Chapter 72
Huo Jing belatedly realized her mistake, wishing she could slap herself.
Work had been so hectic lately that her brain felt like it was turning to mush.
Huo Yanqin said gently, "Ning-ning, you're mistaken. Your news won't affect Dad's company's development, good or bad."
Zuo Qinfang chimed in, "That's right, Ning-ning. Don't overthink it."
Huo Guining remained silent, her heart gradually sinking.
Since transmigrating into the novel, her spirit and body hadn't fully merged with the original owner's.
In her past life, cancer had weakened her mental strength.
After abruptly transmigrating, the original owner's mental and physical state were both poor.
This led her to become temporarily trapped in the original owner's experiences, unable to break free, and even gradually assimilated.
She had transmigrated into the novel but nearly overlooked the existence of the plot.
She thought she had prevented herself from being used as a pawn and stopped Huo Xiaozheng's downfall.
But in reality, Huo Xiaozheng was still being attacked by the plot because of her.
The initial task given to her by the plot god was: to reform the villain Huo Xiaozheng, maintain the stability of this world and prevent it from collapsing. Otherwise, she would die again in this novel world.
Today, Huo Guining belatedly realized: did maintaining the stability of the novel world mean that the villain could only remain a villain, unable to hinder the development of the main characters' storyline?
Reforming the villain was only to make him obediently accept the plot's arrangements.
And Huo Xiaozheng's fate...
Had her arrival actually been meant to kill Huo Xiaozheng?
Huo Guining felt a chill rising from her feet, and she couldn't help but shiver.
Seeing her unusual expression, Huo Xiaozheng turned her shoulders towards him and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Faced with Huo Xiaozheng's concern, Huo Guining's tears burst forth: "I'm sorry, wuwuwu..."
Huo Xiaozheng mistakenly thought she was apologizing for her news and immediately comforted her, "Didn't Uncle say that the company's affairs have nothing to do with you?"
Huo Guining's face was covered in tears, but she couldn't voice the truth.
"No... it's my fault..."
Huo Xiaozheng was at a loss, only able to hold her stiffly and comfort her not to think too much.
Old Master Huo shot Huo Jing a stern glance.
Knowing she was in the wrong, Huo Jing hurriedly ran to the kitchen and brought out freshly squeezed cherry juice.
"Ning-ning, look! Fresh cherry juice, do you want some..."
Huo Xiaozheng: ...You're really good at comforting children.
Zheng Jinxiu took Huo Guining from Huo Xiaozheng's arms, wiped her face with a tissue, and joked in a gentle tone, "You're crying so much you'll turn into a little cat."
"Making money isn't easy, and it's normal for business to have ups and downs."
"If the Huo Group could collapse because of your little incident, it would be too fragile."
"Don't you think so?"
Although Huo Guining knew this was just comfort, she still asked hopefully, "Really, it's okay?"
Zheng Jinxiu said kindly, "Of course it will be okay. Don't you trust your dad?"
Huo Guining immediately responded, "I do."
She believed it, but this world was just a book...
Old Master Huo interjected, "The Huo Group was built from scratch by our ancestors. Even if something really happened, we'd just start over from the beginning."
"You little girl, just focus on growing up healthy."
"Leave the adult matters for adults to worry about."
Although the words were rough, the reasoning wasn't bad, but Huo Xiaozheng couldn't help giving him a cold glance.
Seeing that Huo Guining had stopped crying, Zheng Jinxiu handed her back to Huo Xiaozheng.
She gently tapped Huo Guining's nose and said, "Ning-ning, relax."
Huo Guining smiled.
Yes, don't rush. There should be other ways.
Seeing that the small storm had passed, Huo Yueze timidly spoke up, "Does anyone want to play Monopoly?"
Huo Xiaozheng grabbed Huo Guining's hand and raised it: "We do."
Huo Guining turned to look at her dad: ?
Huo Jing was also stunned by her brother's sudden cuteness, momentarily frozen in place.
Zuo Qinfang raised her hand with a smile: "Count me in. I played once with Yueze at home, but it wasn't as fun with fewer people."
The adults exchanged glances and all raised their hands.
Huo Xiaozheng and Huo Guining formed one team, and with the others, it made exactly six players.
Old Master Huo asked the butler to bring reading glasses for him and Zheng Jinxiu. The six of them sat around the round table in the living room and began playing the game intently.
Originally, Huo Guining had been gloomy, her mind constantly dwelling on the transmigration. She played the game absent-mindedly.
Seeing her land and money dwindling, Huo Guining began to panic.
"Ah, big brother, you can't buy my land!"
Huo Yueze mischievously waved his coins at her: "Big brother has money~"
Huo Guining was furious and could only pray inwardly for Huo Yueze to roll a small number, an even smaller number.
Huo Yueze saw through her thoughts and deliberately delayed rolling the dice.
Huo Guining leaned back against Huo Xiaozheng, sitting in his lap.
At this moment, her body was tense, leaning slightly forward, her eyes fixed intently on the dice in Huo Yueze's hand.
Huo Yueze raised an eyebrow with a smile and casually tossed the dice.
"One! Big brother goes to jail!"
Huo Guining let out a joyful shout!
Huo Yueze looked devastated.
Except for him and Ning-ning, all the adults present were shrewd.
Not to mention Ning-ning's behind-the-scenes operator — her uncle.
It was Huo Guining's turn to roll the dice.
Huo Guining studied the map carefully.
If she rolled a 3 or 6, she could take over Huo Yueze's two most prosperous lands.
Remembering Ning-ning's slightly unlucky streak, Huo Yueze relaxed and sank back into his chair.
He taunted, "Go ahead, roll! Feel free to roll!"
Huo Guining immediately understood his arrogance. She turned and placed the dice in Huo Xiaozheng's hand: "Dad, you do it!"
Huo Yueze jumped up like a startled cat: "You can't let Uncle roll!"
Huo Guining raised her chin: "We agreed before the game started that Dad and I are a team. Why can't Dad roll?"
The adults burst into laughter.
Why? Ning-ning didn't know, but the adults present knew very well.
Years ago, for the sake of a business deal, Huo Xiaozheng had a high-stakes game in a casino with his opponent, where one game determined life or death.
The story from that year is still circulating in the casino to this day.
How could a mere dice roll be difficult for him?
Huo Xiaozheng raised his hand, his wrist turning, shaking the dice. The sound of the rolling dice echoed.
He suddenly covered the dice on the table with his hand.
Huo Yueze and Huo Guining held their breath and looked on.
Huo Xiaozheng lifted his hand with a poker face.
"Six-six-six!" Huo Guining shouted gleefully.
She immediately moved her piece six steps, paid the coins, and bought Huo Yueze's money-making 'land'.
In the following rounds, anyone who passed through this area had to pay her a substantial toll.
Seeing her happy, Huo Xiaozheng felt relieved.
In the next few rounds, Huo Xiaozheng, Huo Yanqin, and Huo Jing no longer participated.
The three gathered in the study, with Old Master Huo sitting in the main seat.