The room was silent for a moment.
"Young master?" Song Ming asked tentatively.
"Bring him to me," Huo Yuhao finally decided to see this cheap father of his. He also wanted to know what the man wanted with him.
"Yes," Song Ming replied and then retreated.
"Lingling, you should go back first."
"Big brother, who is the White Tiger Duke? Do you know him?" Ye Lingling blinked her large, curious eyes.
Huo Yuhao patted Ye Lingling's head. "I do know him, but our relationship isn't exactly friendly. Alright Lingling, don't ask so many questions, go back to your room." Seeing that Ye Lingling still wanted to ask something, Huo Yuhao decisively sent her away.
"Oh, okay." Seeing that Huo Yuhao didn't want to say more, Ye Lingling agreed reluctantly.
Just as Huo Yuhao got up to open the door and leave, he saw Ran Hongyue standing outside.
"Sister Hongyue, what brings you here?" Huo Yuhao asked, even though he knew why she had come.
Ran Hongyue smiled sweetly, "Since you call me sister, I can't just watch you get bullied."
"Young Master, the White Tiger Duke has arrived," Song Ming announced as he led Dai Hao, clad in full armor, to the door.
"Mm, come in," a calm voice came from inside.
The two entered. After Song Ming entered the room, he immediately stood behind Huo Yuhao, acting as his bodyguard.
Inside the room, Huo Yuhao and Ran Hongyue sat side-by-side on the sofa. Dai Hao's gaze swept over them. When he saw Ran Hongyue, his expression became more serious; this woman's cultivation was terrifying, it even gave him the feeling of facing His Majesty Xu Jiawei.
"Speak, what do you want?" After Dai Hao sat down, Huo Yuhao asked directly.
Looking at the son he'd never paid attention to, Dai Hao didn't know what to say. He hadn't seen the boy since his spirit awakening. He had assumed the child would fade into obscurity, destined for an ordinary life. He never expected to meet him again under these circumstances. The boy was already the young sect master of the Body Sect, and a personal disciple of a Rank 98 Title Douluo.
His status surpassed that of the so-called Duke.
If Huo Yuhao hadn't appeared in Star Luo City as the Body Sect's representative, his subordinates wouldn't have found him. If his subordinates hadn't reported it, he might have even forgotten he had this son.
Meeting again, Dai Hao felt a mix of emotions. "Yuhao,"
"Stop. It's Huo Yuhao, not just Yuhao,"
Dai Hao was interrupted as soon as he spoke. He pursed his lips, a hint of bitterness on his face. "But your blood, the Dai Family's blood, flows through you, doesn't it?"
Huo Yuhao's expression remained unchanged. He replied calmly, "So what? My only family was my mother. She's gone, and my connection to the Dai Family is severed. And have you forgotten why my mother became your concubine?"
At these words, Dai Hao's robust body trembled slightly. He didn't want to dwell on that matter. "I'm sorry about your mother's death. I failed her. And you, child, you've suffered these years. Give your father a chance to make it up to you, alright?"
Dai Hao's tone actually carried a hint of pleading.
But Huo Yuhao remained unmoved. He just stared at Dai Hao's performance, "I said, my relationship with the Dai Family is over, and you are not my father."
"You don't need to put on an act of sympathy here. Actually, I can understand you. Everyone wants to gain something, they must demonstrate their worth. Back then, I was worthless. You were the head of the Dai Family, so the choice you made back then was understandable."
Huo Yuhao paused slightly here, then immediately continued speaking, "But, understanding is one thing, having a grudge is another. One day, I will demand an explanation for my mother's death."
Huo Yuhao didn't avoid the issue. Even if he said he didn't resent Dai Huabin and Madame Dai, Dai Hao wouldn't believe it. He might as well just say it plainly.
Dai Hao's expression became complex when he heard this. He had met countless people in his life, and from Huo Yuhao's reaction, he knew that this child truly had no feelings for his biological father, "What do you plan to do? After all, they are your older brother and your aunt."
"But aren't they also the murderers of my mother? As for what I'm going to do, that's none of your concern. If you're just going to say these useless words, then you can go back now. I don't have much time to waste on you. Come, show the guest out."
"Duke, please." Receiving the order from his young master, Song Ming made a gesture of invitation, starting to usher him out.
Dai Hao sighed, rose, and slowly walked away. For him, the infighting between the Dai brothers wasn't a big deal. After all, that's how the Dai Family had been since the founding of the Star Luo Empire. As the saying went, there was no kinship in the royal family. Back when the Dai Family was still the royal family, which emperor hadn't ascended the throne by stepping over the corpses of their brothers? Even now that the Dai Family was no longer the royal family, the tradition remained.
He sighed because Huo Yuhao had no intention of returning to the Dai Family. It was a pity that the child was now the young master of the Ben Ti Sect, and he couldn't force the issue.
Just like when they met earlier, that Title Douluo had been watching them from the side, like a tiger eyeing its prey.
After a long while, Ye Lingling silently entered the room. Ran Hongyue and Song Ming had already left. Seeing Huo Yuhao, who was closing his eyes on the sofa, Ye Lingling felt a little sad.
She hadn't left earlier when she saw something was wrong with Huo Yuhao's expression. She had been eavesdropping outside the door. The conversation between Huo Yuhao and Dai Hao had been heard word for word.
For the first time, Ye Lingling felt a little sorry for the young man in front of her. His mother, with whom he had relied on since childhood, had died, and the killer was his own亲哥哥, his own elder brother. Blood kin killing each other; he must be in so much pain. Compared to him, what she had experienced was nothing.
What Ye Lingling didn't know was that Huo Yuhao's situation was just a microcosm. Similar things were happening all the time in those big families, never stopping.
Without speaking, Ye Lingling sat down beside Huo Yuhao, held his hand, and offered silent comfort.
Feeling the soft touch in his hand, Huo Yuhao slowly opened his eyes. He hadn't noticed Ye Lingling eavesdropping earlier, but it couldn't escape Ran Hongyue, a Title Douluo. How could she not know what the girl was thinking now?
"Lingling, you don't need to comfort me. I haven't had much contact with him since I was a child. The word 'father' is very vague in my memory. In my heart, he's just a stranger," Huo Yuhao said lightly. In fact, that's how he really felt. There was no real affection there.
It was just like a child growing up in an orphanage. If someone suddenly appeared one day and claimed to be his father, would the child really consider that person his dad? What a joke.