HPDBC Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Before attending the Yang family banquet, Ye Leyao, Papa Huo, and Mama Huo first returned to the Huo family home.
As soon as they walked in, a melancholic voice sounded: “Back?”
Ye Leyao looked up and saw not only his older brother Huo Jing at home, but also his second brother Huo Yan sitting on the sofa. Hearing them return, Huo Yan’s somewhat resentful gaze immediately looked over.
Ye Leyao was confused:
[Why does my second brother look like we owe him a lot of money as soon as we come back?]
Huo Yan’s expression became even more resentful upon hearing this.
Not taking him to join the fun, this was worse than owing him money!
During the variety show recording a few days ago, Ye Leyao’s name appeared on the hot search every now and then, and every time his name appeared, it was accompanied by fresh gossip.
But Huo Yan wasn’t on the scene, so he couldn’t hear Ye Leyao’s thoughts and naturally couldn’t get the fresh gossip.
No matter how fast the netizens were, they couldn’t be faster than Ye Leyao!
Huo Yan could only get half the gossip, and sometimes he didn’t even understand half of it.
How could he not be resentful?
Papa Huo and Mama Huo naturally saw the resentment on Huo Yan’s face, but they pretended not to see it and walked in asking Huo Jing, “Are the formal clothes ready?”
Huo Jing finished signing the last document, rubbed his somewhat aching temples, and then looked up and said, “They’re ready, they’ll be delivered later.”
Mama Huo nodded in satisfaction.
Ye Leyao, holding a bottle of drink, took a sip and then paused slightly.
[Big brother...how did you become so haggard after just one week?]
Papa Huo and Mama Huo both looked at Huo Jing.
Huo Jing: “...”
Shouldn’t you ask Papa Huo and Mama Huo about this?
Papa Huo and Mama Huo didn’t dare to meet Huo Jing’s eyes, feeling a bit guilty, they looked away.
Huo Jing sighed almost imperceptibly. With Papa Huo and Mama Huo off enjoying themselves and watching the fun, the burden of the company naturally fell entirely on Huo Jing.
Working overtime and handling all the big and small matters of the company alone for a week, how could he not be haggard?!
Thinking of this, Huo Jing’s eyes also became resentful, just like Huo Yan’s.
Papa Huo lightly coughed to hide his smile.
What could he do? His son was just too excellent, so he trusted him to manage the company!
Mama Huo directly changed the topic: “Take a good rest tomorrow?”
Huo Jing had the same thought. Recently, he had been so busy that his feet barely touched the ground, he was utterly exhausted and needed a break.
So he said, “Then I won’t go to Uncle Yang’s banquet tomorrow.”
Papa Huo and Mama Huo instantly looked at him with burning eyes.
Really not going?
Huo Jing felt puzzled.
Didn’t they say he could rest tomorrow?
Why... were they planning to go back on their word?
Huo Jing frowned, about to speak, when he heard Ye Leyao say softly:
[It’s good that big brother isn’t going to the banquet. After all, I’m not sure I can prevent the fire. If the fire really happens, I’d have to worry about his safety too.]
Huo Jing and Huo Yan’s faces changed simultaneously.
What fire?
Will there be a fire at the Yang family banquet tomorrow?
Why?
Is it an accident or arson?
Mama Huo watched the changing expressions on the two’s faces with a smile slowly curling on her lips.
Want to know? Why not go and see for yourselves?@@@@
But you said you wanted to rest tomorrow, so there’s nothing we can do.
Huo Jing pursed his lips and said nothing.
Huo Yan’s eyes lit up and he said without hesitation, “I have nothing to do tomorrow, and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Uncle Yang. I’ll go with you.”
Big brother wanted to rest, so he should rest well. He had just finished filming his drama and had nothing to do recently.
Huo Jing: “...”
Blame it on himself for speaking too soon!
Ye Leyao looked helplessly at Huo Yan.
[Second brother really likes to join any fun.]
Huo Yan didn’t mind Ye Leyao’s complaint.
After all, he really liked gossip!
...
The next day.
Ye Leyao was once again dragged out of bed by Huo Yan to get styled.
After recording a variety show episode, Ye Leyao gradually got used to waking up early for styling, but since he hadn’t had enough sleep, he kept his eyes closed the whole time, letting the stylist work on his face.
Once the whole family was done with their styling, they got into the car heading to the Yang family banquet.
