Free Web NovelChapter 436: Chapter 140: Coward!
"Uncle." Compared to the elusive Young Helmsman Huo Wen’an, Huo Wei preferred dealing with the Old Helmsman Huo Canghai. After all, Huo Canghai was his uncle, they were blood relatives, and Huo Canghai felt guilty towards his father and wouldn’t be too cruel to him.
But Huo Wen’an, that lunatic, was different.
Though they were distantly related, there was no affection, and he was the accomplice who led to Huo Wen’an being abused by Huo Qinyou. If Huo Wen’an didn’t rip him to shreds out of spite, it was only because he was currently riding high and didn’t want to touch blood.
After weighing the pros and cons, Huo Wei feigned ignorance despite knowing the truth and flashed a bright, ingratiating smile at Huo Canghai.
"Uncle, if you want to see Weiwei, just say the word, make a call, and Weiwei would come to see you immediately; why go to all this trouble?" Huo Wei forced a smile, pretending to be indifferent.
Huo Canghai saw through Huo Wei’s little trick at a glance. "If I call you, you’d turn around and run, right?"
Huo Wei was utterly embarrassed.
"Huo Wei, I never knew you’ve held a grudge against me all along."
"Uncle, you’re wrongfully accusing Weiwei!" Huo Wei put on a hurt expression and said, "How could I hate uncle? I lost my father when I was young, and you became half my father. Besides my mother, you are the best person to me in this world."
"Back then, I was foolish enough to agree to cooperate with that woman Huo Qinyou, leading to the swapping of the true son of Brother Yunsheng and Sister-in-law, causing the Young Helmsman to suffer greatly. Uncle punishing me—I deserved it for making such a mistake."
"Uncle, saying I hate you is completely unfounded!" Huo Wei pleaded sincerely, making it sound convincing.
Huo Canghai did not believe a single word from Huo Wei.
Huo Canghai shook his head and sighed, "Your father was a man of integrity, honest and kind, someone I cherished and trusted as a brother. I married your mother to him intending to nurture him as the core leader of Huo’s consortium."
"Knowing full well that living on meant enjoying a life of wealth and ease, yet when I was trapped in danger, he pushed me out of the blast zone without hesitation, while he..."
Recalling the scene of Huo Jingchen’s death, Huo Canghai’s old eyes reddened.
Sensing Huo Canghai’s pain, Huo Wen’an held Huo Canghai’s hand, comforting him, "Mr. Huo Jingchen was loyal to you, that’s why he was worthy of your lifelong allegiance. It was his own choice."
Huo Wei observed Huo Canghai’s reaction, subtly furrowing his brow, his eyes revealing ridicule.
When Huo Jingchen died, Huo Zhiyin was pregnant. Would a newlywed man, whose child was due in a month, sacrifice himself for a ruthless man?
Huo Wei didn’t believe it.
Thus, when someone told Huo Wei that his father didn’t die saving Huo Canghai but was killed in a plot by him, Huo Wei firmly believed it.
Though Huo Wei had internally discarded Huo Canghai for several years, he never dared to show a trace of hatred in front of him.
Because he feared Huo Canghai.
"Huo Wei." Huo Canghai looked at his nephew with an exploring gaze and asked, "Huo Jingchen was such an upright man, how did he father a fool like you?"
Huo Wei’s expression changed drastically.
"Uncle." Huo Wei pretended not to understand what Huo Canghai was saying and asked, heartbroken, "Uncle, why do you say such things about Weiwei?"
"Stop pretending!" Huo Canghai suddenly lost his patience, swinging his cane to hit Huo Wei’s abdomen.
Though the old man was aged, his strength was still formidable.
Huo Wei, being a doctor and having been imprisoned for years, was physically weakened. The strike from Huo Canghai’s cane caused his face to contort in pain.
"Uncle!" Huo Wei’s expression showed shock and uncertainty. He cautiously asked Huo Canghai, "Why is uncle so angry? Have I done something wrong?"
