Chenchen let go of Huo Xuewen's hand and ran out, "Aunt Xia Mian and Uncle You are arguing."
Huo Xuewen looked at him in surprise, "Xiaobai."
Ning Shaobai's expression turned pale, "Boss Huo."
A trace of helplessness flashed across Huo Xuewen's face.
Aunt Wei saw this and quickly greeted them, "Xiao Bai is here, everyone is here, let's start eating quickly, otherwise it will get cold and won't taste good."
Then everyone sat down one after another. Huo Xuewen sat down next to Ning Shaoyun and brought Chenchen over to place him between them.
Chenchen looked around, his eyes curved with excitement.
However, the dining table this morning was obviously not as lively as yesterday's. Because of Huo Xuewen, Chenchen returned to being a gentleman sitting upright, and Xiaofeng followed suit.
Xia Wenyue and her daughter were very cautious.
The only ones who were not affected were Ning Shaobai and Ning Shaoyun, and they were eating quietly.
Until the car horn and knock on the door broke the silence in the room.
Aunt Wei got up to open the door and asked in confusion, "Who is it so early in the morning?"
After a while, she came back expressionlessly, followed by Zhou Qianqian whom she had met yesterday.
Aunt Wei said calmly, "It's Assistant Zhou. He wants to talk to my son-in-law about something."
Zhou Qianqian changed into a smart skirt suit today and tied her hair up, looking like a career woman.
After she entered the room, she seemed to ignore everyone and her eyes fell directly on Huo Xuewen. "Mr. Huo, Mr. Qi has an emergency meeting that requires your participation."
Xia Mian clearly felt that Ning Shaoyun, who had shown some signs of easing up this morning, had become distant again.
Ning Shaoyun directly picked up Chenchen who was leaning on Huo Xuewen and said, "Chenchen, come to mommy, daddy has to go to work."
Huo Xuewen didn't seem to think there was anything wrong, or he was used to it. He frowned and prepared to stand up. "What meeting?"
Zhou Qianqian said, "It's still the Chengbei project. They said there were new discoveries and a batch of materials had problems."
Seeing Huo Xuewen was about to leave, Chenchen pouted unhappily, "Dad said he would accompany me today."
Huo Xuewen then looked at Ning Shaoyun, and said cautiously, "Xiaoyun, the project in the north of the city is a bit complicated. I have to go to the company. I'll send Xiao Li to pick you up later."
Then he said to Chenchen, "Dad will accompany you in the afternoon..."
Ning Shaoyun interrupted him directly and said to Chenchen, "Dad is busy, can mom accompany you? Didn't you say you wanted to have a water fight with brother Xiaofeng later? You can play for a whole day."
Chenchen was still not interested, but he didn't say anything anymore. Xiaofeng looked at him with some concern.
Ning Shaoyun touched Chenchen's head and said to Huo Xuewen, "Don't promise your child something you can't do."
"Go and get busy. You don't have to worry about Chenchen and me. Just focus on your work." Ning Shaoyun said, "We live very well here."
Huo Xuewen looked helpless, "Xiaoyun, my mother has already explained the painting matter to me. She is doing this for my own good. You..."
Ning Shaoyun, who had been acting very calm, suddenly raised her voice, "Don't talk to me about that anymore!"
"That's my painting! Do you know how much effort I put into painting that picture? I spent two years on it. Why did she just give it away?"
Huo Xuewen didn't expect Ning Shaoyun to suddenly explode. He was stunned and opened his mouth as if he didn't know what to say.
"This matter is all my fault. Madam, please don't blame Mr. Huo." Zhou Qianqian suddenly interrupted.
He was still looking worried and self-blaming, "I saw that you were worried about the project, so I went to ask about Director Luo's preferences. I knew that he liked Chinese painting, and since your wife had just painted a picture, I mentioned it to the old lady..."
