Xia Wan admired the dark green jade cufflinks, which appears black at first but turned beautifully green in strong light. They were easy to match with every outfit.
He carefully put them down and turned to Huo Yu, feeling a bit nervous.
“Do you think your uncle likes me?” Xia Wan asked, trying to reassure himself. Still he couldn’t help but feel anxious.
“You’re so adorable,” Huo Yu said, lounging back in his seat and echoing what he had once told Xia Chengzhang, “How could my uncle not like you?”
Xia Wan rarely felt a little embarrassed. , He smiled obediently at Huo Yu: “Isn’t that to reassure my father?”
“Really?” Huo Yu’s lips curled up slightly, and he glanced at the person with his eyes lowered just a bit.
He smiled slightly and asked, “Is it because you want to please me?”
Xia Wan blushed slightly and explained, “Well, meeting your uncle is a big deal, after all. Your uncle is like family to you. And also you were nice to my dad”
Huo Yu doesn’t have parents, and his uncle’s family is all he has left. Yan Rui was his only relative left behind.
Despite Xia Wan’s usual calm demeanor, it was impossible for him not to feel a bit nervous deep down.
Huo Yu gave a half-smile and asked, “Do you really care that much?”
“Of course,” Xia Wan replied, his expression extremely serious.
If Huo Yu could be so respectful and serious towards Xia Chengzhang, so how could he be so indifferent?
Everyone should treat each other with respect.
He is very aware of the kindness Huo Yu has shown him, and he naturally wants to repay it many times over.
Huo Yu looked at him and said, “He’s very pleased with you,” Even though they haven’t talked about it. The cufflinks he gave to Xia Wan was more than enough.
“Really?” Xia Wan’s expression relaxed, and he smiled.
Huo Yu chuckled, saying, “Why would I lie to you?”
“You’re right,” Xia Wan agreed, feeling happy and relieved.
Xia Wan didn’t dwell too much on the details; it was mainly Huo Yu’s ability to see the good in things. If Huo Yu said his uncle was pleased, then it meant Yan Rui’s approval was genuine.
Feeling at ease, Xia Wan held the cufflinks in his hand once more.
From his observation, Yan Yu had been more focused on women’s products before, neglecting men’s accessories.
But times had changed, and men’s fashion was evolving.
Basic items like rings, cufflinks, and tie clips were no longer enough; even pendants, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets for men were becoming popular. Xia Wan’s own jewelry brand used to have a 37% share in male accessories, and the sales and profits were impressive.
“Eldest Master,” Xia Wan leaned over to Huo Yu, deep in thought, and said, “Could I help design some cufflinks for you? Boys these days appreciate fashion too, and many at our school love wearing accessories, sometimes even more than girls.”
Huo Yu glanced at him, his expression unreadable, and asked, “Why don’t you wear them?”
“I… I haven’t worn them, but didn’t you buy some for me?” Xia Wan replied, “So indirectly, I’m contributing too.”
Huo Yu chuckled softly, “That’s quite the indirect contribution,” and closed his eyes, ignoring Xia Wan’s pout.
Xia Wan’s proposal had been discussed with him and Li Congmeng, and they had a preliminary plan.
However, the company’s existing designers were more skilled in women’s accessories, and Yan Yu was still in its early stages. If Xia Wan was willing to give it a try, it would be ideal.
But Xia Chengzhang’s illness and Xia Wan’s own career aspirations added complexities to the situation it doesn’t right right. He doesn’t want to burden Xia Wan unnecessarily.
Huo Yu thought for a moment, then opened his eyes and calmly glanced at the cufflinks in Xia Wan’s palm.
The small cufflinks were partially covered by the snow-white palms, and they looked really nice together.
But there was a bit of inconsistency in this beauty because of the gauze wrapped around the tip of the index finger on the left hand, adding a touch of tenderness.
“Let’s talk after you finish your own business,” Huo Yu said after a moment of silence. Eventually, he couldn’t bear to see Xia Wan’s disappointed expression.
“Thank you, eldest master,” Xia Wan said with a mixture of emotions, his fingers curling slightly.
As they conversed, the chauffeur Huo Yu had summoned arrived. Xia Wan took a sip from his drink while watching Huo Yu communicate with the driver. He had wanted to visit Xia Chengzhang again, but considering Huo Yu’s earlier drinking with Yan Rui, he decided to abandon the idea.
However, to his surprise, Huo Yu’s gentle voice interrupted his thoughts, “Please go to the hospital first.”
