An 80s female translator was spoiled rotten by a rough and jealous man.

Chapter 83 Absolute Purity
Shen Xi glanced around, craned her neck, and leaned closer, asking in a low voice, "Do you know anything about Huo Qingshan's background?"

Confusion flickered in Meng Youyou's eyes, and she asked blankly, "What background?"

He looked completely bewildered.

Shen Xi's expression subtly became more serious. After hesitating for a few seconds, she asked again, "When you were transferred to Fanzhou City this time, did your family... tell you anything?"

When Meng Youyou saw Shen Xi's hesitant manner, she immediately sensed something was wrong. Her intuition pointed to the past experiences of the previous generation, but she still couldn't figure it out, since she knew nothing about the past.

After weighing her options, Meng Youyou spoke softly, trying to sound cunning: "Just say what you want to say. We grew up together, and this kind of probing questioning makes me feel uncomfortable."

He made a somewhat unhappy expression.

The effect is very significant.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xi sighed slightly and then stated her position: "Then I will say it, but let me make it clear first, no matter what I say later, you are not allowed to get angry."

Meng Youyou readily agreed: "Okay."

Before Shen Xi could speak, she sighed again.

Meng Youyou: "..."

"Your cousin gave birth to a son in the first half of this year, and then your uncle was promoted last month. Later, when your cousin's husband's father, Old Master Huo, found out about this, he was furious. It is said that the old man said at the family meeting that Huo Tingdong should be expelled from the Huo family genealogy and he should not be recognized as a grandson who has disgraced the family."

Meng Youyou gleaned some meaning from this conversation and asked, "Are you saying that Huo Qingshan has a relationship with my cousin's husband's father, Old Master Huo?"

"The relationship is very important. Huo Qingshan is the eldest son and grandson of the Huo family."

Meng Youyou nodded.

Shen Xi was surprised by her calm reaction and reminded her, "So you and Huo Qingshan are now considered cousins."

Meng Youyou replied nonchalantly, "So what? We're not related by blood, and the law doesn't say that a niece can't be with her step-uncle's son."

Shen Xi was taken aback again: "Why does your focus always wander off-topic?"

Um... Meng Youyou belatedly realized that she was currently trapped in an information cocoon and "blind to the world," so she quickly changed her mind and asked, "Then what should I be paying attention to?"

The tone was a little weak.

"First of all, after what your cousin and her father did, it's a foregone conclusion that the Huo family now has a lot of grievances against the Meng family."

Besides, your aunt was never really well received by the Huo family after she married into the family.

According to rumors…

Shen Xi paused for a moment, then emphasized, "I only heard about this from others, so I can't guarantee it's true."

Meng Youyou found it difficult to listen and urged, "I know, tell me quickly."

"Rumor has it that after Aunt Meng married into the family, Huo Zhenbang's son... Huo Qingshan, never returned to the Huo family again. His relationship with his father became very strained, and the outside world said it was because he did not accept Aunt Meng's existence."

However, you should know the truth of this matter better than I do, after all, Aunt Meng is your aunt and has always doted on you since you were little.

The ball was kicked back to her unexpectedly. Meng Youyou's lips twitched, and she quickly thought of a response. Fortunately, Shen Xi picked up the conversation again after a short while, "But that's true. It's normal that you don't know. Aunt Meng is the type to only report good news and not bad news. She probably wouldn't complain about her grievances to her family."

Meng Youyou secretly breathed a sigh of relief and cautiously asked, "Then why don't the Huo family like Meng... um... my aunt?"

"I only heard about this once by chance from an elder in my family; it involved something from many years ago."

About thirty years ago, the Huo family was a large and powerful family, but it was always upright and never formed cliques. At that time, the situation was complicated and various factions were fighting. The Huo family was framed and the entire family was targeted. The Huo family's power began to decline.

Originally, Meng Weiguang was one of Old Master Huo's subordinates, so he was considered to have been kind to him. However, when the Huo family fell into trouble, Meng Weiguang chose to immediately sever ties and draw a line between them.

Not only that, she also forcibly separated her daughter from Huo Zhenbang, the eldest son of the Huo family.

Meng Youyou was somewhat shocked and couldn't help but interject, "So, does that mean my aunt and Huo Zhenbang were each other's first love?"

Shen Xi nodded and said, "Yes," and continued, "At that time, the Huo family still had a deep foundation. Even after suffering, they did not completely collapse. They simply transferred the younger generation of the family away from the capital to recuperate."

As the eldest son, Huo Zhenbang resolutely chose to serve in the most remote and difficult border troops in Fanzhou City. During his tenure, he met Lin Caiyun, Huo Qingshan's mother, and they had a son named Huo Qingshan after their marriage.

Later, all the descendants of the Huo family distinguished themselves in their work, and from then on, the Huo family's power gradually increased again, and the plan to return to the capital was put on the agenda.

It was during this period, when the Huo family was planning their gradual return, that Huo Qingshan's mother apparently passed away due to health reasons. Seven years after his widowhood, Huo Zhenbang married Aunt Meng.

After listening, Meng Youyou concluded: "Are you trying to tell me that my aunt, or more accurately, my grandfather, acted treacherously when the Huo family was in danger, and that my cousin's family is now using the Huo family's power to do things for themselves, so the Huo family won't accept me?"

Shen Xi actually wanted to correct Meng Youyou's use of the term "her cousin's family," since, as far as he knew, Meng Wanzhi's marriage to Huo Tingdong was entirely planned by her grandfather, Meng Weiguang.

But he held back and simply replied, "That's roughly the idea."

Meng Youyou thought for a moment and then asked, "You asked me a vague question at the beginning. Did you actually want to know if my grandfather had any ulterior motives in my coming to work at 624? Right?"

When Meng Youyou said this, a sly glint flashed in her eyes. Shen Xi saw it and suddenly dared not look directly at her.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he nodded honestly, "Yes."

Meng Youyou smiled.

Shen Xi looked up at her and asked bluntly, "So what's the answer?"

Meng Youyou's smile deepened, and she smiled frankly: "The only thing I can guarantee is that my feelings for him are absolutely pure."

"And what about him?" Shen Xi asked.

The curve of her lips froze for a moment as Meng Youyou recalled his earlier hesitation and wavering.

He knew, didn't he?

He must have known at that time that she was Meng Weiguang's granddaughter, which is why...

what about now?

Meng Youyou's gaze shifted to the black thermos on the corner of the table, recalling the man's last words when they parted at the stairwell: "The cup is clean, and I filled it with hot water. Remember to let it cool for a while before drinking, so you don't burn yourself."

An inexplicable impulse compelled her to move the cup to the center, unscrew the lid, and wisps of white steam eagerly rose out, blurring Meng Youyou's vision.