Chapter 53: Here on a Mission

Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Here on a Mission

The moment the director finished speaking, the camera panned over. A woman in a qipao, arm in arm with a young man in a suit, walked toward them. It was too hazy to see them clearly, but the atmosphere was incredible; they looked like a handsome man and a beautiful woman.

The live audience’s anticipation was at its peak.

As the pair drew closer, their faces were revealed. It wasn’t a disappointment, but it wasn’t stunning either—perhaps expectations had been set too high...

The woman had a good figure and wore a full face of makeup, but the traces left by time were still clearly visible. Her features weren’t striking; she was more of the gentle and graceful type, with a somewhat motherly air about her.

The young man wore a business suit, dressed very maturely, but his face was still boyish—a pretty-boy kind of handsome. The overall look was a bit dissonant, like a child trying too hard to look like an adult.

The mother and son had similar facial structures; you could tell they were family at a glance.

"Hello, everyone. I’m Lin Xiaoyun, and this is my son, Huo Zhao Hua. I’m delighted to have been invited by the production team to join this show." Lin Xiaoyun smiled with great warmth. "I hope we can all get along well in the coming days."

As she finished, Lin Xiaoyun’s gaze met Gu Qingyin’s. Her expression faltered for a moment, and she said in surprise, "Master Gu?"

Gu Qingyin’s eyelid twitched. She suspected this was deliberate.

’Calling me ’Master’ in front of a live audience—is she trying to paint me as some superstitious fraud? Besides, I refuse to believe Lin Xiaoyun wouldn’t have checked who the other guests were before coming on the show. Why is she acting like this is some chance encounter?’

Huo Xinghai also looked over. He had virtually no impression of the side branches of the Huo Family, so he naturally didn’t recognize these two. He was simply surprised that they seemed to know Gu Qingyin. ’Were they old acquaintances?’

[Master Gu? Is she talking about my mother-in-law?]

[Hiss... that form of address is not simple!]

[My mother-in-law really is no ordinary woman!]

[What kind of master is she? No offense, I just want to know more so we can become like sisters as soon as possible.]

[??? Have all of Huo Xinghai’s mom-fans converted into wife-fans?]

[What can you do? Who wouldn’t want such an outstanding mother-in-law??]

"What master? You must have the wrong person," Gu Qingyin said flatly, flipping the meat on the grill.

Lin Xiaoyun came to her senses, a complex look flashing in her eyes before vanishing. "My apologies. You look a lot like an old acquaintance of mine."

Lin Tian let out a sigh of relief and tried to laugh it off. "That’s a real coincidence. Sister Qing’s surname is also Gu."

Lin Xiaoyun laughed along. "It certainly is a coincidence."

"Sit down before we chat," Gu Qingyin interrupted their awkward exchange, asking in a casual tone, "Have you eaten dinner?"

Lin Xiaoyun led Huo Zhao Hua over and sat down next to Huo Xinghai. "We didn’t have time to eat." She had just sat down when she stood up again. "Let me help you with the grilling. I cook often at home, and I’m pretty good at it."

The six of them were now separated by the barbecue grill. On the left were Huo Xinghai, Huo Zhao Hua, and Lin Xiaoyun. On the right were Lin Tian and Lin Xian. Gu Qingyin had been tending the grill since she arrived and hadn’t sat down yet.

She glanced at Lin Xiaoyun and didn’t stand on ceremony, nodding. "Alright. I could use a break anyway. The young ones only know how to wait to be fed. I wonder when we’ll ever get to relax."

Huo Xinghai thought of his own cooking skills and secretly decided he would sign up for a cooking class as soon as he got back.

"Neither of us are very good at cooking," Lin Tian said with an embarrassed smile. "Thank you for your hard work, Sister Qing and Aunt Lin."

Gu Qingyin sat down next to Huo Zhao Hua. The director immediately held up a whiteboard that read: "Interview the new guests. Be natural."

Everyone saw it, but for a moment, no one knew how to start. They decided to begin with self-introductions.

Huo Zhao Hua listened politely but didn’t contribute to the conversation, appearing somewhat introverted.

Lin Xian looked around at the group. As a girl, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Lin Tian to take the lead in asking about Huo Zhao Hua. Huo Xinghai and Gu Qingyin both looked languid and uninterested. Did that mean the responsibility of interviewing them fell to a non-celebrity like him?

Lin Xian was speechless for a second. He decided to just treat the young man like a patient, putting on a warm smile as he asked, "Mr. Huo, you look quite young. Are you still in school?"

Huo Zhao Hua glanced at him and nodded. "I’m a sophomore, but I’m already interning at my family’s company."

His voice was clear and cool, just as dissonant as his attire, but it left a strong impression.

"Wow, a rich heir," Lin Tian asked, a little curious. "Are you studying finance? To make it easier to inherit the family company in the future?"

Huo Zhao Hua seemed too shy to look at Lin Tian. He shot her a quick glance and nodded silently.

Lin Tian assumed he didn’t want to talk to her, so she just smiled and fell silent.

But Gu Qingyin, sitting behind Huo Zhao Hua, saw it all clearly. The boy was obviously just embarrassed; his ears were as red as if they’d been dyed.

"What company?" Huo Xinghai suddenly spoke up. "Is it in manufacturing?"

Huo Zhao Hua looked at him, his gaze complicated as he shook his head. "An entertainment company. Yuehai Entertainment."

Huo Xinghai frowned. The name sounded a bit familiar; it must be a decent company within the industry.

Seeing his reaction, Huo Zhao Hua felt even more conflicted. He confessed, "It’s a subsidiary of the Huo Family’s corporation." After a pause, he added, "I’m from the second branch of the Huo Family."

It dawned on Huo Xinghai. So he was from a side branch. No wonder the name sounded familiar.

He took another careful look at Huo Zhao Hua. Still no flicker of recognition. But he gave a gentle smile and offered a new greeting. "By that count, you should be my younger cousin."

Huo Zhao Hua was very surprised by his reaction, then realized it was probably because of the cameras. He sighed internally. ’The entertainment industry truly is a terrifying place. It doesn’t matter what your status is on the outside; once you’re in the circle, you have to be cautious and maintain your public persona.’

Outwardly, he pursed his lips into a slightly shy smile and called out in his cool voice, "Older Cousin."

Lin Tian and Lin Xian exchanged a look, both of them shocked. Who would have thought there were cousins who didn’t recognize each other? Was family affection in wealthy families always this superficial?

Lin Xiaoyun, however, smiled happily as she grilled the meat.

There were quite a few side branches in the Huo Family, but very few ever got to speak with the main family. This was especially true after Huo Xingye took over; he was even less willing to associate with the side branches, going so far as to cancel the family banquets for the Mid-Autumn Festival and Spring Festival.

If the side branches wanted to see Huo Xingye, it had to be for a work report. They were beginning to live more like the Huo Family’s subordinates than blood relatives.

Lin Xiaoyun had indeed come here with a mission.

She herself had a history with Gu Qingyin from her youth, and Huo Zhao Hua’s looks and personality were very likable. The side family had seized the opportunity to send the mother and son onto the show, hoping that after spending some time together, they could win Huo Xinghai’s favor and thereby improve the side branch’s situation.

From the looks of it, Huo Xinghai was easier to approach than they had thought. This was a pretty good start.

Gu Qingyin sipped her fruit juice nearby, taking in every change in Lin Xiaoyun’s expression.

’She really did come here for us,’ she scoffed inwardly. ’She’s so old, so why is she still so calculating? Isn’t she exhausted?’