Chapter 45

Slightly Sweet You（15）

Chapter 45

Huo Siheng hid in the darkness, his face covered in frost, clearly underestimating Ding Wu. Despite having cleaned up the information so thoroughly, he had still managed to find someone within a short time. Which link had gone wrong?

Ding Wu had a clear purpose; even if tonight’s meeting was stopped, it wouldn’t prevent the next one. He could only watch quietly and make plans accordingly.

He sent Mu He a message asking about the dining location.

She didn’t reply.

Huo Siheng then called Huo Siwen. After a brief explanation of a few seconds, he hung up. He went to the next room, picked out a shirt and black trousers, and changed. Just as he fastened the last button, she sent over the location for the Golden Leaf Club.

Mu He and Ye Xi arrived early at the Golden Leaf Club, only to find that the investor representatives were already in the private room. When had the wealthy always arrived late to such meals?

Moreover, the one who came this time was reportedly the famous Mr. Ding of the Ding Group.

Having worked in the industry for several years, Ye Xi had never encountered such a strange situation before. Fortunately, she reacted quickly: “Hello, Mr. Ding, sorry, we’re late.”

Mu He also politely smiled and greeted: “Mr. Ding.”

When she was in South City, she had heard Tan Mian mention him. In reality, he looked a little different from what she imagined—slender, with traces of age on his face, but still clearly handsome in his youth.

The moment he saw his daughter, Ding Wu felt a rush of complex emotions he could hardly suppress. He stood up, his body wobbling slightly from recent illness. His assistant, quick on their feet, steadied him.

Once Ding Wu stood firmly, he clenched his fists at his sides and smiled gently at them: “It’s alright, we arrived early. Please, sit.”

Such a approachable investor was rare; Ye Xi felt a strange, unnameable feeling and quietly heightened her vigilance.

Once seated, the waiter served tea. Mu He covertly scanned the surroundings: spacious, classically elegant, with paintings of graceful women on the walls and a pot of daffodils on the table. A pity that, no matter how beautiful the flowers, they couldn’t escape the smell of smoke and alcohol.

Ding Wu knew very well that repairing the lost twenty-three years of father-daughter relationship wouldn’t happen overnight. He had already made a plan before coming—approach as an elder, subtly influence her, nurture her quietly, and reveal his identity at the right moment. Yet, his daughter was right before his eyes. Only heaven knew how hard it was to restrain himself from rushing forward to embrace her.

“Xiao Mu, are you an artist under Xingyu?”

Caught off guard by being addressed by name, Mu He paused, then smiled again: “Yes, Mr. Ding.”

Ding Wu had read her profile repeatedly since her debut; he knew everything. Her brief rise, her refusal to be compromised and suppressed, her signing with Xingyu—all marked the real start of her career.

Had she grown up by his side, as the eldest daughter of the Ding family, his beloved, she would have been pampered endlessly and never suffered so much.

What both pained and comforted Ding Wu was that, even without him, she had grown up so well—educated, poised, graceful, soft yet resilient.

Before they could chat more, the producer, Director Tang, and male lead Gao Yuan arrived. After greetings, they all sat down.

Director Tang could talk nonstop for three minutes about the film, clearly not very skilled at socializing. In such an environment, he was a little awkward. Fortunately, the producer was eloquent and livened the atmosphere in a few words.

The waiter gradually served the food and drinks.

The producer prompted the male and female leads to toast Mr. Ding first. Knowing Mu He didn’t drink much, Ye Xi couldn’t embarrass her in front of Mr. Ding and the producer. Besides, this first toast had to be drunk. She could only help block the second.

Before Mu He could raise her cup, Ding Wu gave his assistant a look. The assistant said: “Mr. Ding just recovered from illness and can’t drink. Why don’t we all toast with tea instead?”

After the producer expressed considerate concern, Mu He and Gao Yuan toasted with tea and sat down.

Ding Wu set down his cup: “Let’s eat.”

No wine meant no smoking either, so they simply focused on eating.

No one present had attended a meal purely for dining before. Mu He and Ye Xi exchanged a glance. The producer seemed puzzled too, unable to understand what was going on.

For a while, the private room was quiet except for the occasional clinking of utensils.

After the meal, Ding Wu inquired about A Beauty in North City. The producer answered every question naturally. Gradually, Director Tang realized this Mr. Ding was different from other investors who only watched the female lead for opportunistic gains. When talking about professional matters, he spoke more cautiously.

The atmosphere was unusually relaxed and pleasant.

When Huo Siwen entered, he didn’t see the expected haze of smoke or scenes of people urging each other to drink. He was somewhat surprised. What’s happening?

The producer saw him first: “Oh, Mr. Huo, today’s truly a good day. Even you, such a busy man, came.”

Mu He and Ye Xi were surprised at his appearance.

Huo Siwen was adept at social occasions. He shook hands with Ding Wu, nodded slightly at Mu He, who returned a faint smile. He then shook hands with the producer and director, exchanging polite words.

Ding Wu observed all their interactions, his smile slightly restrained.

The producer, reading the mood, teased: “Miss Mu truly is Xingyu’s star—look, even Mr. Huo came personally to guard the flower.”

