Chapter 936: Chapter 916: Do I Still Need to Show My ID?
The reporters emerging from the courtroom saw the man approaching and hurried toward him.
"Young Master Huo is here."
"Young Master Huo? Old Master Huo has retired and is enjoying his golden years. Now that Young Master Huo has taken over the company, he’s not just the CEO but also the chairman of the board. We should address him as Chairman Huo," one reporter fawningly remarked.
"I thought Huo wouldn’t show up for today’s trial. Now that he’s here, why don’t you share your thoughts on Su Yan killing Miss Lo?"
Huo Zhenyang’s gaze cooled. "I didn’t come here today for that case. If you have questions about the case or the suspects, please consult the police."
The reporters were puzzled. He wasn’t here for the case?
Then what was it for...
Following his line of sight, they suddenly came to a realization.
Young Master Huo had come to pick up Miss Chu.
George, spotting the boss’s arrival, let out a relieved breath. Smugly, he glanced over at Fang Yao, unable to hide the triumphant smirk on his lips. "Miss Fang, our boss came to pick up Miss Jiayi personally, so you needn’t trouble yourself anymore."
Fang Yao’s expression darkened faintly. This Huo guy, so controlling—was it necessary?!
Huo Zhenyang had already stepped through the path cleared by the reporters, his gaze fixed on Jiayi. He signaled her to get in the car, casting Fang Yao a fleeting glance as he passed her, accompanied by a faint scoff filled with triumphant provocation.
Jiayi could only wave at Fang Yao. "I’ll be off, then. Thank you for coming with me today."
Fang Yao leaned in and gave Jiayi a quick hug. "It’s all over now. Don’t overthink it."
"Jiayi." Huo Zhenyang’s voice suddenly rose in volume. His thick eyebrows knitted together, and his tone dropped several notches, laced with chill.
Others might think he was impatient from waiting too long, but only Jiayi understood—this man was once again steeped in jealousy.
In his mind, Fang Yao’s essence was probably no different from that of a man.
She pursed her lips, waved a goodbye at Fang Yao, and walked over.
Seeing the two about to get in the car, the reporters exchanged glances. How could they possibly miss such a golden opportunity? They swarmed toward the door of the Bentley.
"It’s rumored that Young Master Huo and Miss Chu are living together again. Is that true?"
"Does this mean you’re considering reconciling?"
"Miss Chu, after divorcing Young Master Huo just a few months ago, you’ve moved back in with him. Does this indicate that you wish to mend your relationship?"
"But even now, you and Young Master Huo haven’t officially remarried. Is it because the Huo Family disapproves? Could this ’reconciliation’ be one-sided on Miss Chu’s part?"
"Indeed! Miss Chu, you’ve been living in Disheng Manor for so long, yet Young Master Huo hasn’t proposed. What does this mean?"
"What does Mr. Chu think about Miss Chu living at Disheng Manor without any official status?"
"Miss Chu’s father is an S Country diplomat and holds a certain stature there. S Country isn’t as liberal as China. It’s said that prominent families back home emphasize etiquette and upbringing for their daughters. Isn’t Miss Chu concerned this might embarrass Mr. Chu?"
...
Though mindful of Huo Zhenyang’s standing, the reporters chose their words carefully but still struck sharp chords.
Jiayi, as the Huo Family’s former daughter-in-law, had long become the focus of Yunling media due to her return to the Huo Family.
However, Disheng Manor was typically heavily guarded, making it impossible for reporters to gain access for interviews.
Now that they had finally encountered Young Master Huo and Miss Chu together in a public setting, the reporters were like sharks that had smelled blood, unwilling to let the opportunity slip by.
George stepped in to shield the reporters away. "Our boss just said that he’s only here to pick up Miss Chu today. No interviews. Please disperse."
"Come on, Young Master Huo, just give us a statement!"
"That’s right, Miss Chu, just a few words, please..."
...
Under the reporters’ relentless barrage of questions, Jiayi’s mind suddenly felt inexplicably chaotic.
Huo Zhenyang placed his hand above the car’s passenger door to shield it, watched Jiayi get in, and then circled around to the driver’s seat before getting in himself.
Starting the engine, the car shot forward like an arrow, speeding down the busy road.
He opened the sunroof. Fresh air, along with a gentle breeze, rushed inside, dispelling the irritation left by the reporters’ probing questions. Lifting his gaze, he noticed her zoning out.
For him, scenes like being swarmed by reporters were something he’d long grown accustomed to ever since stepping into the business world. He had faced even more aggressive interviews and always handled them with ease. Yet he had overlooked the fact that this little woman wasn’t used to it and hadn’t fully adapted.
With a sharp "screech," he slammed on the brakes, stopping the car unabashedly in the middle of the road.
"What... why are you stopping?" Jiayi snapped out of her daze and glanced out the window.
This was a bustling main road in the city. Stopping like this had caused a long line of cars to pull up behind them.
The honking of horns erupted one after another.
Some annoyed drivers even yelled forward, "What the hell is going on up there?!"
He paid no attention to the line of cars piling up behind them. Instead, his gaze locked intently on her. "Don’t take what the paparazzi say to heart."
The weight of his single, casually spoken sentence left her feeling a faint sense of disappointment.
That disappointment had actually taken root earlier, during the reporters’ questioning.
When they asked why he hadn’t proposed to her yet, he had shown no reaction at all.
Had he forgotten?
Or perhaps... she had been so adamant about not remarrying for fear of causing a rift between him and Huo Tianpei that he truly thought she didn’t care anymore...?
Her delicate cheeks were tinged with melancholy as she suppressed her inner turmoil, pretending as though nothing had happened. "The reporters weren’t wrong. I moved into Disheng Manor and stayed there for so long—it does seem selfish, completely disregarding my mom and dad’s feelings, or whether they might be ridiculed behind their backs."
Chu Yanhan and Xia Tingxuan didn’t want to interfere in her love life. They wished to make up for the grievances she had suffered in the past, so they indulged her in every way possible.
As a diplomat, her father cared deeply about reputation. Although her mom hadn’t said a thing, Jiayi knew full well that her moving into Disheng Manor had subjected her father to whispered criticisms from colleagues at the embassy and even questioning remarks from reporters.
They hadn’t told her anything, only because they didn’t want her to feel torn.
But hearing the reporters’ direct comments today had dredged up all the guilt she’d been burying deep inside.
Outside the car, a policeman in a peaked cap approached and lightly tapped on the window. "Sir, this is peak traffic time. The road is extremely busy. Parking like this is causing a traffic jam. May I see your credentials—"
Before the officer could finish, the man in the driver’s seat turned his head with visible impatience and rolled down half the window. His sharply defined, high-bridged nose was framed against a face that could very well have been carved by a blade, and his jet-black eyes bore a cold, brooding intensity like a blade ready to strike.
The officer suddenly shivered involuntarily. Something about the man seemed eerily familiar. Recognition dawned—a split second of shock. Wasn’t this the former city mayor and the current chairman of the Huo Group?
"Ah, it’s... Chairman Huo." The officer swallowed nervously. Earlier, the sight of the limited-edition Bentley already suggested the driver must be somebody extraordinary, but to think it would actually be Huo Zhenyang.
"Do I still need to show you my credentials?"
"N-No, that won’t be necessary." The officer quickly said, clearly uneasy. "But, considering the urgency for drivers behind you, Chairman Huo, could you perhaps..."
