The Huo Family's Troublesome Maid

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Huihui

After rinsing the vegetables thoroughly, Xi Yunxui divided them into separate portions.

King C’s share naturally contained the largest number of carrots.

The moment she placed the washed vegetables before him, his eyes brightened with undisguised delight.

”Eat slowly,” Xi Yunxui warned.

King C did not listen.

He immediately lowered his head and began eating with such enthusiasm that Xi Yunxui wondered whether he had been starving for several days rather than merely waiting for her to return from her apartment.

Biyu was not much better.

Although it lacked King C’s dramatic enthusiasm, the red-feathered creature began pecking at the vegetables with remarkable speed. Its unusual wings shifted slightly behind it as it ate, while its emerald-green eyes remained focused entirely on the food.

Xi Yunxui watched them for a moment before turning toward the newest member of their increasingly strange little group.

The small ash-grey creature was also eating.

And, much to Xi Yunxui’s surprise, it appeared to be enjoying the vegetables.

She watched as it lowered its head and happily chewed on a piece of vegetable.

Xi Yunxui slowly frowned.

”Wait.”

The little creature looked up at her.

Xi Yunxui looked at the vegetables.

Then she looked back at the creature.

”Shouldn’t you be eating meat?”

The creature tilted its head.

King C continued chewing his carrot.

Biyu did not even bother looking up.

Xi Yunxui narrowed her eyes.

Perhaps she was overthinking things.

However, the creature looked remarkably similar to a tiger, and Xi Yunxui was fairly certain that tigers were not known for sitting around and happily eating vegetables.

She decided to ask the only being that might have an answer.

”System.”

[Yes, host?]

”Is it normal for something that looks like a tiger to eat vegetables?”

There was a brief pause.

[Since it is currently eating vegetables, it means that it can eat vegetables.]

Xi Yunxui stared blankly into space.

Then she slowly rolled her eyes.

”That isn’t an answer to my question.”

The system became silent.

Xi Yunxui waited.

Nothing.

She waited for several more seconds.

Still nothing.

”System?”

[The system has nothing further to add.]

Xi Yunxui’s lips twitched.

Of course it did not.

She lowered her gaze toward the creature again.

The small creature stared back at her while chewing.

Xi Yunxui sighed.

”Fine. Eat whatever you want.”

The creature immediately resumed eating.

---

As Xi Yunxui watched the three creatures finish their food, she suddenly realized that she could not continue calling the newest member of the group the tiger-like creature forever.

The thought alone sounded exhausting.

She crouched beside the little creature.

”Hey.”

The creature looked at her.

Xi Yunxui smiled.

”I think you need a name.”

King C immediately stopped chewing.

Biyu lifted its head as well.

Xi Yunxui tapped her chin thoughtfully as she studied the ash-grey fur covering the creature’s body.

For several moments, she considered different names.

Then her expression brightened.

”Huihui.”

The creature blinked.

Xi Yunxui repeated the name.

”Huihui. What do you think?”

The name came from the Chinese word hui (灰), meaning ash or grey, which suited the creature’s soft ash-grey fur perfectly. Repeating it also gave the name a gentle and affectionate sound.

Huihui stared at Xi Yunxui for several seconds.

Then its small tail moved.

Once.

Then again.

Xi Yunxui’s smile widened.

”Does that mean you like it?”

Huihui released a soft sound before moving closer to Xi Yunxui.

Xi Yunxui immediately understood the answer.

”Then Huihui it is.”

King C glanced at Huihui.

”Huihui?”

Xi Yunxui looked at him.

”Do you have a problem with it?”

King C immediately returned his attention to his carrot.

”No.”

Biyu made an approving sound.

Xi Yunxui gently stroked Huihui’s head.

”There. Now everyone has a name.”

King C narrowed his eyes.

”I already had a name.”

Xi Yunxui paused.

Then she looked at him.

”That is true.”

King C proudly lifted his chin.

Xi Yunxui continued.

”Although I’m still not entirely convinced that King C is an actual name.”

King C stopped moving.

Xi Yunxui quickly stood up.

”Finish your carrots.”

---

Once all three creatures had eaten their fill, Xi Yunxui cleaned the remaining vegetables and placed everything back where it belonged.

She then picked up her phone and checked the time.

It was already getting late in the morning.

”I need to go to the main residence.”

King C immediately looked up.

”We’re coming.”

Xi Yunxui frowned.

”Who said you were coming?”

King C climbed down from the chair.

”Me.”

Biyu fluttered closer.

Huihui stood beside Xi Yunxui’s legs.

Xi Yunxui looked at the three creatures gathered around her.

Then she sighed.

”Why do I even bother asking?”

She led them out of the kitchen.

The journey toward the main residence was uneventful at first.

However, as they approached the main building, Xi Yunxui gradually became aware of the curious looks following her.

Several servants stopped what they were doing.

Others simply stared.

Xi Yunxui could understand why.

She was walking toward the main residence with a goat-like creature, a flaming-red chicken that possessed unusually large wings, and a small ash-grey creature that looked suspiciously like a tiger cub.

Xi Yunxui slowly raised one hand and pressed her fingers against her forehead.

The system immediately noticed.

[What is wrong, host?]

Xi Yunxui continued walking.