Xia Wan looked at Huo Yu in astonishment and softly replied after a moment, “Thank you, eldest master.”
Huo Yu didn’t respond verbally; he simply reclined in his seat and closed his eyes.
Uncertain if Huo Yu had heard his thanks, Xia Wan decided not to disturb him. He carefully placed the cufflinks back in their box and took out his PAD, lowering his head to start sketching. Cufflinks were small items, but their design required simplicity and elegance. Regardless of the product’s size, it needed its own unique touch to captivate customers.
In the past, Xia Wan’s jewelry brand had excelled in this regard. Even the simplest cufflinks saw the release of hundreds of new designs each year, each with its distinct appeal.
Xia Wan sketched quietly for some time. He had to hide his true abilities for now, but even so, he quickly produced three cufflink prototypes.
Although they appeared simple individually, the three designs were distinct from one another and lacked similarities. With added details, these cufflinks would exude elegance. The refining process would be time-consuming, and he planned to complete it later.
Xia Wan placed the PAD on his lap and unconscious raised his hand to massaged his slightly stiff neck. When he looked up, he realized that Huo Yu had opened his eyes at some point and was focusing on the drawing that he hadn’t exited yet.
Startled, Xia Wan quickly covered the screen with his hand.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Don’t want me to see?” Huo Yu inquired calmly, raising an eyebrow. “Weren’t you designing it for me?”
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Xia Wan had no idea when Huo Yu had seen his designs, but he surreptitiously glanced at Huo Yu’s expression while he remained focused on the screen.
Huo Yu’s long lashes concealed his gaze, and his lips were pressed together.
Quickly, in three to five minutes, Huo Yu studied the designs. He then returned the PAD to Xia Wan and casually asked, half-jokingly and half-curious, “Do you have a jewelry store in mind?”
“What if I do?” Xia Wan raised his gaze to meet Huo Yu’s.
Huo Yu tilted his head slightly and remarked, “Then you’ll become very rich.”
“I’m already rich now,” Xia Wan retorted, lifting the PAD in his hand. “Is the eldest master pleased with them?”
Huo Yu maintained an expressionless face, but a faint smile played on his lips when he heard Xia Wan’s words.
Xia Wan’s demeanor and words were so natural that it was hard to detect any flaws. In truth, Huo Yu had no knowledge of jewelry design, making it even more difficult for him to spot any mistakes.
He had gone through Xia Wan details and he didn’t find anything that would point towards Xia Wan’s talent. Xia Wan, who was an ordinary person without any prior knowledge of jewelry designing. Yet, magically, he could create designs swiftly, flawlessly combining various fashion elements to capture the perfect selling point.
The truth was that very few professional jewelry designers possessed this ability.
“Eldest Master,” Xia Wan said with a hint of nervousness, softly calling out to Huo Yu.
Within an incredibly short time, he had effortlessly designed three cufflinks without pause, something even the best designers in other companies would struggle to achieve. Xia Wan couldn’t help but feel uneasy as he waited for Huo Yu’s feedback. He knew Huo Yu must have had doubts, but when Huo Yu finally examined the designs, Xia Wan found himself at a loss for words.
“Hmm?” After a brief pause, and still no response from Xia Wan, Huo Yu asked again.
“I…” Xia Wan stammered, struggling to form a coherent sentence, “Am I amazing?”
As soon as the words left his lips, Xia Wan wished he could retract them.
“Absolutely amazing,” Huo Yu replied with a meaningful smile. “How did you become so awesome?”
Xia Wan: “..”
Xia Wan remained silent, but Huo Yu continued to gaze at him for a while. His eyes seemed a little unfocused, as if he were slightly intoxicated. The interplay of light and shadow from outside the car’s window added to the mysterious atmosphere.
Xia Wan couldn’t determine if it was because of his awkward remark or the intense scrutiny, but he felt his heart racing, and his ears grew warm. He quickly averted his eyes, clutching his backpack and intending to stow away the PAD.
The PAD carried a faint warmth, and holding it between his fingers made Xia Wan involuntarily recall the moment when his fingertips brushed against Huo Yu’s chest. He bit his lip, sensing that his earlobes were getting even warmer.
A peculiar silence surrounded the car, accompanied by an unusual tension.
Xia Wan secretly rubbed his fingertips in the darkness, while Huo Yu’s gaze remained fixed on him, his eyes darkening without him realizing it.
Not far away, advertisements continuously flashed on the massive outer wall of a commercial plaza.
Xia Wan’s attention was inadvertently drawn to the ads, captivated at this very moment.
