What to Do If I Become the Villain’s Daughter

Chapter 83

After the annual company meeting, the company began its New Year holiday.

Huo Xiaozheng was at leisure at home, spending his days handling some routine affairs and accompanying Ningning.

As the Spring Festival approached, the Swimming Coach and Art Teacher both went on vacation.

Every day, Huo Xiaozheng would accompany Ningning for a swim in their home's temperature-controlled pool.

Though Ningning appeared brave, she would only dare to float with a swim ring if there wasn't a trusted person accompanying her, too afraid to swim out on her own.

After swimming came painting.

Painting, it was clear, was even more of a headache for Huo Xiaozheng than swimming.

After lunch, Ningning would go to the art studio.

For an entire afternoon, she wouldn't budge from her seat.

Aunt Xu brought in some fruit at one point, and Ningning said she would eat it.

In reality, by the time the sun had set, the fruit plate remained untouched.

When Huo Xiaozheng pushed open the door to the art studio, he saw her completely focused, her whole being absorbed in the canvas before her.

This small person had an extraordinary passion and stubbornness for painting, to the extent that even delicious food couldn't divert her attention.

Huo Xiaozheng coughed lightly a few times.

Huo Guining looked at him somewhat sluggishly: "Dad, is something wrong?"

"How's the painting coming along?"

Huo Guining put down her brush, her expression still showing dissatisfaction: "It's still missing something."

Huo Xiaozheng suggested: "Maybe it's because you've been painting for too long, your nerves are overstretched."

Huo Guining glanced at the sky outside: "Oh? Is it this late already?"

Huo Xiaozheng's tone was a bit heavy: "Yes, it's time for dinner."

Huo Guining noticed his expression wasn't quite right and spoke with a bit of caution: "Dad, are you in a bad mood?"

Huo Xiaozheng was taken aback, his furrowed brow relaxing a bit: "I'm not in a bad mood, just a little hungry."

Hearing this, Huo Guining quickly tidied up her painting supplies and got up to walk towards him: "Then let's go eat."

"Mm."

After dinner, Huo Guining watched some anime, but her mind was preoccupied with her unfinished painting, making her somewhat distracted.

Huo Xiaozheng saw her fidgeting, clearly wanting to go back upstairs to the art studio.

A thought struck Huo Xiaozheng and he asked: "There's a fireworks show tonight, do you want to go see it?"

Huo Guining exclaimed with delight: "A fireworks show?"

Huo Xiaozheng nodded: "It's just across the river."

Though it was just a suggestion, Huo Xiaozheng had already stood up.

Seeing this, Huo Guining followed suit and headed towards the door.

February nights in South City were still bitterly cold.

Huo Xiaozheng had Ningning wear a thick coat, as well as a scarf and hat.

The two walked out one after the other.

After nightfall, the street lamps of Panlong Bay lit up one by one, standing along the roadside, illuminating the myriad lights of homes.

The occasional sound of passing vehicles, mixed with the winter night breeze rustling through the treetops, became the clearest winter melody of the night.

Huo Guining felt her restless heart calm a little.

For some unknown reason, lately, she had been feeling somewhat impatient.

Impatient to travel, impatient to show affection to her family, impatient to enjoy the happiness of being a child, impatient to paint freely.

Within this restlessness was a hint of inexplicable anxiety that Huo Guining couldn't quite place.

The wide, tree-lined avenue was flanked by enormous French plane trees. In winter, their leaves carpeted the ground.

Huo Guining stepped on Huo Xiaozheng's shadow, treading on the fallen leaves. On the quiet road, it made a muffled sound.

She never tired of playing this game.

Huo Xiaozheng had brought her out precisely to let her move around a bit and relax her mood.

At this moment, he was happy to indulge her, matching his pace to hers, allowing her to slowly advance while stepping on his shadow.

Before long, the two arrived at the riverside on foot.

The broad surface of the river rippled in the night wind, creating circle after circle of ripples, layer upon layer, gradually spreading outward.

Scattered lights reflected on the water's surface, bringing out dots of brilliance.

"Are you cold?" Huo Xiaozheng crouched down, reaching out to touch her face.

Recently, Huo Guining's diet had been under the supervision of a nutritionist.

Her originally thin face had gained some flesh, and her once dull complexion had gradually gained some luster.

Now, in the river breeze, her cheeks still held a hint of coolness.

Huo Guining's eyes were bright and shining, her dark pupils seeming to be infused with water: "I'm not cold, Dad. When does the fireworks show start?"

Huo Xiaozheng took out his phone, his fingers moving a few times.

"Soon, just a few more minutes."

Huo Guining looked around. If the fireworks show was on the opposite bank, there should be other people here at this time.

But there weren't.

Apart from the occasional elderly person out for a walk, there was almost no one else.

Perhaps this wasn't the best viewing spot, Huo Guining thought to herself.

"Boom!"

A loud noise interrupted Huo Guining's thoughts.

In the vast sky, an enormous firework bloomed, almost occupying the entire night sky.

Unlike the day of the family recognition banquet, this time the fireworks were more beautiful and more spectacular.

Huo Guining tilted her head back, her mouth agape as she gazed at the sky.

"Bang bang bang!"

The fireworks were so beautiful, the spectacular scene made Huo Guining so excited she didn't know what to do.

"It's so beautiful! Dad, quick, take a photo for me, I want to send it to my brother!"

Huo Guining eagerly handed her phone to Huo Xiaozheng.

Huo Xiaozheng gladly accepted. He knelt down, holding the phone at the lowest angle, opened the wide-angle night mode, and lowered the exposure.

As another massive firework bloomed in the sky.

Huo Xiaozheng quickly pressed the shutter.

'Click.'

In the photo, Ningning's smile was radiant, her dark eyes shining brightly in the night. Behind her were golden fireworks occupying the entire night sky.

As dazzling as her smile.

Huo Xiaozheng forwarded the photo to himself.

Then, he locked the screen.

Seeing the lock screen wallpaper, he paused for a moment.

Huo Guining's phone lock screen wallpaper was clearly a photo of him at the annual meeting.

Dressed in a suit, with a serious expression, under the spotlight, he looked every bit the emotionless work machine.

In the foreground of the photo was Ningning's little hand, making a peace sign at the camera.

In a sense, this seemed to be their first photo together, aside from paparazzi shots.

Huo Xiaozheng looked at Ningning in the distance with a complex expression.

Huo Guining maintained her head-tilted posture, the night wind blowing her long bangs. She tilted her little head back, her mouth slightly open, seemingly entranced by the beautiful scene before her.

The corners of Huo Xiaozheng's lips turned up slightly.

A vibration came from his pocket.

Huo Xiaozheng received a text message from Xi Chuan.

"Mr. Huo, the fireworks display has begun."

Huo Xiaozheng replied that he had seen it.

He opened his social media app, saved the photo he had just sent from Ningning's phone, and set it as his wallpaper.

If his work and life before had been a joke, then from this moment on...

No, it should be from the moment he decided to learn how to be a father, his life had found meaning.

Sensing Huo Xiaozheng's gaze, Huo Guining turned her head and asked quizzically: "Dad?"

Huo Xiaozheng shook his head: "It's nothing, I've sent the photo to your brother for you."