Chapter 440: Volume 1, Chapter 440 – Obsessive Professor Side Story (Complete)

During this year's Spring Festival I was constantly running around to finish the adoption procedures, until the winter chill faded when a steady drizzle suddenly arrived, the humidity heavy, and the old residential complex's corridors sprouted deep green moss.

The two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment wasn't large; living alone was fine, but with a child it felt a bit cramped.

Moreover, he had reached school age, so Jiang Zhi thought about renting a larger place, preferably near a school.

She came out of the residential area holding an umbrella, her pants and shoulders soaked through, and the child following her was just as drenched, like a drowned chicken.

"I told you to wait for me at home; what if you got sick?" She grabbed his hand and pulled him under the umbrella.

The child shook his head and said, "I won't get sick."

…

The housing issue was settled; what mattered now was tonight's dinner.

Jiang Zhi's cooking wasn't great; she lived roughly, just getting by with a meal whenever she could. But now that she had a child, she needed to properly prepare three meals a day.

But she didn't expect the child, so young, to be quite skilled at cooking.

She handled prep like picking and washing vegetables, while the child stood on a small stool to stir-fry. In less than an hour, three dishes and a soup were served.

"So fragrant~"

Jiang Zhi could hardly wait to serve the rice and start eating.

The child sat in the chair beside her, eating neatly like a little adult.

After finishing the meal, they needed to start packing; tomorrow they'd find a GogoVan to move to the new home.

The child wanted to help, but Jiang Zhi said, "Go take a bath first."

She didn't have much stuff, so by the time he finished bathing, she was almost done packing.

The child gave an "oh," grabbed his clothes, and went to the bathroom.

…

Eleven o'clock at night.

Outside, thunder boomed, suddenly waking Jiang Zhi; she opened her eyes, got up, and closed the windows, fearing rain would blow in.

After closing the windows she stepped out of the room, intending to check the adjacent bedroom.

She pushed the door open; a flash of lightning struck at just the right moment, lighting the whole bedroom, and she instantly saw the child lying on the bed, his face flushed, brows furrowed, the blanket that had been covering him slipped down to the floor.

She hurriedly turned on the light and approached; the child's forehead was covered in cold sweat, his lips pale, and he had lost consciousness.

"Xiao Yin! Huo Yin!"

Jiang Zhi scooped him up horizontally, then threw a jacket over him, hailed a taxi, and rushed to the nearby hospital.

After the doctor's examination, he had a high fever of 40 degrees and bruises of various sizes all over his body, all old injuries.

The doctor said some were from punches and kicks, others from being struck with stools and chairs, and so on…

Even the doctor's look seemed off.

Jiang Zhi sucked in a breath of cold air.

She gazed at the child lying on the hospital bed, her face shocked.

How could this be? After all those days together, she hadn't noticed he was injured.

Thinking more carefully, her brows suddenly knit.

Often the child seemed off, like when bathing or changing clothes—he would hide and avoid letting her see.

It turned out he was afraid she would discover his injuries.

…

Jiang Zhi didn't sleep all night, eyes open until dawn.

The child's fever gradually subsided, medicine was applied to his wounds, and his complexion improved considerably.

He didn't wake until past eight-ten; his pale face turned slightly, his gaze falling on her.

Jiang Zhi bought breakfast, still warm, placed it on the bedside table, and asked, "Are you hungry?"

The child moistened his dry, chapped lips and said nothing.

Jiang Zhi snorted, annoyed, and said, "Didn't you say you wouldn't get sick?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the child's cheeks flushed, his expression embarrassed and uneasy, wishing he could bury himself under the covers.

"Why didn't you tell me you were injured?" she asked.

The child paused, his fingers slowly tightening, and forced out a "Sorry."

Jiang Zhi rubbed her sore, tired eyes, waited a moment, then said, "Huo Yin, we're a family now. I want you to tell me about anything; otherwise I'll feel useless."

She couldn't even take care of a child.

The child's eyes reddened, and he spoke incoherently, "Sorry, I don't want to cause you trouble…"

Jiang Zhi smiled slightly, reached out to rub his ear, and said, "You're not a bother."

The child froze, feeling as if something warm had slipped into his heart.

— "From now on, you're not allowed to do that."

"Mm…"

— "So obedient."

Jiang Zhi said with a smile.

Indeed, that little brat needs coaxing to listen.

Time passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, over ten years passed; the child grew into a young man, his looks becoming increasingly handsome and bewitching. At 1.86 meters tall, he made her seem especially petite, and years of training had given him a tall, fit physique.

She had none of the usual worries about a child; Huo Yin was always well-behaved and sensible, both as a boy and now.

On Jiang Zhi's birthday, her company department held a banquet, the birthday cake prepared especially for her celebration.

