Chapter 40: Travel Frog
Looking at Huo Nanxun standing there all righteous and indignant, Huo Zhanlin shook his head.
Anyone who didn’t know better would think An Yi had held a knife to Huo Beixing’s throat and forced him to marry.
Knowing that his father belonged to the old-fashioned camp, Huo Zhanlin decided to reason with him.
“Since they’re already married, even if you disapprove, what can you actually do?”
What, split up the lovebirds by force—throw one to the South Pole and one to the North Pole and have them live like that?
Besides, this marriage had all been approved by the master. It couldn’t be ruined. Otherwise, how was Huo Beixing’s foolish illness supposed to get better?
“What do you mean what can I do?! What kind of nonsense are you spouting, you brat?!” Huo Nanxun paced back and forth in front of him, his voice tinged with anger. “In any case, I absolutely will not allow a man into this family.”
Ridiculous.
Utterly ridiculous.
The moment he found out the arranged marriage partner was male, he had opposed it from the start. But once the old master had spoken, he had no choice but to obey.
And it wasn’t just him. Most of the family thought it was absurd too.
“In any case, the marriage term is only two years. Once those two years are up, that one called An Whatever needs to pack his things and get the hell out!”
Huo Zhanlin lifted his eyelids and looked at him. “Dad, do you know what you look like right now?”
Huo Nanxun frowned. “Like what?”
Huo Zhanlin pointed at him as he criticized, “Like the evil rich father-in-law in a wealthy family drama, going out of his way to make life difficult for a newlywed couple.”
Huo Nanxun: ……
A perfectly good middle-aged man, instead of enjoying retirement, was out here worrying about nonsense.
Children and grandchildren had their own destinies. Huo Beixing’s blessings wouldn’t be any fewer just because of this. There was no need to fuss over it.
After Huo Zhanlin finished speaking, the air went quiet for a few seconds.
The next moment, Huo Nanxun bent down and picked up his slipper.
Smack!
“OW!!”
Huo Zhanlin’s back was struck again, and the pain made his scalp tingle so badly he nearly jumped straight into the air. Looking at Huo Nanxun, he said, “How come the older you get, the less refined you become? Now you’re even copying other people and hitting people with slippers!”
When Huo Nanxun was younger, the thing he valued most was elegance. But now, after a whole lifetime of being elegant, he had gone and lost the one quality he actually had.
Truly setting a bad example in old age.
Huo Nanxun put the slipper back on. “Do you know why I hit you?”
Huo Zhanlin tested the waters. “Because you were embarrassed into anger?”
Huo Nanxun: ……
Unfilial son, absolutely unfilial!
Sitting down again, Huo Nanxun remained adamant that he would never accept a male daughter-in-law. “Anyway, I just don’t agree.”
Huo Zhanlin asked, “What exactly is it that you don’t agree with?”
Huo Nanxun said, “I think he’s not worthy of my son.”
Huo Zhanlin: ……
What was this, some classic evil mother-in-law line from a wealthy family melodrama?
Stretching his arms out and leaning back against the sofa, Huo Zhanlin looked at the sea view outside, blue waves beneath a clear sky, and thought back to the family banquet before saying, “How is he not worthy? Last time Beixing brought him home, we all thought he seemed pretty good.”
The two of them got along exceptionally well, and the boy himself seemed quite well-behaved. If it had been someone else, Huo Beixing might not have looked nearly as happy.
After all, hadn’t the master set the conditions from the start? The person had to match in birth date and horoscope, yes—but also had to be pure to the utmost and good to the utmost.
And why was it that they needed someone pure and good?
Wasn’t it so that someone would be able to understand the inner world of foolish Huo Beixing?
Although Miss Chen and Miss Li both also matched the horoscope, and Miss Li had even fallen in love with Huo Beixing at first sight, that was only because of his looks. Once they actually had to spend long periods of time with a fool and discovered how irritating life’s little daily matters could become, then life would become miserable. It would ruin Huo Beixing and ruin the girl too.
So in Huo Zhanlin’s view, An Yi was the most suitable match for Huo Beixing. You could tell that much from the family banquet.
His younger brother had a bad reputation and liked pretty people. If he liked An Yi, then that meant the first glance had already pleased him. Otherwise, no matter how much time they later spent together, they never would have gotten so close.