“Eldest Master,” he grasped Huo Yu’s wrist, surprise evident in his eyes. “Take a look, isn’t that the set of jewelry I designed?”
As he leaned in closer to Huo Yu, there was no hint of surprise in his eyes. He withdrew his hand and shook it lightly. “Isn’t it, Eldest Master?”
“It’s our new launch,” Huo Yu finally broke the silence.
Hearing this, Xia Wan leaned towards Huo Yu, unable to contain his excitement, and shook his hand. “Is that so, eldest master?”
His eyes widened in surprise, and he raised his head slightly, his eyes sparkling with joy, unreserved and capable of infecting anyone.
“Yes,” the corners of Huo Yu’s mouth turned upwards involuntarily as he looked down at Xia Wan’s profile. “You seem really happy?”
“Of course,” Xia Wan replied, his gaze fixed on the ever-changing details flashing across the huge screen. He couldn’t tear his eyes away.
“I never imagined it would look this beautiful when I designed it,” Xia Wan said. “The rendering is even better than I expected.”
Huo Yu remained silent, his eyes seemingly fixed on Xia Wan’s hand gripping his wrist.
As the individual products were displayed one by one and eventually returned to the same screen, they shimmered in the bright light, reflecting off each other. In the midst of this, the ink spread across the screen, gradually forming the word “Fate.”
Xia Wan was stunned for a moment, his eyes widening in surprise at the unexpected sight.
The jewelry set he had significantly modified was originally named “Fate,” in his orginal world. It was the name chosen by his own grandfather.
The meaning behind it was “Become bound by love, be bound by beauty, be bound by love ones”
As a result, many male customers would specially order this set to give to their loved ones, signifying that the other person was their destined partner.
Xia Wan’s eyelashes fluttered, and for a moment, he felt a strange sense of displacement. It was as if he were still a sick patient lying in the custom RV at home, gazing at his jewelry displayed on a large screen. His eyelashes fluttered, and he suddenly turned his head, only to meet Huo Yu’s eyes.
“The name of this set,” Xia Wan asked softly, “is it ‘Fate’?”
“Yes,” Huo Yu replied, his eyes also fixed on the screen, a smile gracing the corners of his mouth.
That smile softened the slightly thinner corners of his lips, which had a hint of coldness, adding a touch of tenderness to his expression.
Xia Wan was momentarily speechless and shifted his gaze away.
Perhaps this was the real reason. Tonight, Huo Yu not only felt approachable but also looked particularly striking.
And that word “fate” coincidentally made his heart beat wildly.
Like a wandering orphan who could never return home, Xia Wan suddenly found a sense of belonging and security. There was a mix of sadness and emotion, but it felt warm.
Xia Wan lowered his gaze, only to realize that he had grasped Huo Yu’s wrist at some point, and Huo Yu likely hadn’t noticed yet.
The sadness that had just crept into his mind didn’t even have a chance to linger before it was swiftly pushed aside.
He bit his lip and secretly moved his hand away, changing the subject, “Eldest Master, who came up with this name?”
“I did,”Huo Yu said.
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a cold sensation on his wrist. The spot where Xia Wan had just held onto now only had a thin layer of fabric remaining.
Huo Yu’s eyes remained fixed on Xia Wan as he softly asked, “Are you satisfied?”
“Satisfied, very satisfied,” Xia Wan answered. He rarely expressed satisfaction with anything, so this was quite the compliment. “The name chosen by the eldest master is excellent. It perfectly match with my design.”
“Really?” Huo Yu asked with a lukewarm tone.
“Yes,” Xia Wan nodded emphatically.
As they continued their journey, the screen was also left behind, and Xia Wan noticed that along the way, the signs on both sides of the road also displayed graphic promotions for this set of accessories.
“Eldest master is very fast,” Xia Wan commented unconsciously after watching billboard ads for a while.
“Fast?” Huo Yu smiled and glanced out of the window as the car sped along, causing the billboards to blur past. “Actually, today is the first day it’s being launched.”
Success or failure hinged on the first move, and it wasn’t just about being quick; it was also about grabbing everyone’s attention. Only by making a strong initial impression could Yan Yu have a chance to make a complete comeback. This was a swift and precise battle, and there was no room for procrastination. In fact, Huo Yu felt that things were still moving too slowly.
Even upon arriving at the hospital, the “Fate” billboards persisted.
Upon closer inspection, Xia Wan realized that Yan Yu’s promotion of this product also revolved around the theme of “connection,” much like Charlie’s marketing philosophy.
