Huang Cheng hesitated and said, “I… I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay. If the cat’s out of the bag, so be it. No need to apologize,” Having changed into the new clothes, Xie Guan stood before the mirror. He completely shed the lazy demeanor he had earlier, now standing tall and elegant. A smile played at the corners of his lips, exuding a dignified charm.
“Only he could pull off something like this. Just pretend I didn’t say anything. Things were the same before, and they’ll be the same in the future.”
If this were a situation with an ordinary friend, inserting someone into another person’s life without them knowing would likely cause a major falling out regardless of good intentions. Xie Guan could at least understand it to some extent. He speculated that since the death of Cheng Sheng, Huo Mingjun became somewhat reclusive, rarely opening up to others and being clumsy in expressing emotions. Therefore, when facing Xie Guan, it seemed less like a relationship between adults maintaining a certain distance and more like a child raising a pet, piling everything good onto them, being cautious as if afraid of accidentally killing the pet.
Although Xie Guan acknowledged the accuracy of being considered a “rare commodity,” he was still a self-aware and normal person. Being treated like a pet all the time wasn’t ideal. Moreover, despite the fact that their relationship was transparent and guilt-free, these actions might be perceived differently by others, leading to unforeseen circumstances.
Xie Guan now rose from the eighteenth tier to the eighth tier with some effort, but the significant disparity in status and identity with Huo Mingjun was evident. No matter how you look at it, it doesn’t seem like a purely platonic friendship.
Feeling the need to have a proper conversation with Huo Mingjun, Xie Guan turned to Huang Cheng and asked, “Is he busy lately?”
Huang Cheng hesitated, his expression revealing some uncertainty.
Xie Guan inquired, “What’s the matter? Is there something inconvenient to say?”
Having been exposed by Xie Guan and uncertain about the depth of his knowledge, Huang Cheng didn’t want to confront him directly. He hesitated and said, “Mr. Huo… didn’t tell you? He’s been at home recovering from an illness.”
Xie Guan was taken aback by Huang Cheng’s evasive attitude. Hearing the word “recovering,” his mind immediately raced towards the worst-case scenario. His expression changed abruptly, and he asked, “What illness? What’s wrong with him?”
Huang Cheng could hear the tremor in his voice, knowing that he was thinking in the wrong direction. He quickly tried to cover up, “It’s not a serious illness, just a bit of a cold and cough due to the change of seasons.”
Xie Guan’s tense heart finally relaxed. Coming back to his senses, he realized that there was a thin layer of sweat on his back. He forced a smile and asked, “Did he say… is it serious?”
Huang Cheng wasn’t a bodyguard following Huo Mingjun around, so he didn’t know much about his condition. Therefore, he silently shook his head.
“Got it,” Xie Guan changed his clothes and hung them up. “I’ll go ask him myself.”
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.
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Of course, Grandpa Huo with his strong personality positioned himself as someone “to be feared,” and while Huo Mingjun resembled him, he wasn’t entirely the same. Thanks to Assistant Fang’s vigorous promotion, Huo Mingjun’s image as the big demon king has already become deeply ingrained in people’s minds. He might not be as forceful as his grandfather, but he was even more ruthless.
He seemed oblivious to the concept of “empathy.”
However, for some unknown reason today, Huo Mingjun had a change of heart. Upon reflection, he suddenly felt that if he was sick, he was sick, and there was no need to keep it a secret.
Especially not from Xie Guan.
“My old ailment relapsed, confined to bed,” Huo Mingjun turned away and coughed a couple of times. “The doctor said it’s best to stay at home and rest.”
Xie Guan somewhat figured out some of Huo Mingjun’s temperament, knowing that this person had the habit of stubbornly denying his illness. He thought he might have to coax a bit to get the tight-lipped Boss Huo to open up. Unexpectedly, with just one question, Huo Mingjun voluntarily provided all the information, leaving Xie Guan a bit stunned. “Ah… is it serious? How long have you been sick?”
“It’s nothing major. It’ll be fine after this period. Just can’t go out, stuck at home every day, it’s boring,” Huo Mingjun said, sounding somewhat genuine and somewhat feigned.
Xie Guan could leave Huang Cheng bewildered with his words, but in front of Huo Mingjun, he always felt like he was being led by the nose. He vaguely sensed that Huo Mingjun was implying something but didn’t fully grasp the point.
Huo Mingjun asked, “And you, have you been busy lately?”
“Not bad,” Xie Guan replied, “I’ll be joining the set in another week, so things will get busy.”
“The last time we met, it was still chilly with the north wind. In the blink of an eye, the whole city is filled with willow catkins,” Huo Mingjun said leisurely, “Unfortunately, I can’t go out. Otherwise, I could personally come to see you. When you finish filming and come back, I guess a whole summer will have passed.”
Whether it was a misconception or not, Xie Guan seemed to sense a hint of loneliness in his words. Perhaps falling ill made people more sensitive, and even the big demon king wasn’t immune.
Xie Guan gritted his teeth and asked, “Then… how about I come to visit and see you?”
Huo Mingjun remained silent for a few seconds before saying, “Forget it. You have a press conference the day after tomorrow, right? Prepare well and don’t tire yourself out.”
From his silence, Xie Guan could almost imagine Huo Mingjun sitting alone by the window, pale, frail, and expressing a sense of melancholy as he reluctantly said, “Forget it.” Thinking back to the timely gift of those two clothing sets, Xie Guan felt a mixture of sourness and tenderness from Huo Mingjun’s few words. He insisted, “The press conference is only a few hours and there’s not much to prepare. It just happens that I should thank you in person for the clothes you sent. I’ll come over tomorrow. Send me the address later.”
