Huo Ning's body was not seriously injured.
Having successfully helped Huo Xiaozheng avoid a crisis, Huo Ning felt quite proud of herself! Once a person relaxes, their appetite tends to surge, especially considering the anxiety Huo Ning had endured throughout the day.
By the time she was discharged from the hospital and returned home that evening, Huo Ning was like a little bird returning to its nest, darting straight into the kitchen.
"Aunt Xu, I'm so hungry! Can I have some stir-fried shrimp with green onions?" she pleaded.
Aunt Xu, completely charmed by her adorable demeanor, naturally agreed to everything.
"Huo Ning, come with me to the study," Huo Xiaozheng called out as he handed his coat to the butler and walked to the kitchen doorway, addressing the slender figure before him.
The fear of being called by her full name by a parent made Huo Ning's scalp tingle. Her smile froze on her face as she slowly turned to meet Huo Xiaozheng's gaze.
Huo Xiaozheng showed no signs of softening as he headed upstairs to the study.
Aunt Xu was also puzzled. What could be the matter now?
Huo Ning flashed a reassuring smile at Aunt Xu before slowly shuffling to the study door.
"Knock, knock..." Huo Ning tapped on the half-closed door.
"Come in," came the reply.
Huo Xiaozheng sat in an armchair, with the floor lamp on. In the warm orange glow, even his usual coldness seemed to have melted somewhat.
Huo Ning closed the door behind her and, following Huo Xiaozheng's gestured instruction, sat in the chair opposite him.
Confused by this interrogation-like atmosphere, Huo Ning wondered what she could have possibly done wrong.
"Thwack!"
A file folder was tossed onto the small round table between them. Huo Ning timidly looked at Huo Xiaozheng and said, "Dad?"
'Boss, just tell me straight if I've done something wrong. Please don't scare me like this!' she thought to herself.
Seeing her sitting posture reminiscent of a schoolgirl and her eyes full of fear like a deer's, Huo Xiaozheng realized she had misunderstood the situation.
The man who commanded such authority in the business world awkwardly tried to soften his demeanor.
"Your household registration has come through. I've made a small change to your name. Take a look," he explained.
Huo Ning was bewildered.
Huo Xiaozheng, realizing he had made another mistake – after all, the child before him was only five and likely didn't know how to open a file folder – opened it himself. He leaned forward to hand her a small booklet, took out a piece of paper, and pointed to the name for her to see.
"I've changed your name slightly. It's now Huo Guining."
Huo Ning repeated in confusion, "Guining?"
"Yes. It means 'welcome home.'"
Huo Ning's eyes widened. In ancient times, when a married woman returned to her parents' home, it was called "guining." Huo Xiaozheng was...
She had originally thought Huo Xiaozheng would scold her for today's events. Instead, he had given her a new name, using this method to provide her with a sense of security.
A lump formed in her throat, and Huo Ning's eyes reddened. She quickly lowered her head.
Crying was so embarrassing.
Huo Xiaozheng reached out and gently patted her head.
Outside, the winter wind howled, just as it had on the day she arrived in this world. The difference was that this time, she felt warm both physically and emotionally.
Huo Ning smiled at Huo Xiaozheng, a hint of childishness still visible in her expression.
"Dad, will Jiang Suyuan be punished?" she asked.
The name Jiang Suyuan hung over Huo Xiaozheng's head like the sword of Damocles.
Initially, he had only been angry that Jiang Suyuan had stolen the person he loved. Later, he discovered that things were not as simple as he had imagined.
It seemed that from that moment on, he had been firmly controlled by an invisible hand, never able to break free.
This time was no different.
Although it was his own decision to give up using Huo Ning's video as evidence, he still felt a suffocating sense of being controlled.
He didn't even fully understand why he sometimes abandoned his long-held etiquette and composure, degenerating into a tool driven by emotion.
It was as if Jiang Suyuan always stood on undefeated ground, while he would forever be a prisoner.
No matter how hard he tried.
His anger no longer stemmed from Qin Zhiyi, but from this futility.
The more futile his efforts, the more unwilling he became to accept it. This vicious cycle continued until he met... his daughter.
Huo Xiaozheng's gaze suddenly turned cold. "I almost forgot. How dare you conspire with Xi Chuan behind my back?"
Huo Ning's heart raced, but she maintained a calm exterior.
Tilting her head innocently, she asked, "What does 'conspire' mean?"
About to lose his temper, Huo Xiaozheng was forced to pause. He had forgotten that the child before him hadn't even finished kindergarten yet.
"What I mean is, why did you go to court with Xi Chuan without telling me?"
"Uncle Xi Chuan said the video I recorded couldn't be used," Huo Ning replied, looking directly at Huo Xiaozheng. "It was you who wouldn't let them use it, right?"
"Hmm?"
"That day at the company, I saw your shoes."
After her conversation with Sister Yin Su that day, she had noticed a leather shoe peeking out from a corner.
Having accompanied Huo Xiaozheng to work for a week straight, leaving the house together each morning, Huo Ning was very familiar with these shoes. They belonged to Huo Xiaozheng.
So, she guessed that Huo Xiaozheng had overheard her conversation with Yin Su.
When Xi Chuan mentioned that the video couldn't be used, Huo Ning instinctively knew it was on Huo Xiaozheng's orders.
That's what led to her subsequent proposal.
Huo Ning's explanation brought Huo Xiaozheng's thoughts back to that day. Hearing the words "I can accept that Dad doesn't love me" from a child's mouth was undeniably shocking.
Huo Xiaozheng opened and closed his mouth several times, wanting to say something but not knowing how to begin.
After a long silence, Huo Xiaozheng's hoarse voice finally broke the quiet of the study. "You wanted to help me, so you kept it from me?"
Huo Ning nodded. "Did what I said to Sister Yin Su that day make you sad? I'm sorry."
Huo Xiaozheng lowered his head. His nearly 6'3" frame hunched in the sofa, suddenly looking somewhat disheveled. He shook his head. "I'm the one who should apologize."
"But what I said put pressure on you. That's why you felt uncomfortable using my video as evidence. I understand," Huo Ning said. After a moment's thought, she hopped off her chair and walked to Huo Xiaozheng's side. "That's why I kept it from you. But I didn't mean to make you even sadder. I'm sorry."
This apology was somewhat sincere on Huo Ning's part.
When making plans with Xi Chuan, Huo Ning hadn't considered Huo Xiaozheng's feelings. The main reason was that before this, Huo Xiaozheng had always seemed indifferent towards her, maintaining a very businesslike attitude.
This led Huo Ning to mistakenly believe that 'Huo Xiaozheng doesn't care about such small matters.'
"No, what you did actually helped me a great deal," Huo Xiaozheng replied. Being comforted by a child was something he hadn't expected. "I..."
"Knock, knock..."
A knock on the study door interrupted Huo Xiaozheng, followed by the butler's voice.
"Young master, dinner is ready."
Huo Ning's eyes lit up, looking expectantly at Huo Xiaozheng.
Huo Xiaozheng sighed, "Alright, let's go eat first."
Huo Ning shot out of the room like a firecracker.
"Slow down...!" Huo Xiaozheng caught her arm. "What's the rush? The food isn't going to run away."
After eating her fill, Huo Ning curled up on the soft sofa to continue watching her anime. When Huo Xiaozheng came downstairs after finishing some company business, he saw her in full otaku mode and suddenly remembered what he had said a few days ago.
"Tomorrow, a big brother will come to teach you how to build a snowman."
The entranced look hadn't left Huo Ning's eyes as she turned to Huo Xiaozheng in confusion. "What big brother? What snowman?"