"The old lady said that you paint every day. I didn't expect you to care so much about that painting." She smiled gratefully at Ning Shaoyun when she said this. "Come to think of it, it's really thanks to that painting of yours that Director Luo likes it very much, and the company's project was approved without hesitation."
Damn it, no wonder the good-tempered Ning Shaoyun was forced to run away from home, this is too much, Xia Mian stared at Huo Xuewen with wide eyes.
This bastard acted like it was no big deal and he couldn't understand it at all. "Xiao Yun, I'll ask someone to help you search again..."
"Mr. Huo," Zhou Qianqian interrupted Huo Xuewen again, urging him, "Mr. Huo, we are almost late for the meeting at nine o'clock."
Huo Xuewen looked at Ning Shaoyun's cold face, sighed and said, "I'll talk to you when I get back." Then he said to Zhou Qianqian, "Let's go."
The moment he stepped out of the door, Xia Mian clearly saw Zhou Qianqian turn around, curling her lips towards Ning Shaoyun, her face full of pride.
He was so outrageous in front of her again and again!
Oh, she has such a bad temper.
"Assistant Zhou—" Xia Mian put down his chopsticks and said coldly, "Please stay."
Huo Xuewen, who was about to step out of the door, was stunned for a moment, then turned around and asked politely, "Xia Mian, what's the matter?"
"Boss Huo, I'm not looking for you," Xia Mian looked straight at Zhou Qianqian and said, "I'm looking for her!"
Zhou Qianqian looked innocent, "What's wrong?"
"What were you so proud of just now towards my sister Ning?"
Huo Xuewen looked at Zhou Qianqian puzzledly.
Zhou Qianqian frowned in confusion, looking as if she was wronged. "Miss, I don't understand what you are saying."
"Stop pretending here." Xia Mian stretched out two hands and gestured in front of his eyes, saying, "I saw it with my own eyes. You provoked my sister Ning. You were very proud and even smiled."
Zhou Qianqian looked at Huo Xuewen and said, "Mr. Huo, I don't have any."
Xia Mian said, "There are so many people here. What do you mean by explaining only to Mr. Huo? Do you think that as long as Mr. Huo believes you, you win?"
"Boss Huo," Xia Mian looked at Huo Xuewen and sneered, "I heard that you have time to help Assistant Zhou move, but you don't have time to pick up your wife and children?"
Huo Xuewen was stunned for a moment, frowned, "I didn't," and looked at Ning Shaoyun, "I really have been busy with the project."
He looked at Zhou Qianqian again, "Did you move?"
Oh my god, she always thought that "iron straight man" was an adjective, but now she really thinks it is a derogatory term, the kind that men should not have wives.
Zhou Qianqian was not panicked when her lie was exposed on the spot. Her purpose was just to make things difficult for Ning Shaoyun. Not only that, she also turned the tables on her.
"I did just move across the street." Zhou Qianqian said, "You know, I bought a house in Jinghua Garden for the convenience of work, and I'm renovating it. When my aunt found out, she let me live in the yard across the street temporarily."
"When you came back yesterday, you happened to see me going home. Seeing that I lived in the courtyard opposite, I guess Madam thought too much. After all, Mr. Huo, you didn't go to pick up Madam and the young master in person."
She smiled at Ning Shaoyun and said, "No wonder you were unhappy to see me yesterday and talked about me inexplicably. Did you misunderstand Mr. Huo?"
"Boss Huo is really busy. A big problem suddenly occurred in the Chengbei project. Boss Huo and I worked overtime almost every day until late at night in the past few days."
Huo Xuewen sighed helplessly, "Xiaoyun, I'm sorry, I..."
"No way, Mr. Huo," Xia Mian said, "Sister Ning didn't say a word from beginning to end, and you believed it?"
"Who is this Assistant Zhou? Do you believe everything he says? Don't you even intend to listen to your wife?"
Huo Xuewen's confused expression clearly told everyone that this kind of thing was worth arguing about.
