Warm Marriage in a Rich Family: Mr. Huo's Spoiled Wife Will Turn the World Upside Down - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Is It Interesting?

Zhou Lai offered a deeper smile, the kind reportedly known as an “innocent smile,” designed to evoke a pitiable charm.

“Huo Ya Gege, people always change. If I’ve done anything wrong before, I apologize to you here.”

“Oh, really?” Huo Ya responded with interest. “Then tell me, what exactly do you need to apologize for?”

Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile, she thought, though she was no pushover herself.

“Huo Ya Gege, it’s been so many years I’ve forgotten. For you to bring it up makes me feel you might hold some slight prejudice against me. We’re married now, so let’s leave the past behind.”

She was subtly implying he held grudges, and Huo Ya understood perfectly.

What grown man would persistently dwell on trivial matters unless he had nothing better to do? Reading people was her specialty. Huo Ya fell silent, and they returned to the private room together. Noticing their joint appearance, Lin Jing cast an approving glance her way.

After the meal concluded, both families went their separate ways. The elders walked ahead while she and Huo Ya lagged, dawdling until they reached the entrance. As the elders turned to bid farewell, she proactively stepped forward, linking arms with Huo Ya as they waved goodbye.

Once the cars drove off, Huo Ya swiftly withdrew his arm from hers.

Zhou Lai froze, staring at him in disbelief. So, he still detested her this much no wonder he avoided even touching her. It wasn’t just emotional emptiness.

But what could she do? Even if she wasn’t the one Huo Ya loved, they had their marriage certificate, and the wedding was scheduled. For Lin Jing’s sake, she had to fulfill her duties.

She let out a self-mocking laugh, gazing into the night to steady her emotions. She wouldn’t let him affect her state of mind.

Huo Ya stared ahead into the darkness, emitting a derisive snort. “Is this act of yours meaningful?”

Though his words sank to her heart and she instinctively wanted to retort, she restrained herself and chose to ignore them.

“What did you say? I didn’t catch that,” Zhou Lai feigned deafness.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

“No.”

“Let’s go.”

Silence enveloped them in the car. Huo Ya had dismissed the chauffeur and drove himself. The atmosphere grew stifling until Zhou Lai rolled down the window, letting the cool breeze brush her face only to sneeze shortly after.

Damn it, why do I always sneeze in front of him?

“Too hot?” Huo Ya closed the window and turned on the air conditioning.

“Not hot. I just got overly excited tonight and needed some air to cool down.” Since she had no favorable image to maintain with him, Zhou Lai abandoned ladylike pretenses, grabbing tissues to wipe her nose.

Huo Ya: “…”

Arriving at the parking lot, Zhou Lai unfastened her seatbelt when Huo Ya asked from beside her, “Accompany me somewhere tomorrow.”

Again?! She had no desire to endure his sarcasm on another outing and replied, “No time.”

Even if I had time, I wouldn’t go with you. It’s pointless anyway!

Huo Ya merely glanced at her indifferently, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel with a confident smirk. “If not tomorrow, then the day after.”

“I have a flower arrangement class with Song Ci the day after,” she countered truthfully.

Huo Ya: “The following day works too.”

Zhou Lai: “…”

Not knowing what trick, he was going to play this time, fine, she’d play along, she’d take on whatever he threw at her!

“I thought about it, and since it’s rare to have a chance to go out with Brother Huo Ya, I can cancel tomorrow’s appointment.”

“Hmm~” This reply greatly satisfied someone’s vanity. Huo Ya revealed a meaningful smile, “Tomorrow evening, wait for me to come home and pick you up.”

After returning home and finishing washing up, Huo Ya went to study for a video conference. As soon as he left, Zhou Lai turned on the computer in her room and searched: What to do when a man is drained?

A bunch of ads popped up in the results, and after scrolling through a few, she found them unreliable. So, she changed her search term: How to get a man in the mood? Again, it was mostly ads.

Then she modified her search once more: Folk remedies to revitalize a man, only to be met with another wave of dubious advertisements.

Zhou Lai grumbled as she closed the browser. After some thought, she decided to call Song Ci. The study was right next door, and worried Huo Ya might eavesdrop, she hid under the blankets to make the call secretly.

As soon as the call connected, Song Ci launched into a rapid-fire monologue that left Zhou Lai utterly confused. Song Ci was on a roll, and Zhou Lai couldn’t get a word in edgewise. It wasn’t until she heard the name “Huo Ya” that she pieced together the whole story bit by bit.

Song Ci was the only daughter in her family, and her father had high hopes for her. Although she nominally managed two companies, her position as general manager was just for showing real work hours were spent arranging outings with Zhou Lai for eating, drinking, and having fun.

The Huo and Song families had been long-term business partners. Huo Ya’s return not only brought new investments to the Song family but, at Mr. Song’s request, he also recommended an assistant to him.

This assistant was versatile, managing not only company affairs but also Mr. Song’s treasured daughter, Song Ci.

“I really have to thank your better half for being so… helpful,” Song Ci grumbled. She was used to her carefree lifestyle, and now suddenly this assistant showed up, forbidding this and that, while her father obeyed him as if his words were imperial decrees.

Zhou Lai felt deeply sympathetic toward Song Ci because she believed that anyone who could clique with Huo Ya must share his… peculiar tendencies.

“Yeah, that guy of mine is just sick,” the two women united in their grievances. Zhou Lai vented her frustrations, while Song Ci aired her discontent. It seemed that from now on, not only would her own life become increasingly miserable, but Song Ci had been dragged into the mess too. Both were accustomed to their unrestrained lives, and suddenly having to live by rules felt like having half their souls stripped away.

They commiserated with each other, and before they knew it, two hours had passed. When Huo Ya returned from the study, she heard the door open, poked her head out from under the covers, then ducked back in.

Huo Ya noticed Zhou Lai was on the phone and tiptoed into the bathroom. By the time he finished showering, she was still chatting, occasionally making strange noises that made him frown.

With the person in question right there, Zhou Lai couldn’t continue complaining openly. She didn’t want to push it too far in case he caught on, so she quickly made up an excuse and hung up.

Only after ending the call did, she realizes with a start that she’d forgotten to ask the most important question. She’d been so caught up in venting that she neglected her original purpose. Oh well, she’d ask tomorrow.

Having been under the covers for so long, she was starting to feel oxygen deprived. She threw off the blankets and crawled out, only to see Huo Ya sitting at the computer, staring intently at the screen.

Wait! Zhou Lai’s mind raced.

She hadn’t closed the browser tabs after her searches earlier!

Then Huo Ya must have seen her search history?

Oh god, help! Her mind went completely blank, and she blurted out a very foolish question: “What are you doing at the computer?”