Chapter 288 - 284: Old-School Romance Heroine 4

Chapter 288: Chapter 284: Old-School Romance Heroine 4

The commotion in the boardroom lasted for a full ten minutes.

Yang Yang’s father’s face was ashen as he flipped through the documents Huo Chen had provided, his fingers trembling uncontrollably.

The financial data, accurate down to two decimal places, the secret transfer records he himself had nearly forgotten—it was all laid bare for everyone to see.

"This is impossible..."

His voice was impossibly hoarse. "These documents are forged!"

Ji Xiaosong walked calmly to the projector and lightly pressed a button on the remote.

The screen switched to a surveillance video. It showed Yang Yang’s father meeting secretly with Chen Mo in a private club, clearly discussing how to embezzle Huo Family funds through fake projects.

"President Yang should recognize this place."

Her voice was as calm as if she were discussing the weather. "Suite 2808 at the Hyatt Hotel, on the 18th of last month."

Huo Chen leaned back in his leather chair, his long fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. "Uncle Yang, for my father’s sake, I’ll give you two choices."

He paused. "Resign voluntarily, or... I’ll have the economic crimes division get involved."

The air in the conference room seemed to freeze.

Ji Xiaosong noticed that as Huo Chen spoke, the scar on his brow bone looked particularly vicious under the light. It was said to be a wound from the Huo Family’s internal strife three years ago.

Yang Yang’s father suddenly lunged, grabbing a teacup and hurling it at Ji Xiaosong. "Bitch! This is all your fault—"

Huo Chen moved with astonishing speed.

He pulled Ji Xiaosong behind him in one swift motion, and the scalding tea splashed all over his expensive suit.

"Security."

His voice was as cold as ice. "Escort President Yang out."

When calm was restored to the conference room, the board members were all deathly silent.

Huo Chen released his protective hold on Ji Xiaosong, only to find her expression was exceptionally calm. Not even an eyelash had fluttered.

"You’re not scared?" he asked in a low voice.

Ji Xiaosong straightened the wrinkled cuff of her blazer. "Scared of what? The teacup, or the desperate old man?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Huo Chen’s eyes, quickly replaced by a deeper sense of admiration.

He turned to the others. "Effective immediately, Miss Ji will have full responsibility for the new energy project."

After the meeting, Huo Chen asked Ji Xiaosong to stay behind.

"You’re even more impressive than I imagined."

He handed her a glass of warm water. "However..."

His gaze fell to her flat stomach. "Now we should discuss more important matters."

Ji Xiaosong took the glass but didn’t drink. "What does Mr. Huo want to talk about? Reimbursing the surgery fee?"

Huo Chen suddenly dropped to one knee, pulling a velvet box from the inner pocket of his suit.

He opened it to reveal a rare pink diamond ring, which shimmered with a dreamlike luster under the light.

"Marry me."

It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

Ji Xiaosong was so shocked she nearly choked. "Has Mr. Huo forgotten that what we have is just a transaction?"

"The Huo Family has had only one son for three generations."

Huo Chen’s gaze was exceptionally serious. "This child might be the sole heir to the Huo Family."

"So?"

She set down the glass. "I’m supposed to gratefully accept the title of Mrs. Huo?"

Huo Chen stood up, looking down at her. "What are your terms?"

"Freedom."

Ji Xiaosong looked him straight in the eye. "I don’t need a marriage, and I certainly don’t need to depend on anyone to live."

Huo Chen suddenly laughed. "Do you have any idea how many women dream of marrying into the Huo Family?"

"Then Mr. Huo should go find them."

She turned and walked toward the door. "I have a surgery tomorrow."

"Stop." Huo Chen’s voice turned cold. "Do you think I’d let you touch my child?"

Ji Xiaosong turned back to see him holding her phone, which he must have swiped at some point.

"Give it back." She reached for it.

Huo Chen dodged easily, his long fingers swiping across the screen. "Canceling tomorrow’s appointment."

He hit send. "From now on, you’re moving into the Huo Mansion."

