Genius Worthy of the Name

Shen Can's inner thoughts left both the Shen family and Lu Shao in stunned silence. They had imagined that Huo Xi's father might have an illegitimate child, but never expected the one with an illegitimate child to be Huo Xi's grandfather.

After all, they had barely met Huo Xi's father. They thought it would not have been strange for him to have fathered an illegitimate child while constantly fooling around outside.

But on second thought, even if Huo Xi's father had an illegitimate child, that child would not have had much competitive power. Huo Xi's father had less say in the Huo Household than Huo Xi did.

What influence could possibly have taken the position of family head away from Huo Xi? Huo Xi's father had actually been quite famous among Shen Father's generation.

Because Huo Xi's father had been the first rich young master who did not love wealth and luxury, but flowers and plants. Letting him paint flora made him happier than letting him manage company projects.

Later, the Huo Household forced him to marry Huo Xi's mother. Everyone thought marriage would make him change, but once the child was born, he ran off to travel through other continents while sketching from life.

Shen Hong could not help thinking of Huo Zhang. Could it be that Huo Zhang's unconventional nature, and even his love of painting, had actually been deliberately cultivated by Patriarch Huo?

He could not help indulging in conspiracy theories. If the family had not nurtured his interest in business and had deliberately made him interested in other things instead, it was not impossible.

Huo Zhang had clearly been an excellent student when they studied together. He had been among the best in their circle, yet later he insisted on pursuing art. Shen Hong felt that making art was far harder than making money. This was no longer an era when painters could easily become famous.

If there really was a child outside, and Patriarch Huo truly loved his first love, he might actually have done something like pave the way for his first love's child.

It was just that for over twenty years, that first love's child had never come looking for him. Meanwhile, Huo Xi's brilliance had shown itself when he was young, dazzling enough that it could not be concealed. So Patriarch Huo had simply let things be?

That woman is smart. How could she possibly have shown up while Huo Xi's grandmother's family was still alive?

Now, Huo Xi's grandmother's two older brothers have been dead for years. His grandmother herself has been dead for two years, and her youngest brother died at the beginning of this year. The White Household now only has its younger generation left.

Besides, the White Household has not been doing very well these past few years. All the elders who could have stood up for Huo Xi's grandmother are dead. To Patriarch Huo and that woman, the ones left are all juniors. Even if they tried to stand up for her, it would be useless.

Huo Xi's relationship with the White Household is only average, too. After all, it is merely his grandmother's natal family. He is definitely closer to the Han Household, his own mother's natal family. Actually, Huo Xi's father should have had more contact with the White Household, but unfortunately, his eyes only ever had room for painting.

The White Household actually needs help right now. It seems they have a very promising project but lack the funding? If I remember correctly, that should be the case.

I just don't know whether they will come to Huo Xi. The plot never mentioned it, but for some reason, I feel they would sooner go to Patriarch Huo than seek out Huo Xi.

After all, Patriarch Huo could be said to have watched them grow up, and they do not know that there is another woman in his heart. But because Huo Xi has the reputation of being a genius in other people's eyes, he probably seems harder to approach.

Lu Shao and Shen Father were both somewhat tempted. Lu Shao had plenty of money, so if the project truly was good, he could invest in it. Shen Father, on the other hand, felt sorry for Huo Xi. He actually felt a little pity for the boy.

Recently, aside from Shen Yu, Shen Father had communicated with Huo Xi more than anyone else. He truly felt Huo Xi was a good kid. The reason people did not dare communicate with Huo Xi much was that they felt he was too distant.

But Shen Father did not think so. Huo Xi was easy to talk to, intelligent, and conversing with him was effortless. Doing business with him was even easier. Shen Father just did not know whether Huo Xi would be hurt after learning about all this filthy mess.

Besides, he and Huo Zhang had attended school together. They had gotten along fairly well in middle school, but after Huo Zhang entered an arts program in high school, they spoke less and their relationship became ordinary.

But Huo Xi truly is worthy of the name genius. After his grandfather found a way to strip him of power and drive him out of the Huo Household, he did not collapse from the blow. Instead, he threw himself into revenge with even greater determination.

He went alone to a country beyond the Huo Household's influence and worked hard to build himself up. Once he had developed enough power, he began fighting the Huo Household.

That was basically the most exciting part of the plot—the battles of wits and schemes between the protagonists' group and the great villain, Huo Xi. You set a trap, then I set a trap. It was so exciting that I could not sleep.

In the end, even the plot could not handle him. It could only make him get caught up in a major shooting involving foreign terrorists and die from a gunshot wound. The disgusting part was that the business Huo Xi built after leaving the Huo Household was still taken over by those Huo family members related to him by blood.

That further strengthened the Huo Household's power, and those people even sanctimoniously claimed that Huo Xi had chosen the wrong path himself and therefore deserved that ending. Sigh, forget it. It has nothing to do with me anyway.

Shen Can stopped thinking about the Huo Household. Although Huo Xi was pitiful, the Shen family was pitiful too. Compared to the Huo Household's affairs, he cared more about the Shen family's own problems.

Huo Xi found a suitable moment to take his leave. Shen Can probably would not think about him again today. Huo Xi also had things to do.

Shen Yu watched Huo Xi's departing back and sighed. He actually admired this classmate who was four years younger than him.

The Huo Household was a century-old elite family. It had advantages, but also disadvantages. Its advantage was its deep foundation; its disadvantage was its large and complicated number of members. Not only could the older generation be very old-fashioned, but they were also not very accepting of new things. There were not many capable people among the younger generation either.

Yet under such circumstances, Huo Xi had risen to power. He could keep the Huo Household in line, had single-handedly developed its internet business, and had secured much of its overseas business through his own planning.

He ensured that the Huo Household would remain a giant among elite families for decades to come, rather than gradually decline like some families that failed to seize new opportunities for development.

Yet all of that had actually been preparing a bridal gown for someone else. Could Huo Xi's grandfather truly be so cruel? He had even driven Huo Xi out of the Huo Household. Though even if he had not, Huo Xi probably would not have wanted to stay there.

Assistant He, who had been waiting in the car for Huo Xi to come out, had not expected to see him emerge in a fury. Others might not have noticed, but he and Secretary Wu definitely could.

They had followed Huo Xi for a long time and could accurately sense changes in his emotions. But this was the first time they had felt Huo Xi this angry. What exactly had happened at the Shen Household?

"Have Zhao Liang arrange for someone to keep a close watch on the overseas sanatorium. Send over all information on what Old Master Huo does there normally and whether he meets anyone. Also, immediately ask Butler Zheng whether anyone from the White Household has contacted Old Master Huo recently."

The moment Huo Xi gave the order, Assistant He immediately began making arrangements. Not long afterward, Assistant He received a call from Butler Zheng, who said there had been one contact.

"Send someone to tell the White Household that I will visit their home tomorrow." After speaking, Huo Xi thought of what might happen next and added, "If Butler Zheng sends over any news afterward, remember to confirm with Zhao Liang's side whether it is true."

Assistant He was somewhat surprised, but still acknowledged the order. Ever since Huo Xi had risen to power, had Butler Zheng not always been on their side?

After all, the boss Butler Zheng would serve in the future was President Huo. But Assistant He did not dwell on it. He only needed to follow Huo Xi's arrangements.