Volume One, Chapter 64: Huo Cong Says He Threw Away His Hat

Huo Cong pressed his lips into a thin line, clenching his teeth tightly. Huo Mingting knew this was his son's way of showing extreme anger, because he did the same—like father, like son. In this respect, Cong’er was so much like him.

Following his gaze, Huo Mingting spotted the blue woolen hat in the trash can.

He immediately recognized it—it was the one Ye Sheng had knitted for Huo Cong.

Huo Mingting's expression darkened abruptly, his face turning cold. "Who threw Cong’er’s hat into the trash?"

The young master’s sudden outburst left everyone silent and trembling.

Several glances darted discreetly toward Huo Shuting. She arched her brows. "I did. What of it?"

Huo Mingting, cradling Huo Cong, strode forward and bent down to retrieve the hat from the trash. Qin Minshu let out an exaggerated cry, "Mingting, it's filthy!"

Woolen hats pick up dirt easily, and this one was already stained with tea leaves and ash. It truly was dirty.

Both Huo Cong and Huo Mingting were fastidious about cleanliness. Seeing the soiled hat, their brows furrowed in unison.

“Dad…” Huo Cong finally spoke, his hoarse voice sounding like a wounded kitten, making everyone present ache with sympathy.

The child’s eyes were red with held-back tears. Huo Mingting handed the hat to a servant to be washed and soothed his son with gentle words, “It’s alright. It can be cleaned.”

Qin Minshu watched as Huo Mingting, unconcerned, wiped the ash from his long, elegant fingers. Her eyes widened as she glanced at the father and son.

Their reaction to the hat was far too intense… Was it because Ye Sheng had knitted it?

Huo Shuting muttered under her breath with a frosty face, “It’s just a hat. Is it really such a big deal?”

“Be quiet!”

Huo Mingting snapped, his eyes icy as he glared at his sister. “Who gave you the right to throw Cong’er’s hat in the trash? What gave you the authority? Where are your manners? Have you fed them to the dogs?”

“Brother!” Huo Shuting’s face flushed crimson. “How can you say that to me?”

“I suppose I’ve been too lenient with you all this time, to the point you’ve forgotten the most basic rules of courtesy.”

Huo Mingting’s face was cold as ice, his entire presence oppressive. He rarely lost his temper like this. Everyone present turned pale, afraid to even breathe.

Harshly scolded, Huo Shuting burst into tears, overcome with anger.

Madam Huo and Qin Minshu hurried to comfort her, each on one side. Huo Mingting didn’t so much as glance back, took the hat from the servant, lifted Cong’er into his arms, and strode out.

“Mingting, where are you going?” Qin Minshu called after him, taking a few hurried steps. “Aren’t you going to stay for dinner?”

He didn’t turn around, nor did he answer.

Qin Minshu was left feeling awkward and uneasy. She could sense that Huo Mingting was blaming her for what had happened tonight, but she didn’t think Huo Shuting had done anything wrong—it was just an insignificant hat…

Yet, precisely because of this, the father and son’s attitude felt all the more unsettling.

A sense of crisis she’d never felt before rose in her heart.

Qin Minshu’s expression grew grave.

—

The hat was still ruined.

The ash stains wouldn’t wash out; the more they tried, the worse it became. There was no way Huo Mingting would let Huo Cong wear the hat again.

He tried to comfort his son, promising to buy him another exactly like it.

But there would never be another exactly like it.

Huo Cong lay slumped over his desk, his face gloomy and spiritless.

“Huo Cong, you’re not wearing your hat today,” the girl in the seat in front remarked as soon as she arrived, picking at the very subject he wanted to avoid. “I even brought my phone to school just to take a picture of your hat. My aunt can knit too, and I wanted her to make me a pink one just like the one your mom made for you!”

Huo Cong sniffled, feeling worse than ever. He muttered, “It got dirty.”

“Huh? How did it get dirty?” The girl's voice was loud, drawing the attention of nearby classmates, who all crowded around asking why Huo Cong wasn’t wearing his hat today.

Huo Cong and Huo Xiaobei, who shared a desk, wore their little blue hats every day, becoming a bright spot in the classroom. So the news that “Huo Cong isn’t wearing his hat today” quickly became a sensation.

Everyone peppered him with questions until Huo Cong, thoroughly annoyed, snapped, “I didn’t like that hat. I threw it away, alright?”

His sudden flare-up startled the other students, who hurried back to their seats.

And so, Xiaobei’s face came fully into view.

Today, Xiaobei was wearing a new hat—Ye Sheng had knitted him a new little blue hat, almost identical to Huo Cong’s, except for a slight difference in the brim’s pattern.

Originally, Xiaobei had planned to show off to Huo Cong, but as soon as he entered the classroom, he overheard Huo Cong claiming he had thrown away the hat that Shengsheng had made.

Didn’t like it, so threw it away?

Xiaobei stood there, quietly watching Huo Cong, his usual cheerful smile gone.

Huo Cong looked at Xiaobei, and his body went rigid all at once.

It was over…