Despite Huo Yu’s house being quite old, the soundproofing was impressive. The room was so silent that Xia Wan could hear his own breathing.
Returning his attention to the computer screen, Xia Wan’s fingertips clicked on the mouse, producing a crisp sound. In sync with the click, the image of Sun Baijiang on the screen shifted.
Sun Baijiang was dressed in a black shirt, with no makeup. He appeared a bit weary, but his expression carried a strong sense of determination.
For the first time, Xia Wan noticed that Sun Baijiang’s dressing style resembled Huo Yu’s to some extent.
Behind Sun Baijiang stood his manager, Wen Hengzhi, who happened to be Su Tang’s mother and Xia Wan’s aunt.
Her facial expression wasn’t very pleasing, with knitted brows and eyes filled with helplessness and worry. It was evident that she didn’t approve of this press conference.
The start of the video is a bit chaotic, with the camera in the reporter’s hand shaking badly and lots of noisy voices.
But after a few minutes, the scene became quiet.
A reporter stood up, appearing to want to ask Sun Baijiang a question, but Sun Baijiang raised his hand to stop him.
“The main reason I called you here today is to share a story from my youth,” he paused. “This story is closely connected to something everyone is currently focused on, so please, for now, refrain from asking questions. Wait until I finish speaking. I trust each of you will form your own judgment.”
“What’s happening here?” A faint murmur from a reporter sounded, followed by a hush of silence.
Sun Baijiang appeared to be reminiscing about the past, and there was a moment of silence before he started speaking slowly.
“Some might be aware that Huo Yu and I grew up together,” he paused briefly, then continued, “Yes, it’s same Huo Yu, the rising figure in Beijing and the recognized leader of the Huo family.”
As soon as Huo Yu’s name was mentioned, the audience erupted into an uproar. No one anticipated that Sun Baijiang would bring up Huo Yu’s name without any warning in such a situation.
As Xia Wan watched in front of the screen, his fingers unconsciously clenched, and tension filled the air, his nerves on edge.
“Huo Yu’s parents passed away when he was five, and he’s been living at his uncle’s place,” Sun Baijiang continued. He clarified, “Even though it’s commonly known as his uncle’s house, it was initially Huo Yu’s father’s property. They bought it for construction, but after their unfortunate demise, Huo Peixue and his family took possession of it, treating it as their own, much like the Huo family.”
“Of course, there’s Yan Yu, who’s quite popular now. Many female reporters here should be aware of it, right?” He looked down, pointed at a female reporter in the front row, and remarked, “That’s the one you’ve got on your hands, isn’t it?”
Laughter erupted in the room, and the female reporter responded with a smile, saying, “Yes”
Not to be outdone, some male reporters shouted, “Male reporters are aware too!” This sparked another round of laughter.
Sun Baijiang also smiled, saying, “Yan Yu was the property left by Huo Yu’s mother. It was taken away by Huo Peixue and neglected for eighteen years. It wasn’t until Huo Yu took over this year that it returned to its former glory.”
The room fell silent for a moment, and then a murmur swept through the audience.
The Huo family was inherited from Huo Yu’s father. Ever since Xia Wan openly pointed this out during the Huo family’s family dinner, almost everyone in the outside world became aware of it. With the rise of Yan Yu, the history of Yan Yu also became known to many. However, as far as is known, very few people truly know the inside story about the Huo family’s old residence.
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.
If what Sun Baijiang said is true, the Huo family won’t have the moral high ground to accuse Huo Yu of reclaiming the old house. If the conflict persists, they can only argue about the so-called “nurturing grace.”
Pc gfjilas, fnfgsbcf xcbkr atja ajxlcu rbwfbcf firf’r qgbqfgas jcv jyjcvbclcu atflg mtlivgfc lr ecjmmfqajyif.
“Qtfc P olgra wfa Leb Te, la kjr ja atf biv tberf bo atf Leb ojwlis. Lf kjr bcis jybea rlz sfjgr biv ja atja alwf,” Vec Djlpljcu wegwegfv.
“Zs ojcr, lcmievlcu wjcs bo ws gfqbgafg oglfcvr, rtbeiv yf jkjgf atja ws ojwlis yfujc klat yelivlcu wjafgljir, ktfgfjr atf Leb ojwlis rajgafv lc gfji frajaf,” Vec Djlpljcu fzqijlcfv. “Ktf olgra alwf P wfa Leb Te kjr ktfc ws vjv ygbeuta wf ab atf Leb ojwlis. Ca atja alwf, Leb Uflzef tjv gfmfcais ajxfc mtjguf bo atf Leb ojwlis jcv kjr delaf yers. Zs ojatfg jlwfv ab wjxf atf Leb ojwlis j rluclolmjca merabwfg, yea atfgf kjr cb qgbugfrr ja atja alwf.”
“But my family never gave up. Later, my father transferred me to the school where Huo Yu and Huo Lin attended, hoping that I could get closer to Huo Lin.”