Indeed, Huo Siwen had come specially, saying: “I was just next door and heard you were here, so I came over.”

Like last time during the studio visit, Mr. Huo’s presence was to support her, showing Xingyu Media’s regard. Considering he had come this far as a boss, Mu He felt slightly embarrassed, recalling her previous doubts about his intentions.

Huo Siwen stayed for over half an hour, chatting happily. Ding Wu, whose goal was to see his daughter and talk more, found his plan unexpectedly disrupted. He wondered whether Huo Siwen had interfered in “that matter.”

What exactly was he intending?

Could it be…

At the thought of that possibility, Ding Wu’s eyes turned cold.

Holding her tea, Mu He suddenly felt a rush of unusual heat. She calculated the date—two days early. Luckily, she had a sanitary pad in her bag. She whispered to Ye Xi: “I’ll go to the restroom.”

Less than three minutes after she left, Huo Siwen received a message from his fourth uncle: “I took your fourth aunt with me.”

Wow. Guarded like his own eyes, even personally came to pick her up.

Fourth uncle had completely fallen into this pattern; as they say, heroes can’t pass the beauty’s test. Yet this time, it was warmer than before, no longer cold and aloof.

In short, remember the universal rule: “Fourth aunt is happy, fourth uncle is happy,” and nothing goes wrong.

Huo Siwen leisurely replied, “Okay.” Task complete, he made an excuse and gracefully exited.

Mu He wiped her hands and left the restroom, only to see a tall man standing in the corridor—who else but Huo Siheng?

She walked over, delighted: “You came?”

“Not feeling well?”

Huo Siheng immediately noticed her discomfort.

During puberty, Mu He had developed painful menstruation. The first day was especially rough—lower abdomen aching and distended. She tugged at his shirt sleeve: “I want some ginger brown sugar water.”

Huo Siheng held her hand, cold to the touch. He furrowed his brows: “Let’s go home.”

“No, the dinner isn’t over yet.”

Leaving early would be inappropriate and might be seen as acting high and mighty.

He guided her forward: “Listen to me.”

Mu He, too uncomfortable, relented: “Then I’ll tell Sister Xi.”

Ye Xi received the message, told her to rest, and apologized to everyone, saying Mu He left early due to not feeling well.

Before the words fell, Ding Wu anxiously asked: “What happened to her?”

She was fine just a moment ago.

He couldn’t say in front of all those men that it was her period.

Ye Xi had to find another excuse: “Maybe she caught a draft outside; she has a headache.”

With his daughter gone, Ding Wu had no mood to stay. The meal ended just like that.

Mu He and Huo Siheng returned home. She changed into comfortable home clothes in the wardrobe, stuck a heat pad on, and obediently lay on the bed. Ten minutes later, he came in with a bowl of ginger brown sugar water.

Mu He propped herself against the headboard, feeling the heat rush out. She slightly pressed her legs together, a faint blush on her fair face: “Will you feed me?”

Huo Siheng first touched her hand—it finally had warmth. He scooped the drink with a spoon. Mu He, puffing her cheeks, taught him: “Blow on it first, or it’ll burn.”

He blew on the spoon: “Like this?”

Mu He patted his shoulder: “Well taught.”

She sipped: “Not sweet enough.”

She leaned over and kissed his lips, smiling triumphantly: “Now it’s sweet.”

She drank a sip, kissed him again, sweetly, and before she realized it, she had finished the drink.

Huo Siheng took a tissue to wipe her lips, and she hugged him naturally: “Before I was sure of my feelings for you, I used to overthink… You would make ginger brown sugar water for your future girlfriend, take care of her when she’s sick, and do… a lot of intimate things with her.”

“Just thinking about it makes me so sad.”

Now she finally realized she had been jealous—was it her own jealousy?

“Huo Siheng,” she said with a sweet smile, her eyes curved like little crescents, “Having you by my side makes me really happy.”

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you too moved to speak?”

“I’m thinking,” Huo Siheng chuckled softly, “maybe your standards are too low?”

He was already prepared to spend the rest of his life with her.

Mu He immediately changed her words: “Then I want a star from the sky. Can you pluck it for me?”

“Which one do you want?”

Plucking it was impossible, but buying the naming rights for a star was doable.

Without thinking, she said: “The brightest one.”

Huo Siheng looked down at her, the softness in his eyes not hidden even by his long lashes: “Alright.”

Mu He took it as a joke, not thinking much of it. She quickly calculated the time she had set her location and the time he appeared at the Golden Leaf Club: “You haven’t eaten dinner yet, have you?”

In fact, from last night until now, Huo Siheng hadn’t taken a drop of water. Ding Wu had deliberately arranged the meeting to get close to her, and she, still unaware and resistant to her biological father, hadn’t realized this. Even though he had Huo Siwen interfere, he still needed to bring him back to feel reassured.

There was no ready food at home, and he wasn’t like her, who could get by with a few random vegetables. And his cooking skills… were indescribable.

After drinking the ginger brown sugar water, her lower abdomen hurt less. Mu He changed her position and played with his cufflinks: “Later, I’ll let you eat down there.”

…

The most terrifying thing was when the air suddenly went quiet.