Chapter 316: Chapter 316: He Won’t Let Her Lose
Huo Tingdong said, “That means if there are twins both carrying the Aries gene and the Velvet gene, it could be two boys, or two girls, or possibly a boy and a girl.”
Lin Qi nodded and hummed in agreement, then couldn’t help but teasingly ask, “Do you prefer boys or girls?”
Huo Tingdong didn’t expect her to suddenly ask this question and couldn’t help but laugh, “Can I actually decide whether to have a boy or a girl?”
Lin Qi confidently said, “Of course! Whether it’s a boy or a girl, it all depends on the father’s genes!”
Huo Tingdong’s expression suddenly grew serious.
After pondering for a moment, he spoke slowly, “In the Huo Family, up to my generation, there hasn’t been the gene for having daughters, only sons.”
Lin Qi also felt puzzled, “Really?”
Huo Tingdong said, “At least up to my generation, it’s been four generations of only sons.”
Lin Qi listened, furrowed her brow, and changed the subject: “You haven’t answered my question yet! Do you prefer sons or daughters more?”
Huo Tingdong’s lips tightened slightly, and he answered vaguely, “Either boys or girls are fine.”
Lin Qi squinted skeptically, “You’re lying! Your eyes are darting around.”
Huo Tingdong gave in with a helpless smile, looked into her eyes, and finally spoke his true feelings, “Actually, I prefer girls. But even if it’s a son, I would love him just the same.”
Lin Qi asked in surprise, “You favor girls over boys?”
Huo Tingdong said, “Not at all! I treat them equally, whether it’s a boy or a girl. But if it’s a daughter, perhaps I would love and spoil her more.”
However, he did not hold much hope for having a daughter of his own.
After all, the Huo Family has not had the gene for daughters, and in the generation of Momo and Han, there are still sons.
This actually pleased the Old Lady, as she placed great importance on the continuation of her lineage.
As for sons or daughters, Huo Tingdong didn’t have much of a preference, but if it were a daughter, he would definitely favor her!
Isn’t there a saying that a daughter is a father’s little cotton coat?
If he had a daughter, and she resembled him, she would certainly be very beautiful!
On this point, he was very confident in his own genes.
Lin Qi asked with a smile, “What if, by chance, Song Shuyan has twins with a boy and a girl for you? After all, she went abroad for IVF, and with IVF, genes can be directly selected. It’s possible that she’s having boy-girl twins.”
Huo Tingdong’s expression instantly turned icy, “They’re her children, not mine.”
He would not acknowledge them even after their birth.
Huo Tingdong pinched her cheek, “Would you be angry?”
Lin Qi asked back, “Why should I be angry?”
She knew that Huo Tingdong didn’t completely cut off Song Shuyan out of lingering affection or compassion; he truly did not care about the matter.
After all, he is well-educated, and every woman has the right to have children. He couldn’t possibly force her to abort the child in her womb. Children are innocent; he has no right to snuff out any small life.
If she wishes to give birth, then let her give birth, but!
Once the child is born, she has to take responsibility. At the very least, he will not acknowledge the child. He has also cut off all her paths of retreat, severing all her hopes.
Huo Tingdong once imagined, if one day Song Shuyan really did appear before him holding two newborn babies, he would not feel any joy, only disgust!
If the Huo Family were to acknowledge them, he had already made a clear division with the Huo Family in advance.
The Huo Family has their path, and he has his.
He has already declared his stance.
Lin Qi had also considered this matter: What if Song Shuyan gives birth and then dumps the child on Huo Tingdong and runs away? What should be done then?
She’s totally capable of doing such a disgusting act.
The reason she’s using all her wits is nothing more than to climb the ladder using the child; if the child loses its value for use, she would not tolerate her life being hindered by the child. She’s afraid that after giving birth, she will be irresponsible and will want to throw the responsibility onto Huo Tingdong!
Now, Song Shuyan is insisting on not terminating the pregnancy, definitely holding onto some hope. She must be fantasizing that after the child is born, even if Huo Tingdong doesn’t want to acknowledge it, he will have no choice but to do so.
He is the father; as a father, surely he can’t truly be so heartless as to send the child to an orphanage, right?
When the child is born, if Huo Tingdong doesn’t take responsibility, she will just abandon the child and bet on a different life. However, if Huo Tingdong is willing to take responsibility, it would only mean that she made the right bet!
Lin Qi is also gambling.
She’s betting that Huo Tingdong will do as he says and won’t let her lose!
In the afternoon.
Huo Tingdong went to the welfare institute and processed the adoption paperwork, officially transferring Lili’s household registration under his name, changing her surname to “Huo,” and her name to “Huo Xu’an.”
The character Xu (珝) is quite rare, originally meaning jade, and carries the connotation of purity and nobility.
Lili very much likes her new name, especially — this name was personally given to her by Huo Tingdong.
This also means that Huo Tingdong has accepted her as a family member from the bottom of his heart, and from now on, they will be a family.
However, Lili knows that Huo Tingdong’s willingness to adopt her is only because Lin Qi likes her, so he is willing to take up the responsibility of raising her, not truly regarding her as his own daughter.
Therefore, she tactfully didn’t change the way she addressed them, still calling Lin Qi “Aunt Qiqi” and Huo Tingdong “Uncle Huo.”
In the evening.
Huo Tingdong entered the study room and started a video conference.
After taking a bath, Lin Qi felt a bit sleepy. She lay on the bed reading a book, and after a while, the book dropped to the floor with a slap, and she fell asleep.
At 12 o’clock midnight.
Huo Tingdong returned to the bedroom and saw that Lin Qi had already fallen asleep, with the book dropped on the floor.
He walked over, picked up the book casually, closed it, and placed it on the nightstand, but couldn’t help being drawn to her obedient sleeping face.
Huo Tingdong squatted beside the bed, laid down at her pillowside, and just watched her quietly.
Her sleeping posture was very peaceful, even her breathing sound was soft.
He couldn’t help but reach out his hand, probing her gentle breath, his fingertips restlessly caressing her lips, tracing the outline of her lips’ shape—soft, and warm.
The warmth spread through his fingertips.
He couldn’t resist leaning down and gently pecked her lips with a kiss.
Lin Qi frowned slightly, as if disturbed by something.
He retracted his hand, gently rested his chin on the back of his hand, and watched as her furrowed brows relaxed again, his eyes softening with a doting smile.
In her sleep, Lin Qi felt something tickling her eyelids as if someone was fiddling with her eyelashes. Thinking it was Han or Momo sneaking into her room, she instinctively raised her hand, rubbed her eyes, and opened them groggily, only to see Huo Tingdong’s handsome face close up.
She was startled and looked straight into his gaze, a bit dazed as she asked, “What… are you doing?”
He had been lying at the side of her bed, unsure how long he had been watching her.
Feigning ignorance, Huo Tingdong asked, “Did I wake you up?”
Lin Qi’s face flushed as she said, “Were you playing with my eyelashes?”
Huo Tingdong replied, “I just realized that Han has inherited your eyelashes.”