An Yi was good-looking. Not breathtaking, but extremely pleasant to look at the longer one looked. Sometimes, at a quick glance, one could hardly tell male from female. He was very well-behaved too—the sort of child elders ought to like.
But Huo Nanxun hadn’t attended that family banquet because he had come down with the flu. Only Huo Zhanlin and their mother had gone.
Zhu Shu, on the other hand, had been very satisfied with An Yi. Mainly because Huo Beixing clung to him so much—knowing her son liked him, she as his mother had nothing more to say. As long as Huo Beixing was happy, that was enough.
Looking at the seagull that flashed past outside the window, Huo Zhanlin felt it was probably speeding. Then he continued speaking to Huo Nanxun. “Didn’t Mom tell you after she got home what kind of person An Yi is?”
Huo Nanxun said, “What your mother says doesn’t count. She likes anyone good-looking. Otherwise, how do you think you and your brother were even born?”
Huo Zhanlin: ……
This old codger really did have thick skin.
Still, what he said wasn’t wrong. It was because both parents had such excellent looks that Huo Zhanlin and Huo Beixing had ended up with appearances this outstanding.
Looking at him, Huo Zhanlin tried to reassure him. “Enough. Things have already reached this point, so what are you still hung up on? Besides, Beixing’s mental age is only eight now, so how exactly is An Yi unworthy of him?”
“Even if his mental age is eight, Beixing is still a top graduate of the number one business school in the world! And what is that An family son? I heard he was picked up out of the mountains. That An family has some nerve too—managing to switch the child at birth and leave him suffering in some mountain ravine, never even thinking about what sort of life such a small child would have had. Then afterward, for the sake of power, they married him off here. What exactly was the An family thinking, making a boy marry someone.”
Huo Nanxun did think the boy was pitiful, but pitiful as he was, Huo Nanxun had no granddaughter, and that was even more pitiful.
“In any case, he’s still not worthy. I don’t agree. He’s a man, he can’t even give birth. Once the marriage term ends, I want them divorced immediately.”
He had already planned it all out. Once the two-year marriage term was over, he would have Huo Beixing marry Miss Li. Their two families had been close for generations, and Miss Li had liked Huo Beixing since childhood. Perfect.
Huo Zhanlin said faintly, “And what if Beixing isn’t willing?”
Stupid or not, if there was something Huo Beixing didn’t want to do, then even dragging him with a semi truck wouldn’t work.
He might even throw the person trying into a trash can.
Ever since Huo Beixing had turned stupid, that was the phrase Huo Zhanlin had heard most often.
Huo Nanxun had no idea where his eldest son got so many questions. With that many questions, why didn’t he go become an encyclopedia?
“Then go after the boy. Give him twenty million and tell him to leave my son.”
The wealthy-family melodrama trope might be late, but it had arrived.
Picking up a slice of watermelon, Huo Zhanlin teased, “Your son’s only worth twenty million?”
“Good point.” Huo Nanxun snatched the watermelon from his hand. “Then give him your company too.”
Huo Zhanlin: ……
You old codger—do you deserve a granddaughter?
The more Huo Nanxun thought about it, the angrier he became. He got up and smacked Huo Zhanlin’s back several times.
“I want a granddaughter! I want a granddaughter!!!”
Huo Zhanlin: ……
Why did I even provoke him……
—
Meanwhile, Huo Beixing held onto An Yi’s wrist and led him to the airport. Since it was still winter on their side, An Yi had bundled himself up into a little ball as usual before going out. Looking at the dense crowds inside the airport, An Yi decided he had better stick close to Huo Beixing.
Today, he was Travel Frog.
But for this trip to South Island, An Yi only carried the yellow schoolbag he had first brought when he came to the Huo family. Inside were only changes of underwear. He hadn’t brought anything else.
Uncle Zhong had told him that whatever he needed could simply be bought there. Otherwise, taking things back and forth on a trip would be troublesome and a waste of time.
An Yi didn’t really understand how to take a plane. The first time he had ever flown was when he was taken back from the mountains, and the bodyguards had literally carried him onboard. He had no idea how any of the procedures worked—everything had been done for him by the bodyguards.
