“You’re not worthy!”
Wen Biesheng was seething with rage.
Wen Qiansu replied, “Then there’s nothing more to say.”
She hung up the phone directly.
Lu Xiaoting had walked over at some point. Seeing Wen Biesheng’s call cut off, he frowned slightly and adjusted his tie. “She’s not coming?”
Wen Biesheng snapped, “She can come or not, I don’t care!”
“Let me call her.”
Lu Xiaoting disliked Wen Qiansu’s tendency to throw tantrums regardless of the occasion.
Today was such an important event, yet she hadn’t shown up.
Even Sisi, despite injuring her hand, knew she had to come to support Wen Biesheng.
As the biological daughter of the Wen family, how could she not understand something as simple as this?
Was she really going to make everyone uncomfortable just because of the rumors between him and Sisi?
With a cold expression, Lu Xiaoting dialed Wen Qiansu’s number.
The call connected.
Hah, Wen Qiansu, I really overestimated you. You were just waiting for me to call you, weren’t you?
Wen Qiansu had suddenly remembered that Lu Xiaoting would also be attending today.
She had just taken him out of her blacklist and was about to call him to announce the end of their engagement when his call came through.
Lu Xiaoting said, “Wen Qiansu, how long are you going to keep this up? Today is such an important occasion. Your father personally called you. Can’t you be as sensible as Sisi?”
Wen Qiansu:…
Even the gentlest of girls would be provoked by a fool like Lu Xiaoting.
Her cheeks puffed up with anger, and her soft voice carried a tone of finality:
“Are you insane? Can’t you stop mentioning Wen Sisi? I answered your call to tell you one thing: we’re breaking off the engagement. Goodbye! No, never see you again!”
“Wen Qiansu!” Lu Xiaoting’s face darkened instantly. “What did you say? Say it again!”
“Are you deaf? If you are, go get it treated, you idiot.”
Lu Xiaoting was stunned.
He glanced at his phone in disbelief. “Who are you calling an idiot?”
So he wasn’t deaf, just plain stupid.
Wen Qiansu felt much better after venting her anger. She hung up the phone and promptly re-blocked him.
She would never take him out of the blacklist again.
Professor Zhu was still going through the procedures, introducing other artworks in the gallery. Several masters were present, and the media was conducting interviews.
As for Huo Zhanxing.
With his long legs crossed, he sat leisurely in the reception area, sipping tea.
A group of leaders accompanied him, discussing investment matters.
The fact that the eldest daughter of the Wen family couldn’t be summoned was a clear sign that something had gone wrong.
Everyone couldn’t help but recall the recent rumors about Lu Xiaoting and Wen Sisi.
Tsk.
It seemed a certain Mr. Huo had also thought of this. He stood up and leisurely made his way back to the painting.
His appearance was noble, his demeanor elegant and refined.
The live broadcast camera immediately focused on him.
Huo Zhanxing smiled faintly.
“One is the moon in the sky, the other is mud on the ground.”
“Mr. Wen truly knows how to mix pearls with fish eyes, pushing the gem away while treasuring the worthless.”
Wen Biesheng, who had returned fuming with anger, asked, “What do you mean by that, Mr. Huo?”
Huo Zhanxing chuckled. “Nothing much. I’ll take this painting.”
“As for the investment, we’ll talk about it later.”
With that, the man turned and left the venue.
“Mr. Huo!”
The leader shot Wen Biesheng a glance. “Old Wen, oh, Old Wen, you really…”
The leader hurried after Huo Zhanxing.
【Oh my god, Mr. Huo’s presence is so commanding!】
【What does he mean? What moon in the sky and mud on the ground? What mixing pearls with fish eyes? I don’t understand what the big shot is implying!】
【Miss Wen is the moon in the sky, while Wen Sisi is the mud beneath our feet. I’ve always said it—Wen Sisi isn’t truly a member of the Wen family. How dare a fake pearl try to pass itself off as a treasure? She got publicly humiliated, didn’t she?】
【Exactly! Otherwise, how could Miss Wen’s painting win an award while Wen Sisi can’t even draw?】
【And she deliberately called him “father” during the livestream. What a scheming move.】
Wen Sisi’s face burned with shame. She excused herself to the restroom to touch up her makeup.