At this point, he unconsciously pursed his lips, saying, “Maybe it’s because Huo Lin and I were the same age as Huo Yu, we got closer to him. It was only then that I gradually learned that despite seeming well-protected in the Huo family, Huo Yu had endured cold mistreatment since childhood. The Huo family provided him with numerous toys, and art lessons, and never lacked in food, drinks, and enjoyment. The nanny even compelled him to do hand masks regularly, all to showcase him someday and earn face for Huo Peixue.”
“Hadn’t it been said that Huo Peixue loved Huo Yu more than Huo Lin? It seemed the Huo family’s face-saving project had been quite successful,” Sun Baijiang sneered. “But in reality, not even the nanny took him seriously. How could the Huo family truly respect him? He had no friends and couldn’t go out freely. Meanwhile, Huo Lin even enjoyed the privileges left by his biological parents, yet they acted domineering in front of him…”
“At that time, I thought maybe he was too lonely,” Sun Baijiang’s voice softened. “I extended a hand of friendship. Soon we quickly formed a good relationship.”
“At that time, I had smiled sarcastically, saying, “Later, I found out that the reason I was allowed to establish a friendship with Huo Yu, the reason I was allowed to visit the Huo family, was because my father wanted something from the Huo family and it was easier to control that way.”
“Especially when Huo Yu trusted me a lot and considered me his best friend.”
Both on and off the stage, there was a chilling silence. Anyone picturing being locked in a luxurious cage, enduring cold abuse for over ten years, would likely feel driven to madness.
“Later, we gradually grew up. Perhaps due to suppressing it for too long, Huo Yu became obsessed with extreme sports—racing, bungee jumping, climbing… It was also around that time he started showing interest in family business matters,” Sun Baijiang explained. “And it was also at that time that I… I developed very different feelings for him.”
The audience erupted into an uproar once again.
Sun Baijiang has been in the industry for many years and has almost zero scandals. There was a reporter who refused to give up and diligently pursued leads for several months in a row, yet found nothing.
It wasn’t until a few months before that Huo Lin’s uncle, Li Sheng’s lover, Zhou Shu, hinted at Huo Yu being ungrateful in an interview. It was then that Sun Baijiang insisted on changing roles, and the scandal involving Huo Yu spread for the first time.
However, since there was no concrete evidence proving any private communication between the two, the scandal eventually faded away.
“I concealed this feeling deeply, but my father still discovered it,” Sun Baijiang appeared oblivious to the discussions below and continued, “On the night before Huo Yu’s fifteenth birthday, while I was checking the delivery of a gift for him, my father unexpectedly found me and demanded that I disclose everything Huo Yu said and did.”
As he said this, Sun Baijiang took a deep breath, no longer resembling the famous actor but appearing like the most ordinary young man, unable to conceal the pain on his face.
“I was very naive at that time, but I also knew that my father’s request wasn’t normal. But my father said…” Sun Baijiang fell silent for a while, then spoke with some pain, “He said he knew I liked Huo Yu, and as long as I helped him this time, he could find a way to make Huo Yu and me happy.”
Sun Baijiang lowered his head and buried his face in his palms, while Wen Hengzhi quickly stepped forward to hold his shoulders, offering support.
After a moment, Sun Baijiang raised his hand to signify that it didn’t matter.
“I admired my father, who believed in me so much, and I couldn’t resist such temptation. I agreed after a short period of thinking. Subconsciously, I may have known that there was something wrong with doing this, but I deliberately did it because I wanted to be with him too much. I ignored any reservations. I started to tell my father everything about Huo Yu. At that time, Huo Yu was fifteen or sixteen years old. He was no longer as easy to control as he was when he was eight or nine. He engaged in activities like playing ball, racing cars, doing sports, going to galleries to paint, and attending exhibitions. Although these activities weren’t as common as those of his peers, the Huo family couldn’t completely stop them; otherwise, it would be too suspicious in the eyes of the outside world.”
Sun Baijiang paused for a moment, “Shortly after his fifteenth birthday, someone asked Huo Yu to race. I don’t know why. Huo Yu started to distance himself from extreme sports at that time, but he had made a verbal agreement with someone else earlier, so he agreed.”
“The Huo family supported him in playing these things before, so he only raced cars. There were about seven or eight cars given to him. He and I chose a red racing car together. Afterward, I naturally told my father about these things.”
Sun Baijiang hesitated, “During that race, there was an issue with the car that Huo Yu and I inspected together the night before.”
“Then, Huo Yu had a car accident. This matter was suppressed by the Huo family at the time, and not many people outside the world knew about it.”
The scene had suddenly fallen silent. After a while, a reporter stood up and asked, “So, did you think this was a murder?”
“Only my father knew about this matter. The only people who could touch Huo Yu’s racing car were the Huo family, but we had no evidence.”
Another reporter stood up, “So, is this the reason why you broke up with your family?”
Sun Baijiang had no relationship with his family. He had never even returned for the Spring Festival, the most significant event for Chinese people. As the only son of the Sun family, he even vowed never to take over the family’s property. Such actions, seemingly incomprehensible to outsiders, appeared to have an answer in an instant.