"Are you insane?" Ji Xiaosong’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Huo Chen tossed the phone back to her. "You can refuse, but I’ll make sure no hospital in the entire city dares to perform your surgery."

He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Try me if you don’t believe it."

That night, Ji Xiaosong was "invited" into the Huo Mansion.

As the butler showed her the nursery, she noticed the family photos on the wall. Five whole generations, and every single one had only one son.

"The young master never had any siblings growing up."

The old butler sighed. "The old master’s greatest regret before he passed was not seeing the Huo family line flourish."

Ji Xiaosong silently stroked the antique cradle.

The Victorian-era cradle had been waiting for over a hundred years.

Late that night, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She got up to get some water from the study.

But when she pushed open the door, she saw Huo Chen standing before the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a picture frame.

Hearing the noise, he quickly placed the frame face down on the desk.

But Ji Xiaosong still saw it clearly. It was a photo of her giving the presentation, a still image captured from the surveillance footage and printed out.

"Can’t sleep?"

Huo Chen asked, feigning nonchalance.

Ji Xiaosong didn’t call him out on it. "Has Mr. Huo forgotten that a melon plucked by force is never sweet?"

"I just need the melon to be alive."

He walked to the liquor cabinet. "Whether it’s sweet or not is irrelevant."

This naked desire for control sent a chill down Ji Xiaosong’s spine.

She suddenly realized that in this game, her only bargaining chip was the fetus in her womb.

"If I agree to have the baby,"

she probed, "what can you give me?"

Huo Chen paused in the middle of pouring a drink. "Anything but affection."

"I want complete control of the blockchain project," she said, "and five percent of the Huo Family’s shares."

Huo Chen swirled his glass, the amber liquid catching the light. "Quite an appetite."

"Mr. Huo can refuse."

Ji Xiaosong mimicked his usual tone. "But I’ll make sure the whole city knows how the Huo Family heir came to be."

The two faced off, neither willing to back down.

Finally, Huo Chen set down his glass. "The shares are impossible. But I can give you thirty percent equity in the new tech company."

Ji Xiaosong knew this was his final offer. "Deal."

Huo Chen suddenly stepped closer, his warm palm gently resting on her lower abdomen. "Starting today, you’re moving into the master bedroom."

Ji Xiaosong recoiled. "We’re talking about a deal, not living together!"

"You think I’d let the mother of the Huo Family heir stay in a guest room?"

Huo Chen sneered. "Don’t be naive."

Just then, Ji Xiaosong’s phone buzzed.

It was a text from Chen Mo: [I know you’re pregnant. Peninsula Coffee, 10 a.m. tomorrow. Otherwise, I’m selling the story to the media.]

Huo Chen glanced at the screen, his expression instantly turning dangerous. "Looks like someone has a death wish."

Ji Xiaosong snatched her phone back. "I’ll handle my own business."

"Your business is my business now."

Huo Chen made a call. "Secretary Li, look into Chen Mo’s recent activities."

Ji Xiaosong was suddenly overcome with exhaustion.

She finally understood that from the moment she stepped into Huo Chen’s world, there was no way she could ever escape unscathed.

The next morning, she quietly slipped out of the Huo Mansion to go to the meeting alone.

Chen Mo was already waiting in a corner of Peninsula Coffee.

"Well, well," he said with a sneer. "I didn’t expect you to latch onto someone powerful so quickly."

Ji Xiaosong cut to the chase. "How much?"

"Fifty million." Chen Mo stared greedily at her stomach. "A bargain for the secret of the Huo Family heir, don’t you think?"

She was about to argue when, out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed several men in black suits flash past the entrance.

The next second, Chen Mo’s phone rang.

His face changed dramatically after he answered. "What? The audit team? Now?"

He hung up and stood up in a panic. "We’ll talk another time!"

Watching his hasty retreat, Ji Xiaosong suddenly understood.

She turned to look across the street. Huo Chen was leaning against his familiar Maybach, raising a coffee cup to her in a small toast.

In that moment, she was both infuriated by his control and forced to admit that this feeling of being protected was damnably reassuring.