“I’ve had enough—I can’t take this humiliation anymore!”
Huo Zhanxing returned home and strode upstairs. “Where’s my wife?”
Shu Fei replied, “The young lady took a phone call and has been in her room all afternoon. She hasn’t come out since. I’m afraid she’s heartbroken.”
Wen Qiansu was indeed heartbroken.
How could a father say the words “you’re not worthy” to his own daughter?
In what way was she unworthy of being Wen Biesheng’s daughter?
Was it her outstanding academic achievements since childhood?
Her obedience and understanding, knowing she was seen as a little madwoman, willingly going to the countryside to recuperate without causing trouble for the family?
Or was it losing her mother at a young age, only to be bullied by Xiong Daiyun—her stepmother and a homewrecker—along with the stepdaughter from her previous marriage?
Was she truly unworthy?
If anything, Wen Biesheng was unworthy of being her father, unworthy of having been her mother’s husband!
The girl’s eyes were rimmed red, her delicate face streaked with tears.
When Huo Zhanxing knocked and entered, he found a little crying kitten hastily burying her tear-stained face in the crook of her arm.
“Mr. Huo…” Wen Qiansu covered her face, not wanting the man to see her in such a pitiful state.
Huo Zhanxing’s throat tightened, his heart aching unbearably.
He knelt on one knee before her. “I’m sorry, my dear.”
The girl peeked out with one teary eye. “Why are you apologizing, Mr. Huo?”
Gently, Huo Zhanxing cupped her damp cheeks, his thumb softly wiping away the tears at the corner of her eye.
“I went to stand up for you today, but I never meant to make you this sad.”
Wen Qiansu was taken aback.
“It’s not your fault, Mr. Huo. They’re the ones who are cruel.” She rubbed her eyes fiercely. Today, she had completely broken ties with Wen Biesheng.
“Mr. Huo, I don’t have a father anymore.”
Huo Zhanxing asked, “Did Wen Biesheng die?”
“Pfft.”
Wen Qiansu couldn’t help but laugh.
In her eyes, Wen Biesheng might as well be dead.
Seeing her smile, Huo Zhanxing finally let out a sigh of relief. He stood and lifted her into his arms.
“I went to the art gallery today and bought a painting. Only after bringing it home did I realize it was painted by you, my dear.”
“How are you so talented?”
“Wen Biesheng truly has no taste, rejecting such a wonderful girl.”
“Not like me—I adore you the most.”
Wen Qiansu’s tears fell even harder.
Her father didn’t want her. Her scoundrel of a fiancé didn’t want her. Yet Mr. Huo, whom she had only known for a few days, treated her with such genuine care and devotion.
Sobbing, she buried her face against Mr. Huo’s chest.
“Mr. Huo, why are you so good to me?”
Huo Zhanxing’s emotions churned, filled with regret.
I haven’t been good to you.
If you knew what I did to you in our past life, you would never think of me as a good man again.
Unaware that she was now cradled in the man’s lap, her petite frame settled securely on his strong thighs, Wen Qiansu wrapped her small arms around Mr. Huo’s neck. Her tears dampened the collar of his shirt as she nuzzled gently against his chest like a kitten seeking comfort.
Her soft, damp lips brushed unintentionally against the skin of his neck as she murmured softly,
“Mr. Huo, I wish you were my father.”
Huo Zhanxing’s heart ached terribly.
He held the girl tightly in his arms, his desire surging beneath her restless movements.
Feeling both pity and a wicked impulse, he sighed softly by her ear, “You can call me Daddy if you want.”
But you’ll have to call me that somewhere else.