“Sure.”
After a moment’s thought he added, “Thank you.”
Huo Mingjun gazed at the white magnolias falling leisurely outside the window. Although his complexion was paler than usual, a faint smile slowly curved at the corner of his mouth.
Someone once told him that the domineering CEO approach wouldn’t work against someone with a soft heart. Only by playing the pitiful card could one achieve the desired outcome and pave the way for success. This wise man, with vast experience and numerous battles under his belt, distilled this nugget of life experience. On a night with a dark sky and a high wind, he solemnly imparted it to Huo Mingjun.
At that time, Huo Mingjun dismissed this wisdom, thinking it was just a tactic without sincerity. However, after the incident with the stand-in, he found himself unable to handle Xie Guan effectively. Pondering over his options, he realized that acting pitiful was the way to go.
Gradually, he discovered that this old Jianghu trickster’s “life experience” was surprisingly effective.
In reality, when a person appears soft-hearted or compromises, it’s not because they genuinely feel miserable. They are merely willing to tolerate and accommodate “that person.”
Similarly, when a resolute individual, who never easily shows weakness, resorts to a bit of trickery and plays the victim to get what they want from a specific person, it’s because they know that regardless of the method, that person will eventually yield to their desires.
Ultimately, it all boils down to leveraging one’s established position in the hearts of others and finding various ways to seek indulgence and affection.
This time, Huo Mingjun’s subtle approach was exceptionally sophisticated, leaving much to imagination while showcasing his considerate nature. His clever use of surroundings to express emotions lead to Xie Guan getting his face covered in willow catkins when he went out in the morning, immediately reminding him of Huo Mingjun.
Yesterday, Xie Guan asked Huo Mingjun to send him the address. However, upon hanging up the phone and checking his WeChat messages, he found a note that read: “Tomorrow morning, I’ll have someone come to pick you up.”
Huo Mingjun’s twists and turns in his approach almost made Xie Guan throw his phone away, finding the situation both amusing and helpless. Indeed, Huo Mingjun took great care of him, and sometimes Xie Guan felt that treating this person as a pet wouldn’t be a bad idea. However, as time passed and memories faded, Huo Mingjun would gradually open up, welcoming more friends and forming closer relationships. At that point, who else would be worth his meticulous attention?
Xie Guan typed back: “Alright, is there anything you want? I’ll bring it over for you tomorrow.”
It’s unlikely that Huo Mingjun’s house lacked anything, and Xie Guan planned to bring some fruits and health supplements as a token of goodwill. The response came promptly from the other side.
Huo Mingjun: “You promised last time, two dishes and a soup.”
Xie Guan: “When did I promise you?!”
Huo Mingjun: “During our last meal. Anyone who visits without bringing something is a rogue. I’m lacking in this aspect, so you figure it out.”
Xie Guan: “I think what you might be lacking is common sense. Don’t worry, I’ll buy a prescription of brain-damage pills for you tomorrow.”
The next day, the driver from Huo’s family came downstairs to pick up Xie Guan. Holding a thermos, he got into the car, and they headed east steadily. They continued until they reached the foot of Changle Mountain, a famous scenic area in B city. Looking around, all they could see were trees, flowers, and several villas hidden among them. There was an outer gate with an automatic sensor, indicating that they arrived at Huo Mingjun’s residence.
After the car entered, the gate took about five minutes to open before stopping in front of the main building of the villa. Someone approached to open the car door for Xie Guan, attempting to take the thermos from his hands, but Xie Guan waved him off.
The courtyard was very quiet, filled only with the sound of the wind and birds. Aside from the nanny and the butler, there were no other people in sight. Xie Guan, experiencing this formal and mansion-like atmosphere for the first time, couldn’t sense any solemnity. Instead, he found it rather ostentatious and felt a bit like it was trying too hard. He wanted to laugh but didn’t dare, channeling all his effort into keeping a straight face.
The housekeeper led Xie Guan upstairs to Huo Mingjun’s bedroom. Xie Guan initially thought it might be inappropriate to go directly to someone’s bedroom on the first visit. Upon entering, he discovered that there was a small living room outside the bedroom. Huo Mingjun, dressed casually, had a computer nearby and was sitting on the sofa, waiting for him.
“Here you are.”
Huo Mingjun stood up to greet him, and the housekeeper gave a slight bow before excusing himself to prepare tea and snacks. Seeing that they were alone, Xie Guan finally couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter, turning his head away.
Huo Mingjun looked at him helplessly and sighed, “You came to visit a patient, and you’re laughing like this. Aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to leave through that door today?”
“Sorry, couldn’t resist,” Xie Guan composed himself and finally turned his face to look at him. “Your household is quite interesting. But isn’t it inconvenient for work to live so far away?”
Huo Mingjun led him to sit on the sofa, accepted the thermos, and placed it on the table. “I don’t usually live here. I only move back for a few days every year when I’m unwell. There’s a doctor here, making it more convenient for medical treatment. Otherwise, it’s not enjoyable to eat poorly and sleep poorly. Who would want to spend the whole day here?”
Xie Guan chuckled and said, “I just asked a simple question, and it led to such a long conversation. I haven’t seen you being this enthusiastic and hospitable. What’s going on? Have you been mistreated at home?”
There conversations have my whole heart 💖
They are so wholesome (T ^ T)
Thank you for the chapter (´,,•ω•,,)♡
💖💖💖💖
Thank you for the chapter!
I just find their mutual banter and sarcastic remarks beautiful uwu