But what surprised him was that Huo Beixing actually knew how.
He led him through the various procedures all the way like a dependable big child.
An Yi couldn’t help giving him an admiring look.
Huo Dabao, truly capable.
After Huo Beixing became foolish, the Huo family had hired many teachers to teach him life skills and safety knowledge. Foolish or not, life still had to go on, so roughly speaking, they had simply made him relearn everything one learned as a child. With muscle memory already there, learning it again wasn’t difficult.
Turning his head to look at An Yi beside him, he whispered into his ear, “Wife, stay close to me. Don’t get lost. If you get lost, I’ll become a widow.”
Widows were so pitiful. They had to sleep by themselves.
Just thinking about it made Huo Beixing feel lingering fear.
An Yi: ……
So if he got lost, that meant he was already dead?
What strange nonsense had that melodramatic TV drama taught you this time?
While waiting to board, the two of them sat in the VIP lounge. An Yi took out his phone and looked up South Island online.
It was an island abroad, with a tropical climate and heat all year round. Its economy was prosperous, it was a famous travel destination, and there was even a brilliant blue sea. He had heard one could even pick up seashells there!!
An Yi found himself tempted as he read.
He had never seen the sea before.
He had always lived in the mountains. There was a small creek there, not deep, only reaching his waist.
At that moment, his phone buzzed with a message notification. It was from Lin Jiu, who was bored and wanted to chat.
Lin Jiu: “What are you doing?”
An Yi: “Learning from Little Swallow.”
Lin Jiu: “Learning her arrogance and wildness?”
An Yi: “Learning how it flies south.”
Lin Jiu: ……
After chatting with Lin Jiu for a bit, it was time. An Yi switched his phone to airplane mode and boarded with Huo Beixing.
Uncle Zhong had booked first class. It was spacious and quiet. The flight would take six hours. Huo Beixing fastened An Yi’s seatbelt for him first, then lowered his head to fasten his own.
“Wife, if you want anything, tell me.”
The flight attendant nearby: ……
Then what exactly am I here for?
The world was dangerous indeed. Nowadays, even passengers were trying to steal flight attendants’ jobs.
After eating the airplane meal, Little Frog fell peacefully asleep. When he woke again, the plane had already landed. Huo Beixing had evidently only just woken as well. His eyes were open, but he looked completely dazed, as though waiting to boot up.
The moment An Yi stepped out of the cabin, a thick wave of hot air rushed over him, making even the air itself feel hot to breathe. Although he had already taken off his heavy outer layers, he was still wearing a high-necked top.
The Huo family had already sent people to pick them up.
In previous years, whenever they came here, they stayed in their seaside villa. But after many trips, they had grown tired of staying there, and they had already seen all the surrounding scenery. It no longer felt fresh. So this time, the Huo family had not chosen to stay at one of their own properties on the island, but rather at a high-end hotel here.
It was the sort of hotel whose name was known worldwide—truly a place of top-tier enjoyment.
Huo Beixing brought An Yi to the car, but instead of heading straight to the hotel, he first had the driver stop by any random little clothing shop on the roadside.
Little Frog was so hot his tongue was nearly hanging out. If he didn’t change clothes soon, he really would become a widow.
The driver pulled over at the roadside. Because they were returning from the airport, the surrounding area was mostly suburban, and there weren’t any luxury stores nearby. The clothing shops there all sold nameless miscellaneous brands.
Neither An Yi nor Huo Beixing cared. They simply went into one and changed into cooler summer clothes.
When Huo Beixing came out, he noticed the straw hats hanging at the shop entrance. Somewhat clumsily, he asked the shop owner how much they cost in English, then chose one with a huge red flower on the side. When An Yi stepped out of the changing room, he plop shoved it right onto his head.
That move nearly made An Yi shorter by two centimeters.
Huo Beixing looked at his own handiwork in satisfaction.
An Yi was fair, so the red flower suited him perfectly. It made him look particularly fresh and lively, with white teeth and red lips, while the brim of the straw hat pressed his bangs down slightly.
An Yi looked at himself in the mirror and saw his elementary-school-kid outfit.
White sleeveless top. Yellow shorts. Velcro sandals on his feet. And on his head, a straw hat with a giant red flower.