Zhou Qianqian continued, "What did I say? Why are you targeting me, little girl?"
She seemed to move her calf inadvertently, drawing attention to the glaring purple bruise. "Boss Huo, I don't know why Madam hates me so much. It's fine that she got angry for no reason yesterday, but I don't even know this girl, and she said I provoked her for no reason."
"Mr. Huo, if you don't believe me, you can ask Brother Li," Zhou Qianqian said, "He was watching from the side yesterday."
Oh, this Zhou Qianqian seems to be quite powerful, she even bribed Huo Xuewen's driver? !
Unfortunately, Huo Xuewen's ability to identify bitches is negative, and his ability to see bitches is zero. Even though he noticed the bruises on Zhou Qianqian's legs, he had no intention of asking about it. He just looked at Xia Mian in confusion.
Xia Mian didn't know whether to be angry or laugh, "Yeah, I'm not crazy."
She simply stood up and confronted her, "I don't even know you, why would I target you for no reason? So you should reflect on whether you have done something wrong to offend me."
Zhou Qianqian: …
After hearing what Xia Mian said, Huo Xuewen looked at Zhou Qianqian thoughtfully, "Xia Mian really has no reason to target you."
Now it’s the turn of summer sleep:…
To describe him as a steel straight man is an exaggeration; he should be called a titanium straight man.
Zhou Qianqian obviously didn't expect Huo Xuewen to ask her this, so she simply continued to play innocent and threw the question back, "I didn't do anything. This girl said that I provoked the lady. Why would I provoke her?"
Huo Xuewen actually frowned and thought, looking at Ning Shaoyun with a questioning look.
aestivation:…
Xia Mian rolled her eyes, thinking that this man deserved a severe lesson, but Ning Shaoyun must not suffer any injustice.
Xia Mian sneered, "Why do you want to provoke me? I think only you know. After all, I don't know you, but from what I see with my own eyes, you provoke Sister Ning almost all the time."
"And this level of proficiency is obviously not the first time."
Xia Mian looked at Huo Xuewen, "So I want to know, Mr. Huo, you have always indulged Assistant Zhou to look down on yourself, and you even want to humiliate your wife as well. What is your intention?"
Zhou Qianqian was stunned for a moment. She thought Xia Mian would point out that she liked Huo Xuewen.
She was ready to be the victim. After all, Huo Xuewen was a fool, and he didn't understand her hints and hints over the past few days.
If she were to say it directly, Huo Xuewen would definitely refuse. But if Ning Shaoyun pointed it out, she could just say that she was wronged and get Huo Xuewen's comfort.
After this happened a few more times, Huo Xuewen would protect her a few times and would always feel more at ease with her, and the things that happened next would go smoothly.
But I didn't expect Xia Mian to not mention this at all, and actually said that she didn't respect Huo Xuewen. How could this be possible
Zhou Qianqian hurriedly defended herself, "When did I disrespect Mr. Huo?"
Huo Xuewen said, "I never meant for anyone to humiliate Xiaoyun."
Ning Shaoyun showed a sarcastic expression and didn't want to pay any attention.
If Xia Mian didn't want Sister Ning to suffer any injustice, she wouldn't have bothered to care about her. She really deserved to live out her life alone.
Zhou Qianqian was still trying to explain, "When did I ever look down on Mr. Huo? Did I look down on his wife? You are just a country girl, what do you know? How dare you lie and slander me!"
"You still say you don't know me." Xia Mian said, "Didn't you investigate it very clearly? You know I'm from the countryside."
"Assistant Zhou, you said you respect Mr. Huo." Xia Mian sneered, "May I ask Mr. Huo, what are the responsibilities of your assistant?"
"Arrange my work schedule and convey the opinions of the vice presidents."
Zhou Qianqian was surprised to see Huo Xuewen answering honestly, and her eyes widened, "Mr. Huo!"
