, Huo Youcheng.
Huo Youcheng’s reasons for getting married were unclear to Huo Youqiao. The Huo brothers were independent, and their male relationship was not particularly intimate or open. Due to their careers, they didn’t see each other frequently. At the time, Huo Youqiao only knew that his brother had married a man and had refused to hold a formal wedding. When asked about Ye Zhi, Huo Youcheng had dismissively said, “He’s not presentable, so I didn’t bring him over. Maybe you’ll meet him someday.”
The resentment in his tone was palpable.
At that time, Huo Youqiao was too busy to delve into the matter and only occasionally heard about Ye Zhi from their mother, forming an initial impression of him.
—He’s like a quail, shy and avoids people. I don’t know why Youcheng had to marry him.
Huo Youqiao was also vaguely aware of the Ye family’s threats, which contributed to his negative impression of Ye Zhi.
However, after meeting Ye Zhi and getting to know him better, he realized his initial biases were unfounded.
Ye Zhi indeed had flaws, but he also had many admirable qualities—qualities that Huo Youqiao found particularly appealing.
The call rang for a long time before Huo Youcheng answered, his voice groggy with sleep, “Bro, what’s up?”
“Ye Zhi is sick,” Huo Youqiao said.
There was a pause before Huo Youcheng replied lazily, “Is it serious?”
Huo Youqiao frowned, his tone turning stern, “What kind of nonsense is that?”
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