She Lost Memory Before the Divorce
Chapter 254 - Chapter 254 Chapter 254 From Iceberg to Loyal Hound Wolf Dog

Chapter 254: Chapter 254: From Iceberg to Loyal Hound Wolf Dog Chapter 254: Chapter 254: From Iceberg to Loyal Hound Wolf Dog “What, not kicked enough?”

Huo Tingxiao’s indifferent tone made Huo Tingyang subconsciously take half a step back.

“You really raised a good ‘dog’ to stay by her side.”

Huo Tingyang struggled to straighten up, and Yun Xi watched him coldly, her expression becoming even icier.

Before Huo Tingxiao could speak, Mu Lan broke free from his grip and took two or three steps to Huo Tingyang, raising her hand and slapping him across the face.

“Smack!” The sound was exceptionally loud.

All three of them were shocked as they looked towards Mu Lan, especially Huo Tingyang, who never expected her to slap him directly. Coincidentally, some guests came out of their private room and cast surprised glances their way.

“Yun Xi is my bodyguard and also my friend, please show her some respect!”

Mu Lan said with an icy look in her eyes, which made Yun Xi look at her in surprise. Did she remember something?

However, after Mu Lan slapped him and said those words, she also seemed a bit stunned.

Looking at her hand that was still in pain, she actually struck him?

Coming back to her senses, Mu Lan looked at Huo Tingyang’s cheek, which was slightly swollen.

“Sorry, I was impulsive. If you’re angry, you can strike back, but you cannot insult Yun Xi.”

Huo Tingyang looked at her. Hit her back? If only he was willing to hit her back.

“Of course, if you need compensation, you can talk to my assistant.”

Huo Tingxiao had no intention of giving them a chance to continue speaking, and forcefully led Mu Lan away. Huo Tingyang was about to follow, but was stopped by He Yan.

“Hello, I am Mr. Huo’s assistant. If there’s anything you need, you can talk to me.”

Huo Tingyang’s face turned cold as he waited for He Yan, so angry he was nearly fuming.

“You! Get out of the way, good dogs don’t block the road!”

He Yan still had a smile on his face.

“I am Mr. Huo’s assistant. Please come to me if you need anything. Otherwise, please refrain from making a commotion in a public place, as it is quite inappropriate.”

After saying that with a grin, He Yan left, leaving Huo Tingyang so enraged he almost cursed on the spot.

Huo Tingxiao returned to Yimei Garden with Mu Lan, and when he spoke, his tone was somewhat sour.

“What was he saying to you? You looked quite friendly.”

Mu Lan pouted.

“He just greeted me when you showed up.”

Huo Tingxiao snorted coldly, feeling uncomfortable at the mere thought of that illegitimate son.

“Stay away from him, he’s not a good person.”

Mu Lan watched him speak with an icy face, words that sounded strangely familiar, and couldn’t resist teasing him.

“Is it that in your eyes, any man who speaks to me is not a good person?”

No sooner had she spoken did Mu Lan feel a bit startled; the words seemed somewhat flirtatious. But since it was already said, she could only brazen it out and pretend it was nothing.

Huo Tingxiao indeed did not shy away but directly admitted it.

“Exactly, I don’t like these men who have designs on you, one after the other pursuing you.

“Huo Tingyang and Sheng Xueqin are engaged, who knows what trouble they’ll stir up next.”

Sheng Xueqin…

Just the mention of this person gave Mu Lan a headache.

“Your first love really puzzles me; just hearing her name gives me a headache.”

First love? Huo Tingxiao felt wrongly accused; when had she ever been his first love?

“Mu Lan, I don’t have anything else with her, my first love is you. Didn’t I make that clear already?”

Mu Lan’s ears turned a shade redder unwillingly.

“Come on, I’ve already seen that book in your study. What’s there to deny?

“The innocence of youth is very normal.”

Huo Tingxiao felt that if this matter wasn’t clarified, there was no point in eating today’s meal.