After the dinner party, it was already 9:30 p. m.

A colleague drove her back, the car stopping at the residential complex's gate; the colleague still wanted to send her to her doorstep. Jiang Zhi wanted to politely decline, but before she could speak, a figure appeared before her, reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist, and told the colleague, "No need."

The colleague looked up and saw the youth's handsome, deep features—no top entertainment star could compare—his aloof demeanor was striking.

He instantly felt ashamed, gave an embarrassed smile, bade farewell, and left.

Huo Yin coldly glanced at the car's taillights disappearing into the night; the moment the woman in his arms looked up, his expression shifted, the streetlights softening his brows and eyes into a gentleness that merged with the darkness.

"Zhizhi, are you drunk?"

Jiang Zhi was a little drunk, but not enough to impair her walking; she pushed his arm away, glanced at his eyes, and said, "I've told you, don't call me Zhizhi!"

I don't know when it started, but he stopped calling her 'sister' and began calling her Zhizhi instead.

Huo Yin's attention fell on her steps; his hand hovered in midair, afraid she might stumble.

"Hmm."

Jiang Zhi smiled satisfiedly and staggered into the elevator.

Inside the elevator.

Hearing the person beside her ask, "Do you like that person?"

"What?" Jiang Zhi raised her head, puzzled: "Who?"

Huo Yin restrained the emotion in his eyes and calmly said, "The person who gave you a ride back."

Jiang Zhi exclaimed, "Xiao Zhang? I don't like him—he's not my type."

Huo Yin fell silent for a few seconds, then asked, "What's your type?"

Jiang Zhi thought seriously, then …

She still hadn't figured it out by the time she walked out of the elevator.

What kind of person does she like?

It seems even she doesn't know.

Over the years she's met all sorts of people, yet none have made her heart flutter.

The more Jiang Zhi thought about it, the more sorrowful she felt—could it be that she's destined to spend the rest of her life alone?

Suddenly her legs gave way, and she pitched forward.

The youth behind her swiftly extended his arms and caught her in his embrace.

Sunk into his scorching chest, Jiang Zhi heard nothing but his heartbeat in her ears.

"Thump—thump—thump—"

She slowly lifted her gaze to meet the youth's intent stare.

His dark, deep pupils seemed bottomless, faintly revealing a murky hue shifting within.

She froze for a few seconds, then, following an inner impulse, raised her slender, icy‑white fingertip and placed it on the slight redness at the corner of his eye.

"Huo Yin, do you like me?"

Jiang Zhi is very perceptive about feelings; that's also why she's been able to successfully cut off romantic entanglements these past years.

The youth holding her stiffened instantly, he lowered his gaze awkwardly, daring not to meet her eyes, and the arms embracing her slackened.

Huo Yin wanted to retort, but realized he had lost the ability to speak.

The feelings buried deep in his heart began to ferment and spread, growing wildly; he thought he could control them, but found he could not.

Jiang Zhi sighed and finally understood her own feelings.

"You just finished the college entrance exam, and I'm more than ten years older than you," she said solemnly.

Huo Yin instinctively shook his head: "I don't mind."

Jiang Zhi continued, "You should find someone close to your age."

Huo Yin's voice turned urgent: "I only like you."

It has nothing to do with age.

Jiang Zhi rubbed her dizzy head; she had a slight headache—she shouldn't have drunk so much.

"Zhizhi, I've prepared hangover soup; shall we go home first?" Huo Yin said softly.

"Hmm."

After drinking the hangover soup she felt a bit better, her intoxication gone; looking at the nervous youth beside her, Jiang Zhi said, "Then let's give it a try."

Who knows—maybe one day he'll stop liking her.

Huo Yin's pupils quivered; he froze, then was overcome with ecstatic joy.

Jiang Zhi glanced at him and found it novel.

Over all these years, she had never seen him wear such an expression.

…

Time gradually passed.

Huo Yin started his own business; in less than five years he secured a foothold in the business world, later gaining worldwide renown with assets exceeding a hundred billion.

Many wealthy families sought to ally with him through marriage, but he outwardly claimed to be married.

Yet the identity of Huo Yin's wife has always been under investigation, and it has never been uncovered.

Only a few side‑profile photos have leaked online.

The legendary figure frequently seen in financial magazines—Huo Yin, the helmsman of Huo Group—was often pictured embracing a mysterious woman's waist, pressing her against a car door and kissing her passionately.

That mysterious woman extended her slender, snow‑white arms around his neck, her black hair flowing like a waterfall over his shoulder.

This scene caused a sensation throughout the business community.

As the saying goes, even a hero cannot resist a beauty—take the abstemious, aloof President Huo, for example.

——

(The End)