Chapter 714

After organizing the newly purchased little treasures into their respective cages in the lab, Mina pulled out her phone and settled onto a small stool nearby. She opened her chat with Huan, hesitating for the first time before typing instead of sending a voice message. Her slender, pale fingers hovered over the keyboard as she carefully composed her words: "Little Mute, I saw someone at the flower market today who looked just like you. There was a really pretty girl with him a foreigner too. If I didn’t know you were still abroad, I’d have sworn it was you..." Mina typed slowly, word by word, then paused. After a moment of thought, she deleted the message letter by letter and started over: "Little Mute, Jane said something’s going on with your family’s company and you’re coming back soon. Are you back already? Why aren’t you answering me?" She stared at the words, chewing her lip, before deleting them again with a frustrated sigh. Tossing her phone aside, she muttered under her breath, "Ugh, this is so annoying!" Then, snatching the phone back up, she impulsively dialed Huan’s number. To her surprise after days of his phone being switched off it actually rang through. Mina straightened up eagerly as the call connected. "Little Mute—" she began excitedly. But a bright, unfamiliar female voice answered instead. "Hello, who’s calling?" "Huh?" Mina pulled the phone away from her ear, blinking at the screen in confusion. "This is definitely Little Mute’s number..." Switching to speakerphone, she mustered her courage and spoke firmly. "I’m looking for Huan." "Oh, he just stepped out. Can I take a message?" The voice remained cheerful, its flawless English flowing effortlessly. Instantly, Mina dismissed any connection between this girl and the foreign woman she’d seen earlier. If the person answering wasn’t foreign, then the man at the market couldn’t have been Huan. Clearing her throat, Mina replied, *"This is Mina. Huan and I are friends, I just wanted to chat. If he’s not around, no worries. Just let him know I called."* After politely saying goodbye, Mina hung up the phone, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from her chest. All her previous worries and gloom vanished in an instant. In high spirits, she felt the urge to pick up her tools. Slipping into a small white lab coat, she retrieved her complete set of dissection instruments. Meanwhile, Maia knocked on Huan’s study door, holding his phone. "Come in." Pushing the door open but not stepping inside, Maia leaned casually against the doorframe and tossed the phone toward Huan. "Huan, a girl named Mina just called you. She’s Jane’s sister, right?" Huan’s brow furrowed slightly as he glanced at the phone in Maia’s hand. "What were you doing in my bedroom?" Maia arched one slender eyebrow. "I wasn’t in your bedroom. I was just passing by on my way to see you when I heard your phone ringing." Catching the phone, Huan replied indifferently, "Thanks." "Is that all you have to say?" Maia studied him intently. Huan lifted his eyes briefly to meet her gaze. "No. You can leave now." Leaning against the doorframe with an air of nonchalance, Maia pressed on, "Mina, she’s the little girl from your diary, isn’t she? The one who gave you that nickname 'Congee'? And the reason you went through all that tanning?" Huan’s frown deepened. "That’s none of your business." Maia shrugged, her delicate brows quirking again. "True, it’s not my concern. But I’m just reminding you if people find out you have such a weakness in your current position, who knows if that Mina will even live long enough to grow up?" "I know." After his terse reply, Maia gave him a long, searching look before turning and leaving the study. Huan unlocked his phone and opened the contacts, staring silently at the single name saved there. After a long moment, he finally turned off the screen and tucked the phone into the deepest drawer of his desk. Standing up, he walked to the window. The once-bustling Smith family ancestral home now lay in complete silence. After his grandparents passed away one after another, Sylvester and Saylon inherited the entire family fortune and quickly moved out with their families. Only Shawn, and his household remained. Now, due to Sylvester and Saylon mismanagement, the Smith family business had plummeted. The century-old family enterprise was on the verge of collapse. The two uncles had begged Shawn to step in and save the company, but at least they had enough shame not to move back into the ancestral home. Huan's dark eyes swept over the quiet estate, his bronze face betraying no emotion. Suddenly, a mischievous little head peeked in from the study doorway. "Brother Huan!" Turning, Huan looked at Rosalia, a faint smile touching his lips. "Rosalia, what brings you here?" She skipped into the room. "Mom sent me to call you and that sister over for dinner! With Grandpa and Grandma gone, the big kitchen isn’t used anymore, and no one cooks for you. Mom says you should eat with us from now on." Then, she waved at him, signaling for him to crouch down. When he did, she leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "Brother, is that sister really your girlfriend?" "Last night, I overheard Mom telling Dad that it’s not good for you to have a girlfriend so young that it’s bad for your health..." she said with utmost seriousness. Huan chuckled at her earnest expression. "Rosalia, eavesdropping on your parents isn’t a good habit. You should really stop that." "Hmph!" She crossed her arms defiantly. "It’s not bad at all! Adults always think I’m just a kid who doesn’t understand anything, so they try to hide everything from me. But if they don’t want me to know, I’ll find out anyway!" She lifted her chin proudly. "Not only will I know, but I’ll also tell Jane and Sister Mina!" Huan’s expression shifted slightly. "Rosalia... did you tell Mina that I’m back?" Rosalia blinked in confusion. "Brother, doesn't Mina know you're back? Weren't you with that other sister at Jane's birthday party that day?" She pouted, crossing her arms. "I couldn't make it back in time for the party, all because of Dad! I told him I didn’t want to go on that business trip with him and Mom—I could’ve stayed home just fine. But no, he dragged me along anyway!" Huan met her gaze steadily. "I only stopped by briefly to see Jane that day. Mina still doesn’t know I’m back." He leaned in slightly, his tone earnest. "Rosalia, can you keep this a secret for me? Don’t tell Mina just yet, okay?" "Why not?" Rosalia tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes. Huan hesitated, then forced a smile. "Because... I want to surprise her. Just for a little while, all right?" "Will Jane keep your secret too?" "Yes," he nodded firmly. "Then I will too!" Rosalia thumped her small chest with a dramatic flourish, her voice brimming with solemn promise.