“I have never liked her. If there is something, there is something; if not, there isn’t. I would not lie to you about this.”

The earnestness in his voice made Mu Lan’s heart beat a little faster, but she forced herself to calm the flutter in her chest as she picked up the tablet on the table to start ordering. After she finished, she handed it to Yun Xi.

“See what you’d like to eat.”

Yun Xi paused for a second. Mu Lan didn’t allow her to refuse and directly pushed it into her arms.

“There are no outsiders today; just sit down and eat with me honestly.”

Mu Lan then pulled her to sit beside her.

This statement that there were no outsiders instantly brightened Huo Tingxiao’s mood, and a smile appeared on his face.

“Anyway, I’ve spoken nothing but the truth. You can’t wrong me so casually in the future.”

His tone was somewhat indignant, as if he had been bullied.

Mu Lan looked up at him, and decided to lay out everything that had happened at noon.

“Today, when I met with the people from Shengshi Department Store, I encountered Miss Sheng. She really put on quite the display.

Of course, I can understand that luxury endorsements are a way to elevate one’s status. It’s understandable that she wouldn’t fancy a no-name studio like mine.

But the way she spoke was so crass, it was infuriating to listen to.”

Huo Tingxiao was well aware of Sheng Xueqin’s tactics, which were nothing but the same old maneuvers. Now that her position at Sheng Family was precarious, she naturally wanted to assert her presence more to prove herself.

“The Sheng Family is heading for a change, and this is the only way for her to assert her existence.”

Change? Mu Lan looked at him, her gaze filled with confusion.

“Isn’t she the president of Sheng Family? The heir of the Sheng Family can still…”

Huo Tingxiao, realizing Mu Lan had forgotten events from the past, began to remind her:

“She can’t conceive. The old Master Sheng would never allow a person who can’t bear children to be the next in line.”

Shocked, Mu Lan could hardly conceal her surprise.

“She can’t… conceive?”

As if something else had come to mind, a tinge of melancholy flashed in her eyes.

“How do you come to know such private matters?”

“You’ve forgotten the previous incident. I casually mentioned that we were planning for a baby, and you might be pregnant. She insisted on having Old Master Shen check your pulse. He said you didn’t have a pregnancy pulse, but your pulse was normal. When it came to her turn, he mentioned her pulse wasn’t good. Upon the Sheng Family’s pressing inquiries, it turned out she’d terminated two pregnancies before, and after that, the chances for her to conceive were almost non-existent.”

After Huo Tingxiao finished explaining, Mu Lan pursed her lips.

“Did Old Master Shen really say that?”

Huo Tingxiao, afraid Mu Lan would misunderstand that he was lying, quickly clarified:

“Of course!”

Mu Lan breathed a silent sigh of relief.

“No wonder she looks at me as if I were a thorn in her side, now that I know such a big secret of hers.”

The weight on Huo Tingxiao’s heart lifted.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me.”

He was indeed sincere, speaking his heart the moment he opened his mouth.

Mu Lan looked up at him, unsure whether to laugh out loud.

She had been a bit depressed today, first with the setback at Luo Ning’s, and then the verbal spar with Sheng Xueqin.

Seeing Huo Tingxiao like this, Mu Lan felt all her frustration melt away.

Especially the way he was anxiously explaining himself, afraid she wouldn’t believe him–a side of him that she had never seen before, struck her as refreshing and felt like little cat paws tugging at her heart.

Mu Lan realized that her heart might have softened a bit. The once impenetrable iceberg had now become a big wolfhound, with something of a loyal dog about it. It would take a heart of stone to remain unmoved–she must be an immortal set apart from mere mortals if she could stay unaffected.

But still…

She didn’t dare. A heart once entrusted and shattered took a mere moment of softening to prevent her from daring to take a plunge again.

Thus, within seconds, she retreated into her invisible, untouchable shell to stay safe.