At that moment, Sun Baijiang’s admission was accompanied by a heavy burden. “Yes,” he reiterated, “I felt dirty.” His words reflected the deep emotional toll and regret he carried within.
The Sun family’s business indeed improved significantly during those years. Utilizing the Huo family as a stepping stone, they established collaborations with many large real estate developers.
In recent years, they have engaged in various investments and accumulated substantial wealth.
And Huo Yu did go abroad to study when he was around sixteen years old. This fact was verifiable for anyone interested in checking.
At that time, the Huo family had announced that Huo Yu was passionate about art and desired to study abroad. They even detailed the family’s efforts to secure renowned teachers and universities for him overseas, contributing to Huo Peixue’s reputation.
But no one knew that this wave of good reputation was tainted with greed and evil intentions.
Judging from Huo Yu’s extraordinary business talent, he may not have been genuinely obsessed with art.
The reason he was allowed to pursue an art career was merely a strategy to legitimately remove him from the Huo family’s business empire in the future.
“Over the years, I felt ashamed towards my fans, all the seniors, and collaborators who appreciated and supported me, but the most shameful thing was what I did to Huo Yu,” Sun Baijiang admitted, lowering his eyes. “I had also thought about it countless times. This disgraceful history had been concealed, but as one of the few insiders, I could no longer stand by and watch the Huo family shamelessly smear the victim.”
“Didn’t the Huo family always scold Huo Yu for not appreciating their upbringing? I think the Huo family was a little too obsessed with controlling his upbringing.”
He smiled at the camera as if he was finally relieved: “If any of the partners need to terminate the partnership, please contact my agent to discuss compensation.”
With that said, he stood up and prepared to leave.
A large number of reporters quickly left their seats and gathered around, wanting to enter for an in-depth interview, but were stopped by Wen Hengzhi and several security personnel.
The screen shook for a while, and Xia Wan could no longer see the screen clearly.
Xia Wan felt a mix of emotions as he watched the revelation unfold. His heart sank, realizing the complexity of Huo Yu’s past. The tears streaming down his face mirrored the emotional turmoil he was experiencing.
The tears turned cold on his face, dripping down his chin and onto his chest.
It turned out that it was not just what Xia Wan had imagined. It turned out that Huo Yu had endured more and faced greater cruelty.
It’s just that Huo Yu had kept his painful past hidden, never sharing the depths of his struggles.
Huo Yu’s life has been a series of challenges. From the loss of his parents at a young age to enduring mistreatment in his uncle’s family, he faced betrayal from a trusted friend and almost lost his life in a manipulated accident. Even as an adult, returning to China, he found himself being used once again for others’ ulterior motives, enduring a life of hardship and manipulation.
Huo Yu was so young…..
Just five years old..
Xia Wan couldn’t fathom the fear and helplessness Huo Yu must have felt after losing his parents and then being mistreated in his own family.
As the video ended, it automatically transitioned to the next segment, where a reporter was providing an analysis of Sun Baijiang’s press conference.
Xia Wan, feeling overwhelmed with emotions, wiped away his tears with his hand. He stood up from where he was sitting and walked out of the room.
The floor in the hallway was covered in a soft carpet, making no sound when he walked. But as soon as he stepped on the wooden stairs, it creaked beneath his feet.
Huo Yu’s office was well-lit, the glow of the computer screen reflecting on his focused face. He had a pair of headphones on, engrossed in a conversation on the phone while simultaneously typing away at the keyboard. It was evident that he remained oblivious to the unfolding events online.
Huo Yu paused and turned around as he had heard the sound of footsteps.
Xia Wan stood by the door, the corners of his lips pursed slightly, and the tears on his face were not yet dry.
His slightly longer hair covered his forehead softly. His usually well-behaved face now appeared very pitiful.
Huo Yu was stunned for a moment, then he cut off the phone. Just as he was about to get up, Xia Wan had already rushed in.
Huo Yu quickly caught Xia Wan as the chair tipped backward, ensuring he didn’t fall. They found themselves in a tight embrace, with Huo Yu looking at Xia Wan with concern.
“Eldest Master,” Xia Wan whispered, lowering his head to cradle Huo Yu’s face, restraining his tears, “I’m in so much pain.”
“Yeah,” Huo Yu’s hand slid down Xia Wan’s waist, expressing a hint of uncertainty. “Should I be more gentle next time?”
Observing Xia Wan’s eyes reddening with tears, he instinctively embraced him, pulling him into the warmth of his arms. His hand tenderly rose to stroke the back of Xia Wan’s head, providing a soothing gesture.
“I’m sorry,” Huo Yu said, sounding more serious, “Next time, I’ll be more careful and gentle, okay?”
TN
They are so good!!!
That’s sooo sad! Poor bubu ಡ ﹏ ಡ
Thank You for the new chapter (灬♥ω♥灬)
Oh my what a past 😭😭😭
Though I wonder what does he want by revealing it now? 🤔
🥺
🥺 Somehow, his comment at the end made the situation even more heartbreaking