Chapter 68 The Spirit of the Old Craftsman

Lu Yiting returned to his room and started watching the livestream, thoroughly satisfied.

No wonder she's his daughter—her looks take after him, and so does her acting.

Gu Pianran was also watching the livestream, laughing uncontrollably. She couldn’t help but call him, “Yiting, Little Lu’s acting is just brilliant.”

Lu Yiting snorted coldly, “She’s my girl. She was born to act!”

Gu Pianran teased, “Oh, stop pretending with me. I bet you're secretly delighted.”

Lu Yiting retorted, “Get lost! If you keep talking like this, I’m hanging up!”

“Don’t hang up, I have something serious,” Gu Pianran’s tone grew solemn. “I checked—the Huo family doesn’t have anyone named Huo Yansui.”

“That’s impossible. Tang Xing and Xu Yi both showed up, check again,” Lu Yiting paused. “Xu Yi might not count; Little Lu doesn’t know him. But Tang Xing definitely came.”

Gu Pianran said, “Yiting, this Huo Yansui is definitely not a collateral branch of the Huo family. Huo Yanfang lives a secluded life, spends most of his time in the hospital. Besides Tang Xing and Xu Yi, there’s another handsome man who often accompanies him. I found out that when this man isn’t at the hospital, he stays at the Huo family estate. There are rumors that he’s Huo Yanfang’s kept man.”

Lu Yiting stared at the image of Huo Yanfang on his iPad. “Kept man?”

Gu Pianran replied, “Huo Yansui isn’t Huo Yanfang’s kept man. He’s Huo Yanfang’s own brother.”

Lu Yiting was stunned. “How is that possible? I’ve never heard that Huo Yanfang had any siblings. Are you sure?”

“I’m guessing,” Gu Pianran said with some conviction. “If he’s an illegitimate child, it makes perfect sense. Otherwise, it’s hard to explain why Tang Xing and Xu Yi would chase all the way to Osaka just to take care of Huo Yansui.”

Lu Yiting narrowed his eyes. “That’s the only possibility. Xu Yi and Tang Xing have Huo Yanfang’s absolute trust—they wouldn’t rush to look after some collateral branch of the Huo family.”

“Huo Yansui likes Little Lu. If our Little Lu likes Huo Yansui, I think it’s fine. Once Huo Yanfang passes, the Huo family will belong to Huo Yansui—”

“Nonsense!” Lu Yiting exploded, “My daughter doesn’t lack money! And I won’t sell her! The Huo family is a pit of vipers. You know better than me what turned Huo Yanfang into this half-man, half-ghost. Huo Yansui may be decent, but his surname is Huo. I won’t hand my daughter over to him!”

Gu Pianran was silent for several seconds. “Sorry, Yiting. My old habits got the better of me. I forgot she’s your daughter, our Little Lu.”

Lu Yiting calmed himself and lowered his voice. “If he really were just a powerless collateral member, I might actually give him a chance to pursue my daughter. But since he’s Huo Yanfang’s brother, he can forget about marrying her for the rest of his life.”

Gu Pianran said, “Little Lu is a smart girl. I’ll talk to her about the Huo family and how Huo Yanfang became disabled. She’ll understand.”

Lu Yiting replied, “Forget waiting. I’m telling her right now!”

He hung up and immediately called his daughter.

On the iPad, Bai Lu, who had been swimming in the hot spring, picked up the waterproof pouch hanging around her neck and glanced at the incoming call, her expression calm and unruffled.

Good, she doesn’t wear her emotions on her face—she’s a promising talent.

Lu Yiting was very pleased.

Bai Lu climbed ashore and entered the restroom before answering the call. “Daddy, what’s up?”

“When the filming is over, come see me.”

Bai Lu nodded enthusiastically. “Okay, Daddy, wait for me!” Then she remembered their earlier acting duel and couldn’t help but laugh. “Daddy, just now we—”

“Shen Xinluo went to find you all,” Lu Yiting said, watching the iPad. “She really can’t stand being alone.”

Bai Lu replied, “Daddy, I won’t keep talking then!”

Lu Yiting said leisurely, “Go on.”

After hanging up, Bai Lu hurried out of the restroom and returned to the outdoor hot spring courtyard.

Shen Xinluo was carrying a plastic bag filled with various canned drinks. “I’m sorry. As the housekeeper, I should take care of everyone, but I’ve become a burden. Today, I want to formally apologize to everyone. I’m sorry!”

She bowed at a perfect ninety degrees.

Qiao Qianyi whispered, “She’s got that old craftsman spirit.”

Bai Lu couldn’t help herself, “Pffft, hahahaha—”

Shen Xinluo said, “I promise I won’t drag everyone down anymore. I’m really sorry.”

A girl had apologized so sincerely, so Zu Xinen and the other boys just said a few polite words, saying it was fine. Otherwise, they’d look petty and like they were picking on Shen Xinluo, and they’d get tagged as bullies forming cliques.

Shen Xinluo distributed the drinks. “I didn’t know what everyone liked, so I brought one of each.”

Zu Xinen said, “Even if they’re free, bringing so many is wasteful if we don’t finish them.”

Shen Xinluo replied, “It’s alright. I asked the production team and the hotel. Everyone can keep what they want to drink, and I’ll return the unopened ones to the hotel now.”

She handed drinks to the six guests, then turned and left immediately without lingering or trying to join the hot springs.

Bai Lu soaked in the hot spring, her heart cold with laughter.

With Shen Xinluo’s impulsive temperament, she definitely wouldn’t behave so obediently. Clearly, Wu Liping was giving her advice behind the scenes.

With this, Zu Xinen and the others probably wouldn’t keep their cold faces. And online, public opinion would swing back in Shen Xinluo’s favor. Wu Liping would spare no expense to help her biological daughter, no matter how much it cost.

Who knows how many paid commenters she’d need to hire now.

As Bai Lu was thinking, Qiao Qianyi scooted over and poked the little tufts of hair on Bai Lu’s head.

Bai Lu slapped Qiao Qianyi’s hand away with irritation. “Don’t touch me.”

Qiao Qianyi protested, “Your little tufts look so pokeable.”

Lin Ye asked, “Qiao, are they really that fun to poke?”

Qiao Qianyi nodded.

Lin Ye climbed out of the hot spring, “Lu, I want to poke your tufts too!”

Bai Lu quickly covered the tufts on both sides of her head. “Don’t come any closer, don’t come any closer!”

Splash~

Lin Ye jumped into the girls’ hot spring. “Lu, don’t be stingy, let me poke them!”

Qiao Qianyi joined in, “Yeah, we poke them because we like you!”

Bai Lu was beset from both sides, nowhere to hide.

They cornered her.

Bai Lu hugged her head and shouted, “A Sui, help me!”

Huo Yansui stood at the edge of the girls’ hot spring, looking down at them. “Enough, stop messing around.”

Lin Ye and Qiao Qianyi were both rather afraid of him and immediately stopped.

It wasn’t just that they owed him favors, but his presence was simply overwhelming.

He didn’t need to act tough or put on airs—the authority in him was innate. Years spent in power had cultivated his aura, so even when he was easygoing, people naturally respected and feared him.

Bai Lu paddled to the edge, reaching out, “A Sui, pull me up.”

As Huo Yanfang stretched out his hand, Bai Lu seized the opportunity and yanked him into the hot spring.

“Minions, attack!” Bai Lu waved her arm.

Lin Ye and Qiao Qianyi, her loyal sidekicks, immediately grinned wickedly and surrounded Huo Yanfang.