Only—
Ye Leyao looked at Huo Jing sitting across from him in surprise and confusion.
[Didn’t big brother say he was resting today? Why is he coming to the banquet with us?]
The others in the car all curved their lips simultaneously.
Of course, there are more important things than resting.
Huo Jing slightly unnaturally turned his head and cleared his throat.
Who said attending a banquet isn’t resting?
As long as there’s no work to handle today, it’s resting!
What kind of work is socializing?!
An hour and a half later, the Huo family’s car stopped in front of the Yang family’s villa.
Today was the 90th birthday of Mr. Yang, a very worthy celebration, but since the old man was quite old and couldn’t stand much excitement, the Yang family simply chose to hold the birthday banquet at their own old villa.
The old house was situated halfway up a hill, with a large lawn in the front yard and a beautiful forest in the backyard, so even hosting a banquet there wouldn’t feel crowded.
As soon as Ye Leyao got out of the car, he couldn’t help but sigh:
[No wonder the entire villa was burned down by a fire. This old house’s location is way too remote, it would take half an hour for the fire truck to get here.]
Papa Huo paused his steps slightly after hearing this, falling a few steps behind Ye Leyao to instruct the driver to contact someone to bring a few water trucks over, preferably with a few dozen fire extinguishers as well, to be prepared in advance.
The driver was very puzzled after hearing this.
What were they bringing water trucks to the Yang family’s birthday banquet for?
And why prepare fire extinguishers?
Is it customary to send water trucks and fire extinguishers as gifts?
The driver was full of doubts, but since the boss had instructed it, he didn’t ask more questions and turned to handle it.
The family entered the villa and went to wish Mr. Yang a happy birthday first.
Mr. Yang’s hair was all white, but he looked very spirited, and when he saw Ye Leyao, he even laughed and said his grandson Xiao Yuan was about the same age as Ye Leyao and had just returned from abroad not long ago.
[Doesn’t Uncle Yang Kun have only one son?]
[So this Yang Yuan is the unlucky guy who got his collection burned?]
Qin Yao was chatting with Yang Kun and suddenly heard this voice, he instinctively looked up, sweeping his gaze around the inner hall but didn’t see Ye Leyao’s figure.
But being able to hear Ye Leyao’s voice meant he was indeed at the banquet.
However, what did it mean by Yang Yuan’s collection being burned?
What kind of collection was it? Was it some rare crop?
[Jiang Fang?!]
[So this chubby kid’s mom is called Jiang Fang?]
Ye Leyao finally remembered where he had heard Yang Jie’s name before.
The Huo family couldn’t help but look back at Ye Leyao.
Where did you hear it before?
Say it quickly.
Is there another big scoop?
Ye Leyao didn’t notice his family’s gaze. He looked up at the situation in front.
Yang Jie and Jiang Fang didn’t like hearing others criticize Yang Tian, even if it was Yang Jie’s own brother.
The couple immediately formed a united front, demanding that Yang Kun apologize to Yang Tian.
Yang Kun was so angry that he almost laughed.
One of the guests who couldn’t stand it anymore spoke up for justice.
Yang Jie turned and started personally attacking the guest: “What does this have to do with you? Who the hell are you to teach my son?”
The guest’s face turned green.
Yang Kun, chest heaving with anger, pointed at Yang Jie’s nose: “Yang Jie! Do you believe I can have security throw you out?!”
Yang Jie snorted: “Then go ahead and throw me out! I can see you didn’t sincerely invite me today! Yang Tian just broke a few wine glasses, and you, his uncle, are this furious?”
Yang Kun was almost beside himself with rage at these words.
Seeing the number of onlookers increasing, Qin Yao hesitated about whether to step in and mediate.
At that moment, Ye Leyao sighed softly:
[The key point is that Yang Kun isn’t even Yang Tian’s biological uncle.]
Qin Yao’s steps halted immediately.
What?
The Huo family was also shocked.
Not the biological uncle?
That means—
[Yang Tian isn’t Yang Jie’s biological son at all!]
Ye Leyao finally found the key plot point.
[I didn’t expect Jiang Fang to be the fallen heroine in a reverse harem novel... Before meeting Yang Jie, she was involved with several male characters. Even after marrying Yang Jie, she continued entangling with those men—]
Ye Leyao’s voice suddenly rose, filled with excitement:
[So not only Yang Tian, but even those two daughters Yang Jie doesn’t care for aren’t his biological children either?]