At the forefront of the five-to-eight-year-old fashion scene.
If elementary school kids saw him wearing such an enormous red flower, they’d probably die of envy.
The red flower on the hat was especially huge and eye-catching, but on An Yi it didn’t look tacky at all. Instead, it added a few bright and energetic notes to his obedient face.
After struggling over it for a moment, An Yi still decided not to give up the hat. He thought it was pretty nice. The other hats all had flowers too, and wearing it would help block the sun.
After all, real hunks were meant to wear flowers.
He adjusted the hat and deliberately struck a pose. “Does it look good?”
Huo Beixing was very supportive, clapping beside him like a seal. “It looks good.”
An Yi felt a little shy, and replied, “You also look very handsome.”
When Huo Beixing heard that, he froze a little and leaned close to him, his deeply affectionate peach blossom eyes fixed on him. “Then wife, do you like me even more now?”
Inside, he was still just a child.
Granted, a child who happened to be one meter ninety and powerfully built.
An Yi blinked at him. “A tiny bit more than yesterday.”
A little more was still more. As long as it was more, that was enough.
Huo Dabao understood contentment.
Only after they had changed clothes did the two get back in the car and head toward the hotel.
As the car drove into the bustling city center, An Yi flattened himself against the window in wide-eyed awe, taking in the outside world.
Western-style architecture.
All kinds of people.
White people, Black people…
Then he turned his little head and looked at Huo Beixing.
Yellow person.
Here, most people used English for communication. Although An Yi studied well, if he had to rely on “air ears” and just listen to English, he could only catch one or two words.
Just now, it had also been Huo Beixing who had handled all the communication while buying things. An Yi hadn’t expected him to have quite so many skills. Even after turning foolish, he still hadn’t forgotten how to use language.
Looking out at the tropical trees lining both sides of the street, with their enormous serrated leaves, he wondered what sort of fruits grew beneath them.
Everything here was something he had never seen before.
People he had never seen.
Scenery he had never seen.
And the endless blue sea and sky stretching out beyond sight.
—
Zhu Shu had just received a message from the driver saying that the two had already been picked up. She hurriedly tidied herself, planning to go greet them shortly.
Huo Nanxun sat in the room, his face sour as can be.
After fastening her pearl necklace—most of her jewelry was pearls, all valuable pieces—Zhu Shu came out and saw Huo Nanxun’s expression. “What’s wrong? You should tidy yourself too. Beixing and Yiyi will be here soon.”
Huo Nanxun said, “What Yiyi, not Yiyi—sooner or later they’ll divorce anyway. What’s there for me to see?”
Zhu Shu frowned. “What kind of thing is that to say? Yiyi treats Beixing very well.”
Huo Nanxun pretended not to hear.
Zhu Shu said, “Hurry up and get up. Clean yourself up and go greet them.”
Huo Nanxun couldn’t win against his wife. “Even if I do meet him, don’t expect me to give that male daughter-in-law any sort of pleasant face.”
Zhu Shu and Huo Nanxun went downstairs.
Although they doted on their younger son, father and son greetings had always been more or less like this—cold and light, just a pat on the shoulder and one spoken greeting, and then it was over. Not at all as sweet and attentive as a daughter would have been.
Seeing Huo Beixing coming down from afar, bringing along someone in a huge straw hat, Zhu Shu patted her husband. “Husband, smile a little. Yiyi is here.”
Huo Nanxun still said the same thing. “I will not give him a pleasant face.”
The moment Huo Beixing saw his parents, his face lit up with a smile. But when he came over to greet them, it was only a few spoken greetings and then that was that.
Huo Nanxun kept a sour face, fully intending to give the newcomer a show of authority.
The next moment, An Yi lifted his head from beneath the hat.
Since he was meeting an elder, he was also a little nervous. It was his first time meeting Huo Nanxun, so he put on his trademark Little Frog smile. That face, blurred between male and female, looked incredibly obedient as he warmly said, “Hello, Father. I’m An Yi.”
So you’re the one called An Yi?
Let’s see how I don’t give you a proper show of authority.
Huo Nanxun looked at An Yi’s face.
Five seconds later…
“So, Yiyi, is it?”