"So, it's to arrange your work schedule instead of arranging your work schedule, right?" Xia Mian sneered, "This is the first time I've seen an assistant who can keep track of the boss's whereabouts at will and make decisions for the boss without any reminders or notifications."
She looked at Zhou Qianqian and said, "You call this respect? How did you know that Mr. Huo was here? It was already very late when Mr. Huo came yesterday, and it was a private trip. Is this something that an assistant like you should know?"
Huo Xuewen looked at Zhou Qianqian. Although Zhou Qianqian was familiar with his mother, she didn't tell her mother about coming here last night because she was afraid that her mother would be angry.
Zhou Qianqian explained hurriedly, "It was because Mr. Qi said that the North City project was urgent, so I called Brother Li. I knew you were here, so I came over."
Xia Mian said, "This is the second time you mentioned Brother Li. What did you say just now? Oh, you said that Brother Li can testify for you, and Sister Ning bullied you?"
"You are really good. You bribed the people around the boss so quickly. Not only did you spy on the boss's private life, but you also interfered in the boss's family affairs. Otherwise, why would you, a mere assistant, run to the boss's wife and let her bully you?"
Xia Mian asked Huo Xuewen, "Excuse me, Mr. Huo, is this respect for you? Do you feel respected?"
"Don't make a big deal out of this!" Zhou Qianqian said angrily.
Xia Mian said rapidly, "How did I exaggerate? Don't you have the boss's contact information? Why did you ask the driver? Since you asked the driver, didn't you ask the boss what he was doing and whether it was convenient? Or can't you just let the driver come in and tell the boss about the situation?"
"No need!" Xia Mian said coldly, "Because you don't think it's necessary. Even if the boss and his wife and children meet again after a long separation, you are sure that as long as you come, you can take them away, because you are more important than the boss's wife and children."
Xia Mian looked at Huo Xuewen sharply, "Excuse me, Mr. Huo, if this isn't a provocation, what is it?"
Seeing Huo Xuewen's expression change slightly, Xia Mian sneered, "That's the truth. Didn't you follow her right away?"
Huo Xuewen frowned and said, "I'm going to work."
"Is all your work sudden?" Xia Mian said, "Let's not talk about Assistant Zhou, let's talk about your driver. He didn't even ask you when he received Assistant Zhou's call. Mr. Huo, your team is really interesting."
"What era is it now? It's not like we don't have a way to contact each other. You have a mobile phone, right? Even if you call him in an hour, you can at least use that hour to comfort Chenchen and explain why you can't be with him today, instead of just leaving him alone because you're busy with work."
"Do you think Chenchen is very sensible?"
"No, he won't cry and make a fuss because he thinks mom has broken her promise, because in his heart, mom keeps her word; and dad... hehe, he has accumulated too many disappointments and has no more hope. Dad is not trustworthy, and everything he said was just talk!"
Huo Xuewen looked at Xu Chenchen suddenly, and all the past events came to his mind. When Xu broke his promise at the beginning, Chenchen did make a fuss.
When did it start? As long as I said I had to work, Chenchen would leave on his own accord…
Xia Mian got angry as she spoke, "Let's get back to the point. I don't care how you were manipulated by this Assistant Zhou. I just want to ask you, is it true that this Assistant Zhou has never looked at Sister Ning since he came to the door?"
Huo Xuewen seemed to have just noticed this problem.
"When you go out and meet your boss with his wife, do you also only talk to the boss and ignore his wife?"
"Isn't this a provocation?"
Seeing Huo Xuewen frowning and looking at her, Zhou Qianqian said hurriedly, "I just have something urgent to ask you."
"Urgent? How urgent? You don't even have time to say hello?" Xia Mian sneered, "It's said that husband and wife are one, your boss's wife and children are here, but you're blind and can't see them. You're only staring at your boss."
"It's like when you see someone, you ignore their upper body and only focus on their lower body. Do you think this is respect? You are being a hooligan!"
"Puff..."
"Ahem..."
