Chapter 46

Ye Zhi was responsible for taking pictures of her.

Huo Ran was very beautiful, with only about three points of resemblance to Huo Youqiao’s facial features, and probably about seven points resembling her mother. Ye Zhi didn’t like to pry into people’s privacy, and he had never accidentally overheard anything about Huo Ran’s mother, so he didn’t know whether her birth mother was male or female. The only thing he knew was that the other party should exist.

After all, for a man like Huo Youqiao, only someone beautiful and gentle could match him.

“Zhi Zhi, come and take a picture with me,” Huo Ran waved to Ye Zhi. “Let’s take a group photo together.”

Ye Zhi didn’t refuse, but he didn’t expect that the group photo would be sent to Huo Youqiao’s communicator.

All of Huo Ran’s electronic devices were connected to Huo Youqiao’s screen, including the camera. Every photo taken would appear on Huo Youqiao’s screen. He wasn’t spying on his daughter’s privacy; rather, she was still too young, and he couldn’t be with her all the time, so it was a way to protect her.

Work had come to a temporary halt, and it was time for an afternoon break. Secretary Lin Xiuming was originally going to order afternoon tea for Huo Youqiao, but he was stopped by Huo Youqiao. Lin Xiuming originally thought his boss wasn’t hungry, but he didn’t expect him to bring out what looked like a cartoonish lunchbox, and his expression froze.

“Did you accidentally bring your daughter’s lunchbox?”

Secretary Lin wanted to ask like this, but he held back. However, seeing that there was no change in Huo Youqiao’s expression, he knew he hadn’t brought the wrong thing. This lunchbox was indeed prepared for him.

When the lid was opened, Lin Xiuming saw the cute-shaped rice balls and snacks inside. His mouth twitched, and he finally couldn’t help but say, “Mr. Huo, did your housekeeper prepare this for you? She’s really thoughtful.”

“No.” Huo Youqiao had already taken off his glasses, his gaze pausing in the lunchbox for a few seconds before saying, “You can leave now. Continue in half an hour.”

“Understood.”

Ye Zhi was indeed skilled. Without using templates, the small animals he made by hand were lifelike. To make Huo Ran eat more carrots, he even used carrots to make the noses, mouths, and ears of the small animals. Moreover, to prevent Huo Ran from getting food on her mouth, the animals were made small enough for even a child to eat in one bite.

On the other side of the rice balls were pumpkin dumplings and small cookies. The dumplings were fried to a golden color and slightly smaller than those sold on the market, while the cookies were pressed into various animal shapes.

It was obvious that a lot of effort had been put into it.

Picking up a rice ball and putting it in his mouth to chew, although the food was cold, the taste was not bad. However, when he ate the carrot, Huo Youqiao’s chewing slowed down slightly.

Actually, he didn’t like carrots.

But no one would be willing to waste such a thoughtful gesture.

After finishing all the food in the lunchbox without leaving any leftovers, Huo Youqiao washed his hands and came back. Originally, he wanted to send a message to Ye Zhi to express his gratitude, but when he opened the screen, he saw the extra photos in his daughter’s device.

Opening one photo after another, almost all of them were of Huo Ran. She sat on the carousel, she played bumper cars, and she rode roller coasters… In every photo, his daughter wore a big smile, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

Huo Youqiao couldn’t help but curl his lips upward, his finger slowly swiping through the photos. When Ye Zhi’s face filled the screen, his finger suddenly paused.

It should be a photo taken by Huo Ran. The little girl was still too young, so she just pressed the shutter button, and the lens hadn’t focused yet, so the scenery in the photos was somewhat blurry, but Ye Zhi’s features were clear.

In the photo, Ye Zhi was smiling, a very happy smile.

They hadn’t known each other for a long time, but not short either. In Huo Youqiao’s memory, he had never seen him smile like this before. This beta always seemed cautious, as if afraid of offending others, even walking along the edge of the path. From the time they returned to the main residence until recently, Ye Zhi had never eaten at the same table as him.

He seemed afraid and nervous.

He never treated him as one of the masters of the house, more like a guest staying over. Even Wang, the housekeeper, didn’t treat him well. Ye Zhi didn’t seem to get angry either; there was always a sense of restraint in his expression, always bowing his head when walking, very nervous around everyone, except Huo Ran, who was the only exception.