Before saying this, Huo Sining’s original intention was to use this opportunity to make a stand, but after speaking, she was just as moved as everyone else.

Her visits to America are few and far between, yet these brief journeys and experiences let her feel something entirely different from what she feels at home.

Here, people of various hair colors and black and white skin are countless, but the look in their eyes is so unfamiliar, unlike the kind and familiar looks of the black-haired, yellow-skinned Huaxia people she sees at home.

The architecture, food, language, lifestyle, and even ethnic culture here are completely different.

Here, everyone’s behavior is magnified; a Jewish person might represent the entire Jewish people, an Indian person might represent all Hindus; here, white people discriminate against everything and everyone different from their race; here, Huaxia still carries the shame of being the "sick man of East Asia" from more than a hundred years ago; here, Huaxia is no longer the proud five-thousand-year-old civilization but a backward, poor, and weak entity.

If she hadn’t stepped out of her country, if she hadn’t come here, Huo Sining would never know how fragile Huaxia Country’s international status really is.

Without undergoing these experiences, one can never feel the deep-seated patriotism within, and at this moment, Huo Sining’s only thought was to say something, anything, to make sure her country is not looked down upon, and to ensure that Huaxia expatriates can lift their heads high, like a mighty dragon, when they see the news in foreign lands.

Driven by this thought, tears glistened in Huo Sining’s eyes as she spoke, and she couldn’t help but look in Huaxia Country’s direction.

She knows well that in the distant East, many are waiting for her and her companions to return, regardless of the price paid for these two Beast Heads, there will always be people nervously anticipating.

Feeling Huo Sining’s emotional surge, even those foreign media reporters were deeply moved. For a moment, everything seemed frozen, and many photographers captured the image of this Huaxia woman gazing toward the East.

This oriental woman, repeatedly exposed by foreign media and a trailblazer of miracles, was once proclaimed by Time Magazine as Huaxia’s most outstanding legendary female, and her expression now is certainly not a facade; only someone who truly inscribes love for their nation and people in their bones could speak such words and show such genuine emotions.

The spoken word may be masked, but true emotions cannot be; once this photo appeared in various magazines featuring this woman’s shining eyes gazing toward the East, all Huaxia compatriots who saw it felt a shiver, a strong resonance emerging from their very core.

Even foreigners couldn’t help but be moved.

Many years later, this captured image remains a celebrated story in the photography world because the woman’s gaze in that photo is so vivid. Even those unaware of the story’s background can feel her profound love, surging through the photograph.

This is a later tale; after these words, Huo Sining hadn’t expected to reveal such sincere emotions in moments like these. She took a deep breath, trying to control her feelings and calm herself.

The reporters snapped out of their daze, realizing what Huo Sining’s words meant, and became even more excited:

"Miss Huo, are you admitting that the rumors are true, that you’ve spent 255 million US dollars to purchase the two twelve zodiac animal heads?"

"Miss Huo, could you share where this money came from? Are these twelve zodiac animal heads part of your private collection or acquired by the Huaxia Cultural Relics Bureau? Are you acting on behalf of yourself or your country’s government this time?"

"Miss Huo, do you have anything to say about your previous philanthropic acts?"

"..."

The reporters entered a frenzy of questioning, clearly trying to extract more useful information from Huo Sining, but she wasn’t prepared to cooperate any further; she had already conveyed her standpoint via these reporters, which was enough for now, and she had her own arrangements upon returning to her country.

So she smiled, signaling Gu Xu, and soon they moved forward. With Gu Xu’s skillful moves, they broke through the reporter crowd and reached the cars they had rented earlier.

After ensuring both the elderly and Su Qingqing’s group got into the cars and confirming the two Beast Heads were safe, Huo Sining sighed in relief, but the reporters were relentless, rushing towards the cars where Huo Sining’s group was.

"Miss Huo, please say a few more words!"

The reporters grew anxious as they saw Huo Sining’s group preparing to leave, and they surrounded the cars, clearly refusing to let them go without additional comments.

Feeling helpless, Huo Sining got into the passenger seat and couldn’t resist lowering the car window as she looked at the reporters outside:

"It’s just that I purchased two Beast Heads at an auction, yet you target me like this, surely hoping to make a big deal out of it? If you insist on knowing the truth, yes, these Beast Heads were indeed purchased privately by me. Where the money came from, what possible hidden deals might be involved, or if it’s money laundering—you want to know, fine. Today is Friday; let’s meet on Monday. I promise I will provide you with a satisfactory answer!"

Huo Sining slightly curved her lips, put on sunglasses, and signaled the driver to start driving.

The dust-laden cars drove away, leaving a group of confused reporters and photographers.

"See you on Monday," is this considered an explanation? What does Huo Sining mean, is she really planning to hold a press conference on Monday?

The reporters looked at each other in confusion, watching as Huo Sining’s group disappeared from view, still puzzled by the meaning of her final statement.