Chapter 129 - 128: Captivated at First Sight

Chapter 129: Chapter 128: Captivated at First Sight

Huo Xingchen lay in bed recovering for a good long while before struggling to get up and wash up. He moved haltingly, one step at a time, to the elevator and took it downstairs.

Meanwhile, Gu Qingyin was already in the dining room, eating. Hearing Huo Xingchen’s footsteps, she couldn’t help but laugh and say leisurely, "This is what you get for not listening to your elders."

Huo Xingchen looked like he wanted to cry but had no tears. "It’s not that I didn’t want to use it. I was planning to study it a bit before my bath, but I accidentally broke it."

Seeing Huo Xingchen’s pained expression, Hua Xin’s heart ached for him. "After you eat, I can prepare a medicinal bath for you, Third Young Master. It won’t be as effective as the Lady’s talisman, but it should provide some relief."

Huo Xingchen was incredibly touched. He looked at his mom. "Can’t you give me another one?"

Gu Qingyin gave a faint smile. "Giving you another one would be useless. The optimal time to use it has already passed. Just be a good boy and take your medicinal bath."

Huo Xingchen sighed. ’Fine. It’s better than being in constant pain.’

Before his body could fully recover, Huo Xingchen’s vacation ended, and he returned to the training base.

Huo Xinghai and Huo Xingye were both very busy at the end of the year and hadn’t been back to the family home for several days. With Huo Yunjing also recuperating, Gu Qingyin found herself completely at leisure and, somehow, became obsessed with online shopping.

At first, she was just looking at New Year decorations, ornaments, spring couplets, and small trinkets. Then she started looking at carpets, doormats, and drinking glasses. After that, she decided that matching family outfits were gorgeous, and their family of five absolutely had to have a set.

In the following days, packages were delivered to the house by the truckload. Unboxing deliveries became the happiest part of Gu Qingyin’s day, with each one bringing a new and different surprise.

In just a few days, the entire house was redecorated and looked brand new—even the curtains were replaced with a New Year’s style.

When Huo Xingye came home, he was stunned. On the entryway cabinet was a ceramic figurine of a chubby baby holding a fish. On the sofa were bright red pillows embroidered with "Great Fortune and Good Luck." Under the coffee table was a red-and-yellow wool rug...

Everything looked so unfamiliar, especially when he saw that his solid black slippers in the shoe cabinet had been replaced with dark red ones decorated with a big-eyed, white lion head. They were so cute that he hesitated to put them on.

Huo Xingye stood at the entrance in silence for several seconds, took a deep breath, put on the slippers, and entered the living room. Between the living room and his bedroom, he lost count of how many shocking things he saw.

’I understand putting up some decorations for the Spring Festival atmosphere, but does all the soft decor have to be red? Anyone who didn’t know better would think someone in the family is getting married.’

Just then, Gu Qingyin came out of her bedroom. When she looked up and saw Huo Xingye, her eyes instantly lit up. "Son! Quick, come help Mom decide, which of these two sets looks better?"

Huo Xingye instantly had a bad feeling. Taking the phone, he saw exactly what he’d feared. ’His mom is picking out four-piece bedding sets! She’s not even sparing the bedding!’

Huo Xingye was at a loss for words, but seeing the anticipation in Gu Qingyin’s eyes, he couldn’t bear to spoil her fun, so he just chose the less ghastly of the two.

Gu Qingyin nodded with a wide smile. "Okay, we’ll choose this one then." She quickly placed the order, then said, "Perfect timing. Go try on the clothes."

Huo Xingye’s eyelid twitched. "What clothes?"

"The matching family outfits!" Gu Qingyin’s voice was filled with excitement. "I spent a long time picking them out, and they’re super cute! We can all wear them for a family photo during the Spring Festival, and then we’ll get it printed and hang it in the living room!"

Huo Xingye took another deep breath. "Let me see the clothes first."

Gu Qingyin enthusiastically turned and went back into the bedroom. Huo Xingye followed her in, watching helplessly as Gu Qingyin pulled one out from a row of identical clothes. "This one is yours."

Huo Xingye stared at the garment for several seconds, not mustering the courage to reach out and take it.

To put it mildly, he hadn’t worn clothes this childish since elementary school.

It was a sweater, mostly off-white, with an orange-red collar, cuffs, and waistband. Knitted on the front were two orange-red persimmons, and above them were four cute, rounded words—"Sweet Wishes, Sweet Year."

"What do you think? Isn’t it adorable?" Gu Qingyin’s eyes were sparkling. "Quick, put it on so Mom can see!"

Huo Xingye wasn’t sure if his mother was trying to mess with him. He forced a smile. "There’s no need. It’ll fit. Let’s all wear them together during the Spring Festival. Otherwise, it’ll spoil the surprise."

Gu Qingyin thought that made a lot of sense. "You’re right. In that case, we’ll wait. Go wash up; dinner will be ready soon."

Huo Xingye felt a wave of relief. As he turned to leave, his hurried retreat betrayed a hint of panic.

Seeing this, Gu Qingyin’s lips curled, and a mischievous glint flashed in her eyes.

’Who says you can’t have fun with your sons once they’re grown up? This is plenty of fun, isn’t it?’

When Huo Xingye came out of his room again, his expression had returned to normal.

Gu Qingyin sized him up for a moment and pouted inwardly. ’The eldest one adapts way too quickly.’

’It’s not that I adapt quickly,’ Huo Xingye thought. ’I just know it’s useless to refuse. I’ll just put it out of my mind for now. I can worry about it when it’s time to actually wear it. After all, my two younger brothers will be sharing the embarrassment with me. And maybe even Dad.’

’The moment I think about Dad—so heroic, aloof, and powerful—having to wear such a childish outfit, it doesn’t seem so unacceptable anymore.’

After dinner, the mother and son sat on the sofa watching Huo Xinghai’s show, chatting and drinking tea.

"Mom, you should attend the Huo Family’s year-end banquet with me tomorrow." After saying this, Huo Xingye carefully glanced at Gu Qingyin. He was hoping she would attend, in her capacity as the Lady of the Huo Family.

Gu Qingyin thought for a moment and asked, "Will it only be people from the Huo Family at the banquet?"

Huo Xingye: "Mostly people from the branch families of the Huo Family, plus some close business partners."

"Will they bring the younger generation from their families?" Gu Qingyin sat up a little straighter.

Huo Xingye: "...Probably."

Gu Qingyin: "Then I’ll go."

Huo Xingye pretended not to know her motive and continued the conversation. "Someone will come to deliver a gown tomorrow morning. I’ll have Xue Ning pick you up in the evening."

Gu Qingyin nodded. "Will Xinghai and Xingchen be there too?"

Huo Xingye: "Xingchen can’t get away. Xinghai will go if he can make it back in time."

In previous years, Xinghai and Xingchen never attended the annual banquet. This time, Xinghai wanted to come to accompany Gu Qingyin, worried that the people from the Huo branch families would give her a hard time.

The next morning, when Gu Qingyin woke up and came downstairs, a designer with the clothes had already been waiting downstairs for over half an hour.

Gu Qingyin apologized sheepishly.

The designer was flattered and flustered, quickly saying it was part of their job. Besides, they charged by the hour, so the wait wasn’t for nothing.

Gu Qingyin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. After listening to the designer’s suggestions, she chose a Mamian skirt outfit.

A Mamian skirt in wine-red with a gold pattern, paired with a black, Chinese-style shirt with a slanted placket and frog buttons. It looked incredibly chic.

Gu Qingyin was captivated at first sight. "I’ll take this one!"