Seated in the passenger seat, Shen's Mother couldn't hide her surprise. "Is that Commissioner Huo?"
Shen's Father pondered for a moment before replying, "Yes, it is."
It was no wonder the couple was so taken aback.
At this level, official travel adhered to strict vehicle regulations.
Officials below the vice-ministerial rank typically used Shanghai-brand 760 sedans, while the Hongqi 770 series was reserved exclusively for ministerial-level officials and above.
When they first spotted the car parked by the roadside, they had assumed it was just a guard running an errand.
Who would have thought Commissioner Huo would be inside!
"Oh heavens, why are you just standing there? Go over and greet him!" Shen's Mother exclaimed excitedly, snapping out of her daze.
As if struck by a sudden thought, she quickly rummaged through her bag and pulled out an invitation.
Back when both the Shen and Huo families lived in the Western Hills compound—though one resided in the main compound and the other in the naval quarters—
the two residential areas were still just a few kilometers apart.
They would run into each other at least once or twice a month.
But ever since Commissioner Huo's promotion earlier in the year and their subsequent move to the military headquarters' main compound, the two families hadn’t seen each other in over six months.
Shen's Mother said, "It’s rare to meet like this. Take this invitation to Commissioner Huo—it would be wonderful if we could get him to attend."
"And bring Shen Chao along too. It’s good for him to get acquainted."
"Obviously," Shen's Father replied, taking the invitation and striding forward eagerly.
When he reached the car, he feigned surprise. "Commissioner Huo, what brings you here?"
Commissioner Huo gave a slight nod. "I’m here to pick someone up."
"What a coincidence—so am I!" Shen's Father said, then waved toward Shen Chao and Xu Fangmin in the distance. "You two, come over here!"
Hearing her father-in-law’s call, Xu Fangmin exhaled in relief.
"Old classmate, I’m so sorry, but we’re in a bit of a hurry. Next time—next time I’ll make sure to see you off properly."
With that, she tugged her husband along and hurried toward Shen's Father.
"Dad, why are you out in this cold weather?" Xu Fangmin asked breathlessly before noticing Commissioner Huo standing nearby.
Strange.
He looked so familiar, as if she’d seen him somewhere before.
Before she could place him, Shen Chao had already stepped forward and saluted crisply.
"Good day, sir!"
Shen's Father eagerly introduced his son. "Commissioner Huo, this is my youngest, Shen Chao. He’s currently serving in the 26th Division of the Guangzhou Military Region and was promoted last year..."
Commissioner Huo nodded. "That’s good."
But he said nothing more.
Preoccupied with thoughts of his beloved grandchildren, he could only shoot Mother Huo increasingly desperate glances.
Unfortunately, Mother Huo wasn’t paying him any attention.
After stepping out of the car, she had immediately made her way to her son and daughter-in-law.
Once she’d exchanged greetings with Third Uncle and Uncle Zhong,
Mother Huo turned to Jiang Si, her brows knitting together in concern.
"Si, have you lost weight?"
Jiang Si didn’t deny it—she really had.
After giving her mother-in-law a warm hug, she explained, "The little ones weren’t feeding well, so Tingzhou and I decided to wean them. They’re on formula now."
Naturally slender to begin with, the reduced intake had caused her weight to drop further.
"Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you eat well while you’re home," Mother Huo reassured her before glancing around expectantly.
"Where are my precious grandchildren?"
At this, Huo Tingzhou loosened his military overcoat,
revealing two rosy-cheeked, fair-skinned little faces nestled inside.
The babies were secured in a specially designed carrier, and perhaps because of the recent snowfall in Beijing,
they were too enthralled by their surroundings to even blink, their big, curious eyes taking everything in.
"Ooh—ooh—"
Suisui suddenly cooed at his sister.
Hearing her brother, Zhaozhao paused before breaking into a toothless grin, babbling back at him.
Despite not having seen Mother Huo in over a month, the deep bond of kinship instantly reconnected them.
"Oh, my darlings, you still remember your grandma!"
Mother Huo was overjoyed, her eyes glistening with emotion.
Before she could even ask to hold them,
both babies stretched out their chubby little hands, their legs kicking excitedly.
One accidental thrust landed squarely against Huo Tingzhou’s abdomen.
Never underestimate the strength of a four-month-old—the impact made him suck in a sharp breath.
Mother Huo chuckled. "Look at those strong little legs! Come to Grandma~~"
Meanwhile, Commissioner Huo, still cornered by the Shen father and son, had reached his limit.
Yet Shen's Father remained oblivious. "Commissioner Huo, this is—"
Seeing the invitation in his hand, Commissioner Huo cut him off with a raised hand.
"Old Shen, let’s leave it at that for now. I have matters to attend to—we’ll talk another time."
Shen's Father's hand froze mid-air, as if he still wanted to say something.
But Mother Huo didn’t give him the chance. With a dismissive remark, she strode over to her own grandchildren.
"Dad," Jiang Si greeted with a smile.
Father Huo returned a warm smile. "You must be tired from the journey."
His gaze then settled on the two little ones.
The children were dressed identically, even wearing matching little tiger hats.
Though they weren’t twins, children of this age looked almost the same.
For a moment, Father Huo couldn’t quite tell—
Which one was the older brother? Which one was the younger sister?
But it didn’t matter.
"Come here, let Grandpa hold you."
As he spoke, Father Huo vigorously rubbed his hands together, warming them until they nearly turned red.
Only then did he scoop the two little darlings into his arms.
"Hold them steady."
The two children weighed over thirty pounds combined, and Mother Huo hovered nearby, unable to relax.
"Don’t worry."
Father Huo grinned at the two little ones. "Let’s go home."
The children didn’t seem shy at all.
Especially Zhaozhao—noticing the faint stubble on Father Huo’s face, her tiny hand darted up to grab it.
"Zhaozhao, no!" Jiang Si quickly intervened.
Zhaozhao paused, glancing between her mother and Father Huo.
Then, with a hesitant pout, she withdrew her hand.
But the bond between grandparents and grandchildren was undeniable. Seeing his granddaughter’s dejected expression, Father Huo almost offered his chin for her to tug.
So what if she pulled a few hairs? Let her!
It’d save him the trouble of shaving.
And so, the family boarded the car, chatting and laughing.
Meanwhile, Xu Fangmin, who had witnessed everything, felt as if she’d been plunged into an icy abyss. Humiliation and shame burned through her, making her wish she could vanish on the spot.
He… wasn’t he just some poor bodyguard?
How could he be the son of Commissioner Huo’s family?
Xu Fangmin didn’t fully grasp the rank of a "Commissioner," but from the way her father-in-law had behaved—so deferential and respectful—it was clear this man’s status far surpassed his.
The more she thought about it, the more furious and resentful she became.
Why did Jiang Si have all the luck?
Back in school, Jiang Si had always outshone her.
Now, after finally securing what she thought was an enviable marriage, she realized—
Her husband couldn’t compare in rank, looks, or even family background.
The Shen family wasn’t even fit to carry the Huo family’s shoes.
But what stung the most was how the Huo family treated Jiang Si.
That genuine affection, that unconditional regard—it was something Xu Fangmin had craved her entire life but never received.
Standing there, she felt like nothing more than a joke.