He couldn’t help but feel impressed that Yan Yu had only been under Huo Yu’s management for a few months, and yet it had performed exceptionally well.
If the entire company continued in this vein, Yan Yu might just achieve a remarkable turnaround.
….
When they entered the hospital room, Aunt Zhang had just left. Xia Chengzhang sat on the edge of the bed, listening to Zhang Ruicheng chatting with the family members of the patient in the adjacent bed. The patient who occupied the bed earlier had been discharged in the morning, so there was a new face conversing with Zhang Ruicheng.
“Why are you here again?” Xia Chengzhang appeared somewhat surprised upon seeing them. “Uncle Zhang is here; you don’t have to keep coming over.”
Huo Yu set down the fruit he had brought and replied, “We happened to pass by on our way home, so we thought we’d stop by to see you and then leave.”
“Yes,” Xia Wan added with a smile, taking a seat beside Xia Chengzhang. “Do you want some fruit, Dad?”
“No, I’ve just eaten,” Xia Chengzhang shook his head. “I’m fine.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Wan began to cut a piece of fruit for Zhang Ruicheng.
Observing that Xia Wan was cutting fruit despite having an injured finger, Huo Yu took over the task, preparing a plate of fruit and handing it to Zhang Ruicheng.
“Alright, both of you can go back now,” Xia Chengzhang gently urged them. “You have school and work tomorrow; there’s no need to waste your time here.”
Xia Wan had only wanted to visit briefly, so he stood up upon hearing his father’s words.
“Dad,” Huo Yu inquired, “have you been sitting for a long time? Do you need to lie down?”
Xia Chengzhang chuckled and responded, “Well, I’ve been sitting for quite a while, and my legs aren’t in the best shape. You two can help me lie down.”
Xia Wan was about to assist, but Huo Yu placed a hand on his shoulder and said, “I’ll help.”
Huo Yu bent down, carefully cradled Xia Chengzhang, and gently lowered him onto the bed.
Watching Huo Yu’s considerate actions, Xia Wan’s mind briefly wandered to the shirt he had seen Huo Yu change into earlier. An unexplained warmth welled up in his heart.
A thought suddenly popped up in Xia Wan’s heart: It would be great if the person he will be in the future could treat Xia Chengzhang like Huo Yu does.
…
It had been a rollercoaster day, and Xia Wan nearly fell asleep in the bathtub while taking a bath. After drying off, he switched on his computer and checked his email. The mailbox seemed to stall momentarily before a flood of unread emails with bold subjects inundated his screen.
Noticing the subject “[Cooperation]” attached to these emails, Xia Wan realized they were all related to his live streaming platform.
Turning around, he fetched his mobile phone from his backpack. Unread messages were rapidly accumulating in his dormitory group chat, pushing it to the top of his chat list.
The number of unread messages continued to climb.
Relying on his roommates’ knack for summarizing information, Xia Wan decided to open the group chat first.
Fu Ling had shared a screenshot displaying the number of followers on Xia Wan’s live streaming account. In just half a day, it had surged from over 3 million during the morning livestream to more than 7 million.
Xia Wan’s heart raced, his hands trembled, and he almost dropped his phone in astonishment.
[Little Sweet Tangguo: Weeping with joy.jpg]
[Iceberg Face: Well done.]
Xia Wan didn’t have time to respond. He swiftly exited the group chat and opened his own livestream account. Almost all the tabs displayed “999+” red notifications. Meanwhile, his email inbox finally settled down.
Looking at the screen with over a hundred unread emails, Xia Wan couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed. Although he didn’t have the capacity to take on so much business, he couldn’t deny that he was truly in demand.
Excited, he returned to the dormitory group chat:
[Big Bowl of Sweet Tea: I’m on fire!]
[Little Sweet Zero: Sweating Cats.jpg]
[Little Sweet Tangguo: Fireworks.jpg]
[Iceberg Face:…]
[Big Bowl of Sweet Tea: But how did I become popular?]
Xia Wan genuinely couldn’t comprehend why he had become so popular. He had refrained from going online after his nap, fearing that viewers would criticize him for abruptly ending the livestream. Besides, he had spent the rest of his time with Huo Yu and hadn’t even considered checking his phone. Moreover, this livestream incident was somewhat similar to the previous one. The surge in traffic had already occurred during the last incident, and this time, the impact would likely be smaller.
