Chapter 111
When he entered, Ye Zhi was so startled that he almost dropped what he was holding. He stumbled a bit but quickly steadied himself. “Why are you here?” he asked.
Huo Youqiao replied, “Just to see if there’s anything I can help with.”
Ye Zhi originally wanted to say there was nothing, but the words caught in his throat. Instead, he handed over a basket of strawberries. “Could you help me wash these strawberries? Then cut a third of them in half.”
Huo Youqiao took the basket but his gaze fell on Ye Zhi’s wrist. When Ye Zhi handed over the items, his sleeve rolled up slightly, revealing his slender wrist with a circle of bruises. Because his skin was very fair, the purple-blue marks looked particularly prominent.
Ye Zhi noticed his gaze and quickly withdrew his hand, hiding his wrist back into his sleeve.
After a moment of silence, Huo Youqiao suddenly asked, “Last night… did he hurt you?”
“No…” Ye Zhi denied softly, “It was just a joke, nothing serious.”
For Ye Zhi, Huo Youcheng’s level of anger didn’t really matter, as he hadn’t suffered any physical harm, nor did he feel psychologically affected. What he cared more about was Huo Youcheng’s presence, both physical and mental, which seemed unattainable and persistent, like a gap that could never be bridged.
Huo Youqiao said, “If he ever does anything to hurt you, you can tell me. I’ll help you.”
Ye Zhi lowered his head and whispered, “Okay, thank you, big brother.”
Huo Youqiao, upon hearing his reply, furrowed his brow slightly, his heartstrings tightening. A surge of impulse seemed to be welling up inside him, but he managed to restrain it.
The birthday party was lively.
Huo Ran wore a specially tailored red dress, her hair styled by a professional, and she wore a small crown, a birthday gift from Huo Youcheng worth nearly seven figures. Her face was lightly made up, and she looked especially cute when she smiled.
The kindergarten she attended was excellent, and her classmates were mostly from wealthy families. They were all dressed beautifully, and the gifts they brought piled up like a small mountain. The host invited for the party was very skilled and humorous, particularly good at interacting with children. Under his guidance, the room was filled with laughter and joy.
They also prepared many games to play in the yard. The children who won received prizes, all sponsored by Huo Youcheng.
The children were excited, and Ye Zhi finally had some time to rest. He chose to go back to the small room he used to sleep in. Although Huo Youcheng didn’t allow him to sleep alone here, the things were still in place as before. Feeling tired, Ye Zhi found a CD player and was about to listen to music with headphones when he heard a knock on the door.
Opening it, it was Huo Youqiao again.
Seeing him made Ye Zhi nervous, not the pure nervousness of facing his husband, but the fear that his racing heart would be noticed by someone else. “Do you need me for something?” Ye Zhi thought Huo Ran was looking for him again.
“No,” Huo Youqiao said, looking at him. “Come in.”
The host and guests were all in the yard, and amidst the joyful noise from outside, Ye Zhi could still hear his husband’s voice. This made him very nervous.
When the door was closed, and the two of them were in a small space, he became even more anxious.
Before he could ask what was wrong, Huo Youqiao took something out of his pocket. When he opened the package, Ye Zhi realized it was a tube of ointment. Huo Youqiao said, “Stretch out your left hand.”
Understanding what he was about to do, Ye Zhi quickly said, “It’s not necessary…”
Huo Youqiao’s tone brooked no refusal. “Stretch it out.”
Ye Zhi almost leaned against the wall, holding his breath as he smelled the accumulating male scent in the room. He slowly extended his left hand. His sleeve was not long enough, so when he lifted it, it would roll up, revealing the bruised wrist. His wrist bones were very slender, looking like they could be broken with a slight twist. The bruising on his fair skin looked severe.