”I have a feeling that my life is about to become much more chaotic.”

The system remained silent for a moment.

[The system believes that it has already become chaotic.]

Xi Yunxui paused.

Then she looked ahead.

”...You know what?”

[Yes?]

”You don’t have to contribute to every conversation.”

The system fell silent.

Xi Yunxui nodded in satisfaction and continued walking.

---

However, she had barely reached the path leading toward the main residence when something unusual caught her attention.

Several people were gathered near the garden.

Xi Yunxui slowed her steps.

Then her eyes widened.

The garden was being repaired.

Her gaze travelled across the damaged area, where several workers were carefully tending to the destroyed flowerbeds and replacing damaged plants.

The sight immediately brought back memories of King C and Biyu chasing one another through the garden the previous day.

Xi Yunxui stopped walking.

King C also stopped.

Biyu looked toward the garden.

Huihui tilted its head.

Xi Yunxui slowly turned toward King C.

King C immediately looked away.

Xi Yunxui turned toward Biyu.

Biyu suddenly became very interested in something in the distance.

Xi Yunxui narrowed her eyes.

”Both of you.”

Neither creature responded.

The guilt was practically written all over their behaviour.

Xi Yunxui sighed.

I knew I should have offered to help repair the garden.

She hurried toward the workers.

However, before she could approach them, she noticed someone standing a short distance away.

Huo Jingchen.

He stood beside the garden with his hands resting loosely at his sides, watching the workers carry out the repairs.

Xi Yunxui’s footsteps slowed.

She had not seen him since receiving the backpack from him the previous day.

For some reason, she suddenly remembered the awkward manner in which he had handed her the gift before quickly leaving.

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around her phone.

Then she shook the thought aside.

Xi Yunxui approached him.

”Good morning, Young Master.”

Huo Jingchen turned toward her.

The moment his eyes met hers, something in his expression softened.

”Good morning.”

Xi Yunxui was slightly surprised.

At least he had responded to her greeting this time.

Her attention quickly returned to the garden.

She glanced at the workers.

”Young Master, may I help them repair the garden?”

Huo Jingchen’s expression immediately changed.

”No.”

The answer came so quickly that Xi Yunxui blinked.

”Young Master?”

”You don’t need to help.”

Xi Yunxui was about to explain that she felt responsible because King C and Biyu had contributed to the destruction of the garden when Huo Jingchen opened his mouth again.

”You have other duties to attend to. The workers will handle this.”

Xi Yunxui hesitated.

”However—”

”It’s already being taken care of.”

His voice remained calm, yet there was a quiet firmness in his tone that made Xi Yunxui understand that arguing further would be pointless.

She nodded reluctantly.

”All right.”

Huo Jingchen was about to say something else when his gaze moved past her.

His words abruptly stopped.

Xi Yunxui noticed the change.

She followed his gaze.

Then her heart sank.

Huo Jingchen was staring at Huihui.

Huihui stared back at him.

For several seconds, neither of them moved.

Xi Yunxui slowly smiled.

It was not a convincing smile.

Huo Jingchen’s gaze moved from Huihui to Xi Yunxui.

Then back to Huihui.

Xi Yunxui laughed awkwardly.

”Ah.”

Huo Jingchen raised an eyebrow.

Xi Yunxui pointed toward Huihui.

”This is...”

She paused.

Her mind desperately searched for a reasonable explanation.

”...a dog.”

Silence.

Huo Jingchen stared at her.

Xi Yunxui’s smile became increasingly awkward.

”A very unusual dog.”

Huo Jingchen looked toward Huihui again.

Huihui sat quietly beside Xi Yunxui.

The small creature had the appearance of a tiger cub.

There was no reasonable universe in which it resembled a dog.

Xi Yunxui cleared her throat.

”I found it on the street.”

Huo Jingchen remained silent.

Xi Yunxui wished the ground would open and swallow her.

Why did I say that?

The system’s voice suddenly appeared in her mind.

[The system would like to remind you that the probability of Huo Jingchen believing that explanation is extremely low.]

Xi Yunxui resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Thank you for your unnecessary contribution.

Huo Jingchen looked at her.

Then, unexpectedly, the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

He did not expose her lie.

Nor did he ask another question.

Instead, he simply glanced at Huihui one final time before returning his gaze to Xi Yunxui.

”Your dog is unusual.”

Xi Yunxui immediately nodded.

”Yes.”

Huo Jingchen’s eyes held a trace of amusement.

Xi Yunxui lowered her gaze.

She knew perfectly well that he did not believe her.

However, he was choosing not to question her.

Perhaps he had already realized that asking her for an explanation would only lead to another ridiculous story.

Huo Jingchen looked at King C.

Then at Biyu.

Finally, his gaze returned to Huihui.

Inwardly, he could not help wondering how Xi Yunxui continuously managed to attract the strangest creatures and the most unexpected situations.

Yet strangely enough, he did not find it troublesome.

If anything, watching Xi Yunxui awkwardly attempt to explain the presence of an obvious tiger-like creature while insisting that it was a dog made him want to smile.

Xi Yunxui, however, had no idea what he was thinking.

She only hoped that Huo Jingchen would not ask any further questions.

Because if he did, she was fairly certain she would have to invent an entirely new breed of dog on the spot.