"Have you done something wrong? You don’t know?" Huo Canghai pointed a trembling finger at Huo Wen’an, "Huo Wen’an is not my grandson; he’s my youngest son! Huo Wei, you’ve known this all along yet kept it from me!"
"You scoundrel! You concealed the truth from everyone, secretly swapping Huo Qinyou’s son with my child with Lili—your intentions are punishable by death!"
Upon hearing this, Huo Wei’s face turned visibly pale.
Uncle knows the truth!
Realizing that Huo Canghai had discovered the true relationship between Huo Wen’an and him, Huo Wei knew there was no escape today.
The facade of weakness and innocence instantly disappeared as Huo Wei adopted a mocking, absurd expression.
"Ha..." Huo Wei laughed enigmatically and asked Huo Canghai, "Uncle, isn’t it wonderful that your son is right beside you yet you can’t recognize him?"
Huo Canghai was furious, his flesh quivering, "Why did you stop pretending?"
Because there was no need to pretend anymore.
Once Huo Canghai discovered the complete truth, Huo Wei knew that denying it was useless.
With a cold smile, Huo Wei said, "I took the enemy who killed my father as the most loving person in the world and respected him for over a decade. Uncle, you must taste the same bitterness."
"Frankly, when I saw you bring Huo Wen’an back, I thought my end was near. But to my surprise, even heaven favored me, letting him and that useless Huo Yunsheng share similar genes!"
"They were clearly brothers, yet became father and son. You were supposed to be father and son, but became grandfather and grandson. It’s ridiculously funny!" Huo Wei laughed hysterically, maniacally.
Huo Canghai was livid from Huo Wei’s mocking. "Huo Wei, I’ve certainly underestimated you."
Huo Wei shrugged and said, "That was indeed my fortune because being overly regarded by our Lord Captain might mean an even worse death. Wasn’t my father killed for overshadowing the captain?"
Huo Canghai frowned and sighed, "You are irredeemably stubborn."
He told Huo Wei, "Your father died saving me, but his death was not my doing. Believe it or not, I never intended to kill him."
"I don’t believe it!" Huo Wei shouted in rage, "Who the hell would believe it! He had been married only a year; his son was a month away from birth; he was about to become a father. Tell me, what man would, under such circumstances, risk his life for a cunning old fox?"
"If it were you, would you?"
Facing the seemingly crazed Huo Wei, Huo Canghai realized that nothing he said would be believed.
This person was stubborn, suspicious, utterly different from Huo Jingchen. "Huo Wei, in saying these things, you’re insulting your father."
Huo Wei paused in thought but didn’t respond.
Having reached this point, regardless of whether Huo Jingchen died saving Huo Canghai or was harmed by him, Huo Wei could only believe that his father’s death was a conspiracy, not an accident.
Because, once accepting that his father’s death was an accident, his father’s choice—everything he has done would become a joke.
And he, too, would become a joke.
Huo Wei refused to be a joke.
Huo Canghai, too, recognized Huo Wei’s true nature—a petty coward!
Concluding there was no need for further interrogation, he told Huo Wen’an, "Let’s go, Wen An. This guy is a fool."
Yet Huo Wen’an remained seated, unmoving.
He scrutinized Huo Wei with a probing gaze, silently.
With Huo Wei being over fifty, once an elegant doctor, his essence had diminished after years of punitive captivity, becoming weak and spiritless.
He appeared like a crooked-neck tree, alive but lacking vitality.
Confronted with Huo Wen’an’s stare, Huo Wei showed uncertainty, his eyes darting evasively, seemingly afraid to meet Huo Wen’an’s gaze.
Despite Huo Wen’an never targeting him.
Huo Canghai noticed Huo Wei’s unusual behavior, narrowing his eagle-like eyes in doubt.
Why was Huo Wei so afraid of Huo Wen’an?
Was it just because of the brutal rumors surrounding Huo Wen’an?