[Heh, Yang Jie is truly the ultimate cuckold in the novel; he’s practically glowing green!]
Qin Yao’s pupils trembled.
Mama Huo and Dad were even more astonished.
None of Yang Jie’s three children are his?
The Huo family’s gaze towards Yang Jie immediately filled with a trace of pity.
Yang Jie practically has a prairie growing on his head!
[Let me see why Jiang Fang married Yang Jie?]
Ye Leyao quickly flipped through his notes and soon found the reason:
[So that’s it, Jiang Fang didn’t marry Yang Jie out of love; she was after the Yang family’s wealth!]
[After marrying Yang Jie, Jiang Fang constantly sowed discord, and under her daily instigations, the relationship between Yang Jie and the Yang family deteriorated. Eventually, the Yang family split, and all the property was transferred to Yang Tian under Jiang Fang’s persuasion.]
[When the time was right, Jiang Fang divorced Yang Jie, taking Yang Tian and the family’s wealth to elope with her lover!]
The Huo family listened with increasing excitement.
And then, and then?
What happened to Yang Jie in the end?
At this point, Ye Leyao finally recalled the entire plot.
[As for poor Yang Jie, even when Jiang Fang ran away with her lover, he still didn’t know that none of his three children were his.]
[Yang Kun, deeply hurt by his brother, naturally stopped caring about him. Later, when Yang Jie fell ill and was hospitalized, there wasn’t even anyone to stay by his bedside.]
“He brought it on himself,” Huo Yan couldn’t help but whisper.
Huo Jing nodded in agreement.
Seeing more and more guests gathering, and even alarming old Mr. Yang in the inner hall, Yang Kun didn’t want to argue with Yang Jie any longer.
“I can’t be bothered to argue with you!” Yang Kun turned to instruct the staff to quickly clean up the area, then turned to apologize to the guest Yang Jie had insulted.
Yang Jie, however, looked as if he had won a battle, provocatively watching Yang Kun leave, then pulled Yang Tian over, kissed his face, and smiled: “Son, isn’t Dad awesome?”
Yang Tian giggled twice: “Awesome!”
“Remember to learn from me in the future!” Yang Jie laughed.
Yang Tian quickly nodded and agreed.
Yang Jie then put his arm around Jiang Fang’s shoulder, and in the moment she lowered her head, she concealed the disgust in her eyes.
With Yang Kun gone, the onlookers naturally dispersed.
Seeing that there was nothing fun left here, Yang Tian headed towards the inner hall.
Jiang Fang quickly called out: “Xiao Tian, where are you going?”
“I’m going upstairs to play!”
Yang Tian ran off so quickly that he bumped into a guest, causing the guest to exclaim.
Before the guest could say anything, Yang Tian had already disappeared.
Seeing this, Yang Jie laughed heartily: “Look at our son’s energy!”
[Of course, he’s almost as fat as a pig.]
Ye Leyao really didn’t have any fondness for Yang Jie’s family.
Suddenly, Ye Leyao was startled: [Yang Tian just said he was going upstairs, and Yang Yuan’s room is upstairs, isn’t it?]
At that moment, a cheerful male voice came from behind—
“Brother Yao! Dad said you were looking for me?”
Ye Leyao turned around and saw a handsome young man quickly running towards them, smiling brightly: “I’ve been back for so long, and Brother Yao, you only just now thought of asking about me. I thought you had forgotten me!”
Qin Yao hugged him and laughed: “How could I?”
Yang Yuan chuckled, grabbed Qin Yao’s arm, and was about to walk away.
Ye Leyao couldn’t hold back any longer:
[And you’re still laughing! If you don’t go upstairs soon, your collection will be ruined!]
Qin Yao stood still.
“Take me to your room.” Qin Yao’s tone was calm.
He just wanted to see what this collection was.
Yang Yuan was puzzled: “Hmm?”
Why the sudden interest in his room?
“I want to have a look,” Qin Yao casually lied.
Ye Leyao quickly added: “Can I come too?”
Yang Yuan: “Huh?”
What’s so interesting about his room?
And who is this handsome guy next to Qin Yao?
Could it be his brother’s boyfriend?
Yang Yuan’s eyes instantly lit up.
If Ye Leyao knew what Yang Yuan was thinking, he would definitely explain seriously:
No, I’m just a warm-hearted cereal hero!