"Cough! Cough!"
Ning Shaoyun quickly took a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, Mao Huimei pounded her chest quickly, and the others also had different expressions.
Ning Shaobai also wiped his lips and glared at Xia Mian, "How can you talk like that?"
Xia Mian said innocently, "Did I say something wrong? Is Sister Ning's lower body? That's even more inappropriate. Sister Ning is so beautiful..."
Huo Xuewen: …
Did you just imply something
Zhou Qianqian was so angry that she said to Huo Xuewen, "Boss Huo, she is obviously targeting me. I have always been like this when I am working. Don't you know that?"
"It's always like this. As expected, you have been provoking Sister Ning." Xia Mian said, "And President Huo, you have been indulging her."
Zhou Qianqian couldn't help but lift her voice, "I'm Mr. Huo's assistant, and I'm only responsible for his work."
"Is provoking your wife his job?" Xia Mian raised his voice. Who is afraid of who
Zhou Qianqian said angrily, "Where did I provoke you?"
"Don't you understand what I'm saying? I've said so much to you?" Xia Mian asked Huo Xuewen, "Do you understand?"
Huo Xuewen actually nodded with a serious face.
Xia Mian almost wanted to laugh. She turned her head to look at Zhou Qianqian, whose face turned pale, and said, "Look, your boss understands."
Zhou Qianqian took a deep breath and said, "I know Madam doesn't like me, but there's no need to target me like this."
"That's what you said." Xia Mian said, "Tell me yourself, should Sister Ning like you?"
"It's fine if you play with her husband, but you also ignore her and provoke her like this. Is she a masochist? She should like you."
"Come on, you don't have to like her, just respect her for her own good and apologize to me sincerely!"
Zhou Qianqian said angrily, "Why should I?"
"Because she is your boss's wife, respecting her means respecting your boss!" Xia Mian said, "I don't believe that when your boss asked you to apologize, you dared to ask him why?"
"So, you should just respect your boss's lower body!"
Huo Xuewen: …
Looking at the eyes that everyone was looking at him intentionally or unintentionally, Huo Xuewen had an inexplicable illusion that he was not wearing any pants...
Xia Mian was still talking, "And there's more! I just heard that a mere assistant could instigate the family to give away the mistress's paintings at will! This really broadened my horizons!"
When Xia Mian was mentioned, he became furious and pointed at Huo Xuewen's nose and said, "Do you know that for an artist, creation is equivalent to their own children? Your subordinates can give away Sister Ning's hard work without even asking a question."
"You still don't care! Don't you think you are indulging them in looking down on Sister Ning?"
"Sister Ning, what do you think of giving away your Chengbei project?"
Zhou Qianqian said angrily, "How can they be the same? It's just a painting!"
"Fuck off!" Xia Mian raised her hand and threw the chopsticks in her hand at her head. "It's just a painting, why don't you paint? If you can't paint, why don't you buy one? You take it without asking, and trample on other people's hard work. Do you think you are right?!"
Zhou Qianqian screamed in shock, and Xia Mian had to lower her head to look for something, wanting to throw Huo Xuewen away.
Xiao Feng silently handed over a porcelain bowl, but Xia Wenyue quickly snatched it away, "Don't dare, don't dare."
Then he stuffed another pair of chopsticks into her hand.
Huo Xuewen: …
aestivation:…
Out of respect for Ning Shaoyun, the pair of chopsticks was not thrown away. Xia Mian just said coldly, "You can abandon your wife and children when there is a little trouble in your Chengbei project. You don't care if Chenchen is kidnapped. Oh, your hard work is hard work, but Sister Ning's hard work is garbage?!"
"Xiaoyun!" Aunt Wei suddenly exclaimed.
Everyone then realized that Ning Shaoyun was in tears.
Everyone was startled. Huo Xuewen was at a loss as to what to do and wanted to go to the bathroom. "Xiao Yun..."
