Chapter 956: Chapter 936: A Man Will Go to Waste if He Holds It in for Too Long

The maid glanced at Huimei’s resolute and stern gaze, clenched the hem of her dress, and ultimately withdrew her steps to call the young master: "Alright."

..."

Meanwhile, downstairs.

"Zhenyang, a few shareholders and executives called me again today. They said you’ve completely neglected the company, that several important deals recently require your personal involvement. You’re not planning to return to China, not even answering calls."

From across the ocean, Huo Tianpei’s worried voice came through the phone.

"Mm." A single, plain and indifferent syllable served as the reply. He seemed unwilling to explain, his sole intent being to quickly go upstairs.

"I know you’re not in the mood to manage the company right now. That’s why I didn’t object when you left it behind to bring Jiayi to LA for recovery. But it’s been over two months already. If Jiayi doesn’t wake up, are you planning to just stay here with her in LA and continue abandoning the company?"

Huo Zhenyang’s sharp and steady voice was devoid of emotion, like a cold gust rising from the depths of the earth: "Dad, if time could turn back and you were given another chance, on the eve of Mother’s passing, would you have chosen to stay at home by her side, or continued traveling abroad for business, missing her final moments?"

Huo Tianpei froze.

Zhenyang threw the question back at him, leaving him at a loss for words.

The answer was self-evident.

If he could have another chance, let alone a single business deal—even if gold and silver filled the room—he would have stayed by his wife’s side, guarding her in her last moments.

Missing the chance to see his wife for one last time had been the regret of his lifetime.

He had already missed it; he would never have a redo in this life.

But his son still had a chance.

After a long silence, Huo Tianpei let out a sigh: "You’ve spent two months with Jiayi. Deep down, you might already know the answer to whether she will wake up or not; you just don’t want to admit it. Now, you keep leaving the company behind to stay with her in America, but if she were aware, would she truly be happy about it?"

His heart felt as though something had struck it hard; his gaze grew colder, filtering out the first half of his father’s words.

"I know I can’t persuade you. Since I entrusted the Huo Family entirely to you, I won’t interfere. Whether the family thrives or declines in your hands, I have no energy left to manage it. But you’re not only her man—you’re also the provider for countless employees across industries, both domestically and internationally. Many people depend on you to feed their families."

From the other side of the phone, Huo Tianpei coughed, his tone thick with overextended anxiety.

"It’s late in China. Dad, rest well." Calmly listening, Huo Zhenyang suddenly spoke, concluding the call.

Huo Tianpei saw that he wouldn’t be convinced and could only let out another sigh.

After hanging up the phone, Huo Zhenyang stood there silently for quite some time, saying nothing.

Eventually, he slightly parted his thin lips: "Butler Ou."

"Young Master." Butler Ou hurried over.

After a brief pause, he spoke: "Pack up. I’ll return to China tomorrow."

Two months of neglecting the company had led to an undercurrent of complaints.

Even if people dared not blame him, they might consider her the cause.

He didn’t want her to be thought of as the root of trouble—a femme fatale causing him to forsake his kingdom.

Butler Ou breathed a sigh of relief. The young master finally agreed to return to attend to business, and quickly left to prepare along with the maids.

Huo Zhenyang returned upstairs and pushed open the bedroom door.

The small figure on the bed remained peacefully asleep. Perhaps the room temperature was slightly high, causing her cheeks to flush with a pinkish hue.

He sat by the bed, lifted her gently like a baby, his movements extremely cautious, holding her firmly yet tenderly, greedily inhaling the sweet scent at her nape.

She still smelled like a little girl—fragrant, soft, almost boneless.

He wished more than anything that she would wake in the next moment, rubbing her eyes and sweetly asking: "Hmm, where am I?"

Her already delicate figure had become softer and slimmer through pregnancy. The unconscious brushing of her body against his lean frame intensified the dryness in his throat and brought a flush to his face.

A man who had restrained himself before the fragile figure on the bed all these months could not endure even the slightest temptation.

Yet she was completely unaware and utterly innocent in her mischief.

He brushed away the strands of hair resting against her pale cheeks and leaned close to her ear, his breath warm: "Did you know I’ve been enduring so much?"

Even if she were to wake up and tease him, he didn’t want to hide his thoughts—or his unwavering desire for her.

Maybe such moments of teasing could rouse her from embarrassment into consciousness?

He kissed the soft tip of her ear, continuing with seductive whispers: "Baby, do you know a man can break if he holds back for too long? Don’t you think you should be responsible for helping me?"

Her little ears revealed a faint blush.

He noticed it, and a glimmer of light sparked in his deep eyes, only to fade once again.

Perhaps it was the room temperature or the tightness of his embrace.

Reaching for the remote, he lowered the temperature slightly, ensuring a more comfortable ambiance in the room.

For the past two months, he had treated her as though she were a fragile doll, keeping her ever close but never daring to hold her too firmly, out of fear she might get hurt.

Lately, as her condition had stabilized, with breathing machines and tubes removed, he’d dared to get closer, but even then, his touch remained restrained—craving to hold her yet continuing to suppress the impulse.

Tomorrow, he would leave her behind, and the restraint he once imposed on himself could no longer hold.

Her condition did not allow her to travel back and forth between China and America.

He could only leave her here for recovery while he made the trip back to China alone.

Though he promised to return once business matters were resolved, handling them might take an indefinite amount of time; he wasn’t sure when he’d be able to return to America.

"Tomorrow, I’ll go back to China to handle business and come back to LA afterward. If you don’t wake up soon, it might be a very long time before you see me again." He lifted her chin, his tone laced with threat.

Her lashes lay still against her tranquil face.

"Baby, give me some reaction. Even moving a single finger would do. Then I wouldn’t leave." His warning intensified.

She, behaving like a mischievous child, remained unresponsive.

"I know you’ll wake up; it’s just a matter of time, isn’t it?" He spoke with conviction.

..."

Eventually, his gaze dimmed.

Night crept in, filling the room.

He finally abandoned hope that she might awaken before his departure to America. He lowered the bedroom lighting and leaned against the bed.

With her in his arms, he remained that way, all through the night.

..."

By dawn the next day.

Butler Ou and the maids prepared his luggage and had it arranged downstairs.

After a while, the sound of a door opening came from upstairs as the young master descended. Dressed in an impeccably tailored handmade suit, his pressed trousers hugged his elegantly long legs. His strides resounded cold and firm in polished British crocodile leather shoes. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Young Master, if there’s nothing else, I’ll ask the driver to take the car out from the garage, and we can head to the airport." Butler Ou spoke softly.