The sudden noise startled everyone in the hall.
Huo Xiaozheng frowned and quickly walked up to her: "Ning Ning, why are you here?"
Huo Guining pulled Huo Xiaozheng behind her protectively.
Huo Xiaozheng found it somewhat amusing.
Her words came out rapidly, without a trace of her usual childish tone, and even carried a sharp edge.
"Since you're already married, please have some basic trust in each other."
"Jiang Suyuan, don't you get tired of constantly suspecting others of coveting your wife?"
"Qin Zhiyi, do you really enjoy the sense of security that comes from being doubted?"
"Is my dad just a prop in your love play?"
Huo Guining clenched her fists tightly and declared emphatically: "And you, old grandfather, talking about my dad needing to leave your daughter and son-in-law alone - please! I'm the one who needs to ask you to leave my dad alone!"
"Is your life meaningless without my dad's involvement?"
"You people!" Huo Guining shouted with all her might, her eyes red with anger: "What on earth do you think you are?!"
Huo Xiaozheng hugged Huo Guining tightly, gently patting her back.
Feeling her body still trembling, Huo Xiaozheng comforted her: "It's okay, Ning Ning. Dad hasn't been bullied, everything's fine."
"The adults just raised their voices a bit, they're not fighting. Don't worry, okay?"
Despite his words, Huo Xiaozheng's gaze towards the people in the hall was as cold as poison, sweeping darkly over each person.
Huo Guining clutched Huo Xiaozheng's clothes tightly. She wasn't scared; she was simply furious.
The plot kept trying to correct Huo Xiaozheng's behavior, forcing him into inevitable conflicts with Jiang Suyuan and Qin Zhiyi.
But why should it be this way?
Zuo Qinfang and Huo Yueze were delayed by friends on the way and arrived a bit late.
As they entered the hall, they saw Huo Xiaozheng hugging Ning Ning tenderly.
Huo Yueze: ?? What happened to little sister?
Being scolded by a 5-year-old child was more than even the well-mannered Old Mr. Qin could handle.
Before Huo Yueze and Zuo Qinfang could grasp the situation,
Old Mr. Qin raised his cane, pointing it at Huo Guining with surprising vigor: "Insolent child, how dare you!!!"
Though confused, Huo Yueze immediately stepped in front of Ning Ning.
"Grandpa Qin, please speak civilly. Don't be rude to my sister!"
Seeing them all acting this way, Old Mr. Qin took a deep breath, clutching his chest and calling out, "Medicine..."
Seeing her father in this state, Qin Zhiyi became furious.
She shed her earlier soft, sorrowful demeanor and spoke harshly: "I understand you're young and lack proper upbringing, but the Qin family is not a place for a little brat like you to casually insult!"
Her words were aimed directly at Huo Guining, as if calling for backup.
Zuo Qinfang was displeased hearing this. She sneered, "My brother-in-law came to pay his respects to Old Mr. Qin out of courtesy."
"Who would have thought the Qin family's hospitality had declined so much? In Zhiyi's generation, you've completely lost face!"
Zuo Qinfang shook her sleeve dismissively: "And you still imagine my brother-in-law harbors deep feelings for you?"
"Look in the mirror! The things you and that Jiang boy have done? I'm disgusted just thinking about it!"
"You're both halfway to the grave, yet you bully a child. Your ancestors must be rolling in their graves!"
Old Mr. Qin's heartbeat, which had just settled, suddenly spiked again.
The butler quickly shoved a handful of pills into his mouth.
Jiang Suyuan had been observing, thinking this was the Qin family's territory and it wasn't his place to discipline the guests.
Seeing his wife and father-in-law so upset, Jiang Suyuan became furious. He sneered and opened his mouth: "I..."
Before he could speak, Huo Xiaozheng suddenly stood up, holding his daughter, and hurried towards the exit.
Zuo Qinfang, who had been in the middle of her tirade, saw Huo Xiaozheng's movement. Though confused, she grabbed Huo Yueze and followed.
The group that had arrived so quickly left just as swiftly.
They left behind a group of like-minded individuals, stunned in the hall.
Huo Xiaozheng took large strides, and in moments, they were back at the Huo family's old residence.
Zuo Qinfang and Huo Yueze were catching their breath, about to check on Ning Ning's condition, when they saw Huo Xiaozheng heading straight for the garage.
Zuo Qinfang and Huo Yueze exchanged glances, sensing something was wrong, and immediately followed.
"Sister-in-law, please start the car," Huo Xiaozheng suddenly turned and said to Zuo Qinfang.
Without questioning, Zuo Qinfang got into the driver's seat.
Huo Xiaozheng sat in the back holding Ning Ning, while Huo Yueze took the passenger seat.
"Where are we going?" Zuo Qinfang asked.
Huo Xiaozheng's voice carried a hint of barely suppressed urgency: "Anzhen Children's Hospital."
Zuo Qinfang was startled: "What's wrong with Ning Ning?"
Huo Yueze turned to look at Ning Ning in Huo Xiaozheng's arms.
He saw her drenched in sweat, face deathly pale, lips bloodless, breathing weakly, as if she might pass away at any moment.
Huo Yueze hurriedly urged: "Mom, drive quickly, Ning Ning's in critical condition!"
Hearing this, Zuo Qinfang wasted no more time.
She released the handbrake, shifted gears, and stepped on the accelerator.
The black car shot out like an arrow released from a bow.
Huo Xiaozheng held Ning Ning tightly, yet carefully, afraid to squeeze too hard.
The atmosphere in the car was tense.
Huo Yueze's heart was in his throat, having to watch the road for his mother who was practically drifting through city streets, while also worrying about his weak sister.
Huo Xiaozheng hugged Ning Ning close, hoping his embrace could ease her discomfort.
At first, he thought Ning Ning was just shaking from anger, being overly protective.
But when he realized the person in his arms had gone silent, Huo Guining's face was already bright red.
Her eyes were wide open, pressing hard against her chest, as if someone was choking her, unable to make a sound.
Huo Xiaozheng panicked.
He recalled Ning Ning's earlier demeanor, her tone sarcastic and a bit frantic.
She had clumsily yet stubbornly tried to defend Huo Xiaozheng's honor.
But the physical discomfort had clearly exceeded her tolerance, and Huo Guining's body went limp, collapsing directly into Huo Xiaozheng's arms.
This was different from the previous incident.
No, it was different from every other time.
This time, he was still by Ning Ning's side, but she had fallen unconscious in his arms.
Huo Xiaozheng forced himself to calm down. He remembered that last time, Shen Shiyan had given him a bottle of medicine, saying it could be used for emergency treatment if Ning Ning fainted again.
Huo Xiaozheng suppressed the trembling in his fingers and took out a pill from his pocket, trying to push it into Ning Ning's tightly clenched mouth.
Once, twice, Huo Xiaozheng's shaking hands couldn't pry open Ning Ning's mouth.
Seeing this, Huo Yueze shouted: "Uncle, pinch Ning Ning's jaw!"
Huo Xiaozheng regained a bit of rationality at his nephew's voice.
He forcefully pinched Ning Ning's jaw, and finally, her tightly closed teeth parted slightly. Huo Xiaozheng lifted her up a bit and managed to place the pill under her tongue.
Huo Yueze stared at Huo Xiaozheng's hand in shock, murmuring, "Uncle, your hand..."
Huo Xiaozheng didn't hear him, only asking, "Are we almost there?"
Zuo Qinfang replied coldly, "Almost."
Soon, a sharp braking sound was heard as a black luxury car screeched to a halt at the emergency entrance, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The car door opened, and a tall man carrying a child rushed towards the hospital.