Simultaneously, Huo Yu also visited Xia Wan’s livestream account. He had been slightly concerned after the morning’s livestream, but upon checking the latest viewer count, he found it unsurprising. He pondered for a moment, then messaged Shen Yan.
Shortly afterward, Shen Yan provided an answer: “The little sister-in-law’s livestream was shared by several prominent influencers and is still trending on the hot search.”
Huo Yu didn’t respond directly. Instead, he navigated to Weibo. As expected, although Xia Wan’s ranking had slipped slightly, he was still in the top five trending topics, with substantial engagement.
Shen Yan then sent another message: “Don’t let the good news go to outsiders. Later, Yan Yu’s online promotion can be done by my sister-in-law.”
….
At the breakfast table, Xia Wan was conspicuously absent.
Huo Yu had already finished his meal and was perusing financial news when he glanced up and noticed Xia Wan’s noticeably larger and more prominent dark circles.
The dark circles under Xia Wan’s eyes were more pronounced than before.
“What’s going on?” Huo Yu couldn’t help but find it amusing. “Did you not sleep all night?”
“Eldest Master,” Xia Wan said as he sipped his milk, “I feel like I’m going to be rich soon.”
Huo Yu chuckled. Xia Wan had already been holding a small amount of money between his fingers, yet he was making a big deal out of it by having such prominent dark circles?
“Really?” he said nonchalantly.
“Yes,” Xia Wan replied earnestly, “I saw the latest business offers, and several of them are from major brands, offering generous fees.”
“Indeed,” Huo Yu put down his tablet and waited for Xia Wan to continue.
The livestreaming industry was akin to the entertainment industry, characterized by fierce and cutthroat competition. Those who rose to fame quickly were also susceptible to falling just as swiftly. Floating too high could result in being trampled by rivals and torn apart. Xia Wan was only twenty, an age particularly vulnerable to these ups and downs.
Huo Yu anticipated that Xia Wan would paint a grand vision for his future, but he decided to temper his enthusiasm with a dose of reality first.
However, Xia Wan surprised him by lowering his gaze and saying, “If your company faces financial difficulties in the future, maybe I can help.”
Huo Yu opened his mouth, feeling a sudden thump in his heart, like being hit hard. It was a mix of sourness and sweetness.
The words teetered on the edge of his tongue but remained unspoken, and his eyes displayed a subtle smile.
However the next movement Xia Wan words dampen his mood.
Xia Wan continued joyfully, “That way, you can retrieve your parents’ belongings sooner, and our contract can come to an end earlier.”
Huo Yu: “…”
Huo Yu was left speechless. The smile in his eyes gradually faded, turning cold before reaching the depths of his gaze. He stood up with a stern expression and declared, “I have an interview this morning. I can’t give you a ride.”
“Oh,” Xia Wan responded, looking at Huo Yu with obliviousness, failing to grasp his underlying emotions.
…
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the Xue family’s breakfast table was equally heavy. Despite the sumptuous meal laid out before them, no one made a move to eat.
In moments like these, Su Tang’s significance was particularly pronounced. He served a bowl of soup to Wen Yunzhi and Xue Chong with a warm smile. “Aunt, uncle, have some soup.”
Xue Chong gazed at Su Tang and couldn’t resist ruffling his hair. If Ake were still around, he would be Su Tang’s age, perhaps just as endearing. Despite the numerous disappointments he had endured over the years, he had mentally prepared for the worst. However, when faced with actual hope, he couldn’t conceal his anxiety and excitement, longing to see his child again.
Suddenly, a phone rang in the quiet room. Almost instantly, everyone at the table turned their attention to Xue Wenxuan.
Xue Wenxuan glanced at his parents and then answered the phone.
“Hello, Mr. Xue,” came the voice of a staff member from the testing agency. “Your test results are ready. Please come by to pick them up at your convenience.”
“Could you please tell me the results first?” Xue Wenxuan’s voice trembled despite his consistent composure.
“Of course,” the other party agreed and proceeded to check the results. “Based on the two samples and DNA analysis you provided, the results support Mr. Xue Chong and Mrs. Wen Yunzhi as the biological parents of Mr. Xia Wan.”
Xue Wenxuan’s eyes welled up with tears, his voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you.”
He then turned to his parents, suppressing his excitement, and uttered the words they had all been waiting for: “It’s Ake.”
Oh Xia Wan, please realize Hou Yu’s feelings, you’re killing me
Thank you for the chapter
Now we know the truth! So what’s going to happen now?
Thank You for the new chapter (｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡
Baby, your life will change
Thank you for your translation ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️