Several of the Huo family elders came out as well. After all, a child from another wealthy family had gone missing on Huo territory. How could they possibly stay out of something this serious?
Before they began discussing how to handle the matter, Shen Can walked up to Huo Huan and solemnly said, "Thank you for saving Zhuozhuo."
Huo Huan looked up at Shen Can. "No need to thank me. If he hadn't followed me out because he was afraid I'd be bullied, none of this would have happened."
Shen Can could not help reaching out to rub Huo Huan's head. He actually looks pretty cute like this. I really don't dare imagine what would have happened to Shen Zhuo without him.
Huo Huan was indeed exceptionally good-looking. His mother was beautiful, and his father had been handsome when he was young too. It was just that drinking and gambling had completely changed him later on.
The moment Huo Huan heard a voice, he could not help blinking. He had not seen wrong—his lips had not moved. Yet he could hear his own voice by his ear, something that had never happened before.
It had appeared after he saved Shen Zhuo and told him that he had to stand by his side like he had today from now on. It was strange, but Huo Huan had no time to think further, because it was time to discuss what had happened.
A doctor from the old residence arrived, and Huo Xi, Shen Can, and Xu Qingqing went to the room that had just been prepared to wait for Shen Zhuo's examination results.
Everyone else returned to the banquet hall. The Huo family members all stared at Huo Huan. Finally, an elder stepped forward and asked him, "What happened? Tell us everything, word for word. Do not hide anything."
Huo Huan did not conceal anything. Starting from when those people first came looking for him, he explained it all clearly, word for word. Of course, he did not mention his conversation with Shen Zhuozhuo before the slope. After listening, the elder said, "Point them out one by one."
Huo Huan raised his hand and pointed each of them out. The father of the boy who had taken the lead immediately spoke up. "It was just children fooling around. The dog showing up was an accident. You can't pin that on my son too, can you?"
Before the Huo family elder could speak, someone suddenly rushed in and pointed at Huo Huan as he cursed, "You little bastard, how dare you stab my dog? You stabbed him so badly and injured him like that!"
"Is your dog's life more important than a child from the Shen Household? Is this the Huo family's attitude?" Shen Hong showed no mercy either.
Shen Yu said angrily, "I never knew my son was less valuable than your dog. Is the Huo family trying to become enemies with the Shen Household with this attitude?"
A Huo family elder glared at the person who had rushed in and cursed Huo Huan. "What nonsense are you talking about? Your dog was about to bite someone. Was he wrong to stop it? Should he have let your dog bite and injure someone instead?"
"Uncle, your dog has bitten people more than once, hasn't it? It was only because they were family that no one wanted to make an issue of it before. I don't think it's suitable for the dog to remain at the old residence after this. It would be more appropriate for you to buy a place outside and keep it there."
"I don't think that child did anything wrong. Your dog ran out and bit someone, yet it cannot be injured? Must children from other families be hurt instead? There is no such logic." Huo Zhang's tone was resolute.
The Shen Household was Huo Xi's ally. Naturally, Huo Zhang could not stand by and watch them suffer such humiliation in the Huo family. What would that make them? What would that make his son?
That man shot Huo Zhang a glare and argued, "Couldn't they have called for help? If they had called for adults, my dog wouldn't have gotten hurt."
After saying that, he looked down on Huo Zhang and said, "Where I keep my dog is none of your business, is it? Huo Zhang, you have no right to interfere."
"Call for help? They were so far away from us. Would we have made it there in time? How exactly does the Huo family intend to handle this matter? It is not only the Shen Household waiting for an answer. The Su Household is waiting for one too."
Su Nanxing stated the Su Household's position himself. He bore some responsibility for this matter as well. If he said nothing, he would feel unbearably guilty.
Some people knew that Shen Zhuo had previously been sitting with Su Nanxing and the Shen family's youngest son. They knew Su Nanxing must have felt guilty, so it was only natural for him to say that.
The Huo family members were all growing tense over how this would be resolved. Two families had made such statements at once. It was unlikely to end simply. The dog was clearly at fault, yet someone insisted the dog had done nothing wrong. Wasn't that simply offending people?
The only ones pleased at the scene were Father Zhou, Zhou Jingxuan, Shi Ruyan, Shen Keke, and Huo Pei. They were all close to Huo Xi. It would be hilarious if things fell apart.
Besides, they felt certain Su Nanxing would not be the only one to speak up. Lu Shao would probably not be able to hold back either. After all, Shen Zhuo was Shen Ze's nephew, which made him Lu Shao's nephew as well.
Sure enough, Lu Shao spoke too. "Shen Zhuo is my nephew. As his uncle, I will certainly seek justice for him. My position is the Lu Household's position."
Unlike Shi Ruyan and the others, who were entirely pleased, Huo Zhenyun was still somewhat worried. If they became enemies with all these families, the Huo family company would lose many projects.
As a member of the Huo family, he still did not want to see that happen. He did not like the feeling of having less money in his hands.
Of course, he had no intention of speaking up first. Once they could not resolve it themselves, they would naturally think of him. After all, he was Shen Hong's elder. Shen Hong had to give him some face.
And the person who kept the dog was of his generation. He knew Huo Zhenyun's methods, so he would listen if Huo Zhenyun spoke.
Those Huo family members had not spoken up for him when he acknowledged his daughter last time, yet he was still thinking about them now. Forget it. Who told him he was an elder, the previous family head?
The man who had initially defended his son relaxed when he saw everyone's attention focused on the dog. Later, he could keep arguing that his son had merely taken the others out to play.
As for making him jump down the slope, hadn't he not actually jumped? Besides, his son had never personally admitted that he intended to keep making that child jump.
The atmosphere turned cold after Lu Shao made his statement. The Huo family members wanted to ease the tension, but they had been in the wrong to begin with, and people on their side kept arguing. The rest of the Huo family was too embarrassed to speak.
It was not until Huo Xi and Shen Can returned, with Xu Qingqing following behind them while carrying Shen Zhuo. Shen Zhuo had insisted on coming over. He was afraid Huo Huan would be scolded.
"The door to the dog enclosure was pried open. I have already arranged for someone to inspect it. The surveillance cameras near that area show that those children went together to do it." Huo Xi spoke as he looked toward the other children standing nearby.
"I knew it. My dog had been locked up properly, so how could he have run out—" Before he could finish, Huo Xi interrupted him. "Great-uncle, there is no need to get excited. I know everything you said earlier."
"There is no logic in saying that when a dog is about to hurt someone, people cannot stop it through their actions. My father was right, but merely keeping the dog elsewhere is not enough. Great-uncle, you had better give it away. After all, this is not the first time it has bitten someone."
How could that work? He had raised the dog for many years and had grown attached to it. He immediately said no.
Huo Xi looked at him sharply. "Great-uncle, this is a notice. You have relied on your seniority every time before, and the family members who were bitten did not dare say anything because of your status, so you got away with it. Do you still think you can get away with it this time?"
"Don't dream too much. Either you give the dog away, or you give up your status as a member of the Huo family. Anyone who damages the Huo family's reputation and interests being expelled from the Huo family is only natural."
"Great-uncle, think about what you said earlier. Over a dog that was about to bite someone, you argued with not just one family that has deep and friendly cooperation with us. Isn't that harming the Huo family's interests and the interests of everyone else in the Huo family?"
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