Can I really outdo my dad?Nathan was unsure, and so was Lanting.But fortunately, Lanting had an ace up his sleeve—his grandfather.At a young age, Lanting had come to understand a fundamental concept of the world's food chain. For instance, his dad was in charge of him, placing his dad higher up on his food chain. However, his grandfather could manage his dad, and Lanting could influence his grandfather, which, in Lanting's mind, put him above his dad on the chain.Thinking this, Lanting didn't dare relax. He called his grandfather first to discuss the matter, then started calling his dad."Dad, there's something I want to discuss with you," Lanting cut to the chase."I also happen to have something to discuss with you," said Damien Huo directly."What is it?""We've been in Hua country for some time now, and it's time to go home. Your grandfather misses you," Damien Huo said indifferently."My grandfather misses me? He doesn't miss me!""Hmm?""Nothing... What I mean is, grandfathe
On this sunny day, Evelyn had breakfast with her four sons. Afterward, Adrian went off to work on a script he had been researching, and Quentin headed to the company to immerse himself in work, while Lanting buzzed around Evelyn's room, chattering away."Mom, you should dress up a bit prettier, so Lanting can have more face!" he advised."Mom, wear that necklace I bought for you!" he suggested."Mom, remember to spritz on just a little bit of perfume," he reminded.Evelyn was helpless against his childish nagging, but eventually, she chose an outfit she liked from her vast wardrobe and applied light makeup. Donning her coat, handbag in one hand and Lanting in the other, she was ready to leave.Descending to the ground floor, she found Nathan sitting in the hall with an air of elegance, legs crossed, holding a glass of red wine. He wasn't drinking, just idly swirling the wine with his slender fingers.Upon hearing them come downstairs, Nathan looked up, his light brown eyes narrowing s
The e-library upstairs was quite spacious, with an entire wall of large screens and a variety of advanced electronic devices. A few staff members stood by, nodding respectfully as Evelyn and the others entered. With a gesture from Damien Huo, they activated the display screens before he turned to Evelyn and said, "Miss Evelyn, let's start by understanding the current situation of the catering industry.""Okay, sure," Evelyn replied.Damien Huo signaled, and the staff began to work. Soon, a professional-level PowerPoint presentation appeared on the screen, and the staff were ready to explain.Lanting realized something was amiss. What was this? Nathan's dad had brought out PowerPoint and assistants, and now his dad was on the same track?What happened to the romantic tutorial they were promised? Why had it turned into a professional meeting?This was, of course, unacceptable!Lanting decided he had to turn things around and protested, "Dad, this is lazy of you; it's definitely not okay
When Damien Huo mentioned viewing the PowerPoint, Evelyn quickly nodded, eyeing the remote in his hand, "Mr. Huo, may I have the remote? I can flip through it myself, and if there's anything I don't understand, I'll ask you. That way, you can attend to your own matters. Otherwise, it feels like I'm imposing on your time."It seemed inappropriate to make such a busy, important person accompany her to look at a PowerPoint.Damien Huo calmly met her gaze, "I'm not busy."Evelyn: "Then—"Damien Huo handed her the remote, "You go through it, and I'll watch with you."Evelyn had no choice but to accept the remote. As she did, her fingers inadvertently touched his, feeling cool to the touch. She was surprised by the chill of his hands given the warmth of the room.However, she didn't have much time to ponder this as she began to flip through the PowerPoint. It started with an overview of the development and future trends of the catering industry in China, followed by descriptions of profit m
As she pondered, Damien Huo suddenly called out, "Lanting, come in." Evelyn looked towards the door, which was shut, and felt a bit surprised. Was Lanting outside? Just then, the door opened, and Lanting walked in grinning, "Dad, how's mom's lesson going?" Evelyn quickly replied, "Very well, I feel like I've learned a lot. Things I used to see every day have been transformed into business concepts after your dad's analysis!" Lanting's face was filled with pride, "Of course, my dad is awesome. Mom, you probably don't know, but dad has been smart since he was young. He won first place in the American Math Competition, he's skilled at skiing, skydiving, can fly a plane, won equestrian championships, went to an Ivy League school at thirteen with a full scholarship, and at fifteen, during a social practice, he turned a ten million investment into three billion profit in just two months, becoming a classic case study at Harvard..." Lanting continued, but Damien Huo interrupted him, "Do
The winter afternoon sun was warm and comforting, with a brisk scent of grass and wood in the air that refreshed the spirit. Looking out, the yard behind the Huo family villa was not too large, but it was uniquely designed, standing out with its simple, clean lines and structure amidst the withered grass of winter. One could imagine that come spring, when life renews, the yard would take on a whole new charm.Lanting walked in the middle, looking up at his dad and then his mom, unable to suppress his giggles. His chubby little body bounced along, his sneakers cheerfully crunching the fallen leaves spiraling to the ground."Dad, this reminds me of Kimmy. His dad also goes for walks with him!" Lanting blinked, deliberately saying this to his father.Damien Huo was well aware of his son's insinuation. He knew that Lanting was trying to say that Kimmy had both a mom and a dad to accompany him, while in the past, he only had his father.Damien Huo didn't speak; he knew his son was brimming
"I've been asleep for twenty-five years?"When Evelyn heard these words, her eyes still carried an unexplainable moisture. Everything that happened in the past seemed like it just occurred yesterday. At the age of 18, she was diagnosed with a rare disease, forcing her to interrupt her education and budding career for treatment. After two years of medical trials, Dr. Lawrence decided it was time for a critical, life-saving surgery.The success rate of this surgery was a mere 0.5%; success meant conquering the rare disease, failure meant death. Waking up, Evelyn thought the surgery must have been a success, and just as the joy of survival began to fill her heart, she received such startling news.She looked at the doctor in front of her, unable to comprehend. The doctor's name was Chen, fifty years old this year, claiming to be a disciple of Dr. Lawrence.Dr. Lawrence was only 28 years old, and he already had a disciple who was fifty?Just a sleep, and upon waking up, twenty-five years
Evelyn stared at the woman in her forties before her. The pronounced crow's feet, age spots that not even thick makeup could cover, sagging skin, and deeply etched nasolabial folds – all marks of time that couldn't be erased. And yet, through these traces of years, she recognized Margaret, her stepsister who was only a few months younger than herself.Evelyn's mother had passed when she was just twelve, and her father had remarried, bringing Margaret into her life. The two girls, of similar ages and classmates, clashed within months until their grandmother intervened and took Evelyn under her wing to calm the waters.But later, Evelyn fell ill with a life-threatening disease, and after their grandmother's death, the treatment funds left for Evelyn were "borrowed" by her stepmother for Margaret's private study abroad.These grievances were carved in Evelyn's heart. The mere thought made her grind her teeth, itching to pummel Margaret. But now, perhaps the shock of waking up to a world