Ning Shaobai stopped him and said calmly, "Boss Huo, your hard work is important, let's go quickly."
Huo Xuewen was anxious and helpless, "Xiaobai, I..."
Chenchen hurriedly hugged Ning Shaoyun and said anxiously, "Mom."
"Mom is fine." Ning Shaoyun wiped away the tears that were growing more and more, looked at Xia Mian and said, "Xia Mian, thank you."
After that incident, almost everyone said that it was just a painting and she could get one or two every year, as if she got them easily. But she didn't expect that a little girl could understand her...
Xia Mian handed the handkerchief to Ning Shaoyun, then turned to Huo Xuewen and said, "Mr. Huo is busy, so hurry up and leave. We won't waste your time."
"But please remember one thing." Xia Mian said, "Don't let this woman appear in front of Sister Ning again. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude."
Then he said to Zhou Qianqian, "Get lost!"
"Don't even think about it?!" Zhou Qianqian touched her aching forehead, thinking that she was beaten by a country girl in the presence of Huo Xuewen. How could she resist? "Brother Xuewen, they are going too far!"
"Why don't you call me Mr. Huo?" Xia Mian asked, "The fox's tail is exposed so quickly?"
Huo Xuewen always felt that one explanation was not good, and the little girl was going to be beaten together, so he hurriedly explained, "No, she is the daughter of my father's old friend, and my mother treats her as her own daughter." So it would be impossible for him not to appear in front of Ning Shaoyun.
This explanation was really worrying. Aunt Wei couldn't bear it any longer and said for him, "When Mr. Huo was sent down to the countryside, Assistant Zhou's father secretly helped him. After Mr. Huo was rehabilitated, he kept in touch with the Zhou family. Mrs. Huo liked her very much."
Zhou Qianqian cried at the right time, "I have been supported by the Huo family since I was a child. I know I can't repay them, so I can only study hard. I studied business administration for three years abroad, and I thought about repaying the Huo family after I graduated!"
"I returned to China as soon as I graduated and came to be with you, Brother Xuewen. I have never had any second thoughts."
"Come on!" Xia Mian said, "I don't think you want to repay the Huo family. It's the Huo family that has nurtured your appetite. Do you want to replace the Huo family? Otherwise, why would you deliberately cause unrest in their family!"
Huo Xuewen rubbed his brows with a headache and said, "Xiao Zhou, you should go to the company."
Zhou Qianqian's eyes widened in disbelief, "Brother Xuewen!"
Xia Mian sneered, "Is this your professionalism after studying business administration? Personal emotions are more important than work?"
"By the way, isn't the meeting very urgent? Now you have already wasted almost half an hour on your own affairs, so, is the meeting not important, or are you an incompetent assistant?"
Zhou Qianqian: …
Zhou Qianqian's face turned from blue to black, and she was shaking all over. "Shut up! Who do you think you are? Are you worthy of questioning me?!"
"Oh!" Xia Mian rolled up his sleeves. "You still have a temper? Who am I? I tell you, I am more noble than you!"
"Didn't Dad just help Mr. Huo?" Xia Mian said, "I even personally saved the eldest grandson of the Huo family! You are a person who is a descendant of a generation apart. Compared with me, are you funny?"
"Even if I beat you up here, your Xuewen brother can't say a word against me! So, while I can still control my temper, be smart and get out of here!"
Seeing that Xia Mian was so blatantly using his power to seek repayment for his kindness, Zhou Qianqian thought that Huo Xuewen would have to be more aggressive.
Xia Mian just picked up the chopsticks and started to beat him.
"Ah—" Zhou Qianqian didn't expect Xia Mian to start fighting as soon as he said so, so she could only flee in panic.
Behind him, Xia Mian was still sneering, "She doesn't know how to respect her boss, has no professionalism, and can't even judge the situation. Can she really graduate with this IQ? Are you sure she's here to repay a favor, not to seek revenge?"
Zhou Qianqian was furious.